Until now, Kult had always brushed off any of Lobelia’s criticisms lightly, but at some point, his expression had hardened.
As expected, Kult had not yet reached a state of complete mental perfection. He was still human.
But knowing that came at a price. The mood had plunged to its worst.
It couldn’t have gotten any worse than this.
“I’ll be honest. That was an extremely unpleasant interpretation.”
“Oh…?”
At the blatant hostility, Lobelia reached out her hand to shield me.
As expected of the princess; she kept her promises.
So dependable, it was almost admirable.
“What exactly do you mean by that?”
“Let’s drop the act now. I lost. It seemed like you were trying to provoke me….and you succeeded.”
“…Can I take that to mean you’re admitting you’re the leader of Eden?”
“Yes, that’s right. But mere words like these don’t hold any weight. The Emperor isn’t here, after all, and I have the power of the Hereticus Marquisate behind me.”
“How refreshing. Still, isn’t that a bit too careless of you? Who knows who else might have overheard?”
Yeah, no matter how confident he was, I hadn’t expected him to confess so easily.
What kind of confidence was that, anyway?
“Well, the Imperial Knights must be some distance away, right?”
“…And why would you think that?”
“If they were really following the Emperor’s orders, do you think they would’ve stayed still when Mr. Johan started flapping his mouth?”
“Ah.”
“I see…”
I hadn’t thought that far, but this bastard had drawn that conclusion from just the nonsense I’d blurted out.
And yet I hadn’t aimed for anything; I’d just said what came to mind.
Was I in a more dangerous situation than Kult himself without even realizing it?
Could my carelessness have gotten us both killed?
I really needed to watch what I said from now on.
“And I’m human too, so I lost my temper. In that sense, Mr. Johan… you are truly… an impressive person. To think you could make me this angry. I let my guard down and ended up getting seriously hurt.”
“Me? What did I do?”
Kult gave a bright smile.
I couldn’t stop wondering what kind of eyes lay behind those bandages.
Was he glaring at me, maybe?
“I thought you were someone connected to the Oracle. That was all. But now I see… you had your own weapon too.”
“I don’t have any such weapon.”
“You’re being overly humble. Or is that confidence instead?”
Kult smiled faintly as he said that.
Did he think I was joking or something? What kind of bullshit was that?
“But can I ask you something? How did you know I was the leader of Eden? Did the Oracle tell you before leaving?”
“What the hell are you talking about…?”
He kept trying to link me to the Oracle, but I’d never even met that Oracle. Not in real life, and not in the game either.
The Oracle always kept their face hidden like some back-alley fortune-teller. How the hell was I supposed to know who it was?
“Ah, I guess they wouldn’t have told you, right?”
No, you crazy bastard! How am I supposed to tell you something I don’t even know?!
“I really should’ve caught you back then and cracked open your skull… What a shame. But now that the princess is going to be watching me like a hawk, I’ll probably have to lay low for a while.”
“You don’t have to, as long as you’re confident you won’t get caught.”
“I’ll pass.”
The Imperial Princess and the cult leader of Eden.
Now that our positions were laid bare,
Surprisingly, the atmosphere was more relaxed than before.
Lobelia looked like she was finally at ease, as if she’d just solved a puzzle. Kult wore an awkward smile, like a kid caught playing a prank.
If someone else saw us, they might’ve thought the two were old friends.
But that mood didn’t last long.
“It really is a shame. Originally, I planned to be a victim of this terrorist attack too. To clear any suspicion directed at me.”
“…Terrorist attack? What are you talking about?”
“Well, who knows?”
Booooooom!
At that moment, the restaurant we were in was swallowed by a large explosion.
I was caught in the explosion and was momentarily lifted into the air, but just as promised, Lobelia grabbed me by the back of the neck and pulled me into her arms, shielding me.
Oh my! How cool.
Our Princess really does keep her promises!
But wasn’t the real problem that she dragged me to a place where something like this would happen in the first place?
I told her I didn’t want to come!
“The plan might’ve changed, but hopefully this at least worked as a bit of stress relief.”
“Do you really think you’ll get away with this after pulling something so crazy?”
“There’s no proof I did it, is there? I’m just another victim caught in the attack.”
The mental battle between the two of them was on the verge of turning into a physical one.
Then, over the collapsed wall, figures in robes began to appear.
Kult walked lightly toward the site of the explosion.
And as if coming to meet him, three men in hoods stepped forward.
“Only death shall make us eternal.”
“Only death shall lead us to mutual understanding.”
“Only death shall end eternal sorrow.”
Judging by their appearance and the nonsense they were spouting, they were clearly dark mages.
