Chapter 76: The Traitors of Blue Rose (Patreon)

Soldiers of the kingdom, wrapped in full plate armor, adventurers in their unique outfits of armor and robes, and the city guards all stood frozen, staring into the distance.

Their eyes were locked onto the platinum-haired young man standing beside the beautiful Nabe. He stood tall under the night sky, his presence alone radiating an almost legendary brilliance—he was a warrior of unparalleled splendor, the only one who could stand against the Demon Lord, Jaldabaoth.

An existence that drove out the great evil that humans could not defeat.

To everyone, this platinum-haired young man was their hope, their savior—the Platinum Sword King, Lucifer.

Slowly, Lucifer's mouth parted, and his piercing blue-white eyes fixed in a single direction.

"Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to kill the Demon Emperor, Jaldabaoth."

Disappointment crept into the expressions of the soldiers, adventurers, and guards as his words sank in their hearts.

"However!"

His voice boomed as he raised his platinum sword high in the sky.

"You were the ones who protected the capital!"

The crowd stiffened, listening to his every word.

"Without your strength, without your will to fight, driving out Jaldabaoth would’ve been impossible. So don’t beat yourselves up! We survived! We’re alive, and because we live, we can return to our families! We can rejoice, smile, and see tomorrow's sunrise!"

"Rejoice, all of you! We’ve restored peace! The great demon has been driven out, and the capital is safe! Praise yourselves, and bless this kingdom for the courage you’ve shown!"

Lucifer's voice echoed throughout the capital, like a hammer striking steel, etching itself into everyone’s minds.

"Whooaaa!!!"

A thunderous roar erupted from the crowd, their fists thrusting into the night sky in unison.

The heavy atmosphere was shattered, replaced by a deafening celebration of victory. As they cheered, they chanted his name—the name of their savior, their hero—Lucifer.

But the joy was fleeting.

Before long, the crowd noticed the absence of Lakyus and Evileye and started whispering about them, something they had almost missed in the excitement.

Noticing that the time was ripe, Lucifer didn't hold back any information and directly told everyone what he had "experienced."

However, upon hearing his words, a wave of depression swept through everyone as they learned that the demon Jaldabaoth had bewitched the leader and magic caster of Blue Rose, two adventurers of adamantite rank.

Not to mention, they had even attacked Lucifer and, afterward, went away with the demon. This sudden revelation sent a chill through everyone's hearts.

But no one dared to doubt the truth of these words. After all, Lucifer was the hero who had protected everyone, and the wounds on his body spoke volumes of the fierce battle; they had already witnessed the disgusting scene of Gagaran and Climb with their own eyes and knew that the Demon indeed had such capabilities.

So now Lakyus and Evileye went away with Jaldabaoth, and Gagaran has been imprisoned, bringing another question from someone in the crowd.

"Wait... where are Tia and Tina, the assassin duo of Blue Rose?"

…..

Bang!

A loud crash echoed through the silent room as a delicate porcelain vase shattered into a hundred pieces across the marble floor of the princess’s room.

Renner stood there trembling, her face contorted in an overwhelming fury she had never before allowed herself to feel. Her usual serene composure, the sweet mask of innocence, had completely crumbled at this moment.

Her breathing was heavy as she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, gnashing her teeth in a futile attempt to suppress her anger. But it was no use. For the first time in her life, she was filled with fury.

'How dare he... how dare he!'

Climb—her pet, her loyal little puppy who obeyed her every whim, who existed solely for her pleasure—had been taken from her. He was hers. Her possession. Her slave. No one else had the right to him. He belonged to her, and now, in front of the entire capital, he had been stolen away.

Now everyone was making fun of her, who was his master. Renner felt as though someone had thrown a pile of shit in her face.

She didn't care if some force had bewitched him or clouded his mind. The mere fact that Climb had allowed it enraged her beyond reason. It was unforgivable.

Renner’s fingers curled into tight fists, her nails digging painfully into her palms. She wanted nothing more than to lash out, scream, or destroy something. But she couldn’t. She knew she couldn’t go to Climb directly—doing so would bring everything crashing down. Her carefully cultivated image as the gentle, kind-hearted princess would be ruined. Her wrath would destroy her plans.

She was furious, but not foolish. She still had control.

Instead, her mind turned toward another target—Gagaran. Specifically, Blue Rose. Somehow, that band of adventurers was involved in the scandal. That beast of a woman was also the one responsible for what happened in the capital.

Normally, Renner wouldn’t dare move against them—adamantite-ranked adventurers were not to be trifled with. But now... now that they had fallen under Jaldabaoth’s schemes, the opportunity was too perfect to ignore.

