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The thorough search of the Duke’s Castle had begun.

The interior of the castle was relatively well-preserved. It seemed only the entrance had collapsed, while the inside, aside from being quite dusty, was intact.

“I remember this corridor… this ceiling… everything…”

Ariel muttered as she used wind magic to clean up the dust. As the dust flew away, revealing broken tables, chairs, picture frames, and shattered dishes, she reminisced about the past. A time that had passed too quickly… a time that had vanished.

“Yes, this was the reception room…”

Knowing the sad history tied to this place, it was hard to approach her with words.

How could one console her, who had lost her husband and family overnight, without even being able to recover their bodies? All I could do was keep my mouth shut and follow behind Ariel.

The reason for searching the castle today was to recover the remains of Duke Kyle Roelgreen.

Kyle, who had fought to the end against the demons, is revered as a hero even by the Empire. Considering his achievements, it was only right to recover his remains and give him a grand funeral.

Thinking about such a meaningful mission made me feel a bit shabby. After all, my purpose here was to get my hands on the famous sword, Prandecker, or any other useful items.

What, you think I have a grave robber’s mindset?

It’s a pity, but this is how it is. To save this world from the players, I can’t afford to be picky about my methods. Why else would I go through the trouble of cross-dressing as Trinity and playing two roles?

If it helps, I’ll even use demons, not just humans. That’s how determined I am.

So, I’m not a grave robber. I’m not taking things for my own greed, but borrowing them for everyone’s happiness.

I came here with such a grand goal in mind.

And apart from that, there was something I really wanted to check here…

But compared to that…

“Why are you here?”

“What? Is there a reason I shouldn’t be here?”

Luna answered curtly.

She was following me, covering her mouth with a handkerchief due to the dust.

The ones who entered the Duke’s Castle were me, Wendy, Ariel, and Luna. While others might understand, I couldn’t comprehend why Luna was here. Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked, but as soon as I saw her face, I regretted it.

If she just kept her mouth shut, she’d look like a pretty girl. But that arrogant face of hers makes me not want to talk.

The ‘pride’ in my heart stirs. Is this what they call self-loathing? No matter how arrogant Tristan is, he hates others being arrogant.

“No… there’s no reason.”

“Wait.”

I tried to ignore her, but Luna grabbed me.

“Your steps are too fast.”

“…?”

What does she want…?

I tried to ignore her again and go on my way, but Luna suddenly blocked my path.

“Wait! If you rush like that, the dust will fly up.”

“…So?”

“Stick close to me and walk slowly.”

With that, Luna grabbed my sleeve with her fingers. It seems our Emperor needed someone to pull her along.

I wanted to shake her off, but it seemed too harsh, so I let her be. If she couldn’t keep up, she’d let go on her own.

And so, we continued following Ariel deeper into the castle. The moonlight seeped through the windows. I wondered why Ariel wanted to enter the castle at such a late hour, but it must have been because of Luna.

“Don’t make that face like you’ve bitten a bug. I also came here to check something.”

“Something to check?”

“Don’t play dumb. Haven’t you noticed?”

“Since entering Roelgreen Castle, we haven’t been able to find any remains of monsters or demons.”

Ariel, who was ahead, answered instead of me. She had already wiped away her sentimental expression and returned to her cold, professor-like demeanor.

“Isn’t it strange? They say so many monsters swarmed in, but there should be plenty of their remains, right?”

“……”

“Of course, they could have rotted away or been eaten by other monsters. But this place has been sealed off for years… At a glance, there don’t seem to be any monsters or demons here.”

Ariel carefully examined the scattered bones as she spoke. As she said, the bones lying around were mostly clad in Imperial Army armor.

“I also felt something was off. I thought there might be clues in the Duke’s Castle. And… seeing it in person, it’s clear. The ‘Autumn Tragedy’ is—”

“Perhaps the ‘Autumn Tragedy’ isn’t the ‘Autumn Tragedy’ we know… That’s what you’re saying.”

At my words, Ariel and Luna quietly nodded.

The ‘Autumn Tragedy,’ a major event where a large number of monsters attacked the castle. There were many unclear aspects to that incident. With almost no survivors, there were limits to further investigation.

When I asked Sherry, the chief of the Toin tribe, about the incident, I heard an unexpected story.