And there’s only one reason dark mages who were typically extreme individualists would move as a group.
Those who seek to bind the world through death.
“May the death we bestow lead you to true salvation.”
Under Chain.
How the hell did Kult get involved with Under Chain?
I couldn’t help but stare at him in disbelief at his ridiculous connections.
But then…
“…What the.”
You—what the hell are you doing?
Kult who had been walking toward the collapsed wall casually stepped backward and returned to his original spot.
No—he actually went behind Lobelia and stood right next to me.
Seriously, what are you doing?
“I believe the great Princess Lobelia would not abandon a frail man who can’t even see what’s in front of him.”
“Your Highness, let’s just take advantage of the confusion and kill this bastard now. If I get caught, it’s a huge problem, but if you do, you could probably talk your way out of it later.”
“A splendid idea, Johan. That’s why I like you. You wear power like a second skin. Just like a traitorous court official who’s lived that way for years.”
“…That was out of line.”
“I was joking, this time.”
How am I supposed to tell when you’re joking?
Just a moment ago, she warned me not to use her.
So, where was this going now?
“And thus, may death—huh?”
“Wait, isn’t that the Princess?”
“No way, they found us this fast? Were we tracked?”
“Who the hell failed to check the Princess’s appearance properly?”
Surprisingly, the attackers seemed just as bewildered by the situation.
Eden, the princess, Under Chain.
It was a tremendous three-way standoff.
The fact that it had kicked off in such a chaotic, unexpected way was almost funny.
Of course, I was like a shrimp caught between whales. The moment the three clashed, I’d be the one to explode. Not metaphorically, but literally…
“What should we do?”
“There can be no retreat before a great cause. We proceed as planned.”
“Yes!”
The strange atmosphere gradually began to turn hostile.
The air started to grow thick.
The unique aura of dark mages was consuming the surrounding area. The chains in their hands transformed into weapons, scattering death in every direction.
Anyone faint of heart would probably die just by being in this space.
Though I was something of a failure from the Cradle, I could still hold my own compared to ordinary people.
So I could endure.
The only question was whether I could last until the moment that kind of power collided.
“There they are!”
“Protect the Princess!”
“In the name of Eden…”
“May God restore all things!”
To make matters worse, the imperial knights the princess had on standby, along with the followers of Eden who were probably summoned by Kult had arrived as well.
The elegant, old-fashioned restaurant had turned into a battlefield in an instant, and I was right in the middle of it.
“…Your Highness? You can protect me, right?”
“From this moment on.”
Fzzzzzzzzt!
At that moment, red lightning began to crackle in Lobelia’s hand.
No matter how many times I saw it, that power was always threatening.
“Don’t move a single step from behind me.”
“Yes.”
I nodded with a grim expression. She, who was usually very playful, spoke in a serious tone.
That must have meant the situation was truly dangerous.
“Yes.”
And Kult nodded, too.
What was with him, always butting in?
Why was he sitting calmly next to me like he belonged there?
“If I stay here, the followers of Eden probably won’t attack this spot. Surely they’re not so shameless as to target someone weak and helpless, right?”
“Indeed.”
Suddenly, I wondered what kind of nonsense he was spouting, but it seemed Kult had proposed a ceasefire agreement. Sure, he probably didn’t want to act recklessly in a situation that had strayed from his expectations.
So, in exchange for staying quiet, he would ease the pressure of Eden followers.
Truly, he was a bastard.
“Mr. Johan. While Her Highness is handling the situation, shall we have a chat?”
“In this extremely dangerous situation, what could we possibly talk about?”
“Dangerous? From what I can tell, something like this won’t be enough to take Her Highness down. With the support of the Imperial Knights, there shouldn’t be any issues. Where else could be as safe as here?”
Kaboooooom!
At that moment, a patchwork golem summoned by the Under Chain dark mages exploded after taking a punch from Lobelia.
Flesh and bone scattered as the ground right next to me caved in.
“…I think my backyard flowerbed would be safer than this.”
Was this really supposed to be safe?
“Would you care to do something, perhaps?”
“I’m a frail person who can’t even see ahead. What exactly do you expect me to do?”
“Wait a second…”
This bastard?
I know for a fact you can use divine power to cast shields, okay?
There’s no one better at protecting themselves than you, and yet you’re lying through your teeth?
Even now, in this mess, all you can think about is denying your ties to Eden?
What are you going to do if you end up dying from some stray spell cast by a dark mage?
“How about we turn a blind eye to each other and work together just for now? Like, say, casting a shield to protect me? Isn’t that a great idea?”
“Haha, you keep talking nonsense, I see.”
