The ministers were hard at work, it had been a few days since that fateful day.
One of them sighed as he fiddled with his pen.
"If you have time to whistle, get to work."
"It's a lot of work. I haven't even been able to sleep well for some days."
"We've had to work since 'that' happened. And we even hired more staff."
"There's no other way, 'that' was a troublesome thing, after all, no one expected 'that' to happen."
"I want to take a vacation. I'm tired, I feel there should be a law to support exploited workers like us."
"... It's our job, after all, 'that' is responsible that we have to sign all these documents."
The younger minister looked out the window after sighing.
"I still can't believe how 'that' was possible. It would be the third tragedy to occur in the palace since that court mage burned down the tower and that female knight razed their entire base."
Everyone sighed as long as they remembered that day.
◇◇◇
Turning back time to a few days ago.
On the morning of the day following the events provoked by Joachim, a convocation was made to the royal palace.
The havoc in the capital was stopped but the problem lies with the families that caused this, the Catley and Harvey.
After leaving the forest, Sophia was placed under arrest with Sasha, who claimed to be guilty for which she was arrested.
Dominic was waiting at home when the royal knights arrived to take him into custody, he did not resist.
The three of them were handcuffed, kneeling and even without changing clothes since yesterday.
They were in front of the king and queen.
The king's face showed an expression of horror as he heard everything that happened.
Even before that he heard from his son about the events at the academy.
The king raised his hand as he covered his eyes.
"Enough. Don't go on anymore..."
"Nick... is this all true?"
Hoping that it was a mix-up, that it was a mistake, that it was some crazy plan gone wrong and thus helping him, the king hoped for some of that so he wouldn't dictate the deserved to the criminals.
Dominic kneeling did not hesitate for a second to answer.
"As you can read, it's all true Your Majesty."
"...!"
The ministers, knights, court magicians and even the royal family itself did not know what to respond to this.
Some murmured in confusion.
"The marquis himself just confessed that he purposely ruined the capital's bank."
"He may be the president, but also the bank is owned by the palace, what he did is obvious treason."
"With this he can't be trusted anymore, he should be stripped of his position and title as punishment."
Dominic bit his tongue after hearing the truths, but he decided this on his own, there was nothing to be done about it.
The king now turned to Sasha.
"Daughter of Marquis Harvey... are you really the mastermind behind this?"
"It is as you read and say Your Majesty. It was all my work, I asked my father for help which he accepted. I know I won't be granted a wish by last will and I don't deserve to ask for anything. But I would like to at least plead my father, he was only fulfilling a whim of mine."
"Sasha, that's wrong! I did it of my own free will, you are my daughter and if I didn't stop you it was because I agreed with you!"
After turning to look at his daughter begging for forgiveness, Dominic turned to look at the king and implore him to forgive her.
"She is a child Your Majesty, I had to stop her, but I did not. That means it was my responsibility in agreeing to everything she said."
"That's..."
The king tried to help Dominic, but a minister ruined that.
"Even if it is as Marquis Harvey said, that doesn't take away from the fact that Miss Harvey is not guilty."
A younger minister, dark blond hair covering the right side of his face spoke up.
"Your Majesty, the accused young lady is an adult woman, according to the laws of our nation, she is recognized as such. She is not a minor, we cannot show forgiveness when she said herself that she was responsible for all this madness happened, am I wrong gentlemen?"
The older ministers as well as the younger ones agreed.
That made the king unable to defend him.
He looked at his wife who did not know what to say.
The minister who declared that Sasha should not be spared, sat with a smile on his face.
Dominic saw him and anger filled his fists.
(That's a Bartolt... I see, they definitely won't let Sasha manage to escape. They placed one of their own, I assume one of the most capable among the junior ministers.)
(At this rate, my daughter really will be...)
He gritted his teeth in frustration.
The next person to be called was Sophia, who wanted to cry, but not for her situation, it was for witnessing her husband being murdered in front of her eyes.
Joachim's lifeless body was taken to be examined by the chief court magician.
"Sophia Catley. May I know why you never spoke out about this? It is an act of treason."
Sophia ducking her head in shame replied.
"I know, your majesty. But all I can say is one thing..."
"What one thing?"
She raised her head and smiled, she wept at the words she said which pierced her chest.
"A wife should always support her husband. Be it in good times or bad."
