Chapter 66
10. April is the cruelest month – 12
It has already been several days since I had a pleasant three-way meeting with the crown prince and Count Bright.
During that time, I was spending my time as leisurely as possible, but at the same time with a much more leisurely mind, like a fisherman who expects a big fish to be caught on the bait he has sprinkled.
It was because the prey could be startled and run away if I was impatient or gave the impression that I was in a hurry.
Always keep your mind relaxed and calm.
Isn’t that the mindset that a hunter must have before hunting?
So I was killing time with as much leisure as I usually do, and Lumine finally brought me the news I’ve been longing for.
“Earl Bright has requested a trial from you.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“The charges brought against you by Count Bright are nothing other than the spread of false information, the leakage of confidential information from the Empire, and… They said it was an affair.”
“Who do you think the Count had conspired with? Could it be a demon?”
When I say that with a smile, Lumine looks at me with a ridiculous look.
“I’ve felt this for a long time, but you’re a very mischievous person. Is that what you want to stand on trial with me?”
“It’s because I’ve been a very timid person ever since I was little. If you stand alone in a crowded place, you feel ashamed and intimidated.”
When I say that in a really brazen tone, Lumine smiles.
“I’m sorry, but Earl Bright requested a trial, and he did not reveal who you had an affair with. They said they will reveal everything in detail during the trial, so please look forward to it.”
“Hmm. Is that so.”
At Lumine’s words, I stood up on the sofa and thought to myself.
‘It seems that the count has rolled his head a bit over the past few days.’
Suspicions such as spreading false information or leaking imperial secrets won’t bother you much, since they’ll be allegations themselves anyway.
The fact that I spread various rumors related to Count Bright was the punishment of justice itself for revealing the ugly secret of the guy who had been hidden in the dark to the whole world, and no matter how much I thought about leaking the secret, there was no corner to catch it. .
Because it must be clear that those two charges were put up as bait to distract the nerves of the last charge against me, ‘inner pain’.
“How is the atmosphere on the count’s side?”
“It is surprisingly quiet. I honestly thought that the count would hire a cheater and create public opinion in his favor.”
Rumina shrugged her shoulders and replied.
It is no exaggeration to say that Count Bright’s reputation within the imperial palace is the worst.
And the essence of trial is that they talk about the protection of justice by the law, but in reality it is just a process for rich and powerful people to take care of their own rice bowls.
In that sense, Count Bright’s requesting a trial by accusing me of something could be considered the worst handshake ever.
Since Count Bright’s political standing is currently in a state of great decline, there will be no one in the imperial palace who will take the count’s side.
“… So, this time I want to ask. What kind of ulterior motive did you have in doing this?”
“It’s a joke. As Her Highness knows very well, I was still, but wasn’t the Count tripping over me? I really regret it.”
“That can’t be. Reiner von Yohrha. Could a man as cunning as you just stand by and watch as the Count tries to weave you into an obvious trap? Rather, I think it’s more plausible that you cleverly induced the Count to act like this.”
“…..”
Unexpectedly, I forgot what to say for a moment at those words that seemed to grasp the essence of human beings so well.
“As expected, I must have hit the mark. If so, where should I listen to it? What were you thinking that brought the situation to this point?”
I decided to stop pretending I didn’t know anything at this point in response to Lumina’s non-interrogation.
From noble mtl dot com
Since Lumina and I are on the same boat anyway, it won’t matter much to her if she reveals all of her truth.
“It is largely similar to Lumina’s guess. It’s just that I’m a bit embarrassed to hear that I manipulated the count. I was only slightly inducing the Count to make the best choice for me.”
“That’s what it means to manipulate people. In a sense, you seem to have a more terrible side than the demons. Liner.”
“…..”
A life where even demons cursed at me. For a moment, I thought about how diligently and exemplaryly I had lived to go through this kind of thing.
“What… To begin with, you don’t have to worry about anything with Lumina. I know what Count Bright is planning to attack me for. It’s an expectation, but it’s safe to say that the human doesn’t deviate from my expectations.”