Seeing Kult respond with a bright smile, I decided to just keep my mouth shut.
Yeah, I wasn’t on his level… I’d better be careful.
That damn laid-back vibe of his kept making me feel oddly at ease.
“Hmm, as expected, Her Highness Lobelia fights incredibly well. If the third princess is this strong, I wonder what the first prince is like… I’ve still got a long way to go, don’t I?”
“……”
I pretended not to hear the sigh of a man who led a lunatic group plotting to overthrow the Empire and fixed my gaze straight ahead.
Lobelia was crushing everything that came her way with her arms wide open.
Crackle!
She smashed a huge corpse golem with a single punch and even caught a Bone Spear thrown by a dark mage with her bare hands before snapping it clean in half.
Boom!
With every flash of red lightning that matched the color of her hair, followers of Under Chain and Eden were swept away.
A fighting style far too rough for someone with the title of imperial princess—
And yet, it was beautiful precisely because it was her.
“As expected, this is nothing. I thought things might be different with Under Chain added to the mix, but nope.”
“Eden’s followers have been wiped out, you know?”
“That was an expected outcome.”
Just as Kult said, the sudden chaos quickly began to settle down.
Most likely, Under Chain hadn’t prepared enough forces, not knowing Lobelia would be here.
Even putting that aside, Eden’s forces were severely lacking in number.
Not in terms of casualties. The number of attackers had been small from the start.
“So many lives lost… no, never mind.”
Kult had anticipated Eden’s followers would be annihilated. No—he had likely planned for it from the beginning.
All to reduce even the slightest suspicion directed at him.
He’d driven dozens of people to their deaths for that goal.
And even as he acted indifferent, Kult was silently memorizing the faces of the dying—
As if engraving each one into his brain.
“What’s the point in talking to a monster?”
“If I didn’t go this far, how else could I possibly defeat a monster like the Emperor?”
A monster who faced his own sins head-on, yet pressed forward without hesitation—
That’s likely how Kult earned his spot as a final boss contender.
“It’s over now. Looks like all that’s left is cleanup, but I’m not feeling well, so I’ll be heading back.”
With those words, Kult stood up.
But maybe because he didn’t even bother putting up a shield, he was swaying on his feet.
“Well then, Mr. Johan. Let’s have a proper conversation next time, with a bit more time.”
“Let’s make sure there is no next time.”
“The one who decides that isn’t Mr. Johan. It’s me.”
With those parting words, Kult staggered away.
I watched him head toward the marquis’s retainers who had come to meet him, then quietly turned my head away.
The entire group of Under Chain’s dark mages had been wiped out.
The followers of Eden had also lost their lives at the hands of the Imperial Knights.
Here and now—
This place, where people dined and made conversation, was stained with blood.
It had been a horrific act of terror.
“You holding up?”
“Huh? Oh, yes. A few attacks came my way, but they missed, so I didn’t take any real damage.”
“I mean mentally. You don’t seem used to scenes like this, unlike the rest of us.”
“I’m not sure.”
I looked around again.
The followers of Eden, the dark mages of Under Chain, the Imperial Knights, and the civilians caught in the crossfire—
Their corpses.
It was unsettling and pitiful, sure, but I only had one thing to say.
“They’re strangers to me.”
Civilians dying?
Of course it’s sad. But that doesn’t mean I need to feel responsible.
I’m not so different from them anyway, so there’s no reason for my mind to waver.
“…I see.”
Lobelia looked like she had more to say, but shook her head.
She’s dodging the topic like that again; it’s making me nervous. What is it this time?
“Still, I didn’t know you’d made enemies even with Under Chain.”
“…Huh?”
“Hmm? You didn’t know? It seemed like they were targeting you. Didn’t you notice the dark magic kept veering in your direction?”
“What? But why would they…!”
What did I ever do?
Why was everyone losing their minds at me?
I haven’t even seen your damn faces before! You bastards!
“Who knows? Maybe you earned their hatred without realizing it.”
“…Let me check something real quick.”
I moved to inspect the corpses of the dark mages.
Staring at dead bodies wasn’t exactly pleasant, but when you’re this close to being one yourself, that kind of thing stops mattering.
After rummaging through the corpses for a while, I found something in an unexpected place on the ground.
“…What the hell is this?”
It was a single strand of hair.
The moment I saw the wavy, pink strand, I remembered someone I’d seen back in the training grounds.
Ah, I couldn’t recall the face clearly, but I could picture the hair. Like a puff of pink cotton candy.
And the second that image came to mind, everything clicked.
“Why is this here?”
The Class F rebellion incident.
Looks like Under Chain had a hand in that one too.
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