2nd Rank Has Returned - 2nd Rank Has Returned chapter 287

287 – Belated-1

The imperial situation was resolved quickly compared to its size.

As Magic Tower and Reinhardt have already experienced similar attacks, they have already developed a knack for how to handle them.

More than anything, the damage was minimal thanks to the quick rise of new warriors and wise men, which greatly helped in resolving the situation.

His contribution would be greatly appreciated by the emperor.

“…Ji, are you serious?”

In that situation, Lumine looked at Leo in more confusion than other times.

Although he displays the most common sense attitude among the Reinhardt family knights.

I had no choice but to worry because I was well aware of Leo’s tendency to show insanity that sometimes overwhelms all of Reinhardt.

“Yes, I have to go within today.”

Leo expressed his thoughts in a voice full of strong manners.

{…Aren’t you being too impatient? I probably haven’t fully recovered from my fatigue right now…}

Even as a fellow adult, Angela, she could not help but raise her doubts rather than raise them.

The knights, wizards, and priests who fought here, as well as Leo and Aria, were quite tired.

“But, I have to go now.”

Even in that situation, the situation could not be delayed now.

[It’s definitely better to go now.]

In the current situation, there was no one other than the wise man who agreed with Leo’s opinion.

Although Aria and Rios are also supportive, they only trust them out of obsessive love and faith.

I couldn’t provide a logical basis right away.

In the current situation, I was exhausted both physically and mentally, and I thought I needed to prepare.

[If you think about it, the best personnel to fight the Demon King’s army are gathered in one place. And that’s in a state where you can receive alerts right away.]

“…Definitely…It is the optimal situation from a human resources standpoint.”

As the former head of the family, Gladio could certainly understand the current rationale.

From Reinhardt’s elite troops to the imperial family’s elite personnel, all of the magic tower lords including Leo in the magic tower, and even the royal family in the temple gathered here.

Thanks to the remaining authority of the imperial family, the best people who would not normally have been able to gather together were gathered in one place.

The fact that there is currently little damage to the imperial family was partly due to Leo’s quick judgment, but more than that, it was also because the personnel here were strong.

“…But in the current situation, even if I were to go to fight right away, I would easily agree…”

However, those personnel were not gathered to risk life and death and jump into battle.

To put it to the extreme, it would be like conscription at a banquet full of fun and drinking.

The thoughts of concern about not complying obediently were no different from predictions of the future.

[It will be the same as always. What do you think will be different if we meet again later?]

The wise man’s words were heavy and cold, unlike other times. It’s pessimistic and sharp, as if everything up until now was a joke.

[In the end, when he returns, it will only give him time to find his own excuse. They will just say the right things, hoping that someone else will step up and take their place.]

Even those who normally disagree had to listen to the wise man’s story without any rebuttal.

The wise man’s emotions were more hidden than at other times.

Just by seeing a little bit of his sincerity, a weight that I have never felt before hits me all at once.

[That’s how it was destroyed. This world is in its most terrible form…]

“Just stop there. “Sage.”

The only one who could withstand the weight was Leo.

As someone who saw the end of the world before becoming a disciple of the wise man, I was qualified to argue against him.

[It’s not particularly wrong. You must be having a hard time right now…]

“I already know enough, so there is no need to emphasize it.”

The only person who could talk back to the wise man would be Leo.

The wise man clicked his tongue as if he was displeased with Leo’s words, but did not bother to add another word.

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I, who was probably the most impatient, came forward in such a cold manner that I had nothing more to say.

“In the end, it is just as the wise man said. “If we don’t do it now, the situation will only get worse.”

Some people were probably thinking that it would be much better to complete military training and replenish supplies.

Prince Alex is only asking the emperor to repay his favor, but deep down, he probably thinks he shouldn’t go right now.

But that is nothing more than complacent arrogance.

“While we are preparing, the Demon King will prepare even more.”

The Demon King must have been making further preparations at this time.

There was only one member of the family left, but this member alone had the ability to crush the berserkers and archdemons that had been fighting so far.

Now, the idea was clearly felt in Leo’s mind.

“…But… Is it possible to persuade…?”

Ameri, who had experienced one terrorist attack after another in her life, asked in a doubly helpless tone.

Just as the dress she wore to impress Rios was tattered, Ameri’s worries were also directed towards Leo, even if it was in tatters.

In fact, contrary to her question, what Ameri was worried about was not persuasion.

“…How about resting a little more? “I heard she absorbed the Dragon Heart herself.”

Chris, who had dragon blood flowing through his body, was worried earlier.

As the battle was fierce, we took a short break before the meeting.

Chris knew best, having experienced it himself, that it would be impossible to stabilize the overwhelming power of a dragon with just a few hours of rest without pain.

“…It’s okay. “I’ve experienced even more.”

Leo smiled brightly while stretching.

Why do I get worried when I see her body looking relaxed and without any burden at all?

The current Leo was so strong that there were no gaps, so he looked rather dangerous.

“I also wish to delay the meeting time if possible.”

Eileen walked into Reinhardt’s room so naturally that it was thought that she had formed an alliance with Temperius.

I just couldn’t point it out because I came inside carrying such heavy worries with such confidence.

She has gotten used to Eileen to the point where she doesn’t even feel uncomfortable anymore.

“I guess it’s not time for the meeting yet?”

“This is a problem that cannot be solved in a short period of time after just one meal.”

Soon, seemingly exhausted, Aileen Temperius leans her body against the wall.

My body was covered in sweat, as if I was more exhausted than I had participated in the fierce battle.

“…I came to discuss it because I thought it would be better to talk about regression.”

