"We must kill him!"

Deathbringer moved forward as he listened to that shout.

Tap.

His hand touched the makeshift iron bars. It was a set of iron bars made as a top priority by artisans despite the shortage of hands.

"How do we know the demon isn't recovering its power even at this moment! We must kill him right now...!"

"How? How will we kill him? Right now, when the Hero has collapsed and shows no signs of waking, and most of the Mages are unconscious, how?"

"We'll manage somehow...!"

Furthermore, inside those bars, a man tightly bound by chains and ropes was breathing quietly.

"Hah. Fine. Let's say we manage somehow. But what if the adventurer doesn't die, and only the demon wakes up instead?"

"That's...!"

"What will you do then? If the words the demon spoke back then weren't whispered lies to buy time to recover its power, but a recitation of the complete truth, what will you do then!"

Deathbringer knelt to match eye level with the man. However, doing so didn't actually cause their lines of sight to meet.

It was only natural, as the man hadn't even woken up, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to see his surroundings since a consecrated cloth was covering both of his eyes.

"Besides, didn't you see it too, Bishop! That ability to heal in just a few minutes even after his neck was sliced halfway through! Do you really think you can kill that?"

"Even so, we cannot just leave the demon be! Didn't you see it too, Lord! If that thing wakes up again...!"

"Then even the people who barely survived will all die. Yes. I know. But I also know that the condition for the demon to wake up is the act of trying to kill that adventurer. Do you truly wish to see all the citizens of Bemurhen die, Bishop?"

"I didn't mean it like that, Lord!"

"Didn't mean it like that, my foot! How is what you just said any different from putting all the citizens of Bemurhen on a low-probability gamble!"

But Deathbringer was different.

"Bishop, do you have any idea how critical the current situation is?"

"... I have eyes and ears too. Do you think I wouldn't know how hard you are working, Lord, and how many places your reach still fails to grasp? But..."

"But? Buuuuut? Do you really know? If you truly knew, what you should be saying, Bishop, is anything but 'but'!"

"Lord."

"What we need right now is swifter cooperation and everyone's unity! At this very moment, what truly threatens us is not the Great Demon that man harbors, but the lack of food and medicine, Bishop!!"

He remembered the face wrapped in the consecrated cloth. Thanks to that memory, it was also possible to vividly picture it in his mind.

"Lord, I know that well too, but—"

"Enough! I don't need to hear such words. Instead, let me make my stance clear right here as the Lord of Bemurhen."

Yes, he knew what kind of face was underneath that.

"I will absolutely never! Absolutely never lay a hand on him. At least until the citizens of Bemurhen find peace, even if God opposes my actions, I will not touch him!"

"Lord!!"

... He also knew how that face had slit its own throat.

Deathbringer's face touched the iron bars. He wanted to cry.

"If you wish to dismiss me as a heretic, do as you please. But that will have to be right after the moment all evacuations are complete and the citizens can breathe a sigh of relief."

"... You might regret this."

"I don't care. Furthermore, the Bemurhen Magic Tower branch has also decided to take the same stance as me, so I hope you avoid wasting each other's time by seeking them out."

Meanwhile, the shouting going back and forth behind him died down. Then, when a clanking sound of metal could be heard, it was immediately obvious that it belonged to the Lord and his knights.

"Franz."

"Yes."

"Assign five soldiers to him. Have them guard the front of the prison. So that absolutely no one can touch him!"

"Yes!"

"Also, if anyone tries to touch him, cut them all down no matter who they are. I will take responsibility for everything that happens afterward."

"Do not worry."

The Lord shouted loudly, as if telling everyone around to hear, and one knight and five soldiers began to stand around the prison, surrounding it.

Of course, during that process, Deathbringer, who was sitting in front of the prison, received a few glares. The kind of glare that asked who he was and why he was here.

But in the end, he was not chased away.

The reason being that the Lord recognized his face, and secondly, the Lord made a hand gesture signaling the people around to leave him be.

Deathbringer was a little grateful for that trivial consideration. In the sense that he was protecting the Demon Knight, a little more so.

"Then I will be going now. We can't even make contact with the west, and the criminal bastards who escaped amidst the chaos are raising hell all over the place, so it really pisses me off that I have to waste soldiers even here."

"... Please don't be too angry, Lord. The Temple is just acting like that out of concern for the worst-case scenario, isn't it."

"I know. Their concerns aren't wrong either."

But that favorable impression didn't go beyond a certain point.

