Episode 140 – Lies

*

Everyone’s eyes followed the tip of my finger in unison.

Despite clearly seeing that the person sitting in the seat I was pointing at was Robin, the hero who was the empire’s founding myth and its very heart, it took people a moment to realize that he was the target I was trying to denounce.

Even though he might have been the subject of some whispers among a few nobles since entering politics, the achievements of the hero in this empire, and his status befitting them, were like an unsetting sun. So, everyone who grasped the situation belatedly began to gasp.

It wasn’t just the other guests who were slow to judge.

Robin, who had been blankly staring at the black-gloved finger pointed directly at him, also belatedly wore a shocked expression and opened his mouth.

Robin, who had been tilting his head and twitching his eyebrows, soon turned his face bright red and shouted.

“W-What is the meaning of this? What kind of joke are you playing, Baron!”

“It’s no joke, Count.”

“…Ha, what is this.”

“You know very well, just how great your sin is.”

“…Ha, hahaha.”

Robin let out a hollow laugh as if he was dumbfounded.

That was because the gazes directed at him were, after all, gazes of bewilderment and doubt, not gazes filled with blame and resentment at all.

Robin rolled his eyes, briefly gauging the atmosphere, then stood up from his seat and began to speak, extending his arms in large, sweeping gestures like an actor on a stage.

“Baron, you startled me too much. Did I do something to upset you? But even so, my sin?”

“…First of all,”

“I admit that Jennifer was an evil heretic and committed terrible atrocities, but I didn’t know anything about that.”

“…And,”

“Yes, are you talking about hiding the fact that my son, Daniel, was resurrected as an undead? Of course, that was wrong. But that was all revealed during the investigation at the Imperial Palace. Do you think there’s a father who would proudly brag about his son being in such a state?”

Before I could say anything, Robin cut me off and began to talk about the events of Daniel’s resurrection as an undead.

That, too, wasn’t a widely known incident, so some guests looked at Robin with wide eyes and surprised expressions.

Robin ignored those gazes and continued, looking at the Inquisitors sitting in their seats.

“The fact that I knew nothing and was innocent of Jennifer’s heretical acts and the terrible tragedy that happened to my son has been proven through the investigation I received from the Inquisitors sitting over there. Of course, I admit that I neglected you when you were injured back then. And of course, you didn’t pay the price for hiring my maid using that as an excuse, but even considering that, I was careless. If you were upset about that, I apologize.”

People began to murmur.

The story of Robin’s dead son being resurrected as an undead and injuring Baron Salvie was already big news.

But, at the same time, people were turning their heads back and forth between Robin and me, pondering Robin’s words that the Baron hadn’t paid the money he owed, using it as an excuse.

Was it the instinct of a noble who makes a living in politics?

They had eyes that seemed to be calculating which side would be more beneficial to take.

And, those eyes quickly began to draw a conclusion.

“But, even so, in such a public place, at this event commemorating my achievements of 20 years ago, even in the presence of His Majesty the Emperor, what kind of rudeness is this, Baron Salvie!”

At Robin’s words, some nobles nodded slightly.

Why is the ability to navigate the political arena called political ‘sense’?

Perhaps it’s because there are many moments when you have to make decisions with instantaneous judgment rather than prolonged deliberation, and it’s an ability that can be built up through chilling experiences where such moments completely change your life.

Their senses seemed to be leaning towards Robin’s side.

Robin was more familiar to them than Baron Salvie, his status in the empire was outstanding, and above all, even if it was a minor financial matter, as long as there was fault on both sides, they judged that the situation would turn out favorably for Robin.

Robin, too, quickly read the atmosphere, as if he hadn’t just been playing around for 20 years, and sneered at me.

He seemed to think that my expression behind the mask would be full of embarrassment.

However, I had already anticipated this situation.

No, it would be more accurate to say that I had induced it.

The reason why I didn’t ridicule or insult him with a sneer, didn’t expose my identity and Robin’s misdeeds, and didn’t aim for a moment when we were alone to assassinate him.

The reason why I created this moment to accuse him in front of everyone in this public place.

That was because my victory lay not in cruelly killing Robin, but in taking away all his glory.

I am looking at Robin now, pointing my finger at him and speaking, but the people I am trying to persuade from the beginning were these guests.

This place where all the most important people in this empire are gathered.

I was planning to diminish all of Robin’s status today.

So that no one would remember him as a hero after today.

I silently and slowly moved my finger to the side.

