The Paladin of the Holy Kingdom: Part 1

“...I’ll ask the priests later. Then, Your Majesty, we are now trying to figure out the demihumans’ hiding places in order to clear them out, so I would like to monopolize a bit of your precious time afterwards.”

After saying so, Gustavo went back inside the gate.

About ten minutes after that, they could start seeing scattered human forms through the gate.

They were the captives. Just like the boy who had been taken hostage, they were dressed in tattered, threadbare clothing that did not look like it could resist the winter chill. The paladins who should have escorted them to the door simply went back past them and vanished behind the gate. Had they done this because they had too few people to handle the prisoners, or was it because the suppression work was still ongoing, or both of them?

The prisoners had looks of delight on their faces as they rushed toward Neia.

However, they suddenly stopped in their tracks.

That was probably because they had seen the form of the Sorcerer King. And then, some people continued to approach them. Perhaps they felt that the Sorcerer King was just wearing a mask or something.

A man ran over from amidst the walking people.

The man panted heavily, and then knelt down beside the boy which Ainz had laid at Neia’s feet. No, it would be more accurate to say he had collapsed there.

The man caressed the boy’s cheek, and after seeing for himself that the boy was dead, he burst into mournful tears.

Clearly, he was the boy’s father.

Neia bit her lip.

As the father cried his son’s name while he wept, the Sorcerer King calmly said:

“I was the one who killed that boy.”

Neia looked at the Sorcerer King in surprise. Was now the time to say this sort of thing?

However, surely the wise Sorcerer King would not have suddenly said so for no reason.

“Why, why did you kill him!?”

The fires of hatred burned in the father’s eyes. Faced with that—

The Sorcerer King replied with a mocking laugh.

“To save you, of course.”

“What, what did you say!?”

For just a moment, the father’s eyes filled with fear. That was because he realized that the Sorcerer King’s face was not artificial. Then, his eyes roved to the sides in search of help, and they settled on Neia.

However, before Neia could say something, the Sorcerer King spoke first.

“Then may I ask you something? Why did you not protect your son? Your son was brought before me as a hostage.”

“I protected him! But he was snatched away! Those bastards were stronger than me, so I couldn’t do anything!”

The Sorcerer King laughed again.

“Then let me ask you — why are you still alive?”

The father did not know how to answer, and froze up.

“I am asking you why you did not die to protect your child. It is said that not all lives are equally important. You should have been the one who valued that child’s life the most of all. So why did you not struggle wildly to protect him to your last breath?”

The other people were peeking at the situation here from a distance.

They must have felt unease, fear, and anger at the Sorcerer King who had taken the boy’s life.

“What, what are you saying…”

“You are the one who failed to protect him. Do not push the blame onto others. You, who were weak, are at fault. Also, you seem to be mistaken about something… you do realize that I am much more powerful than the Bafolk you claim to be stronger than you, no? ...Although I can forgive some insults because I pity you for the loss of your child, I will slay you if they get out of hand.”

The Sorcerer King reached out a bony index finger and rested it on the father’s face.

“That, that’s because you’re strong — that’s why you can say that! Not everyone can be as powerful as you!”

“Well said. I can say this precisely because I am powerful. Then, it is precisely because you are weak that being taken from is your lot in life, no? The strong preying on the weak is a very natural sequence of events.”

The Sorcerer King turned his eyes to the people around him.

“Have you not also experienced suffering because the Bafolk are strong?”

“Are you saying the strong can do what they want!?”

“Exactly. The strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must. This is the way of the world. The same rule applies to me. In the face of a more powerful opponent, I would have no recourse but to suffer. That is why I seek strength.”

Neia understood why the Sorcerer King sought Jaldabaoth’s maids.

His Majesty must be seeking strength because he wants to protect his nation, to protect the children of his country. So strength is the most important thing after all...