"Damn it... This wretched fool..."
Bertus clenched his teeth upon hearing the story of Olivia Lanze.
The fact that Reinhardt was the Demon King had not been revealed to the world, as it could potentially incite religious conflict.
It was dangerous to leave Olivia alone, knowing that she could be connected to the Demon King.
Therefore, the best course of action was to keep her under surveillance for now.
However, Olivia Lanze, who had learned the truth, began her folly.
"She doesn't even bother hiding her intention to side with the Demon King."
More than anything, Olivia's talk of religious trials and discussions seemed to be a clear sign of her intent to buy time.
It wasn't just a vague hesitation; she had clearly made up her mind to protect the Demon King.
Olivia Lanze had willingly become an enemy of the Empire, if not humanity itself.
"Does she want to die?"
Bertus clenched his teeth at the report from Scottla Kelton.
"We can kill her, but it's right in the middle of the temple. It's impossible to do it quietly without causing a commotion."
The Grand Library was one of the central locations of the temple.
A fight between Olivia Lanze and the Shanafel Knights attempting to kill her would inevitably be witnessed by many.
At this point, Olivia Lanze was an even more difficult target to kill than the Demon King.
The Holy Knights and the Five Great Religions would hold the Empire accountable for killing the Champion of Tu’an, and it would likely incite intense resentment among the majority of believers.
A lengthy announcement stating that she had to be killed because she sided with the Demon King would not suffice.
People would only accept the simple truth: "The Empire killed the Champion of Tu’an."
Olivia Lanze was well aware of how politically and religiously important her life was.
Killing her would cause conflict between the Empire and the religious order before the Demon King's death.
Moreover, the Demon King possessed not one, but two sacred relics.
Thus, this was not only an issue for the Empire but also a religious matter. Therefore, the decision regarding the Demon King's fate could not be made solely by the Empire.
The Five Great Religions had more than enough reason to intervene in this matter.
If left alone, Olivia would escape the temple on her own and head towards the Holy Knights.
And then, Olivia Lanze would lead a massive army of Holy Knights to the temple's door, demanding a discussion on the Demon King's fate.
Whether to kill or save the Demon King should be our decision to make.
Olivia Lanze would threaten the Empire, warning that killing the Demon King carelessly would not end well.
Bertus had once told Reinhardt that the most significant disasters were often caused by stubborn fools.
He was talking about Olivia Lanze when he said that.
A madwoman screaming not to kill the Demon King in front of people.
Olivia Lanze.
All the talk about the Five Great Religions was nothing more than an excuse.
This fool was neither on the side of the religious order nor the Empire, but solely on the Demon King's side, and she didn't even try to hide it.
Her logic would be clear.
Not one, but two sacred relics.
If two of the five gods had chosen the Demon King, shouldn't he be the rightful choice? Instead of hating each other, they should all find a way to live together. With no pretense, she would create nonsense driven solely by her intention to save the Demon King.
"I can't take this anymore..."
She could neither be killed nor spared.
When the Five Holy Religions began to meddle in the matters the Empire intended to handle quietly, the situation spiraled out of control.
More importantly, Olivia Lanze intended to keep the Demon King alive, disregarding the Holy Religions' goals.
In doing so, she would cause great confusion among the masses by spreading a rumor that Reinhardt, known as the hero, was actually the Demon King.
Bertus felt as if he were watching a dragon writhing in its efforts to throw the Empire into chaos.
"Summon Eleion Bolton," he said.
"Are you sure?"
"What choice do we have? Better to let the Demon King live a little longer than to kill Olivia Lanze and see the Empire split in two, right? It would be thousands of times better to wage war against the demons, and if that happens, the Empire will only grow stronger, not fall apart."
Bertus was growing tired.
For days, he had been pushed to the limits of his mental strength.
Eleion Bolton arrived at the temple, leading his agents due to the problem caused by Olivia Lanze.
Olivia Lanze intended to reveal information that was strictly confidential, information that would undoubtedly plunge the world into chaos if it became known.
There was a Demon King chosen by the sacred relics.
What would humanity think of this?
As Olivia was about to discuss the matter with the Holy Knight Commander, she rose from her seat when Eleion Bolton arrived.
"What's going on, Olivia?"
"Let's go outside first."
