9

◈ Chapter 53 - 9-the Night of the Decisive Battle

*

Before dawn, when it was still close to dawn, nobles from the North, each occupying a seat, gathered in the Great Hall.

They must have had a hard time sleeping in Stemwind, which was noisy all night long.

I saw the Lighthouse of Humanity and the Red Basilisk Knights rampage, and several people were slaughtered before my eyes.

Why are the knights of the De Jevitz family and the knights of the Jakhog family purging something together?

Nobles with keen ears and quick feet would have tried to see if the blade was pointed at them.

If there is this much commotion, certain information is bound to be circulated among the nobles.

The security of a person's mouth is weak, so it is impossible to completely close it.

Anyway, we all know each other.

Even the lowest noble in the North should have been able to guess the outlines of how things were going.

However, in this case, there was no information whatsoever.

Even the common, random nonsense.

The nobles must have been stamping their feet in the dark night, as if they were blindfolded.

When the commotion quieted down, De Jeevitz's vassals came to them as if they were envoys.

The servant who knocked on the door said.

The Marquis urgently calls me to come to the main castle.

The nobles who were staying in the Stemwind residential area because they did not receive a VIP room or because they had mansions outside must have hurriedly finished preparing in response to De Jewicz's call.

What greeted them in the main castle was the strict security of the Human Lighthouse Corps.

Only then would the nobles have guessed that Sadal had been appointed properly due to the issue of successor.

I don't know, but it's clear that the moment you enter the great hall, there will be a knife fight.

Then, you will be able to check where you stood in line and whether the line was really as strong as you believed.

He must have headed to the Great Hall, praying that he would not be caught in Stemwind Square any time soon.

It was Mrs. Eileen de Jeevitz who greeted them.

She was sitting in a seat that was originally reserved for only the masters of the North.

The first king was crowned on that spot, and the last king of the entire kingdom died by the sword of the De Jeevitz family.

It was not a chair you could dare to sit on.

Ah, Haenrel has finally taken control of the North.

The nobles who had sided with her Haenrel breathed a sigh of relief when they saw her sitting on her throne, and the expressions on the faces of the nobles who had sided with her imperial family or the Djeviets family darkened.

But something was strange.

Eileen's face turned pale as she sat on her throne.

Her body trembled like someone who had faced the devil.

When I looked closely, I saw that she had a splint on one of her hands, as if she had been seriously injured.

Anyone could see that this was not the appearance of someone who won the battle for succession.

There was nothing like the mother of the new king who would lead the North in the future.

Seeing that cruel scene, the nobles must have kept quiet and looked to see where the marquis had gone.

However, no matter how much time passed, the Marquis did not appear.

What appeared instead was an unexpected figure from their perspective.

The huge doors of the great hall opened, and as I entered, the nobles looked at me as if they had seen a ghost.

Since Eileen is sitting on the throne, her successor has been decided to be Aidan, so there is no reason for me to appear in the Great Hall.

Count Yakhok, who followed me, was enough to stimulate their imagination.

I walked slowly between them.

Their attention was focused on every step I took.

When I placed my hand on Eileen's shoulder from behind the throne, an uncontrollable groan erupted from the nobles.

"It must have been noisy all night, did you all get some sleep? I'm sure you're wondering what's going on. For example, why is your wife sitting on this throne, where on earth is the Marquis, and why am I sorting out the situation? I'll explain them in turn. Sentle. "Sir, shouldn't we first show the nobles what we did at night?"

"Bring in the traitors to humanity!"

As Helga ordered the knight of the Human Lighthouse, the captives were brought in.

There was no sound on their bodies, whether it was a sign of battle or because they had already been tortured.

Of course, what caught the nobles' eyes was not the traces of battle on the body, but the boiling pus on one side of the face, the animal-like appearance, and the body with icicles growing on it.

There was no one here who did not know what that meant.

"I never thought demon cultists existed!"

"Where on earth did so many heretics suddenly come from...?"

Although we secured countless other physical evidences, there was no hard evidence that was as hard to argue as someone whose appearance had changed to an ugly appearance using the power of the devil.

The nobles each covered their noses or frowned at the unpleasant appearance of the demon cultists.

As I gestured, the knights slit the demon cultists' throats.

The auror cut his throat and blood splattered.

The nobles danced like clowns to avoid being touched by the blood, fearing that it might be contaminated by the devil.

"As you can see, the demon cultists were eating away at the northern part. There were 27 of these cults in Stemwind alone. If you include the suburbs, there were more than 50. The commotion that happened last night occurred during an operation to eradicate the demon cultists. "

As soon as he finished saying that the situation was so serious that he had no choice but to keep it secret, an uproar arose among the nobles.