The queen covered her face because she was Sophia's friend, she understood those words better than anyone else.
Minister Bartolt said.
"If I may say something Your Majesty. I think all of us present have heard more than enough."
"The culprits of these undoubtedly are they. It is a pity that the late Marquis Catley is not here to face his crimes, but no doubt those present deserve it."
There was no other punishment but that, hanging.
"So I am sure the other ministers will agree that there should be no other verdict but that."
It was impossible to evade his end.
"I earnestly request Your Majesty to make the decision that is due, you must not take it into your conscience that they are part of the four families."
Death was absolute.
"Please declare the immediate death sentence on these horrendous criminals who left our country in chaos for weeks."
Everyone looked to the king awaiting his verdict.
Whether it was the right choice or the wrong one, he could say nothing more than one.
"... I pronounce the guilty, Dominic Harvey and his daughter Sasha Harvey along with Sophia Catley to immediate hangi─"
*Thunderclap*
The king stopped himself from saying something he was going to regret.
Outside the gate there was a clattering sound.
It was armor clashing against something.
Loud footsteps could be heard approaching, the door was violently opened and someone unexpected was there.
"One can't sleep without you guys committing crazy things, can one?"
Rei had burst into the trial of the accused. He was covered in bandages and even his left eye was still red from the injected blood.
Rei walked a little staggering as he said.
"Can't one get some sleep without you guys wanting to cut someone's head off, huh?"
The shocked king replied.
"D-Duke Redblade, may I know what you're doing here without permission?"
Rei stuck to the wall as his leg couldn't hold much weight.
"It's obvious. I'm here to prevent you from committing stupidity by killing these three."
Someone disagreed, it was Minister Bartolt.
"Hold on a moment duke! You cannot not only be here without permission, you cannot do anything to help the culprits either. You will be charged as an accomplice and executed as well."
Rei scowled at him.
"Shut your mouth pumpkin head. This is a mistake on your part."
"P-Pumpkin head said..."
Some ministers wanted to laugh and others were just as horrified.
Rei ignored them while the king asked again.
"May I know how you will defend them?"
Everyone wanted to know about that method.
What will he use to defend obviously guilty people? That's what they thought for sure.
The answer made everyone make the same dumb face at the word unimaginable.
"Of course. I'm the guilty one."
"... Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?"
It seemed like everyone's eyes would pop out at that insanity.
The ministers were more confused than the defendants.
"That's impossible!"
"The criminals themselves confessed to their crimes."
"The duke is only lying to try to save them."
"You're wrong, you old geezers."
Rei said as he picked his nose.
"I'm the guilty one, here's the evidence."
"Gate."
Rei activated his space-time magic and a violet colored hole appeared.
From there a pile of banknotes was spat out to the point that it flooded almost the entire place.
The upset king asked.
"D-Duke Redblade! May I know why you have this?"
A minister approached and looked over the money.
"Y-Your Majesty. They are reals, these are the real bills!"
"Are you sure?"
"Y-Yes. I myself was present when the first lot was delivered, no doubt this is real."
With that evidence, everyone would now think Rei was the culprit, but that would not leave the other three exempt.
Rei decided to incriminate himself further.
"It wasn't the only thing. I knew all along that Joachim was behind it. That's why..."
Rei smiled, it was the kind of smile only a villain... or someone very stupid would show.
"I told these to help me."
"...!"
Sasha and her father looked at Rei quizzically, but he didn't care about their confused looks.
"I needed someone to help me get that idiot to talk without torturing him. Then I found out this idiot girl had unfinished business with him so I used her, her father is another idiot so I used him too."
"What are you saying kid!"
Dominic himself didn't understand why Rei was doing this.
"After that came Sophia. She's a victim of her bastard piece of shit ex-husband."
"Like any victim, she was afraid. Her ex-husband abused her both physically and verbally, it's only natural that she felt afraid of betraying him. Or what, if your wives or daughters weren't in her situation wouldn't you try to save them?"
The ministers did not respond because what Rei said was true.
Minister Bartolt replied what he said.
"Even if what you say is true, all crimes would be passed on to you. They would be at fault as accomplices in any case."
He smiled in a similar way to Rei, but unobtrusively.
"Wouldn't that put you in a worse situation than them?"
Rei answered him after wiping the match.
