"...Wait a moment, what do you mean by 'collect'? What does that mean?"
Luina's eyes grew somewhat fierce.
"I don't understand what you're saying. If it weren't for this guy, I would have had no reason to consume these items. Shouldn't he naturally pay the price? Personally."
"Are you saying you won't hand him over to the Judges?"
The Judges.
A group with a long tradition that began with the history of the Empire and continued to exist until now.
They were an organization directly under the Emperor, with the primary goal of finding and destroying demons.
"You mean those folks who are barely clinging to life under the name of tradition without any real purpose?"
They were people who wielded absolute power under the mission of destroying demons, but that was all in the past.
A thousand years was an extremely long time. During that long period, demons had not resurged, and the Judges lost their value.
Yet the reason the Judge system was maintained was only one: because the first Emperor had specified it in imperial law.
To never abolish the Judge system in preparation for when the demons would resurge.
But while it wasn't abolished, its scale and authority had diminished to almost nothing.
"What are you doing now?"
"I'm checking his condition."
Gerhard held Veriana's wrist and sent mana through to examine her inside. But there was no trace of demonic energy to be found anywhere.
'I expected this.'
No matter what happened to Veriana in the future according to the prophecy book, demons had been operating covertly for the past thousand years without being discovered.
There was no way they would reveal their traces so easily.
'Then why did they reveal themselves against Aint?'
Because Aint was the seed of the imperial family that had destroyed them? Were they trying to crush the sprout?
It was something impossible to know unless one was directly involved. It wasn't particularly important at the moment either.
"Try checking for yourself too. As far as I can sense, there's not a single trace of demonic energy."
"How can there be not even a bit when she was emitting such immense demonic energy?"
"So you believe in demonic energy?"
"It was my first time experiencing such energy. It was at a level that couldn't be explained unless it was demonic energy."
Of course, what's more curious is how you knew about such things, but that's another matter.
Luina, who had been half-doubtful, checked internally and was shocked.
"How is this possible...?"
"In my opinion, handing her over to the Judges, who are virtually in name only, would likely result in them finding nothing."
Even if they did find something, wouldn't it be pitiful for her?
Gerhard, who had been looking at Luina with eyes that seemed to reproach her for being excessively cold, continued.
"Marquis Kalproten will abandon her. In the end, she'll just become a demon's toy and then meet her end."
"She lost the right to receive sympathy the moment she sold her soul to a demon. And since when have you been a person overflowing with compassion?"
"What if she didn't sell her soul to a demon?"
"...What do you mean?"
Luina tilted her head, as if she couldn't understand.
"I mean, who really knows whether she just went crazy, ate something wrong, or sold her soul to a demon? If neither you nor I saw it."
"...Are you crazy?"
Gerhard took a step closer. Luina hesitated at his resolute gaze.
"We didn't see anything. Luina Berchef."
He grabbed Luina's shoulders.
"Nothing."
"Such nonsense...!"
"Neither you nor I can feel any demonic power from her. All that's left is a pitiful body on the verge of death as a result. Where exactly do you see a demon?"
"No matter how much you twist words, you can't hide the truth."
Gerhard shrugged.
"I'll extend the interest exemption period by another half year."
"I will never..."
"Nine months."
"Never..."
"Let's make it a full year, exactly."
"...I never saw anything."
The noble knight succumbed to money.
***
There wasn't a single point of light.
In the pitch-black darkness, he couldn't see anything.
He walked aimlessly.
When he thought he was getting tired and there was a sweet taste in his mouth, the darkness lifted.
The center of the dueling area set up in the classroom.
He was standing holding a sword, and in front of him was a man with golden hair.
'Aint Armian...!'
His eyes were bloodshot. The battle broke out in an instant.
He swung his sword. He used everything he had learned so far. His sword was fast and sharp.
But his opponent's sword was heavier. With each collision, aura was chipped away.
Though both were being chipped away, the one who was at a greater disadvantage was him.
'This can't be...!'
He screamed as if in agony, but no sound came from his mouth.
His body became heavier and heavier. His aura was being depleted.
'If I had done that then! If I had blocked there at that moment!'
Perhaps the result would have been different.
But in the end, the one who knelt was him again.
"Winner! Aint Armian!"
The name of the winner called out by the instructor was not his.
Everyone was surprised by the unexpected turn of events. At the same time, the world flipped.
This time it was a reception room. The reception room of Lavidus Hall, given only to the upper ranks.
He scratched the back of his hand and waited anxiously. A moment later, the door opened and Prince Rudger II appeared.
'I'm sor...'
Before he could even speak, his mouth opened on its own.
"...I'm sorry."
The prince quietly stared at him. It was a silence where one second felt like an hour.
How much time had passed? The prince finally opened his mouth.
"What is there to be sorry about? It's just that my expectations might have been a bit high."
"I was unlucky. His mana was denser and more abundant than I expected. Next time, next time I'm confident I won't lose. Please believe me."
"Next time, huh."
The prince patted his shoulder with a soft smile.
"It seems too early to talk about next time."
"Your Highness...!"
"For now, recuperate your body and mind. If there's another opportunity, we'll talk again."
The prince stood up without even listening to his answer.
'Your Highness...! Your Highness! No!'
He desperately called out to the receding back, but no voice came out.