Has someone ever knelt down and begged you for something?
Most people probably haven’t experienced that.
But for those belonging to the Central Committee, it was just another day at the office.
They held power that made others willing to humble themselves for what they desired.
Thus, even if someone begged on their knees, it would hardly faze them.
The subject of kneeling,
“Huh…”
“What is this…?”
If it weren’t for the Heroes, that is.
Voices filled with surprise erupted from everywhere.
And why wouldn’t they?
Though it appeared the Heroes were obeying the Committee’s orders, the Committee was by no means the superior of the Heroes.
The Heroes followed the Committee’s commands simply because they believed it was the right judgment for the city as a whole.
This was why the Committee had to tread carefully and consider their words carefully each time they issued a command to the Heroes.
What’s the use of power that seems absolute?
If the Heroes ever collectively revolted, that power would crumble faster than a sandcastle.
Thus, those who served in the Committee respected and feared the Heroes, and they understood them best.
They knew what the Heroes represented.
They knew that what drove the Heroes was not money, honor, or power, but only a sense of purpose.
And that living for such a cause was the pride and joy of the Heroes.
So how could they not be shocked by this scene?
Kneeling is an act of humility.
That’s why Heroes, who possessed extreme pride, seldom kneel for trivial matters.
They’d rather choose death than bend their pride.
Yet here they were, a whole group humiliated by this action of kneeling.
Even if they were students who hadn’t officially received their Hero credentials, seeing so many Heroes laying aside their pride and kneeling was unprecedented, leaving the spectators in disarray.
“Please, we ask you this. Could you reconsider?”
Moreover, who was kneeling at the forefront?
None other than Sylvia Astra, the heir of the Astra family, who was among the most powerful in the Central Committee.
It was truly remarkable for someone like her, who had rarely ever even asked for anything in her life, let alone kneeled, to engage in such behavior.
“What on earth is that witch saying to bring them to this?”
“That’s right… perhaps we should reconsider…”
People’s minds were sufficiently boggled by the thought that maybe, just maybe, they should.
Of course, amidst all this, there were a few who remained completely unfazed.
“Please stand. Kneeling won’t change anything,” Diakonos said dismissively.
From his perspective, their kneeling was meaningless.
“A request is merely shirking responsibility. Besides, I won’t take the risk of allowing a witch who could harm others to roam free.”
“I’ll take responsibility for that,” said the girl still kneeling, bowing her head.
Diakonos gazed at her, skeptical.
“What do you mean, you’ll take responsibility?”
“I don’t know if that will suffice, but I’ll stake my life on it.”
With that, Sylvia raised her head.
“If you allow Miss Scarlet back into the city, I’ll stay by her side and keep watch over her. If she tries to hurt someone, then let me be the first.”
With determined eyes, Sylvia made that declaration.
Her resolve seemed to spark something in the children who had been burying their heads in shame, and one by one, they lifted their heads and spoke up.
“I’ll stake my life too.”
“If Scarlet is proven to be a threat to humanity, I’ll do everything in my power to stop her, so please…”
“Please!”
The voices that poured forth were filled with genuine urgency, but their eyes told another story.
Some of those witnessing the children, still kneeling, trembled involuntarily.
Dozens of pairs of eyes shone brightly with a will to seize whatever they could.
“Just once, just give us one chance.”
In the midst of it all, Sylvia’s voice resonated softly.
Diakonos, who had been observing, asked, “I don’t understand. Is there any reason you’re so sure the witch isn’t truly evil?”
Sylvia shook her head slightly in response.
“I’m not sure.”
The affirmation of not being sure left Diakonos utterly perplexed.
“Then why—”
“But.”
Interrupting Diakonos, Sylvia continued.
“Though I might not be sure, I still have faith. We were taught to trust our comrades, not to give up on them. We still consider Miss Scarlet one of us.”
Having said that, Sylvia bowed her head again, pleading earnestly.
“So please, just give us one chance to believe in our comrade. We beg you.”
For a moment, silence fell.
Everyone was lost in thought because of Sylvia’s words.
Then, from that silence, one person spoke up.
“…As the children said, how about we trust Miss Scarlet just once?”
The one observing the students from a corner of the conference room, Eve, who had taught them to trust their comrades, said with a complex expression.
“I’ll do my best to cooperate… If Evande isn’t truly an evil witch, it’s the best thing to do, isn’t it?”
