Act 75

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– Why did you betray us?

As these words slipped from Tenellon’s tongue,

Gerard’s body stiffened, and cold sweat began to trickle down his back.

The discomfort of the sticky sweat pressed upon him, but Gerard was too shocked by the words to care about it.

“What on earth are you talking about…?”

“Why did you think to betray us?”

“I don’t understand what the Archbishop is saying…”

“Nameless Gang.”

At the mention of this brief phrase by Tenellon, Gerard flinched.

‘Where did he hear that from?’

Realizing the full extent of the situation as the word ‘betrayal’ was mentioned, Gerard began to ponder who could have told Tenellon about the “Nameless Gang.”

There was only one person he could think of.

Julian Crypart Frason.

‘That damned bastard!’

Gerard, shaking with anger, tried to regain his composure and think of a way out of the current situation.

“I heard that you are the actual leader of the Nameless Gang.”

“Did you hear that from Julian, that scoundrel?”

He was about to dismiss it as a lie.

“Why do you think so? I heard it from Dantes actually.”

An unexpected name sprung from Tenellon’s lips, and Gerard was taken aback.

Betrayed by Dantes, whom he thought was a reliable ‘Bishop’?

No.

There’s a world of difference between ‘reliable’ and ‘trusted.’

He had not revealed anything about the Nameless Gang to Dantes.

After all, beyond being competing ‘Bishops’, who would be foolish enough to reveal their secrets to others?

‘Dantes has been snooping around behind me!’

Gerard clenched his teeth.

“I heard that the Black Knight belongs to the Nameless Gang which once was under your command.”

“Just wait a moment! That was in the past! I’ve long since severed ties with the Nameless Gang!”

“Is that so?”

Tenellon’s tone was skeptical, and Gerard nodded vigorously.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“So, what do you think?”

Tenellon turned his scarred face, and following his gaze, a figure in a mask appeared from a dark corner of the audience chamber.

‘A woman?’

It was a woman of slight stature.

The only notable feature was the ‘mask’ she wore.

‘Is she a member of the Nameless Gang…!?’

And Gerard knew well that the ‘mask’ symbolized the Nameless Gang.

This traditional ‘mask’ was meant to conceal the identities of his secretly deployed soldiers.

“I also heard that even recently, you have been giving orders to them. Is that right?”

If this situation was meant to sink him, there could only be one answer coming from her.

“Yes, yes… that’s right.”

As expected!

Gerard’s mouth went dry.

“So it is.”

“Don’t make me laugh! You wench! Who put you up to this? Dantes? Or is it Baran’s last will?”

“Lower your voice…”

A calm and measured voice cut through Gerard’s sharp tone.

The owner of the voice, small yet authoritative, was Julian.

He captured everyone’s attention as he appeared, raised his index finger to his lips, and brought it to his mouth.

“You shouldn’t raise your voice like that, Sir Gerard.”

As the face, grinning cunningly, turned towards him, Gerard flinched.

Despite the rough nickname “The Laughing Executioner,” the dignified demeanor and the face whose eyes did not reflect anything made it feel as though everything about him was being seen through.

“You bastard…!”

Gerard felt a surge of anger in response to the calm demeanor of the other.

***

“It seems you’ve gone too far.”

Ignoring Gerard’s venomous gaze directed at me as much as possible, I looked at the person wearing the mask.

Although the face was hidden, fitting the name “Nameless Gang,” the mask did not hide the color of ‘fear’ that seemed to rise above the head.

‘I’m sorry about that.’

It was a fitting appearance for her age.

The trembling one was none other than Meyer.

No matter how much of a prodigy she was in handling spirits, the imposing presence Tenellon emitted was enough to terrify her.

It was I who had called her here.

Of course, not as ‘Julian’ but summoned through the call of the ‘Black Knight,’ to help with Baran’s revenge.

“In front of Sir Tenellon, is it appropriate for you to raise your voice like that?”

I placed my hand on Meyer’s shoulder as I shifted my gaze back to Gerard.