Now that someone had come to take her away, Olivia no longer wished to remain imprisoned.
"Miss Olivia! You can't leave!"
A knight of Shanafel, who had been watching over Olivia, blocked her way.
"You must speak here. You cannot leave."
Sensing that something was amiss with the determined attitudes of the Shanafel knights, the agents, including the Holy Knight Commander, realized the situation was taking an unexpected turn.
While the Holy Knights knew something was happening in the temple, they had no idea about the specific details.
"Who are you to order me around?"
Approaching the knight, Olivia gave a sneering smile.
"The responsibility for my safety lies with the Holy Knights and the Five Holy Religions, not with the Empire. The temple? I couldn't care less. The Empire has no authority to command where I go or come."
"…"
"Blocking my way is a challenge to the Holy Knights and a heretical act against the will of the Holy Religions and its followers across the continent."
Olivia stated calmly.
"Step aside. How dare you block the path of the Champion of Tu’an?"
She was not alone; she was with the Holy Knight Commander.
Olivia was not relying on her personal power, but rather the symbolism and political position she held.
Thus, Shanafel had no choice but to let her pass.
All of Shanafel's knights could only grit their teeth as they watched Olivia Lanze, who was leaving with a bomb that could shake the entire continent.
Olivia Lanze explained the entire situation to Holy Knight Commander Eleion Bolton.
Originally, he only had Alsbringer, but she also revealed the fact that Reinhardt shared Tiamata with her.
Reinhardt, chosen by two sacred relics, was the Demon King.
Therefore, an emergency meeting must be convened with the leaders of the Five Holy Religions. They needed to hold a doctrinal conference or a religious trial to address the matter.
Eleion Bolton was, of course, shocked.
That alone was enough of a message.
She left the matter to Eleion Bolton, which the Religions should have dealt with.
The revelation that the Demon King was the master of the Sacred Artifact had the potential to send shockwaves throughout the entire Holy Religions.
Priests and holy knights were sure to be divided on this matter.
Therefore, Olivia took action before a decision could come down from her superiors.
Such tasks were quite easy for her.
At the Holy Knights' headquarters, she gathered priests and followers for an impromptu sermon.
As the Champion of Tu’an, many couldn't help but attend her sermon.
Olivia didn't say much.
"The gods are always right, aren't they?"
At Olivia's gentle words, the numerous attendees nodded their heads.
"The gods know and plan everything, isn't that so?"
"Thus, the choices of the gods cannot be wrong or denied, and the grace they bestow upon us is evidence that the gods are right and a sign of their love for us."
"So, those who have received such divine grace are worthy of love, and it is clear that their existence must be affirmed, just as we are chosen to receive the love of the gods."
"The most powerful and indisputable grace and evidence."
"The Sacred Artifact."
Olivia summoned Tiamata into her right hand and held it up high.
-Ooh...
Some marveled at the faint divine light emanating from Tiamata, while others were moved by the grace of the Sacred Artifact.
"As one who has been chosen by such a Sacred Artifact, I may presume to represent the will of the gods to some extent."
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Demon King, who has caused such an uproar in the world, is now imprisoned in the temple."
-Ooh!
The news that the feared Demon King had been captured caused a great stir in the crowd, bringing a mix of shock, admiration, and relief to everyone present.
"Perhaps you've heard of the new hero, Reinhardt."
Olivia smiled.
"It turns out that the hero chosen by the War God Als was actually the Demon King, who had infiltrated the human world."
Naturally, the crowd's admiration turned to shock. As everyone buzzed with excitement, Olivia continued.
"I do not know the exact circumstances yet. However, the important point is that even if the Demon King disguised himself as a hero, the fact that he was chosen by Alsbringer does not change."
The storm of shocking information left those listening to the sermon unable to regain their composure.
But one thing was clear in their minds.
The Demon King had infiltrated human society.
Under the name Reinhardt.
And he had been chosen by Als.
"Of course, it's possible that the Demon King used some wicked trick to gain Alsbringer's favor."
Wicked trick.
The all-purpose word helped the confused listeners regain some semblance of composure.
Olivia, who was trying to save Reinhardt, should not have said that.
But, in fact, this was crucial.
