Episode 33

My body rapidly grew colder. My vision wavered. What had happened to my body?

Fool and Noisy lay on the ground. There were large holes in their hearts. Red liquid still kept flowing from them even now. No matter how I thought about it, they should have died instantly, yet they were still conscious. Was that because of the effects of becoming Watchmen? …Who had done something this horrible? I did not know. I did not know.

“Zeke, judging by how you look, you don’t seem to have any major injuries. It happened too quickly for me to understand what was going on, but I’m truly glad you’re safe.”

“It doesn’t seem like the influence of the Watchman is affecting you either. In other words, you’ve been freed. Now we have no regrets left.”

Fool and Noisy spoke to Zeke with relief in their voices. Their figures were those of parents thinking of their child. That was obvious no matter who saw them. And yet my own mind could not understand what was happening.

(Is this a bug in the game? I mean, it’s weird, right? The Lagias couple are villains, hated, unpopular characters. —That has to be it. I’m just tired.)

Alarm bells pounded loudly in my head, and my heart kept racing. I felt unpleasant sweat on my back. Maybe I had caught a cold.

“…Zeke. Knowing how kind you are, you will surely blame yourself. You will surely regret this too. —But I want you to listen. To the truth of Lagias.”

(The truth? What the hell is this guy talking about? Lagias is supposed to be a villain with the role of a Watchman, hated by the whole country. Then they get defeated and die according to the scenario. That makes it a happy ending, right? Everyone should be happy. I did it… I killed them.)

Fool and Noisy spoke with smooth voices no different from those of healthy people. They said they were about to explain Lagias and their own pasts. …What were they saying at this point? Who were they trying to justify themselves to?

“We don’t seem to have much time. I’ll explain briefly… A Watchman is a covenant—no, a curse—exchanged with the Wisher of the past.”

Fool spoke of the events of that time as though recalling them.

The previous lord of the Lagias Domain, in other words, Fool’s father, and his mother, that man’s wife.

Fool’s parents had apparently been tyrants, just like every lord of Lagias before them. Exploiting their people was a matter of course. If something displeased them, they punished without question, took lives, and at times even used people alive as feed for monsters. —They had truly been foolish parents, he said.

“I saw the suffering people of the domain and begged my father and mother many times. I begged them to stop doing such things. …But they never listened.”

He had apparently reported it to the kingdom too, but no one had taken him seriously. Even when he tried to gather collaborators, people shunned him simply because he was a Lagias, and no one would even talk to him. …Only one person had been different: his fiancée, Noisy. She had encouraged him, saying they should end Lagias’s tyranny together and save the people of the domain.

“That was why I carried it out. …I killed my parents with my own hands. —That was when the nightmare began.”

Fool killed his parents and inherited the lordship. Looking back now, he said, that had been the act of inheriting the Watchman.

He could no longer move his body freely, as though something were controlling it. Every word and action was forced upon him. —He had looked exactly like his parents when they were alive.

(Stop. Please, stop already. I don’t want to hear this.)

“In that moment, I understood my own mistake. My father and mother… no, all the Lagias lords throughout history had been bound by the curse. They had been forced to kill people against their will.”

It had not only been Fool. Noisy had also gone mad as though she had become another person. The two of them, who had sworn to change Lagias together, were forced to do the same things as every Lagias before them. Because their minds sometimes returned to normal, it felt all the more like hell, he said.

“I’m sure my father and mother were suffering too. And yet I… I… what have I done?”

(I don’t understand. I don’t know anything. —I never heard about a setting like that.)

Blood flowed from his chest, and tears spilled from his eyes.

In the original work, Fool and Noisy regretting their actions and shedding tears would have been impossible. —This was not an act. In the first place, they had no reason to do such a thing. I could tell it was their true feelings. I understood it despite myself.

“What the hell… So the lords of Lagias were…”

“They were only conveniently used for someone’s purposes. How awful…”

Lagias was evil. In this country, that had been common sense. That premise collapsed. Great turmoil spread even among the main characters.

“…Zeke. We were never able to do anything parent-like for you. But you know, when I heard that you had become the youngest A-rank adventurer, I was truly happy.”