“Hmm…”
Diakonos made a sound of contemplation at her words.
This wasn’t just anyone’s opinion; it was Eve’s.
Having lived far longer than anyone could guess, she had consistently engaged in charitable acts and donations.
With her level of involvement in helping the countless people, she had acquired the nickname ‘wingless angel’ in the public eye.
Thus, her opinion carried weight that even Diakonos could not disregard, far exceeding what merely being a member of the Central Committee and vice principal of the Academy might suggest.
To listen to the students or not.
Two thoughts weighed upon Diakonos’s mind.
Logically speaking, refusing was the right choice.
However, in the world, what is logical isn’t always what is right.
Even here, the city had been sustained by the unreasonable dedication of the Heroes.
So he considered it.
Both the risks and returns involved.
And just as he was about to voice his conclusion after much deliberation,
“…Understood. Then just this once—”
Bang! A man burst through the conference room door, interrupting him.
With a face that clearly displayed urgency, Diakonos asked, “What’s going on?”
“Ah, Diakonos, uh…”
The man who rushed in whispered something into Diakonos’s ear.
“…I see. Understood.”
Upon hearing that, Diakonos immediately stiffened his expression and said,
“Unfortunately, it seems we have no choice but to dismiss your opinions.”
“W-What? Why!? Just a moment ago…!”
Seeing Diakonos preparing to agree to something, Sylvia felt like she had snagged a fish, only to have it slip away, and shouted.
To Sylvia, Diakonos replied.
“There are reports of citizens protesting in several locations. They’re asking about the witch who injured Captain Yoon Si-woo. Given the circumstances, persuasion will be futile.”
“What do you mean by futile? If we all work together to persuade them…!”
“That’s nonsense. Trying to persuade is futile.”
“Why wouldn’t it work!”
In response to Sylvia’s objections, Diakonos, with a cold voice, said,
“What will you say when it comes time to persuade? Will you tell them the truth about why you let the witch get away?”
At those words, Sylvia flinched.
“Uh, y-you see…!”
“From your reaction, it seems you realize it won’t do. If you were to confide that you let the witch escape to the citizens who had already lost their symbol of hope, Captain Yoon Si-woo, it would result in disaster. There’s no need to take that risk. The current policy remains unchanged.”
Having seemingly made his mind up, Diakonos declared.
Facing such resolve, Sylvia cried out in desperation.
“We’ll persuade them! Somehow!”
“What do you think you can possibly persuade them in this situation? Lying would be deceiving the citizens. I don’t intend to risk bringing the witch back to the city at such a cost. And do you think revealing the truth would make the citizens forgive you and the witch? Like Eve said, it would be best if it all worked out. But unless a miracle occurs, that’s impossible.”
“It can happen! That miracle!”
As if unwilling to give up, Sylvia shouted at Diakonos.
“Just so you know, hoping for a miracle is something only fools do.”
“Just because the chances are slim, giving up from the start is an act of a coward!”
“I’m not a coward, I’m simply cautious.”
For a moment, Sylvia took a deep breath and realized something.
There would be no way for her and Diakonos to agree.
Because Sylvia could never give up on Scarlet.
No matter how slim the chances, no matter how much she had to rely on miracles.
Sylvia glanced back, wanting to check the children’s reactions.
Among them, there were some who scanned the surroundings, their eyes tinged with resignation, seemingly convinced by Diakonos’s words.
Thus, Sylvia said to Diakonos,
“…Then I will persuade them alone.”
“While you’re so concerned about that witch, what about the other comrades? Won’t you care about what happens to them? If you tell the citizens the truth, things won’t end well for you.”
“No. Only I will be persuading.”
Turning her gaze away from the children, Sylvia murmured.
“As I said earlier, I am the representative. It was I, Sylvia Astra, who helped the witch escape the city. The others were merely victims who were used by me. Can you allow that?”
“Sylvia!”
A voice calling her name rang from behind, but Sylvia didn’t turn.
Diakonos looked at Sylvia and said,
“If you must go that far, very well. I can agree to that much. However, I believe you understand how it will affect you and your family.”
“…I don’t care.”
Even if she lost everything.
That was what Sylvia intended to convey, but—
“Hoh, that would be troublesome.”
A voice from elsewhere interrupted her thoughts.
And turning her head to see who had just entered the conference room, Sylvia muttered in shock.
“…Elder, why are you here?”
The First Elder, who should have been confined to the mansion, was in the room.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.