Rin, Enraged

Having finished her bath with the help of her attendants, Rinacien returned to her room, breathing heavily.

She was about to let out a scream of pure frustration the moment the door closed, but stopped in surprise when she saw Reinhold waiting for her.

"Morgan?"

Reinhold buried his nose in her damp hair and whispered.

"Your Highness, fresh from your bath, is the very definition of pure grace."

"Ugh...!"

"Am I being irreverent by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠saying such things?"

She shook her head quickly, her face flushing red.

The haughty princess, who usually looked down on everyone, was completely flustered only in front of him.

Reinhold found this contrast irresistibly satisfying.

"But there must ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be a reason you waited for me at this hour?"

"Of course, Your Highness."

As the shield knight straightened his posture, the Crown Princess also sat up straight.

From this moment on, they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were no longer lovers, but lord and vassal.

"The reins on the Saint and the archer have loosened. Since we haven't achieved our goal, delaying the fulfillment of our contract has reached its limit."

"That was the reward for the contract. Because they failed to do their part, we couldn't secure the Hero, and everything fell apart. Is there any reason we should give them anything? Regardless of how unfair they feel it is, the contract must be executed exactly as written. We must receive before we give."

"Not everything is driven by logic. Trust and suspicion belong to the realm of emotion. And depending on what actions you show the other party, emotion can override logic."

"For example?"

Reinhold smiled leisurely.

It was time to teach the Crown Princess.

And he would show her himself.

Dawn.

Arciel arrived at the imperial capital's walls after receiving a summons from Rinacien.

The sun had barely risen, casting a blue tint over the ramparts. There, Arciel spotted Rinacien and Reinhold waiting for her.

"Out here without guards again, I see."

"With Morgan by my side, no other guards are necessary."

"Numbers alone can be a great strength, you know."

"Hmph. Morgan himself is more than enough strength."

She had forgotten.

The words Arciel had just spoken were what Lee had once told her.

Aside from the day she had run off alone and gotten cornered, it was something Lee had drilled into her ears until they bled.

Rinacien must have heard it too, yet she showed no reaction whatsoever.

"The Saint makes a good point. Actually, it's quite surprising. For someone who always charges at the vanguard to say such a thing."

"Are you mocking me?"

"It is pure admiration."

"Cut the pleasantries. Why did you call me here?"

Reinhold pointed down below the wall.

There stood ten large carriages.

Arciel watched as workers loaded them with food and daily necessities.

The work was in its final stages.

"I realized we haven't paid enough attention to you, despite being partners."

"What do you mean by that?"

"All of those carriages are headed to your hometown. Gutter Alley, was it?"

Arciel snorted.

"Ha! Smooth talk all this time, and now this? I know you're just going to put those carriages right back in the warehouse after showing off like this."

She snapped back bluntly, but her eyes couldn't tear themselves away from the carriages.

That amount of supplies could easily feed her hometown for at least half a year.

The faces of her childhood friends she had left behind flashed in her mind.

Children who were spunky but skin and bones.

Arciel fidgeted with the hairpin in her pocket.

Mocking her reaction, Rinacien clapped her hands.

At the sound of the clap echoing in the quiet dawn, the workers looked up and quickly finished loading the remaining cargo in perfect order.

Ten drivers climbed onto the ten carriages.

"Depart!"

Strong horses at the front began to gallop forward.

Arciel stared blankly at the procession of carriages passing through the opened gates and leaving the imperial capital.

"Trust is solidified only when actions are shown."

Arciel disliked Rinacien's smug attitude, but she couldn't stop a sudden warmth from swelling in her chest.

"Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"

"Once the grand council is over, we will set out on our journey again as the Hero's party. Your role in it will be crucial."

Of course. Just adding more conditions to the contract.

Yet, the image of the supply carriages heading toward her hometown still lingered in her mind.

When Arciel remained silent, Reinhold turned his back to her, looking out over the outer walls.

"Subduing the Hero at the end of our journey is a task for all of us anyway. However, there is a figure who has suddenly risen to prominence at this juncture."

The porter.

Even without him saying the name, he immediately came to Arciel's mind.

"Not only did he suddenly rescue the Hero, but he also claimed that the Demon Heroes are the catalysts to resurrect the Demon King. Whether that is true or not, we need to keep him close."

"He's inseparable from Lucy anyway."

"No, simply keeping him close is not enough."

Right on cue, Reinhold turned back around.

