episode_0076

While the prince arrested Sylvia and Kylie, Kati checked on my condition.

“Boy, you checked everything.”

Even after looking at it obsessively for a while, I try to keep looking.

In the end, Kati nodded until she was satisfied.

“Anyway… . But… .”

“Ian!”

“Ian!”

After Sylvia and Kylie were dragged away, Vivian and Helena came running from afar.

“Two people? Weren’t you resting inside?”

“Mercy said Ian is dangerous!”

“Ah.”

When Katy, who was with her, suddenly disappeared, Mercy must have known what that meant.

Vivian carefully took Mercy out of her pocket and showed it to her.

I was sweating coldly and my complexion was blue.

It looks like the two guys from the first party are getting tired of the energy they are emitting from afar.

“Me, Mercy? Mercy looks sick… .”

“You’re probably out of your mind right now. Let me rest a little longer.”

“Yes… .”

While Vivian put it back in, Helena looked around and asked.

“Kylie and Sylvia… . Is that correct?”

“Um.”

The surroundings were a mess.

And Kylie, who went out of her way to kill me.

Sylvia was ready to kill Kylie.

… It seems like an explanation is needed.

“Shall we change seats first?”

*

There were a lot of eyes watching so we came inside.

The Prince and the Emperor are discussing what to do with the arrested Kylie and Sylvia, so they won’t have anything to do with me right now.

They will decide among themselves first, and if they need my help, they will call me then.

Vivian and Helena sat side by side and I sat across from them.

Mercy seemed to have fallen asleep from exhaustion, so Kati sent Lucia to her room in case she woke up.

“Let’s start with the thing you’re most curious about… . Kylie came because of me.”

Helena swallowed her saliva at those words.

Vivian also looked a bit nervous.

“Ah. I don’t think I came here to ask you to come back to me or anything like that… .”

Vivian and Helena let out a small sigh of relief at the additional explanation.

… But really, why did you come?

Are you simply here to kill me?

“Maybe… . It seems like they came to kill me.”

“Yes?”

“Yes… ?”

“I’m equally embarrassed. the reason is… .”

The Golden Rule of Strength.

I know what Kylie believes.

During the second session, I thought she was just a crazy person drunk on power, but this time, while we were together, I came to know the principles she believes in.

… Still, the fact that he is a crazy person remains the same.

That’s the only reason he goes crazy and wants to kill me… .

“… Honestly, it’s hard to explain. Kylie has some strange beliefs that are unique to her. It’s just a guess, but I think it’s because they think I went against that belief… .”

“Belief… ?”

“To put it briefly… .”

I looked at the two for a moment before speaking.

I don’t know, but these two are the ones who idolized the first warrior party.

Even if I say this here… .

It doesn’t matter.

I’ve already seen that violent look earlier, so what does it mean?

“It is the belief that the strong have a duty to kill the weak.”

“… … .”

“Yes, I thought you would react that way. That’s how it is.”

“Is that so…? .”

It seems as if the illusion is gradually collapsing in both of their hearts.

Somehow, I feel like my innocence is being trampled upon.

“You two have nothing to worry about, so don’t worry.”

“Yes… .”

“What the Prince said… Is it true?”

Charges of treason by the 1st warrior party.

I don’t know much about that either.

“The court will decide whether he is guilty, but it is true that there are charges.”

“Is that so…? .”

Regardless of the truth, the fact that the first hero party was involved in such a thing is a big problem.

If it was a reputation from before, one might dismiss it as a malicious lie.

But it won’t be easy these days when there are even bad rumors going around.

By the way, Vivian and Helena’s expressions are still unclear.

Did I explain anything less?

“The castle lord Lorenzo di Fiorene was first being investigated on charges of rebellion, and it seems the name of the first warrior party came up in the process.”

“I see… .”

The response did not answer all of the desired questions.

“If you have any further questions, please ask.”

Of the two who hesitated, Vivian was the first to open her mouth.

“Stir… . Ian.”

“Yes.”

“What is your relationship with the first warrior party?”

“Yes?”

“… Who is Ian?”

Helena looks straight at me, as if she wanted to ask the same thing.

Although they asked me for an answer, they both looked like they already knew the answer.

There are too many clues that were scattered here.

[Master, this is a somewhat late report. Grace came around lunchtime. [She went back after telling an obvious lie, saying that she and her master were fiancés.]

… There were also clues scattered without my knowledge.

It was something that would be revealed someday.

It’s not that I didn’t have any intention of revealing it, but it felt too unexpected to say it, and I wondered if it would have any meaning if I said it.

It might be a little different now.

