Has anyone ever come to you, begging on their knees?
For an ordinary person, that would be uncommon.
However, for those involved with the Central Committee, it was almost an everyday occurrence.
They had the power to demand whatever they wanted, even if it required someone to bow their pride.
Thus, no one would flinch at witnessing someone kneeling and begging.
Yet, if the one kneeling was—
“Huh…”
“What on earth…?”
It was not just any hero.
Voices full of confusion erupted from all around.
And understandably so.
Although it appeared on the surface that the heroes were following the commands of the Central Committee, the committee was not the superior of the heroes by any means.
The heroes chose to obey the committee’s orders simply because they believed it to be the right course of action for the entire city.
That was why the committee had to handle their commands with extreme caution, mindful not to offend the heroes.
What good is absolute power?
If, by chance, the heroes decided to rebel, such power would crumble like a sandcastle in an instant.
Therefore, all those involved with the committee both respected and feared the heroes, making them the ones who understood them best.
They knew what heroes really were.
It wasn’t money, fame, or power that moved them; it was solely their ideals.
And the pride in living such a way was everything to the heroes.
So how could anyone not be astonished by such a sight?
Kneeling was an act of humiliation.
For that reason, heroes with excessively strong pride hardly ever kneel for trivial matters.
They would rather choose death than bow their pride.
But here they were, not just one but a whole group kneeling in humiliation.
Even if the students had yet to formally receive their hero titles, the sight of so many heroes laying aside their pride was unprecedented, leaving onlookers unsettled.
“Please, I beg you. Can we reconsider?”
Moreover, who was taking the lead in kneeling at the front?
It was none other than Sylvia Astra, the heir of Astra, who held considerable power within the Central Committee.
Certainly, this was not an ordinary sight; it was remarkable for someone like her, who had rarely even had to make requests, to act in such a manner.
“…Why is that witch treated with such gravity…?”
“Exactly… Perhaps we should reconsider…”
These thoughts were enough to plant a seed of doubt in everyone’s mind.
Of course, there were still those who remained unaffected by such a situation.
“Please stand. Kneeling will not change anything.”
Diakonos advised sternly, wanting them to stop this futile act.
From his perspective, their kneeling was utterly meaningless.
“A request is merely shifting responsibility. And since the witch could harm people, I have no intention of taking that risk.”
“If that’s the case, I’ll take responsibility.”
Sylvia, still kneeling and bowing her head, replied.
Looking at the girl who spoke of responsibility, Diakonos asked,
“What do you mean by taking responsibility?”
“I may not know if it will suffice, but I’ll stake my life on it.”
With that answer, Sylvia raised her head.
“If you let Miss Scarlet back into the city, I will stay by her side without leaving her for a moment. If she tries to harm anyone, then I shall be the first.”
With a resolute gaze, Sylvia spoke.
Touched by the determination behind her words, the children who had buried their faces in the ground began to lift their heads one by one.
“I’ll put my life on the line as well.”
“If Scarlet is proven to be humanity’s enemy, we will sacrifice ourselves to stop her, so please…”
“Please…”
Their voices were filled with earnestness, though their eyes did not reflect the same urgency.
Some of those who saw the children raise their heads while still kneeling shuddered.
Dozens of eyes gleamed brightly, filled with the will to obtain something by any means.
“Just this once, please give us a chance.”
In the midst of this, Sylvia’s voice quietly resonated.
Seeing this, Diakonos asked,
“I can’t understand it. Do you have any reason to be so sure that the witch isn’t as dangerous as claimed?”
At those words, Sylvia slightly shook her head in response.
“I am not sure.”
Upon hearing Sylvia’s admission of uncertainty, Diakonos mumbled, perplexed.
“Then why—”
“But.”
Interrupting Diakonos, Sylvia continued.
“While I may not be certain, I trust. I’ve learned to believe in my comrades and not to give them up. We still consider Miss Scarlet a comrade.”
After saying this, Sylvia politely bowed her head again, pleading,
“So, please give us one chance to believe in our comrade. I beg you.”
For a moment, silence fell.
This was because Sylvia’s words left everyone deep in thought.
And within that silence, one person spoke up.
“…As the children said, why not trust Miss Scarlet just this once?”
Watching over her disciples from one side of the conference hall, Eve, the one who taught them to trust their comrades, spoke with a complicated expression.
“I’ll do my best to cooperate… If Evande is truly not an evil witch, then that would be the best outcome, wouldn’t it?”