"Are you an idiot or what pumpkin head?"
"You guys can't kill me, I'm the conqueror of Norden."
"The one who conquered the capital of Norden was the brave knight Bret Elliott, not you."
Rei was left with a shocked face.
"That fucking idiot again stole my credit again. No, I'll let it go, I'll get even in the tastiest way."
He approached the ministers, they didn't know what he was going to say, but his face implied otherwise.
"Even if you want to kill me you won't. If I become your enemy this country will be reduced to ashes. The best thing you can do is just shut up and do what I say."
Turning to look at their majesties, Rei said something that instantly defeated them.
"The same applies to you fathers in law', if I die, Eli will hate you for life."
The image of their daughter hating them came into their heads, Eli was showing a pout with tears. That happened once when she was a child and she ended up holding her breath until she almost passed out.
They didn't want to repeat the same thing again.
The king thought of something to avoid this crisis.
But Sophia herself tried to prevent it.
"Wait a moment Your Majesty! The duke has nothing to do with me."
"Of my own free will I chose this path. No one but me must face this punishment."
Rei leaned close to whisper to her.
"You must not bear the sins of your husband, if you die, then Catley Household will be forever tainted and no one will be able to cleanse it."
Sophia understood those words.
Her original family was destroyed.
Her new family is one step away.
Even if she survives, she will have no honor with which to see herself in a mirror.
Even in death she would be a disgrace.
She had to eat her guilt so the Catley Household would no longer be tainted.
To shut everything down, and to try to stop Rei, Minister Bartolt exclaimed.
"Leaving aside the threat to the ministers. You still deserve punishment."
"If you don't want to be punished, you should give us something that can be considered a punishment towards you."
*Smile*
"In that case, I suggest you give us 50. no, 70% of your income for what you made us lose."
"That's a fair deal isn't it?"
Rei pulled an apple out of his gate.
"Sounds good to me. If you're not going to screw me over anymore let's get this over with."
A snot ran down his nose.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard pumpkin head. If you want 70% I'll give it to you. But you never said if it was per month or year so I'll just give them the equivalent of the almost two months this went on."
"W-W-Wait a minute... do you even understand what you're saying?"
"Hah? Don't you understand? Are you stupid or something?"
"Whatever. It's all said and done so king, finish this."
The king closed his eyes, the problem was that Rei couldn't get away with it.
"... It is to my displeasure to say it, but Duke Redblade. You will be found truly guilty of everything that happened, those involved will only receive house arrest for a month, they will return to their lives after that."
"But I'm afraid you will have to be publicly declared as the one responsible for provoking everything, is that clear?"
The king said between the lines. "We need someone to take the blame and no one better than you."
Rei said nothing, the king continued.
"You will be taxed 70% for two months as well as the fact that you defeated the criminal of Harrisburg will be erased. With that said, you lost all prestige, from now on the people, the nobles, knights, the palace, the whole country will hate you... is that clear?"
The king's statement was to turn Rei into a martyr.
This was similar to the trial of Rei in the game when everyone accused him before sending him to his end. Despite the fact that Rei is alone, no one is backing him up or helping him, he will meet his end.
The difference is that this Rei didn't give a damn.
"Hurry up at once!"
"... I declare it as king. Let my word be kept."
And so, the trial ended.
Sasha and the others avoided death, but Rei was declared the country's enemy number one. What will happen to him now?
◇◇◇
News flew fast.
The whole country was learning that Rei was to blame for everything that happened.
Especially in a certain place.
It was a huge white colored building with golden painted on the corners forming angel wings.
The interior was adorned with beautiful chandeliers, expensive vases and statues of holy knights.
On a long carpet sat a cardinal giving a report.
He was telling it to a man dressed in white from head to toe, a red stole with golden crosses resting around his neck and reaching down to his feet.
In his right hand he held a long golden scepter in the shape of an eagle with the silhouette of a cross.
His face was wrinkled due to old age, he had almost 80 years he had been serving this place, the orthodox church. The only place of worship in the Kingdom where all believers go to pray to the god of light.
His long gray hair reached down to his belly, his gray eyes gave the impression that he was asleep, but he was wide awake, even if he didn't look it.
On top of his head was a purple sundress with golden swords.
He was the highest authority in this place, he had been at the helm of the church for half a century, the pontiff who had not been replaced once in his lifetime.
