Ch.15551. Compassion, Too, Is Only Given to Those Who Qualify.

One thing was certain.

Mines would never be able to get along with alcohol.

Drinking for the taste made no sense, and a smooth swallow? That was incomprehensible too.

Lastly, drinking to get drunk was even more baffling.

Even after forcing herself to down several glasses… she felt nothing special.

“Then just enjoy the atmosphere.”

“…Do I have to enjoy it?”

“You need to relax a bit. If you keep running at full speed because you’re in a hurry, you won’t last long. You’ll trip or collapse midway.”

This situation—drinking together with Alesia in the guest room—might be considered quite extraordinary from a certain perspective.

After all, the saints of the Irenis Order were figures more difficult to meet than kings or nobles of any country.

“You must have said everything—both what should and shouldn’t be said—to Lord Rueldt and the princess. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know what was discussed.”

“Do you want to know?”

“Personally, yes.”

Just the way she sat with her legs crossed gave an impression of something magnificent.

While she had a sturdy build, she didn’t come across as rough or rigid in the slightest.

She seemed somewhat casual, but there was an unmistakable dignity in every small gesture.

“What kind of relationship do you have with him?”

“…Hmm. When you ask like that, it becomes quite difficult to answer.”

What kind of relationship.

That’s truly troublesome. Indeed.

“…?”

When Mines showed confusion, Alesia reluctantly scratched between her eyebrows and answered.

“Depending on how Kariel thinks about it, it could be nothing. Or if he thinks positively, it could be… a good relationship?”

“…”

“In such matters, the other person’s thoughts are more important than mine, right?”

An ambiguous expression.

On one hand, it sounded reasonable.

However.

Showing interest in someone also implies there’s a valid reason for it, doesn’t it?

“As you know, both the Hero and the Princess personally came all this way to see Kariel.”

“That’s true.”

“But now that he’s gone, how many people are there who can talk about him?”

There would be Rupert, who was captured earlier.

And then Mines, who came here voluntarily.

But if what one could learn from Rupert was limited,

The story from Mines herself would be somewhat different.

In any case… Mines had found and watched over Kariel during his seclusion.

And after he ended his seclusion, she had volunteered to accompany him, or rather led him, until quite recently.

But.

“Even what I can tell you isn’t much.”

She told them, within acceptable limits, about how he had been living.

To begin with, Mines didn’t know much about Kariel either.

He wasn’t the type to broadcast his circumstances to others.

Since he was the kind of person who would remain silent all day if he didn’t feel like talking, it was impossible to know his situation unless one specifically asked.

In that regard, Mines wasn’t the type to take particular interest in others’ affairs.

“Rather…”

It seemed that Ases and Venus knew him better.

The length of time spent together doesn’t necessarily mean knowing someone better.

She came to understand this through Venus.

Even in a short time, how much attention you pay to someone, how deeply you get involved, how much you observe, care, and remain alert to them.

For someone like her, who had little interest in others, let alone strangers, this might be a natural outcome in some sense.

“I’m not expecting much.”

Alesia told her in a calm tone.

“If there’s anything important, I can just go and talk to him directly. I just wondered if there was anything I should know beforehand.”

“…”

“If we depart tomorrow, it might be unexpectedly difficult to have an open conversation.”

…Whether it was the princess, the Giant Knight, or the two elves, they all seemed difficult to get close to.

Did Alesia feel that way too?

That there was something like an uncrossable valley between them and her, and Mines?

Observing Alesia’s expression, which seemed tinged with a bit of regret, Mines calmly studied her.

“I’m not particularly eloquent, so you might find it boring.”

“That’s perfect for drinking conversation. Better than poring over scripture until your eyes fall out, right?”

There’s really nothing special.

Alesia raised the silver cup to her lips and tilted it.

Watching her, Mines calmly parted her lips.

“I only answered what the two of them asked, so I’ll just tell you about that.”

First.

What was Kariel’s current condition?

Regarding that, Mines responded that she didn’t know.

Health? Mental state? What next?

“He stands at the boundary between life and death.”

A body abandoned by mana could be considered a cursed life form in a way.

In that sense, mana had long ceased to have meaning for Kariel.

From the beginning, not a trace of mana could be felt in his body.

Instead, there was an unknown power contained within him.

According to Kariel, it was the power of the stars… but honestly, how could one know?

“I believe that’s the fundamental reason for the divine presence he exhibits.”

Naturally, Mines didn’t know.

Even as the inheritor of the Demon King’s legacy.

Mines couldn’t gauge her chances if she were to face Kariel in battle.

If someone were to ask if it was because she couldn’t feel hostility or killing intent toward Kariel,

Mines would have to shake her head.

“I’ve heard vaguely. That he’s become something extraordinary.”

But Alesia didn’t know.

However, Alesia had never forgotten the sight of him willingly facing overwhelming odds despite desperate power differences.

At least in terms of willpower, she didn’t think he would easily kneel or fall.

“They must have asked you about the Demon King, right?”

“…That’s something I truly don’t know about.”

Kariel made a pact with the Demon King? Sold his soul?

If so, it doesn’t explain why he continued on his path.

Then is the Demon King forcing Kariel to do good deeds against his will, demanding self-sacrificial dedication?

For what purpose?

Isn’t that strange in its own way?

But.

If Kariel’s incredible strength is based on that… it might make some sense.

…However, if that’s the case, why would he bow his head to the Demon King, offer his soul, and make such a contract? Wouldn’t that be too disadvantageous?

Considering that he inherited Grandeus’s vision and even secured Grandeus’s beloved sword.

…Unless there was a definite arrangement, as Venus had grumbled, this possibility seemed unlikely.

Who could guarantee that the Relief Knights’ involvement with him wasn’t an intentional arrangement by Grandeus, who could glimpse the future?

