Chapter 5: The King’s Deal

“Evidence is needed.”

Back when the King said he would stab each of the nobles with the Holy Sword.

I asked him, staring at his serious expression.

“You mean tangible evidence, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Why is it absolutely necessary?”

“No matter how much the nobles must obey my orders without question, they are still human. If you accuse someone as the culprit without presenting clear grounds and evidence, they will fear that they too could be treated the same way someday.”

If the relationship between the Royal Family and the nobles breaks down, most of the kingdom’s functions won’t operate properly.

A lot of things get stuck in the administrative sector.

“Is it enough just to let them know that?”

“Then the rest, I can handle well enough.”

I nodded and struck the Holy Sword down toward the side of the Core Room.

The wall crumbled, revealing an empty space.

“King, you didn’t know about this place either, did you?”

“…What is this?”

The King’s face was colored with disbelief.

A Sword Master’s intuition is special.

Even without consciously thinking about it, when a strange feeling arises, that intuition tends to be accurate.

This includes sensing empty spaces beyond walls.

But until I swung the Holy Sword just now, the King hadn’t detected anything strange.

That was natural.

The Ghost-type demon I just destroyed must have possessed magical abilities that could deceive even a Sword Master’s senses.

The King looked at me with a bewildered gaze, as if to ask how he could have not known such a cavern existed beneath his own residence.

“…How did you find out about this place?”

“That, I cannot tell you.”

This was the Chimera Research Facility that Ryuk discovered while investigating the Cockroach’s corruption during the final showdown with the Demon King.

Because of this, some of the Royal Family’s troops were redirected to Capital defense, to the extent that the full-scale war even slipped in favor of the Demon Army.

Installed next to the Capital Self-Destruct Magic Circle, it was designed so that if needed, the entire Capital could be obliterated, along with all evidence.

“While gathering all the nobles, take some time to investigate this place. Many truths will come to light.”

Drooling slightly, Reinhardt was bombarded with multiple questions from the King.

Starting with an innocuous-sounding one like, ‘Have you been to the Core Room in the Royal Palace basement tonight?’ and moving to more sensitive ones like, ‘There’s a secret space beside the Core Room—does this relate to that?’

Reinhardt answered every question meticulously.

“The materials for the Chimera were selected from teenagers, male and female, in the slums, and the beasts used during fusion were supplied by the Demon Army…”

The Knight Commander’s calm words became a massive storm that engulfed the entire hall.

In the nobles’ eyes, emotions of confusion, horror, anger, and devastation swirled all at once.

But even more than that, sensing how far the King’s fury would rise, everyone shrank back.

In the heavy silence where even swallowing sounds couldn’t be heard—

“…That is all.”

After Reinhardt laid out his crimes, the King looked around.

Everyone was silenced, crushed by the atmosphere.

“Administrator.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Bring it here.”

At his command, the Administrator respectfully handed over some pre-prepared documents.

The King took the papers, unfolded them, and held them out for all to see.

“This is the list of children found underground as mentioned by the traitor Reinhardt Graves, their origins, and the number of beasts fused.”

The King threw the papers roughly onto the floor.

“This kind of atrocity happened beneath the Royal Palace, and no one knew for years.”

KLANG!

The King’s sword instantly descended on Reinhardt’s neck.

The smell of blood spread throughout the hall.

All the nobles stared at the scene in shock.

Thunk! Roll, roll.

Reinhardt’s head fell at my feet.

The King said solemnly,

“I do not believe that this was the work of a single Knight Commander.”

Several nobles flinched.

They must have sensed that something was seriously wrong.

“To everyone, I will give the opportunity to prove your loyalty.”

The King intended to identify the culprit right here, right now.

But… how?

Knowing the method, I slowly raised my right hand.

The Holy Sword settled into my grip.

“Raise your heads and look around.”

At the King’s command, the nobles all raised their heads.

“No matter what pain follows, do not close your eyes.”

The King’s Authority bound the nobles.

They had never imagined his Authority would turn against them, but the upright nobles regarded this as a chance to prove their loyalty with pride, while others waited nervously for the King’s next command.

I calmly scanned all the nobles with my eyes.

“Witness with your own eyes everything that will happen.”

Once ready, I began to swing the sword.

Slowly, as if performing a sword dance.

Yet, my purpose was unwavering.

The Holy Sword cut the air multiple times, and when I finished the motions, I stopped moving.

A continuously moving sword slashes demons.

Ten Thousand Demons Slash.

The halted sword strike passed over each noble once.

“Ahhhh!”

“My a-a-arm’s been cut…!”

“Ugh!”

The screams rang out sweetly.

Though they were human screams, they sounded strangely melodic because these were nobles.

The place was odd—nobles who constantly embezzled military supplies, or bungled provision counts for knights, or fools oblivious even during the all-out war with the Demon Army.

It was a wonder why they hadn’t been destroyed until the war with the Demon Army.

“Hoo.”

Some nobles closest to the King looked at me with interest rather than fear.

They must have felt their own bodies being cut, but endured it—probably knights who fought beside the King and turned the tide.

No wonder the Kingdom of Lumin was truly a land of knights.

At that moment, a loud scream silenced all others.

“Ahhhhh!”

Though a scream, it sounded like many voices mixed together.