The heavy story that suddenly came out, and the attention all cast on Eileen was similar to when she was persecuted by Leo.

“”

“Don’t glare at me like that, though. “If I really didn’t have respect for doctors, I would have confessed already.”

Although her tone scratched her opponents’ minds, Eileen actually kept her loyalty and secrets.

The proof was that the Temperius family’s wealth and accomplishments were not achieved by peeking into future knowledge, beyond not telling so many people about the return.

“It’s just that we’ve reached a point where it’s difficult to address the regression by not directly mentioning it.”

“…That’s true.”

It was Lumine who spoke up, but it was a fact that others also sympathized with.

The attacks that the Demon King is currently carrying out are too closely related to the first round to hide the regression.

The sense of discomfort that began during the time of the Berserkers was gradually turning into suspicion thanks to the time of the Magic Tower and the Imperial Family.

“In the current situation, there wouldn’t be much benefit in hiding the regression, right? Even if you hide too much information, it won’t be of any help.”

It was an overly pessimistic and consequential remark, but to Leo, it was not a bad or wrong opinion.

Hide the regression any further than this and it would only raise groundless misunderstandings and suspicions, and monopolizing information about the doomed future would not bring much benefit.

Leo, who got up from the hospital bed, seemed to be laughing and muttered briefly.

“…You talk a bit harshly.”

At that one word, everyone, especially Aria, glared hostilely at Eileen.

Eileen herself was sweating even more, showing signs of dehydration, as if she hadn’t thought that Leo would respond like that right away.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to point out that. Only…”

“I know. Just…”

Leo slowly headed toward the center and looked around.

Everyone except Ain is a person who died in their position.

“It reminds me of the old days.”

“Thinking about the old days?”

As Aria held Leo’s hand, she glanced at Eileen so quickly that she was out of sight.

For some reason, she expressed it as a thought of the past with a wistful expression, and her senses as a woman were warning her not to let down her guard.

“… It’s not like that, so she can stop glancing. “To begin with, that was a time when I was sick of human relationships.”

The extent of Aria’s torso movement was clearly visible to Leo right now, but she said it.

The current Leo was not so insensitive that he did not notice Aria’s jealousy in those gazes.

“…Well…I didn’t suspect that…! Really! I know that Leo is not that type of person…! He said he was trying to cure his paranoia…”

Aria was completely absorbed by Leo’s harsh joke.

Leo’s hand, which was openly stroking and running through his hair, regardless of the people’s gaze, did not work at all because his brain was overheated.

Aria had lost her face and cool-headedness to the point where she apologized to her husband for not being able to cure her husband’s problem.

“…There is no need to continuously emphasize that the couple is good, so can you explain?”

A question was asked in a harsh tone as to whether the love between the two had made Eileen’s side cold.

Until now, he was worried that he had touched Leo’s trauma. He thought he was too foolish.

“…To put it simply, it would be similar to what you do after announcing the return.”

It is only similar in that it announces regression and changes behavior.

The course of action and the result may be negative and opposite, but I couldn’t think of anything other than this as an example.

“…Do you want to say that if we announce the return, we will try to blame each other for our past mistakes?”

Marken, who had been silently listening to the story, summarized this lengthy problem in one word.

Other people were also able to understand this one sentence in their own way, even if not immediately.

“That’s right. “You will be too busy blaming each other to the same level as you are blaming yourself.”

As if the mad anger and hatred were directed towards the fused Great Devil’s tricks.

They will be busy putting each other down.

“…So, when it had been about a month since I returned, I tried to take on all of this on my own. “I didn’t think it was an issue that would change just by talking about it.”

I tried to be content with lamenting with the wise man.

I used to relieve stress by complaining like that.

As a result, that decision did not last until the end.

“…Then at least.”

Aileen’s hands were shaking.

It is probably due to a sinful fear that cannot be controlled with just reason and knowledge.

“Can you explain how I died?”

Surrounding her questions about her own death, Leo was asking about truths that had not been brought out as silence.

“Eileen.”

People are inevitably afraid of death.

Humans kill and kill each other.

Even choosing the devil’s path is because I am afraid of death.

The same goes for Eileen.

I saw it clearly with my own eyes and was witnessing it.

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry. This was a very personal question. Forget it…”

“King of Death.”

Leonardo briefly muttered the word.

Calmly, as if he had no right to mourn.

“Even you, Eileen and Rumine, will die from that guy. “He only survived for a short time with her death curse and then died instantly.”

“…I see…He was the Demon King…He was killed by the demon you declared to be the most dangerous enemy.”

Eileen, who was afraid, barely managed to build up her own pride to overcome her fear.

She couldn’t tell the lie any more as she looked like she would have just before she died.

“Actually, I killed him.”

As he spoke those words, Leo held Aria’s hand tightly. Even though she was almost crushing her hand with her fingernails, Aria didn’t try to shake her hand away.

Even if it wasn’t what I just said, I somehow felt that Aria would be like this.

Just as she always stayed by her side in her dreams and fantasies in the first episode.

“It was also because the Demon King had the ability to immediately control the person he killed.”

Leo soon looks at Aria’s hand and her holy sword.

Although I admired her strength, I myself did not know the meaning of that strength.

She may have wanted to pretend not to know.

How to wield strong power was important.

“More than that, I watched you die.”

The reason for that was the same as when I didn’t know Aria was going to die.

“After Colt died, I continued my training in the abyss.”

I wasted time under the pretext of preparing.

As a result, I gained strong strength.

The price is that there is no relationship left that needs to be protected with great power.