Taming the Evil Saintess

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“Is that true?”

When I questioned Archmage Eldarian, he nodded with a serious expression. He certainly didn’t strike me as someone who would lie. While he claimed to have deceived Emily, it could only be classified as a benevolent falsehood at best.

“I confirmed it through a familiar.”

“Where is the Hell Duke located?”

“…In the royal palace’s brain prison. That’s about the gist of the location.”

So, he is imprisoned there.

It seemed reasonable to conclude that they were holding the Hell Duke captive to extract something from him.

Certainty can be a double-edged sword, but the bizarre actions of Adelheit had clearly left me with myriad doubts.

“I understand. We’ll discuss this in detail later.”

“Yes. However…”

Immediately after, Eldarian grimaced and glanced over my shoulder.

“Oh? Master, you’re here too?”

Emily, the high-spirited girl who had approached from behind, greeted us while holding an ice cream in one hand and a bite-sized finger cookie in the other.

“I felt some magical energy and came to see if it was you using a spell, Master?”

“Uh, well…”

Eldarian looked at me awkwardly, and I shrugged while responding to Emily.

“Nothing much. Just some champagne splashed on my clothes, and he helped clean it off.”

“Geez, that’s so clumsy. I could have done that!”

Emperor Adelheit had plans to conquer the continent by implanting the Hero’s Divine Mark. If this fact were to be revealed, the inevitable question would be how she accomplished that.

How exactly did she implant the mark?

To explain that, I would inevitably have to disclose what Emily’s mark looked like.

However, that was a sensitive topic that Archmage Eldarian was keen on keeping silent about.

Respecting his wishes, I attempted to change the subject.

“It seems that all the celebrities of the empire are attending this time. Look, there’s Gersen!”

“Oh, it’s true.”

Fortunately, Emily accepted this without suspicion. She turned her round, bright eyes towards me, pointing at her bosom.

“Then, am I also a celebrity since I’m invited here?”

“Why even ask? Of course!”

At my words, Emily smiled as if she were a princess herself.

Suddenly, her expression shifted as if she had just remembered something.

“Will noble young masters also be attending this banquet?”

“That would be the case.”

“Hehehe.”

Self-proclaimed Romance Master Emily seemed to be pleased by this and grinned mischievously. Eldarian wiped the sweat from his forehead, trying to appease her.

Seeing that I would likely be stuck with Emily for a while, I decided it was time to leave.

“Derabilice is imprisoned in the royal palace’s brain prison.”

The implantation of the mark had already been successful, it appeared.

So, what could the Emperor’s true motive for summoning us possibly be?

The worst-case scenario would be if Adelheit decided to dispose of us. Gathering all the prominent figures of the empire and slaughtering them, while she used her army to directly hunt down the Demon King. That would give her a solid foundation to become the continent’s hero and conqueror.

As that thought crossed my mind, my hair stood on end.

“Tsk.”

Time was of the essence.

Before I could relay this information to my companions, I needed to lay the groundwork.

Collusion with the Demon King’s Army was a grave sin that could bring even the Pope down. No exceptions, not even for the Emperor. I made my way toward the Information Bureau, intending to meet Owen and inform him of the situation.

The guards were glaring, scrutinizing the attendees of the banquet, but they were clearly not sharp enough to notice even a Hero leaping over walls.

Just as I was about to slip into the bushes after scaling the wall, I unexpectedly found myself face-to-face with someone on the other side.

A familiar face.

“…Evangelin?”

“…Knight Elliot?”

Evangelin’s eyes widened as she stared at the thief—no, the Hero—who had vaulted over the palace wall.

I hurriedly scrambled for words to explain, knowing that getting caught here would be disastrous. There was a high probability I’d raise unnecessary suspicion.

Before I could say anything, Evangelin stepped forward and grasped both my hands tightly.

At first, I thought she was about to slap handcuffs on me.

But the moment I saw her face, I realized she had no intention of holding me captive.

“Knight Elliot, I need your help.”

Evangelin’s expression was more desperate than I had ever seen before.

“What’s the matter?”

“Please don’t be alarmed…”

After looking around to ensure no one was eavesdropping, she lowered her voice.

