Chapter 328
You can’t tell a person’s good and evil by their impressions. The human in front of you, who seems like you can’t kill an ant at a glance, could actually be a demon that sucks the children’s blood.
Miss Bell looked genuinely bewildered.
“Um, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Need to say something like that all of a sudden… … .”
Of course it is denied.
“I don’t know what kind of structure the orphanage support project came up with, and I don’t know how and through which route the money is given. I don’t know. I’m not even involved.”
I let out a deep sigh.
After the victory in the Pandemonium War, the government immediately started a support project for orphans who were born in a pile.
Actually, when I fell to the ecliptic, I seriously contemplated whether I should just go to a nursery school or something. It was because I knew that support would definitely start for this part.
There was also a setting that among the war orphans, children with qualifications could enter the temple and receive education for free, even if they were not in the royal class.
So, it doesn’t make sense that there are children in the orphanage who are starving without clothes because they don’t have money.
Children are starving because they are skipping from any hole.
It is certain that things that should rightfully belong to the children are leaking in the middle.
In the first place, all the places Olivia sponsors are just leaking money in the middle like this, and it’s not a place that actually needs help.
So when I heard this story from Olivia, I didn’t say anything about Olivia’s support itself, but I knew at least that this would happen.
I’m trying to use my hand on the seaweed that came to mind.
I crossed my arms as I looked at Mr. Bell, who was making a face that was unfair to the world.
I don’t know how the nursery business works.
In fact, this person may be innocent.
“Teacher, I won the 1st year championship in this Temple Tournament?”
“How is that… … ?”
“The winners of the Temple Tournament have a chance to have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor.”
“!”
Watching Miss Bell’s face go white. I smile.
“What would happen if I told His Majesty that this orphanage seems to be stealing the money and feeding it through some other hole?”
“What are you talking about! Do you think we will be safe if you say something like that?”
“If you’re proud, you’ll be fine.”
“What are you talking about, student! Me, I never… … . me at all… … .”
Mr. Bell’s complexion turned pale and he began to tremble. If he tells the emperor this story, the emperor may or may not give instructions.
But the mere fact of my words scared this man.
Even sins that are not there may be created. Then, of course, the sin that exists has no choice but to be exposed.
Is this person honest?
Just by looking at that expression that seemed like he would run out of breath right away, I could just tell that he was playing with the children’s bowl.
“Hey, student. Save me just once. Ha, just once… … . Because this will never happen again… … .”
-Pak!
“Ouch!”
I shook off Mrs. Bell, who clung to me by the crotch of my pants.
“Why do I decide whether you live or die?”
I look down at a middle-aged woman with a good-natured expression who is trembling while lying face down.
How many people have been deceived by good impressions?
I don’t know what he did by stealing the money that was supposed to go to the children.
All of the money Olivia had raised by selling her personal items would have been stolen this way, and if she had received the prize money and donated it to this orphanage, that would have been stolen somewhere.
“That is determined by the Imperial Law. not me.”
Outside the window, the children and Olivia were playing with big smiles.
I was in the director’s office, watching the director of the orphanage kneeling in front of me.
I didn’t think Olivia needed to know this.
He didn’t want Olivia to find out that all he had been doing was actually feeding the wrong person.
It must be very difficult already.
I didn’t want to make things more difficult.
* * *
After watching Olivia and the children play for a bit, we left the nursery.
The children regretted it, and Mrs. Bell did not dare to come near me.
“What did you talk about?”
“We were talking about when the support policy would start.”
“Uhm, yes? I hope it starts sooner rather than later.”
That had already been implemented a long time ago. She had been deceiving Olivia and her supporters so far with the excuse of being excluded from the application list.
I decided that there was no need to inform you of this fact. I don’t know how much futility I’ll fall into when I know this fact. The sense of betrayal will be great.
You don’t have to know all the truth.
Sometimes you don’t have to know the truth if you know it will hurt, and Olivia has already been hurt too much.
Even if I don’t punish myself, I will be able to accuse them. I don’t know what kind of punishment everyone will receive. I plan to find out about the other nurseries that Olivia sponsors.
If Olivia wants her children to be well-fed and well-dressed, that will soon be the case.
“Reinhardt, but you, the kids are really having a hard time.”
“… … I hate kids.”
“Huh. I didn’t know you had such a weakness.”
“Why is dislike a weakness?”
“It’s a weakness, then. If it was you, wow! I thought you were going to say something harsh like this, but you couldn’t even do this or that?”
I had no choice but to know because he was stuttering, not kicking me out by talking harsh things like he usually does.
“Hey, should I still play with my child?”
“No, what are you talking about again?”
Olivia’s bashful smile seemed to be in a pretty good mood.
That’s it.
* * *
“Eat.”
– flinch
“… … .”
“People eat them.”