“Huh? Monsters attacking a human castle? I’ve never heard of such a thing…”

The fact that Sherry, the eldest of the Toin tribe, had no knowledge of it suggested that such an event likely never happened.

Just in case, I investigated other tribes, but they all had the same reaction as Sherry.

In other words… it’s highly likely that the ‘Autumn Tragedy’ wasn’t caused by a monster attack.

I looked down at the scattered bones and thought.

‘What did they fight against here?’

The truth of the tragedy might be revealed by investigating the Duke’s Castle. But coincidentally, both of them had similar goals to mine. Especially Ariel…

“I want to know. What happened here that day… Why so many people died… The whole truth. And…”

Ariel wiped her face with her hand. Then she glared at me coldly.

“If there’s someone responsible, they must take responsibility.”

“…Right.”

I know there’s no other way.

The Ruelberta family, who delayed sending reinforcements at the time, bears some responsibility for this tragedy. It’s only natural that she, as the victim, would resent them.

Even if the truth that comes to light is unfavorable to me… I’ll think about what to do then.

Besides, whatever was done, it was the work of Tristan’s father, William, not Tristan himself. This time, Tristan has nothing to do with it, I thought subtly.

But now, the worry wasn’t about me.

“…Are you okay?”

“Ye, yes?!”

Wendy, who had been beside me, didn’t look well. I bent one knee to match her eye level.

“You don’t look good. It’s okay to go back now.”

“I-I’m fine…”

Wendy’s face was pale. Now that I think about it, this place was filled with a creepy atmosphere with bones scattered around.

I felt a pang of guilt. Had I been too insensitive? This wasn’t a sight for a young girl…

“It’s just… it’s a bit depressing here…”

“It’s all in the past.”

“Huh?”

I tightly held Wendy’s trembling hand.

“The sadness and sorrow here are not yours. So, don’t be afraid.”

“Count…”

“Come here.”

“Ah?! W-wait!”

I quickly picked Wendy up and held her close, burying her face in my chest so she wouldn’t see the bones or the darkness.

“Hiii… B-but in front of others… This isn’t okay…”

“Since when have I cared about others’ gazes?”

“B-but…”

Actually, I do care about others’ gazes… It’s just that Wendy’s condition worried me enough to endure it.

Fortunately, Wendy’s trembling stopped shortly after I held her. It was worth holding her when she shivered from the cold or had nightmares. Though she usually hates being treated like a child, she never refuses this.

Of course, she blushes to the tips of her ears, but that can’t be helped…

“…How disgusting.”

I looked down at the owner of the voice, Luna.

“Seeing you act so tenderly with a child makes me nauseous… Hmph… Anyone would think you’re a really kind person.”

“Too bad for you. I don’t have the energy to hold you right now.”

“?! Who asked you to hold me, you crazy bastard?!”

“Then it’s fine. I’ll go ahead.”

“W-wait! Go slower!”

I held Wendy and followed Ariel. Behind me, Luna carefully followed, hating the dust. Seeing her come this far despite her obsessive-compulsive tendencies, she must have made up her mind.

We explored every corner of the castle.

Ariel wandered through the maze-like interior without getting lost.

Feeling guilty for being comfortable, Wendy kept trying to look around, so I used my body to block her view. She peeked out like a small animal hiding.

“!”

Whenever our eyes met, Wendy quickly lowered her head. Did she think she wouldn’t get caught? I responded by patting her head.

Her shy smile each time was so endearing that it provided a brief moment of healing in the heavy atmosphere.

However, inversely, Luna’s gaze grew colder…

“…Ah.”

Then, Ariel, who was leading, stopped.

I thought we were about to arrive, and it seemed we had finally reached our destination.

“Where is this?”

“The Duke’s Study.”

I answered Luna’s question instead of Ariel. I already knew from the original work, but even if I didn’t, it was clear this was a study. The shelves filled with books and dusty tomes hinted at the owner’s reading habits.

We had arrived at the top floor of the Duke’s Castle. This was the space the Duke used as his personal study. And it was also the place that became my main purpose for coming here.

Unlike before, Ariel couldn’t hide her emotions as she began to look around the space before us.

“Remembering the past?”

“…This is my first time coming in here.”

“First time?”

At my question, Ariel slowly nodded.

“Kyle didn’t like me coming here. He said it disturbed his reading.”

“…A bookworm?”

“No, not at all. He was just… too young when he became the Duke, so he had no leisure. He needed a place to escape, I guess.”