“Why?”
“Because to the Count… I am the one who gave you hints and clues that could attack me.”
“… What?”
In an instant, Rumina looks at me with the kind of mentally ill look in her eyes.
“The reason I hid all of this from Lumina wasn’t simply because I didn’t trust you. Originally, the more this kind of work, the more urgent it is to deceive allies first. For example, the fact that Lumina was running around trying to get her information from this incident itself must have brought her peace of mind over there.”
“… So you used me as a bait to confuse the enemy, is that what you mean?”
“That sounds a bit awkward. If possible, let’s say that it was a diversionary operation to deceive the enemy.”
“…..”
At those words, Rumina looked at me with some sullen eyes. It was such a look that someone who didn’t know anything could doubt that if he saw Lumina now, he might be angry.
“As Lumina guessed, the Count suspects that I may have joined hands with the demons. Because I gave the count a lot of clues in many ways. Besides, crucially… There is also a crucial clue to back him up.”
Of course, in fact, these are all clues I concocted.
“Clues? What clue?”
“I showed a little bit. The scene where I use the magic that I absorbed while killing Ilibatus.”
Of course, I didn’t use it in front of the count because I was careful about the form, but the count already knew it because I showed it clearly in the place where the count’s ‘eyes’ were laid.
“Perhaps the count’s plan is like this. I don’t care what the charge is, so I’m going to put me in front of the judge. And as long as I can prove that I have magic in front of many people… It means the game is over.”
It seemed to me that it was a pretty good plan.
In a place where the Vatican or Heretic Inquisitors who have seizures openly exist if they only see the existence of demons, if I am ever caught using demonic energy, it is an immediate trial, a blasphemy, and torture at the hands of the Heretic Inquisitors. It will be your top priority
If I end up holding hands with the demons and disappear into the dew of the executioner, then Count Bright will be able to return to the position of a vicious criminal with no blood or tears, to a victim who was unfairly framed by the demons’ spy.
Indeed, it could not be anything other than Ilta Ssangpi’s plan to eat pheasants and eggs.
“All is well, but there seems to be a huge loophole in your plan.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s good that you set a trap to completely suffocate the Count, but isn’t the fact that you have demonic energy also true? But what would you do if the fact that the demonic energy was sleeping in your body was discovered in front of the priests?”
As if she were worried about me, Lumine sighed and asked that question.
Looking at Lumine like this, it reminds me that I’ve chosen a good demon to hold hands with.
A demon must have a cunning edge like a demon, how innocent a demon is such a good target to take advantage of.
“Ah, is that what you mean? But, Your Highness. The premise of the question Your Highness asked me was wrong from the start.”
“What?”
“Although I am temporarily allied with demons such as Lumine, in fact, I also have a contract with an angel that has fallen to the ground. And because of that contract, I can convert the magic within my body into divine power.”
Woe!
Saying that, I directly fire up the divine power that shines brightly in front of Lumine’s eyes.
“Of course, magic isn’t the only thing that can be converted into divine power. I mean, voila! Was it possible to change the dirty magic absorbed from Illivatus into brilliant holy power?”
“…..”
“Hey, if the Count starts interrogating me saying that I joined hands with the Demons while calling everyone who is the Heretic Questioner as I planned, a really worthwhile sight will unfold. What a guy… It would be blasphemy, saying that the divine power bestowed by the heavenly spirit was the demons’ dirty magic!”
Just imagining the scene that will unfold in the near future brings a smile to my face.
As if the Count had already ended. The moment I stood in court, which could be called the trap itself, the guy was in a state of ruin, just like the villains in the last drama.
“… You are such a disgusting and ugly human being.”
At Lumine’s words, I tilted her head and looked at her.
“So are you dissatisfied? Did you want to ally with a nicer human?”
“No, it was highly praised that you are the best partner for the demons.”
Saying that, Lumine kissed her on the lips with even more passion than before.
To be honest, it didn’t feel too bad.
… Well, it must have been a secret from Karen until the end.