Chapter 220: Unveiling the Truth

“What on earth is he plotting?”

He’d been explicitly told to wrap things up quickly, before their opponent could interfere, but he’d deliberately drawn things out. The result? Predictable.

– We discriminate against each other based on social standing, wealth, appearance, skin color, and every imaginable inclination! If humanity behaves this way, how much worse are the demons, beings inherently more wicked and brutal, governed by the law of the jungle!

The man on the screen was in his element, thrashing about like a fish in water.

Casually slipping ‘social hierarchy’ into the definition of ‘unfair discrimination’ to further the Revolutionary Army’s agenda was just icing on the cake.

Deon, watching this, glared daggers at the back of Dan’s head.

‘I told him to just drop the bomb and cut the feed for a reason.’

What kind of mess is this? We’re just hemorrhaging advantages and gaining nothing!

It would be a gross miscalculation to think he’d made this call out of fear of a simple rebuttal. Deon had been carefully observing and calculating the situation.

This was the third time they’d broadcasted the screen. They’d already painstakingly swayed public opinion twice before.

‘By the third time, they’ll be sick of it.’

This time, just dropping a shocking truth and cutting the feed would have been enough.

No matter how eloquently he spoke, it wouldn’t have much impact on an audience already desensitized to these broadcasts. In fact, they’d probably be getting annoyed by now. That’s why he’d been told to keep it brief.

……Annoying.

The back of his head in front of him practically begged to be slapped.

He resisted the urge for a moment, teetering on the brink, but just as he decided to give in and smack him once—just once, since the screen was still broadcasting—Dan placed his hand on the mana stone. Whether it was pure luck or survival instinct, it was perfectly timed.

Another screen flashed into existence in the sky.

***

– Demons are evil? Just because humans discriminate amongst themselves, you assume demons will be worse? Isn’t that a rather self-serving view of humanity? Why do you automatically assume demons are inferior to humans? On what basis?

So, their ‘equality’ only extended to humanity, huh? Even the Revolutionary Army couldn’t shake off their superiority complex, it seemed.

The assumption that humans were inherently better, fairer, and smarter. Dan called out the arrogance of the man who took this as gospel.

The opponent’s voice subtly sped up, a hint of inner panic.

– We have the accounts and records of our ancestors’ experiences…

– Of course, they’d paint their enemies as evil. Just look at the history books of any kingdom. Allies are good, enemies are evil. It’s not like this black-and-white logic is new. Surely you’re not swayed by such simplistic narratives?

He couldn’t stop now. He pressed on, spurred by some unknown warning tingling at the back of his head.

– Don’t overestimate humans. And don’t belittle other races. Cast aside your prejudices and judge with your own eyes.

– …….

– Now, tell me, how does Deon Hart, a human, seem to be treated in the Demon Realm?

He subtly shifted his stance. A man whose looks defied all tastes appeared clearly on the screen.

Despite being the Demon King’s nemesis, he still held his positions as Commander-in-Chief and Commander of the 0th Legion. The implication, that he was treated quite well, settled into everyone’s minds.

Dan spread his arms wide this time.

– And how does my treatment look, someone far more ordinary than him?

Despite looking like an ordinary human, he seemed to be well-treated. His clothes looked decent, his expression was good, and his skin glowed with health.

Most people were unaware of the connection between Dan and Deon Hart. This display was bound to make an impact.

The opponent seemed to realize this as well, and a rebuttal laced with desperation followed immediately.

– Deon Hart is a human who appeals to demons, and you’re his subordinate, aren’t you? It’s no wonder demons accept you without discrimination.

……Finally.

Hook, line, and sinker. The corners of Dan’s mouth curled upwards.

– Deon Hart appeals to demons… Right, is it because he killed his own brother, as you mentioned before?

– That certainly played a significant role.

He tried to give a vague, noncommittal answer, but it was clearly a yes. Dan chuckled silently.

He’d intended to wrap this up quickly, but they’d taken a roundabout route. Still, they were close to achieving their objective. Time to finish this.

He wiped the smile from his face and lifted his head.

– I understand you’re desperate to paint Deon Hart as evil, but there’s a limit. You can’t just fabricate lies.

– ……What are you talking about?

– Killed? Who killed who? Deon Hart is the clear victim here.

He heard a sharp intake of breath behind him. He felt a different kind of pointed stare, but Dan didn’t turn around, fixing his gaze on the light in front of him.

His mouth opened, and the truth, buried in silence by vested interests, was about to be revealed to the world.

– Cruel Hart wasn’t killed by Deon Hart.

Dan had orchestrated the extraction of the trading company while simultaneously manipulating the Lofty Knights into going to the Human Realm.

– Duke Starbe Illuster killed him.

It had all been for this moment.

To leak information to the Revolutionary Army so they could prepare and intervene at the opportune moment. And…

The leader of the Revolutionary Army, who had been silent for a moment, spoke.

– Unbelievable. You’ve picked the wrong person to smear. Do you even know how he’s remembered in the Human Realm?

– I know. I know very well. A loyalist who stayed in the collapsing Imperial Palace to the very end, fighting Deon Hart to his death. Right? It’s laughable.

– …….

– Trash is still trash, no matter how prettily you wrap it… And you’re going to such lengths for a Duke you don’t even like? You, of all people, should know his true character, being part of the Revolutionary Army.

– …Looking at Cruel Hart’s movements before his death, the last recorded sighting was him leaving with Deon Hart. Given the circumstances, are you still going to insist it’s a lie?

So, he’s resorting to deflection. Dan scoffed, a clear sneer on his face, and picked up a piece of paper from the table.

