Chapter 454

Like how Rihanna came to see me before finishing a long day, I felt the need to talk to people at least once. The sincere people I met would quickly lower their eyes and tremble with a pale face, as if they were afraid of me imagining something beyond what they saw in me. My companions were planning to stay in the guest room in the palace. After deciding the whereabouts of the remaining royal family in the palace, everyone would have proper rooms and accommodations. I had decided to become a king, but I didn't know specifically what a king should do. Therefore, I needed the help of those around me, as well as the help of the previous royal family. It would be ridiculous to take away the country without any preparation and say that I would be the king. As I came down from the tower and entered the area where the guest room was, Harriet was standing on the terrace inside the castle, staring blankly outside. She seemed to feel my presence and gasped when she saw me. Summary of previous part of chapter only for context: In this chapter, the protagonist reflects on his interactions with people and how they react to him. He mentions how sincere people often tremble and avoid eye contact with him, as if they are afraid of him. He then discusses his plans to become a king and how he needs the help of those around him, including the previous royal family. He acknowledges that he cannot simply take over the country without proper preparation. Later, he encounters Harriet on the terrace and she seems surprised to see him. The chapter ends with the protagonist's thoughts on his future as a king.

During my first year of school, when my relationship with Harriet was still bad, she watched my duel with the expectation that I would be badly beaten, but when I was really in a bad state, she worried about me. She always stood by my side when it was crucial and sometimes even helped me. From some point on, I was always receiving help from Harriet. "I can't say everything will be okay anymore, I think it's too terrible and people are dying even in this moment of rest." Not everything can be okay. Many things are already too late. "But there are things we can do. I'm sure there are things only I can do." Harriet looked at me. "You too, there must be things you can do because you are you." So instead of blaming and feeling sorry for ourselves, let's find what we can do. Harriet said that. That was exactly what I was thinking. But just knowing that there was someone who thought the same way as me gave me a strange comfort. "Thank you." Harriet, as the best magician with her talents, will find what she can do. I, as a demon king, had to find what I could do. * * * After talking with Harriet, I went to find Olivia. "Oh, Reinhardt." Olivia hugged me as soon as she saw me. "There was no time to talk properly because of the situation. I'm really glad you're safe. Really." "Thank you, sister." I hugged Olivia too. Even though she knew I was a demon king, I thought Olivia would be on my side. But seeing it for myself was a different matter. Olivia did what she could. If it weren't for Olivia, I might have been dealt with quickly. Then the gate incident might not have happened. In the end, what Olivia did extended my life for a few days, and the gate incident may have happened because of the time that was delayed. But I can't blame Olivia. There's no guarantee that the gate incident wouldn't have happened even if I died. Olivia tried to save me and played a crucial role. I have no reason to blame Olivia for the fact that I survived and that the gate incident was also her fault. Because I survived, if I can do something, it's thanks to Olivia, and I have to think that way. Olivia and I sat down on chairs. "Honestly, I'm really, really glad you're safe, but I'm against all of this." "...." "It's shocking that you were a demon king... I can't understand it now that I know." It was inevitable. "You don't have a reason to protect humans. Ultimately, this incident happened, but you tried to prevent it. And it's impressive that you came all the way to this far southern country and took over the country overnight... Let's say you can handle the gate incident or whatever. What's next?" Olivia's intentions were clear to me. The aftermath of everything being resolved. "In the end, we are still the culprits of the gate incident. No matter what you do to save humans, people will hate us. And the empire will declare the demon king as the culprit to control the confused public opinion, and it's not entirely wrong." It's not exactly black propaganda for the empire to say that we are the culprits of the gate incident because Elellys was the one who activated Akasha. "If the empire had believed you even a little, this wouldn't have happened. They won't admit that. They will inevitably blame us for everything." "That's right." "Ultimately, the empire and humans will try to kill you to make you responsible for all of this. No one will know how much we tried to save people, and no one will know that you didn't really want this to happen. No one will understand or try to acknowledge it. Because you are the demon king. They will try to bury all the truth with just one word." Olivia sighs. "Let's not do anything. The gate incident won't affect this southern island. So let's just leave the affairs of the continent and humans alone. We don't need to act like a king. There will only be troublesome things. So let's just live quietly somewhere with our people. I don't know why we should risk our lives for something that is clearly not going to be acknowledged by anyone." As a human, Olivia tells me to turn away from humans. Because I am the culprit of the gate incident, everything I do will ultimately not be acknowledged by any humans. When the gate incident is over, the empire will target me. They will stabilize the situation with hatred towards the demon king and promote unity among humanity. All of these things are too obvious and natural, so it's clear that they will happen without much thought. These are things that Olivia doesn't need to say, but she suggests that we live quietly. "If it was something that I wanted to do to receive someone's acknowledgment or recognition, I wouldn't have even started." I had a choice. To do something or not. Sarkargar's opinion was to go into the temple, but I could have just lived quietly in the temple. But I didn't do that. I tried to do something and achieve something. But in the end, those actions led to the gate incident. So now, should I just turn away from everything and do nothing? I can't do that. Since I decided to do something, if the result of my actions is the gate incident, then I have to do something else about it. It's not about wanting someone to acknowledge it. No, and not everyone needs to acknowledge it.

"And, the people who need to know the truth don't. That's enough."

At least there are people who know that my intentions were not like that.

Even if they receive numerous misunderstandings and hatred, the people who need to know are aware.

Even if the empire turns all the arrows of blame towards me, they cannot deny that my intentions were pure. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been scared enough to not reveal the only solution to the gate incident.

Even so, the empire will sacrifice me and make me the target of all hatred.

However, they will know that my intentions cannot be denied.

That's enough.

"And, if the purpose was to do nothing in the first place, I wouldn't have become close with Nuna like this."

"......"

"It wasn't all bad, there were good things too. Definitely."

Just because a huge negative result came out, it doesn't mean that everything I've done so far leads to this situation.

Harriet, Liana, and Olivia believed in me and followed me.

It wasn't all bad.

If I didn't have to do it, there would have been no reason for me to save Olivia in the first place.

As a result of risking danger to save Olivia, I was able to survive.

"So, the things I will do from now on don't necessarily have to be bad things that come back to me. There will be good things too, and this may be a good thing for me later. Like how Nuna saved me. That kind of good thing."

"......"

Olivia looked at me silently, as if she had nothing to say to my words.

"I didn't think you would listen to me. You're always doing things your way. You saved me your way, and did this and that your way. Even if I say something, it won't work."

Olivia smiled at me.

"But from now on, whatever you do, whatever we do, there are no secrets, right?"

"Of course."

As if that was enough, Olivia smiled brightly.

If the gate incident is resolved, there may be a conflict with the empire next.

It may cause desperate damage to humanity, or it may lead to a more miserable death for me.

Olivia, Liana, Harriet.

All those who helped me may die miserably.

I will never let that future come.

Just because I failed to do something, I won't hesitate to imagine that trying to do something this time will end in failure.

Whether I do nothing or do something, the world will hate me.

So at least, I will try to do something.