I’m In Trouble Because The Darkened Heroes Are Obsessed With Me – Chapter 115

Author: Asternkm

That afternoon, the entire temple was thrown into chaos.

“There are informants within the temple who are colluding with the Cult of the Demon’s Resurrection.”

It was because Henry had revealed during the trial that there were insiders in the temple cooperating with the cult.

“To think that wicked people who serve a demon exist in this sacred temple… How could this happen…?”

“They must be rooted out completely and given the harshest punishment!”

The high-ranking priests, angered by Henry’s accusation, turned red-faced with fury.

Elsez, attending the trial as an observer, quietly watched the noisy courtroom.

‘There must be people among them who are colluding with the Cult of the Demon’s Resurrection.’

Now that she knew the truth, everything and everyone seemed despicable.

‘Especially…’

Elsez looked up at Dike, seated at the center of the courtroom in the judge’s position.

Dike, as always, was listening to everyone with a gentle and compassionate expression.

‘She’s the most despicable of all.’

The mastermind behind everything, she even seemed unbothered by the trial’s content, as if she had expected it all.

Finally, the trial ended with Dike sentencing Henry to prison.

Before Henry was taken away, Elsez approached him.

“I’d like to talk for a moment.”

The holy knights, knowing that Elsez had played the biggest role in capturing Henry, stepped aside without much suspicion.

“You’ve been through a lot. Try to live well, even in there. Who knows? They might reduce your sentence if you behave.”

“I’m just planning to live in prison forever. It’s not like I have anywhere to go back to anyway. I’ll probably get bored, though, so come visit sometimes.”

Henry spoke indifferently, but Elsez could tell he was afraid of returning to the village.

“No, you must go back to the village.”

Henry looked at Elsez with a puzzled expression.

Elsez added,

“You’ll pay the official price in prison, but you haven’t asked the villagers for forgiveness yet.”

“……”

“Go back and apologize. If they forgive you, be grateful and live your life. If they don’t, spend the rest of your life making amends.”

She said this because she knew—though Henry was afraid to return, deep down, he still loved the village and wanted to go back.

Henry stared blankly at Elsez, as if she had read his mind, then gave a faint smile, as if admitting defeat.

“…Yeah, you’re right. I’ll try. I’ll do my best to be a model prisoner.”

Only then did Elsez smile with satisfaction and hold out her hand to him.

“Let’s say goodbye, one last time.”

Henry quietly looked at Elsez’s hand.

A hand smaller and more delicate than his.

He remembered how strong and reassuring that hand had felt the first time it had reached out to him.

‘I’ll break the chain of evil. So no one else becomes a victim of it again.’

Henry took that hand once more and said to Elsez,

“Our promise—keep it, even if it costs you your name.”

Elsez, remembering what that “promise” was, tightened her grip on his hand and firmly replied,

“I will. Even if it costs me my life.”

Hearing that, Henry turned away with a relieved expression.

*****

Just before dinner, Astaire came to see Ruel.

“Sorry, Master. I couldn’t make time yesterday.”

He suggested they have a meal together.

Ruel was secretly nervous, remembering how cold Astaire had seemed the day before.

But once they actually started eating, Astaire didn’t seem much different from how Ruel remembered him.

He had become a man with a more serious and heavy air as he matured, but his gentle smile and tone were unmistakably the same.

‘Thank goodness. I guess he’s not suspicious anymore.’

Relieved, Ruel continued the meal.

The two talked about how they had spent the past three years.

After finishing their meal, they left the dining hall.

As Ruel quietly observed Astaire beside her, a past memory of their conversation surfaced in her mind. She turned to him and spoke.

“I’ve thought this for a while, but being a cardinal really suits you. That robe looks great on you too. I feel kinda proud, you know?”

It was an intentional effort to bring up the past and rekindle their bond, but for some reason, Astaire’s face twisted at her words.

Noticing his reaction, Ruel asked cautiously,

“What’s wrong? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”

“No, actually… I suspected you. I thought you might not be the Master I knew—maybe even an evil spirit.”

At those words, Ruel flinched.

Astaire’s face was twisted in pain, as if the mere thought of having doubted her tormented him.

“But now I know. You’re still the same Master. Nothing’s changed.”

“It’s okay. I understand. It’s like a miracle for someone who died to come back. I get it.”

Ruel smiled warmly, trying to reassure him.

Elsez had said that memories alone weren’t enough to make someone who they used to be—but Ruel brushed that off as her just being anxious about losing her place.

‘If I have the memories, I can become that person.’

Humans are always changing.

Personalities can shift over time and depending on one’s environment.

‘But memories never change.’

And if you have those memories, you can more or less imitate that person.

‘If I can close the three-year gap, I can be Ruel.’

Just like how it’s awkward when you first meet an old friend again, but once you bring up old memories, things go back to normal quickly.

Ruel decided to use this opportunity to close that gap even faster.

“I’m heading to the training grounds now. If you’re free, want to come along?”

At that moment, she sensed someone approaching.

Ruel turned around to see Lancelot standing there.

“Your Grace, I’ve completed the investigation regarding the matter you instructed me on earlier.”

Lancelot stopped there—clearly aware of Ruel’s presence.

Astaire turned to Ruel with an apologetic look.

“Sorry. This is urgent—I need to take care of it first.”

“It’s fine. We’ve got plenty of time ahead.”

Ruel agreed easily and walked away.

But as he watched her back, Astaire’s eyes, just moments ago gentle, turned cold and distant.

****

After parting with Astaire, Ruel headed to the training grounds.

As expected, Tezette was there.

‘If I remember right, Tezette Rittenhaus is obsessed with strength.’

She practically lived in the training grounds unless something else came up.

As soon as Ruel entered, Tezette sensed her presence and turned around.

She waved cheerfully.

“Knew you’d be here, Tezette. Still training hard like always, huh?”

Tezette simply stared silently at Ruel with her usual unreadable eyes.

Ruel couldn’t tell what she was thinking, but in her memory, she had always been like this—so she wasn’t bothered.

“How about we spar for old times’ sake? I’ve missed training with you guys.”

She brought up the past on purpose.

Tezette nodded without hesitation.

Ruel approached the weapons rack holding real swords and picked one that fit her hand.

But just then, Tezette came up behind her and took the sword from her grip.

“That one might be too dangerous.”

Then she pulled out two wooden practice swords from beside the rack and handed one to Ruel.

“Use this.”

Ruel looked up at her, a bit stunned.

‘Is she… worried about me?’

As she watched Tezette walk away with the training sword, a satisfied smile crept across her face.

She was now certain Tezette saw her as Ruel.

Holding the wooden sword, she moved to stand across from her.

And so, their spar began.

But contrary to Ruel’s expectation that Tezette would go easy on her, she attacked with fierce intensity.

‘She’s… too fast!’

Ruel had been training in the sword style of the Ruel she remembered.

Since men are physically stronger than women, Ruel had learned techniques that avoided direct clashes—deflecting and slipping in quick counterattacks.

But Tezette’s strength and speed were overwhelming—even among swordsmen.

It was only natural that someone like Ruel, who wasn’t even truly a swordsman, couldn’t match her.

‘There’s an opening…’

Barely blocking her attacks, Ruel spotted a gap.

But to exploit it, she would have to leave one of her arms completely exposed.

It wasn’t a real sword, just wood—she wouldn’t be cut.

But…

‘That look in her eyes…’

Something about her intense stare made Ruel instinctively freeze.

In the end, Ruel chose to defend instead of going for the opening.

But Tezette’s power was too much. Ruel’s sword was knocked from her hands and went flying through the air.

Losing her balance, Ruel collapsed to the ground.