Chapter 40: The Promised Future of Victory for Hero Ryuguin①
Once the unprecedented commotion of the Hero rampaging in the King’s Chamber settled down, it took some time, but everyone returned to their original positions, and the discussion resumed.
The exception was Ryuguin. He had received only minimal healing and his once-proud face was still a complete mess. To make matters worse, he was thoroughly bound by various spells and barriers, unable to exchange words, let alone move, forced to remain on his knees.
Madison, the Chancellor, stood before us once more and cleared his throat to signal the resumption of the meeting.
“First, Ichiro, I must apologize to you. The moment the fragments of the Holy Sword emitted light and vanished into the sky, I became acutely aware of everything that had transpired. We… we had lost our minds. I, who fell into the Hero’s trap, unjustly belittled you even in your absence. Truly, I was foolish.”
With that, Chancellor Madison bowed deeply.
At that moment, when Rifire’s light vanished into the sky, the phenomenon that had distorted the memories of those who knew me and Ryuguin was lifted.
“Moreover… I may not be a warrior, but anyone who witnessed the battle with the Hero could see its magnificence at a glance. Everything Anon, the Information Broker, said was true. We must acknowledge our past mistakes and publicly declare that the Hero’s achievements belong to you, Ichiro. Furthermore, I wish to hear your wishes regarding your unprecedented accomplishments. Considering your earlier claims, I promise that Saintess Mika, Sage Angelica, and Sword Saint Eris will not be held accountable for any sins. Additionally, I vow to take their circumstances into account when announcing your many great deeds.”
“I appreciate your consideration.”
I could see the relief wash over him at my response.
“I would like to speak with you again later. Will you agree to that?”
“There are many things to discuss, so I would be happy to oblige.”
I liked the Chancellor. He reminded me of my grandfather in some way. I had never forgotten the encouragement he gave me on the day of my departure. The Chancellor nodded with satisfaction at my reply.
“That concludes my remarks. The rest is up to you.”
In place of the Chancellor, a young Cardinal stepped forward.
“On behalf of Chancellor Madison, I will take over from here. My name is Gilbert Rasmus, and I serve as a Cardinal of the Klaatel Church.”
From the moment he entered the Throne Room, he had cast glances in my direction multiple times. Though I sensed no malice in his gaze, I had my own thoughts about him.
“You are Holy Knight Ichiro-kun, correct? You have sharp eyes. Just as expected—oh, but don’t be so stiff. There’s no need to be nervous. Also, everything I wanted to say has already been addressed by Chancellor Madison, but I wanted to personally express my gratitude to you. Thank you for your efforts on our behalf. Your struggles must have been immense. We promise to repay you with all the sincerity we can muster.”
I gladly accepted his gratitude.
One of the Cardinals of the Klaatel Church, Gilbert Rasmus.
He seemed friendly and gentle, but I understood that this was only one facet of him. Behind the smile and the soft squint of his eyes, I sensed a flame of anger.
“I would like to ask the Hero Ryuguin a question, if that’s alright?”
He maintained his smile as he turned to Ryuguin, who was taken aback by suddenly being called by name while still on his knees, bound and unable to move.
“Hero-kun, don’t be so scared. Come on, take a deep breath—oh! You can’t do that because your mouth is covered. Someone, please remove that from Hero-kun’s mouth! Are you okay? Is it hard to breathe, Hero-kun?”
Under the pressure of Gilbert’s demeanor, Ryuguin nodded.
“Ugh! What do you plan to do with me?!”
With his mouth freed, Ryuguin asked.
“Unlike Chancellor Madison, I value your usefulness. If you are willing to listen to what we say, I believe we can significantly reduce your punishment… or rather, we could almost let you off without any charges.”
Ryuguin looked at Gilbert with a skeptical expression.
“Hey, hey, don’t be so wary. I’ve heard a few things about you. For instance, the story about failing to make fertilizer and the one where you suggested surgery to save a girl with a rare illness. I think those were expressions of your conscience, weren’t they? You are a Hero, after all. Didn’t you want to save people? It’s alright. I know.”
Ryuguin showed interest in Gilbert’s words.
“I believe it’s a mistake to label you as solely at fault. Just like in the earlier discussion, since you provided the idea of ‘fertilizer’ as a wise person, the farmers who failed to utilize it also share some blame.”
Gilbert’s words brightened Ryuguin’s expression.
“After all, a clear answer and the direction to take were provided, so it was their job to experiment and find a solution. Just because they failed once or twice… right? Unfortunately, this way of thinking seems difficult for ordinary people to grasp. But you, you understand, don’t you?”
At Gilbert’s question, Ryuguin beamed and nodded repeatedly, as if to seize this moment.
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This is a promotional announcement!
The paper version of the comic adaptation of this work will be released on November 19th! Both volumes 1 and 2 will be released simultaneously!
It includes scenes with the expressionless Saintess and the moment Ryuguin’s head is severed.
I hope everyone will pick it up!