"It's impossible! There are so many..."

"How dare you come to sacred Stemwind! You filthy heretics!"

"If it's on that scale, isn't there a high possibility that someone in the North has betrayed humanity? We must hunt down the instigator!"

The one who spoke about the need to find the instigator was a viscount who was closely related to the Yakhok family.

I looked at him and said.

"Of course. We have brought you all to the great hall at this early hour, when the sun is not up, to reveal the instigator. Lord Sentle."

"Bring the filthy heretic's body from the basement warehouse!"

At Helga's cry, two knights of the Human Lighthouse Corps dragged a person.

One knight brought the head of the so-called sinner, and the other dragged the body of the so-called sinner.

The nobles knew who the criminal was.

Isn't he Sir Cameron of the Knights of Sedalia, Eileen's personal knight?

The nobles looked at the corpse with such faces.

But what truly surprised them was not his identity or his severed head.

One of his arms had turned into ice, like a golem created by the devil.

What it means is very concise.

"Lord Cameron is a devil cultist! Then who is behind this..."

At that time, the nobles must have discovered the sense of discomfort that had been lingering in the great hall.

The situation was so unexpected that I didn't notice it.

The fact that there were none of the vassals and knights of the Haenrel family, who were always showing off in the great hall.

I drove a wedge towards them.

"Count Haenrel conspired with the devil to take over the North. He tried to assassinate me and make Aidan the heir to the kingdom. This abominable demon cultist tried to poison my drink at Count Haenrel's orders, and I Wow, Count Yakhok, Lord Cutter took advantage of that moment and killed him in the wine cellar."

Count Yak Hok nodded his head as if to prove that the words were true.

Eileen's shoulders trembled like aspen trees, and her vibrations passed through her hands to me.

"Well, that's too much of a leap! Just because the knights of the House of Haenrel are devils, doesn't that mean that Count Haenrel is a devil? A devil could have infiltrated the Knights of Sedalia! The earl could also be a victim!"

The person who expressed objection was a baron who originally belonged to the Haenrel faction.

His territory was close to Haen Lel territory, and he received many blessings from it, so he was famous as the leader of Count Haen Lel from the past.

Several nobles nodded at the baron's words.

The Baron seemed to have gained courage from that nod and pushed me forward.

"No one can dispute that the Demon Cult has infiltrated Stemwind, and that they are trying to take over the North. We have all seen it with our own eyes. However, whether or not there is any connection to House Haenrel must be strictly investigated! "

How can you so recklessly accuse the Haenrel family of such a ridiculous accusation?

Do you dare to handle it?

The blood that will flow in the North, its weight.

The Baron was saying so.

"There is a lot of evidence to support that situation. The crystal ball heading towards Haenel Territory, the documents obtained while searching the church, and the Sedalia Knights who came to Stemwind on behalf of the Haenel family... A vast amount of information that cannot be tampered with tomorrow. All evidence will be sorted out."

Of course, I didn't prepare so carefully that I would be overturned by such an objection.

Because he was so angry that he would kill just one count.

If he had been a count in a commercial store, he would have been wiped out in one day.

"That's the charge..."

"I know, I know. Some people might think that's not enough. Isn't that what you really want to ask, Baron?"

I calmly explained the Baron's intentions.

"The Baron should have asked this. Bjorn, did you know in advance that this demon cultist would assassinate you and prepare for it? Also, why did you hunt down the demon cultist when Stemwind was in trouble due to a battle for succession? Just like the Haenrel family. "Don't you think they're trying to frame me?"

"Hmm, it's not that I don't trust you. But I can't deny that the situation doesn't match. That's it! I'll hear the rest from Your Excellency! You can leave now!"

The moment the Viscount was about to come to the front of the great hall, the sword of the Knight of the Lighthouse of Humanity touched his neck.

"Please refrain from using any more rude words or actions. Do you think that I am here now as a master of the De Jeevitz family?"

The Viscount's steps faltered at my words.

Although I didn't say it out loud, the sight of Eileen sitting on the throne of the North and me chatting behind it would be as surprising as the sudden appearance of the devil cultists.

I took a breath and continued speaking.

"Back to the story, I have doubts about how you could have known and prepared for the movements of the Demon Cult in advance. The reason I was able to prepare in advance was because someone provided us with information. If you hear the source, you will all understand."

Needless to say, the source of the information was the saint, but the source I revealed was someone else.