“You never meekly submitted to your position and instead followed your own will. I am proud of you.”

(Why? Why can you be like that?)

“Father, Mother. …If that is what you wish, I shall sink this kingdom into a sea of blood. After making the king repent before the tombstone of Lagias, I shall behead him.”

“No, Zeke. You must not do such a thing.”

“…Why? The king of this country forced sacrifices upon Lagias. The people live carefree lives without knowing anything. Is that not a sin?”

“Zeke. That is enough. If you do that, the people of the domain who were killed meaninglessly and the past generations of Lagias will not be saved. No one will become happy.”

Happy? They had been controlled without understanding why, killed by their own child, and what part of that was happiness? Were they not frustrated? Did they not want revenge?

“Zeke. You’re free now. You don’t need to stay in this country. Go somewhere far away and be happy. That is our wish.”

“You don’t need to suffer anymore. You really did well.”

The color gradually faded from their eyes. The effects of becoming Watchmen were beginning to disappear.

I did not even know why I did such a thing. My body moved naturally, and I gently held Fool’s and Noisy’s hands.

“…I’m sorry. I wanted to die like a proper parent at the end. —Zeke. I wanted to be with you more. I should have… played with you more.”

“I’m sorry, Zeke. We made you feel lonely. It was painful, wasn’t it? It was hard, wasn’t it? You can hate us if you want. …But I want you to forgive the people of this country. Everyone is a victim. No one is at fault.”

Fool and Noisy gripped my hands tightly while crying. Their body heat felt only faintly warm.

—In the end, those hands slowly slipped from Zeke’s hands.

The expressions on the two who had breathed their last looked somehow peaceful.

A gentle wind blew across the shore of the Lagias lake.

The surface of the lake rippled quietly.

Inside the large Lagias Manor, Van and the others had been invited to a guest room in the building that existed for the House of Lagias.

They were being entertained by the servants, recovering from the fatigue of their journey and organizing the information they had gathered. —One day had passed since the battle against the Watchmen.

“…Is it really okay for us to relax like this?”

“As they say, haste makes waste. For now, let us accept their kindness. …These are fine tea leaves.”

Glanz elegantly enjoyed his black tea. He looked very natural doing so, but Van also felt that he was relaxing too much. …So much had happened the day before. Van could not help growing impatient, feeling that they had to take some kind of action.

“I’ll go talk to Zeke. He looked like he was in pain.”

“That was a joke, right? A joke to ease our tension. Otherwise, I’ll have to pull this trigger.”

“…Van. Do you still need more discipline?”

“Van-san…”

Selen raised a magic gun with a smile on her face, Atri pressured him despite her expressionless face, and Ciel looked sorrowful. Seeing the three girls’ reactions, Van shrank back.

“He will need time. …And so will we. The country will likely begin moving greatly from here on. In the end, nothing has been resolved.”

Glanz narrowed his eyes as he looked at the scenery outside. Perhaps he was worried about what was to come.

“…Come to think of it, where’s Luke? I don’t see him.”

“Luke-san said he was going to greet everyone in the private army. Apparently, he was already acquainted with them.”

There was a large lake behind Lagias Manor. On clear days, a grand panorama spread out, reflecting the beautiful blue sky like a mirror.

Looking at this unreal sight had been one of Hiroto’s routines. It was because he could think quietly here.

I had considered building graves for the two who died by the lakeside, but in the end, I decided to bury them in the cemetery where the past generations of Lagias slept.

This was a very beautiful place, but it was also a place that would become a fierce battlefield near the end of the scenario. A battle would break out over the path leading to the Gate to the Otherworld, which appeared on the night of the new moon.

If their graves were destroyed, I would be furious, and they probably would not be able to rest peacefully with a fierce battle about to happen before them. Above all, I was already done forcing the Lagias couple to go along with the scenario’s convenience. Now that they had been freed, they no longer needed to worry about anything. …I wanted them to rest in peace.

Even though such an intense battle had taken place the day before, gentle time flowed around the lake. Warm sunlight and the wind brushing my cheeks. It was the same scenery as always.

