Holy Kingdom – Collapse (2)

“I colluded with the demons.”

“Haa… I’m sorry for doubting you earlier. But now isn’t the time to argue like this.”

This was giving him a headache. They didn’t have time to waste like this.

Jade simply assumed Rena was saying this because her feelings were hurt.

“I believe you’re innocent. But others have already concluded you’re a spy for the demons. If we don’t act quickly, things could go terribly wrong.”

“Jade, didn’t you hear what I just said?”

“Rena, what I mean is-“

-Thud!

Rena suddenly slammed both palms on the table.

“Still don’t understand? I really am the demon spy who infiltrated the Hero Party. I even tried to assassinate the Pope. I tried to hide it till the end… but I’m giving up now.”

“….”

Only then did Jade start sensing something was wrong.

Her face looked far too serious for this to be continued lies.

“Are you… serious?”

“Yes. I’ve been deceiving you and Annie all this time.”

Am I dreaming right now?

Otherwise, Rena would never say something like this.

But it felt too vivid to be a dream.

Was this ‘reality’?

“Ha, ha….”

Jade’s thoughts froze from the unprecedented shock.

Jade began tearing at his hair like a madman.

Faced with this situation, Jade’s first reaction was denial.

No. This can’t be right.

There’s no way Rena could ever be some demon lackey.

Then… the Pope must have orchestrated this.

“Rena, you’re not in your right mind.”

To Jade, Rena appeared to be under some brainwashing or mind-control magic.

-Hummm.

Jade immediately activated his Hero abilities.

‘If I just dispel the magic, everything will be resolved.’

His azure-glowing eyes thoroughly scanned Rena’s body.

But the sight before him betrayed Jade’s expectations.

‘No.’

Aside from holy power flowing from the shackles suppressing her strength, he couldn’t sense any other magic.

Why.

Why can’t I see anything?

That would mean Rena is confessing of her own free will.

“Jade, I understand you don’t want to believe the truth… but I’ve never been more clear-headed.”

Rena’s voice carried a hint of pity.

“Shut up!”

Still, Jade refused to accept that Rena was a demon spy.

If it’s not magic, there must be something else.

No. There has to be.

Because Rena couldn’t have deceived me all this time.

At that moment, a new suspicion flashed through Jade’s mind.

Blackmail.

‘Right. Rena’s being blackmailed.’

It was clear the Pope and interrogators had tortured her and threatened her friends to coerce her.

A perfect hypothesis.

Jade began laughing cheerfully.

“Haha! Now I get it all. They threatened to hurt me if you didn’t confess to colluding with demons, right? But you’re mistaken. Even the Pope couldn’t possibly do anything to me, the Hero. The world wouldn’t stand by and let the Holy Kingdom do that.”

“Hoo… Don’t blame the innocent Pope.”

Rena just shook her head and sighed.

“Do you think the Pope is stupid enough to blackmail someone against the Hero? If I were innocent and being blackmailed, I would’ve immediately told you everything. Then the Pope would be finished.”

“….”

Jade was finally left speechless.

No matter what Jade said,

‘No. I colluded with demons.’

The same answer kept coming from Rena’s lips.

She wasn’t lying.

She wasn’t under mind-control magic.

She wasn’t being blackmailed by the Pope.

Then the conclusion was simple.

“Fuck… shit.”

Crude curses Jade never usually uttered spilled from his lips.

Before coming here, Jade hadn’t been completely oblivious to the possibility that the suspicions might be true.

‘If Rena really is a demon spy… what should I do?’

But he’d brushed aside those thoughts without deep consideration.

‘Well, it’s not like Rena would ever do that anyway.’

That’s how much Jade had trusted and loved Rena.

Even if the whole world called Rena a demon spy, Jade would have believed in her innocence till the end.

Because he’d vowed to spend his life with her and protect her.

But if Rena confessed with her own mouth…

“I’m sorry. All I can say is apologies.”

“Rena!”

-Thump.

Jade suddenly stood up and grabbed Rena by the collar.

Their bodies tilted and began falling backward.

-Crash!

“Ugh!”

Rena, fallen on the floor, let out a pained moan.

But Jade, having lost his reason, paid no heed as he pinned her down and locked eyes.

“Really. I’ll ask one last time. Did you deceive me?”

Please.

Say it wasn’t true, even now.

“Yes.”

But Rena’s answer remained unchanged.

“You heard everything from the Pope too, right? I was the one hiding my identity mentioned in the revelation. As expected, you can’t deceive the Goddess’s eyes.”

“…Then explain this. What about when you were kind to me before I became the Hero?”

There’s no way even Rena could have known I’d become the Hero.

That was something no one could have known.

These inconsistencies were why he hadn’t fully believed the Pope’s words.

“Fine. I’ll explain until you’re convinced. Malus-nim knew you would become the Hero. I don’t know how he found out.”

“Malus ‘nim’?”

“The Legion Commander of the demons I serve. I’ve never met him personally, but I’ve been acting under his orders all this time.”

