Ch.240240. Haha, Why Is a Holy Knight So Afraid?

“Is this really the right thing to do?”

I waved my hands with a horrified expression toward Balthasar, who was sitting on the reception room sofa, carefully folding his red cloak and sighing deeply.

“Why don’t you just take off that transformation skin? And stop addressing me formally with the Emperor’s face.”

“….Isn’t this what you ordered me to do, Sir Selden Alphonse?”

“That’s why I’m telling you to hurry up and take off the transformation skin.”

“Ha…. understood.”

As he removed the transformation skin that looked exactly like Emperor Malius’s face, Balthasar made a miserable expression.

That’s right.

The reason I couldn’t stay by Saint Claudia’s side was because I had moved quickly to create a transformation skin of His Imperial Majesty.

Meeting with the Poison Lady.

What was even more surprising was the craftsman who created a transformation skin resembling the Emperor’s face using only a montage.

Or perhaps I had a talent for drawing.

Of course, upon closer inspection, there were many flaws.

Since it was a montage created only from drawings and supplementary descriptions, there was a risk of being caught by someone who had observed Emperor Malius closely.

But.

How many times had Reagan Strom looked directly at Emperor Malius’s face?

At most, he would have only seen him from a distance.

Therefore.

It was a choice made to instill absolute confidence.

Why go to such lengths?

Well, because I couldn’t fully trust Reagan Strom’s abilities.

‘Sigh….’

When Reagan Strom said he had told his father, “I saw with my own eyes that His Imperial Majesty is in good health,” I checked with my “divine eye.”

It didn’t seem like he was lying.

Yet why would his father still harbor doubts?

Because he knows Reagan Strom too well.

When people lie, their expressions change in some way moment by moment, and Reagan Strom’s father, who had watched his son his entire life, wouldn’t miss that.

He would have at least sensed something odd.

Balthasar placed the transformation skin that looked exactly like the Emperor’s face on the table.

“Please take this away quickly.”

“Haha, since when did a Holy Knight become so fearful?”

At that, Balthasar stared at me in disbelief and raised his voice.

“This isn’t just a crime, it’s a major crime. How can we impersonate His Imperial Majesty?”

“I’m telling you, it’s for the sake of the Eastern Continent.”

“Even if it’s for the Eastern Continent, we should have obtained His Imperial Majesty’s permission.”

“Saint Claudia said that the Emperor needs absolute rest.”

“….If we get caught, we’ll be beheaded in Lumestia Square.”

Reagan Strom will now move faster.

Having confirmed with his own eyes that Emperor Malius is healthy, he will speak more desperately to his father.

No matter how much I told him to keep it secret, would that guy really stay quiet?

What if his father doesn’t believe him and their entire family faces ruin?

He would at least desperately try to make his father notice subtly.

And as I mentioned earlier, Reagan Strom’s father wouldn’t miss his son’s desperate expression.

In the end, while it’s important to purge the Emperor’s hostile inner circle, it’s even more crucial to clearly demonstrate that the rumors of his critical condition are false.

Of course, there will still be those who won’t believe it without seeing it with their own eyes.

I leaned back on the sofa and nodded slightly.

“We’ll be beheaded?”

“Isn’t that obvious? No matter how talented Sir Selden Alphonse is at stopping the monster wave in the Eastern Continent, impersonating His Imperial Majesty is absolutely unforgivable.”

“So, why me?”

“….Pardon?”

“You’re the one who wore the transformation skin resembling Emperor Malius and imitated him.”

Balthasar’s mouth gaped open with an expression that said, ‘What the hell is this guy?’

Then his eyes flashed.

“I… won’t die alone.”

“You know that doesn’t suit a Holy Knight, right?”

“When facing death, what honor is there left to preserve as a Holy Knight?”

“….You’re saying we die together?”

“Aren’t we already in the same boat?”

“The same boat?”

“Yes, I made an unavoidable choice for the Eastern Continent, but Sir Selden Alphonse is also in the same boat with me, isn’t that right?”

I looked at Balthasar with half-closed eyes.

“Don’t you regret saying that?”