Pope Casimiro Neville.
"I see."
Pope Neville said, the cardinal put the paper away.
"Your Holiness, what do we do?"
"The people will be angry with Duke Redblade, should we step in to help him?"
Pope Neville walked to his seat.
In a very middle-aged man's voice for an old man he said.
"No. We will not interfere, if God's will say he must pay for his crimes, so be it."
"So we will not move... unless he comes to us."
"God said that all living beings must be loved. The duke if he wishes to redeem himself from his sins must come to us hehe."
This was the orthodox church, a place where to buy salvation, equals how much money you can bestow.
◇◇◇
At the same time, but in another place.
There was a man smoking a cigar while reading the newspaper.
"You sure did, you snotty little shit."
A man was standing next to him and said.
"Are you upset father?"
"No. It's just that this fucking brat managed to ruin Joachim and save his wife. I was thinking of using this opportunity to take over Catley Household, but it won't happen."
His son answered him by stepping aside.
"Are you angry father?"
"Of course not."
He said that, but the veins in his forehead said otherwise.
"That brat is racking up points for Klyde Bartolt himself to kill with his bare hands. A war will break out if he continues to be a stone in my shoe."
Klyde resumed his twentieth cigar.
◇◇◇
In a place much farther away, far to the north of the Kingdom, lay a fortress made country.
A huge wall surrounded miles of land.
A castle stood in the center of that place.
There inside a young man in armor was giving him the latest news from the Kingdom.
"That's all."
"I understand, you may retire."
"Yes."
The sunlight had his back to him, showing the brilliance of his beautiful red armor.
His short hair was combed back and was also red like fire.
His eyes were blue and his beard had the appearance of a dragon's claw.
This person was not just any man.
He was the highest authority of this country founded by an exiled family.
A family that fled their own country to avoid being killed.
A family seeking revenge and to take back what was theirs that belonged to them.
After all, this place was the Principality of Frazier and the man sitting there was the leader of the Calvinists.
Calvin von Frazier.
"First Harrisburg and now Catley, huh?"
"I'm running out of pigs to send to the slaughter when the time gets closer."
He turned to look at the sun.
"Soon will be the time where I finish off those Brune bastards and take back our legacy. If all goes well, later this year we will achieve our goal."
The first final boss of chapter one of the game gave a sign that his event is near.
◇
We were in the royal palace still, Rei did things he shouldn't have like insulting the ministers and pleading guilty.
He is an idiot no doubt, sometimes it scares me how idiotic he can be.
His idiocy today was so bad that we could be expelled from the country.
Behind us were everyone's former accomplices and responsible parties.
"I can't take it anymore!"
Suddenly we were called by someone, it was Sasha who was silent until now.
Dominic and Sophia too only Sasha had her head down.
But at the moment she was very angry.
"What's wrong?"
Rei asked her, she lifted her face and tears could be seen.
"I don't understand you at all!"
"You get involved with us for no reason and also take our blames!"
"Are you stupid? Don't you understand that with this your life, your future, your territory is in danger!"
"Everyone will hate you! No one will want to do business with you! Your own vassals, knights and villagers will want to rebel against you!"
"Don't you feel remorse for helping strangers!?"
"What's in it for you to help us, tell me!"
*Gasp*
Sasha was venting everything she had in store.
She was ready to die, but Rei saved her, she must be feeling ashamed because a stranger helped her and he ended up paying for all the broken dishes.
Rei didn't say anything, he just walked up to her and then grabbed her cheek.
"...!"
He gave her a deep kiss.
Dominic was open-mouthed at what he saw, while Sophia covered her mouth as she was more shocked by this.
Sasha pushed Rei away, she didn't wipe her lips, but said.
"W-W-W-W-What do you think you're doing insolent!!!?"
"What 'what' am I doing?"
"I'm obviously trying to win you over."
Rei's cheeky grin made everyone look shocked, but Sasha was the one who showed the right expression.
"Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
"Yours!? Don't make me laugh! My husband must be a man who lives up to manners, values and above all loyalty!"
"Exactly that's me."
Rei declared after pointing at himself, of course, Sasha didn't take it as a joke.
"Thanks for saving me I was going to say, but not now! I don't want to see you again!"
She said that and left with hurried steps, her breasts bounced because of it, Dominic told us.