"Lady Eileen de Jeevitz personally reported Count Haenrell's sins to Your Excellency. Haenrell has fallen into the hands of the Devil Cult and must be stopped."

◈ Chapter 54 - 9-the Night of the Decisive Battle

At this moment, she went from being a foolish noblewoman who had been exploited by the Count to a noble whistleblower who risked her life to protect the North.

At my words, Eileen looked up at me without hiding her embarrassed face.

She knows it too.

There is no way I would do something like this out of self-interest.

Rather, this act was her revenge on me.

"What a heroic act. The woman who accused her father for the sake of the North will become an example to everyone and everyone will talk about it. Thanks to her, the North was able to escape from the clutches of the demon cultists. Endless glory to the woman I saved!"

You are useless

The reason you survived was because you were incompetent.

But it's not your bloodline.

If you use your bloodline well, you can save the lives of countless people.

Think of your master changing.

From Count Haenrel to me.

When she heard that Eileen had made the accusation herself, Haen Rel's beacon silenced her, and no matter what evidence was thrown at her, she would have refuted it somehow.

This is because the moment Eileen's testimony was supported, Baron Babble went far beyond the line of denial.

"But Your Excellency did not believe her accusation. She came to me with a feeling of grasping at straws, and Count Yakhok and I joined forces to exterminate the demonic cults that had infiltrated Stemwind. And this is how I will persuade you. We were able to secure evidence."

My words elicited gasps and groans from all over the place.

Because it was very obvious where this situation was heading.

"Well then, she can't believe she's been making time at the meeting!"

"She was trying to exterminate the demon cultists!"

"Your Excellency, what on earth are you thinking..."

Interpret it however you like.

Add lots of comments and exaggerate it.

The more I do this, the more comfortable I become.

It was Count Yakhok who silenced the commotion in the hall.

"This is so deplorable! Stemwind is overrun with demons, and Haenrel has completely fallen into the hands of demons! If you hadn't taken the courage to report the matter, the entire North would have been fooled by their hands!"

With a booming voice, he faithfully fulfilled his role as a yak or his own person.

Now that Count Haenrel had been confirmed as a demon cultist, all that remained was a political issue.

Yakhok opened the gun.

"What on earth did your Excellency, the master of the North, do when my knights were fighting against the demon cultists and shedding blood for the North? How on earth are you going to take responsibility for this situation? Where on earth are you in the midst of all this!"

No one pointed out the disloyalty of Yakhok, who blamed the Marquis.

Everyone was probably thinking that, even if they didn't say it.

If Eileen had not spoken out, the North would have fallen into the hands of the devil.

Even though she showed her courage and reported the count's crime, her complacent judgment almost led her to do the wrong thing.

The garrison commander and some of the people at the cathedral couldn't make a living.

So I plan to give them what they want.

"His Excellency, who personally witnessed the series of events and confirmed that the wife's accusation was true, said this. It was my negligence that caused the North to almost fall into the hands of the devil cultists. I will take responsibility and relinquish the title of marquis."

The next words that came out of my mouth were the answer that the nobles had been wondering about from the moment they entered the great hall.

"Your Excellency has entrusted me with the position of Commander of the Lighthouse of Humanity and the title of Marquess to Aidan de Jeeves."

Canniel said so.

There was no noble in the world who believed those words literally.

Only then did the nobles realize why Eileen was sitting on the throne and why I was standing behind her, sorting out the situation.

In their eyes, it will be seen that Eileen and I worked together to oust the incompetent Marquis and usurp his title under the pretext of being a demon cultist.

And it would be assumed that power in the North was distributed according to merit.

At the same time, a question will arise in their minds.

The greater credit goes to Eileen, who accused her father.

It can't be said that Bjern's contribution is not without, but having the position of commander of the Human Lighthouse is too much of a reward.

Because the Lighthouse of Humanity is a force that symbolizes the North.

But Bjorn has that power?

The nobles who noticed up to that point would have immediately realized who the true instigator of this usurpation was.

Who is the true owner of the North?

That they perceive it that way.

That is where the power of those who secretly work behind the scenes comes from.

Becoming the master of a kingdom doesn't necessarily mean putting a crown on your head.

Since ancient times, power comes from force, and if you hold that force tightly, and if others believe in it, you can become a king even without courage.

Without any responsibility whatsoever.

"Isn't that a cowardly escape? They will destroy the North and avoid responsibility! How can you accept such a thing? The blood of the North will be shed in the future! Your Excellency, sir, are you going to say that Lord de Jeevitz has fulfilled his duty with that?!"

The yakhog attacked me once more.