"The Holy Knights and the Five Holy Religions have a duty to prove whether the Demon King truly received Als's choice."
"Right now, the Demon King is in the hands of the Empire."
"But this is our problem."
"It is our duty and right to discuss and decide upon the treatment of the Demon King after determining whether he received the gods' choice."
"It is not the Empire but us who must judge whether the Demon King received the choice of the Sacred Artifact or whether he stole it through some foul means from someone else who should have received it."
"Starting now, I plan to go to the temple to take custody of the Demon King."
"I have no doubt in my belief that determining the truth or falsehood of the Demon King's claim is the sacred duty bestowed upon me by the gods."
"In the name of the Five Great Gods."
"In the name of Tu'an, the Goddes of Purity."
"I will judge whether he is noble or not under the name of the gods."
A political ploy to free the Demon King from the Empire’s clutches.
Olivia Lanze had set off a massive disaster.
Countless seeds of chaos had been sown.
Now, they would sprout and bring forth immense confusion.
Olivia did not insist that the Demon King was a righteous being simply because he had been chosen by the sacred relic.
Such an extreme claim would only invite opposition.
It was true that the Demon King had been chosen by the sacred relic. Therefore, a discussion about his right or wrong should precede, and they should be the ones to lead that discussion.
Olivia's words—that since it was their problem, it should be made their problem—could only be seen as the logical course of action.
Though the followers were confused, Olivia prioritized action.
Olivia Lanze, who had left the temple, returned about five hours later.
She was not alone.
She brought with her over two hundred knights, the elite of the Holy Knights.
The atmosphere among the knights was tense.
The knights were not only shocked that the Demon King had been chosen by the sacred relic, but also furious that the empire had tried to secretly handle the matter.
All of the Holy Knights agreed with Olivia Lanze's opinion that they should be the ones to judge the Demon King's fate.
Standing before the temple guards blocking the entrance and Shanafel, Olivia stepped forward.
"We are carrying out a sacred duty. Make way."
"The temple is not a place for the Holy Knights to come and go as they please. It belongs to the empire."
"All lands were created by the gods and thus, are blessed by them. If all lands belong to the Five Great Gods, what land is there that we, who carry out their commands, cannot enter?"
As if she had never forsaken the gods, Olivia eloquently spoke her piece.
"You are interfering with a crucial religious matter of the Holy Knights and the Church of the Five Great Gods. Step aside, we will discuss the disposal of the Demon King."
"As I have said before, you cannot enter."
"I will take that as permission to use force."
Shing!
Olivia threateningly unsheathed Tiamata, which she had deliberately sheathed.
The knights, too, nervously unsheathed their swords as Olivia drew hers.
They were all on edge due to Olivia's actions.
Tu'an's champion, Olivia Lanze, was crossing a line.
If she clashed with the temple's forces here, the situation would spiral out of control. Whether Olivia's actions were right or wrong, it would cause an official collision between the Church of the Five Great Gods and the empire.
This confrontation at the temple entrance could even be remembered as the starting point of a religious war.
That was why not only the temple guards but also the knights who had followed Olivia were taken aback by her righteous madness.
No one had thought she would go this far.
"Champion, any further and..."
That was why one of the knights who had followed Olivia gulped and tried to dissuade her.
"Are you doubting my will now?"
To oppose my will is to oppose the will of Tu'an.
With her gaze alone, Olivia implied that even a fellow knight's head could be severed if they opposed her.
Olivia Lanze was demonstrating how she could twist logic and drive the situation to the brink of insanity as the champion of the gods.
The Five Great Gods, indeed.
The sacred relics, indeed.
The confusion of the followers and the religious war, whatever.
Just let it be.
It's merely a pretense.
This incident could lead to a religious war that could tear the empire apart, and the confrontation between the religious and imperial forces could become the starting point for a continent-wide war and massacre.
Olivia doesn't care about that.
The world, whatever.
Humanity, whatever.
It's not Olivia's concern whether it collapses or not.
Olivia Lanze is trying to save Reinhardt.
So, she will clear away anything that stands in her way.
Even if it's a god itself.
"Step aside if you don't want war."
At Olivia's menacing words, not only the guards but also the knights who had followed her had no choice but to hold their breath.
Righteous madness.
The worst possible situation it could create was unfolding right now.
