"Ren… is there truly no way you could stay? Help me… help the people of the Holy Kingdom?"
For the first time since they had come to know each other, Queen Kaguya spoke to Ren in a tone so vulnerable it bordered on pleading.
Because she understood—
If he left this time… he likely wouldn't return.
And after what they had done—detaining the Empire's envoys—they had undoubtedly offended the Empire beyond repair. Even if Ren wanted to come back in the future, the emperor would never allow it.
—
"That's right, Ren," Remedios added hurriedly, unable to hold back any longer. "Whatever the Empire can offer you, the Holy Kingdom can offer more.
"So what if you're their Knight-Commander? If you stay here… and marry Kaguya… then the throne of the Holy King will eventually be yours. And your children would inherit it after you."
In her urgency, she blurted out everything she had been thinking.
—
And for once—
Kaguya didn't protest.
She simply lowered her head, her cheeks faintly flushed.
—
Ren froze.
From Kaguya's reaction alone, it was obvious—
Yuri's earlier guess… had been completely correct.
Wait a second…
I came here to act. Just… act.
So why does it look like I accidentally charmed the queen?!
No—when did I even flirt with her? We've barely spoken! What is going on here?!
—
Ren's mind spun in confusion.
But he was, at his core, a professional actor.
The script had already been written.
All he had to do… was follow it through.
—
And honestly—
If Kaguya truly had feelings for him, then what he said next would be far more likely to reach her.
—
"After fighting the demi-humans this past month," Ren began calmly, "I believe all of you already understand something."
His gaze swept across the room.
"Even if I stayed in the Holy Kingdom… our chances of winning this war are still extremely low."
The words were blunt.
Unforgiving.
"Right now, we're barely holding a stalemate. But every second that passes, we're burning through the foundation your kingdom has built over centuries."
He paused briefly.
"Meanwhile, the force backing the demi-humans clearly possesses immense resources. Their reproductive rate and adaptability also far surpass humans."
His voice dropped slightly.
"If this war of attrition continues for another two years… the Holy Kingdom will fall."
—
The room fell silent.
No one could refute him.
Even Remedios—who wasn't exactly known for her strategic thinking—had begun to notice it.
The demi-humans were changing.
At the start, they had been nothing more than disorganized mobs, charging blindly with no coordination.
But now?
They were learning.
They coordinated assaults. They adapted mid-battle. They fought with increasing discipline.
—
Ren let that reality settle in… before delivering the real blow.
"So before I leave," he said, his tone steady, "I have one sincere piece of advice for Her Majesty—and for everyone here."
He met Kaguya's eyes.
"Become a vassal state of the Sorcerous Kingdom."
—
The words hit like a thunderclap.
Everyone froze.
Shock spread across their faces.
Before anyone could react, Ren continued.
—
"From my investigation, the force backing the demi-humans… is the Sorcerous Kingdom."
His voice remained calm, almost detached.
"As for how powerful they are—Remedios should already have a good idea. Even without deploying their elite forces or undead legions, the demi-humans alone have already pushed the Holy Kingdom to the brink."
He let out a quiet breath.
"So if they were to commit their full strength… do you truly believe the Holy Kingdom could withstand it?"
—
The existence of the Sorcerous Kingdom was no longer a secret.
The alliance led by the Theocracy had already spread the news far and wide.
And after the devastating battle with the Kingdom, everyone knew just how terrifying that nation truly was.
—
"But that's a nation ruled by the undead!" Remedios snapped, unable to hold back. "Becoming their vassal would be no different than throwing our people into hell!
"Just look at the demi-humans—non-human races can't be trusted!"
Her voice hardened.
"If we know they're behind this, then all the more reason to join the alliance and seek their help!"
—
Ren shook his head slowly.
"You're underestimating them."
His tone was firm.
"I'll be blunt—the so-called anti-Sorcerous Kingdom alliance has no chance of winning."
A heavy silence followed.
"The fact that they can casually equip nearly a hundred thousand demi-humans with magical gear… should tell you everything about the strength of their main forces."
He continued:
"And the so-called 'Divine Envoy' leading the demi-humans—Aura—is also an outlier-level combatant. And she wasn't even present during the Kingdom war."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"The true strength and depth of the Sorcerous Kingdom… is beyond our imagination."
"If you choose to stand against them—there is only one outcome."
"Total annihilation."
—
The weight of his words pressed down on everyone.
Their expressions grew grave.
—
At that moment, Aoi hesitated before asking:
"…Ren, why do you seem to know so much about the Sorcerous Kingdom?"
—
Ren didn't hesitate.
"Because… I'm one of them now."
—
Silence.
Absolute silence.
—
The implication was staggering.
The ones backing the demi-humans… were the Sorcerous Kingdom.
And the one fighting against them—
Ren—
Was also part of that same faction?
—
"To be precise," Ren continued calmly, "I made that decision after arriving here… after coming into contact with the so-called 'Divine Envoy.'"
His gaze remained steady.
"I didn't join out of fear."
"It was a trade."
—
A pause.
—
"They promised that if I became one of them… they would not commit additional forces to this war."
—
The effect was immediate.
Remedios, who had been ready to glare at him in anger—
Froze.
Her expression shifted… into guilt.
—
And in that instant—
Everything made sense.
Why hadn't the Sorcerous Kingdom crushed them outright?
Why had they been locked in a prolonged stalemate instead?
—
Because Ren had traded himself.
—
"That's not all," Ren added.
"They also agreed to let me act as a 'monitor.'"
His voice carried quiet conviction.
"They claim they will not indiscriminately harm humans. And if they break that promise…"
His eyes sharpened.
"I'll be the one to stop them."
—
Because I've become one of them… I've seen their true power.
And right now—
Humanity has no chance of victory.
—
"You may not know this," Ren continued, "but while the Kingdom still exists… it's already completely under the control of the Sorcerous Kingdom."
He let that sink in.
"And yet, that same Kingdom is one of the main forces in the alliance against them."
A faint, almost bitter smile appeared.
"Tell me… does that sound like an alliance that can win?"
—
The room felt suffocating.
—
"I know my strength alone isn't enough to change the world," Ren said quietly.
"So this… is the only way I can do something for humanity's future."
—
No one spoke.
No one could.
—
Because in their eyes—
The man standing before them…
Was no longer just a warrior.
—
He had become something far greater.
A protector.
A martyr.
Something that even the word hero could no longer fully describe.