The calculation was that he would be beaten first to prevent any backlash.

"Of course, I have no intention of absolving my father's sins to that extent. One must pay with blood. If a battle breaks out in the future, my father will protect the North in a more dangerous place than anyone else and regain his honor."

The punishment I gave to Kanniel was a white coat of arms.

However, although Baekuijonggun was a familiar concept to me, it seemed so unfamiliar that it was considered excessive punishment in this world view of an aristocratic society.

When Yakhok first heard this, he was so shocked that he was saying you were using your father as a meat shield.

It was an act that could easily be called immoral here.

In fact, it may be true.

However, it would be an excessive waste to imprison the sword master in a place like a country mansion to pay for his crimes.

In the upcoming battle against the Haenrel family, Kanniel will lay down everything and fight like a knight.

In the most dangerous place, in the most miserable way.

That was my revenge on Canniel.

Now, let me reveal the real reason why I made Eileen such a noble whistleblower.

"Like this, all the circumstances are pointing towards the fact that Count Haenrel is behind the demon cult. Of course, just in case, we will create an opportunity for Count Haenrel to prove his innocence, but if the Count does not respond..."

The North will be drawn into war.

The De Jeevitz family and the Human Lighthouse will be at the forefront to reclaim the territory of Haenrel, which fell into the hands of the demon cultists, and to slay Count Haenrel, who betrayed humanity.

However, the flag hung at the forefront will not have the griffin symbol.

"The De Jeviets family wants to kill Count Haenrell, a traitor to humanity, and return the estate to a rightful and honorable person: Madame De Jevietz."

The flag that will fly at the forefront of the northern army united to eradicate the Demon Church belongs to the Haenrel family.

So this is a kind of proxy war waged in Eileen's name.

In order to punish his father's original sin, Eileen gathers the will of the North, and the Northern families who agree with him join forces to bring down Count Haenrel.

As a result, even the nobles, who must unconditionally take the side of the Haenrel family, are forced to put in their hands and wait and see.

By putting Eileen forward, the amount of innocent blood flowing in the North will decrease.

If the war is over and we are victorious, Haenrell will fall into Eileen's hands.

Eileen will be my scarecrow, making her Haenrel a de facto province of House Djevitz, and after she dies, her Haenrel will remain subordinate to Aidan.

That vast territory is without any division.

That was the usefulness Eileen was born with.

Eileen, this is the price you pay for the wrong you did to me.

Instead of me, wear the huge shackles of the North and destroy your own family.

As long as you think I'm holding Aidan hostage, you won't even dare to rebel.

In that way, you will be dragged around by someone else's hands like a doll for the rest of your life.

Just like you played with me when I was little, I will do the same to you.

Death would be a better life.

While revealing Count Haenrel's guilt, he did not kill Eileen and Aidan.

He handed over his successor to Aidan and became free, and took control of the North with the Human Lighthouse.

By using Eileen's bloodline, the bloodshed in the North was minimized.

It was difficult to get here, but I still got it all.

"Everyone, the North is facing a solemn moment. The temperature is dropping, demons are preparing to move south, and the interior is teeming with heretics who have betrayed humanity. We must band together and survive in the cold."

The fate of the North was clearly cold and dark.

This is a land that fell into the hands of the devil right at the start of the first half of Esteria.

In this land, a vengeful demon who betrayed humanity was born, a saint ran away, and countless people froze to death without being able to fulfill their role.

But not from now on.

"The De Jeviets family will protect the North from evil. Just like our ancestors did. We will fiercely slaughter our enemies from the front. Our enemies will realize why our family is the family of eternal light."

I drew my sword and shouted at the northern nobles.

"So, you! Descendants of the brave Rodal tribe! Are you ready to save the North from the devil's tricks? Are you willing to sacrifice your lives for the task of the times and save humanity!"

"For the North!"

"For the North!"

Dawn broke and sunlight enveloped the great hall through the windows.

Like a new light drifting over an old kingdom that would have originally been divided and withered away.

◈ Chapter 55 - 9-the Night of the Decisive Battle

*

Her mother's coffin was buried in the basement of the cathedral.

Among the numerous ancestors of the De Jeevitz family, her coffin stood proudly and proudly.

Just like her when she was alive.

However, the reason I came to visit her mother was not to see her, who she did not even remember.

"Nanny, I kept my promise."

Her tombstone will be placed in a prime location in Stemwind Cemetery.

The tombstone was also made of the best stones and polished by the most skilled craftsmen in Stemwind.

What meaning does this have after death?

It was a vain attempt to put my mind at ease.