Ariel muttered with a lonely expression, looking at the books scattered around.

“Whenever he had time, he would come here and shut himself in. Like it was some secret base. So much so that only one person besides him ever came in.”

“One person? Who was that?”

“Huh?”

This was information even I hadn’t heard. At my curious question, Ariel looked like she had been asked something absurd.

“Well… who else could it be? Count, your—”

“Hey. Come here and look at this.”

“Your Majesty?”

Luna interrupted Ariel’s answer. Where Luna called us, there was a pile of collapsed books and miscellaneous items. And in the middle of it was what I had been looking for.

“Prandecker…”

Ariel muttered, recognizing the famous sword.

It was a beautiful sword. A long, elegant design. Though years had passed, it seemed to have lost none of its sharpness. The blade of Prandecker faintly glowed under the moonlight seeping through the ceiling.

“My husband’s sword…”

“So that’s Kyle’s sword… Truly beautiful.”

Even Luna was mesmerized.

Prandecker, known as the sword among swords.

Made from a dragon’s spine, its blade, white as jade, and its sharpness are unparalleled. It’s a rare sword that even the wealthy Ruelberta family couldn’t buy, making it all the more desirable.

However, it wasn’t me who held the sword, but Ariel.

“Ugh…”

Ariel, who had tried to pull the sword out without thinking, flinched. She tried several times with all her strength, but the sword embedded in the floor wouldn’t budge.

‘Could it be…’

In the original work, the protagonist Peter pulled it out effortlessly, so I didn’t know, but was it a sword that chose its master?

“No. Why won’t it… Ugh…”

“Huh? What’s wrong, Ariel?”

“Your Majesty… The sword won’t come out.”

“What…?”

If that’s the case… I can’t pull the sword out either.

No, actually, it’s better this way. If Prandecker is a sword that chooses its master, then the person who can pull it out is already decided.

I gently set the girl in my arms down and spoke.

“Try pulling the sword out. Wendy.”

“Huh? M-me?!”

Wendy, Peter’s younger sister and a descendant of the hero, is a strong candidate to pull out Prandecker.

“Yes. Give it a try.”

“B-but… I’m too small and weak…”

“It doesn’t matter. If it doesn’t come out, we’ll just leave it.”

At that moment, I didn’t expect what would happen next.

Wendy hesitated but eventually stepped forward.

“Is it okay if I try…?”

“It’s fine.”

Ariel shrugged. She might have thought the sword was just deeply embedded. But I, who had read the original work, knew. The protagonist Peter had pulled out Prandecker without any trouble.

Wendy approached Prandecker. With her back to us, she gripped the hilt and… pulled with all her might.

*Crack.*

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Ah?”

Was that the sound of a sword being pulled out?

“Uh, um…”

Wendy turned to us, fidgeting, and asked.

“Is… is this sword supposed to come apart…?”

“……”

In her hand was the hilt.

The pure white blade remained embedded in the floor. In other words… Prandecker had broken. By Wendy’s hand.

“My husband’s… sword… Ahh…”

*Thud.*

“Ariel?! Hey!”

Ariel fainted upon seeing her husband’s sword broken. Wendy and Luna were both thrown into chaos.

“Eeeek?! P-Professor Ariel?!”

“You, you! What have you done?!”

“Kyaaa?! W-what did I do…?!”

“What do you mean what? You broke it!”

“Eeeek! W-what do I do?!”

Could Wendy’s ‘misfortune’ have played a role here?

No, only the hilt came off, so it’s not completely ruined. If we take it to a craftsman like Albert, maybe it can be repaired…

Then it happened.

*Rumble.*

“W-what’s that?!”

“Kyaaa?!”

The Duke’s Castle began to shake.

An earthquake? No… this isn’t that…

‘Count! Be careful!’

I came to my senses at the sound of Myohail’s voice in my head. Come to think of it, he was here.

“Gather here!”

“Eeek?!”

I quickly held Wendy. Then I grabbed Luna and Ariel.

Fortunately, the timing wasn’t too late.

*Rumble rumble!*

As Myohail’s protective barrier surrounded us, the floor gave way.

A dizzying sense of weightlessness hit me.

In that brief moment, familiar messages appeared before my eyes.

[You have met the minimum conditions to become the Demon Lord!]

[The Trial of Despair has begun!]

[Trial Difficulty: Immeasurable]

 

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