"In truth, I wonder if I'm doing the right thing too. If this scene is exactly what the demon wanted... we'll lose the chance to attack then."

Indeed, the way he saw it, the Lord's attitude of protecting the Demon Knight was ultimately only possible because they hadn't suffered any direct harm from it yet.

"But I can't help worrying about the other kind of worst-case scenario. There's also what the Great Sage said."

"Lord..."

"Hoo... I just hope that adventurer doesn't betray my expectations."

If the rampaging Demon Knight, no, the demon that had taken over the Demon Knight's body, had touched the citizens... the Lord definitely wouldn't have shown such a reaction either. Just like how he was roaring in front of the Bishop, yet was now showing skepticism.

"Anyway, I'm counting on you. Franz."

"Yes."

Still, a favor was a favor. Deathbringer hoped that the Lord's thoughts wouldn't change until the end, and he pulled his forehead away from the iron bars.

"... Sir Knight. Is this really the right thing? Guarding a demon... is that really right?"

"Quiet. Our job is to obey orders, not to question them."

"But..."

"If it truly bothers you, change your way of thinking."

"...?"

"Your questions about the order ultimately stem from your fear of the entity inside there. Then, if only because you don't want to face that terrifying thing again, you must follow this order."

Suddenly, the conversation between the knight and the soldier standing nearby pierced his mind.

"Because the act of trying to kill him is exactly what awakens the wicked thing inside him."

["A notification of the fact that the moment you try to plunge a blade into this guy's heart, I will pop out."]

The scene that he had recalled over and over since last dawn made his mind complicated once again.

["Of course, from my perspective, it's actually better if you bastards do that. Then I'll be the one to win the bet, and this vessel will become mine."]

The demon wearing the Demon Knight's face showed unexpected behavior in many ways. Starting with the languid voice drenched in leisure, despite introducing itself as 'Wrath'.

It might be weird to say this, but judging only by voice and tone, one might think the usual Demon Knight was closer to Wrath than that demon was.

["But... right. Giving you a warning like this is also a condition of the bet."]

Throwing people into confusion with things that could be lies or truth was the same.

["... How do we believe that?"]

["If you don't want to believe it, don't. Like I said earlier, I'd prefer it if you guys didn't believe me and attacked. Indeed, there's nothing as easy as killing everyone, right?"]

The guy seemed to know completely how his words would divide humans. Those who believed his words and those who didn't... he had knowingly spat that out, fully aware that they would split into two and fight sluggishly afterward.

["Honestly, if it weren't for the bet, I would have killed you all and gotten rid of you already..."]

Frankly speaking, that didn't suit the name 'Wrath' at all. Lies, deception, fraud, mockery, instigation. It was closer to that sort of crap.

["Look... at how the bet with Gretchen is stopping me..."]

But even knowing that, was there anyone who truly wouldn't play into his trickery?

Humans who couldn't even react, let alone respond, the moment the demon tried to grab the Lord's neck?

... If the demon hadn't stopped itself, or, assuming what it muttered was the truth, if the bet with Gretchen hadn't stopped the demon.

Those who would have watched the Lord die right in front of their eyes in real time?

["Really, don't you think I'm so pitiful? I just want to kill you all and live comfortably... why is Gretchen stopping me?"]

The 'bet' wasn't something visible to the naked eye. However, everyone saw the demon's hand quiver and fail to advance any further, just a paper's width away from tearing out the Lord's throat.

The way it suddenly giggled while disgustingly pleading for sympathy was the same.

It exerted so much force that the veins bulged on the back of its hand not covered by a glove, only to eventually withdraw it and curve the corners of its eyes.

["Well, whatever. Gretchen loves humans to a pitiful degree, but... you guys won't do that, right."]

Really, it was a cunning demon to the very end.

["Right? You'll do that, won't you? You'll just ignore Gretchen's devotion and sacrifice, and execute him, right? You'll let me, you'll let me win the bet, right?"]

It advertised its own danger, yet made it ambiguous whether there truly was a limit to it or not, thereby framing the situation so they couldn't recklessly attack—a truly cunning demon.

["I believe in you. So, please do it within the near future if possible."]

Furthermore, yes.

It convulsed with silent laughter before suddenly dropping its head completely.

["... Are you the Lord. Did the Hero live?"]

["...?"]

["If she is still alive... convey this to her."]

What newly popped out at that was one of the people who would be in the most agony at this point in time.

["Since I failed to repay her trust, tell her to prepare for a definite execution."]