"Thanks to you, I was able to make the right choice. I don't know if I made the right choice."

[Are you still concerned about Yakhok's words?]

Jin asked me as I stood in silence facing my mother's coffin.

I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me.

After everything in the great hall was over, Count Yakhok came to me and grabbed me by the collar.

The emotion on his face was not aristocratic acting or a calculated maneuver, but pure anger.

"Do you understand what you have done? A fool who has never proven his abilities has become a marquis. For a while, a pathetic doll will sit on the throne of the North in his place. Just because you don't want to get your hands dirty!"

He pushed me against the wall and shouted at me, and I took in all of his anger.

"Was that that difficult?! Killing those two and taking over the North? A noble is someone who leads! Everything you enjoy is because your ancestors did so, and even the enemies who died by their swords died just because they were nobles! It was an injustice. "But I'm sure among the nobles who died like that, there wasn't a fool who didn't know why he was dying! But who would have thought that the one holding the sword would hesitate!"

"Isn't it better in the end?"

"You like the result? You did it wrong because you didn't want to get blood on your hands. You twisted things that only needed to be crossed by one line and gave the wrong bitches a good job! You are an absolute coward! When the situation came, you just hung your head and turned away! "

The collar that Yakhok grabbed became even more twisted.

His hands and his words took my breath away.

"What guarantee is there that you won't do this shit again in future wars? If the sad history of the Iria people moves your heart, will you return Haenrell back to them?!"

He poured out everything as if he couldn't bear it anymore.

It wasn't difficult to read the patheticness contained therein.

"Do you think you have solved a trick? You have maintained humanity and made a profit? You may think you have gained the North without dirtying your hands, but in the end, you have betrayed my trust. Is this the good result you thought?"

"...Of course. The results are good."

"This!"

"What would have happened if we had killed those two like you said and started an all-out war against Haenrell in the name of the De Jeevitz family? Even if we won, the people of Haenrell would think that the Count was falsely accused. It would be the beginning of a rebellion." "Didn't the northern families fight among themselves to divide and distribute the territory of Haenrell? You, who have a lot of merit, will be greedy, and the De Jeviets family will have to accommodate you."

I glared at the yakhog and said.

"Isn't that what your anger stems from? If I keep Eileen alive, the De Jeviets family will take over all of Haenrell, but the Yakhok family has to use its power and do good things for others."

"So, are you saying that I should use my knights as mercenaries and send them to fruitless battlefields? I need to show them what they died for and what they gained from it! That is nobility. You are a fool who spits up what he ate, but I am not. I am blind to your tricks. Did I seem soft enough to be treated by someone?"

His knights were also injured and died in the process of purging the demon cultists.

In the battlefield to come, his knights will stand at the forefront along with the Human Lighthouse.

I also had no intention of asking him to work without pay.

"I never said I wouldn't pay the price. The De Jeviets family will give Handar Castle to the Yakhok family. The Count would prefer Handar Castle, which is close to Yakhok, better than the fertile land of the far-off Haenrell Territory."

Considering the monster attacks that will become more intense in the future, Count Yakhok will certainly want to secure stable tax revenue rather than the goods obtained as a by-product of hunting.

It is because of this background that he is active in the affairs of the Haenrell family, and for him, Handar Castle, located in the central border area, would certainly be an attractive proposition.

It's always crowded with merchants going to and from Stemwind.

There is no longer any need for the De Jeviets family to take over Haenrell territory.

However, Yakhok did not seem very happy with my suggestion.

"You don't understand what I'm saying at all. Handar Castle? Yes, that's good. It's more than the distant land of Haenrel, which is difficult to manage. But what's more important than that is that your words are always off-putting, but your actions are not the same. "From now on, listen carefully to what I say."

Yakhok loosened his tight grip on the collar.

But it didn't seem like he was out of anger or embarrassed by my words.

Rather than that, it seemed as if he was asking how much he was going to show me that I couldn't see.

"Did you make any mistakes when the head maid died? No, there were none at all! Even though everything was already lacking, you succeeded in purging the Devil Cult. You brought me in to expand your strength, and you also caught the first attacker who had set the right trap. . After that, I made a trap using Lord Cutter in case things went wrong. But even then, the head maid died."

Yak Hock's words were high in anger, but he sounded as if he was scolding me.

"Did that happen to you because you were stupid? No. That's the nature of battlefields. In a split second, with just one step, the person in front of you dies and you survive. In times like that, only those who can quickly respond to the situation will survive. "You can do it. If you keep worrying about everything for everyone like you did this time, you'll end up throwing away the life you barely saved!"

