In the end, Olivia had accomplished her goal.
She had created a situation where the Empire could not dispose of Reinhardt on their own.
However, it was impossible for the Holy Knights to take custody of Reinhardt. Bertus knew Olivia's true intentions.
For Reinhardt's sake, Olivia would do everything she could. Since force was not an option, she would use her political influence.
With barely enough strength to speak, Reinhardt was fed water and gruel by Olivia.
Only after she tearfully begged him to eat did Reinhardt reluctantly accept the food she offered.
All of this was witnessed by Saviolin Turner, who quietly watched.
"I'll be back."
Getting up from her seat, Olivia gazed down at Reinhardt with a worried look.
Although she couldn't bear to leave him, she couldn't stay by his side either. The best way to help Reinhardt was to be busy working on his behalf where he couldn't see her.
Gritting her teeth, Olivia passed by Saviolin Turner and walked through the underground prison corridor.
Turner continued to stare at Reinhardt.
Could it be that the Demon King truly had nothing to do with evil?
—---
When Olivia Lanze returned to those waiting above ground, she noticed an extra person who had not been there before.
Somehow, that person always had a vague presence.
A girl with black hair that now appeared to be listlessly hanging down.
Ellen Artorius was standing beside Bertus.
She had no idea why she was summoned there, she simply came when called.
She appeared to be an empty person, devoid of thought or will.
That image was eerily similar to Reinhardt's when he was locked in the underground prison.
Just as Reinhardt had seemed to have given up on everything in despair,
Ellen Artorius also seemed to have given up on everything due to her sense of betrayal.
Seeing Ellen standing next to Bertus, Olivia flashed a bitter smile.
"Ah, I see what you're thinking."
Bertus brought a hero wielding another sacred artifact to counter the threat of Olivia's.
In order to resist Olivia's tyranny, all he needed was someone with stronger justification.
Olivia was the champion chosen by Tiamata.
However, Ellen was Ragan Artorius's younger sister.
She was not only guaranteed the support of the Mencis Sect but also the support of the majority of the population, being Ragan Artorius's sister.
Objectively speaking, Ellen had a stronger claim than Olivia.
Thus, Bertus had brought Ellen to use as a pretext to stop Olivia's tyranny.
Furthermore, Ellen possessed the sacred artifact, Lament.
Only Reinhardt and Charlotte knew that Ellen held Lapelt.
However, if this fact became known, Ellen, as the possessor of two sacred artifacts, would have an even stronger justification than Olivia.
Naturally, the Holy Knights that Olivia had brought would be conflicted if Ellen had different intentions.
The division among the Holy Knights would soon cause a split in support, and Olivia would be unable to continue her tyranny.
However, Olivia stared intently at Ellen.
Olivia was unaware that Ellen had played a crucial role in tracking the Demon King.
She only knew that Ellen had lost everything, as evidenced by her expression.
"Are you okay with this?"
"..."
Ellen had no response to Olivia's words.
"Will you just let Reinhardt be labeled a villain, locked away somewhere to cry miserably, and leave him to die?"
"You're only capable of that much, huh?"
At those words, the light returned to Ellen's lifeless eyes.
Anger.
That cruel statement, implying her feelings were insignificant, left a fresh wound on Ellen's deadened heart.
"What do you know, senior?"
"I don't know everything, do I?"
Olivia raised the corner of her mouth slightly.
"But I do know that you'll stay cooped up in your room, pining and lamenting that 'Reinhardt is the evil son of the Demon King who killed my brother.'"
Ellen clenched her teeth at the provocation.
"My feelings... what I... what I think... how much I loved Reinhardt... how I feel... how can you know... how can you know... what do you know, senior?"
In the end, Ellen's lips quivered, and tears fell as Olivia covered her mouth, laughing.
"Oh, right, you must be so sad. Cry. Cry all you want. Who cares?"
Olivia displayed a gloomy smile.
As if she'd forgotten that countless warriors and holy knights were watching.
As if only expressing her feelings and laying them bare mattered.
