Act 74

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Admiration for the appearance was fleeting. Aileen began to ponder.

What could be the purpose of the notorious ‘Black Knight’ appearing here?

“Curious?”

As if he knew what she was thinking, she was startled by his manner of speaking, but soon regained her composure.

“Don’t worry, I only plan to state my business and leave.”

The Black Knight continued in a dry tone and then pulled something out from within his coat.

A plain box that could hold a small object.

It was unrefined, unadorned, and simple, but Aileen somehow became curious about what was inside.

“It’s a soul stone.”

‘What?’

His tone was dry again, but more than that, his words made her considerably flustered.

“A soul stone?”

“Yes.”

Many questions whirled through her mind.

Why does the Black Knight have a soul stone?

Is there really a soul stone inside?

Why is he giving it to me?

“What is this?”

A question laden with various implications.

Because of that, Aileen inwardly regretted it.

Such a foolish question!

“What do you mean, can’t you recognize it even if you study it yourself?”

“I, I know. I’m asking what your intention is in giving this to me!”

Aileen, trying to suppress her embarrassment, instead got angry, prompting the Black Knight to open the box and show her the contents.

Inside was definitely a soul stone.

It looked slightly different from the ones she had researched before, but it unmistakably emitted a bright red glow and an ominous aura.

“Harmony.”

“Harmony?”

“I have no intention whatsoever of opposing the royal family. I may have harmed the nobility’s honor, but all this is for the empire.”

Aileen looked at the Black Knight’s face.

She couldn’t read his emotions through his eyes, but she felt a similarity to ‘someone’ from the royal family.

“Lies.”

Unlike him, she could read some of his inner thoughts.

“Why would you think that?”

“If you truly wanted harmony with the royal family, you would have spoken directly with the secretariat.”

She voiced her thoughts.

If the Black Knight truly wanted ‘harmony’ as he claimed, he would have directly approached the secretariat.

She was just a mage researching the ‘soul stone,’ not someone directly connected to the royal family.

‘Surely, he must know this.’

The fact that he came to her with a ‘soul stone’ indicated as much.

Then why?

“You are surprisingly smart.”

His rude tone and slightly mocking nuance twisted Aileen’s lips slightly, but she chose not to visibly bristle.

“As you said, there’s a different real purpose. However, it’s not a lie that I seek harmony.”

“Then what is the real purpose…”

“Do you need to know that?”

At the Black Knight’s strong stance, Aileen flinched.

“The more soul stones there are, the more progress in research. It wouldn’t be a big loss for you, right?”

“There’s no need for one more. I’ve already seen some results from my research…”

“Wasn’t your first submitted paper rejected?”

‘Ugh’

Aileen tried her best to hide her emotions, but this time it showed on her face.

“How, how do you know that…”

“There are many ways to find out. So, will you take this soul stone?”

There was no need to refuse.

But still… despite being a hero to the people, the unease of being manipulated by the ‘Black Knight’ was inevitable.

Yet, Aileen took the jewel box held in the Black Knight’s hand.

“That’s a good idea.”

Even if it felt bad, she had a means to prove herself right in front of her.

Refusing would be foolish.

“Tell the secretariat. The Black Knight has no intention of violating the royal protocols.”

As the ‘Black Knight’ disappeared into the darkness, Aileen felt her insides boiling.

Was it because he had mocked her intelligence just moments ago? No.

“Why do I like that mask so much…”

It was for complex reasons that couldn’t be explained with words.

***

“Sir Julian, may I come in?”

While I was tidying up some documents in my office at the ‘Closed Eyes’, I heard Razlot’s voice following a knock, and I told him he could come in.

As he entered my office, he greeted me politely.

“It seems you have something to tell.”

“Yes.”

Razlot nodded to my casual question, looked at me for a moment, swallowed his saliva, and then began his report.

“It seems the date for the Archbishop’s succession ceremony will be postponed.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“It’s because of the Black Knight, I presume.”

As I spoke softly, Razlot showed a slight sign of surprise.

“How did you know?”

“The secretariat has been quite turbulent because he brought a soul stone. Being a part of ‘Closed Eyes,’ it’s hard not to know. Haha.”

I couldn’t very well say I had brought it myself, of course.

“Si, my apologies. I shouldn’t have spoken carelessly…”

Though it was a casual remark, Razlot apologized for his faux pas.

“However, this might expedite the cleanup of the ‘Nameless Gang.’ Now that it’s confirmed the ‘Black Knight’ really is a member of the ‘Nameless Gang,’

“That means…”

Knock Knock!

As Razlot was continuing, there was another knock on the door of my office.

I spoke again, allowing the person to come in.

“Excuse me, Julian. I came because I have something to say…”

A man entered the office. Razlot’s pupils dilated as he recognized the familiar face.

“Sir Dantes.”

The one who had entered my office was ‘Dantes Christo’, one of the bishops of the ‘Dawn Society’.

With a seemingly friendly smile, he shifted his gaze to Razlot.

“Oh, Razlot, it seems you’ve been assigned here.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Above Razlot’s head, a ‘purple’ haze began to swirl.

If he realizes that Razlot is not working for the ‘Dawn Society’ but for me instead, it could become troublesome. It seemed he was aware of this.

