2nd Rank Has Returned - 2nd Rank Has Returned chapter 263

263 – Not to be called the second-in-command-4

Originally, Ariasviel received revelation at the age of 19 and drew the holy sword on his 20th birthday.

For that reason, Black Aria had no choice but to stay with Reinhardt for four years.

She said, “She naturally followed her grandfather, Marken, into the Order of Executors. “I will also follow Chris and join the Order of Executors.”

Ariasviel, who was called a genius and an elite member of Reinhardt’s family, naturally joined the Execution Knights, and Leonardo, Chris’ disciple, also naturally walked the path of an Execution Knight.

“…So, you’ve been working together for at least 4 years?”

Lumine had no choice but to hesitantly go through the confirmation process due to Leo’s attitude, which seemed to have been abandoned in exchange for his combat ability.

Perhaps they, or even Leo before that, had made a huge mistake.

“Well, about 3 years to be exact. “It’s because we didn’t work as a team right away.”

To be exact, Leo worked with Chris and Aria worked with Marken for half a year.

After that, we formed a team with other people, and then Aria and Leo formed a team, and that continued.

[Surprising? I thought we would do it together right away?]

“Originally, neither Aria nor I had any problems with other people.”

Even if Aria and Leo were grouped separately, the success rate itself was better than expected.

Sometimes, when one person is injured and needs treatment, the other person takes their place.

“But I asked you to join me.”

“Together…?”

Not only Aria, who said what she said, but also other people looked at Leo and her holy sword in surprise.

I thought of course that we made a team by asking Aria first, but I never expected that Leo would ask for it.

“To be exact, it was when I was helping Marken organize reports and statements.”

Activating the sword sheath, Leo transmitted a video. Anyway, it happened just as the ban was weakening.

[…Huh…Tsk.]

In the video, Marken sighed and clicked his tongue as soon as he came out. Although no one pointed out his usual attitude.

[Would you like a toothpick? There is no poison in the saliva yet.]

[It’s done. Is there anyone in the world who uses a toothpick as an assassination needle?]

[Me too.]

[You guys are weird.]

[I will admit it.]

However, Leo’s conversation style, although polite, was completely devoid of formality or mask. Marken also spoke comfortably about Leo without any boundaries.

Now that it was the second time, the relationship wasn’t in an extremely bad situation, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was hard.

[Is there anything you feel after reading this report and statement?]

[It has to exist. It feels like watching a team leader do a group project at school.]

[…Didn’t you go to school?]

[I went to home school. It’s a metaphor anyway.]

It was a feast of nonsense, but Marken seemed to have disliked Leo’s analogy too much and put down the report and statement with a chuckle.

[Yes, as you said, this should be seen as a one-person play, not a two-person show.]

[Aria did it all by herself?]

I was able to find out through the contents of the report and statement.

There was no cooperative aspect in the content, but essentially the only character who played an active role was Aria.

Rather than cooperation, the only help was enough to allow Aria to work alone.

[I changed positions because I wanted to learn cooperation, but all I learned was that it was better to do things alone.]

[In a way, it is growth.]

[Change is not necessarily growth. Ha… That’s difficult. Being talented actually became toxic.]

Aria Spiel’s talent is considered to be unrivaled, but it is still a genius. As a result, the gap in talent between her and her peers could not be narrowed no matter what.

Chris Maltama The lone wolf and the person with talent was Ariasviel.

[Then should I do it? 2 People in a group?]

[…What is your intention?]

When Leo spoke calmly while flipping through the report, Marken, who was rather embarrassed, rolled his eyes and asked.

[Without any ulterior motive, I am ranked 2nd in the overall evaluation. If I weren’t there to organize the documents now, you would have had to do it until early morning tomorrow, right? Furthermore…]

Hearing the word ‘besides’, Marken trembled and clenched his hands into fists. Marken’s expression right now was similar to Leo’s, who couldn’t escape from the humiliation he felt.

[I was completely broken by my brother~!!]

Rios suddenly appeared and smiled brightly, reminding Marken of his defeat.

[Who is broken? I lost 1 time out of 99! It’s a 1% chance of winning!]

I still remember Marken. The defeat he suffered when he was completely overpowered after playing in the hands of a knight of only 2 stars.

It is never happy to win 99 times to a young baby, but losing 1 time is humiliating, and that was the pride of an adult.

[But the leader lost last, right?]

[Then compete again! It means to win again!]

[It’s ugly. Grandfather.]

[Call me leader, not grandfather! You guys always work in pairs!]

Just as it is not a lie to say that they are soul brothers, Leo and Rios got along so well that they put Marken to death even though they did not get together separately.

Not crossing subtle lines was the most vicious strength of those two.

[Ha! Then, regardless of whether you lose or win, if you agree to the duel, I will lend you a weapon of your choice!]

[Really? Then you should do it.]

[Good! Come out to the training ground right now!]

With that said, Marken put aside his worries about Aria and walked out to the training ground.

[But wow, grandpa seems really angry and completely focused on winning. What should I do? Are there any more strategies to win?]

[No. You have to fight defensively for about a minute and then surrender right away. How can I beat the leader twice?]

[Oh, I need to prepare a lot of blood pressure medicine.]

“…Keuhum…”

A short, thick coughing sound rang out.

It felt like it was Marken, and it also felt like it was Leo.

“…How about we rent Fulgor and form a team with you, Aria?”

“I feel like I’m closer to my grandfather than I thought.”

“That’s because we live and die together while working as executive engineers. “We talked a lot.”

Leonardo thought that his relationship with Marken was awkward purely because he had worked at the Magic Tower for four years.

Since he had distanced himself from the Reinhardt family to begin with, he wasn’t particularly upset.

“…No, actually, that’s not all.”

