-- "Hero Nito!　Stop the demon tribe's attack!"

.........

-- "Hero Nito!　We're going to the Inquisition!　What is the heart of the eighteenth king?"

.........

Huh....

I closed the demonic communication and put it on the table.



"And the seven kings are about to put the heroes to the Inquisition and judge them, as it happens."

"An outrage?"

"Or is it a conspiracy?"

Despite myself, I felt uncomfortable with the article in the magical newsletter.
When I looked at the edge of the article, I saw that "Francesca Cardner" was mentioned.

''Huh........Francesca.......''

You got personal.

I don't know what the reason is, but Francesca seems to be on my side.
The article is anti-kingdom itself.

It's been nearly a week since then.

A dormitory in Heil Kuwait. The grasslands, visible even from its windows.
The scars of the battlefield have not yet healed.

The corpses of the demon tribe were abandoned, and even the corpse of the demon king Cassandra was abandoned.

-- "There's no obligation to bother retrieving and mourning the corpse of a demon race that isn't even a beastman or even a human."

That's what the humans said.

Afterwards, I returned to the battlefield and telekinetically gathered the bodies of the demons I had killed and scattered a large quantity of flammable material that I had bought in Qatar and set them on fire.
I don't know how to mourn in this world, but I chose to be cremated.
He wanted to atone for his sins by doing so.

It would calm the abyss a little but it wouldn't change the fact that I killed a demon tribe.
The weight of this heart will never go away.
I killed my own, my own dream.

Afterwards, I called Vel again to bring back the "swallowed" part.
In other words, I was swallowed up again by this incident.
I ignored Vel's warning not to doubt him so much, and I was swallowed by the abyss.
The reason why he was still safe, Vel said, was probably because that was Toa's wish.

Toa, by the way, it took me a day to regain consciousness.

After the fight, I carried Toa to the dormitory right away.
And I stayed with them until the next day when they woke up.
The Toa was soon back on its feet, and it wasn't "the Toa of that time" but "the Toa of always".


--"Thank you, Masamune. Now he's all yours."


I'm reminded of the words of the Toa.

And even if I did, Toa would say that he doesn't remember.
Just like now--.

I don't remember...

I see.

"I don't know, I don't know, I didn't tell you."

Toa said that when I asked him.
But I had a strange feeling in his face, as if I had some idea of what he was talking about.

I stopped talking about it, thinking it was useless to ask any more questions.
I don't think it was for Toa's sake.
If I thought it was for Toa's sake, I should make Toa aware of it, even if it took a long time.
But now I was struggling with it myself.

What to do with the three of them?
The Toa will send them to the demon kingdom of Ursula.
Sufilia sends them to the prophet.
Nem ... what should Nem do?
Can you leave me in Demonland?
Will the demon race be tolerant of the beastmen?

.........

But I have an obligation to help them.
If the three of them still want to, they should be allowed to travel with me, and there is no one who wants to leave me at this point in time, so it's not right for me to start thinking about it.

I'm more troubled than I am thinking.
I should be thinking more.
I should be calmer and more thoughtful.
I've been doing this for many years, and that's the only way I can solve the problem.

By the way, everyone knows that Toa is the daughter of the Demon King, but no one asks about Toa.
There is not the slightest bit of emotion to blame Toa, but the central figure in this case is Toa more than anything else.
Then it was necessary to at least question Toa.
Why hasn't anyone come?　On the contrary, it's scary.
But I can think of something. It's probably because I'm here.
That's one of the reasons I'm with Toa in the first place.
If the unconscious Toa were to be assassinated, I would be just like the future me.
I don't know when the consequences will come to the Toa.
That's why I can't leave him.

　Yesterday, someone who calls himself the Inquisition came to my room.
He left as soon as I told him that I was under suspicion and that the Inquisition was scheduled to meet with him.
Later, I heard another knock on the door of the room, and when I opened it, I found Schneizel, the king of Dames Aldan, in the doorway.
"It will only take a few minutes," he said, so I invited him into the room, and he gave me a few explanations about the Inquisition, and finally, "Answer all of them honestly," and then, "Don't mention the Abyss. "He left in a daze with the advice that he was going to leave.
That was yesterday.

There was something going on that I didn't know about.
I got that feeling.

Since then, I've only spoken to Nem, Toa, and Sufilia, and of course I haven't spoken to Patrick either.
I hadn't had a visit from any of my "friends" since that day.
I'll probably be expelled and have to leave the academy, but I'd like to talk to him in the meantime.
I would like to say goodbye before I leave.