“Ah, so that’s why Julian is so well-informed about the internal affairs of the Dawn Society. It’s thanks to you, I see.”

Dantes, a seasoned noble, quickly grasped the subtle dynamics between us.

I remained calm and silent, but Razlot, perhaps out of fear, started to tremble as the purple shimmer above his head grew more intense.

“That’s right. It’s not just working for the Dawn Society, we also have a personal collaboration.”

When I affirmed this, Razlot looked at me in shock, probably thinking I would defend him.

“And you should do the same, Dantes Christo.”

I spoke firmly, and Dantes hid his friendly smile.

“The Christo family has amassed wealth through transportation. I understand that you have struggled for the empire’s prestige, but…”

I showed him a document I had been organizing. It explicitly detailed the scandals the ‘Christo family’ had kept hidden.

“Colluding with the Holy Nation of Fernand, that’s a troublesome issue.”

Dantes, maintaining a nonchalant expression, began to read the document I handed him, and after finishing, he returned it with a meaningless laugh.

“Haha, you know quite a lot. How did you find out?”

“There are many ways to find out.”

In my case, it wasn’t so much that I had found out as that I already knew.

Dantes Christo, being a bishop of the Dawn Society, is one of the targets that must be tackled as the story progresses.

However, I always wondered. The protagonist, ‘Sword Saint’ Hayden Reich, a peerless hero revered as a ‘Sword Saint,’ why does he only fight them head-on and not think to win them over?

‘The information is already accumulated.’

For instance, that the ‘Christo family’ was originally a devoted member of the Solar Church, closely associated with the Holy Nation, or that the ‘Nameless Gang’ were actually a group formed under Gerard’s influence.

Things like that.

‘There is also a church in the empire that worships the sun god Solarun. It seems the Christo family is unaware of this?’

The document in front of him was a ‘fake’, hastily scribbled to fit the form.

Nevertheless, Dantes would not have the resources to verify this.

“Why do you think they call it ‘Closed Eyes’? If you adhere to the code, even if you break some rules, we’ll ‘turn a blind eye’ to it.”

It’s not the evidence but knowing itself that’s the problem for him.

“I knew a day like this would come.”

With a composed expression, Dantes rambled on.

“So, if you’re not here as ‘Julian of the Closed Eyes’, you must want something from me, right?”

Even though he realized that I had leverage over his weakness, Dantes seemed quite at ease.

The imperial court, a golden tower of power, takes treason very seriously.

Dantes’s calmness suggested he sensed a way out.

“Yes, if things were governed according to the rules, Sir Dantes would now be on the gallows.”

“That’s true. Haha, I guess I should thank you for saving my life.”

With a somewhat resigned laugh, Dantes looked at Razlot.

“I see why you’re playing into Julian’s hands. You’re in a similar situation to me now, aren’t you?”

As Dantes said this, Razlot began to watch my reactions.

These fools always make me out to be the villain… Ah, right.

Yes, I am the sinister villain ‘Julian’ from ‘Let’s Kill the Demon Lord’ after all.

***

“That damn Black Knight, always up to useless things…”

Gerard was also greatly annoyed that the ‘Black Knight’ had delivered a soul stone to the imperial court.

His plan had been to proceed with ‘the job’ after Tenellon took over the position of ‘Grand Archbishop’, and the ‘Archbishop’ position became vacant, but the succession schedule had been pushed back.

“No, maybe it’s a good thing after all.”

Julian is more cunning than he thought.

And the ‘Black Knight’, although he is said to belong to the ‘Nameless Gang’, is a slippery fellow.

Having resolved to deal with them both, it would be better to establish a solid foundation before moving in.

“Besides, Sir Tenellon has called me personally this time.”

The postponement of the succession ceremony and the call could mean that Tenellon has secretly decided to make himself the ‘Archbishop’.

Of course, he knew it’s a vain dream.

But he thought there was no other reason for calling him at this timing.

While pondering this, he arrived at the place for his meeting with Tenellon, checked his attire, and went inside.

***

“The Black Knight has delivered a soul stone to the imperial court,” Tenellon said.

However, the words that came from Tenellon’s mouth were not related to the ‘succession ceremony’.

“Yes, I’ve heard. That detestable fellow, how much more must he deceive us…”

“Gerard.”

Tenellon called him in a quiet voice, cutting him off.

Normally, he would have been quite annoyed at being interrupted, but he wasn’t foolish enough to show that to someone of Tenellon’s stature.

“What would you do if you found a rat in the garden you created?”

Caught off guard by the question, Gerard was puzzled but decided to answer sincerely.

“I suppose I would kill it.”

“Why?”

“Seeing one rat means there could be many more unseen in the garden.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s necessary to set an example for them. Rats are everywhere. It’s important to set an example so that they don’t dare to show themselves.”

As he spoke fluidly, Tenellon took off the mask he was wearing.

Then, the scars inflicted by the ‘Sword Saint’ were starkly revealed on his face.

Gulp.

Gerard swallowed quietly. It was the first time he had seen his face.

“Is that so? If that’s what you think, there’s nothing I can do.”

His voice sounded resigned as his mouth twisted.

Though it seemed like a smile, the scars lent a grotesque aspect to it.

“Why did you betray us, Gerard?”

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