It was my way of trying to calm her a bit, but,

“Ack…”

The color of ‘fear’ shook even more violently.

“Yes, I knew you were involved. Did you covet the position of Archbishop so much?”

“I am not here for power. The seat of the Archbishop, it doesn’t matter who sits in it.”

At the mention of the ‘trivial Archbishop,’ the air around us seemed to frost over.

Since the ‘succession ceremony’ has not yet taken place, the seat of the Archbishop is currently occupied by Tenellon.

Probably, that’s why.

“Hmm.”

Fortunately, Tenellon seemed unbothered.

Rather, he seemed quite pleased with my words and nodded.

If he had shown even a slight irritation, I would have cooled him down, but what a reaction.

“And now, the main point is not that.”

I glanced at Tenellon and continued to speak.

“Sir Gerard. The problem is that you founded the ‘Nameless Gang’ and neglected it as its owner, leaving the ‘Black Knight’ unchecked.”

I began to straighten out the slightly twisted topic, and Gerard, apparently displeased, glared at me with bulging eyes.

“Moreover, I heard recently that the ‘Black Knight’ has handed over the Soulstone to the imperial family. Could it be… Sir Gerard, was that your doing?”

“I’ve never done such a thing!”

Naturally, he would say that.

Because it was I who had handed over the Soulstone to the imperial family, and I was the ‘Black Knight.’

“How shameless. What more could you say in this situation?”

But I knew that saying this would provoke Gerard even more.

‘Red, so red.’

As a result, the ‘color of falsehood’ above Gerard’s head was vividly red, showing his anger.

“Isn’t your loyalty to the empire too deep? Wasn’t the Soulstone that the Black Knight handed to the imperial family secured by Sir Pintel, a fellow Bishop?”

Undaunted, I continued to speak, increasing the gravity of his sins.

“Hmm, was the Soulstone handed over to the royal family stolen from Pintel?”

The one who seemed most intrigued by my words was Tenellon.

He brought his hand to his scarred face and sighed.

“If that’s really the case, Gerard, I will be even more disappointed in you.”

“It’s absolutely not true…! And, there’s no confirmation that the Soulstone handed over by the Black Knight is the same as Pintel’s, is there?”

“Shall we verify it then?” Saying this, I pulled out the ‘Soulstone’ from my pocket, and the first to show curiosity was Tenellon.

“Hm? Is that the Soulstone that the Black Knight handed over to the royal family?”

“Yes, I was able to bring it here by my authority.”

“Remarkable. Indeed, you are the finest inspector of the ‘Closed Eyes’!”

“Haha, you flatter me.”

Yes, flattery it is.

It was also I who entrusted the ‘Soulstone’ to Aileen.

And it was I who retrieved it through the royal family…

“However, once proof is established, it must be returned to the royal family. The reason I brought it is solely to expose Sir Gerard’s crimes.”

“But how can you tell? How can you prove that this Soulstone was secured by Pintel?”

Seeing Tenellon’s skeptical look, I smiled.

“It’s simple. If you ask him, you’ll know, won’t you?”

As I spoke, a stern-faced man entered through the same entrance Gerard had used.

“Pintel…?”

As expected, the man was Pintel.

As usual, he knelt before Tenellon and greeted him.

“Monseigneur Pintel, I see Sir Tenellon.”

“So, Pintel, is the Soulstone that Julian is holding indeed the one ‘stolen’ from you by the Black Knight?”

After seeing Tenellon’s bare face, Pintel flinched, but soon calmed down and began to examine the Soulstone I was holding.

“Uh, um…”

After a short groan, he looked even more closely at the Soulstone.

“Think carefully before you speak, Pintel.”

It’s your last chance to save yourself.

This Soulstone is not the one stolen from Pintel by the ‘Black Knight’. He himself knows this.

“Sir Pintel, is this the Soulstone you obtained after raiding the merchant guild?”

However, it’s a well-known fact that he holds a grudge against Gerard.

Along with disparaging words, and attempts made with a dagger, and his demotion from ‘Bishop’ to ‘Monseigneur.’

All these were greatly influenced by Gerard.