I was thinking about that, and that's when it happened.

''I'm up to pick you up!

Then there was a knock on the room and the door opened.

'Is it time to go?'

Yes, sir.

The messenger of Schneizel appeared there.
Normally these guys are dressed in golden armor, but now they are wearing what looks like a white coat.

''Nito........''

The Toa looks at me with concern.
It's not just Toa. Neem and Sufilia too.

Let's go. Watch my back.

Today, the Inquisition will be held at the site of the event.
I will be the heretic.
I will be arraigned before an inquisitor, and I will be judged by the world.

We were allowed to bring as many as three people with us to the hearing.
We were allowed to take three people with us. We wore masks and robes.
Schneizel's messenger takes me out of the room.
Then the three of them follow from behind.

This may be the last time I see this corridor and school building.
No, expulsion from school would be inevitable.
He has killed a student.
But I'm not feeling pessimistic about that anymore.
This isn't the school I thought it would be.
I'm leaving the academy anyway.

Naturally, I'm not worried.
The expressions of the three men behind me are cloudy, but it's understandable with a little thought.

--There is no one who can kill me.

Even an SSS-ranked adventurer was only that good.
It's a letdown. The greatness of the Demon King is palpable.
I've heard that if it weren't for me, the Demon King is the strongest in this world.
This is what Schneizel told me.

According to Schneizel, protecting the people and the school from the demons is "supposed to be taken into account".
That's why he advised me not to worry and to keep my head up.

Schneizel seems to be defending me.
I'm sure he's just protecting the adventurers, but he's also wary of the Empire.
I've been told that they need me to deal with the empire.
So it looks like they can't just kill me here.
That also means that if the Empire wages war on the world, I'll be forced to join the war.

-- "Help instead of help."

I guess that's what happened.


In the meantime, we crossed the main gate of the Heil Kuwait, and then the venue came into view in front of us.
The venue was collapsed and collapsed during the demon tribe's progress.
Now, the rubble and other debris had been recovered, and there was no wall there, only the sidelines surrounding the center.
In other words, what used to be the bleachers during the school games have all been turned into the observation room for the Inquisition.
The walls had collapsed and the venue was completely united with the outside.
While being guided, I passed between the observation seats and entered the hall.





â





　360 degrees, hearing room.
This is the Inquisition it's an anomaly.
It's like a public display.

The hearing room surrounding the Inquisition.
But even though they are in the hearing, they are all dressed in white.
Their faces were covered with white pointed hats and their entire bodies were covered with white robes.
In other words, there were no "ordinary visitors" here.
They are all servants of the authorities.

A space prepared in the center of the hall.
I was led there and took my place.
There were seats for the inquisitors on both sides.
There are four on the left and three on the right.
All of them are clad in white robes with pointed heads that cover their faces to their eyes.
Nearly all of the people you can see from here are dressed like that.

'White'........do they want to say that they are innocent?

And at the front, the head of the Inquisition, Majoska, was looking down at me from the dais.
His name was written on a name plate right beside him.

Manioska is also dressed in white, but his face is exposed.
When I got to my position, Manioska, with his thin, white scalp hair and round glasses, leaned forward and peered over the top of his glasses, his round eyeballs peeking out.

Right behind me stood a log with straw and firewood underfoot.
As soon as the charges were handed down, if I was found guilty, I would be tied to the log behind me and burned at the stake.
It was a simple and efficient trial.

On the other side, there are three specially prepared seats in the audience, where Toa, Nem and Sufilia can be seen.
All three will be watching my back anxiously.

At that moment, Manioska asks me to take off my mask first, before the Inquisition begins.
But I can't take off this mask.

'I have received a curse from someone. "I was cursed by a certain someone to kill everyone around me indiscriminately right after revealing my true face. Therefore, I cannot remove this mask until the time of my death. I can handle more than the Wandspeak level, but this curse is so powerful that not even those spells can break the curse. If you still want to say that, I'll remove it, but...

'....I see. If that's the case, then you're allowed to wear it.

I'll say it.

Then Mnioska cleared his throat and resumed the partition.

'Well, then!　I call the Inquisition to order!

Then, with the words of Manioska, the Inquisition began.

'Heretic nit!　Thou art guilty of murder and impiety, and of many other charges. Therefore, in the Inquisition, all of them shall be considered.

Then Manioska turns the booklet in hand.