"Arciel, you must find out who the porter really is."

"The imperial family was the one who appointed him to the Hero's party. The appointment document detailing his identity should be safely stored in the imperial archives, shouldn't it?"

This time, Rinacien stepped in.

"Only His Majesty the Emperor and his designated proxy can enter the archives. As you know, Father's health is failing. Lately, he has barely been lucid. He is only conscious for a few hours a day. Just getting his approval on backlogged state affairs takes up all that time."

Above all, the Emperor would lose his mind and start wheezing the moment the archives were mentioned.

Whether he was doing it on purpose was unclear, but they couldn't exactly interrogate him and tell him to stop playing games in front of the ministers.

"If you accept, we will send regular supply shipments."

"Hmph. The Holy Kingdom already sends support every month."

Reinhold extended his hand.

"Arciel, the entire world knows the Holy Kingdom has been suffering from famine for years. It is easy to see that the donations from devout patrons are barely enough to feed your own clergy."

Consequently, the support had already been cut off for over a year.

The last Arciel had heard, Gutter Alley was barely scraping by, rationing the supplies sent before the cutoff.

Stung where it hurt, Arciel clicked her tongue and shook the shield knight's hand.

"Don't forget. Both the Holy Kingdom and you. The contract isn't just about simple aid; it includes building an academy there and sending teachers."

"I keep it in mind always."

The sun was rising behind Reinhold.

The glare was so bright that Arciel couldn't look at him directly.

"Of course, that is only after we achieve our goal."

Shaded by the backlight, his face wore a smile twisted with superiority and arrogance.

And so, the morning of the grand council dawned.

The Crown Princess and the shield knight invited Nydrian and the High Elf elders to breakfast.

This time, they had taken proper care, filling the table with salads and various vegetarian dishes.

The elves enjoyed their breakfast, highly satisfied with the rare fresh fruits and vegetables.

"How is the food?"

"It is delicious."

Delicious food relaxes people.

An eternal truth that transcended race.

Rinacien tapped her wine glass to draw everyone's attention.

"Since the subjugation of the Demon King, it has been one disappointment after another. Losing the Hero, demons continuing to appear despite the Demon King's death, and now even the Demon Hero party."

The elders and Nydrian tensed up.

Based on the opening remarks, it sounded like an indirect criticism of their lack of cooperation.

However, they could not hide their excitement when they saw the certificate Reinhold pulled out from beside her.

"Though we kept it hidden to prepare, I, Rinacien Carlun, must express my gratitude to the elves who have actively assisted me."

Reinhold unfurled the certificate and read it aloud, emphasizing every single word.

Small gasps of awe erupted.

Nydrian also smiled brightly and looked around, but no one gave her a single glance or word of appreciation for her hard work.

Feeling awkward, she sheepishly turned her head back forward.

The elders looked at each other and nodded deeply.

They were filled with the joy of success, yet there was still no praise for Nydrian.

Every single elder whipped their head to look at Nydrian.

This wasn't the kind of attention she wanted...

The archer timidly lowered her head.

Rinacien gestured to the servants, and everyone's glasses were filled with wine.

"Soon, the Hero's party will set out on a new journey."

She raised her glass high and continued.

"At the same time, it is a new challenge to achieve our goal."

"Isn't Nydrian already actively cooperating in that regard?"

"Yes, we all tried together, but heaven was indifferent, and we failed."

At her firm words, the elders had no choice but to shut their mouths.

"Therefore, we have decided to proceed step by step. We are preparing other methods alongside physical force."

"Other methods?"

"Public support for the Hero is still high. We must expose the Hero's true nature and show the public that she is not righteous."

Speaking at length made her throat dry.

Rinacien took a deep breath instead of drinking the wine.

"Everyone already knows the Hero is arrogant, but the public doesn't seem to care much. In that case, we must first prove that those closest to her are corrupt."

"By 'those closest to her,' do you mean the porter?"

Surprisingly, Nydrian was the first to chime in.

And in a very timely manner, too.

"Exactly. That man wouldn't rescue the Hero and cling to her side without expecting some gain. We will uncover his hidden motives and hold the Hero accountable for associating with such a person. The Hero will undoubtedly react violently, and the public will turn their backs on her."

"In short, we just need to find some dirt on the Hero or the porter?"

"Precisely, Nydrian."

"I can do it. Leave it to me!"

Everyone was surprised.

They had never seen Nydrian so proactive and confident.

She must already know something.