And what if all this was another arrangement left by the so-called Demon King of Wisdom?

Mines could only guess that this might be what they were suspecting.

“I don’t know his past. I only know him as he is now. But… I know he’s stubborn and altruistic. And that he has a bad habit of accepting personal loss.”

“…He is kind, that one.”

Kind?

Perhaps that’s right in a way.

But how can one be certain there’s no intention behind his actions?

Is it even possible in this world to do something without intention or purpose?

It’s like seeing an injured beast and feeling concerned, but not reaching out.

Even if emotions fluctuate.

That’s a foolish emotion born from weakness and fragility.

Compassion should only be given to those who deserve it.

If you show compassion to the undeserving, you might get devoured in return.

In that way, good people die early and are quickly killed.

And the world becomes increasingly filled with evil.

The reason evil people thrive is not without cause.

It’s because it’s advantageous for survival. Suitable. Reasonable.

“Just from what I heard through the princess… there were several instances where he got involved in matters he didn’t need to.”

“…”

“But it’s fortunate that he didn’t always act purely out of kindness.”

“That means…”

Mines started to speak but ultimately closed her mouth.

“Next, they asked about the power Kariel had obtained, and I honestly told them I didn’t know much.”

“That’s not the important part, is it?”

…Why would that not be important?

Wasn’t that the most important thing?

“And they also asked about what he’s moving for. His purpose.”

“…And?”

“I said I didn’t know.”

She knew vaguely.

But not with certainty.

Mines wasn’t shallow-minded enough to carelessly divulge what she knew vaguely.

His desire to defeat her father likely had depths that Mines couldn’t fathom, with other darkness lurking within.

Rather than causing unnecessary misunderstandings, it was better to feign ignorance.

“So you didn’t really say much.”

“I truly didn’t have much to say.”

She hadn’t come to be interrogated in the first place.

She just wanted to know what feelings and intentions they harbored toward Kariel.

And that could be inferred just from their attitude toward her.

If they were hostile, she would have taken it lightly, but…

…their circumstances seemed quite complicated, which made things even more troublesome.

The same went for Alesia before her.

At first, she thought Alesia was a monitor attached due to the Irenis Church’s goal of slaying the Demon King, given her status as a saint… but apparently not.

She only became certain of this after this private meeting.

The reason wasn’t anything special.

“Before Kariel left, he told me. That he had made a pact with the Demon King. I didn’t openly disclose it, but I was confined for a while because of it.”

She spoke as if she had suffered an inconvenience due to a trivial misunderstanding, casually laughing it off.

There was no blame for Kariel in her words.

Nor was there any resentment toward those who had troubled her.

A human understanding that those who misunderstood her could naturally do so.

In other words, this too was altruism and consideration.

Consideration based on deep understanding and thoughtful empathy.

A heart that considers others’ thoughts, attitudes, judgments, and treatment before one’s own gain or loss…

…Whether she could maintain such a kind attitude for long…

“He revealed that fact to you, Lady Alesia?”

By the way.

…He never said such a thing to me.

Or did he? Was it because I didn’t ask?

If I had asked, he might have remained silent or responded.

Then, did she ask about this?

“Yeah. I told him I wanted to join your journey, but when he refused, that’s what he said. At first, I was quite perplexed, wondering what kind of bizarre way of refusing this was.”

“…Refused.”

He didn’t refuse Mines.

Then, what was the reason?

Because she possessed the power of the Great Demon King, another form of demon king?

Or was it the belief that he could take care of himself in any situation?

…It wouldn’t be a wrong guess.

If so.

“Come to think of it, neither the Hero nor the Princess seemed to know exactly why Kariel got involved in that incident in Somern village.”

“Really? Even though it was a big deal that a young hero also emerged during that incident, though it got a bit overshadowed?”

Despite only hearing a small part of it, the fact that even Alesia had received some information about it meant it was no ordinary event.

Contrary to the good news of a hero’s birth, it also generated ominous rumors about a dead demon king’s resurrection.

“I explained the circumstances a bit to both of them. But… this might be the first time I’m telling you, Lady Alesia.”

“What? I thought you said you weren’t eloquent.”

Making someone anticipate and then claiming you’re not eloquent.

“In that incident in Somern village, Kariel was originally an outsider.”

In fact, this was an issue between Mines herself and Leo, who became a hero.

The Relief Knights.

Kariel.

Somern village.

And… the remnants of the Demon King’s army who suddenly invaded, led by a dull-witted commander.

Strictly speaking, all of them… were people who had nothing to do with her.

“But in the end, he ended up saving both the hero and the demon king.”

Because of that, Leo gained an opportunity to bring back his villagers.

And Mines was able to obtain a chance for atonement and a new life.

“…Hearing that makes me feel like I should share my own story. Aren’t you curious about how Kariel, following in the footsteps of the ancient saint who shared his name, brought forth a new holy relic?”

“…”

Oh, what’s that? That story that sounds so incredibly like him?

Though she tried not to show it, Mines couldn’t help but be curious.

At this point, Alesia reached out her hand to pause the conversation and filled Mines’s empty glass with red liquid.

“The story might get quite long, so have a drink first!”

“…I’d rather not.”

“Drink it to loosen your tongue.”

“Does drinking this really loosen one’s tongue?”

“Yes. And it also disinfects and detoxifies all the bad stuff, you know?”

“…”

That’s the first I’ve heard of it.

Still, since alcohol is sometimes used for medicinal purposes like suppressing illness or cleaning wounds, maybe drinking it has a similar effect.

…Reluctantly, Mines accepted the glass Alesia offered.

“Just this one glass.”

It’s just bitter and heavy.

It’s uncomfortable in the mouth and even more nauseating when it goes down the throat, so why would anyone keep drinking this for someone else’s sake?