"Reinhardt could be evil. He could be a bad guy. He could be scheming something incredibly wicked. Yeah, it's possible."
"But still."
"I'll believe in Reinhardt till the end."
"Even if I'm betrayed or hurt at the very end."
"Even if my beliefs turn out to be wrong."
"I'll believe in Reinhardt."
"So, you were only capable of that much."
"Reinhardt is the Demon King. It's too scary and sad, and you’re going crazy from the betrayal."
"Stay like that. Stay like that and die miserably, like a fool."
"If there's a choice between being unhappy by believing and being unhappy by not believing."
"I'll be unhappy by believing. You get it?"
"I'm different from someone like you."
It was a statement that shouldn't have been made in front of the holy knights.
But Olivia calmly spat out those words.
I believe in the Demon King.
"Let's go back."
With a bombshell declaration, Olivia gestured to the holy knights, their faces drained of color.
With her hands in her pockets, fidgeting.
She led the holy knights back, not as a champion but more like a neighborhood thug.
Ellen's face turned pale.
Was I really only capable of that much?
Unable to even consider listening to the story out of fear.
Unhappy by believing, or unhappy by not believing.
If both led to unhappiness, which unhappiness was better?
She had remained hidden in her room, shocked by the thought of having been deceived all this time.
Olivia Lanze's words were all true.
Her feelings weren't false.
She thought her love wouldn't lose to anyone in size.
But fear and betrayal had turned her into a shell, living like this.
Ellen didn't know many things, but there was one thing she knew.
She didn't know what she was good at.
But constantly crying like this must be wrong.
—---
Olivia Lanze led the holy knights back.
Before everyone on the continent knew of the hero's existence, the rumor that the hero was the Demon King would spread.
Conflict with religious groups would become inevitable. Now, Bertus had to prevent this from escalating into a full-scale war.
After Olivia left and the alert was lifted, Bertus brought Ellen to his office.
Reinhardt was indeed the Demon King.
But Olivia Lanze still chose to believe in Reinhardt.
It wasn't because he'd saved her several times that she could believe in him; she didn't want to think that way.
Believing and being unhappy, not believing and being unhappy.
If there were two paths, Olivia Lanze said she would choose to believe and be unhappy.
You were only worth that much.
Olivia's words painfully pierced Ellen's heart.
Was it something worth believing?
Hiding such a thing, should it be believed?
Is it possible?
It's impossible.
It seems impossible.
Ellen had just seen someone for whom it was possible.
Of course, in a sense, Olivia was indebted to the Demon King, so it was easier for her to believe in him.
Ellen thinks.
About everything that has happened so far.
All that time may not have been false. Could believing in Reinhardt turn all the time that has become fake into something real?
Should I have believed more?
In Reinhardt?
Olivia was able to do something that Ellen couldn't.
Was I really worth just that much?
"..."
Ellen stared blankly at the table with empty eyes.
"Ellen, you have the right to attend the Papal Conclave of the Five Major Religions Order. You know that, right?"
"......Yeah?"
At Bertus's words, Ellen mumbled blankly.
"Olivia Lanze will try to justify the Demon King's actions after pulling him to the side of the Holy Knights. So, you are the only one who can suppress that insane woman's right to speak."
"...I guess so."
"..."
At Ellen's lifeless response, Bertus crossed his arms and looked at her.
"Don't tell me you want to believe in Reinhardt, too?"
"..."
"Everyone feels the same way. We all wish that the insane things Reinhardt says were true. But it's impossible to believe. It doesn't make sense. And even if Reinhardt's intentions were true, the problem remains the same."
Ellen bit her lip.
"Olivia will claim that since the Demon King was chosen by two sacred relics, he should naturally be recognized as a champion. Then humanity will have the power to seize both the Holy Order and the Demon God Cult. Regardless of whether Reinhardt really doesn't hate humans, the continent will split in two and another demonic war could break out. The division is certain regardless of Reinhardt's intentions."
Being not only the Demon King but also the champion of the gods.
