Chapter 584

Heinrich had a determined expression and Louise was stunned. The demon king, who was the culprit of all this and hated by everyone in the world, had secretly come to find his son. Heinrich explained that he received a letter from an unknown sender when he was struggling without knowing the hatred of his brothers and the truth before he knew he was a bastard. The demon king proposed to Heinrich that if he wanted to live, he should follow him. If he stayed here, he would either be killed or want to kill his brothers. The demon king promised to tell him everything that had happened so far, what he could do in the future, and what he could do there. Louise was increasingly trembling as she listened. However, fortunately, his son was not following the demon king but was in front of her. Heinrich refused the demon king's offer in a situation where he could not refuse. Louise was moved by her son's brave decision to refuse the demon king's offer. "I know what the Duke is thinking. He may have lied to trick us into following him, or I may be speaking because I fell for his lies," Heinrich said, swallowing his saliva. "I have no intention of following or cooperating with the Duke, even if he comes back again. You can rest assured of that. However, no matter how much I think about it... no matter how much I try to doubt it... I don't think the Duke... Reinhardt is an evil being."

"My youngest, the Duke deceived everyone. Didn't he wear a kind and gentle mask and deceive everyone? Haven't you seen those who were deceived by that mask and followed and helped the Duke from up close?"

In this situation, Heinrich could only be stunned by those words.

Kind and gentle.

It was something that anyone who had seen the Duke during his time at the temple could not say.

"...Your Highness. The Duke was far from being kind and gentle. Strictly speaking, he was a madman."

"Is that so..."

"Yes, he was a madman who caused all sorts of accidents. He did everything he shouldn't have done if he was infiltrating."

If the purpose was infiltration and subjugation, the Duke had done too many things he shouldn't have.

But Reinhardt had made friends with many people and built up friendships. However, it was more like a coincidence that happened by chance than a scheme of the Duke's.

If the purpose was really subjugation, the Duke had no reason to act like that.

To say that the purpose of the process was the same as the result is too teleological.

The Duke had lived like a madman during his time at the temple. In fact, Heinrich was also a victim, to some extent, if you wanted to be precise.

But Louise was only afraid of her son who spoke such words about the Duke.

She couldn't help but be afraid that he had already fallen for the Duke's sweet talk or deception.

"Your Highness, don't you think the Allied Forces have been advancing too easily all of a sudden, even though it's winter? Haven't you seen the small cities' warp gates being subdued without any operations, and even in the Selandia battle, haven't you seen a scene where someone has already swept through?"

It was definitely a strange situation.

But no one questioned these things.

"Could it be... could it be..."

"The Duke's forces are definitely helping our advance and fighting ahead of us."

The Empire's secret or strategy that they were hiding.

That was what they had vaguely thought of.

But the idea that it was all thanks to the Duke's help was something they didn't want to believe, regardless of its possibility.

"Why does the Duke... have to do that? Causing the Gate Incident. Why is he helping us?"

"I don't know. Why the Duke is helping us. Why the Empire is keeping this a secret. I don't know what the Duke really wants... but one thing is for sure."

The Duke caused the Gate Incident to destroy humanity.

"There was something we didn't know from the beginning about the Gate Incident." Translation: Heinrich is a person who no longer believes in the grand plan. Meanwhile, Ludwig is heading towards the Temple of Tuwan, feeling the weight of the snow and the despair of the people. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, he and Rowen continue to do what they can to help. As they walk, they see people running with bags, possibly trying to sell something to the nobles. They lament the fact that even food is scarce and expensive. -But what kind of temple is it when you can't even see gold or silver?

-They probably sold it a long time ago. Where did those poor people get that much money from the temple?

-Well, at least we're not them. Those who are going in now are doomed.

Ludwig could see smoke rising from the sky beyond the alley.

-Fire!

"......!"

Before he could fully understand the words, Ludwig was already running.

* * *

In the pouring snow, Ludwig could see the entire temple turned upside down, with a white smoke rising up in resistance to the sky like a fire.

-Kurrur

Many people were gathered around it, staring blankly at the shape of the giant fire pot.

The Temple of Tuwan, where Rowen was staying, was engulfed in flames.

-Ujijijik!

Something was breaking and collapsing.

-Is it going to collapse...?

-What about the guards?

-Can they pull it off...?

-It's a punishment. It's a punishment for those who conspired with the Demon King.

-This guy. The punishment is not a punishment for the rich refugees!

Only then did Ludwig realize who those who had just passed by were.

Looters.

"Sometimes people try to start a fire."

And arson.

Someone set fire to the temple and took advantage of the opportunity to loot the temple's belongings.

"Rowen!"

Ludwig rushed into the temple as if possessed.

Those who were watching the temple burn with pleasure looked at Ludwig jumping into the fire with their tongues out.

But Ludwig didn't even hear the spectators' thoughts or insults about the Temple of Tuwan.

"Ugh!"

-Kurrurrur

The smoke-filled interior of the temple was a mess. Everything that could catch fire was burning, and it was difficult to distinguish one step ahead.

-Udduduk

And then the sound of breaking wood and the sound of gold going against the wall began to grow louder as it approached the state of collapse.

Who. Why.

Even if you hate the Temple of Tuwan, do you have to do this?

Even in the harsh smoke, Ludwig could see it soon.

'Surely...?'

Inside the temple were people wearing priestly clothes that Ludwig did not know, but they were lying all over the worship hall.

There was no time to examine them closely, but Ludwig could only sense that they had all died.

-Clink! Ujijik!

He searched for something, lifting the collapsed burning pillars and lifting the collapsed stone pillars.

Holding his breath, knowing that even inhaling smoke was dangerous for a superhuman.

He searched.

The person who should be here.

How long did he wander in the burning temple in the smoke?

Soon, Ludwig could see someone sitting in front of the statue of Tuwan.

"!!!"

Archbishop Rowen.

Rowen was there, not in his usual gray faded robe, but in a white holy robe. However, the white robe that should have been white was dyed red.

"Rowen...!"

There was no way to express Rowen's body other than saying that it was completely beaten up.

After being stabbed and beaten several times, the white robe that should have been white looked more like a red butcher's robe.

Trembling, Ludwig knelt in front of Rowen's dead body with his eyes wide open.

"Father! Father! Wake up!"

But Ludwig knew that his calling would not bring Rowen back to life.

Rowen was forever gone, with his eyes open even in death, unable to be returned.

Ludwig held onto Rowen's shoulders, pouring tears that he couldn't cry even in the heat of the flames that could burn his whole body.

"Why... Why is this... Why...?"

-Tremble

The temple continued to burn.

-Thud!

And something that shouldn't have been broken made a breaking sound.

-Kururung!

The temple collapsed.