episode_0035

The Holy Kingdom’s proud . Court knights, also known as Paladins.

Their existence itself was nothing new, and even a clash was within expectations.

Clang!

No sooner had one thought a spear had been hurled than the Holy Kingdom’s strongest knight, seizing his spear, charged in even faster.

Sir Roland, the Divine Spear.

The holy spear in his hand, scattering starlight, collided with Aria’s black sword.

Watching that scene, I spoke.

“……Step back, Aria.”

Nothing would change.

.

In an instant, a veil of blades forged by magic surrounded me, their tips pointed at Roland.

As soon as they were aimed, they launched forth like arrows released from a bowstring.

Faced with a barrage of blades firing like an airstrike, Roland, who had been clashing weapons with Aria, hastily put distance between them. Aria, too, silently adjusted her grip on her black sword and stepped back.

Only then did I also become part of the stage, finally looking directly at the opponent before me.

“……Hand over the holy spear.”

I said, gazing at him.

“Then no one will be harmed, and you will withdraw from this place.”

As always, I don’t commit evil deeds because I enjoy them. My wish is for no one to die if possible. Even saying it myself, it doesn’t sound very trustworthy, but in any case.

So, out of courtesy, I spoke.

Words I didn’t expect him to listen to anyway. Mercy echoing emptily, without any meaning.

“……”

However, in the face of those words, Sir Roland maintained an unexpected silence.

“Can you truly promise?”

Even after hearing his words return after the silence, I did not answer. Roland continued, unconcerned.

“That you will not harm anyone else here, and will simply withdraw.”

“I promise.”

Only then did I finally answer. Even as I spoke, I held not the slightest expectation internally. My opponent couldn’t possibly be sincere, and this, too, would ultimately be nothing more than a meaningless word game.

“……Really?”

Nevertheless, Roland asked again.

In a voice so calm and unperturbed. It was not the voice of someone genuinely curious. So I gave a bitter smile.

“I don’t care about your beliefs.”

Nothing was different from before.

“Because I am not making an offer or a request.”

“Then, what is it?”

I had no obligation to satisfy their curiosity.

Having come this far, I had no intention of talking or negotiating with them. Nor could I.

Therefore, what I could do remained unchanged.

“Mercy.”

This was mercy. Just as it had always been. Literally, beyond a doubt.

Just because they were a villainous group didn’t mean they were all blood-crazed warmongers. At least, I wasn’t.

I wanted to avoid avoidable conflicts and pointless fights as much as possible.

“Did you just say, mercy?”

“Yes.”

I always showed mercy. No matter who the opponent was. To avoid shedding blood for no reason.

“……”

Sir Roland did not answer and remained silent. What decision would he make at the end of this silence? I didn’t know. Nor did I want to know. I could only guess.

It was always up to the individual to refuse the mercy I offered.

Those who considered accepting my mercy to be akin to bowing down and submitting to evil.

Those who, despite my having no interest or concern, unnecessarily made grand resolutions as if this situation before us were the finale of their lives.

Simply because I was evil. Simply because I was the leader of the 《Black Serpent》.

Because I was an unforgivable villain, a profound evil deserving of hell. So, those who should have cherished the mercy I offered more than anyone else, refused it of their own will.

They rejected the mercy I offered and brought about their own deaths.

─So I killed them.

That was all.

In my eyes, it was a meaningless, dog’s death.

“……Very well.”

That’s how it should have been.

“I will hand over the holy spear to you.”

“─.”

In front of that absurdly deflating answer, I remained silently.

Because, logically, it was a story that made no sense.

“And Rain Grey, I will accept the ‘mercy’ you offer in your name.”

“……Do you understand the meaning of those words?”

“Of course.”

Roland smiled readily at my question and spoke.

For there was only one price for the mercy I offered.

I remained silent, looking at the Star Spear in his hand. Unconcerned by my silence, Roland spoke.

“Therefore, please do not harm my subordinates and the people here.”

“That’s not difficult.”

I was simply surprised that things would proceed so easily.

