Chapter 422: Conspiracy as an Evil Proof

I sat down in a chair and looked at old man Richard’s face. His aged fingertips lightly traced the edge of the ale container. A ray of sunlight passed through the window, bringing light into the room.

Was he satisfied with my words, or was he dissatisfied? I couldn’t read the old man’s expression. But it seemed like he was considering it.

With only one arm left, the old man opened his lips after chewing out my answer to the fullest. That figure was one I knew very well from a time long ago.

He was someone arrogant who valued corruption and violence.

「I see. Yes, I agree. There’s no need for a God. But Lugis. Stop saying such trivial things as making the Heraldic religion the state religion by usurping the royal power. What will you gain with that? At best, you’ll just gain honor. 」

He added that honor was just a fancy word. Not a single bit of it was worthy.

The old man showed his teeth and smiled, while the corners of his mouth twitched in good humor. His face took on a fearless expression, and the tone of his voice hung in the air.

At this point, I had a very bad feeling about it. My skin felt strangely rough.

From my experience, the old man had ulterior motives when he made that kind of expression and voice. Feeling a small pain between my eyebrows, I took a sip of ale into my lips and looked at the old man.

At the same time, the old man opened his mouth and continued his words.

「…Don’t you dare say you’re doing it for someone else’s sake. Think of yourself first. Let’s take the whole country. Me and you. 」

I reflexively opened my eyes. What was this old man talking about? What did he mean?

My heartbeat sounded like an early bell. I couldn’t even taste the ale in my mouth. My fingertips were so hot it felt like they had been burned.

I was extremely thirsty even though I had just swallowed the ale. I opened my mouth, choking on my words.

「…Old man. You can’t be serious. The ale you drank yesterday is probably still echoing in your head, huh? 」

My voice was strangely hoarse. But those were the only words I somehow managed to twist.

My heart still hadn’t stopped the crazy beating. I was shocked by what the old man had said, but even more so because I didn’t know what the girls standing behind me would do.

The old man said those words with a meaning in his mind. He knew for sure that I was someone who could figure out what he meant.

The old man exclaimed, showing his teeth in amusement.

「I’m quite serious. Besides, there’s no reason it can’t be done. The ones occupying this capital right now are my soldiers and yours, Lugis. 」

「They’re not my soldiers. They’re soldiers of the Heraldic Order. There’s no one who will follow me. 」

Is that what you think? The old man suddenly stood up and put his one arm over the window. His gaze suddenly turned outward. The sunlight dyed the old man’s gray hair.

The old man slowly opened his mouth. He spoke while I clenched my teeth.

He said that soldiers belonged to the general, not the King. Rather than a leader who preached ideals and doctrines, and instructed everyone in the rear, soldiers trusted a general who stood on the front lines and faced the rain of arrows that fell down on them.

The old man said over and over again that a soldier was someone who ate, drank, and risked his life for the people who fought alongside him.

Filaret leaned forward from behind and asked.

「I don’t think it’s that easy though. The Heraldic soldiers are all particularly devout believers. Aren’t they different from the common-sensed soldiers you know? 」

Filaret’s voice was sharp but strained. I wouldn’t go so far as to say she was being hostile, but I could tell that she was putting a certain amount of emotion into her words.

However, in response to her question, the old man shrugged his shoulders as if he had no choice.

「I’m not saying that your Saint doesn’t have influence, but it’s definitely this guy who has the initiative over the soldiers. Lugis, if you say you want to make a move, that Saint will back you up, so those soldiers will have no choice but to do it. 」

In that case, the old man said, the one who leads is the one who has the soldiers. His tone was smooth, as if he had been thinking about this for some time.

Apparently, there was something the old man really wanted me to do. I couldn’t tell what kind of interests or intentions he had in order to get me involved. Still, it didn’t seem like it was just a joke over drinks.

「First, as long as the Heraldic Order stands on top, the God you hate will definitely follow. Besides, are the Saint and Her Royal Highness the Princess really active in suppressing the demon beasts’ disaster? What are you planning on doing, anyway? I’ve been thinking about it. 」

I intertwined the fingers of both my hands and pressed them. Sweat covered my palms. He was a really nasty old man. He went exactly where I didn’t want him to be.

Of course, no force would want to suppress a major disaster on their own. It was the same as it used to be. Everyone didn’t remember a sense of crisis until their castle was set on fire. Why would they try to face a disaster that still remained invisible? Why would they take that risk?

Power was always like that. The goal was to maximize self-interest, and there was no force that could easily abandon that goal.

What did Matia and Philos think now that they had this royal capital? That was something I didn’t know about. However, under normal circumstances, they would try to protect the forces near the royal capital. For the Heraldic religion alone, that choice would definitely be the best.

My eyes didn’t know what to grasp and my body was shaking. I felt an uncontrollable heat in my back teeth. Sweat licked my forehead.

「If you want to accomplish something, you have no choice but to have military power, Lugis. Power is something you are either born with or something that you have to take by force. Just like I taught you a long time ago. 」

「…Are you trying to instigate me to betray them, old man? How splendid, huh. You sound like a stage actor whose line had been greatly applauded. 」

The soles of my feet pressed against the floorboards. I narrowed my eyes and looked fixedly at the old man. It felt like all the ale that was supposed to be in my body had gone somewhere.

The old man answered without hesitation.

「You don’t have to betray them. I’m telling you to be in charge. If things continue like this, you’ll end up just dancing on someone else’s palm. Or is your life a steppingstone for someone else? 」

All you have to do is take control of the Heraldic Order from Saint Matia, and then marry the Princess. If that happens, the position of the country’s leader will be transferred to you. Both the cause and the truth will be right in front of you to grab with your hands.

Enjoying the sunlight, the old man said as his eyes sparkled with great ambition even though he only had one arm.

I looked straight at the old man, pressing my forehead with my numb fingertips. The color of his eyes didn’t give the impression that he was lying. There were parts of him that weren’t telling the truth, but at least what he said out loud was what he really thought about.

…You must be joking, old man.

The words I was trying to say couldn’t come out of my mouth. My lips were dry, and I could barely move.

What should I say in response? What should I answer?

What would happen to the national army that had evacuated to the north? How was I supposed to govern the neighboring cities and deal with foreign countries? Many questions came up, but I didn’t feel like expressing them.

Listening to the way the old man spoke; it didn’t seem like he thought about this on a whim. I was sure that he thought about everything before he brought up the topic to me. If that’s the case, then the old man was trying to increase doubts in my head in a bad way in order for everything to roll as he wished.

I said after taking another sip of ale to moisten my lips.

「Why are you telling me this, old man? What is your purpose…」

「…Ambition. Ambition can always be the purpose. Whether it’s good or evil. 」

Just as the old man opened his eyes with sheer will, I heard a rushing sound in my ears. The sound of stomping on the floorboards was coming towards my room.

It was the footsteps of a messenger soldier.

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