– Sorry you feel like I’m just arguing for the sake of it. I probably should have started with the evidence.

– What’s that…?

– Documents detailing the Duke’s commission for the murders of Cruel Hart and Deon Hart.

– ……!

– To be precise, it reads, ‘Monitor whether Cruel Hart kills Deon Hart. If he does not, kill both Cruel Hart and Deon Hart.’ That paints a clear picture, doesn’t it? How utterly cruel. Forcing a brother to kill his own sibling.

How could anyone portray such a man as noble?

Dan, who had been sneering, suddenly noticed the silence in the air and glanced around. Legion commanders were staring at him, mouths clamped shut.

‘…Right, Cruel Hart is a sensitive subject even for the legion commanders.’

It was understandable they’d be holding their breath, especially given Deon Hart’s inscrutable expression.

The silence was probably mirrored in the Human Realm. Dan ostentatiously held the paper up to the light and waved it.

– The rest are documents proving the Duke had been consistently commissioning Deon Hart’s assassination for a long time. This wasn’t a one-off incident.

– That…

– I’m guessing you’re about to ask how you can believe it, or if these documents are forged. So, let me preemptively mention, you’ve probably heard about the recent news of contract killer organizations being utterly decimated beyond recovery by unknown assailants.

– ……No way.

– Exactly. It was all to obtain this evidence. Do you see the organization’s name and seal on these documents? Anyone in the know will recognize them. They’ll know these aren’t forgeries.

Another reason for sending the Lofty Knights to the Human Realm was precisely this: to secure the evidence.

Some might ask why it had to be the Lofty Knights, but frankly, there weren’t any other options.

Their target was a contract killer organization. They couldn’t just send anyone. They needed people with considerable martial prowess, and he didn’t have anyone like that under his command. So, his gaze swept around and eventually landed on the boisterous Lofty Knights, who were always up for anything.

Being simple-minded, they weren’t hard to persuade.

[What? The Captain’s still being framed for his brother’s death? How long has it been since then?!]

[Huh, and you just stood by and watched?! You ungrateful bastard!]

[…That’s why I’m asking for your help to clear his name.]

[Ah.]

[And let go of my collar.]

[Sorry.]

The atmosphere at the time was light-hearted, but Dan knew. They were incandescent with rage.

[Aren’t you taking your… medication? I heard you take something when dealing with humans.]

[Don’t need it.]

[Yeah, doesn’t look like you’ll need it.]

Even without the medication, blood vessels were already bulging in the whites of his eyes. He’d entered a state of being, shall we say, ‘blind with rage’.

And true to their word, they scoured every contract killer organization, hunted them down, and thoroughly ransacked them. They found the documents far quicker than expected and returned.

With this, the false accusation hanging over Deon Hart could be lifted and placed squarely on the shoulders of the real culprit. A nagging voice in the back of his mind asked why he was bothering when Deon Hart himself was doing nothing, but Dan just snorted and dismissed it.

‘I was planning to anyway.’

It was a lackluster act of revenge, but at least Deon Hart had taken some measure of vengeance himself.

But seeing this move to glorify the Duke’s death as noble, how could he stand idly by? Frankly, that was crossing a line.

Investigation revealed these tactics were similar to those used by the Salvation Church. Was it the same person behind it? To go to such lengths to protect the image of a dead man… they must have truly loved him.

However, there were countless limits to what one could do in the name of love. It would be quicker to list the actions that weren’t restricted. The opponent’s actions definitely crossed that line.

‘That was too much.’

So, what could he do? He had no choice but to make them pay dearly, to ensure they’d never even dream of repeating such actions.

Since they dared to glorify a sinner’s death, the best course of action was to expose his vile deeds to the world and drag his reputation through the mud.

– Back then, Deon Hart had no intention of killing Cruel Hart, and Cruel Hart was trying to protect Deon Hart from the Duke’s clutches.

– …….

– You can probably guess what happened next. The Duke’s men tried to kill them both, and Cruel Hart sacrificed himself to save Deon Hart and help him escape. The location… you know, right?

Demon Realm.

Paul, who had been listening to Dan in silence, slowly opened his mouth. His voice was measured, but clear and unwavering, as if mindful of his position and the situation.

– Why the Demon Realm of all places? Deon Hart was under the former Emperor’s protection. If he’d gone to the Imperial Palace, he would have been safe.

Paul trailed off, but then he saw Dan’s eyes narrow into a sneer, as if questioning his sincerity. He hastily added,

– …If you were worried the Duke might have placed men along the routes, you could have sent him to another kingdom temporarily, couldn’t you?

– No, no, you’re missing the point entirely. Try thinking from Cruel Hart’s perspective, okay?

Cruel Hart’s perspective… Paul frowned slightly.

Before he could even ponder it, the explanation continued.

– Knowing his death was certain, he would have wanted to send the person he was protecting to the safest possible place.

Paul’s suggestion was short-sighted, barely a temporary fix.

If Cruel foresaw a future where he couldn’t directly protect Deon Hart, he’d be thinking long-term, as far away as possible.

– In that sense, the Imperial Palace, and by extension, the Empire, was out. The Duke’s influence extended too far. Other kingdoms? Not terrible, but the war in the Human Realm had just ended, and the Empire wasn’t exactly trustworthy. Would they unquestioningly accept Deon Hart, a key asset of the Empire? More likely they’d detain him, interrogate him about his motives. They might even use it as leverage to protest to the Empire. Even if they did accept him, in the midst of a war with the Demon Realm, they wouldn’t leave a key military asset of the Empire idle. They’d send him back to the Empire before long.

– …….

– So, what’s left? Only the Demon Realm.