“No, I don’t. As you know, as a Holy Knight serving the Saint, I don’t speak with two tongues.”

“So we die together and live together?”

“Absolutely!”

Balthasar’s eyes burned with intensity.

I rose with a satisfied expression.

“Then shall we really get things rolling now?”

*

“Huh, gasp…. are you trying to kill me now to silence me?”

I waved my hands toward Balthasar, who was holding a wooden sword and looking terrified.

“Come on, why would I kill a friend who agreed to be in the same boat with me?”

“B-but… why are you suddenly making me train so intensely?”

“Because if you die, I die too?”

“….What?”

“I’m strong enough not to die, but you’re weak and have many ways to die.”

“…”

“Since I’d have to die if you die, I’m helping you train.”

Balthasar’s hand holding the wooden sword trembled.

“Why don’t you just kill me here and commit the perfect crime?”

“I’m trying to help you train, and this is how you respond? That’s disappointing.”

“This isn’t helping me train, it’s shortening my lifespan!! And I don’t think my swordsmanship is even improving.”

I smiled broadly at the miserable-looking Balthasar.

“That’s because your opponent is me.”

“….Pardon?”

“Have you ever sparred with anyone else after our training sessions?”

“Uh, no.”

“That’s why you don’t feel it. If you spar with someone else, you’ll really notice how much stronger you’ve become.”

Balthasar, seemingly exhausted, caught his breath and plopped down on the ground.

“….At least let me know why you’re training me so intensely.”

“I told you earlier. Because if you die, I die too.”

“You were already pushing me hard even before you said that, weren’t you?”

I also approached Balthasar and sat down on the ground facing him.

“Curious?”

“Yes, I am curious.”

“I’m trying to make you the strongest among the Holy Knights.”

“….What?”

“Why do you keep saying ‘what?’ I mean exactly what I said.”

Balthasar tilted his head with an expression of complete incomprehension.

“Why on earth are you trying to make me the strongest among the Holy Knights?”

“Because of Lionel.”

“L-Lionel?”

Balthasar’s expression stiffened slightly at the unexpected answer.

Ignoring his reaction, I continued.

“Why did I abduct Saint Claudia?”

“Well, because there would be opposition if Saint Claudia went to Lumestia.”

“Is there someone among the Holy Knights who wants to possess Saint Claudia?”

“P-possess her!? What nonsense—”

“She’s not anyone’s possession, so why oppose her?”

“Well, if Saint Claudia goes to another territory, there are many risk factors.”

“Even Holy Knights aren’t familiar with environmental and geographical changes, so they’re not confident in protecting Saint Claudia?”

Balthasar hesitated, then scratched his cheek with his finger.

“It’s not that we’re not confident… but the risk factors increase…”

“So you’re confining Saint Claudia?”

“C-confining?! How could you say we’re confining Saint Claudia?”

“If you’re preventing her from going where she wants to go, what is that if not confinement? For Saint Claudia’s sake? Don’t you see the contradiction?”

Balthasar hung his head at my outburst.

“….Does it appear that way to you?”

“Yes. Even if you were stronger, nothing would change. You’d still use that tiny probability of ‘it’s still dangerous’ to keep Saint Claudia from leaving the temple.”

“I suppose you’re right…”

“Isn’t it ridiculous? The Holy Knights who should be protecting Saint Claudia might be making her the most unhappy.”

Balthasar opened his mouth as if to say something, then shook his head.

“I understand what you’re saying, Sir Selden Alphonse.”

“However, it’s questionable whether the other Holy Knights would understand my words.”

“….That’s true.”

“That’s why I’m making you stronger now. If you’re stronger than Lionel, your arguments will carry more weight.”

Balthasar laughed dejectedly from where he sat.

“Haha…. do you really think I can become stronger than Sir Lionel?”

“Of course. The question is, if you become stronger than Lionel, would you have the confidence to give Saint Claudia more freedom than she has now?”

After thinking for a while, Balthasar raised his head with flashing eyes.

“I can do it.”

Balthasar’s eyes showed no deception.

I smiled slightly, dusted off my backside, and stood up.

“Well then, shall we resume training?”