Ch.29397. I Have Something to Say.

When I close my eyes, it flickers.

That scene will surely follow him until the day he returns to ash and dust.

“……”

But.

He couldn’t hold onto it forever.

Rueld broke his seclusion exactly on the fourth day.

“Lady Geornia wants to see me?”

“…Yes.”

At Ermina’s words, Rueld realized there was still something he needed to accept, and he was slightly shaken.

Though he didn’t show it outwardly.

“Then… yes. I should go. I should go… indeed.”

Though he appeared normal, to Ermina he seemed half out of his mind.

It was rare to see him in such a state.

No, to be precise, it would be more accurate to say it had happened only a countable number of times.

‘What did that child tell him….’

What had the two of them experienced?

Ermina couldn’t bring herself to ask.

She could only trust and wait.

Believing that when the time came, he would tell her.

Still.

Even so.

What had he experienced to make him so weak? To leave him in such poor condition?

…In truth, Ermina herself felt like she might collapse at any moment.

…But if she fell apart too, who would support this household?

“If it’s difficult, even tomorrow would be…”

“No. If it’s something I’ll find out anyway… I should deal with it now.”

Deal with it.

…Did he view even this as work and duty?

Or did he need to see it that way to accept it more easily?

It didn’t take long to prepare and head straight to the Imperial Palace.

The festive atmosphere in the city was gradually subsiding.

Even so, those who had made the effort to come to the capital, whether for sightseeing or business, wouldn’t leave easily.

Unless they were forced to turn back due to the capital’s murderous prices.

After arriving at the palace by carriage, the two reached Geornia’s guest room without any special guidance.

By then, the Emperor and Empress, who had been informed of their visit in advance, joined them as well.

“…Your face is half gone. What a fool you are.”

“……”

Geornia immediately recognized that Rueld was not in a normal state.

This made her feel uncomfortable about having called him now.

“Haah.”

Nevertheless, she needed to tell him.

She didn’t think telling him later would make any difference.

But there was a risk that misunderstandings could escalate the situation.

She felt the need to bring this matter to a close.

Since waking up, Geornia had gathered information and was fully aware of the basics.

Therefore, she didn’t hesitate.

“Before things got out of hand, Kariel appeared here in person.”

“…We prided ourselves on thorough security. And yet… you say?”

“If it was so thorough, then why was it stolen?”

Geornia clicked her tongue in response to the Empress’s statement.

“It seems the day he visited was the day he stole it from you.”

“……”

According to what she later heard from Rashid, though the form was the same, it felt different from before, and he only realized it after touching it.

While the shape was the same, when touched, it had been replaced with a small piece of metal.

As soon as they realized this, Rashid and Loroana immediately flew to the arena.

“So, he came to fulfill his promise to awaken El?”

“…That’s not it.”

Not it?

Suspicion grew.

“To be precise, he said he came to lift… a terribly wicked curse placed on me.”

“……”

Geornia added a brief explanation.

“Trigramaton.”

The Emperor whispered softly.

“It seems I had become that without knowing.”

“So Kariel had the ability and power to even lift such a curse…”

That was a realm impossible even for Ermina, who was called a saint.

She hadn’t even known such a thing existed.

“If he entrusted the key to El’s awakening to Seras, is it related to what we heard then?”

“Yes. He said he would keep his promise and send someone. That was… that child Seras.”

The Emperor nodded, exhaling a long breath.

“In what way?”

“It’s a guess, but I think he mended El-Hermina’s broken vessel using the Demon King’s legacy and… some divine object related to it.”

“…Is that possible?”

If it had been possible, the Emperor would have attempted it long ago.

“It’s impossible. But with a divine object of that caliber, who knows.”

Geornia remembered.

That staff-like wooden object held in Seras’s hand.

While the purpose of one of the two was unclear… the moment that deeply charred staff pierced El-Hermina’s chest, the scene of fire spirits sweeping through the area was… truly too majestic to witness with open eyes.

“It was probably… something worthy of mention in any myth.”

“So Kariel went to Ardisus to obtain it… that’s how we should understand it.”

That part could be asked of the queen there.

Though I’m not sure if she knows the inside story properly.

“You said you had something to tell us. Was it indeed about Kariel…?”

“Yes.”