Even though I didn’t say anything special, people naturally moved their gaze towards where my finger was pointing.

Mena was standing there with her head bowed.

“Everyone, that maid who served you food today is the maid the Count was talking about.”

Robin looked at Mena with a relaxed expression.

Then, as if some thought flashed through his mind, he hardened his face and glared at me.

“…Baron, wait a moment.”

“The reason I hired that maid was to protect her.”

“That has nothing to do with this situation,”

“It seems Jennifer was abusing her.”

“I’m telling you, Jennifer has nothing to do with me!”

“And Count Boldiras, you too.”

“I abused her?”

“Didn’t you rape her?”

Everyone gasped in great surprise at my explicit words.

Most of the nobles coughed and were embarrassed, and some female nobles covered their faces with fans and glared slightly at Robin.

In fact, it wasn’t entirely uncommon for some nobles to commit sexual abuse against maids, but that didn’t mean that such incidents were frequent or taken for granted.

Rather, in this empire where the Goddess Church, which values human good deeds, is the state religion, such actions towards the weak were worthy of being pointed fingers at, and for nobles, affairs with maids, who were the most common targets they could suppress with status and money, were always fatal scandals.

Moreover, if it was pointed out so openly in such a public place, it must have been a very shameful thing.

Robin, who seemed to have barely regained his composure, blushed again and shouted.

“Baron! What the hell are you talking about!”

“I’m saying that you forcibly violated her against her will, made her have a daughter, and left Jennifer, who was jealous of her, to abuse her.”

“You, you!”

Robin was flustered and made a loud noise, even knocking over his chair.

As soon as the clattering sound ended, Mena spoke in her unique, cold, and clear voice.

“It’s true.”

“Wh-What…”

“17 years ago, I suffered humiliation at the hands of the Count. And I gave birth to a child alone. The child I gave birth to was taken away by the servants ordered by the Count before I could even hold her. I heard that the Count was supporting the orphanage, but I couldn’t see my child growing up for the 10 months I carried her.”

“Shut that mouth!”

“I tried to accuse him, but the difference in status between the hero who saved the world and me forced me to shut my mouth.”

“Mena, you lowly whore!”

“I asked Jennifer-nim for even a little help, hoping to get some assistance in my grief, but all that came back was coldness, abuse, and the insult of being called a whore!”

Even with Robin’s growls, Mena’s voice only became stronger.

The sight of that small woman standing tall and confronting the aura emitted by the legendary hero without flinching seemed to resonate with people’s hearts more than expected.

Indeed, werewolves are said to be brave and unyielding.

Mena was staring straight at Robin with her head held high.

Of course, even for a strong woman, it wouldn’t be easy to reveal the humiliation she had suffered in front of so many people.

But Mena stood tall.

It might have been possible because I was there to leave her a fortune large enough to easily brush off the gazes that would follow her afterward, but more than that, her personal desire for revenge against Robin must have been greater.

Robin crouched down as if he was about to draw the sword from his waist and rush towards Mena, but suddenly felt the Emperor’s gaze fixed on him and took his hand off the sword hilt and glared at me and Mena.

I leisurely raised both arms to eye level and clapped twice.

Then, the door behind the musicians’ platform opened, and someone who came in through that door walked onto the platform and stopped next to me.

I asked Robin.

“Count Robin Boldiras. Do you know this woman?”

She, who was standing next to me wearing a large robe with a hood pulled over her head, was Banata.

Robin glared at me, breathing heavily, without even glancing at his illegitimate child.

“You, what is the meaning of all this? Do you think you can handle it!”

“Answer me, do you know who she is?”

“I don’t know any false witnesses you’ve prepared!”

“Come to think of it, you’ve never seen her before.”

Banata walked down the platform and approached Robin.

Slowly, Banata approached Robin to a distance of about 3m, then slowly took off her hood and perked up her small wolf ears.

Robin wore a shocked expression as soon as he saw those ears.

“Say one more time that you don’t know me.”

“…Ah, ah.”

“Father.”

“No! This is a lie! It’s just an actor that Baron Salvie brought to slander me!”

Robin shouted, waving his arms.

I could feel the favorable gazes towards Robin cooling down slightly.

Well, it’s understandable.

If you see the disgraceful behavior Robin is showing now, even 100 years of love might cool down.

In fact, Mela was also looking at such Robin with disgusted eyes.

Of course, Mela’s disgusted gaze was also directed at herself to some extent.

