episode_0023

The Trinium Viscount.

They immediately arrested the viscount upon arrival.

The viscount, taken into custody out of the blue, did raise a fuss about being detained without any evidence, but as they searched the viscount’s residence, they were able to uncover several pieces of evidence related to the demons.

It was so satisfying to see the viscount turn pale upon discovering the evidence.

It felt like taking a refreshing sip of soda.

Unable to hide their actions any longer, the viscount set ablaze the place where the children were held captive.

They were able to rescue the remaining children.

After swiftly resolving the situation,

I gazed up at the Trinium family’s viscount, bound by ropes, and with a firm grip on their chin, I looked at them.

“Please, show mercy just this once. Our family does not deserve to fall. And other nobles have also dealt with them! I will reveal their family names, so please, show mercy!”

The viscount pleaded.

I glanced down at them indifferently before speaking in a low voice.

“Viscount, do you understand the gravity of your actions?”

“I do! I dared to associate with the enemies of humanity, the demons!”

“No. You do not understand.”

Associating with demons to avert immediate danger.

If one truly understood the repercussions this would bring in the future, they would never have associated with them in the first place.

Therefore,

“I have no choice but to kill you.”

With evidence now surfacing of dealings with demons,

the viscount was now subject to immediate execution.

Killing them now would pose no issues whatsoever.

“It would be best for you to spend your life repenting to the children who have neither lived nor died because of you. If not, I will pursue you to the ends of hell to exact punishment.”

With those words, I swung my sword, severing their neck.

Wiping the blood splattered on the blade, I turned and walked away.

***

The giant of the Dark Guild and the Dark Church had completely collapsed.

One viscount had crumbled entirely.

Such news spread rapidly among the nobles and the public.

Especially shocking was the news that the viscount had been trading with demons, turning children into human weapons.

While the nobles knew that demons were lurking without revealing themselves, the common folk, considering demons to be practically non-existent due to their long absence, found this news particularly jarring.

Many cursed the viscount.

After it became known that the one who punished them was a duke who had never shown his face to the public,

his reputation soared to new heights.

Among various speculations about who the duke might be,

referred to as a hero by the public but actually a fake hero, I found myself busy for several days.

Summoning the Paladins who had not been called upon for three years and dealing with various other matters kept me occupied.

Although Lena, my loyal aide, was there, I knew she had not rested much, so I gave her a vacation and took over her usual tasks, leaving me with no time to rest.

As I finished my work for the day and sat there blankly,

someone knocked on the door and entered.

Turning my gaze from the sky, I checked who it was that had come in.

The person who entered through the door was someone I cherished the most.

“Lena? I told you to rest.”

I thought I had given her about a month off.

Three days had passed, and seeing Lena back at work made me want to send her away again, but…

“Three days is enough rest. Besides, this task is new for you, and it might be challenging. There are some tricky parts. I feel more comfortable doing it. Or should I really take a month off?”

“Sorry. Please help me.”

I couldn’t bring myself to send her away.

Every day truly felt like hell.

Lena smiled lightly and began to inspect the documents on my desk after moving them to her own spot.

“Oh… Quite a lot, isn’t it?”

Unlike me, Lena quickly flipped through the papers, checking if I had done everything correctly.

At first glance, it seemed like a cursory check, but I knew it was not.

If Lena had been like that, she wouldn’t have been by my side for five years.

“It’s comfortable with Lena around…”

Taking a break after a long time, I spoke to Lena.

“Lena, do you happen to know the current situation of the party?”

I remembered the last situation where we fought against the weapons, but three days had passed since then, and I was curious about what they were up to now.

Originally, Arienne’s party’s goal was to rescue the children kidnapped from the orphanage, but since I had already rescued the children, news had spread widely. Arienne’s party might have gone to the orphanage, but I wasn’t sure.

It’s not like they would stay at the orphanage for three days anyway.

“If it were according to the original work, they would probably make an inference.”

The flow of the original work had already deviated quite a bit.

To some extent, the outcome might be similar, but I couldn’t blindly follow the original work.

My memories of the original work had also faded a lot.

“Apparently, the leader of the party wanted to kidnap the children from the daycare center. However, it seems that some of the children we rescued this time are missing. That’s why the atmosphere within the party is not good.”

“Ah.”

I understood the situation.

The children we rescued this time were only half.