And the followers of the Demon God Cult follow the Demon King.
It achieves the miraculous event of uniting the Theocratic Order and the Demon God Cult, creating a perfectly exclusive force against the Empire.
Reinhardt's existence is so enormous that even if he doesn't want conflict, it's clear that he will be the starting point of a massive conflict.
Bertus, from the position of defending the Empire, couldn't let the Demon King be released into the world without restraint.
Listening quietly to the story, Ellen uttered a single word.
"I'll attend the Five Major Religions Conclave."
Without saying what she would talk about there.
"Can I... go see Reinhardt?"
As if that was all she had been thinking about, Ellen asked.
—---
Standing in front of Reinhardt, who was bound in chains, Ellen was surprised by the guilt that welled up from deep within her chest.
She played a crucial role in capturing the Demon King who threatened humanity.
It was a great deed that would be remembered in history, no matter who heard about it.
But when she saw the deflated Reinhardt, what Ellen felt was not the exhilaration or ecstasy of revenge.
A sense of guilt gnawed at her from deep within her heart.
It was me.
It was me who did this to Reinhardt.
I was the one who reduced Reinhardt to this state.
"..."
Ellen hadn't expected him to receive good treatment, but seeing him with her own eyes was a different matter.
Her fingertips trembled and her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the miserable sight before her.
It felt as if someone was squeezing her heart.
Struggling, Reinhardt lifted his head and stared at Ellen standing outside the iron bars.
Reinhardt, gagged and unable to speak, tried to focus on Ellen, who seemed blurry to his exhausted or perhaps resigned eyes.
Eventually, tears welled up in Reinhardt's unfocused eyes as he seemed to recognize Ellen. This sight made Ellen want to tear her heart out.
"..."
Were those tears fake too?
No, that couldn't be.
Absolutely not.
Ellen trembled as she gripped the iron bars, looking at Reinhardt inside the prison.
What have I done?
What have I done?
She wanted to say sorry, but she knew she had no right to say such words, so she could only force a smile.
The son of the Demon King who killed her brother.
All the lies he had told so far.
The countless things he had done without telling anyone.
All of that disappeared when she saw Reinhardt's broken state.
It was my fault.
I ruined everything.
I should have trusted him more.
At least, I should have listened to his side of the story.
But I didn't.
Overwhelmed by fear and terror, and caught up in betrayal and suspicion.
I didn't even listen to his story.
If I had, if I had given him a chance to speak for himself.
No, actually, he did speak.
Though he spoke playfully, his words at the time could have been an attempt to alleviate his inner frustration and depression.
If only I had taken his words a little more seriously back then.
If I hadn't dismissed them as frivolous and unpleasant jokes.
Things might not have turned out like this.
I didn't trust Reinhardt.
And so.
Everything fell apart.
"It's all... all... my fault..."
Saviolin Turner watched as Ellen, shaking and sobbing, broke down.
Reinhardt, his head bowed and gagged, couldn't say a word.
But still, Reinhardt shook his head with difficulty.
As if to say, it wasn't her fault.
Seeing this, Ellen could only tremble and cry even harder.
Saviolin Turner silently observed.
Ellen Artorius, who had essentially captured the Demon King herself, collapsed upon seeing the captured Demon King.
Olivia Lanze declared that she would save Reinhardt.
He had won the hearts of very important figures, and so Reinhardt still had a chance to survive even after being revealed as the Demon King.
If the Demon King himself was the master of the sacred artifact and had the support of Olivia and Ellen, then he could survive through political means rather than through war.
No, it wasn't just that.
It might even be possible for him to break away half of humanity and bring them under his own influence.
Being exposed might actually make such a thing possible.
Was this also part of the Demon King's scheme?
Saviolin Turner looked at the Demon King beyond the weeping Ellen.
As if to say, it's not your fault, don't cry, the Demon King shook his head.
Could that pained gesture be a lie?
Gradually, in Saviolin Turner's heart.
Dark clouds of doubt and suspicion began to rise.
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