“Yeah, that’s me too… … . i know.”
Lydia Schmidt carefully took the bread and milk the vampire had offered her and set them aside.
It was given to eat, but Ladia was unable to touch it.
Lydia Schmidt shivered, crouched in the corner of the semi-basement.
The vampire calmly went out somewhere and came back.
I could have tried to run away, but I couldn’t even try. It was because of the fear that he couldn’t let himself run away so carelessly.
‘Yeah, you’re not a stupid kid. thank god.’
The vampire who had bought the bread and milk even carefully stroked his hair as if he knew he hadn’t tried to escape.
Although she was afraid of everything, Ladia was most afraid that it was broad daylight.
“A vampire… … . How daytime… … .”
It is common knowledge that vampires only move at night.
Yesterday, disguised as an ordinary merchant, was still indoors, and it was night when the battle took place.
However, during the obvious daytime, vampires roamed around nonchalantly.
I even bought bread and milk.
The vampire smiled as he looked at Ladia in shock.
“There is no such thing as absolute in the world, right?”
It was a rather friendly smile. Yesterday’s terrifying eyes, bloody words, and the magician who used the first large-scale destructive magic in succession seemed to have disappeared.
In front of his eyes is a vampire wizard who can slaughter hundreds of thousands with a single gesture.
Reinhardt uses a wizard of this level as a minion.
Devil.
Radia now knows that Reinhardt is such a person.
Ladia doesn’t know why the demon king is the owner of Tiamata.
But now that I was terrified, I could only hope that he would kill me without turning me into a vampire.
What is this vampire trying to do to himself?
Lydia doesn’t know. All I can do is pray to God that I will be able to face death in peace.
Vampires look at themselves quietly.
“Hmm… … . Are you cold?”
“… … .”
“It must be cold because it is winter… … . There is no heating… … .”
She puts her hand on the floor and tilts her head.
– Right!
Then, the heating element was summoned and warmth began to circulate in the cold room.
“How is it, is it warm?”
“… … .”
Lydia couldn’t help but cringe even more.
What do you want from yourself? I couldn’t figure out anything. Ladia trembled in terror, not knowing what the terrifying vampire was trying to make of her.
The vampire let out a deep sigh. He looks at Ladia quietly.
“Don’t be too scared. Let me know if you need anything.”
“… … .”
As if telling her not to be afraid, the vampire came and sat down next to her and caressed Ladia’s trembling shoulders.
“The situation is the situation, so I understand you’re scared, but you don’t have to be that scared.”
“… … .”
“It won’t hurt you, so don’t worry.”
The more friendly the vampire was, the stronger Ladia’s fear was.
“Me, me… … . what do you want… … ?”
That’s why Ladia overcame her fear, and summoned the courage as much as possible to say that. At Radia’s question, the vampire tilted her head.
“nothing?”
“then… … . Why are you like this… … . Are you holding it?”
“It’s because you don’t want to make you a member of your family or clan, and the Lord doesn’t trust you yet.”
Lydia Schmidt looked at Ellerith with a desperate expression at those words.
“If you kill me… … . can’t it… … . normally.”
Now that she knew Reinhardt’s true identity, Ladia couldn’t even come up with words to defend herself.
Afraid of becoming a vampire, he betrayed his comrades in the main cult.
No matter how much the demon king was an apostle of Tuan, his guilt was deep.
So, in deep guilt, Ladia now just wants a clean death.
“I can’t do that because I don’t like it.”
Do you mean to be locked up in this dark basement forever? He couldn’t even die, so he had to stay like this until the words of becoming a vampire came out of his mouth.
Has it become a human being raised by vampires?
Seeing Ladia’s expression, as if knowing something, Ellerith shook her head.
“I may not be able to go back to the temple, but I can go out anyway. Of course, you should go with me wherever you go.”
“… … ?”
“I’ll tinker with the look a bit in case anyone recognizes you, but tell me where you want to go and what you want to eat. If you want a diversion, you can even teleport to a distant place. Don’t mind the distance.”
Lydia Schmidt thought something was strange about this vampire.
“If you have family, you can go see them. Of course, I’ll have to keep an eye on it. Would you understand that much?”
“Oh, no… … The family… … . I don’t have… … .”
“Oh, I see. Sorry.”
“Oh no… … yo. this… … .”
Is this right to be bred?
Radia was slowly thinking that maybe she had a huge misunderstanding.
Vampires in front of you.
and Reinhardt.
Ladia couldn’t figure out how things were going.
* * *
Tetra, the central imperial palace of the imperial castle Emperatos.
After returning from an urgent meeting with his ministers, the emperor sat in his study with the prince and princess standing in front of him.
Bertus and Charlotte weren’t fighting each other like usual.
Because I know it’s an unusual situation.
Because going against the emperor’s mood right now is something that should never be done.
