Overgeared

12 years ago, Asmophel condemned Piaro and his loyalists as traitors. The fallen hero. Yes, after Piaro’s betrayal, Asmophel was no longer a hero. After destroying his most precious friend Piaro, his fellow men, and their families with his own hands, he isolated himself in a mansion for many years, sinking into drugs and alcohol. It seemed like a ritual. A ritual to call death.

"...One day, you suddenly disappeared.”

He might be ruined, but a splendid swordsman was still abducted. Did he do this? Mercedes was aware of Asmophel’s ability despite his inaction and wasn’t convinced. Therefore, she had only one guess.

“I thought it was a self-fabricated act.”

“...”

The old hero Asmophel appeared in a pillar of light. Like the old days, he smiled at Mercedes with a noble and beautiful appearance.

"I thought that you wanted to turn away from a hellish life and left the empire to escape from the protection of the Red Knights.”

She was sad. The knight who died for himself, not for his master, was no longer a knight. Mercedes felt sorrow that the hero who had been an idol like Piaro had transformed into a symbol of shame and corruption.

"Yes. I thought you were already dead.”

However.

“You’re alive. And you’re by the traitor Piaro’s side.” Mercedes gripped her two swords with great strength. Blood was flowing down her hands as she started to tremble. "You were once a hero, yet you betrayed your country and your emperor to be with your friend?”

“...”

The key to resolving the misunderstanding just made things worse. But Grid wasn’t worried. He knew that Asmophel would release the misconceptions as soon as he spoke.

“Mercedes, there are a few things to keep in mind.”

After responding to Grid’s call, the silent Asmophel finally opened his mouth.

“The first one. The Red Knights didn’t protect me, they watched me. You know the Fourth Knight, right?”

The Fourth Knight was different from the other Red Knights. It wasn’t a position appointed by the emperor but one handed down.

"The Fourth Knight, a position designed to protect the Red Knights, became corrupted. It’s my guess that the Fourth Knight is closely related to the Yatan Church. Dive, the one closest to Marie, was a black magician... In fact, he was Yatan’s Seventh Servant and the subordinate of the Fourth Knight. The Red Knights who watched under the pretext of protection were the Fourth Knight’s men.”

“...?”

an unbelievable story. The problem was that he claimed the person closest to the empress was a Yatan Servant. Didn’t this mean that Empress

anyone. The imperial family thoroughly investigated their origins and only

was filled with the ambition to place her son on the throne. She held hands with the evil forces that serve the great demons. Humans are weak creatures to temptation.” Asmophel’s expression was exhausted.

“...?”

fell for Marie’s beauty. I

“W-What...?”

use the excuse that his mental state had been weakened by the Yatan essence and that he was brainwashed. It was because of his feelings of inferiority toward Piaro that there was

the qualification to be a knight from the beginning. I betrayed my country and the emperor. Piaro was purely

soul filled with shame every time he reminded himself of his sin. His guilt towards Piaro and his

one who betrayed the emperor, not Piaro and the Red

tears. Asmophel’s eyes were

up my sin... For my own sake, I framed my

committed under the name of punishment. Asmophel’s body trembled with pain, sorrow, and anger towards himself. But Asmophel didn’t stop speaking. It was in order to reveal the hidden truth

“Stop it.”

useless. Asmophel didn’t stop. His trembling voice filled the ears of Mercedes and

alive. Please get rid of

“...”

realized it instantly. Asmophel was telling the truth. In the end, tears flowed down Mercedes’ white cheeks. She was aware that Asmophel was still hiding the truth

“You...”

in desperation and suffering from a false accusation while another hero was ruled by guilt. In the end, the source was Empress Marie and the Yatan Church. The moment she realized

am the hero of your

she found out the truth, she had an obligation. It was to make the other Red Knights believe Asmophel’s words. In order to

empire and review the events from 12 years ago to determine if your words are

towards the Red Knights. The confused Red Knights nodded with determined eyes. All of

pursue charges against Empress Marie

the empire

need to investigate Captain

the empress’ side? Or had he been affected by the Fourth Knight? There was a lot to do. Mercedes

Later when we are reunited, I hope my sword doesn’t turn

them for making her feel resentment towards them over the years. But it wasn’t possible. She couldn’t change her attitude until the other Red Knights understood the truth.

understanding. Today’s price will be paid later, even if I have to give up