Really, it was a demon that knew the methods of making humans suffer far too well.

["As you'll soon see... killing the demon won't be easy. So make sure to tell her that a much more foolproof preparation will be necessary."]

Yes, far too well.

["... I'm sorry."]

To a damnable degree.

SLICE!

At the sound of something being cut, Deathbringer startled and lifted his head.

"Ah, sorry."

The apology that followed brought forth the image of a dagger's blade that had sliced halfway through a neck and the spurting stream of blood back into his vision.

That memory left behind like an afterimage made Deathbringer terrified for a moment.

"Crazy bastard, cut it properly."

"I said I'm sorry, didn't I."

"If you're sorry, then you eat the smaller piece!"

"What did you say, you punk?"

However, the cause of the sound he heard this time was nothing of the sort. It was merely the tableware of the soldiers, who had to eat their meals right here because they lacked enough personnel for shifts, that was the culprit.

"Both of you, stop. There's plenty of people who can't even get this much, so do you really want to fight over it."

"S-Sorry."

Deathbringer watched that sight and soothed his sinking heart. His stomach, having not eaten anything until this hour, complained of hunger, but he didn't care. He hated the idea of leaving this place just to get some trivial food.

Right now, with the softie and Fighter Boss collapsed and unable to get up, and the Archmage busy saving people, he was the only one left to guard the Demon Knight's side.

... If that man were to wake up and try to kill himself again, he was the only one who would try to stop him.

"Great Sage."

"You're working hard."

"What brings you here."

"First, this."

But had he stayed crouched like that for too long. A new presence was added. Judging by the voice and the knight's address, it seemed to be the Great Sage, Surging Blue Coral.

"I was asked to deliver this."

"I see."

"Secondly, the Lord asked me to check on his condition."

"I will escort you."

"Suit yourself."

Come to think of it, didn't they say Surging Blue Coral saw a person's essence. He didn't know what the hell that essence was... but he truly hoped the results that man saw wouldn't drive the Demon Knight to his death.

No, more accurately, the Demon Knight...

"Take it."

His thoughts were instantly cut off. It was because the Great Sage's presence stopped right next to Deathbringer.

Along with it, a savory scent wafted over. Almost like... the smell of food...?

"My arm's about to fall off. Hurry up and take it."

"...?"

The moment he raised his head to grasp the situation, Deathbringer ended up having something handed to him by Surging Blue Coral.

It was a half-shoved handover. Because the bowl had been pushed toward his face even before he could reach out his hands.

"T-Thank you...?"

"Tsk."

Deathbringer looked at the soup contained in the wooden bowl—which wasn't even properly finished, as if it had been carved in a hurry—and then looked at the Great Sage. As if something was wrong with his body, he was currently being carried on another person's back.

He felt a bit awkward.

He was grateful, but... why would the Great Sage?

"Your guardian asked me for a favor, so put away those questioning eyes. I only brought it along since I was coming anyway."

Fortunately, Deathbringer's confusion was quickly cleared up.

That's right, he said he came because the Lord asked him to check on his condition. And unless the Lord was crazy, the person whose condition he wanted checked had to be the Demon Knight... so it seemed he literally just grabbed it on his way over. His guardian... was probably the Archmage.

"... It's quite a spectacle."

Separately, the moment Deathbringer heard the words the Great Sage uttered, a feeling of hostility arose in him.

He couldn't even fathom what that damn essence was, but no matter how he thought about it, it didn't seem like the Great Sage would see anything good in the Demon Knight's essence—since the demon was there—and saying something like 'It's quite a spectacle' to a person harboring a demon honestly just sounded like he was making fun of him.

"It has been a truly long time since I've been disillusioned with the species called humans, and yet..."

But before Deathbringer could lose his temper and say a word, Surging Blue Coral finished his thought first.

"For the first time, I felt like looking back on the possibilities of humans."

He wasn't entirely sure, but... unlike the Temple, those sounded like words affirming the Demon Knight.

Meaning, they sounded like words that went beyond simply arguing that the Demon Knight should be kept alive, and seemed to acknowledge just how hard the person known as the Demon Knight had struggled.

"To think a person like this could exist in the world."

But because of that, it was saddening.

Even if the Great Sage offered such praise, it was clear that the majority of the people here would equate the Demon Knight with the demon.

Because this was a world where your devotion wouldn't even be recognized, let alone rewarded.

Because the thought that you would gladly accept even that wouldn't go away...

He couldn't help but feel a deep sorrow.

It was a truly sorrowful thing.