(What have I been doing until now?)

The moment I realized I had possessed Zeke, the worst villain in the story, I thought it was the worst thing that could happen. I felt disgust when I saw his parents, Fool and Noisy, who had tormented and killed so many people of their domain. I truly hated being seen as the same kind of person as them by those around me. I thought they could just ignore the scenario and die.

The reason Hiroto had been able to work this hard was because he had a strong will to survive, but at the same time, there was also the thought that he was different from Fool, Noisy, and the past generations of Lagias, and that he did not want to be lumped together with them.

(What corrupt couple? I just swallowed the knowledge from the original work whole. I acted like I understood without even trying to see their true nature. I’m a complete idiot.)

Fool and Noisy were villains, so I thought there was no point in anything they said, and I had not even tried to get involved with them. Rather, I had considered them convenient pieces for myself because they would take on the role of Watchmen.

I had been afraid of someone being hurt or losing their life. But I had abandoned thinking by deciding that if it was them, it did not matter. Even if they died, it could not be helped. It was their natural punishment. I had thought they should at least exit like proper villains. —All while ignoring my own faults. While trying to convince myself that I was different from them.

(There were no villains anywhere. They… those people were only parents. They were splendid people who had their own selves and continued resisting until the very end. …And I killed them. I killed them. For my own selfish convenience.)

Ever since possessing Zeke, there had been many painful and sad things. Someone was always speaking ill of me. I had always been denied. I had been hated and despised. Even so… I had never shed tears, and they had never flowed. —My vision blurred. Sobs leaked out.

(Hey, Zeke. Did you know? About Fool and Noisy, about Lagias, about this world. …Was that why you, and only you, respected those two?)

Perhaps there had been some secret about Zeke too, only it had never been depicted in the original work. A story where he had no one who understood him, no one to consult, and no choice but to fight alone.

I no longer knew how long I had been by the lakeside. If I raised my eyes, surely I would see the lake illuminated by the glossy sunset. But Hiroto could not do that. All he could do was keep quietly shedding tears.

—Naturally, he did not notice the blond knight watching him from afar.

Before the sun had fully risen, during the hour when morning mist hid the surrounding scenery, a single person led a horse away from the manor.

“Hey, what are you doing this early in the morning?”

A figure emerged from the mist. A person with blond hair and armor, someone anyone could tell was a knight, appeared with a horse.

“…Disappear.”

“How cold. I don’t think our relationship was that chilly.”

Zeke, the last Lagias, and Luke of the Knight Order encountered each other in the morning mist. They should have known each other for a long time until now, yet strangely, it felt as though they were meeting again after several years.

“…You’re going, aren’t you? To meet the king.”

“That has nothing to do with you. This is for my own convenience. Don’t get in my way. —I’ll kill you.”

The white mist froze in an instant from the cold air Zeke released. It mixed with the morning sunlight, becoming diamond dust that glittered as it danced. Bloodlust filled the fantastical atmosphere.

“I don’t intend to get in your way. —I’m going with you.”

“Has your brain rotted? You’re a knight, and you’re going to overlook this even though you know what I’m about to do?”

From Zeke’s perspective, it was an obvious question, and it was only natural that his caution increased. What Zeke was about to do was close to a declaration of war against not only the Knight Order, but the country itself.

“At best, I’ll spend my whole life in prison. Normally, it’s something worthy of execution. To a knight like you, I exist on the opposite side.”

“…Zeke. I became a knight and experienced many things. There were many painful, harsh, and sad things.”

It had been Luke’s dream since long ago, and the back of the father he admired. After chasing that back, he had finally become a knight. But ideals and reality had been far apart. He did not know how many times he had cursed his own powerlessness.

“My desire to become a knight was real. …But I realized that I didn’t become a knight just to do what was right. If all I had to do was follow the law, even a golem could do that.”

What Luke had truly wanted to do. Obey the discipline of the Knight Order and do the same thing as everyone else. It had not been that.

“I chose the wrong organization. What I truly wanted to do was not to pretend to be a knight with no will of my own.”

“…That is the same as saying you will fight the country. I don’t think you can endure it.”