“Hmm…”
Diakonos let out a noise of contemplation at those words.
It was Eve’s opinion, after all.
Having lived longer than most realize, she had consistently engaged in charity and volunteer work.
She had helped countless individuals directly or indirectly, earning her the nickname “Angel Without Wings.”
Thus, her opinion, as someone with more influence than simply being a member of the Central Committee and acting as deputy principal of the academy, was not something Diakonos could easily dismiss.
Would he heed the students’ words, or not?
In Diakonos’ mind, two thoughts weighed on the scale.
Logically speaking, it was correct to refuse.
However, rationality did not always equate to rightness in the real world.
Especially in this city, a foundation of the heroes’ unconditional dedication was built on irrationality.
Thus, he considered both sides’ risks and returns.
And just as he was about to voice his conclusion after deep deliberation—
“…Understood. Then for this one time—”
Bang! A man burst through the conference room door.
Clearly, he wore a frantic expression, prompting Diakonos to ask,
“What’s the matter?”
“Ah, Diakonos, it’s…”
The man who rushed in whispered something into Diakonos’ ear.
“…I see. Understood.”
After hearing that, Diakonos promptly hardened his expression and said,
“I’m afraid I must dismiss your opinions.”
“W-Why! Just a moment ago…!”
Having thought she was about to receive a positive response from Diakonos, Sylvia raised her head and exclaimed with dismay like a snagged fish that had slipped away.
To Sylvia, Diakonos said,
“I’ve heard that citizens are protesting in several places. They are asking what happened to the witch who harmed Captain Yoon Si-woo. In light of this, persuasion is impossible.”
“What are you talking about? If we all stand together and persuade them…”
“That’s nonsensical. It’s impossible to persuade them.”
“Why isn’t it possible?!”
In response to Sylvia’s rebuttal, Diakonos spoke coldly.
“Then what will you say during the persuasion? Will you tell them the truth about why you let the witch go?”
At those words, Sylvia flinched.
“W-Well…!”
“Based on your reaction, it seems you understand it won’t work. If you were to speak about letting the witch go in front of the citizens who have already lost their symbol of hope, Captain Yoon Si-woo, a disaster would unfold. There’s no need to risk such a thing. We will maintain the current policy.”
Clearly, Diakonos had made up his mind and spoke decisively.
As he stated his position, Sylvia shouted as if desperate.
“We… we’ll persuade them! Somehow!”
“In this situation, what could you possibly do to persuade them? Lying would just be lying to the citizens. I have no desire to go to such lengths to bring a witch back into the city. But do you think the citizens would forgive you and the witch if you revealed the truth? While it may be for the best like Eve said, unless we encounter a miracle, that would be impossible.”
“It could still happen! That miracle!”
Sylvia, determined not to give up, protested.
“Let me make it clear. Hoping for miracles is something only fools do.”
“That’s just cowardice—giving up before you even try!”
“It’s called being cautious, not cowardly.”
For a moment, as Sylvia exhaled deeply, she realized.
She and Diakonos could never reconcile their opinions.
Sylvia could never give up on Scarlet.
No matter how slim the chances, even if they had to hope for a miracle.
Sylvia subtly glanced behind her.
She wanted to gauge the children’s reactions.
They looked slightly resigned, as if acknowledging some truth to Diakonos’ words.
Thus, Sylvia said to Diakonos,
“…Then I will persuade her myself.”
“You’re worried about that witch, yet you’ll leave your comrades to their fate? If you speak the truth to the citizens, it won’t end well for you.”
“No. Persuading will be my responsibility alone.”
Sylvia turned her gaze away from the children and murmured.
“As I said earlier, I am here representing myself. It was I, Sylvia Astra, who helped the witch escape the city. The others are just victims caught in my scheme. Is that manageable?”
“Sylvia!”
A voice exclaimed from behind her, asking what she meant, but Sylvia did not turn around.
Diakonos looked at her and said,
“If that is what you must do, then very well. I will allow that much. However, I believe you understand what may happen to you and your family.”
“…I don’t care.”
Even if she were to lose everything.
Sylvia intended to say that, but—
“Ah, that’s problematic.”
She could not help but stop her words at a voice that echoed from somewhere.
As she turned her gaze, seeing who had just entered the conference room, Sylvia mumbled in shock.
“…Elder, why are you here?”
The First Elder, who should have been confined to the mansion, was there.
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