“The former Emperor has been imprisoned.”

“…What?”

Evangelin’s next words were shocking enough to leave my eyes wide open.

Evangelin led me to a secluded part of the palace.

I suspected it could be a trap, but seeing her fingers turn pale as she clutched mine left me with doubts about that.

Once we entered a nearby small storage room, Evangelin spoke again.

“As I mentioned earlier, Princess Adelheit has usurped the throne.”

Usurpation.

Hearing those two words in reality felt quite surreal.

“So, the current Emperor has dethroned the previous Emperor?”

“…That’s correct.”

It was like a plot from a game where a prince succeeds the throne, except it felt all too real.

“Are you saying Emperor Bolazio III didn’t voluntarily step down?”

Evangelin nodded.

It was indeed sudden news. Before my departure to the Great Forest, I had the chance to speak with Emperor Bolazio III. He didn’t seem to be seriously ill at that time.

Yet that Emperor had stepped down.

Something was odd about that.

Not to mention, we hadn’t heard anything about the sudden change in Emperor barely a month ago. It seemed too convenient to be attributed to the turmoil of war. It suggested there hadn’t been a proper succession ceremony.

Above all, I knew well the alias the Princess Adelheit was known by.

The Bloody Princess. The terrifying woman who became the Crown Princess after killing all her siblings.

Surely, her father wouldn’t have been an exception.

I could piece together the situation.

However, I still had one question.

“Just how did this happen?”

How on earth did she usurp the throne?

Even if she were a princess, could anyone dethrone an Emperor that commanded the imperial army?

“She had private soldiers. Under the cover of night, she captured the former Emperor and threatened him to give up the throne.”

“…Private soldiers?”

“They were made up of a few possessors.”

“…”

The word reminded me of the possessors I had encountered recently while fulfilling Gersen’s request.

Morgan, the possessor, had come to rob a train.

If they had the means to extract or exploit the brand, it shouldn’t be a problem at all. I couldn’t help but be amazed by Adelheit’s meticulousness.

“Were the ministers not resistant to such a sudden change in the Emperor?”

“…The plan was extremely secretive and unfolded quickly. On the surface, it appeared as if there were no issues at all.”

“Then how does Administrative Officer Evangelin know about this?”

“…I was the one delivering the forged edicts of the former Emperor. I noticed the handwriting was subtly different.”

She didn’t seem to be lying.

With my throbbing head, I let out a deep sigh.

“This is a troublesome matter.”

“Yes. I have no idea what the Princess’s plans are, but at this rate, the Empire will plunge into darkness.”

Evangelin clasped my hands in desperation.

Seeing that once proud administrator display such a desperate expression confirmed the seriousness of the situation.

“…Will you help me? You’re the Hero, after all?”

“…Give me a break.”

I knocked Evangelin’s hands away.

The title of Hero is certainly a convenient label. It almost seems to provoke someone without even any debts to be repaid.

“I couldn’t care less about the fate of the Empire. The former Emperor is just the same. Since coming here to inspect the Black Eagle Mercenary until now.”

Evangelin seemed taken aback, her lips quivering.

But what could I do about the truth?

I had no love for the Empire.

And even less for the Emperor.

However—

“So, if I excise that Adelheit girl from the throne, it won’t be for the sake of the Empire or the Emperor’s well-being.”

Now that I understood Adelheit’s plans, it was no longer someone else’s problem.

This was a matter of survival. It pertained to the future Ophelia and I sought to build. It was also for the sake of Archmage Eldarian and Emily’s happy relationship as teacher and student.

“I will slay the Demon King’s Army, and in the process, I will assassinate the current Emperor, who colluded with the Demon King’s higher-ups. I trust you won’t call that treason?”

“…”

Evangelin’s eyes widened, and as she processed my words, she nodded vigorously.

“You’ve made a guarantee. If anyone tries to contest this, I could bring down the Empire entirely.”

It was no lie; given our capabilities, it was a plausible outcome.

However, letting the Empire remain would likely lead to less chaos across the continent, and that was the only reason I’d keep it around.

“Let’s go see Owen.”

In any case, it was time to meet with the agents of the Information Bureau.