The Palace Conference Room.

The palace conference room buzzed with activity. 

Leading the gathering were the Emperor and the Crown Princess, joined by high-ranking nobles and the brave warriors of the hero’s party.

“It seems the beacon was lit from the Ephalter family estate,” Linachien announced, breaking the silence. 

Normally, it would have been the Emperor who spoke first, but with her formal training as the heir in full swing, Linachien had taken the lead.

Despite her calm tone, Linachien couldn’t entirely mask her anxiety, revealing how much she still had to learn. 

“If the beacon was lit in Ephalter, it’s likely there are demons lurking in that backwater.”

“The beacon signaled the discovery of demons, and it’s been lit twice more since then. This isn’t a mistake,” another noble clarified, setting the scene. 

They had to understand the situation: demons were discovered in Ephalter, and the repeated beacon signals confirmed it.

“The Demon King is dead! The holy crown’s glow proves that!” one noble exclaimed.

“But the beacon was lit. Three times, no less. The Demon King is certainly dead, and demons still exist,” another countered. 

“And they’re in cities across our empire!”

“What should we do about this?” 

The room was filled with repetitive arguments, typical of bureaucratic debate.

“I warned that places like Ephalter are prime hiding spots for demons, and that our defense systems needed strengthening!” one noble chided.

“If demons are still alive, does that mean the Demon King might return soon?” another speculated, causing unnecessary fear.

“Send a subjugation force immediately! Just because the Demon King is dead doesn’t mean the demons vanished overnight. They are remnants that need to be eradicated,” someone proposed.

“And how do you plan to capture those brutal demons?” another question. 

The debate went in circles, with no progress made.

‘What’s the conclusion, you idiots?!’ Lucy  would have shouted if she were here. 

Naidrian wished Luci were present; as a hero, she wouldn’t tolerate such an unproductive meeting. 

She would end it swiftly with her rage and decisiveness.

“Excuse me, everyone. I think it’s better to discuss how to deal with the demons in Ephalter and our future plans,” Naidrian ventured timidly. 

His voice was too soft to be heard in the din.

Feeling embarrassed after his failed attempt to bring order, Naidrian lowered his head, catching the gazes of Linachien and Arsil. 

Arsil looked both sympathetic and bored, while Linachien wore a faint, superior smile.

“We are getting nowhere with this discussion,” Reinhold interjected, silencing the room. 

The strikingly handsome, blond-haired young man commanded attention as he stood. 

“Regardless of your opinions, without the Emperor’s and Crown Princess’s approval, they mean nothing.”

How could he be so arrogant? 

Though his tone was polite, his words were full of conceit. 

Arsil and Naidrian, along with the other nobles, were taken aback. 

Reinhold, known for his kind and gentle manner, was now openly dismissive, and it unsettled them.

“You speak out of turn, Sir Reinhold. The imperial family values the input of the talented individuals gathered here to select and implement the most reasonable plan,” Linachien corrected.

“I apologize, Your Highness. I also apologize to everyone present for my rudeness,” Reinhold responded.

It was a well-rehearsed act, Arsil thought. 

Linachien had always orchestrated scenes to make herself look good, and now Reinhold had taken the place of her former accomplice.

“Let us begin with the basics,” Linachien said, nodding to Reinhold, who retrieved an object from a waiting attendant. 

Arsil’s eyes widened as she recognized the sacred crown, which sealed the Demon King’s horn.

“How dare you bring a sacred artifact from the church without permission!” Arsil exclaimed.

“We have the Pope’s approval for its use in this meeting. Everything was done through proper channels, so please remain calm, Your Holiness,” Reinhold replied coolly. 

Arsil ground her teeth in frustration. 

The Pope had made a deal with Linachien without informing her.

Trying to regain her composure, Linachien took the sacred crown from Reinhold and held it up for all to see. “As you can see, the crown is glowing, sealing the Demon King’s dark magic. This proves that the Demon King has not resurrected.”

Not the most polished speech, Naidrian noted, silently criticizing Linachien.

“Sir Reinhold, please bring the sword,” Linachien requested.

“Yes, Your Highness,” he replied, presenting the dimmed Holy Sword, Hononima.

“Your Highness, why the sword?” a noble asked.

“Sir Reinhold and I have contemplated this situation extensively. Despite our efforts, we’ve only managed to generate various hypotheses rather than a clear cause,” Linachien explained.

“And these hypotheses are?” the noble inquired.

“As mentioned, one possibility is that the demons in Ephalter are merely remnants. If so, they must be eradicated. The hero’s party will take on this mission,” Linachien announced.

Naidrian was visibly shocked, her head snapping up, revealing her lack of forewarning. 

Arsil felt the same irritation at not being informed, but she had expected the hero’s party to be involved.

“The possibility of the Demon King still being alive or resurrected is something we can definitively deny, given that the sacred crown still glows,” Linachien continued.

Arsil and Naidrian glanced at their last hope, the mage Tigria, who remained indifferent, seemingly uninterested in the proceedings.

“However, the sword has lost its light ever since Luciena Estel’s fateful battle with the Demon King,” Linachien stated.

“Your Highness, we are discussing the presence and actions of demons. How is this symbol, which has fulfilled its purpose, relevant?” a noble challenged sharply, though he was already in Linachien’s camp.

“Demons are not born from reproduction but are created from humans consumed by dark emotions,” Linachien explained, causing a stir in the room.