When the Emperor mentioned the main point, Geornia closed her eyes tightly as if she had no choice.

Then, as if feeling stuffy, she swept her long silver hair back over her shoulders.

“Why that child wanted to fight you, Rueld. The reason and circumstances. I received this information directly from him.”

“……”

At this, everyone turned their gaze to Rueld.

“Whether to tell this or not is my prerogative… but I didn’t think hiding it would calm or mitigate the situation, so I wanted to tell you directly. This too… must be part of the Wise Demon King’s machinations.”

With a slight gesture from Geornia,

The luminous text that Kariel had shown her appeared, not a single letter different.

“This is the substance of the contract Kariel had entered into. This was… apparently the reason he had to fight you.”

“……”

“And this is an absolute compliance contract. In other words, it means a contract that cannot be casually canceled or transferred.”

At this, the imperial couple, Rueld, and Ermina.

Without exception, they began to delve into its contents.

One. Kariel must defeat Rueld, who is both a hero and his father, and obtain acknowledgment of his victory.

If he breaks or loses his resolve regarding this, he will bear the most unfortunate and painful despair in the world, which will continue eternally even after death, extending to all those he holds dear, until the day his bloodline disappears.

(This does not apply to his father Rueld, his mother Ermina, or any siblings born later.)

Two. No half-hearted compromises or tricks are necessary here. The standard for acknowledging this is solely the subjective judgment of the Wise Demon King.

Three. Accordingly, the Wise Demon King will offer compensation for training methods and power enhancement that will satisfy Kariel.

However, the vision of the Wise Demon King, the current ruler of the demon realm, is excluded.

Four. Contract fulfillment is based solely on whether it was achieved or not.

If he meets physical death without fulfilling it, he will pay an additional appropriate price.

The compensation for this is also determined by the Wise Demon King.

“This is….”

Is it an unfair contract?

I don’t know.

Looking at the contract terms alone, it’s honestly unclear whether this was a forcibly concluded contract, an unfair malicious contract, or a terrible contract riddled with poison clauses.

However, in some parts, there were clearly expressions that could be exploited maliciously.

If there was an exception…

“Her vision is excluded?”

Why?

If anything, the Demon King’s vision would be the most threatening power to Rueld and themselves.

“…Hero.”

Rueld muttered with a half-entranced face.

“I, the child of a hero and a saint… cannot receive the power of a Demon King.”

“Rueld?”

“…That’s what he told me. Kal, to me.”

“That means….”

Rueld suddenly frowned.

No. No.

Did I hear such words?

From Kariel’s mouth?

“Rueld. Is that true?”

“……”

While Ermina frowned at the inexplicable sense of discomfort,

The Emperor and everyone else began to examine the contract terms again.

Then.

The contract terms felt completely different in meaning.

Especially the third clause excluding the Demon King’s vision and abilities—could it have been Kariel’s will?

“……”

And.

Because Rueld understood the inside story better than anyone else here,

Those contents resonated with him more clearly than with anyone else present.

Because I wanted it.

Because I wanted it that way.

It was the day after I argued with Patina, shortly before I left.

Do you remember what you said to me then?

That’s exactly it.

Right after that, I couldn’t control my emotions and requested it from her.

Do you know this? The Demon King, she actually tried to actively reject my reckless request, saying—though it was just empty words—why not try reconciling with my family instead?

I rarely blame others, but let me indulge in childishness this time.

The fact that I’ve ended up like this.

It’s your fault.

It is indeed your fault.

“……”

This contract.

Was it ultimately a contract that arose because that child, hurt by the words he had hurled that day, went to the Demon King in anger, saying he wanted to defeat Rueld, to break him?

…Was it such a contract?

For some reason, though he didn’t know why, it felt like everything fit together perfectly.

Even without anyone explaining it to him.

By this point, Rueld was certain.

He was already being mercilessly manipulated by the Demon King’s schemes.

After all, the Wise Demon King could implant false memories or illusions in others at will.

“Dear?”

“……”

What should I do?

Should I speak this truth aloud?

Or at the very least…

…The fact that the child took his own life before me.

Should I bury that fact in my heart…

…

Even if my insides rot and fester.

If I just hide this fact.

Then at the very least, I might be able to preserve some hope, to avoid inflicting greater wounds on Ermina…

[Rueld. You idiot. I knew you’d do this.]