Rena answered Jade’s questions without hesitation.

As if she’d anticipated these very questions.

But Jade didn’t give up, pointing out contradictions.

“What about when you sacrificed yourself to save me from demons in the dungeon? A demon spy wouldn’t do that.”

“The Raspa-nim I met then wasn’t under Malus-nim. But Malus-nim didn’t want to hand over an important piece like you to another Legion Commander. I just kept acting to complete my mission. My body could break as much as needed anyway.”

“….”

“Any more questions?”

Jade slowly released his grip on her collar.

If Rena’s explanation was true, everything lined up.

Now he had no choice but to accept it.

Rena had deceived him and orchestrated everything.

“Huhu, even if you kill me now, I have nothing to say. It’s all my karma.”

Rena closed her eyes and went limp, waiting only for Jade’s judgment.

“Why are you so calm about this?”

“What?”

“I said why aren’t you affected at all?!”

Jade was boiling with anger.

He could feel shock and rage corroding his entire body upon learning the truth.

His entire life up to now had been completely negated.

But Rena showed no trace of regret.

Countless memories with Rena flashed through his mind.

When they were together at the academy.

‘Swing your sword like this.’

‘Thank you so much for the gift! I’ll enjoy it!’

When they confessed their love and confirmed their warmth.

‘Jade, I love you.’

‘Haaang! Jade, I love you… hhuuuk….’

And now he’s being told none of it meant anything? That he was just being played by filthy demons?

“Was whispering love to me all lies too?

Jade drew his sword from the scabbard at his waist.

-Swoosh!

The blade’s tip pointed at Rena.

“Answer me quickly! Was that night we spent together hell for you?!”

If she’d had sex without love just as a means to be with the Hero.

Then Jade had been no different from someone who slept with a prostitute.

“No.”

“Wha…?”

Until now, Rena had been coldly stating facts to Jade.

But now tears began welling up in her eyes.

“Sniff… sob….”

“Rena?”

-Clang!

Jade dropped his sword and hurriedly approached the lying Rena.

“You said no just now, right? I-I didn’t mishear?”

“Hic… My initial affection was just acting. But as time passed, my feelings for you grew.”

“That means….”

-Drip.

Tears pooled in Rena’s eyes spilled sideways onto the floor.

Rena sniffled but smiled brightly at Jade.

“Who wouldn’t fall for your handsome looks and heroic demeanor? In the end… I fell in love. Everything else was fake, but my love for you was real.”

“R-really?”

“Sniff… I love you. I love you so much.”

“Thank goodness.”

Haha.

What kind of idiot am I?

Jade was dumbfounded by his own reaction.

Just moments ago, he’d been furious at Rena for colluding with demons and deceiving him.

But now he felt relieved hearing that at least her love wasn’t fake.

‘Thank goodness. At least Rena’s and my love was real.’

If even the love had been entirely fake, he might have completely broken down right here.

“But it’s meaningless now. Our connection ends today. Thank you for loving me until now.”

“Wait. There’s still hope.”

Since their mutual love was genuine, Jade couldn’t lose Rena like this.

What Rena had done was probably just passing information to demons or executing plans to use him.

The Pope assassination attempt hadn’t even succeeded.

Then maybe he could cover it up using the Hero’s name.

Jade helped Rena sit up against the wall and began explaining his thoughts.

“If you confess all your crimes and provide information, we can stay together forever using the Hero’s authority.”

“Are you serious right now?”

“Of course. I can’t promise everything will be okay immediately, but time will solve everything. I’ll explain to Annie too.”

“Huhu, what a kind offer. But you shouldn’t be so obsessed with love for someone like me. I’m just a vile criminal who played with you. You should hate and despise me. Not look at me like that.”

“None of that matters. I told you. No matter what happens, I’ll spend my life with you.”

“How could that be possible after all this….”

“It is.”

It was always with this unbreakable determination that Jade had approached Rena.

That’s how he’d won her heart.

This time too, Jade had no intention of giving up.

Finally seeming swayed by his firm resolve, Rena let out a deep sigh.

“Haa… Then may I shamelessly ask one favor?”

“Anything within my power.”

“Could you bring me that sword on the floor? I’ll teach you swordsmanship one last time.”

“…Alright.”

Jade stood up and picked up his sword that had been thrown aside.

“Here. But this won’t be the last time I learn swordsmanship from you. We’ll be together from now on too.”

“…Just come here then. You need to see my stance up close.”

“Promise?”

Rena demonstrates swordsmanship while I diligently learn.

Jade felt nostalgic as he approached Rena.

‘It feels like we’re back in our academy days.’

They used to practice swordsmanship together in the woods behind the academy, laughing and chatting.

Come to think of it, academy life hadn’t been bad before the incident with Doran.

He’d even wished time would stop like that sometimes.

“Jade. You said you love me, right?”

“Yes.”

Jade reached out to caress Rena’s cheek.

“I’m sorry.”

“What?”

-Stab.