So even if the stolen Soulstone had been absorbed by me and ceased to exist in this world…

“Yes, it is.”

His three-inch tongue resurrected a non-existent ‘Soulstone’ and attributed the serious crime of its theft to Gerard.

As the deeds of the ‘Nameless Gang’ and the ‘Black Knight’ began to be attributed to him, the cold sweat on Gerard’s face was visible.

“I had no idea, Sir Gerard. I never thought you were a person so loyal to the royal family.”

Even if that’s not actually true.

The pervasive atmosphere of suspicion here was already branding Gerard as a traitor.

“The title ‘Dog of the Royal Family’ that I possess seems to suit Sir Gerard better. Haha.”

“No!! It’s all lies!! Sir Tenellon!! Please believe me! I never did such things!”

Gerard tried desperately to defend himself, but Tenellon’s gaze remained icy.

“Gerard, I knew all along that you’ve been secretly selling the name of the Dawn Society. But I ignored it. Even though you even threatened Pintel’s life. I thought it all helped the Dawn Society.”

“No, that’s not…”

“However! This deed! I cannot overlook it. You should not have become the dog of the royal family.”

Tenellon’s face, distorted by scars, clearly expressed his displeasure.

As Gerard tried to say something in his defense, Tenellon raised his hand to stop him, then continued speaking.

“Dantes, Pintel, and Julian have proven your sins,” Tenellon decreed as Gerard rolled his eyes, scanning his surroundings. I whispered, “Sir Gerard, why are you looking around like a frightened puppy? Haha.”

Startled, he looked at me, grinding his teeth and shouted, “You, I will surely kill you!”

“Are you referring to me? Haha. That’s surprising to hear. Try it then.”

At that moment, while Gerard and I were having this tense conversation. 

Thud!

With the sound of something piercing, Gerard screamed. Clutching his injured shoulder, he turned to see Pintel standing with a mocking expression.

“How about receiving what you gave me?” 

The object in Gerard’s shoulder was the ‘Dagger Magic’ that Pintel often used. Although it seemed Pintel wanted to cut off Gerard’s head, the final verdict from Tenellon had not yet been delivered, so he had to attack without inflicting a fatal wound.

“I will kill you too…………,” Gerard, filled with rage, glared at me and Pintel with widened eyes. In this situation, it wasn’t scary at all.

“Tsk, where has the Gerard known as the ‘Madness of the West’ gone, leaving only this trash behind?” 

Tenellon then delivered the ultimate decree to the enraged Gerard.

“Kill him.”

Calmly, the monsignors behind him slowly approached Gerard. Sweating profusely, Gerard reached into his bosom and pulled out something—the identity of which was a magic scroll.

“Did you think you could escape?”

As Tenellon extended his right hand, dark magic began to pour out. However, Gerard was quicker to tear the scroll.

“We’ll see.”

With a bright flash and a third-rate villain’s line, Gerard disappeared. However, just before vanishing, Tenellon’s magic touched his arm, and—shriek—it was visibly cut off.

Silence descended. At that moment, Tenellon looked at me with puzzled eyes.

“Julian, why did you just stand there?”

Oops. It seemed he had noticed. That I had intentionally let him go. I couldn’t say it was just groundwork for the next story. Using Gerard’s thirst for revenge to weaken the Dawn Society’s forces was my own strategy. Unable to tell the truth, I decided to beat around the bush.

“If the teleportation magic was stored in the scroll, there’s no chance he survived.”

“That makes sense,” Tenellon nodded, aware perhaps of this. In the world of <Let’s Kill the Demon Lord>, as magic exists, so too do means to store it. However, it can never become mainstream due to the enormous risks posed by ‘magic scrolls’.

“What if he’s alive?”

“Then, I’ll deal with him myself.”

I said with a sly smile, but seeing my expression, Pintel suddenly started shaking. 

Huh? Did I look too murderous?

However, pleased with my response, Tenellon laughed heartily and clapped.

“Let’s hope that won’t be necessary.”

Yeah… Truthfully, I had no intention of doing so either.

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