Despair
The horse carriage rushed back at top speed, resulting in it crashing into things as it bolted back to the inn. As a consequence of travelling so fast, the journey was extremely rocky. I was thrown around so violently that I felt nauseous. My head hurt from hitting the carriage, but I never had so much mental clarity. I kept on thinking what the chapel was after, as there was something missing no matter how I thought about it. The missing component was the finishing blow. I kept trying to discern what they were after until I thought of Leah.
Leah was missing from their plan. The chapel needed Leah. The chapel needed the adventurers who fought against the demons and weapons. They didn"t need to harm Queen Sisi, but they did need to teach her what modesty meant. Queen Sisi considered her heroic war accomplishments to be her subjugation of demons, and every one believed that their Queen was the Queen who subdued the demons. If they told everyone the demons weren"t exterminated and a new Demon King emerged, everyone would chide the Queen. They would complain she didn"t end the war. Subsequently, the Queen, who subdued the demons, would instantly become a Queen no different to the previous monarchs. That would be a ma.s.sive blow to Queen Sisi. I had considered that, but I felt that the chapel wouldn"t do that, as it sounded outlandish and impossible.
The chapel didn"t have a suitable candidate, but I finally figured it out. Their best option was Leah!! Leah is the Demon King"s daughter. I didn"t know how long the chapel was aware of that, but they knew it long ago. In fact, their last attempt to kidnap Leah might not have been for money or flavouring. They wanted just Leah!! I fell for it!!
My rage got the better of me. I took it for granted. The chapel"s plan was downright menacing. They didn"t just want flavouring or money. The pope demonstrated excellent wits. He wasn"t after either of those things. His plan was grandiose and unrealistic; however, the plan proceeded forward the entire time without me realising.
I played right into their hands. I brought Leah, who they wanted, to the imperial capital. The pope already realised I"d definitely come to the imperial capital after the last incident. Whether I was out for revenge or needed to ally with the Queen was of no importance. They read my mind. If a light bulb didn"t just light up for me, I"d still be in the dark, believing the pope wanted to a.s.sa.s.sinate Queen Sisi. The pope"s invitation had the same intent as mine. It was to lure me away!!!"
The chapel was about to act!! The pope wouldn"t wait until tomorrow. Tonight was the night he struck. They planned to take Leah to an appropriate location at night, and then have her fake a fight with the adventurers. Finally, they"d bring back the head of the new Demon King. The chapel"s knights and adventurers would have slain the Demon King. Everyone thought Queen Sisi slew the Demon King. If they brought the new Demon King"s head back, though, the chapel being the one who saved everyone from a crisis.
Everyone still remembered the terror, deaths and pain the demon race imposed on humanity even though humanity already won. Humanity would fear the return of demons even more at this point, as they"d enjoyed victory, peace, bliss and happiness. The soldiers had removed their armours, while Queen Sisi prepared for an internal war. If demons returned, humanity might fear defeat even more.
What about Veirya? Instead of viewing her as the Queen"s puppet or puppy, she should be considered a soldier. She was a soldier through and through. She was ready for battle at any given moment. As soon as the Demon King was revived, Veirya would join the demon subjugation in spite of knowing that Angelina sided with the chapel. She"d return to being the warrior who slew the Demon King.
Once the plan succeeded, it"d be absolutely perfect. Everyone would believe the chapel. The chapel would be the ones who stopped the revival of the demons, making them heroes. The Queen would also have no means of attacking the chapel due to the ma.s.ses support. The war would breed credibility. Credibility bred dependence. Dependence brought money. Everyone might spend all of their money to fund the chapel"s crusade to stop a new Demon King"s birth.
I finally pieced it together. The chapel"s true plan was to create a new Demon King!! That was their true plan! Leah was the key to their plan, and stupid me brought her to them! I was actually stupid! The chapel completely read my mind, while I ran circles, chasing after things that didn"t matter just as the pope wanted me to do!
I was relieved to know Veirya was with Leah. n.o.body could defeat Veirya and kidnap Leah…
I stopped myself: "Wait, one person can. I haven"t seen Angelina since the last time I met her at the chapel. She might really have gone looking for Veirya. That"s still safe, however. Angelina wouldn"t fight in Queen Sisi"s territory. Moreover, Leah and Veirya might already be back.
The carriage came to rough stop. I staggered out of the carriage and rushed to the inn. However, there was nothing inside. The owner was surprised to see me. Before the owner spoke, someone by my side grabbed arm. I looked at him with astonishment. Achilles panted. He had a letter in his hand. I shouted, "Achilles! Listen!! I"ve figured out the chapel"s plan!!"
"No! No! No! No!!! You listen to me, first! Listen to me! I received Veirya"s letter!!" Achilles covered my mouth with his hand and slapped my face with the letter.
Irritated, I smacked his hand away, and then threw the letter on the table: "That doesn"t matter!! Veirya"s letter isn"t important!! The most important problem right now isn"t Veirya, but the chapel"s plan!! Listen to me…"
"Shut up!!" brayed Achilles. He suddenly slapped me silly, thereby angering me. I spun around to swing at him, but he grabbed my face before I could and belted, "Calm down!! Put your thinking hat on! Think!! If Veirya was in the city, why would she need to write a letter?! The woman who met Her Majesty with us today and took Leah wasn"t Veirya!! I suddenly realised it!! Sh-She"s Angelina!! We were both fooled, because she looks identical Veirya!! Think! Use your brain!! Is that woman Veirya?!"
I body and face froze in place. I suddenly realised I missed the lethal blow, because I let my l.u.s.t get the better of me… Veirya didn"t kiss with her tongue. She just crashed teeth.
"That woman… that woman… she… she"s not Veirya… She"s Angelina… The chapel wanted Leah most. I went and handed her to their knight, Angelina. I"m a b.l.o.o.d.y idiot!! I"m the biggest idiot in the universe! I can stay astute at all times. Why am I so stupid when it comes to woman?! I"m an authentic idiot!! I become an idiot when I see Veirya. I"ve only just realised it when it"s so obvious!!!" I raged in my mind.
"Listen, Achilles, go inform Queen Sisi. Tell her to strike tonight. I have something I need to do now. Go tell the Queen that the chapel plans to revive the Demon King; they"re going to create a new Demon King!! Have Queen Sisi strike tonight! I have to go look for my daughter, understood?!"
"Got it, got it."
I spun around and ran off. Remembering my ace, I ran back to my room on the way to the carriage
As I ran, I told myself, "I still have an ace in the hole. Since the pope wants my daughter"s life, I"ll exchange Ascilia"s life for Leah"s! Although I"m now the party that"s at a disadvantage in a negotiation, I still have time. I still have these final moments; that"s enough for me. I might be able to reverse the situation. I just need to get back Leah. I can get her back. I need to go and take Ascilia hostage now!"