“But Ariel, I just don’t get what’s bothering you so much.” Eluria held her teacup in both hands and curiously tilted her head. “Why do you feel so bad about the Verminants’ betrayal?”
“What do you mean? Is it not a detestable act to betray the homeland you’d sworn loyalty to?”
“Mm... Then let’s say a million lives are at risk—betraying your country will save them, while staying loyal will kill them all. Would you still prioritize your loyalty?”
“What kind of forced logic is that?!”
“It’s not forced at all. Had Vegalta resisted till the very end, Altane would have thoroughly crushed them to prevent any future rebellion and to show an example to the surrounding nations. Countless more lives would have been sacrificed without the Verminants’ betrayal,” Eluria said, her voice calm and impassive as she spun the teaspoon in her cup. “So I don’t think you need to feel bad about it. Just think of it as if your family made the best choice they could have amid that worst-case scenario. It’s not like they betrayed the country out of self-interest.”
Ariel frowned. “How... How are you so sure of that?”
“Because a young Verminant I know is like that.” Eluria’s lips formed a small smile. “If he were the type to act purely on self-interest...then he wouldn’t have risked his own life just to save his friends.”
For some reason, a certain memory surfaced in Ariel’s mind—a journal that had been left by one of the past heads of House Verminant. It had been written soon after Vegalta had been crushed and absorbed by Altane, when House Verminant was constantly being disparaged by the Vegaltan people and mocked by the Altanians for their betrayal.
“I feel terribly for our descendants. My father gave his own head to take responsibility for his decision and to quell the people’s anger, but the smear upon our family’s name will likely remain till the end of time. However, I do not think his choice was wrong.”
The leader of House Verminant at the time had borne the brunt of the disdain and mockery, but instead of hiding away in shame, he had taken advantage of Altane’s patronage to extend support to the former Vegaltan citizens and even the surrounding nations—all at the cost of living an impoverished and deprived life himself, so much so that it would have been hard to believe he used to be an aristocrat.
“To be a knight is to protect the people even if it means dirtying one’s hands in the enemy’s blood—or in this case, by smearing our name in mud. We Verminants have fulfilled our duty, and that is nothing to be ashamed of. If that is my family’s will, then I shall proudly live out the rest of my life as a ‘traitor.’”
The journal Ariel had read long ago...had been signed at the end by one “Fareg Verminant.”
“So, like I said, there’s no need to feel so bad,” Eluria whispered.
Ariel huffed. “Is it really that simple...?”
“I mean, Vegalta’s also at fault for being betrayed. They failed to realize that the situation had gotten so out of hand that they were at risk of betrayal. Besides, they shouldn’t have even let things get that bad from the start. The moment they realized their so-called strategy of just ‘fending off’ Altane wasn’t working, they should have begun devising alternate plans and recruiting capable personnel to—”
“Do you have a bone to pick with your own homeland or something?!” Ariel snapped. She’d heard that in the Second World, Vegalta had not only developed magic but was also prospering in many aspects as a nation. Perhaps Eluria was quite bothered to see such a stark difference between how her homeland fared between the two worlds.
“Also,” Eluria continued, “in hindsight, it was a good thing that I died then, so I’m willing to drop it.”
“I’m starting to wonder if anything bothers you at this point...”
“I mean, it was a fact that I’d let my guard down. Thanks to that, I thought to develop new spells for detecting poisons and other abnormalities after I was reincarnated. I even got to see the fruits of my pupils’ labor with my own eyes. I’m quite satisfied.”
“Please, don’t tell my father that... He took your life after so much internal struggle, he might just lose it if he heard you give such positive feedback...” Ariel chuckled—it was a dry and exhausted sound, but also the first time she smiled during this discussion. Finally, she heaved out a sigh and looked up at the ceiling. “Good grief... If I was going to betray Altane anyway, then I should have just gone with Dian.”
“Hmm? Why?”
“I was just thinking that we could have betrayed Viteos together—losing two Heroes would be a huge blow to Altane, after all—then gone to the Second World together and just asked you for help. Then Dian and his subordinates wouldn’t have lost their lives for—”
“On the contrary, they’re probably enjoying themselves right about now.”