'First of all, you have an additional match against the school, during the match. It is an undeniable fact that you have committed an open murder in the audience. The victim is "Shinya Kyogoku", a student of the Fischanatica School of Magic and Wizardry. Do you have any objection to this matter?

No, sir.

I said honestly.

"So, next--

The Inquisition proceeds smoothly.

It is suspected that you are the one who caused the attack on the princess of the demon kingdom and the attack on Chastain, which is the cause of the damage in this tournament. Before the Inquisition can begin their deliberations, the Inquisition demands clear and untrue details from Nito the Divergent regarding the attack on the demon tribe. Then, Heretic Nito. Do you swear to follow the magic of Adams and to speak the truth without lies and deceit?

How could a non-magical person suspect you of kidnapping the Demon King's daughter.......then what?
If that's the case, then you guys are going to judge me?
I mean, this is ridiculous.

"I swear.

Now....give me the details.

And I gave the details of this series of disturbances, as instructed.
That I met Toa by chance in a village that I happened to stop in on my journey, and I didn't know that she was the daughter of the Demon King at that point in time.
And it was only recently that I learned that Toa was the daughter of the Demon King, and that it was through contact with someone who claimed to be an executive of the Demon Kingdom of Chastain, Kaiser, that I learned that Toa was the Demon King's daughter.

''Then why didn't you hand over the Demon Kingdom's princess at that point?''

Magnoska asked.

''Toa is the princess of the Demon Country Uruzoura, not a person related to the Demon Country Shastain. Handing over Toa to Shastain would be an act of hostility against the Demon Country Uruzoura and provoke a war...'' "Wait........''

Then Manioska interrupts my explanation.

'Your objections will be confirmed later. For now, just state the facts.

Okay.

Every word spoken by a heretic is an 'objection'.
The premise is out of the question and cannot be accepted as an opinion.
Or is it not a quandary?　But it's possible.

'I refused Kaizel's request. Then Kaiser returned to his country, and then the demon attack happened. These are the facts about the attack.

'Then, inquisitor, you are permitted to ask questions. Heretic Nito will be allowed to state his facts and opinions in response to the inquisitor's questions.

Then the first one to raise his hand was the Inquisitor of the Kingdom of Pasquantin.
The king's name is Tong Paar. It's the country of the king who tried to kidnap Nem before.

I would like to know the rest of what I was about to say before, but you said that the act of handing over the princess to the demon tribe of Chastain is equivalent to an act of hostility against the demon kingdom of Urszola?　If you could have thought that far, you could have foreseen the coming attack if you let this Kaizel character escape. Why didn't you take any precautions?　Or it is even possible that this attack could have been prevented if you guys had left the area. The specific suspicion that now hangs over you is that you are in collusion. In other words, there is a suspicion that you are an agent of the demon kingdom. Please tell us about that.

Pasquantin that pig king.
He wants to put me to death somehow.

The Pasquantin inquisitor seemed to be a woman by the sound of his voice.

'First of all, I could not anticipate the fact that Chastain would carry out the raid. You are all overestimating the importance of that. I am not of such superior intelligence. And secondly, as for not leaving the area, I didn't think about it because of the conflicts with the war against the school. The principals of both schools had strongly encouraged me to participate in the games, so that was all I could think about. But even if I had left, I would not have been able to prevent them from attacking us. Because it was only for our own good.

'I mean ... what does that mean?　Please answer briefly.

The Inquisitor was momentarily annoyed, as if in hysterics.

'This is the place where Kaisel found the Toa, and this is the place he set his sights on. If I leave this land, they will act on the assumption that the Toa are here. That's what I heard from Kaiser himself that this raid was like that. That's why they stormed the land in the first place. It's certainly possible that they could have prevented it. But if you call that a crime, then I stayed in this place and prevented the demon tribe from attacking us, so I urge you to consider that fact.

Then an inquisitor from the Dames Aldan of the Feng Kingdom joined the conversation.

''Indeed, this attack, but if it wasn't for you, the demon race would not have stopped moving and the damage wouldn't have been as bad as this. The two traditional schools might have come to an end. This current situation is the result of your presence.

However, there are reports that the target of the demon race was the heretic himself!

Suddenly, it was the Inquisitor of the Kingdom of Utopia who said so.

''Wouldn't you say that all of those abnormal numbers of demons were things that were prepared for this heretic?　If that's the case, wouldn't it mean that if the heretic wasn't here, the attack itself wouldn't have happened in the first place?　Hmm? ...May I summon a witness?

I give you...

Then, at the same time as Manioska's words, Brahms, the SSS rank adventurer, appeared there.