Renner’s deep blue eyes narrowed as a plan began to form in her mind. She decided to issue a fake warrant for Blue Rose under the name of her dim-witted brother, Barbro. It wouldn’t be a formal accusation—after all, Blue Rose were still considered heroes of the kingdom, victims of Jaldabaoth’s manipulation. But the warrant would be enough to plant seeds of doubt within the royal palace.

Because for Renner, a simple rumor was all she needed.

A whisper in the right ear, and soon enough, Gagaran would hear of it. Renner knew the brutish woman well. Rage would blind her, recklessness would guide her, and it would drive Gagaran straight into doing something she shouldn't.

Unfortunately, Renner hadn’t anticipated how far the rumor would spread. What she intended to be a quiet whisper within the palace had turned into a wildfire across the kingdom.

Someone—somewhere, somehow—had fanned the flames behind the scenes. And now, the entire kingdom was abuzz with talk of Blue Rose’s supposed betrayal.

For the first time, Renner felt fear.

She had underestimated the forces at work, and a deep unease began to shroud her heart.

….

Everyone in the kingdom learned of Blue Rose's betrayal and disappearance, with the exception of Gagaran, who was in prison.

Tia, Tina, Lakyus, and Evileye—four Adamantite-class adventurers. Two were said to have been bewitched by Jaldabaoth and attacked Lucifer, while the other two were kidnapped, vanishing without a trace in an instant.

This revelation caused an uproar in the kingdom.

Luckily, it was a relief that the capital had been saved from the demons, but with the adamantite-class adventurers' betrayal, a sense of unease lingered, dampening the festive atmosphere.

Reports of their disappearance spread quickly throughout the kingdom. Along with this news, the name of the kingdom’s savior, Lucifer, was also on everyone's lips.

The warrior who had defeated the demon lord Jaldabaoth.

As long as Lucifer stood with them, many believed the kingdom could overcome any threat.

After a grueling series of battles, the dawn of a new day arrived under a clear blue sky.

While the search for the missing Blue Rose members continued, the streets of the capital began to regain their vitality. Many were still missing or injured, but life had to go on. During this, a crowd greeted the kingdom's hero, who had saved them all.

Behind Lucifer stood Nabe, and alongside them were several magic casters preparing to transport the two to E-Rantel. Adventurers and nobles, including Marquis Raeven, who had requested this task, gathered in one place.

"I owe you a great debt this time," Marquis Raeven said, bowing deeply.

Lucifer simply nodded in acknowledgment of his gratitude.

"His Majesty wished to meet you personally," Raeven continued.

The warrior who had fought Jaldabaoth one-on-one and saved the capital was now widely known among adventurers, commoners, and aristocrats alike. It was no surprise that the king wished to see him in person. Rumors had even circulated that he might receive a title.

But Lucifer had refused. He did not visit the king.

Some questioned his decision, considering it disrespectful. Others took it further, mocking the king for offering honors to a non-human. Some nobles even went as far as to claim that letting Jaldabaoth escape had been a grave mistake, blaming Lucifer's inhuman nature for the oversight.

Marquis Raeven could not tolerate such talk. Using his influence, he silenced those who openly criticized Lucifer. As for those who had the gall to insult Lucifer to his face, Lucifer had taken matters into his own hands.

"On behalf of His Majesty, the 2nd Prince, and the 3rd Princess, I bring you this letter of thanks, Prince Lucifer," Raeven continued, holding up a scroll. "It also exempts you from all tolls within His Majesty's direct jurisdiction. Furthermore, His Majesty has bestowed upon you this dagger."

The dagger was a symbol of honor given to nobles and knights for exceptional military service and was not something easily handed out, especially in the midst of the kingdom's intensifying political struggles. However, Lucifer’s deeds left no room for doubt. The decision to reward him was nothing short of well-deserved.

"It's unfortunate that the Blue Rose members are still missing, but it is undeniable that Prince Lucifer saved this kingdom. We are all grateful."

"No need for thanks," Lucifer replied. "Now, I must take my leave. Marquis Raeven, I appreciate your assistance in every way."

"And I hope our relationship continues to flourish," Raeven said warmly, bowing once more. "If you ever need anything, do not hesitate to reach out."

"Thank you, Prince Lucifer," Raeven added as Lucifer and his party prepared to depart.

At Raeven's command, the magic casters activated the spell, and slowly, Lucifer and his party began to rise into the air.

The figure of the kingdom’s savior, the hero who had fought off a demon lord, grew smaller and smaller in the distance until he finally vanished from sight.