“I can endure it. Because you are————my best friend.”

“…”

A strong wind suddenly blew, sending the morning mist and diamond dust dancing into the sky. The clear blue sky and the light of the sun shone down on the two of them.

“It’ll be all right. No matter how painful or difficult things become… if it’s the two of us, we can overcome them. We won’t even lose to the country… Maybe that’s saying too much?”

“It won’t just be the Knight Order. You’ll be driven out of the country. If you’re caught, you’ll be executed.”

“Then let’s go abroad. We’ll start over from scratch there. Lagias and Hartmann won’t matter. Just Zeke and Luke. Starting as F-rank adventurers wouldn’t be so bad.”

The feeling that had smoldered inside Luke for so long finally became words. He would no longer hesitate. Luke’s sword existed for his friend.

“…You are… no, you really are insane. You’re mad.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you of all people. I’m far more normal than you.”

“Keep talking,” Zeke spat. But there was a smile on his lips. Luke saw his best friend smile for the first time in a long while. —This was the true branching point, the watershed.

“Come to this side. I’ll show you the path.”

“Understood. Let’s go together. I’ll protect your back.”

Time began to move. Time that had stopped finally began to move again. Strangely, their bodies felt lighter, and power welled up inside them.

“We’re not in a hurry, right? …Tell me. I want to know what you’ve been doing until now. —We have plenty of time.”

“Hah. Then work hard so you don’t miss a single word.”

A scene someone had wished for.

A noble from another domain and a commoner who lived in the neighboring domain began walking shoulder to shoulder. A corrupt noble and a knight of the kingdom. The bond that had been severed became a strong tie and crossed paths once more. Not as enemies, but as best friends.

—At last, the story was beginning.

In the Kingdom of Diabalet, one of the greatest powers on the continent, the royal castle that symbolized the country stood in Spirito, its royal capital.

Several bridges were built at the entrance of the castle, which towered in the center of the royal capital. If enemies invaded, combat forces such as the Knight Order would be deployed from other bridges connected to the castle, and in the worst case, they would also serve as evacuation routes to let the royal family escape.

A gigantic bridge led to the front of the royal castle. Among the several bridges, the one with an especially solemn structure was guarded by many royal guards and knights, all keeping watch.

Anyone with normal judgment would never think of approaching it. Even if someone were to attack, they would not choose the place with the strongest defenses. Despite that, two shadows approached. Naturally, they were stopped by the royal guards.

“Halt. Do you understand what kind of place this is?”

“I apologize for the late greeting. I am Luke Hartmann of the Kingdom’s Knight Order.”

“…Oh, Regimental Commander Brink’s son. What is the matter?”

There were two royal guards stationed before the bridge. Their strong wariness eased somewhat.

“I captured a suspicious individual who was observing this royal castle from a little distance away. Therefore, I have come to hand him over.”

“What… Well done.”

The person Luke claimed to have captured wore a cloak that concealed his entire body. He looked suspicious in every way.

“He was quite skilled, so… if it would not be a problem, I would like to assist in escorting him.”

“…Wait a moment. We have procedures to follow too. I’ll call for support.”

One of the royal guards tried to contact the royal castle through a magic tool. It was likely a rule decided in advance. —For the two of them, it was an undesirable development. …One of the royal guards lost consciousness and collapsed. The cloaked person had struck him once in the abdomen.

“Y-You bastard, what are you doing!?”

“Hmm. Looks like we failed. I guess it really was no good.”

“…That is why I told you. This farce was unnecessary. We should simply crush them head-on.”

“!? Hartmann, what are you—!?”

The royal guard lost consciousness from Luke’s knife-hand strike. Perhaps noticing the abnormality, other royal guards came running from the direction of the royal castle.

“They really are well trained.”

“That was expected. —This is where it begins. This is where it starts.”

Zeke threw off his cloak. The black cloak he had been wearing was blown by the wind and danced into the sky. Luke drew his sword from its sheath.

“You bastard! Who are you!?”

“Hah. I’ll explain it so even incompetent fools like you can understand. …………I am the lord of the Lagias Domain—Zeke Lagias.”