She had pretended not to know about Robin’s misdeeds, hadn’t tried to find out, and had ultimately remained silent about the facts she had belatedly learned, so Mela thought that she, too, was a sinner who deserved to be punished.

In fact, she, who had arrived at the banquet hall before any other guest, first deeply bowed her head to Mena and Banata and apologized.

Mena forgave Mela, who had taken her in even for a short time during her painful period, and hugged her for a long time.

One of the Inquisitors sitting next to Edward in the distance got up from his seat, leaning on his cane.

She was a young woman with dull blonde hair close to brown.

Purple mist covered her eyes like an eye patch.

Robin closed his mouth with a gasp as soon as he saw her.

[That’s… divine power.]

[Yes, the Sage’s Purple… It’s the divine power of Truth Detection. You can choose one person for a day and reveal the truth and lies of everything that person says.]

[That’s amazing, can’t you use it too?]

‘Really? I haven’t seen Mela use that before?’

[Because it’s the divine power of the Saintess who can use all divine powers, she can theoretically use it, but Mela refused to learn that power until the end.]

[Why? If she had that power, she wouldn’t have been deceived by Robin?]

[Learning that will blind you.]

[Ah.]

‘Ah-ha.’

The woman slowly turned her face to Mena, who was standing close to her.

The purple mist covering her eyes flashed.

Mena looked at her and said with her ears perked up.

“It’s true… I was… and that child is my daughter… Banata.”

“… It’s the truth.”

At the same time as the woman’s words ended, sighs spread among the people.

Robin began to sweat coldly.

“U-Ugh, B-Baron! Where on earth…!”

“Aureo Academy, you knew too, didn’t you? That your daughter Rose was bullying Banata, just like Jennifer abused Mena.”

“…You… Come to think of it, at the academy… Could it be from then on?,”

“Enough.”

It was the Emperor who cut off Robin’s words.

The Emperor looked at me without even glancing at Robin and said.

“I have heard the Baron’s accusation well, it was a despicable act that is nothing short of embarrassing.”

“Y-Your Majesty…”

“However, it’s a little lacking to say that’s the lie and truth, and the evil plan you were talking about. It’s cautious to talk about it in front of the victim, but such things are just deviations that can always happen.”

“…”

People nodded at the Emperor’s words.

Certainly, the Emperor’s words were true.

If it’s just this level of misdeeds, it might come out if you shake the other nobles sitting in this place.

I could feel a sense of anxiety among the guests, as if they were worried that I might know about the affairs or sexual abuse of others in this place.

A maid’s unfortunate life might be just a trivial matter, as the Emperor said.

Of course, it was a shameful thing, and it might be something that would hold Robin back when he climbed to a higher position in the future, but it was certain that it was a bit of a weak case to get rid of Robin.

“It can’t end with just this.”

“Hoo,”

“Baron! I will not stand for any more nonsense!”

“Sit down, Count Robin Boldiras.”

“Your Majesty! This man is insulting me in a public place!”

I shook my head and said.

“Banata. The unfortunate life of that girl, which started from Robin’s evil seed of desire, is not over yet. Your Majesty.”

“…?”

“Banata. Please.”

“…Yes, Baron-nim.”

Banata slowly unbuttoned her robe.

Banata unbuttoned the three large buttons, dropped the robe hanging over her shoulders, and slowly turned around in her place.

At first, people didn’t know what her actions meant, but soon they were able to find something strange.

They found something swaying behind her butt.

“…T-Tail.”

“It’s not a beastman’s… That, that’s!”

“A monster…?”

“Kyaaak!”

“Monster! It’s a monster!”

The guests screamed in shock.

Some people tried to get up to run away, but tripped over chairs and tables and fell onto the food.

The Inquisitors all got up from their seats and put their hands on their weapons.

Amidst the commotion, Robin also reflexively drew his sword.

The Emperor also seemed surprised, as if he hadn’t expected it.

I approached Banata and hid her behind my back, then shouted so that everyone could hear.

“She is not dangerous!”

“Baron! What is going on!”

“What’s really dangerous is Count Boldiras!”

“You, you… What are you saying now!”

I desperately held back my laughter.

Me, Mela, Lara, and countless others were deceived and suffered from your lies, Robin.

But you know what?

“The illegitimate child born through evil deeds became a monster, and the dead first son became an undead! Do you know what this means!”

“What are you trying to say!”

“The hero… no, Robin, colluded with the heretic Jennifer, murdered Edward, who was a colleague and thief of the hero party, and then! He cooperated with the Demon King!”

I’m good at lying too.

.