There was more than one suspicious thing.
It would be natural for a pseudo-religions to arise, but the 'Salvation Church' was different from other pseudo-religions that appeared and disappeared countless times.
'It is currently widely known among commoners and is also receiving support from some nobles.'
Things may be a bit better now that a few nobles were sponsoring it, but it must have cost a lot of money to start.
In other words, it started with a level of funds that ordinary people could not easily have.
Since their starting point was a slum, their money usage at the time would have been almost like pouring water into a bottomless pot.
If you roughly calculated it, it was an amount that even a decent noble family wouldn't be able to afford...
'Money is not the goal, and the funder does not want to become the head of a religious cult and be looked up to by people. What on earth is this really?'
Out of frustration, I poured the lukewarm tea left in my teacup down my throat. And I immediately regretted it.
Damn it, I drank tea for no reason. I can't believe I want to go to the bathroom in such a serious situation.
I need to think a little more about the report, but...
'First, go to the bathroom. After that, think about it again...'
"Are you sure you want to go there yourself?"
"Yes?"
I stopped walking towards the door.
There was some bullshit again.
Unlike me, who was momentarily dazed, Sir Lien looked at me with respect and spoke solemnly. At first glance, I saw her adjusting the sword at her waist.
"It's dangerous to go alone. I will follow you."
"Yes? No... uh... huh?"
...In the end, I was dragged away without even being able to go to the bathroom.
Sir Lien said with bright eyes, 'I respect you.' Shouting, she strode forward, opened the door, and waited, so in that situation, how could I say, 'I need to go to the bathroom...'
Because of that, I couldn't take action and just hoped that a savior would appear before I left the mansion, but reality was ruthless.
'Fuck, my luck is like that.'
It wasn't that I didn't meet anyone. There were maids and servants. I even ran into Remember on the way down the stairs. But our butler, who was usually so capable, must have not seen my expression as if I was being dragged to the slaughterhouse, so he just said, "Are you leaving?"
When Sir Lien answered that we were going to the slums, he wordlessly gave her two tattered robes and personally sent her off with a calm greeting telling her to go home. It was not smooth robes or clean traveler's robes, but tattered ones.
Judging by the tattered robes he gave us, he seemed to have a general idea of what we were going to do. I wonder why a person with such good senses didn't notice my expression. Could it be that he was ignoring me on purpose?
"I think you'll have to put on your robes from here on out."
As I walked in a daze, I found myself at the entrance to the slums. Sir Lien, who led me to a nearby alley, held out a shabby robe.
I looked down at it with dark eyes and slowly took it with trembling hands.
'Are we really going to go on like this?'
At least give me time to mentally prepare. Or at least time to go to the bathroom. If I go in like this, I'm going to make a very different mistake, so I bit my lip once and cautiously opened my mouth.
"...That. Can I go somewhere for a while first?"
"Yes? Where..."
"Over there for a moment... It's only a short while, so don't follow me."
To prepare my mind, I have to expel all the water in my body.
I haven't experienced it myself yet, but it can happen. I've seen with my own eyes evidence of people getting so scared they soil their pants.
It was really ugly. I never want to be seen like that, so it's better to be prepared in advance. Even if this was a slum, you wouldn't walk around with shit on your pants.
...But Sir Lien hesitated with an anxious expression, wondering what on earth I was thinking.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
I guess she's anxious because this is a slum...
Of course it's okay. I'm not some kind of child. Are you worried that I can't go to the bathroom alone? Besides, you're a girl. I followed you so I wouldn't have to worry about something happening. I faced Sir Lien with a stern face. Despite my calm-looking face, my intentions were urgent. I was going.
Stop dragging the time and let me go now. Can't you even see this white face? If I pretend, I have to pretend and understand. I was afraid that they would barge in while I was doing my business like this, so I left while telling her not to follow again. I hurriedly ran to the corner of the alley.
"Now, just a moment...!"
Thinking about the possibility of Sir Lien snooping around,
I took a couple more turns and barely managed to do my business, but suddenly the thought of killing all of the Salvation Church came up.
What glory would I have? Why was I going through all this trouble? It's not that I wanted to own the land, but that I'm willing to return a territory!
If that was all it was, I would have given up cleanly, but since Cruel was said to be in charge of this, giving up was not an option.
'Damn it...'
I adjusted my pants and put on my robe.
Then I went out of the alley and took a turn, and there was someone standing in the middle of the alley where no one was there until I came in. It looked like that person is also trying to sneak in somewhere.
The shabby robe in his hand is what catches my eye. It supported my guess, but that person looked somewhat familiar. The man, with black hair and just wearing a robe, also turned his head this way, as if checking for the person he sensed. Since I hadn't put on my hood yet, of course I made eye contact with him.
It looked like that person was also trying to infiltrate the Salvation Church. No, I'm sure.
"You—"
He's probably carrying out the same mission as me.
Cruel Hardt.
Even though there was a hateful being in front of me, I could not express my unpleasant feelings.
Because I was so surprised by an encounter I wasn't prepared for—
I couldn't talk.
"...!"
"Oh shit... Cough!"
—Because I ended up vomiting blood.
For some reason, it's been a bit quiet these days, but only now it exploded like this. Shit.
I didn't want to look ugly, so I covered my mouth. I looked at the red liquid that filled my palm and dripped onto the floor, then looked up and checked Cruel.