"Err, umm... thank you..."
And went after her.
Sophia was close behind us.
"Is what you said true?"
Rei turned to look at her.
"It is. But not only her, I wish for you too. You're a wonderful woman who only wished had a husband to love her."
"But Joachim was trash in every sense of the word. You were never going to be happy with him."
"That's why I'm sure that by my side you would become happy."
Sophia saw Rei stretched out her hand to him. She looked shyly at her side and then stretched out her hand.
She took Rei's hand, but said something unexpected.
"I appreciate your sentiments, but I just lost my husband from a decades-long relationship. It's not something that can be said instantly... if you would allow me, would you let me take some time and give you an answer?"
Normally in harems the answer is immediate, but Rei was being told rejections that would make a dating game or romantic comedy anime end in failure.
"If that's what you need, that's fine with me."
"You can stay at my place for a while. After all, the mansion no longer exists."
"Thank you very much,"
Sophia bowed, her beautiful dress showed off her great cleavage by bowing.
She went long as she needed to change clothes, apparently she would be going to visit the queen.
Rei was left alone.
As there was no one around, he collapsed on the ground.
"Damn it. I'm in so much pain all over."
"You had a deadly fight with a stranger who is superior to you."
"Of course you'd be like this."
When Rei woke up, he didn't say anything, just stared at the hospital door.
He asked a doctor what was going on with the trial and after hearing that it was ongoing Rei went straight to them.
I wanted to say some things to him, but I could only hear him say quietly.
"I lost. I lost."
I don't know how affected he was as he didn't react for a while.
While Rei was watching his hand shaking, angry footsteps echoed in the hallway.
In the distance we could see a girl sneaking closer.
It was Rose, we couldn't see her eyes, but her expression indicated that she was furious.
Rei immediately stood up, trying to hold the pain in her legs as they were shaking like toothpicks.
"Oh, Rose, what's wrong─"
*Slap*
A loud sound was heard. Rose slapped Rei's face hard.
Her hand was shaking, when she lifted her face, we could see that she was crying from long ago.
I didn't tell Rei, but Rose was the first person to find out he was in the hospital. She went to see him and was even calling him to wake up.
It seems she went to look for someone since that's why she left the room and then Rei woke up.
Rose in an altered tone said to him.
"Who do you think you are?! A god by any chance! You don't know how worried I was seeing you in that state! I thought..."
The pained expression only worsened with her words.
"I thought I lost you... I don't want anything to happen to you, Reidel-sama─ Rei."
It was the first time Rose had called him like that.
"I was scared, I know you're strong, I know your magic is... but just look at the state you're in!"
"You obviously ran into someone who's stronger than you! To go around saying you're a Cheat Lord or that you don't give a damn about anything or that you consider everyone an idiot makes you look like the only big idiot!"
"You're a human being, you're someone of flesh and blood like me! We could die at any moment, you defy death and I don't like that!"
"What if you had died?! What do you think I would have done?! Just watch your corpse and cry while saying 'Why couldn't I stop your childish behavior' to make it hurt me more!"
"That's what you want?!"
Rei was speechless, so was I, this Rose was more different from the game. Her actions and words are those of someone who sees life differently than how it used to be.
Rose really loves Rei, imagining losing him seems to be more painful than seeing him hurt.
Personally, I would jump out the window if I were in your position Rei.
"Rose... sorry. It's like you say, I got beaten up and ended up like this. I don't even have the strength to use full recovery, they really defeated the Cheat Lord."
Rei understood that despite having a lot of power, he wasn't like the cheating characters in novels and anime. Those idiots have the script on their side, if this were a novel, Rei would win every time and wouldn't even have to be hated by the whole country to save those three.
Really, it doesn't do any good to be in a fantasy world when you don't come out on top. It's the same as the disgusting reality.
"Rose... I."
Rei wanted to hug Rose, but she stopped her.
"No. What I'm doing is disrespectful, but you said yourself that I'm your woman before I'm your servant."
Rose was very serious when she emphasized being Rei's woman.
"I don't want to lose you, not before and much more now than ever."
She took Rei's hand and placed it on her belly.
"Master... I am pregnant. I... I'm expecting our child."
Both, I and Rei were surprised to hear that news.
__________________________
I´m the strongest Cheat Lord in the whole world! Volume 2 end.