The Man Who Remained — His Second Life Began with a Humble Bow of Apology. - Chapter 114: The Intentions Of The Crust Elders.

The Intentions Of The Crust Elders.

Mercurius loaded Cross and the others onto the bike and set off.

Compared to the usual ride, this one was noticeably quieter, calmer in its movements—far easier to handle than before.

Straddling the bike, Mercurius wore an expression of deep displeasure as he spoke in a low voice.

“Master, do you want the long, overly complicated version that explains everything in detail, or the simplified, easier-to-understand version that’s a bit… slapdash?”

Cross didn’t hesitate.

“The simple one. Though honestly, Mercurius, you never thought I’d understand the complicated one to begin with, did you?”

“Indeed. I firmly believe you wouldn’t grasp it anyway. It’s a political matter—twisted, tedious, and riddled with parts even I don’t fully understand. Besides, I can’t be bothered to give a drawn-out explanation. So, I’ll give you the short one… but first, Master, are you familiar with the Krust Elder Council?”

“Uh… what was that again? Sounds familiar, maybe? By the name, I’m guessing it’s like a senate or something…”

At his fumbling, Ellie let out a small sigh beside him.

“You should have learned about it already, Cross.”

“Ahaha… Right, so basically, they work with Aura—no, wait, that’s not quite it. They cooperate and are useful, and the country couldn’t function without them, but… potentially, they’re enemies to Aura. Something like that, right?”

As Cross strained his brain to recall, Mercurius let out an impressed breath.

“Well now, that’s surprisingly sharp of you, Master. You’re mostly correct. Incidentally, they’re such a stubborn, meddlesome bunch that even His Excellency hates getting involved with them. You’d be wise to avoid them.”

“Something tells me I won’t have that choice.”

Mercurius’s lips curled into a sly grin.

“When His Excellency began associating with the Purebloods, the power balance between him and the Krust Elder Council shifted dramatically. To restore that balance, the Council launched a campaign to drive a wedge between him and his allies. That’s the gist of it.”

“By ‘drive a wedge,’ you mean… telling someone to betray him?”

“Not quite that far. Their aim is more to crack the bond of friendship between His Excellency and that monster.”

“…Manipulating hearts, breaking trust—that’s Aura’s specialty, isn’t it?”

Cross cast a glance at Ellie as he murmured this.

“Yes. She’s very skilled at it.”

“And she couldn’t stop it?”

“It’s the kind of move that works even if you see it coming.”

“So… who’s their target in this wedge-driving scheme?”

Mercurius gave a short, derisive snort, then pointed at Cross.

“If you want the details, ask His Excellency yourself.”

With that, he said no more. His mood wasn’t just cold—it was downright irritable.

Apparently, the bike being different from usual was a major source of stress for him.

After dropping them off in a sizeable town, Mercurius stayed behind while Cross and the others boarded an airship to an even larger city. There, they made their way to a facility equipped for teleportation magic, transferring to the Demon King’s castle town. From there, Cross and Ellie split from Sourin—who had nothing to do with the current incident—and headed to see Aura.

Ellie knocked on the door four times, precise and polite, then waited for a response.

“Yes, come in.”

Hearing Aura’s voice, Ellie entered, bowing deeply.

“We’ve returned.”

“Welcome back, Cross, Ellie. Judging by your demeanor, things went well?”

“Yes, thanks to the Demon King.”

Ellie replied, then sent Cross a quick, subtle glance.

Normally…

“I’m back! Had a blast—oh, here’s a souvenir.”

…that’s how he would have greeted her. But not now.

Aura sat with a strained smile, radiating a prickling tension, while Gryul exuded an even greater air of authority than usual. On top of that, two unfamiliar monsters were seated at the table.

One was a young man with silver fox ears and a gentle smile—but it looked artificial, pasted on his face rather than truly felt.

The other was a child, bearing the same hair color and similar ears, seated beside him.

The child’s fluffy silver hair was adorable, but his expression mixed anxiety with helplessness, making him seem very much out of place. Though his appearance was around Aura’s age, the difference in atmosphere was stark. His mannerisms were innocent to match his looks—ill-suited for the battlefield-like tension filling the room.

“So, you are the Rainbow Sage?”

The fox-eared man addressed Cross, rising to his feet and offering a small bow.

“That’s what they call me.”

“Ah, as I thought! I am Moses, a low-ranking member of the Krust Elder Council, His Excellency’s loyal advisory body. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Smiling all the while, Moses extended his hand. Cross accepted the handshake.