“Last night, the body of Lebarrier Ranche along with a number of elite paladins was found in an abandoned monastery in the southern outskirts of the ecliptic.”
The Emperor of the Empire, Nelliod de Gradias, calmly conveys only the facts.
“It is presumed to be the work of the demons.”
“What happened last time… … . Are you related?”
At Bertus’ question, the emperor nodded.
“I can’t say for sure, but it seems inevitable given the circumstances.”
The Pandemonium War is over, but powerful demons are still alive. They are capable of launching large-scale raids in the ecliptic.
Last time there were no casualties, but this time there are casualties.
The former leader of the Templar Knights and one of the heroes of the Pandemonium War, Leverrier Ranche, has died.
However, the emperor, the princess, and the prince all had strange expressions.
“… … God help the empire.”
Both Charlotte and Bertus were confused by the emperor’s words, but they could only nod blankly.
The appearance of super-high-ranking demons in the ecliptic was the worst of the bad, but the three of them knew that although this situation was embarrassing, it was a good thing in the long run.
“The thing that died in that place… … . Did it include not only Leberier Ranche, but also the nameless leaders of the Order?”
“I don’t know the detailed composition, but I think so.”
At Charlotte’s question, the Emperor nodded again.
A secret religious society formed by Leberier Ranze. The imperial family was already aware of the nameless religious order.
However, it was a situation where it was impossible to use your hands because it might happen in large numbers in the already sensitive religious world.
Assassination is also difficult. Not only was Le Barrier Ranche an outstanding individual, but his leaders were veterans of veterans accustomed to fighting.
Even if the assassination succeeds, it is self-evident that the latter will be pointed out as the imperial family.
That’s why the imperial family was contemplating how to deal with the growing seeds of division that could not do this or that.
However, they were annihilated in one night.
An unspecified number of civilians even saw the flying demons flying nearby. The imperial family is not the rear, and cannot be mistaken for the rear.
The appearance of the remnants of the demons itself is bad news, but the empire has become like blowing its nose without touching it.
“Do you understand why the demons attacked Lebarrier Ranche and not the Templars?”
“Aside from whether there was a personal grudge against Lebarrier Ranche… … . I do not know.”
Bertus could only make such an inference.
“Rather than that, I think it’s also important that the demons knew about the nameless religious order and attacked it.”
“If I had known, I should have left them alone… … .”
“I see.”
If the purpose of the nameless order is known, leaving the demons alone is the way to weaken the empire. So, their conclusion was that they had no choice but to know about him, and that was reasonable.
It was impossible to assume that the demons were trying to protect the empire, so even the heart of the empire could not know the truth of the situation.
So I had no choice but to fall in the middle of the duck.
The sick tooth fell out, but it is a situation where the sick tooth was replaced with another sick tooth.
Very powerful demons are alive and can attack the ecliptic at any time.
It is unknown whether the demon king has really been resurrected or whether there is a successor to the demon king.
However, everyone in the empire knew that the Pandemonium War was not over yet.
They knew that it would serve the Empire well for the time being.
* * *
After the audience with the emperor, one side corridor of the Central Palace Tetra.
Bertus and Charlotte were walking down the hallway to leave the Central Palace.
“What do you think, brother?”
“… … what.”
“The child you are looking for. Possibility of being involved in this.”
“I don’t want to hear bullshit.”
That’s what he said, but Charlotte’s head was just as complicated.
“If that guy is the devil’s son or something like that… … .”
“shut up.”
Charlotte looks up at Bertus with sullen eyes.
“What do you want to talk about? Didn’t I live and the demon king’s son came to live with me? So, all of this is because of me. Do you want to say something like this? I should have died quietly at your hands. Are you going to say something like that?”
At Charlotte’s hostile words, Bertus shook his head and smiled.
“no? I just want to say that I’m so glad if that’s the case. Did I really almost make a fatal mistake?”
Without an empire, competition is meaningless.
Seeing the malevolent look on her face, Charlotte felt sick.
Someone needs to hear this conversation. No one anywhere can hear that.
No matter who hears it, nothing changes.
“… … Unlucky bastard.”
It was understandable that Bertus wanted the child to be the devil’s son or something like that.
Charlotte knows what you’re thinking.
Even if the remnants of the demons remain, the empire cannot be destroyed. The Dark Land was virtually destroyed, and the Demon Castle was captured.
The remaining demons can’t do anything more than guerrillas.
So, if the remnants of the demons form a focal point and cause an uproar, the empire will face chaos but not divide.
From that point of view, Bertus wants the successor of the demon king to exist.
Charlotte knows that too.
Even if this situation is incomprehensible, it is good for the Empire in the end.
Is that child really related to the demon lord?
He was an overly mediocre child with no ability whatsoever.
However, Charlotte also knew that the possibility could not be completely denied.