The remaining children had become victims of the weapons, neither alive nor dead.

Although they had found peace in Ilene’s hands now, that fact was not important.

Arienne would probably blame herself for being weak and not being able to save the children. Arienne had a high chance of overcoming it herself, but just in case, I felt like I should meet her once.

“Come to think of it, I also have somewhere to go.”

Recently, things had been so busy that I had forgotten about it.

As I got up from my chair and took the mask hanging on the wall, Lena asked, “Are you leaving?”

“Oh. I have somewhere else to stop by before that. Can I ask you a favor?”

“Trust me with it.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled at Lena and then opened the door, stepping outside.

***

A place adorned with numerous gravestones.

Feeling both glad to be back after a long time and somber as I looked at the tombstones of the deceased.

In this public cemetery, the children we failed to rescue were buried.

Since they were orphans with no one to hold a separate funeral for them, they were buried here upon my orders.

I sat in front of the children’s gravestones.

Typically, gravestones would include status, name, deeds, descendants, date of birth, and date of death.

But on the gravestones of these orphans, only their names and dates of death were written.

The world is cruel.

It doesn’t acknowledge the tears, pain, despair, or sadness shed by these children.

They were not important figures among the countless humans shaping the world.

They were merely remembered as one of the many sacrificed children.

And soon, even that fact would be forgotten.

A miserable death unacknowledged and unnoticed by anyone.

For the sake of these children born into such a cruel world, I buried their deaths and sorrows deep in my heart.

Even in death, may they not be lonely.

I filled my heart deeply with these children.

“I’m sorry.”

I felt like pouring out some alcohol, but I couldn’t offer it to the children.

So, I simply closed my eyes and mourned the deaths of the children.

“I hope you find peace there. If you feel unfairly treated and uncomfortable, feel free to blame me. It’s because I was late in saving you. And if blaming me helps you find peace there, then please live comfortably. It may be presumptuous of me, but that’s my wish.”

This voice may not reach the children.

Perhaps they have already departed, or maybe they resent me as I expected.

However.

Regardless of what happened.

What I must do remains unchanged.

Remembering even those who perished in meaningless sacrifices.

Because that is the only way I, living in hypocrisy, can help someone.

“Shall we rise.”

It seemed like no time had passed at all, but when I looked up at the sky, quite some time had indeed elapsed.

As I got up and prepared to leave after my final meditation there.

“Kael?”

Someone called out to me.

Though she called me Kael, not a warrior or hero, but Kael.

I couldn’t help but respond to that name.

Because the name Kael was the alias I used in the early days of possession, concealing my identity as a hero.

“Kael, right?”

I turned my head at the voice calling me again.

There stood a lovely woman.

Bright golden hair as if kissed by sunlight.

Golden eyes that matched her golden hair.

A presence exuding an aura that not even the depths of darkness could conceal.

She was someone I knew well.

“Ariana. It’s been a while.”

“Indeed, you’re Kael, right? What’s with the strange mask again?”

Instead of answering, I offered a wry smile.

Ariana, sensing my reluctance to reply, quickly changed the subject.

“Did you come because of our father?”

“No. I came to honor the children who were sacrificed this time.”

“Oh, from that newspaper article, right? The children sacrificed due to dealings with demons by a noble.”

“That’s correct.”

Ariana, who had approached me by now, asked while looking at the children’s graves.

“Do you have a connection with these children?”

“I can’t say there’s none. But it’s not like I have a strong connection either. Still, I hope they go to a better place.”

“They must have gone to a good place. You wished for it, didn’t you?”

“Perhaps.”

“Well then. Just like our father, they must have gone to a good place.”

“I suppose so.”

We gazed at the sky in silence for a moment.

Though we didn’t speak, at this moment, we both thought of the same person.

“I’m sure our master is doing well.”

“Yes. Probably watching over us from above. Probably very pleased.”

She said that and smiled softly.

It was always a beautiful smile, yet tinged with sadness.

“I’ve taken up too much of your time. Do you have somewhere to go?”

“I do.”

“Then, Kael. See you next time.”

With those words, she left the gravesite.

It was just a simple farewell, but for some reason, I felt an unfamiliar unease.

‘…Am I being too sensitive.’

Ariana is not someone who would do anything strange.

I immediately pushed away unnecessary thoughts and recalled my original purpose as I left the gravesite.