Chapter 85: I Saw the Devil Part 3

I feel dazed.

The back of my head stings as if I’ve been struck with a hammer.

I see Schult, whom I thought was my ally until just moments ago.

His face shows no trace of guilt or regret as he betrays me.

‘Didn’t we just make a promise?’

If he’s tired of fighting to avoid being fired, I can understand.

I know that feeling better than anyone.

The sense that the world has turned against you, that no matter what you do, nothing works out.

That despair is surely overwhelming.

I even made sure he’d get a hefty salary, promised he wouldn’t have to risk his health, and shielded him from the mobs when they lost control.

But in the end, it’s about one’s own determination.

If he says he can’t endure it anymore, I wouldn’t force him to stay.

I made that judgment and decided to let him go.

But this… This is crossing the line.

If he had complaints, he could have just voiced them.

‘He knows better than anyone what situation I’m in, yet he chooses to do this?’

I told him that failing to avoid dismissal meant death.

I begged him for help, and he agreed to help me.

And yet, this is no different from an assassination attempt.

This isn’t just gossiping about a boss behind their back; this is setting their house on fire.

My teeth clench as anger wells up inside me.

I glare at Schult, making no effort to hide my betrayal.

And yet, he wears an expression of complete innocence, as if he doesn’t understand why I’m angry, looking at me with a puzzled gaze.

…Finally, the last thread of my composure snaps.

Forget the press conference.

I lose my mind completely and charge at Schult, grabbing him by the collar.

“This… What do you think you’re doing?”

The reporters can’t keep up with what’s happening.

To be fair, anyone would be bewildered.

A sudden press conference called by Riyan.

Then, out comes a bizarre assistant.

The assistant abruptly confesses to being an assassin.

He admits he’s a member of the Five Fangs Alliance and was sent to carry out Riyan’s assassination.

He even confesses that their organization is secretly plotting the resurrection of Demon King Gettya, that black magicians are collaborating with demons to destroy the world.

Every revelation is more shocking than the last.

The headline in the reporters’ notes changes from “Riyan Makes Shocking Declaration on Rumors of Divine Involvement” to “Assistant Hired Under False Pretenses Revealed to Be a Spy” and finally to “Is the Empire’s Collapse Inevitable?”

Chaos ensues.

But soon, everyone’s thoughts clear up.

Because what happened next was so incomprehensible that it overshadowed all those revelations about shadowy conspiracies and world-ending plots.

“This… What do you think you’re doing?”

That voice.

It was the familiar voice of the newly appointed professor.

But the emotions in that voice were unfamiliar.

Riyan, who was always untouched by worldly concerns, exuding nobility.

Someone who never faltered, no matter the situation, always observing and understanding everything from a higher plane.

That was the essence of Riyan—a figure who calmly achieved unimaginable feats.

The rare times Riyan had shown emotion were during monumental events like the salvation of an entire species or the rescue of a nation.

Even then, he had only shed tears.

But now, Riyan was openly, fiercely displaying raw anger towards someone.

This was unprecedented.

Everyone was unnerved by the strange scene unfolding before them.

‘What the hell is wrong with this madman now?’

The most bewildered person, however, was Schult.

He had revealed the secrets as instructed.

He realized he was being used to make the Five Fangs Alliance into the enemy of the world and erase them.

He had gone along with it, as the plan would not only eliminate his adversaries but also bring glory to Riyan and protect the Empire from destruction.

But instead of gratitude, he was met with anger.

He couldn’t comprehend what was going through Riyan’s mind.

“Didn’t we just make a promise? Are you so foolish as to forget a promise we made mere moments ago?”

Riyan walked towards Schult, step by step.

Then he grabbed him by the collar.

No matter how unfair life is, no logic or reasoning could prevail before the overwhelming presence of someone who transcended even the greatest swordsman.

Now, the only thing Schult could do was brace himself for his unfair demise.

He shut his eyes tightly, resigning himself…

***

But nothing happened.

His collar was indeed grabbed, but…

Riyan’s face was indeed contorted in a grimace.

Yet, Schult felt nothing.

Not a hint of pressure on his neck, no sensation of being choked.

Despite being grabbed by the collar, he wasn’t even lifted off the ground.

It felt like being grabbed by a teenager who had just started working out.

Even with his small stature, Schult wasn’t being lifted.

That was the only conclusion to draw from Riyan’s current weak grip.

But such a theory made no sense.

Even if Riyan was suffering from aftereffects, there had to be limits.

To think that the strength of someone hailed as the world’s greatest swordsman had diminished to this level was absurd.

It was absurd, and yet…

‘Then why was this happening?’

As the realization dawned on Schult, cold sweat trickled down his neck.

This was all an act.

An act to manipulate and extract every last ounce of usefulness from him.

A demon’s merciless ruthlessness was hidden beneath the performance, intent on wringing out everything Schult had to offer.

The sheer cruelty of it was terrifying, but in the end, Schult was weak.

No matter how inhumane the methods, if a powerful figure threatened him, he had no choice but to comply.

Reluctantly, Schult opened his mouth and shouted:

“I’m sorry… But I had no choice!”

Of course, once he started, he gave it his all.

Schult wasn’t recruited as a spy for nothing.

His eyes reddened, and tears streamed down his cheeks.

“You told me to stay quiet, Professor. You said if I revealed this, I’d become a target. You even advised me out of concern, despite knowing I was an assassin sent to take your life.”

The reporters, already swarming around, hung on to every word, their pens scribbling furiously to capture each detail.

“But… I had to break that promise. How could I, a sinner like me, allow my savior to take such a risk? How could I let you protect me at the cost of your own safety?”

These were reporters who had covered Riyan extensively.

They knew of his character, his demeanor, and his actions.

It didn’t take them long to piece together what had happened.

The new professor with genius insight.

He had seen through the assassin’s identity from the beginning.

Unlike ordinary people, Riyan had chosen to reform the assassin rather than kill him.

A benevolent act that led to Schult’s confession and the revelation of the Five Fangs Alliance’s schemes.

Uncovering an organization plotting the resurrection of Demon King Gettya and the destruction of the world was undoubtedly a monumental achievement.

But the way it was revealed posed a problem.

The enemy was a shadowy organization aiming for Gettya’s revival—an opponent not to be underestimated.

Mobilizing all forces immediately would be ideal, but that wasn’t possible.

Leaking information would only alert them.

Schult’s betrayal as a planted assassin meant he’d become a target.

That’s why… I must step forward.

“You have nothing to do with this,” Riyan had said.

“You need only keep quiet. This matter doesn’t concern you.”

Determined to bear the burden alone, Riyan sought to shield Schult.

But Schult, unable to stand by, had acted on his own.

And that led to this situation.

The evidence was clear, right in front of them.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Riyan feigned ignorance, abandoning even his usual politeness.

The professor had told him:

“This has nothing to do with you. You must remain unaware. That’s the only way you’ll survive.”

“Professor… Please, stop pretending,” Schult replied.

But Schult insisted:

“I’m not worth your protection. Please, focus on the greater cause instead of someone like me.”

The grace Riyan had shown brought tears to the reporters’ eyes as they wrote furiously.

Schult’s courage and sacrifice couldn’t be in vain.

Soon, this story would spread far and wide.

***

Riyan suffered from yet another wave of unwarranted criticism.

Schult feared his devilish professor, who manipulated people like pawns in a chess game.

And above all, the Five Fangs Alliance.

When they woke up to find themselves suddenly the enemies of the world, faced with thousands of soldiers and roaring dragons descending from the skies, they shuddered in terror.

Thus, the world became a place of suffering for everyone.