I couldn't say anything due to Yakhok's subsequent scolding.

"After this incident, I know for sure. You are better suited to be admired than to lead. You will continue to walk the right path, embracing your suffering. I have no intention of matching your crazy acrobatic skills. That is neither delicacy nor bravery. Stupidity. "I was lucky this time, but from now on I won't have time to worry about morals!"

"..."

"I won't listen to it anyway, but keep in mind! Rather than a good ending at the end of Django, there are times when a stopgap measure that can avoid the worst at the moment is better, even if it is bad. If you continue this shit in the upcoming battlefield, I will personally kill you and kill the Red Basilisk Knights. We will turn our noses around and head towards Stemwind!"

After she finished speaking, Yakk left nervously.

I thought over his words several times.

It didn't take long to realize that none of what he said was wrong.

"As Count Yakhok said, there was definitely an easy way, and I could have gone there. But when the situation came up, I tried to turn away. I didn't want to get my hands dirty. I was a coward."

In the end, it couldn't have been better.

But will we be lucky enough to find an answer every time something like this happens in the future?

What if I hesitate then as now and lose someone else?

Still, can we boast that the results were good?

[Well, my thoughts are a little different. Cowards don't go to difficult places. We don't make choices for everyone. Anyway, thanks to your agony, the people living in the North were saved. They may not even know that they were saved by you.]

Jin said as if trying to comfort me.

[You know, do you remember the story I told you about Moloch being trapped on an enemy ship and massacring humans in the past during the War of the Gods? I knew it then too. Time is on our side. That's why I stayed quiet even when half the population of the continent of Esteria was wiped out.]

The enemy ships would have weakened Moloch, so Jin just had to wait for time to pass.

However, she eventually got into a bloody fight with Moloch.

She spoke as if she was reminiscing about those days.

[By the way. A girl came to me. He was a child who was severely injured by the devil. The girl asked. Jin of Flame, please save us. With those words, I fought against Moloch.]

Isn't it funny?

That one girl's request moved me more than the screams that filled the continent?

If that's the case, I'd rather move a little faster.

Jean's regret was not that she had missed Moloch by her own choice, but that she had simply watched people die.

[But now that I look back, was it really because of a girl's cry that I stood in front of Moloch? In the end, no matter what reason I gave, I couldn't allow innocent people to be sacrificed to kill Moloch. Because of my actions, I put the problem behind me, but in the end, the people of the continent survived.]

Jin's flames gently swept my shoulders.

[You did that too, right? The reason I couldn't kill Aidan was because of the warm heart inside you. Because you can't turn a blind eye to innocent people dying like that. Compared to that, you are great, because you solved the problem in the end.]

"..."

[So I like you more than before. Because God always likes suffering humans. It would be better if they just fixed the malbonsae.]

Jin's voice rang warmly in the quiet hall.

[When Hwajeong moved to you, I was afraid that you would misuse your power. But I was worried for no reason. I don't think everything Yakhok said is right, but he said one thing that was right. You will eventually become a hero who will save humanity. A being who is envied by everyone.]

If you look at Jin's flames for a long time, you can read Jin's mind.

So I found out.

There is not a single lie in what Jin said.

Gene's comfort certainly helped my mood, but I corrected one unlucky fact.

"I have no intention of becoming a hero. What I did was to protect my life, and I just didn't want to do anything embarrassing in the process. The only promise I made was to get your body back. Don't ask for more than that. ."

The rest is up to God and the saints.

I have no obligation to shoulder that for you.

My only goal is to escape to the vineyards and establish a primary forest.

You can never give up.

"But if you really like me, please do me a favor."

[You know this is a cathedral, right? What's in front of you is your mother's coffin. Think carefully before speaking.]

"What on earth do you think of me?"

[A brazen kid who commits sexual harassment?]

It was so true that I quenched my appetite.

But my request was beyond her expectations.

Jin asked me back in a tone that made me think she would tilt her head if it were there.

[... It's not a very difficult request, but why are you telling me this?]

"Just do it once, please!"

At my earnestness, Jin sighed and granted my request.

[Outstanding achievement!]

[You saved the North from the hands of the devil cultists.]

[The Flame Jinn is watching you as you protect humanity and take control of the North at the same time.]

I couldn't help but laugh as I watched Jin speak like a constellation god without knowing anything.

◈ Chapter 56 - 10-Before the Storm

*

After Canniel's fall, there was a bloody atmosphere in Stemwind.

In the square, the heads of demon cultists were cut off day after day, and war with the Haenrel family became a fait accompli.

