I Planned a Su*cide Mission and Got Kicked Out of the Party

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“Really, you are going to step back, Bernard.”

Jeongjae was facing the blonde hunter with a troubled expression. Bernard Silverpoint’s expression wasn’t bright either. He was one of the friends who shadowed Walter and occasionally his most important friend.

Opportunities for him to shine amidst heroes who could shake mountains and rattle the skies were rare. However, the glamorous battlefield was never his stage, and Walter hadn’t chosen him to be showcased prominently. At least the Hero had never expressed dissatisfaction with his abilities. It was proof that Bernard had fulfilled his role more than anyone else.

“I guess that’s the way it has to be. I’m sorry that I can’t assist the Grand Mage Baron…”

“If it’s important to you, then you should do it. I roughly understand. But it’s truly disappointing. This is also a very tough time for me.”

The reason Bernard contacted Jeongjae was to convey his intention to temporarily retire. Bernard intended to retire simply to fulfill what Walter had requested of him. Walter Hellhound had often asked Bernard to leave a record of himself as if he knew he wouldn’t be able to see the end of all this.

It was as if he could foresee someone who would vanish from the world without leaving a chance to write memoirs. Walter indeed knew his own death, and he likely guessed that there wouldn’t be enough time left for him to write something akin to a memoir.

Asking Rose to record his life was burdensome. She was not only his beloved who had deep affections for Walter, but also a political figure who led the Empire. The chances were too high that her biography or records would be distorted or edited to suit emotional or political reasons.

Walter had a strong desire to leave traces of himself in this world before dying, to the point of leaving a child within Rose’s body that he couldn’t even raise himself. The moment Bernard heard the news of Rose’s pregnancy, he realized that the deceased Walter genuinely hoped he would sort out his records. He wanted to start on it promptly, while memories of him were vivid and not yet greatly distorted.

“He… asked me to become the next Holy Sword’s owner. That means I should start gathering people around me to sketch a bigger picture in my own way. But now, Walter is gone, Rose is gone, and Margaret is gone. It feels like all my friends who I need the most are leaving one by one.”

“Princess Margaret isn’t coming back. If you ask her, she’ll just want to return to raise another army, that much is obvious.”

“That aside, how do I fill the void left by Rose? The army that Walter left as a legacy is nearly a hundred thousand strong, but even Walter heavily relied on Rose’s charisma in controlling numerous legion commanders and battalion captains. How can I, without the majesty of an ironclad fortress, manage the army as I please?”

“No matter how I think about it, I don’t think the Hero Teacher wished for the Baron to control the army with overwhelming dignity and charisma. That’s more like what others do, isn’t it? Either way, the responsibility for commanding the great army will fall to His Highness Alex. Although Prince Alex may be inexperienced, he’s naturally skilled at handling the army. I’m not worried about the Imperial Army falling into disarray.”

“Will Alex Caprice listen to my words? He is also a highly talented royal.”

“If you can’t do it directly, you can send someone who will listen to you to control things instead. I heard that the Prince gets flustered when the Great Sage speaks. Jenis Harker will surely listen to what you have to say, won’t she? That’s how the world works.”

Bernard seemed to have made a point in his own way. Jeongjae nodded in agreement but also sighed.

“I’m not someone who normally leads and governs others. I briefly stood above thousands as a lord, but those people had learned ways to live on their own without me. What I provided was just a temporary barrier against the threats coming toward them.”

“I’ve heard the people of the Harriet territory are doing well.”

“They’ve divided a part of what used to be the Jeffrey Ducal Territory to establish the new Harriet Barony. I occasionally visited when I wasn’t too busy with the war. They still welcome me, but they don’t really need me. They were just… people who live well on their own. But how about this Empire?”

“This Empire isn’t that stable. If no one supports it with all their might, it feels like it could crumble any second. It’s definitely not a country that can just be left to run itself like a backwoods village.”

“And yet, the Holy Sword has found its way into my hands.”

“Ah, what’s worrying you so much, really?”

“Well, it’s because I can’t lead others with my strength and can barely manage things by borrowing the majesty of a few trustworthy friends. Moreover, if I do that, I…”

Jeongjae couldn’t voice out his thoughts of ‘it feels like I’m using unrequited love’ out of embarrassment about his position. It was one of the very important dilemmas he had reached after recently cooling his head down and reflecting on his circumstances.

Margaret of Eramenia and Jenis Harker were very important rulers, each serving as a pillar of the Allied Forces. Although she held the title of viscount, Jenis practically wielded power like a king. She not only had her own military forces akin to her personal army, but also grounds to influence the central forces due to Walter’s last will.

With Rose stepping back from the front lines of war and not leading the army directly now, this new Emperor would likely have to grant Jenis considerable military discretion, regardless of his personal feelings. Whether it was because the energy to argue had vanished with Walter’s death or due to practical political circumstances, Rose quietly allowed Jenis to steadily expand her influence over the central forces. Jeongjae believed the two causes were acting in tandem for Rose’s inactivity.

