My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 198

“Is that really the case?”

“Yes. It seems to be related to the Demon Tribe.”

“But there’s no evidence linking Chris to the Demon Tribe! Don’t you think such claims should be backed up with credible proof?”

“Then does the mana you see here look like something one could obtain after just a few days of training?”

I pointed to the screen of Surveillance Magic. The amount of mana surging over Chris’s shoulder was comparable to that of an A-Class Magician.

“I can say this with certainty. The only time mana increases like this is when a Spirit Contract has been made. If he had made a deal with the Demon Tribe, a Magic Beast would have appeared.”

“Then, Chris must have formed a contract with a spirit.”

“That contracted spirit is the Deputy Commander of the Demon World’s 3rd Legion.”

“…Praus, pressing for evidence without any is pointless. To me, it looks like you’re just trying to find a way to condemn Chris.”

Was this really the wrong choice?

Speaking to Chris’s father, Emperor Lupin, seemed like a bad idea. So, I decided it was better to state my intentions directly rather than trying to convince him.

“…If you can prove that Chris is connected to the Demon Tribe, can I dispose of him without hesitation?”

“What?”

“The imperial family is the face of the Empire. With such a significant position, they must avoid actions that could lead to losing the people’s trust and be transparent above all else. Am I wrong?”

“That’s true, but…”

Fine, he didn’t deny it.

This made it easier for me to speak.

“If such a person is indeed linked to the Demon Tribe, I think it wouldn’t be strange to issue an execution order, right? Speak rationally and calmly, and don’t consider family ties.”

“…What father would take kindly to hearing he should kill his own son?”

Is he coming to terms with it in his mind?

I understood his feelings. It’s hard for any parent to agree to kill their own child.

But the current situation didn’t allow for understanding.

“Then should we just watch the Empire be consumed by the Demon Tribe?”

“That’s why the evidence…”

“I will bring the evidence. If you’re convinced, don’t stop me. Even if I kill that guy.”

“But…!”

“What I’m explaining to you isn’t to ask for permission. It’s so that I can leave the aftermath for you to handle after I kill Chris.”

Even if he’s called the Former Emperor, it had only been two days since his succession.

Even if Chris had all the authority, not everyone who served the Emperor had completely shifted loyalty to Chris yet. So, it was appropriate for him to manage the situation.

“You’ve heard everything. Therefore, you have no choice but to hope that Chris isn’t related to the Demon Tribe.”

That won’t happen, though.

I made an unilateral announcement and stood up.

“…If it comes down to it, I won’t be thinking about justifications. I promised to ensure the Empire’s safety as part of our agreement. I’m just fulfilling that. Surely, you won’t oppose, will you?”

Lupin was left speechless by my logic.

“…I’d like to give you a chance to verify things first.”

“A chance to verify?”

Since he’ll be watching through Surveillance Magic anyway, I figured it was fine to give him that opportunity.

“Alright. Then be sure to check this first.”

I pointed to my hand.

“Look at what symbol is engraved on the back of your hand. That’ll tell us whether a Spirit Contract has been made. By the way, I’ve already asked the Spirit Kings, and they told me Chris has not made any contracts with any spirits.”

“…I understand.”

“If there’s a symbol on your hand, that would mean it’s the Corrupted Spirit Raghur attached to the Demon Tribe, providing evidence of his connection. From that point on, we will take action ourselves.”

I secured a promise. Since I had told Maria to record this conversation in advance, Lupin wouldn’t be able to retract his words.

*

That evening.

Chris, drained from trying to grasp the increased workload since becoming Emperor, pressed his brows together in frustration.

At that moment, there was a knock, and Lupin opened the door.

“Are you still working, Chris?”

“Oh, Your Majesty… You’ve come.”

Chris stood up from his seat.

“Do you have a moment?”

“Of course. Please, have a seat.”

Chris gestured toward the sofa. Once Lupin sat, Chris took a seat across from him.

“I see you’re working hard to adapt.”

“Well, since I’ve become Emperor, I must try harder, right? But why did you suddenly come to see me?”

“I came to ask you something.”

‘Something to ask…’

Knowing what it was, Chris forced a smile and asked, “What is it?”

“Praus visited me today and made some strange claims. He suggested you might be associated with the Demon Tribe.”

“…Me associated with the Demon Tribe?”

“Yes. He seemed to have doubts about the sudden increase in your mana.”

“Since I recently began training my mana, I think that’s why it’s increased. It’s all excessive fuss. I have no connection to the Demon Tribe whatsoever.”

“Of course, I believe you. But, Praus told me to check your hand.”

“My hand…?”

Chris felt a chill run down his back. He instinctively thought that he shouldn’t show the symbol on his hand.

‘I expected this, but am I really connected to the Demon Tribe? Not a spirit…but why can’t I remember?’

Chris was flustered, unable to understand why Praus was so insistent on this.

“Could you show me? If you do, Praus won’t have any further doubts.”

“Is that so?”

Chris hesitated but reluctantly took off his gloves and showed the back of his hand. The Emperor’s expression turned astonished. With trembling hands, he pointed to Chris’s hand.