In the meantime, even those in power have changed, so anyone living in Stemwind will feel like walking on thin ice, regardless of their status.

In fact, many people were packing their bags and heading down to the central region to prepare for possible troubles.

Of course, those in power were not playing around comfortably either.

Punishment of demon cultists, expansion of war budget, creation of the Northern Allied Forces...

None of these were things that could be done in vain.

There have been no walking vassals from the Djevec family headquarters in recent times.

He was so out of breath that if he even showed his feet, he would be criticized for being leisurely.

"Your Excellency, I think it is excessive to impose the same punishment on someone who was forced to become a demon cultist. If there is someone who was forced to make a contract, ask the saint to remove the stigma and send them to hard labor. Although they did not enter into a contract, they followed because they were afraid of the demon cultist. The same goes for those who do."

"What the Lord said is truly beautiful, but in that case, wouldn't there be some wicked demons who rely on the kindness given with good intentions to survive?"

"Of course, I have no intention of reducing everyone's sentence. If the crime committed as a Satanist is serious, they will mercilessly ask you to cut off your head. And religion is faith. The moment you give up your faith, you can no longer be considered a religious believer. How can you not know that? No. A vicious fanatic will not deny the god he serves, even if it means death."

Of course, I was having a lot of free time, so much so that I could teach Aidan some work.

No matter how smart Aidan was, he was still a twelve-year-old boy and had no real-world experience like me, so he needed help.

"This is the last one."

Even so, the work that fell into Aidan's hands was drafts that Eileen just had to filter and finalize.

Compared to Margery's magic education, there was plenty of time left.

"Marjorie, where the hell have you gone! Come back!"

... It seems that having more time doesn't make it any less difficult.

After stamping his last document, Aidan stretched out, lifting his head to the sky as if he was exhausted.

"If it's too hard, you can hand it over to your wife. You're still young, so if you need time to gain more experience, I'll consider doing so."

"No, I need time to adjust to everything. I know how difficult the decision was for you, but he can't complain."

Even though Aidan was far away from the events of the day, he seemed to have noticed.

Eileen, she survived thanks to my arrangements.

Well, the evidence that the Haenrel family is a demon cult is arriving at his desk one after another, so it makes no sense to hide it.

Even Eileen, who didn't say anything but believed that I had been framed, was shocked by the pouring evidence and fainted.

"Anyway, is it okay for you to be relaxed like that? After all, you are the commander of the Human Lighthouse."

"Your Excellency is already so worried about the North. The future of the De Jeevitz family is truly bright."

"So shouldn't you ease my worries?"

"Look at this? Your tone has already become that of a marquis?"

Aidan laughed at the nonsense, and I smiled along with his laughter.

Of course, Aidan's concerns are understandable.

Anyone can guess that I have a mountain of work to do regarding the Northern Confederacy.

But I also have a part of myself that believes it all.

Immediately after donning the cloak of the commander of the Lighthouse Corps of Humanity, I improved the organization of the Knights, which had been operating in a stilted manner, into a staff system, and at the same time gave appropriate awards to those who had merited merit.

The knights who followed Helga and participated in the purge of the demon cultists were recognized for their contributions and took up important positions in the new organization, while those who did not were left heartbroken.

Among them, the one that drew the most attention was the appointment of Ember Cutter as an operational staff member directly under the commander.

I know of her abilities by reading about her achievements in Esteria's biography, but the people of this world do not know Ember's true value.

It was natural that the new knights who had just joined the company were criticized by the knights for asking whether it was too much of a position.

You probably don't know exactly what the operational staff does, but they have an amazing smell of power.

I created an opportunity for Amber to prove her abilities.

She delegated full authority to create the Northern Alliance Army to exterminate the Demon Cult.

She was already unrivaled among the historical figures of Esteria in terms of field tactics and military capabilities.

Once she laid down her plan, she quickly began to dominate not only humanity and other great knights, but also other knights who would join the Northern Alliance.

I was trying to help in a reasonable way, but I ended up feeling embarrassed.

In fact, Amber tried to catch me by telling me that she took care of her own business.

A bitch like a ghost, quick to notice.

What? The only dropout among his classmates became a commander?

I felt sad as I remembered Amber, who was going through a hard time.

I thought I would scold him at least once, but I couldn't miss that opportunity.

She would be buried in papers and tearing out her hair by now.

Still, I've given her the baton as her adjutant, so I'm sure she'll take care of it.

"Don't worry. The Lighthouse of Humanity is doing its best for the coming war, and House Haenrel is a rat in a poison. There is no way out."