Wis…

…?

That voice made his bones freeze in an instant.

Startled, he looked around in alarm.

As if time had stopped, everyone remained motionless in their previous positions… before his eyes.

“What…”

What’s happening?

[How is it that my predictions never miss by even an inch? It’s lamentable, Hero.]

“De…mon King?”

Somehow.

She was standing there, leaning against the window.

In the form of a young girl.

The same innocent appearance she had shown when parting with Kariel.

She stood there with a malicious smile.

[You think keeping it to yourself and suffering alone is enough? What kind of worm-like decision is that? Why? Do you think everyone will be happy if you keep it bottled up inside? How have you not changed at all, from before till now? Ah, not completely in a bad way. That stubbornness represents your altruistic tendency to take more losses than others. It’s not bad. Not bad, but… you’ve completely missed the mark this time.]

“What are you trying to say? You must have disappeared by then. But why… yes. Is this also… a memory? Somehow in my head…”

[When restrictions are thorough, conditions can also be relaxed. You fool.]

Then the golden Demon King laughed vulgarly, cackling.

Even that was beautiful and vibrant, but.

For Rueld, even such beauty could only fuel his hatred.

“So why have you appeared before me again? What are you plotting this time!”

[I told you. Because you made such a decision. Or more precisely… to force a choice on you?]

Choice? Force?

[To cut to the chase…]

If you don’t reveal to those idiots that Kariel is dead and try to bury it inside you,

[There are quite a few unconscious worms in the capital right now, aren’t there? The moment you firmly decide to keep your mouth shut, they’ll all be massacred at that point.]

“—!!!!”

[But since they’re all heinous criminals or potential lawbreakers, you should actually thank me?]

I!

[I’m willing to exterminate the parasites trying to burrow into the heart of your empire! How about it? Tempting? Then just keep your mouth shut. The moment you decide to remain silent, I’ll… turn them all into corpses that forget to breathe. Actually, isn’t that what you want too? Right?]

“……”

This being, this Demon King.

How much, how much must she manipulate humans and play with them… before she’s satisfied?

“If I… reveal that fact, then what?”

[Unfortunately, well, they’ll keep breathing just fine like now.]

“What crime have they committed! By what standard do you arbitrarily trample on the dignity of all life like that?!”

[They have many sins.]

The Demon King declared.

[If even Kariel, who has eyes to see sin, agreed and went along with it, then there’s no room for salvation.]

“They too should be given a chance for absolution and amnesty. Everyone should have the opportunity to atone, reflect, and be reborn anew! How dare you arbitrarily—!”

[I don’t care. I don’t want to hear it! Go spout that nonsense to those who have been exploited or killed, whose lives have been taken away.]

“There may have been heinous individuals among them, but there were also those who weren’t!”

[That’s by your standards, great Hero.]

You should know from experience.

[A cough from the powerful is like a storm to the weak and the ants. Have you forgotten? Have you become so great now?]

“……”

[Anyway, you and I can never coexist or understand each other, so enough with the empty words.]

Make your choice well.

[I’m just giving you a push to help you choose easily. Don’t reject my kindness, will you? That’s why I even shoved in memories you didn’t have.]

Rueld immediately confronted her seriously.

“So that statement wasn’t something I heard from Kariel after all…”

[It was something I personally told Ermina. Kyahahahat!]

Well then, this is truly farewell.

[Live long and prosper, Hero. As you wish, let’s never face each other again.]

Hehehe, hehehehe!

With that ominous laughter.

The world began to turn normally again.

“Rueld?”

“……”

His hands were trembling.

He wished his heart would stop right now, but.

This damned thing just wouldn’t listen.

‘What am I supposed to do?’

Should he remain silent and allow their deaths?

Whether or not to believe what the Demon King said.

If it actually served the public good, justice, and stability, should he acquiesce to this?

…Talk sense.

‘Well.’

That damned Demon King wouldn’t handle things so sloppily.

So I’ve been had, even after coming this far?

The outcome is clear.

Because Rueld could never stand by and watch their meaningless deaths.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he took a deep breath.

“I have something to say.”

He reluctantly decided to confess the truth to everyone.

‘Even this.’

Surely, something I must bear…