0.0000001% Demon King - 0DK Chapter 32: The Choice (1) (Part 2)

The mercenaries lost all will to fight. There was no madman who would resist the Sun God’s Hero. They obediently followed Sinclaire’s orders and gathered in one place.

“Vain, I did as you said.”

Sinclaire looked at Karos with stern eyes. Karos gestured towards the mercenaries.

“The rest will be told by them.”

The mercenaries shifted their eyes uneasily. It didn’t seem like they were going to be killed. Then, they would probably talk.

They all focused their gaze on one person.

The slim man inwardly cursed and bowed to Sinclaire.

“Great Hero of the Sun God. I am a humble mercenary.”

“Go on.”

“I’m really sorry, but may I know why you attacked us?”

The slim man stammered.

“We’re just ordinary mercenaries. Even if we say so ourselves, you might not trust us, but we’ve never engaged in any misconduct.”

For the man, it was beyond confusing; it was maddening. They were just trying to fulfill a request, and suddenly the Sun God’s Hero appeared and subdued them. Anyone hearing this would scoff and snort, but being the party involved, his mouth went dry.

“…Mercenaries?”

“Yes. Very low-level mercenaries.”

Sinclaire’s eyes visibly shook.

“Aren’t you bandits?”

“No, no. We’re just here on a job.”

“Didn’t I tell you? These aren’t bandits.”

Karos spoke and approached the slim man.

“Tell us who hired you.”

“…I cannot disclose the employer.”

Confidentiality was a given for a mercenary. Karos smiled and whispered to him.

“You can tell us. The other party has already broken the contract.”

“…”

The slim man’s face twisted. Karos inwardly admired.

‘Quick thinker?’

Having the strength to block a Hero’s strike and being smart, yet being very low-level mercenaries didn’t match.

Meanwhile, the slim man internally screamed. The branch of the Sun God. And the Sun God’s Hero mistook them for bandits.

‘I knew it felt dirty!’

He was entangled in a filthy affair. He couldn’t know the details, but that was certain. After a brief consideration, the answer was clear.

“We were hired for a job. To guard this place for a few days and drive away anyone who comes near.”

“And the employer?”

“…The branch of the Sun God, the village right in front of us.”

At those words, Sinclaire shook her head.

“That’s a lie. They wouldn’t do that.”

“There’s no proof, of course. The request letter would have been destroyed.”

“No. There is.”

The slim man quickly spoke up.

“We destroyed the original, but just in case, we made a copy.”

“You’re thorough.”

Karos chuckled.

“Bring it here.”

Shortly after, a mercenary brought a copy of the request letter. Receiving it, Sinclaire’s pupils dilated.

“…What are the chances this is a lie?”

“Whether it’s true or false doesn’t matter, you know.”

The important thing was that they had the request letter. If they were really bandits, they wouldn’t have it in the first place.

“These aren’t enemies. They’re just ordinary people caught up in this.”

“…Why.”

She muttered, not understanding the situation.

“Why would they.”

“Let’s ask them directly. Hey guys, you don’t want to die, do you?”

At Karos’s words, the mercenaries quietly nodded.

“Then go and tell the truth.”

**** ****

“Don’t joke with us! We would never hire you! You filthy bandits, trying to survive by struggling!”

“Shut up! We have the request letter right here, where do you get off denying it!”

“How can we believe the words of filthy beings like you! You must have created a fake to deceive the Hero!”

“You damned scoundrel!”

Shouts echoed. Both sides desperately voiced what they believed in.

“It’s noisy.”

Sinclaire, listening to the fight from inside, casually remarked.

“Both are too loud. Unpleasant to the ears.”

“But, Miss Sinclaire, you must listen.”

She was not just a bystander in this matter but a party involved. She should not turn her eyes away.

“What do you think?”

“…The church has no reason to do such a thing, doesn’t it?”

“Who knows. There could be many reasons, but I’m not a party involved, so I don’t know.”

He had a rough idea.

The church showed the Hero a false world. As a result, the Hero’s spirit became twisted, evident to anyone who saw. Because the church did not want to expose the Hero to the outside world after killing the Demon King, staying only in the holy land would naturally arouse suspicion. It’s impossible to create a complete fiction because, eventually, the truth would come out.

So, they create an enemy and elevate the Hero’s fame by defeating them. Very low-level mercenaries wouldn’t be missed by anyone. And mercenaries wouldn’t run away because of a job.

For a church known for its rigid thinking, this was somewhat well thought out. To Karos though, it seemed clumsy at best.

Sinclaire quietly said.

“…The mercenaries, they could be lying. They might turn into bandits and attack the village.”

“That’s possible.”

He didn’t think this single incident would break Sinclaire. It wasn’t an event that exposed the church’s secrets, just raising suspicion.

Karos was just releasing the poison.

“The villagers’ words must also be heard. It’s proper to hear both sides in a matter. A fair judgment.”

Karos whispered to Sinclaire.

“But have you ever listened to both sides until now?”

Sinclaire’s pupils shook. Karos chuckled.

“You’ve always believed only the words of the village, of the followers of the Sun God, and killed the other party. You never doubted their words for a moment. You never even tried to talk to the other side, did you?”

“…”

“And you said you’ve killed bandits quite a few times before.”

Karos muttered as if he pitied the bandits killed.

“Poor thing. Died entangled in dirty politics.”

She clenched her fists. Her nails dug into her skin, staining it red.

Karos finally blamed Sinclair.

“That might’ve been your fault. Great Hero.”

Hyung_Otaku

I'm currently Translating the following novels: Pick Me Up! | A Frontline Soldier Awakened as a Gamer In The War! | The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player. If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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