There, a symbol of a burning tree was prominently featured.

“What is that symbol…?!”

“I don’t know.”

“What? You don’t know?!”

“I woke up last night, and it was engraved on my hand.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes, why would I lie!”

“…”

Lupin remained silent for a long time, with a confused look on his face. Finally, he sighed and stood up.

“I see. You’ve worked hard today, so go to bed early.”

“Yes.”

Lupin exited Chris’s office.

‘He’s really not sure. If there’s any chance of him being connected to the Demon Tribe, I can’t allow him to live.’

*

I watched the entire scene through the Surveillance Magic and clicked my tongue.

“What is Lupin thinking…?”

“Teacher, that scroll is glowing over there.”

At Maria’s remark, I took out the scroll of communication. There were words written by the Emperor.

“I confirmed there’s a different design on the back of the hand than what I know of Spirit Contracts. However, it seems a stretch to conclude that this is related to the Demon Tribe.”

‘This brat…?!’

I realized that the Emperor still had a long way to go. Though, it’s no surprise, given that a child’s life is at stake.

Iris, who had approached to glance at the contents of the parchment, frowned.

“Teacher, why not just eliminate him? I don’t think there’s any reason to leave room for doubt. Haven’t we already secured evidence?”

I think so too. Given the association with the Demon Tribe, excluding Chris outright would be the easiest and most headache-free option.

However, one symbol alone wouldn’t suffice as evidence.

The moment Chris dies, the contract would also dissipate along with him.

Of course, I had it recorded with Surveillance Magic, but if the Emperor spun that into a narrative claiming it was fabricated, it would become useless as evidence.

Moreover, there was the issue of his status.

He was the Emperor now. Assassinating the Emperor could easily be interpreted as ‘treason’.

While I understood this world’s logic and had Spirit Kings by my side to support me, in the eyes of others, it could look like I killed Chris for no reason.

The moment it was ingrained in the Empire’s consciousness that I killed him because I found him distasteful, my trust in the Empire would plummet.

If that happened, there would be no way out.

That’s why I aimed to use Lupin to prevent it, but he was wavering when it came down to killing his own son.

“You seem hesitant regarding the Demon Tribe, when you’ve never hesitated before.”

If raising the Hero correctly could lead to a happy ending, I would never have gotten involved in politics or be acting frantically.

Yet this world doesn’t allow me to simply reach a happy ending.

“What on earth is that guy’s justification…?”

“Tina, Teacher’s reluctance to make the wrong choice stems from this constant overthinking. Just like you’ve always believed, trust in him this time too. He’s someone who moves forward even without support.”

Moving forward, huh?

That thought made me smirk wryly. It felt like I was spinning in circles.

“Was there a different design on the hands of those who made contracts with spirits? A deal is a deal, and I will see it through.”

I tore the scroll of communication without hesitation, and a response came immediately.

“How about observing a little longer? There’s still no certainty. He seems to not remember anything. The Demon Tribe might have forced him.”

“In the case of deals, the Demon Tribe could unilaterally establish them. But contracts are different. Contracts must confirm the will of the contractor.”

“Then why can’t he remember anything?”

“That’s the power of Raghur. It erased all memories.”

“Do you have proof? You have nothing concrete, and your insistence on killing him looks like you want to place Seri on the throne.”

That incessant whining about evidence is getting annoying.

“Even if you see it that way, this is a decisive point. I have no room for waiting around while he makes blunders.”

By that time, it would be too late. Preventing an incident before it occurs is the best strategy.

The risks Raghur was taking meant I had to take risks too, no matter how rough the process might be.

Just as I was preparing to storm the Imperial Palace, the scroll of communication glowed.

“Praus, killing Chris based solely on suspicion without clear evidence is akin to turning the Empire against you. While you might not lose a fight in a direct confrontation, living in the Empire will become difficult for you. Besides, Seri could never become Emperor. Among the nobility, no one would be unaware of your connection to Seri. If they think you’ve instigated treason, even those nobles who were once your allies will turn against you. Are you really going to charge forward knowing the clear outcome?”

I flinched.

Lupin was well aware of the risks I was considering. Was he truly planning to bury me in the Empire?

“…Chris sure is a lucky guy. Or is it my mistake for allowing him to become Emperor?”

“Fine. I’ll wait until Chris makes a mistake. I’ll be looking forward to the day I can take his head.”

Writing my response on the scroll of communication, I exhaled.

“Will it be alright?”

“It will be fine. Just knowing that he made a contract with Raghur is enough. The important part is how we respond.”

If I temporarily delay killing Chris, my next step would be predicting what the next move of the Demon Tribe will be.

They must have reached out to Chris for a reason, there wouldn’t be any way they would approach him for no reason at all.

For the sake of controlling the Empire?

If that were the case, they wouldn’t have released his magic suppression. To control the Empire, they would need to remain close to him continually.

Of course, though there may be a contract in place, they could still approach Chris again. But that would require showing themselves, and that’s not in Raghur’s style.

So what were they aiming for?

I slowly reviewed the sequence of events once more.