Declared Dead, Exiled, and Betrayed— Now I Walk Away, but I'll Save One Who Cared - Chapter 52

◇ ???

Hmph… So, the worthless vermin lurking in my shadow have been eliminated…

That one is strong…

Well, no matter. He will never reach me…

I shall continue as always, simply watching and biding my time.

I will savor obsession, feast on despair, and live in peace.

Heh heh heh…

Just to be safe, I should leave this place for now…

◇ Viscount Riofendarl’s Estate (Lax)

“Eranda, I regret to inform you that I am placing you under arrest.”

“Hmph. Just cut me down already.”

“You…”

The Viscount, now freed from the demon’s control, looked at Eranda with pain in his eyes.

But Eranda’s expression was blank, as if she no longer cared about anything.

Parental love meant nothing to her anymore.

How did it come to this?

Unfortunately, even if she had been under the demon’s influence, her crimes could not simply be erased.

She had engaged in embezzlement and illicit dealings, unlawfully handing over the domain’s assets to the Duke.

Even if we took into account that she fled during the dragon attack, her actions after surviving and returning were unforgivable.

She meddled in governance without authority, throwing the domain into chaos.

She imprisoned the Viscount, exiled Shifa—his rightful proxy—and used the guards and adventurers under the Duke’s command to silence any opposition by force.

She attempted to construct unwanted facilities, claimed the domain’s revenue as her own, and oppressed certain groups among the citizens.

There was no room for leniency.

The Viscount read out her charges, and then, with the help of Laila and the others, we had her locked away.

Eranda did not say a single word.

She had tried to use her child to reclaim power.

Yet, she didn’t even spare a single thought for that child’s future.

Pathetic.

Still, leaving her in the estate would only breed resentment in the years to come.

“You are certain of this?”

“Yes… Please proceed.”

“Understood. Then, by decree, Eranda and her child, Phile, shall be removed from the House of Riofendarl. They are hereby stripped of all rights to inheritance and succession related to the Viscounty.”

“Thank you.”

From there, Shifa took over.

Using the estate’s communication magic device, she contacted the King and officially processed the removal of Eranda and Phile from the family registry.

With this, Eranda was now nothing more than a criminal.

Phile was sent to the orphanage within the Viscounty of Riofendarl.

It left a bitter aftertaste, but there was no other choice.

Nightfall

“So, was the demon there?”

“I don’t think so. I searched thoroughly, but only Ruin Demons were present. I doubt one could have slipped in and been destroyed with them.”

“I see… Then, as suspected, the Duchy of Horneld?”

“Possibly… but also, maybe not. I made the decision to focus on Riofendarl and eliminate the Ruin Demons from this land first. In the end, I prioritized the Viscounty over hunting that thing… I apologize.”

After the Viscount and Shifa had gone to sleep, I contacted the King.

Naturally, the topic of discussion was “The Abyssal Demon”—Disemna.

I was sure that, thanks to the efforts of my ancestors and the current King, I had managed to close in on that demon.

Without anyone realizing.

Not even myself.

This had been a plan spanning over a hundred years.

But I chose to prioritize Riofendarl and Shifa.

Would I have to take responsibility for that decision?

Well, there are only two ways forward—I either defeat Disemna myself or devise a plan to pass on to future generations.

There’s no guarantee that what I’ve done today will lead to Disemna’s downfall, so even if I fail, the result is the same: I’ll be leaving this task to someone else.

I have no way of knowing how much Disemna has realized.

“It matters not… Though I cannot openly declare it, this was always a plan as delicate as threading a needle. We will have to think of another way. Besides, monsters are plentiful. As King of humanity, I would see them all eradicated—but since I lack that power myself, I must entrust it to those who do, like you.”

The King’s voice was not particularly bright, yet he did not sound discouraged either. He spoke with a steady resolve.

“I will look for a way.”

“Good. That alone is enough. And now, I know that there is still a chance—one that resides within humanity itself. That alone means we are not walking a straight path toward despair. Compared to my predecessors, who carried only a heavy burden, I might even consider myself fortunate.”

“I understand.”

Hearing those words lifted a weight off my shoulders.

In that case, I should do whatever I can.

“Then, I will continue doing what I must.”

“Do you have a plan?”

The determination in my voice seemed to pique his interest.

Well, I wasn’t entirely certain, but there was a possibility—one worth explaining.

“I’m going to clear the lower levels of the dungeon.”

“The lower levels?”

“Yes. The monsters in the dungeon are clearly stronger than those on the surface. The deeper I go, the more I can grow—improving both my strength and my skills. If I advance far enough, I might even acquire detection abilities that surpass Disemna’s. No, I’m sure I will.”

“I see… You plan to move forward. Do you require assistance?”

“No. I will go alone.”

“…I’m sorry.”