“Yes, I know, they must be... Huh?”
“Speaking of Dian, he told me to give this to you once I met you.” Eluria produced a small slab from midair and handed it to Ariel. “I don’t really know much about machines, so it’s all yours.”
“This is...a recording medium. He must’ve used this because our magic devices don’t always work due to the mana pollution.” Ariel inserted the slab into a machine on the desk and waited as the recording whirred to life on the screen.
“Yo, Ariel. You’d better listen to whoever hands this recording to you. They’ve got a pretty good plan up their—”
“Your Excellency, I caught another one! I finally beat your record!”
“Shut up, Bracchio! Didn’t I tell you I’m busy right now?!”
“M-My apologies! But Burgess and Viktor refuse to pause the match for me!”
“Goddammit, it’s just fishing! You guys have been way too riled up since you lost to me the other day! And don’t you feel bad for Rendi?! The poor guy’s just been staring blankly at his rod this whole time!”
“No, wait! Rendi’s rod finally moved! But if he lets this one go, he might never get up on his feet again... Your Excellency, please offer him some words of encouragement!”
“Oh, for the love of... Ugh! Anyway, Ariel—just listen to what they say, got it? If you start barkin’ about your loyalty bullshit again, then I’m gonna call you a dumb li’l pooch the next time we meet!”
The recording came to an end just as Dian turned back to his subordinates, all fishing cheerfully in the background. Ariel stared blankly at the dark screen before slowly looking to the ceiling once more. “I just...don’t want to think anymore...”
“Have some milk tea,” Eluria offered. “It should help calm you.”
“Okay... Thanks...” Ariel took a sip from the cup Eluria offered her, downing the (now cold) milk tea in a single gulp, before gazing into the distance with a blank smile. “Okay. Guess I’ll betray them.”
“I’m glad you’ve made your decision.”
“So, what do you need from me? The number of the capital’s troops and their positions? The routines of the higher-ups? I know a bunch of other stuff too, if you need.”
“Wow, you really doubled down...” Eluria winced, drawing back a little.
In any case, Dian’s recording was all Ariel needed to see. When he had still been in this world, Dian had been struggling over what it meant to be a Hero; his personal beliefs and the cruel circumstances of their life here had clashed fiercely, cornering him mentally, but he’d hidden it all beneath his rough exterior and crude speech. But in the recording, she could see the life in his eyes again as he engaged in lighthearted banter with his subordinates. That was enough of an answer for Ariel.
“For starters,” said Eluria, “I want whatever information you can give me on their military strength. Then, tell them that this outpost was annihilated by the Demon Lord—and pass along a message for me too.”
“That should be easy. Is that really all?”
“Mm-hmm. After that, it’s Raid’s turn to act.” Eluria looked up, her eyes blazing with unwavering trust. “He said that he needed to clean up his unfinished business with his own two hands.”
□
“Raid Freeden...!”
Viteos could not suppress his boiling anger. That man had always got in his way. His speech was polite and his mannerisms courteous, but Viteos could always see the disdain in his eyes. Nobody in the world should have even dared look at the emperor in such a way. Viteos would never forget that.
Beside him, the previous emperor gasped. “Raid Freeden? Y-You mean the legendary Sage who— Agh!”
Seething, Viteos struck the former emperor with his scepter. “How dare you call that lowly peasant a Sage?!”
That man had always received far more credit than he was due. As a measly peasant born in an impoverished village, his miserable life should have ended in starvation, or he should have been put to some use as a soldier or slave. He should have just mindlessly slaughtered their enemies like the monster that he was, but the beast dared to play human—play the hero, even—by saving others and improving life in the desolate villages around their land. His shrewd and crafty ways had actually earned him the title of “Hero” among the other peasants in the army, as well as the support of some naive and foolish nouveau riche, through which he’d gained connections to some of the higher-class aristocracy. Those imbeciles had then gone on to side with that monster in opposing Viteos’s brilliant revolutionary policies at every turn.