Now that he was looking at it from the perspective of a third party, he could see what went wrong and what actually caused him to fail.
However, saying that would only sound like an excuse without proof. That said, he had no intention of simply standing here and letting these pigs hiding in the safe comfort of the capital and enjoying their life in riches day in and day out, while the knights risk their lives on the frontlines fighting demons every day, run their mouths.
And most importantly, he was not the previous Reinhardt. There was no way he would accept punishment for a mistake the other guy made.
"While it may be true that my mistake led the Eastern Front to collapse. However, when the demons were invading the capital, what were your own personal guards and knight order doing? Why didn’t they step up when they took away one of the Seven Divine Treasures?"
The taxes and scutage that the ordinary citizens pay every year, go into the pockets of these filthy pigs who use them to strengthen their own knight orders to protect their personal assets.
The Kingdom of Solaris had many knight orders. However, if you count the ones who actually complete expeditions and fight demons on the borderlands, the number drops significantly.
It was too easy to blame a hero who had fallen from his grace. However, what were their own knight orders that they maintain using so much of the kingdom’s resources, doing when the demons marched all the way to the capital?
Reinhardt’s words were like a resounding slap across the faces of the nobles sitting in their lofty seats.
"You dare speak to us like that?"
"Reinhardt, have you forgotten your place?"
"You dare try to pin the blame for your own failures onto us?"
It was like seeing a bunch of fish frolic around.
"Pffft" seeing them in such a state, a laugh leaked from the queen who tried to keep a straight face.
"Settle down everyone," the king exuded his dignity, silencing the crowd.
"You too Reinhardt, don’t try to rouse them".
The Divine Paladin simply shrugged his shoulders.
"I was just giving them their own medicine. If they want to raise an artificial level 10 that badly, they should sacrifice their own knight orders. At least that way all the money they spent maintaining their orders would be of use to the kingdom.
"You!!" The nobles made faces as if someone had fed them feces. Reinhardt’s sharp retort caused the council to be unsettled for a long time.
"If I am allowed to speak."
At this moment, Zerina who had been keeping quiet all this time, decided to speak up. The Royal Lion Knights brought her to the trial stand.
"You are... a demi human?!"
All attention was now on Zerina, who was easily discernible as being from the demi human tribes.
"A lowly demi human thinks that she has the right to speak here?"
Some of the elitist nobles tried to suppress her. However, a single voice caused them to shut their mouths.
"Speak!" All eyes swivelled towards the seat next to the king. The queen had spoken up.
"You must be the chief of the demi human village that Reinhardt reported about. I am sorry for the losses you suffered. However, it looks like there is still a lot that we don’t understand. Can you tell us what happened in the Toto village".
Zerina glanced at Reinhardt, who nodded his head. She then began reciting the events that transpired in her former village, starting from the time the ritual of the fire festival started.
Her words and culture that was completely different from the kingdom’s, managed to bring out gasps from the audience. By the time she was finished, an assortment of emotions could be seen plastered on the faces of the nobles present.
From fear, apprehension, worry, anxiety to feelings of disbelief and loathing. What Zerina told them about not only opened their eyes, but it also unlocked new fears and terrors of the demons.
No wonder that there were quite a few members who looked at her suspiciously and doubted her words. When one hears about things that far surpassed their wild imagination, it is human nature to deny it first.
However, if they kept on averting their eyes from the truth and kept living in a bubble of deception, it would be too late when the forces of darkness knocked on their door.
"I and the Order of the Temple of Light can testify that everything she said is true. A dungeon really did appear. Although I closed it by defeating the demon inside, you still see the trace and the demonic activity where the Toto village was. You can send someone to check the facts," Reinhardt added.
The noble named Hamilton, who was reciting his missions, continued.
"We have read your report. You say that the demon that appeared inside named itself Xolvoth? Is that true?"
"Indeed, that’s what the demon called itself. It introduced itself as Xolvoth the insufferable, the first general of the Eleventh Heavenly King Malcroth," he explained.
"That’s impossible. Xolvoth the insufferable should have been slain by Sir Freynard and two other commanders more than fifty years ago. How can he still be alive?"
To speak of demons with such certainty, only a person who had actually fought and faced the demon on the frontlines could say something like that. Needless to say, the one to comment was Marquis Herman.
The two commanders glanced at each other, and for a moment, a heavy pressure started boiling within the hall.
The auras of the two Commanders, it was so suffocating that even the knights felt uncomfortable.
"You two, this is a Senate. Not a battlefield."
It was only when the queen interjected that the two of them put their auras away.
"If the knight himself is telling us that, then we have no choice but to believe it"
"But your majesty..." One of the elitist pig tried to retort; however...
"Silence!! Send someone later to check the fact. Hamilton continue"...