“Thank you. And my apologies, Rainbow Sage. I know this is disgraceful for the Council, but… a situation has arisen that we cannot handle alone, forcing us to seek your assistance…”

“Oh? Something you can’t handle?”

“Yes. Without you, Rainbow Sage, it would be utterly impossible…”

Cross glanced at Aura, who gave a small, apologetic nod.

“I can’t promise I’ll be much help, but… I’ll do what I can.”

“Thank you! I’ve already explained the details to His Excellency, so I’ll leave the rest in your hands. And… Pulsphica Arcturus!”

Startled at the sound of his name, the child scrambled to his feet, bowing awkwardly to Cross.

His silvery hair—tinged faintly with blue—was voluminous despite being short, long enough to cover one eye entirely. His upright ears seemed at once like a fox’s and a rabbit’s. His delicate, handsome features were obvious even now, though his flustered expression ruined the effect.

“I–I’m Pulsphica Arcturus! Uh… Arcturus is part of the name too!”

“You don’t need to explain that, Pulsphica Arcturus. Didn’t I tell you beforehand what to say to the Sage?”

At Moses’s prompt, Pulsphica quickly bowed again.

“Um… I was chosen to guide you for this request, so… please, keep me by your side?”

He cast an anxious glance toward Moses.

Moses sighed theatrically.

“…Please, Sage, take him as your guide. And of course, if he can be of use in any other way, do use him. He desires that.”

Pulsphica nodded repeatedly, though still visibly nervous.

“…Anything, huh?”

Moses kept smiling.

“Yes. Literally anything. Whatever you deem right, Sage, is by definition the best course. Now then, Your Excellency, Harvester, Rainbow Sage—I shall take my leave. Please send the bill for any expenses to us. Good day.”

He bowed deeply to both Aura and Cross, then reached for the door. But before opening it, he turned back.

“Pardon me, Sage—one last question, if I may?”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“You never disliked being called ‘Rainbow Sage,’ did you?”

Expressionless, Cross murmured:

“So you kept calling me that, knowing I hated it?”

For the first time, Moses’s smile changed—no longer the shallow pleasantry, but a sharp, unsettling grin.

“My apologies, Cross. I shall be careful never to call you that again. Farewell.”

With that, Moses truly departed.

Cross let out a long, heavy sigh. Clearly, there had been political maneuvering at play—something he detested in every sense.

Beside him, Pulsphica exhaled just as deeply.

“You hate this kind of atmosphere too, huh?”

Pulsphica nodded.

“Y–Yes… I’m not good at talking, and being surrounded by so many monsters makes me nervous…”

“Sounds rough. …Ellie, take him to another room. Get him something nice to eat.”

Ellie nodded and gently led Pulsphica out.

“Well, I’ve chased him out for now. That’s fine, right?”

Aura nodded.

“Yes. Thank you for your consideration. Now… before we get into the details…”

“Before?”

“—Welcome home, Cross.”

Her smile softened as she said it.

“Yeah… I’m back, Aura. I’ve got plenty of souvenirs and stories, but… those can wait.”

She nodded, and Gryul, reading the mood—or perhaps simply to leave the two alone—slipped quietly from the room.

Aura quietly poured tea, prepared some cookies, and began her explanation.

Her expression was no longer the cold mask she had worn earlier; instead, it was bright — almost cheerful — with a hint of amusement.

“So then, what exactly did Mercurius tell you?”

“She said some elder council or whatever had started plotting to drive a wedge between you and me.”

Aura chuckled softly. “That’s… a rather rough explanation.”

“Yeah. If it’s not dumbed down, I probably wouldn’t get it. Honestly, if it’s the kind of thing I wouldn’t understand anyway, you don’t need to force the details on me. Just tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.”

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple. The Elder Council of Krust always hides the truth beneath layers upon layers of traps. There’s no way for us to know their true intentions. So this is only speculation, but… it’s possible they’ve come to see you, Cross — my trusted right hand — as a nuisance.”

“Hm. Honestly, I get the feeling I might be too free as your right hand… like I might be giving you trouble instead.”

“From their perspective, every accomplishment of yours appears to be at my command. It’s the downside of making you look larger-than-life.” Aura gave a wry smile.

“I owe you a lot, Aura — more than just obligation. And you treat me extremely well. I doubt any other demon would give me this much freedom. Plus, you’re a cute girl. Unless something truly drastic happens, I’m not leaving your side.”

