Looking into the empty space, Hans muttered.
Why was such a book in Erza’s study?
And then, different thoughts appeared in the protagonist’s mind.
It felt as if all the pieces were slowly connecting.
And then, when the process ended, Hans was truly shocked.
Kael and Erza were planning to revive the Demon King.
— Our mission is to stop the war.
That was what Kael had told him before everything began.
And fortunately, that was also the key to Hans’s answer to that question.
They wanted to create a common enemy for all the kingdoms, and then force them to stop the war and join hands to fight that enemy.
And to be able to do so... sacrificing the entire Dicathen kingdom was a must.
Unable to waste any more time, the protagonist rushed out of Erza’s study, and began running around the castle looking for the two of them.
"Erza! Kael! Where are you two!?"
But, other than receiving strange looks from the servants, Hans couldn’t find his friend or the prince anywhere.
An involuntary anxiety welled up in his chest.
"Where could the two of them be?"
Then, the protagonist’s gaze turned upwards.
Like an arrow, Hans headed straight for that place, the last place he hadn’t searched, and also the place where Kael and Erza were most likely to be.
And then, when he arrived, he saw that person.
At this moment, in front of the door leading to the throne room, was Kael and a woman he didn’t know.
And facing the two of them were Alaric and Kaede.
Obviously, they were comrades.
However, the current situation looked as if a fight could break out at any moment.
Not caring about all that, Hans walked straight to where Kael was standing, and then, without hesitation, grabbed his collar.
Looking at his best friend with an unfriendly gaze, the protagonist forced himself to open his mouth:
It was just a vague question, but Kael naturally understood its meaning.
Still keeping his face cold and his sword in hand, ready to strike at any moment, he replied:
"That’s the best way."
"If that’s the best way, then..."
He was about to continue, but then stopped when he realized that what Kael said was actually true.
But... couldn’t the protagonist do anything else?
Was he supposed to watch Collin, Anderson, that old man, and so many other innocent people die?
"Then what would happen to the people of this kingdom?!"
"...That’s how war is, Hans. Sacrifices are necessary. We must accept sacrifices in order to reach greater things."
The protagonist lowered his head. No one could see the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.
"...Didn’t we make a promise?"
"Didn’t you... promise not to hide anything from me anymore? Why... can’t you tell me, Kael?"
Facing Hans’ questioning, he still kept an expression colder than ice.
However, no one, except Mavis, noticed that Kael’s hand behind his back was clenched as tightly as possible.
"...I really intended to plan with you. But then, I decided not to."
"Because you definitely wouldn’t agree to this inhumane plan, right, Hans?"
That was the reason Erza chose Kael.
Unlike Hans, Kael, although not exactly a heartless and cold-blooded person, at least he could distinguish between what should and shouldn’t be done.
What was unnecessary and what was necessary.
Hans’s hand that was holding Kael’s collar slowly loosened.
The protagonist really couldn’t refute anything anymore.
Helplessly, he took a few steps back.
And the moment Hans did so, the King stepped forward.
"What do you want, Alaric?"
With a cautious gaze, Kael looked at the King who was walking forward with a gentle smile.
His hand that was holding his sword also tightened a little.
Kael definitely wouldn’t be able to win against Alaric in a one-on-one fight, but now that he had Mavis, things wouldn’t be that bad, right?
"Don’t look at me with such murderous eyes, Kael."
"I don’t intend to attack you or anything. Of course, that is, if you don’t attack me."
Alaric threw away the sword at his waist and raised both hands, clearly showing his attitude.
"Don’t joke, I know you can still create weapons with aura."
"...You know about that too?"
The King laughed helplessly. Content originally comes from novel⸺fire.net
"But trust me, I have absolutely no bad intentions. I just want... to get into the throne room."
"Do you think I’m an idiot, Alaric? How can I let an unstable element like you in?"
"No, you’ll have to let me in."
The King replied confidently.
As if he had a sure win in his hands.
"Can you tell Erza the name ’The Madman Party’?"
Although he didn’t quite understand what was going on, Kael did as Alaric said.
And then, surprisingly, the prince actually allowed The King to enter.
The Hero Party had another nickname that no one knew about.
It was a name that Kaelus had come up with, and surprisingly, it was adopted by all the members.
So, no one in the world could know that name.
And if someone did understand that name, there would only be one answer.
"You’re one of the seven heroes, right?"
Alaric entered, seeing Erza alone looking out the window at the Dicathen Kingdom.
And in the prince’s hand was a cup containing a pitch-black liquid.
Anyone who wasn’t blind could tell that it wasn’t an ordinary thing.
"And what you’re holding in your hand is the thing that will turn you into a demon king, correct, vessel?"
In this world, that book, along with all its contents, were classified as top secret.
"And the fact that you know all of that further solidifies that you’re one of the seven heroes, just like me."
Erza’s hand that was holding the cup paused.
Then, the prince looked into Alaric’s eyes.
The King asked, then shook his head.
"No. She could never come up with a plan ."
That person was too kind, so he would rather commit suicide than come up with such an inhumane plan.
"Amon, Ragnar, or Sunny?"
"That’s not the style of those three."
If that’s the case, then there was only one answer left.
With a friendly smile, Alaric spoke up:
"Long time no see, Kaelus."
When he heard that name, Erza’s entire body suddenly stiffened.
The prince’s lips twitched a few times involuntarily.
With a voice filled with doubt, nostalgia, and choking, Erza opened his mouth:
"Nice to meet you again, Kaelus. I’m Dix, and I’m probably in a similar situation to you."