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.”

“...?”

closest to the empress was a Yatan Servant. Didn’t this mean that Empress Marie was related to the evil Yatan Church? Mercedes and the Red

be just anyone. The imperial family thoroughly investigated their origins and only welcome the cleanest women. How

the empress could no longer be clean the moment she was filled with the ambition to place her son on the throne. She held hands with the evil forces that serve

“...?”

I had

“W-What...?”

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 a gap in his mind for Yatan’s essence to affect. It was his own fault in

to be a knight from the beginning. I betrayed my country

filled with shame every time he reminded himself of his

I’m the one who betrayed the emperor, not Piaro

Asmophel’s eyes were bloodshot when he thought

For my own sake, I framed my friends

was a terrible sin 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 to the world. This was the only reason why Asmophel was

“Stop it.”

was useless. Asmophel didn’t stop. His trembling voice

you once admired and loved is still alive. Please get rid of all misconceptions about him and pour the

“...”

saying right now? The Red Knights couldn’t follow the truth. However, Mercedes realized it instantly. Asmophel was telling the truth. In the end, tears flowed down Mercedes’ white cheeks. She was aware that Asmophel was still

“You...”

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

hero of

excited when he saw Mercedes’ eyes. Now that she found out the truth, she had an obligation. It was to make the other Red Knights believe Asmophel’s words. In

from 12 years ago to determine if

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

help your pursue charges against Empress Marie and

was the duty of the empire and the emperor towards the two

to

Or had he been affected by the Fourth Knight? There was a lot to do. Mercedes was in a rush

I didn’t see you. Later when we are reunited, I hope my sword doesn’t turn towards

heart, she wanted to kneel down. She wanted to yell at 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. She bowed deeply to

our rudeness and to ask for understanding. Today’s price will be paid later, even if I have to give