In fact, it’s like it’s been revealed.

The imperial family will probably constantly ask for my advice while deciding on the treatment of the first warrior party.

Every time that happens, these two will feel strange emotions.

Whether it’s anxiety or discomfort.

but… .

Just as they envy the first warrior party, it is inconvenient that they also have secret fantasies about the name Philip.

If I reveal that I am Philip, won’t there be some kind of distance or wall?

… Still, I think I already know everything, so it would be better to reveal it than to hide it.

If you lie in an obvious situation, people may think that you are not trustworthy.

I spoke as if I were talking about my daily life as casually as possible.

“Your guess is correct.”

“That means… .”

“I am Philip.”

A heavy silence fell.

However, the expressions on both of their faces changed from moment to moment.

Doubt, astonishment, doubt again, confusion, understanding.

For a short period of time, thoughts seem to pop up in my head and then disappear again and again.

“Lee, Ian… .”

“Uh, uhh, uh… .”

“But, you don’t have to worry too much.”

I continued speaking on behalf of the two who couldn’t speak.

“There’s nothing that great. I am the same person you both know. The achievements of the name Philip are often exaggerated. A staged image means that its existence is unclear in the first place.”

“… … .”

“I didn’t mean to deceive you two… . In the end, that’s how it turned out. I apologize for that.”

“No… .”

“No… !”

The two still haven’t recovered from the shock.

In order for them to adapt as quickly as possible, I need to keep talking to them and giving them information.

So that I can treat you without any worries,

“Well, now that this is the case, if you have any questions, please ask.”

The two hesitated, then opened their mouths at the same time.

“I… .”

“Why… .”

As the words overlapped, we closed our mouths and looked at each other.

Vivian gave up the opportunity first, and Helena looked at me.

“Why… Are you kicked out?”

Vivian also moved her head towards me as if she was curious about the same thing.

Vivian added.

“Even if it is inflated, it must be… No, it’s true that Ian took those four… .”

I couldn’t find the words to answer quickly.

After hearing that question, I understood why these two were still in shock.

It might be outrageous, and it might be unbelievable.

He raised the people he selected and then was exiled.

I was dumbfounded too, how horrible it was.

“The reason is complex… . The conclusion is simple. They no longer need me.”

“That… .”

This is what I heard when I was kicked out, and there can be no more accurate reason than that.

“You may be wondering if it was my fault at all… .”

Vivian and Helena were startled by my words and shook their heads.

“Well, this is just an assumption. Anyway, I can’t say that much as I’m not an infinitely good person. but… Unfortunately, there is nothing similar left. I did everything I could.”

This was the end of my explanation.

I’m waiting for the two who are lost in their own thoughts for a while.

[master. Lucia woke up.]

***

Even after Ian left, Vivian and Helena could not escape the confusion.

It’s not just because I know he’s Philip.

I was able to anticipate and prepare to some extent through the rare experiences I had while coming here.

Of course, being prepared doesn’t mean it wasn’t shocking.

The long-awaited first warrior party.

And the Philip who selected and raised them was Ian, who was still with them to this day.

I didn’t think it would be strange at all if Ian added at the end, ‘Actually, it was a joke, hahaha.’

In fact, I think it would be more natural that way.

But Ian wasn’t joking like that.

What he said was true.

“Ha… .”

“Hmm… .”

They both sighed at the same time and then made eye contact.

What each other was thinking was shared with those sighs.

The two smiled awkwardly and turned their heads again.

There were other reasons to disturb them as well.

If Ian is really Philip, why did the members of the first warrior party kick him out?

What happened… .

You have to think about it to find out.

Even if I listen to Ian’s story, I just think it will be difficult to understand.

This time, Vivian called Helena’s name resolutely.

“Helena.”

“Yes.”

“… We have to do better.”

I realized a very surprising truth: Ian was Philip.

In other words, Ian watched the growth of the first warrior party from the beginning.

They also thought that perhaps they had never met Ian’s expectations.

“… Yes.”

So, you two need to do better.

Once again, I no longer felt as helpless as before.

Helena’s words became more believable.

Ian personally selected and raised the first party of warriors, and the warriors he chose again after being kicked out were themselves.

So there was no need to be afraid anymore.

But apart from that.

‘why… .’

It was difficult to accept the fact that the first party of warriors, who had met Philip, or rather Ian, and had entered a new phase of their lives, had expelled him.

‘Even if Ian did something wrong, if it’s to that extent… . Wouldn’t there be plenty of room for a good solution through dialogue?’

They said that no matter what happens, they won’t do that.

Vivian and Helena made a promise.