No, was there really a need to feel surprised? Rather, from the perspective of the man before me, it felt like an incredibly rational and sensible response.

It was simply that I hadn’t seen such ‘common sense’ in this world for too long.

In that state, Roland reversed his grip on the spear shaft and extended it towards me. I didn’t immediately take it. Instead, I simply stared silently at his spear shaft.

On the tip of the spearhead, pointed inversely towards him, rested the scar carved by ‘Ergo’ during the public duel earlier that day.

In other words, that was undoubtedly the holy spear. Roland was not lying.

I silently watched the sight.

At the same time, the distance narrowed. Within the closing distance, the protecting me moved.

Clang!

Along with the clashing blades that sent sparks flying, just as Aria quickly tried to adjust her grip on her sword hilt.

“Stop, Aria.”

I called her name, unconcerned.

Not to ask for her help, but rather to block her actions.

After blocking her, I asked.

“……I thought you were accepting mercy.”

“I will accept it. I intend to hand over the holy spear.”

The Holy Kingdom’s strongest knight, who had already readied his stance and adjusted his grip on the spear, spoke.

“─Along with my life, that is.”

“……”

“It is only my single life. No one else’s.”

Containing a resolve that he could never back down.

Those words were by no means unexpected. No, in a way, one might even say they were ‘just like him’ in the best possible sense.

“My life, along with this holy spear in my hand, please take them.”

What I felt within that resolve was a determination not to back down until the very last moment.

“For Mr. Rain Grey, leader of the infamous 《Black Serpent》, it will surely not be a difficult task.”

I couldn’t say anything.

As I remained silent, the thought that his resolve felt very ‘familiar’ inadvertently crossed my mind.

“Do you think the Holy Kingdom’s honor is worth that much?”

“That is not for me to measure.”

That fight was by no means for Roland himself.

It was a fight to prove himself for what he carried, for what he protected.

My thoughts weren’t long. Nothing would change.

Because mercy was, in the end, merely mercy.

“Aria.”

“Yes, Commander-nim.”

“Tell my subordinates. Do not lay a hand on the remaining ‘Paladins’.”

“……Understood.”

At those calmly spoken words, Aria bowed her head. Along with a few blades revolving around me─ I silently gazed at the opponent before me.

Towards the man who accepted mercy, yet never lost his knightly pride until the very end.

Memories inadvertently flashed through my mind.

However, those memories and scenes of recollection, flashing like a kaleidoscope, were never truly mine.

It was a story from a game I had watched beyond the monitor long ago. The story of the ‘most righteous knight’ who, throughout generations of the Heroic Century series, would rescue players in times of crisis.

Along with him, a named NPC whose favorability had to be raised to learn physical skills, especially the ultimate-tier spear arts.

Also known as .

“Ahaha, don’t try too hard.”

Amusingly, his catchphrase, which had become like a meme throughout the series, came to mind.

“Because if you work yourself to death, no one will recognize it.”

Yet, there was a knight before me, ready for death, even using his own life as collateral to beg for my ‘mercy’.

“……”

While bowing his head before the mercy I offered, never abandoning his knightly pride until the very end.

It was the same now.

In a way, I felt it was ‘just like him’ in the best possible sense.

Therefore, what I had to do was no different.

What I should show him was not ‘mercy’.

It was the greatest respect and reverence I could show.

Thump!

Upon realizing it, the entire area I stood upon twisted.

It was another dimension, where no one else besides Sir Roland and myself could enter or glimpse.

“ ……”

Sir Roland murmured silently.

“Because I don’t want to become a spectacle for the world.”

I said.

“Fight me with your life on the line.”

“─.”

“I will take your life and the holy spear.”

After a moment of silence, I spoke. In a voice that implied nothing would change.

“Should I happen to be defeated, I will grant your wish.”

“You speak as if you know what I wish for.”

“Justice, I presume.”

“Do you know the meaning of those words?”

I said.

“The end of evil.”

Uttering a rule that was by no means unfair.