I worked so hard to come up with a justification to catch and kill a count.

It is safe to say that there is no one on Count Haenrel's side in the north anymore.

By now a letter bearing De Jevietz's seal would have reached him.

Currently, you are suspected of being a satanist.

Therefore, the De Jeevitz family wants to create a space where you can prove your innocence.

If you refuse, eternal light will burn you.

The gist of the letter, minus all the rhetoric, was this.

Count Haenrel, who received the letter, would naturally not respond.

They must have realized later that the rumor that there was a saint in Stemwind was true after seeing the extermination of the demon cultists who had infiltrated the North.

The Count must have been surprised too.

Common sense would suggest that the vice-captain of the Knights of the Holy Cross would just leave the saint in the north and go down.

No human being with a normal mind would be able to imagine that the vice-captain would have taken advantage of his past of getting caught in His Majesty's underwear and left the saint alone.

His reasoning was reasonable, but not everything in life goes as planned.

"That must be the case with your brother. But how is your father these days?"

"You've grown older than me. To the point where I want to hand over the position of commander to you and be like my father."

Anyway, Canniel was a former marquis.

He could not keep him in prison, so he released him on the condition that he be confined to his hometown until the war.

Then he came in and out of my room under the pretext of teaching saints.

I wanted to at least issue an order to welcome guests, but I had no choice as it was time for a saint to receive proper education.

In the meantime, Ember was able to become a Sword Expert, which she had longed for, by receiving Canniel's teachings from the saint's side.

I intentionally didn't talk to Kanniel, and Kanniel didn't even talk to me.

Except the first day he was released from prison.

I heard you signed a contract with Jin. Is he by your side?

Canniel asked me as I was removing the handcuffs when I heard from Helga.

When I told him I was right next to him, he knelt down and spoke to Jin, who couldn't even be seen.

Please take good care of my son.

That was our only conversation these days.

"I owe you a debt that can never be repaid. I am grateful that you made the choice for your family. Always and forever."

"I made my choice. There is nothing to be thankful for. More than that, has everything I asked for been completed?"

"Oh, that? It was all done yesterday. Want to check?"

Aidan took out what I asked for from under the desk.

It was a toy doll slightly larger than the palm of one's hand.

Aidan placed a princess doll with red hair that a noble lady would have played with when she was young, on the desk.

"It was difficult to find a doll that satisfied the conditions you mentioned, but the rest was easy. I carved a circuit into it, so if you infuse it with mana, it will move according to the user's will. I also added a circuit that can act as a vocal cord."

"Oh, it's a lot more similar than I thought?"

I was amazed as I looked at the doll.

This is because, except for the slight lack of volume on the chest, it was much more elaborate and similar to what I had requested.

This is the flame of fire that I saw at Sinyeok.

Hmm, the only thing that's useful is the great breasts, but it's a shame that they couldn't make use of the historical research on that part.

Still, this is a pass.

"But why did you suddenly ask me to add circuits to the doll? Have you developed a new hobby?"

"That's not true, I wanted to give it as a gift to someone who needs it."

"A doll?"

Aidan's eyes widened horizontally like a crescent moon.

"Who is it? Could it be the daughter of the Sorang family? She's a beauty. Are you going to confess to me?"

"Giving me a doll? Are you really thinking like a twelve-year-old?"

At my words, Aidan looked at me as if asking what was strange.

The gift is about the heart, not the gift itself.

Aidan even protested like a child.

Jin, who heard his protest, added one word.

[Rather than that, the feelings of the person receiving the gift should be considered first.]

'Why don't you like it?'

[The doll itself is cute, but it's a useless consideration. Why is there any reason to use a doll as an artificial body? I'm comfortable as is now.]

The reason I entrusted Aidan with making the doll was to create a material element to replace Jin's body.

Because he was currently in a state of soullessness, it was impossible to interact with the material world without using mana.

Possessing a doll would be a little more comfortable.

Jin also seemed to like it as he continued to spin around the doll while grumbling.

Hehe, I guess you have to have a body to mess with it.'

[Don't even think about touching my doll! Because it will be ruined!]

'Are you saying it's useless consideration?'

[But the doll is pretty. I don't know if I'll use it like a physical body, but since you gave it to me, it's mine now.]

Yes, I am very satisfied and the person who gave the gift is also very happy.

But where did the thank you go?

While she was flirting with Jin, a maid knocked on her office door and said,

"Commander, the vice-captain of the Knights of the Holy Cross, Sir Runea Van Hoss, has come to visit us."

◈ Chapter 57 - 10-Before the Storm