Marken, who had a shocked expression on his face, cleared his throat one after another and prepared his heart for confession.

Only by this confession could he see Leo with pride.

“…I actually thought you came into Reinhardt with some kind of ulterior motive.”

The process of first meeting Ariasviel, as well as the development of advanced techniques such as mana training.

In the eyes of Marken, who had experience, it seemed too contrived and artificial.

“…Isn’t that too much? How dare the God of pure love…”

“Brother Rios, if you say something about God one more time, I will send you to the place where the real God is. All right?”

“The insignificant things just follow your orders.”

Damn it, it was at the level of art.

But perhaps it was thanks to him that Marken continued his confession of apology in a much more relaxed tone.

“…I couldn’t understand it based on common sense. They even gave me a black card, but do you think it makes sense to use it all publicly? “When I’m on vacation, I even spend my own money on transportation, let alone snacks!”

From Marken’s point of view, the person who was shaken off and dust came out was a more understandable and trustworthy person, and he had no choice but to be wary of the person who did not come out at all.

It is true that it is not advisable to use the Black Card for luxury and entertainment based on common sense, but it can only be used to purchase grimoires, magic tools, weapons and equipment.

“That’s because the salary is high, and the black card wasn’t given for that purpose in the first place…”

[Common sense tells us that there is no way that an extremely clean and perfect being would be unpleasant. That’s what I said, right? So, I told you to buy at least one designer item of clothing.]

Even Ariasviel, who expressed her passionate love for Leo, could not deny that Leonardo at the time did not smell like a person.

Because he was Leo, who felt more perfect than himself, who was called a genius, he was the only one other than his family that he could rely on and feel understood.

Thanks to the demon lord, my memory had improved so much that I could remember every word of those disgusting words.

The reason I couldn’t say it out loud was probably because the content was so shallow as to be wise.

“Then can I ask you a question?”

“…Okay, I’ll give it a try.”

Marken, who looked at Ain’s bright, innocent eyes, could not bear to refuse and allowed the question.

How harsh of a question would a child like that ask?

“Isn’t it more efficient to be wary of the Senate than to be wary of your efficient father?”

“…Cough…!”

It wasn’t a malicious question.

Ain was just really curious, so he asked his great-grandfather for an answer.

“Was this a difficult question to answer? Then…”

“…Well…That’s not true…”

Marken’s eyes were so pure that they were shaking, unable to give a clear answer or refusal.

I can assure you that it was more difficult than beheading several senators who were once seniors and colleagues.

“Ain, you shouldn’t ask such questions to adults carelessly. “You’re so cute that it’s hard to know how to respond.”

Her granddaughter Aria persuaded her daughter in a reasonable way.

“But I thought it was an important question.”

“Even so, you must be careful to avoid questions that reveal other people’s flaws or mistakes. Got it?”

“I understand.”/”Cough…!”

There was no malice in what he said, but the words ‘disgrace’ and ‘mistake’ hurt Marken, Gladio, and even Chris like a dagger.

“…Why do you keep talking about the Senate issue? “In the first place, it’s not just your responsibility.”

“…There is no need to force it. “This is definitely us…”

“No, it was obvious that the old senators would grow old and die anyway, so why do you keep doing this? “From a process perspective, it is a judgment that falls within the rational axis.”

[…Wait. What?]

Not only the wise men, but also everyone looked at Leonardo.

Why are you doing that? I said it clearly.

I remember what I said in my head.

“So, from the beginning, Lady Gladio was planning with the old Senate in mind that they would die from old age.”

Common sense suggests that Marken had a strong body and a unique constitution, but no matter how Reinhardt he was, he had no business at his age.

“Even when I was working as a Reinhardt slayer, some senators worked for between half a year and a year. “In the first place, there was no warning when the devil would attack, so it would be neat to deal with it that way using common sense.”

Therefore, rather than simply maintaining military authority, Gladio chose to turn the talented young people working for Reinhardt to his side.

Leo was not the central character, but he was pushed by matriarch Gladio to some extent.

“…Even if that were the case, it wouldn’t change what I threw away…”

“So, it was worth it. “From the moment I stabbed Chris in the eye, a sense of guilt and inferiority exploded on my part, which is why I withdrew as an executive knight.”

Some people told him to come back as an executive knight, but it was Leonardo himself who refused.

In fact, even his colleagues in the scouting corps he worked with asked him if it would be better to return to being an executioner.

“…Even so, Leo, the reason you lost all of your comrades to Balrog… And failed to prevent you from being reprimanded by the Senate…”

“No, in the first place, it was a problem I had to hold on to and apologize for. Then the matriarch was able to cover it somehow. The problem was that I was the one who went on a rampage there. “I think we should be thankful that he wasn’t summarily executed in the first place.”

Leonardo bit his lip and recited that dirty dark history once again.

“….In the first place, the senators and guards all tried to beat, stab, and even burn them with fire. “Aria, if you hadn’t stopped me, I wouldn’t have had anything to say even if I had to die on top of the crime of murder.”

A cold silence flows.

It is understandable. As I already said, everyone thinks this act is their biggest mistake.

“…As a result, the Senate began demanding compensation from those in my direct line who had supported me while pretending to be victims. “When I think about it, it’s my fault…”

“…Leo.”

Ariasviel glared at herself with cold eyes in a different way.

Other people were the same. Ameri, who was in a daze, and even Ain, who didn’t feel any pain when she put it in her eyes, glared at herself coldly.

“I’m really sorry, but if I’m sorry, can I just hit you once and then continue the conversation?”

“…Yes?”

Even Black Aria of the Holy Sword seemed to resonate with White Aria this time.

I didn’t want to collude like this.

More than that, why doesn’t everyone remember? I remember it clearly, right?