He was motionless, looking at me and the blood-covered floor directly in front of me.
"..."
"..."
The green eyes that were looking at the floor slowly looked up and rested at the corner of my mouth.
I immediately lowered my head. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't even raise my head.
I vomited blood just because I was 'surprised' and for no other reason. This itself would be embarrassing, so why would I show myself like this in front of that guy?
If I stay like this, I will only be wasting time, so I quickly pushed the guy away and tried to get out of the alley, but someone with a familiar silhouette slowly appeared behind him as if hesitating.
"I'm sorry, Count. I was worried..."
Sir Lien, who checked on me, seemed to trail off, but eventually closed her mouth.
Her eyes went back and forth between me and Cruel standing in front of me.
I wondered absentmindedly as I watched her hand slowly moving towards the sword at her waist how she was accepting the situation.
'Well, I'm really glad that he didn't come to me while I was taking care of business.'
***
I covered my mouth with my hand, but I couldn't hide the blood flowing between my fingers.
Looking at the blood on the floor and Deon Hardt's red-stained hands, Knight Commander Lien Reiner secretly regretted it.
'I shouldn't have just sent hi alone.'
Why did she overlook the fact that she was the only one who could protect Count Hardt?
When she thought about it, the signs were clear.
In addition to his pale face, trembling hands, cold sweat, and lips clenched tightly as if he was holding back pain, he even acted out of sync with his usual behavior of rushing into an alley as if he was hiding something.
The Demon King's curse had flared up.
Her eyes weren't just for decoration, so she could see that something was wrong when he left.
So, when he said he would be away for a while, she asked him out of concern.
'Are you sure it's okay?'
'Yes.'
It was a mistake to obediently send him away because she couldn't bear to disobey his firm answer and the look on his face that told her not to follow him. Contrary to popular rumors, Count Hardt was a good-natured person who hated worrying others.
Of course, during battle, he showed another cruel side and caused quite a shock... but that was only limited to battle.
Normally he was very reserved and kind.
It was the same this time. Didn't he have no hesitation in stepping into this dirty place, saying that he would check for himself, saying that if there was insufficient information, he could order someone to investigate again?
Perhaps the reason he tried to hide his condition so much was because he thought that if he showed hemoptysis, they would ask him to go back. He probably didn't want to worry her and wanted to investigate himself.
How could she not care about this?
'But...'
She shifted her gaze to a man standing in front of Count Hardt.
Who was it? Due to her location, only his back was visible, so it was impossible to clearly determine who it was, but judging from the Count's expression, it seemed that they did not have a friendly relationship.
Could this be an assassin who had been waiting for an opportunity? Was he planning to attack while the Count was weak?
However, it was rare for an assassin to appear in public.
'...Has he already tried once?'
Even if he is weakened by the curse, the Count was still considered a hero. He would not have easily allowed an attack.
It would be a good guess to say that the attack failed due to the Count's formidable skills, and a standoff ensued afterwards.
'First, let's subdue the attacker.'
Neglecting the Count's condition and safety was an unforgivable mistake, but being so shocked that she was unable to do her job was an even bigger sin.
She was a knight. A knight who must protect the Count.
Lien quickly regained her composure and slowly brought her hand to her sword.
Perhaps sensing something suspicious, the person wearing the hood of his robe belatedly turned around to look at her.
The moment Lien felt the gaze beneath the robe on her, she immediately drew her sword and rushed towards the guy.
Kwaang!!
A metallic sound rang out.
***
Cruel crossed his swords and silently scanned the opponent's face. Even though it was a sudden attack, there was no sign of shock on his face.
It was a familiar face. Was she the leader of the knights under Deon's command?
She swung her sword without hesitation. Kwaang! The harsh sound shook his eardrums again. Since he did not receive the title 'Hero' for nothing, Cruel skillfully blocked the attack and looked at the two with his intense green eyes.
'Is it a mission after all?'
He heard long ago that Deon received the same mission as him.
The Duke's voice telling me not to lose echoed in his head again. At the same time, the missions also increased.
He knew it in his head, but he never dreamed that they would meet already. He was so surprised when he made eye contact with him.
It never happened that he passed by without recognizing him.
Pale skin and red eyes were not very common. Wasn't it funny that when such clear evidence was shown, he didn't even notice that he was wearing only a flimsy robe?
He was taken aback by the unexpected encounter, but his thoughts were short-lived. Deon, unable to contain his surprise, vomited blood.
Did it come about because of an innate physical condition or because of the Demon King's curse?
His younger brother was weak from birth. If a curse had been added to his body, how much longer would he have left to live?
He wasn't sure, but it wouldn't be long.
"..."
Cruel thought as he looked at the blood on the corner of Deon's mouth with an extremely calm expression.
'He shouldn't be participating in this mission.'
Even if there were other things, this must be prevented.
Was one arm not enough?
Cruel, who was wondering whether he should submit another request, showed no signs of doubting that Deon had been 'cursed'.
Because he clearly saw that was the case.
A black brand with a strange pattern engraved on the border between Deon's collarbone and neck.
As those who knew about the existence of the stigma usually thought, Cruel also thought that it was damaging Deon's physical condition and lifespan.
'So only until the little remaining life span comes to an end.'
All he had to do was hold on until then.
While repeating that thought, Cruel looked at Deon.
The green eyes, which did not feel lifeless, were sunken and focused only on one person.