While Jenis had risen rapidly in the last two years, Margaret had held the most significant position on the continent for hundreds of years. Especially in terms of foreign policy, Margaret’s opinions practically represented Eramenia itself, primarily due to the Great King Richard focusing heavily on internal affairs, making Margaret’s actions synonymous with the movements of the Elf Army.

Erameniahad an ambiguous political system that seemed to combine democracy and authoritarianism. Since each Elf possessed outstanding intelligence and abilities, unlike the Audrich Empire that legally defined aristocracy, they practiced politics closer to a democratic system.

However, at the same time, the psychological dependence of the Elves on the High Elves, the nobles among the nobles, was immense. Although the Eramenia Grand Council could make democratic decisions regarding domestic politics, significant matters like moving armies required solid actions from Richard or Margaret.

In other words, Margaret was the Eramenia Army in itself. Each step she took was as meaningful as the flap of a dragon’s wings.

And then there was Jeongjae, who had been caught awkwardly in between. Strangely enough, aside from Rose, he was simultaneously loved by two of the strongest women in the world and these women continued petty squabbles even while joining hands for the grand purpose of saving the continent. Honestly, there were many advantages to maintaining this position.

Just as Bernard said, Jeongjae was in a position to act as a trusted advisor to both the Imperial Army and the Eramenia Army because of this unique situation. Both rulers would never casually dismiss Jeongjae’s earnest opinions, and he held great potential to drive the organic cooperation of both armies.

But at the same time, he could not shake off the guilt of perhaps using their emotions by deliberately avoiding confronting this issue. Bernard, losing his thoughts from Jeongjae’s indecisive expression, let out a chuckle.

“Brother, aren’t you thinking something weird?”

“W-What weird thing?”

“Those two are monsters, monsters. Don’t you dare evaluate or judge them based on normal human standards. The two of them don’t really seem to growl at each other, right?”

“For those two, um, I didn’t really feel much hostility between them either…”

“That’s a political judgment. Especially on Harker’s side, due to potential conflicts with the central powers, it’s necessary to keep Eramenia on their side at all costs. And meanwhile, you’ve been even used as a hostage. Regardless of the reason, if you continue to lean towards Harker, Princess Margaret can’t afford to leave her with a bad impression or evaluation.”

“Ah…”

“It’s true that that alliance seems like a thin sheet of ice, but the important thing is that all three of you want to maintain this uncertain sheet of ice. The three of you can use each other better than anyone else, so why would you want to come to a conclusion now and break that balance? Has anyone ever rushed you to reach a solution, even one of the two?”

“Well, when you put it that way, I can’t particularly recall such a time…”

“Then just enjoy that position. No, not just enjoy, but make sure to utilize it. It just so happens that this foolish Silverpoint thinks that’s the very position they desire you to be in. And once everything ends well, you can definitely provide a conclusive answer then. If you make any progress with someone or lean toward one side now, you’d have no way to fix it if you hurt someone’s feelings.”

“Hmm…”

Jeongjae let out a groan, lowering his head. Things regarding love were a problem, but losing the man right in front of him was not something Jeongjae was eager about either. Lifting his head, Jeongjae asked.

“Really, is it that hard to help me out? I have good advisors, but I need someone who can look at things from your perspective as well.”

“While that makes me waver, it’s still difficult for now. Right now, I want to leave his story behind. I’m also afraid of time. There are things only I have seen of him and things only I know. He asked me to leave a chronicle of his life after he dies, but for now, I want to focus on that task.”

“Then once that task… is somewhat complete, please be sure to come find me again.”

“Before that, I must think about how to end the war, you fool.”

“You should think about finishing your work before the war ends, hunter.”

As Jeongjae and Bernard exchanged glances, they both smiled simultaneously. Eventually giving up on persuading Bernard, Jeongjae reached out his hand to shake Bernard’s as a gesture.

“Then please make his dream come true. Be a splendid Watson for him.”

“Ah, I’ve heard that expression somewhere.”

Bernard furrowed his brow.

“Is he someone remarkable? The Hero Teacher often mentioned the name of that gentleman, John Watson, when asking to leave behind his own records.”

“He was someone with a genius talent for illuminating others while remaining in the shadows.”

“Ah, it’s quite evident what that gentleman thought of me. He probably viewed someone like me as merely a stepping stone for him to shine. Thank you. I need to make sure to write about this in the biography, revealing the Hero’s wretched ugly face.”

Jeongjae smiled brightly and nodded. Thus, the two most important aides of Walter, Bernard and Rose, parted ways on their own paths. Jeongjae faced reality head-on. Walter’s death, the explosion in Manhattan, and the demise of the Gargoyle Queen were each monumental events weighing heavily.

The simultaneous eruption of these events left both the Empire and the Demon King’s Army more precarious than ever. The first to regain balance and gather their wits would emerge victorious. Jeongjae felt the urgent need to set the situation straight, and simply inheriting Walter’s legacy wouldn’t be enough to rectify the situation.

Jeongjae needed his own method. First and foremost, he had to shout to the world. Declaring that a new Hero of a new era has been born in this Empire.