“It may be a kind of test of loyalty… and perhaps an attempt to undermine that trust you have in me.”

“…So this is that kind of mess?”

“Not exactly. In terms of the actual task, it’s surprisingly simple. Something that wouldn’t even require your or Ellie’s attention. If travel weren’t a factor, a single soldier could resolve it. If we truly wanted it done quickly, sending Gaster alone would see it finished in under a week.”

“Then why the hell would they go out of their way to make me—no, to make sure I had to take the job?”

To Cross, Aura was a capable, charming Demon Lord.
But to others, she was a terrifying schemer.
Such a woman would never willingly allow an opening for someone to use him without a fight.

That could only mean there had already been some serious back-and-forth plotting behind the scenes.

“…The request from Krust is the execution of a single monster.”

“A mindless beast?”

“No. One with will — a demon, like us.”

“Strong?”

“No. In terms of combat power, hardly worth your or Ellie’s attention. She’s still carrying the aftereffects of old injuries — practically a noncombatant.”

“…Execution means she did something, right?”

“Betrayal.”

“Huh… I thought betrayal was something you actually used as a tactic, Aura. Doesn’t it usually not bother you when others do it?”

Cross knew her history well — like recruiting Ellie, once an enemy, as her knight.

“You know me better than I expected, Cross.”

“I make it a point to learn all I can about cute girls.”

He winked playfully, and Aura allowed herself a small laugh.

“It’s been a while since we last met. You’re a bit giddy, Cross.”

“Maybe so.”

“Anyway, you’re right. I’ve cultivated the image of a Demon Lord who excels at making others betray their own. Unless someone joins an enemy I cannot abide, I generally allow betrayal — because it means they could also be turned to our side if the terms are right. It benefits me.”

“…And yet you can’t forgive this one. So, who exactly did she betray, and to whom did she go?”

“Her codename is Prokia. She’s a beast-type demon with a humanlike form. Back when the previous Demon Lord still ruled, she served in his faction — but she betrayed us, acting in ways that favored the humans. For that, the previous Demon Lord sentenced her to death. Somehow, she’s survived until now. And now, The Elder Council of Krust has revealed her location to us.”

At that, Cross finally understood why that sly fox-eared bastard had kept repeating the word “sage,” and why Aura had called this a loyalty test.

It was a way to question whether a former human like Cross could truly execute a demon who had sided with humans.

For a moment, he felt as though someone were pressing that nasty, probing doubt directly into his skull.

“…For the record, although the request is for execution, you’ve also been given the right to call it off, to decide on an alternative punishment, or to do nothing at all.”

“…Wait, the right to cancel it?”

“The Elder Council claims, ‘If it is the Rainbow Sage, she will surely judge the act of aiding humans fairly, and deliver a just sentence.’ The truth, however… is likely that they want to give you the choice, so that whichever way you decide, they can find fault with both you and me afterward.”

“…This is such a pain in the ass. Seriously, a monumental pain in the ass…”

“Yes… I couldn’t agree more.”

Both Aura and Cross let out a heavy sigh at the same time.

“Still, there are many unknowns. I suspect the Council’s goals include loyalty testing, groundwork for driving a wedge between us, and preparing a smear campaign against me. However…”

“However?”

“The Elder Council isn’t a monolith. There could be other agendas at work. In fact, I suspect that somewhere in all this… Moses’s will is involved.”

“Oh? So you do know some special detail about this case?”

Aura’s face clouded with sadness, then her eyes hardened with resolve as she looked straight at Cross.

“Whether you kill her or spare her… it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to worry about the consequences. You can ignore me, ignore the Elder Council entirely. I won’t tell you to kill her, and I won’t tell you to spare her. I want you to find your own answer, and act according to your heart. I believe that will be the best resolution.”

“…Even so, if I don’t kill her, you’ll be in for a lot of trouble, won’t you?”

Aura didn’t respond.
She couldn’t.

Because she knew full well that if Prokia lived, the Elder Council would seize the opportunity to gleefully weaken her power base.

And yet, she could not bring herself to say the words kill her.

“…Hey, Aura.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“This target… she’s a woman, right?”

“Yes.”

“And… beautiful?”

“…I’m not good at judging beauty, but… yes. I remember her as being exceptionally beautiful.”

“Yeah… I had a feeling.”

Cross frowned and scratched the back of his head.