Reinhold was certain that Nydrian's confidence was not baseless.

Rinacien also bantered lightheartedly.

"My arm is getting tired from holding this glass so long. And my throat is dry."

At that, the elves raised their glasses one by one.

It was slightly annoying how Nydrian raised hers exceptionally high, but it didn't matter.

No problem. I clearly saw the porter disposing of the Hero party's loot however he pleased last time.

It was clear embezzlement.

She just needed to catch him in the act on their new journey.

But Nydrian had no idea.

She didn't know that the porter didn't receive any funding for the Hero's party in the first place.

"To the prosperity of the Empire and the elves."

"Cheers!"

It was a massive success.

All of this had been accomplished between dawn and morning.

And on the very day of the grand council, no less.

"When on earth did you prepare such a scheme?"

Returning to her room, Rinacien expressed her genuine admiration.

"If you thought I was merely repairing a broken shield for the past day and a half, I, Morgan Reinhold, would be deeply hurt."

"I... I only heard that carriages belonging to noble ladies were constantly coming and going."

Reinhold sighed.

"I requested assistance from other houses for the preparations, but for some reason, they kept sending their daughters along. It was quite difficult to work with all the distractions."

Of course!

Rinacien threw herself into his arms with a joyful heart.

There was no way Reinhold would look at anyone else when he had her.

Labin, you fool. That's what happens when you only look at the surface. A person can only be truly known when you look deep inside.

Sneering at the shallow understanding of a street rat, Rinacien steeled her resolve to execute the final part of her plan.

If she could pull it off just as brilliantly as Reinhold had this morning, everyone would surely recognize and revere her as the true Crown Princess.

Then Reinhold, too, would see her as a more mature candidate for the throne.

Wrapped in the shield knight's embrace, Rinacien couldn't stop the giggles from bubbling up.

"So, this is what happened."

And all of these events were conveyed to Rin and Lucy through Labin.

Lucy instinctively read the room, looking back and forth between Rin and Labin.

The atmosphere between the two after the story was finished was unusually heavy.

"Carriages? Ten of them?"

Rin spoke with a sarcastic edge.

"They took a huuuuge detour and went right back in through the back gate."

Labin snicked.

Lucy could tell.

"A vast ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠forest on the southern outskirts of the capital."

Rin,

"No wonder that forest seemed endless. The moment you stepped out of it, it was all city."

and Labin...

...were both furious.

"No wonder! Nobody knew about it! Setting aside the name Gutter Alley, nobody believed me when I said there was a slum in the forest."

"It was truly a forgotten place."

Labin was agitated, while Rin felt hollow.

Inside Rin's chest, something dark was beginning to stir.

Creak, screech—!

Countless chains wrapping around something.

One of them corroded into pitch black and fell to the floor.

Clang—!

The chain shattered into countless fragments as it hit the ground, scattering away.

At the same time, an uncontrollable rage enveloped Rin.

"Rinacien...!"

His voice sounded as if he were grinding his teeth.

Even Labin approached him, looking uneasy at his state.

"Giving our alley... to the elves...!"

As blood trickled from his bitten lip, a startled Lucy quickly pressed a handkerchief to it.

"Calm down, Rin! This isn't like you."

Labin joined in to soothe him, but Rin could not easily suppress his anger.

It was a completely understandable reaction, yet his current state was terrifyingly unfamiliar.

However,

for the Demon Heroes monitoring Rin's state of mind from afar through the Demon King's demonic energy, there could be no better news.

"Finally!"

Loneliness rejoiced, trembling.

"Uuu... I hope Rin doesn't suffer too much..."

Sloth worried for him.

"Yes, this is just the beginning."

Forced Lie could not hide her excitement either.

"You are doing a wonderful job, Labin."

Recruiting her had indeed been the right choice.

It was a pity they couldn't turn her into a demon, but she could still be utilized as she was.

"Go, Denarua. It is your turn."

"Eh?! The dual-wielder again? Twice in a row!"

"I regret it too, but this is what Rin chose."

"Well, if that's the case, I have no choice..."

The illusionist, Adora, smiled deeply as she felt his heart.

"Yes, that's it. Don't suffer alone. Show it to everything you've tolerated all this time."

Even so, countless iron chains were still binding and calming his violently churning heart.

"Show them. Your wounds, and your rage."

The day he becomes capable of pure, unbridled rage,

Rin will join them.

Soon,

it would be time for the grand council to begin.