The room fell silent, each person pondering the implications of her words.

The quick-witted among them couldn’t hide their shock upon realizing the hypothesis the princess was about to put forth.

“It might be hard to believe, but we must consider all possibilities.”

“Your Highness, surely not…!”

“Yes, that’s right! I, Linachien Karlun, and Morgan Reinhold propose the hypothesis that the hero, Luciana Estel, has either fallen or is falling into corruption to become the new Demon King.”

Bang!

“What nonsense is this!”

“Saintess, you are being disrespectful to the Crown Princess….”

“It’s alright, Sir Reinhold. Yes, Saintess, I understand that it’s a difficult hypothesis to accept.”

“While it’s indeed a shocking theory, there is no evidence to support it. It seems more like a contrived scenario, Your Highness.”

Arsil, whose harsh tongue rivaled that of Lucy’s, if not surpassed it, distinguished herself by knowing when and where to speak.

“Tigria! You should say something too!”

“From the moment it was presented as a hypothesis, there’s no need to counter it aggressively.”

“So, you’re saying this hypothesis makes sense?”

“It cannot be helped. It’s just a hypothesis. Even though we saw the Demon King die, the demons are still alive. This falls into the realm of assumptions and hypotheses.”

“The hero is dead. We saw it with our own eyes! How could she fall into corruption as the Demon King?”

“If you ask me, all I can give you are words pieced together from setting up the hypothesis.”

“Try to do at least that.”

Tigria shrugged his shoulders.

“The Demon King is not just a power but a concept. Theoretically, if the Demon King dies, the power should disappear and demons shouldn’t exist. Despite the holy relic that seals the horn being here, if demons haven’t vanished, it means there is a being maintaining the Demon King’s power.”

Has he matched his words too? 

Arsil began to doubt everything.

“The possibility of a demon god is extremely low. They made a pact not to intervene unless punishing their own species, like the goddess. Practically impossible. Therefore, the only possibility left is that the hero’s body has been imbued with demonic energy. Given her mental state was on the verge of collapse at the end, it’s highly probable that she defeated the Demon King and was subsequently consumed by the demonic energy, which makes sense.”

“Why do you keep pushing it onto the hero?”

“There’s no other mortal who can endure, maintain, and awaken to the power itself except the hero.”

The bitter taste in her mouth was undeniable. 

Arsil had brought Tigria in to refute the Crown Princess, but instead, he reinforced her hypothesis. 

Arsil, who was beginning to think she was more of a politician than a saint, was trying to counter by all means possible.

She was no longer the Arsil who broke through obstacles with loyalty, faith, and steadfastness. 

Arsil fiddled with a cheap pin in her pocket. 

Yes, to hell with scheming. 

It never suited her anyway. 

She would return to relying solely on her fists.

“In any case, we need to check on the demons of the Ephalter family.”

“Oh my, are you finally understanding?”

“Not understanding the hypothesis, but verifying it.”

“…Very well. I will form a subjugation squad. The High Elf Naidrian and Saintess Arsil will lead it.”

“Are you suggesting we face demons without a shield knight or mage?!”

Naidrian raised his voice for the first time. 

It was almost a scream.

“We have no choice. If the entire hero’s party participates in the subjugation, the capital will be like an empty house. If the demons attack the capital, there will be no way to defend it.”

“The same goes for the Elven Forest! Moreover, the Elven Forest is…!”

“Naidrian! Enough!”

“Arsil!”

Arsil shook her head, signaling it was useless. 

Both were conflicted. 

They had committed all sorts of wrongdoings for the greater good, but achieved nothing and now were about to be discarded.

In the end, they were about to face punishment from the goddess. 

Quite a late self-reflection for a saintess.

“You, calm down.”

The saintess told the shield knight with a detached expression.

“Excessive behavior will lead to harsher punishment.”

“What do you mean by that?”

But the shield knight shamelessly raised his chin.

“Enough. Let’s go. We’re no longer needed here. We’ll leave first, Your Highness.”

“Yes, take a good rest until the subjugation squad departs.”

They had no strength left to be angry at the sly smirk. 

Swallowing a sigh, Arsil and Naidrian turned to leave.

[I draw.]

A voice that couldn’t be heard, shouldn’t be heard, echoed through the heavens.

Kwoooom!

With a thunderous roar, the holy sword Hononima emitted a crimson golden light.

“Aaaah!”

The attendant holding the holy sword screamed and threw it, but Hononima floated in the air, shining even brighter.

[A peaceful day with this person… Please… Goddess, save him…]

That voice, somewhere between desperate and sobbing, was filled with sorrow and earnestness. 

It belonged to Lucy.

While everyone was frozen, Hononima vibrated violently, then shot up, piercing the palace ceiling. 

The crimson golden trail of light marked the holy sword’s flight briefly before disappearing.

Arsil was the first to come to her senses. 

She looked at the Crown Princess, glaring at the sky with a twisted face, and asked the mage.

“The hero has fallen into corruption?”

“Correction. The holy sword emits light reflecting the hero’s characteristics. This generation’s hero, Luciana Estel, has a crimson golden light. The light just now was also crimson golden. Therefore, the Crown Princess and the shield knight’s hypothesis is proven wrong.”

Tegria stated this impassively.

“In other words, the hero has returned.”

Their initial plan had failed.