Turning my gaze toward the source, I saw nobles slowly distancing themselves from a man nearby.

I approached the man who lay clutching his right arm.

I kicked the arm he was holding.

Pffft!

“…!”

All the nobles present stiffened.

I saw black blood flowing from the severed arm as it fell to the ground, then grabbed the man by his hair.

I dragged him before the King.

“Did you make a pact with demons?”

“Maybe with devils.”

At my words, the King nodded.

In truth, it didn’t matter which it was.

The evidence—the black blood—was plainly visible.

Pressing the tip of my foot against the noble’s back, who was already unable to speak due to the Holy Sword’s effect, I asked.

“Name?”

“Milone Crowd. One of the Barons guarding the frontlines.”

That name sounded familiar.

I rubbed my forehead, thinking for a moment, then recalled the information Ryuk had given me and nodded.

“Come to think of it, one of the Chimera Research Facility administrators was named…”

“Crowd.”

How on earth were a Baron and the Captain Cockroach of the First Order entangled?

I sighed softly and raised the Holy Sword.

“He’s a man who has given up on humanity; there’s no hope for rehabilitation.”

“Simply joining the Demon Army is treason that threatens the throne. Execute him immediately.”

With the King’s approval, my Holy Sword dropped like a guillotine.

The demon’s head fell, spurting black blood.

At the same time, the oppressive atmosphere that had engulfed the room vanished.

The nobles released harsh breaths, freed from the Sword Master’s Authority.

Only the marquises nearest the King remained composed.

“Lately, I haven’t stayed at the Royal Palace much.”

The King’s calm voice spread.

Though breathing felt easier, the sharp atmosphere hadn’t completely lifted.

In fact, the psychological pressure lingered despite the release from the Authority.

“Fighting the Demon Army at the frontlines, leading knights, defending the territories. Returning from blood-soaked battlefields, most of my work involved managing and cultivating the lands. All for the sake of the people and those who lead them—like you.”

Sword Masters are often viewed as strategic weapons of the state.

What if such a Sword Master could command nobles with a single word?

Nobles are foolish, but not idiots.

Some will always seek to exploit weaknesses and gaps in the kingdom for personal gain.

Some even form alliances to check the King’s power if it grows too strong.

Excessive power creates imbalance, and if the divide between the throne and the nobles deepens, it leads straight to civil collapse.

Fearing this, the King limited his own power expansion and refrained from exerting too much control over domestic affairs.

Instead, he wanted the nobles to bear more responsibility for protecting the people and believed simply setting the example was enough.

Thus, while the King made most decisions, he claimed to have run the country rationally and collaboratively, integrating other nobles’ opinions and possibilities.

“That was just my mistake.”

The King’s confession—though unspoken—made the nobles’ expressions harden.

It was natural.

The reason the King had been silent until now was because he trusted the nobles.

Most nobles active in the Royal Family had fought alongside the King in the war.

They were comrades.

Now that that trust was broken, could the King still view the nobles favorably?

Of course not.

“I ask you all. What should I do now?”

No one dared to answer.

With any sense, no one could speak.

I had no reason to hold back, so I spoke up.

“How about putting the nobles under surveillance?”

Suddenly, I felt harsh eyes on me.

One of the nobles seemed careless, so I pointed sharply in their direction and said,

“Even if they didn’t collude with the Demon Army, it might wake up some fools still oblivious to the situation.”

“Th-That’s so rude…!”

“Shut up.”

The noble about to retort shut their mouth at the King’s order.

“We lack the manpower.”

The King replied coolly, and some nobles’ eyes shifted quickly.

Hmph. So now they realize who’s actually capable.

“Should I help?”

Noble society is all about image management.

Wanting to seize the momentum, I spoke quickly.

“…How?”

“I can’t just tell them outright, and this isn’t the place to explain everything.”

The exact details must remain unknown to the nobles.

But they should at least know surveillance is coming.

That way, their overall activity can be curtailed.

“Surveillance, huh…”

The King chuckled dismissively.

“There’s no need for that.”

“Oh?”

Was he thinking something else?

Just then, the King spoke.

“I will issue one order to all nobles of the Kingdom of Lumin.”

At his words, the nobles stiffened as if they were not courtiers but knights focused on a commander’s orders.

“Anyone found colluding with demons, contracting with the Demon Race, or even suspected of such must report directly to me. Issue an official document distributing this order throughout the city. I will establish a department directly under me to handle these reports. There will be no objections.”

After the commotion died down, the King said to me,

“I would like to entrust you with overseeing the nobles’ surveillance.”

They switch to honorifics the moment the nobles aren’t looking.

For the King’s dignity, I chose to ignore it.

“You didn’t intend to do this?”

“Earlier, I acted that way to reduce resentment between the nobles and the Royal Family.”

“So you were lying earlier?”

“You must learn to do such things well if you become King.”

That was true, so I nodded.

“Know that the price will be generous.”

The King smirked as if expecting that.

“What do you want?”

I twitched my lips and answered.

“Before I answer, create a position for me. Fully loaded with authority to supervise the nobles.”

“Supervision?”

“You’re handing me the nobles’ surveillance, but don’t want to create animosity with them. So it has to be legal.”

“…Ah.”

The King smiled with satisfaction.

“That’s not bad.”