hotmtlnovel Chapter 12
Chapter 12
The Palace Conference Room.
The palace conference room buzzed with activity.
Leading the gathering were the Emperor and the Crown Princess, joined by high-ranking nobles and the brave warriors of the hero’s party.
“It seems the beacon was lit from the Ephalter family estate,” Linachien announced, breaking the silence.
Normally, it would have been the Emperor who spoke first, but with her formal training as the heir in full swing, Linachien had taken the lead.
Despite her calm tone, Linachien couldn’t entirely mask her anxiety, revealing how much she still had to learn.
“If the beacon was lit in Ephalter, it’s likely there are demons lurking in that backwater.”
“The beacon signaled the discovery of demons, and it’s been lit twice more since then. This isn’t a mistake,” another noble clarified, setting the scene.
They had to understand the situation: demons were discovered in Ephalter, and the repeated beacon signals confirmed it.
“The Demon King is dead! The holy crown’s glow proves that!” one noble exclaimed.
“But the beacon was lit. Three times, no less. The Demon King is certainly dead, and demons still exist,” another countered.
“And they’re in cities across our empire!”
“What should we do about this?”
The room was filled with repetitive arguments, typical of bureaucratic debate.
“I warned that places like Ephalter are prime hiding spots for demons, and that our defense systems needed strengthening!” one noble chided.
“If demons are still alive, does that mean the Demon King might return soon?” another speculated, causing unnecessary fear.
“Send a subjugation force immediately! Just because the Demon King is dead doesn’t mean the demons vanished overnight. They are remnants that need to be eradicated,” someone proposed.
“And how do you plan to capture those brutal demons?” another question.
The debate went in circles, with no progress made.
‘What’s the conclusion, you idiots?!’ Lucy would have shouted if she were here.
Naidrian wished Luci were present; as a hero, she wouldn’t tolerate such an unproductive meeting.
She would end it swiftly with her rage and decisiveness.
“Excuse me, everyone. I think it’s better to discuss how to deal with the demons in Ephalter and our future plans,” Naidrian ventured timidly.
His voice was too soft to be heard in the din.
Feeling embarrassed after his failed attempt to bring order, Naidrian lowered his head, catching the gazes of Linachien and Arsil.
Arsil looked both sympathetic and bored, while Linachien wore a faint, superior smile.
“We are getting nowhere with this discussion,” Reinhold interjected, silencing the room.
The strikingly handsome, blond-haired young man commanded attention as he stood.
“Regardless of your opinions, without the Emperor’s and Crown Princess’s approval, they mean nothing.”
How could he be so arrogant?
Though his tone was polite, his words were full of conceit.
Arsil and Naidrian, along with the other nobles, were taken aback.
Reinhold, known for his kind and gentle manner, was now openly dismissive, and it unsettled them.@@@@
“You speak out of turn, Sir Reinhold. The imperial family values the input of the talented individuals gathered here to select and implement the most reasonable plan,” Linachien corrected.
“I apologize, Your Highness. I also apologize to everyone present for my rudeness,” Reinhold responded.
It was a well-rehearsed act, Arsil thought.
Linachien had always orchestrated scenes to make herself look good, and now Reinhold had taken the place of her former accomplice.
“Let us begin with the basics,” Linachien said, nodding to Reinhold, who retrieved an object from a waiting attendant.
Arsil’s eyes widened as she recognized the sacred crown, which sealed the Demon King’s horn.
“How dare you bring a sacred artifact from the church without permission!” Arsil exclaimed.
“We have the Pope’s approval for its use in this meeting. Everything was done through proper channels, so please remain calm, Your Holiness,” Reinhold replied coolly.
Arsil ground her teeth in frustration.
The Pope had made a deal with Linachien without informing her.
Trying to regain her composure, Linachien took the sacred crown from Reinhold and held it up for all to see. “As you can see, the crown is glowing, sealing the Demon King’s dark magic. This proves that the Demon King has not resurrected.”
It never suited her anyway.
She would return to relying solely on her fists.
“In any case, we need to check on the demons of the Ephalter family.”
“Oh my, are you finally understanding?”
“Not understanding the hypothesis, but verifying it.”
“...Very well. I will form a subjugation squad. The High Elf Naidrian and Saintess Arsil will lead it.”
“Are you suggesting we face demons without a shield knight or mage?!”
Naidrian raised his voice for the first time.
It was almost a scream.
“We have no choice. If the entire hero’s party participates in the subjugation, the capital will be like an empty house. If the demons attack the capital, there will be no way to defend it.”
“The same goes for the Elven Forest! Moreover, the Elven Forest is...!”
“Naidrian! Enough!”
“Arsil!”
Arsil shook her head, signaling it was useless.
Both were conflicted.
They had committed all sorts of wrongdoings for the greater good, but achieved nothing and now were about to be discarded.
In the end, they were about to face punishment from the goddess.
Quite a late self-reflection for a saintess.
“You, calm down.”
The saintess told the shield knight with a detached expression.
“Excessive behavior will lead to harsher punishment.”
“What do you mean by that?”
But the shield knight shamelessly raised his chin.
“Enough. Let’s go. We’re no longer needed here. We’ll leave first, Your Highness.”
“Yes, take a good rest until the subjugation squad departs.”
They had no strength left to be angry at the sly smirk.
Swallowing a sigh, Arsil and Naidrian turned to leave.
[I draw.]
A voice that couldn’t be heard, shouldn’t be heard, echoed through the heavens.
Kwoooom!
With a thunderous roar, the holy sword Hononima emitted a crimson golden light.
“Aaaah!”
The attendant holding the holy sword screamed and threw it, but Hononima floated in the air, shining even brighter.
[A peaceful day with this person... Please... Goddess, save him...]
That voice, somewhere between desperate and sobbing, was filled with sorrow and earnestness.
It belonged to Lucy.
While everyone was frozen, Hononima vibrated violently, then shot up, piercing the palace ceiling.
The crimson golden trail of light marked the holy sword’s flight briefly before disappearing.
Arsil was the first to come to her senses.
She looked at the Crown Princess, glaring at the sky with a twisted face, and asked the mage.
“The hero has fallen into corruption?”
“Correction. The holy sword emits light reflecting the hero’s characteristics. This generation’s hero, Luciana Estel, has a crimson golden light. The light just now was also crimson golden. Therefore, the Crown Princess and the shield knight’s hypothesis is proven wrong.”
Tegria stated this impassively.
“In other words, the hero has returned.”
Their initial plan had failed.