The Main Character is the Villain

The air on the plains had never felt as tense as it did today. The sound of horse hooves tearing up the dry grass lingered in the empty space. The horses, unable to run across the plains and vent their pent-up energy, snorted breath from their noses and caused a commotion. The experienced riders fed them hay and carrots while looking at the knight commander's barracks.

"Eoheongheongheong......! I am sorry, Father! I... I made a mistake in my child's upbringing...... to show such a disgraceful display! Eoheoheoheong......! Kkeuheuk...... Kkeoheuk.... Kkeok......! Eoheuk......!"

Wailing echoed through the knight order's barracks. No one opened their mouths in front of this horrific scene.

The sight that lay before their eyes was just that tragic. Today was originally the day the soldiers were supposed to charge for the subjugation of the Church of Love. The soldiers waiting for the assault order had formed a square formation and were waiting for the knight commander's command. In front of the soldiers' faces were knights biting their lips, unable to overcome their frustration.

In front of them, an old mat was laid out. James Lionel was kneeling on that mat. Having refused food and drink for several days, James Lionel was staring at the barracks where Albus Lionel was with a gaunt face. Although he was nothing but skin and bones, his eyes, filled with strong will, shone like stars.

"Father...... Why... why did you leave me behind and go first? Keuheup...... Keoheueuk.... I... I am not ready to accept a world like this...... To think my child's daughter-in-law is a beastfolk! Kkeuheup.... Kkeuheukheuk......!"

Knight Commander Albus was bawling his eyes out, turning away from James Lionel's gaze. His crying sounded as if a beast were howling, giving the soldiers gathered here goosebumps. The knights who had roamed numerous battlefields and heard the screams of people, and the horses that had seen the dreadful sight of people being mashed into chopped pieces of flesh right before their eyes, also expressed anxiety at Albus's crying, trembling and acting wild.

"Father. Please grant us permission for marriage!"

James Lionel's voice crossed the barracks once again. Once James's voice echoed, Albus peeked outside the barracks, then flopped back onto the ground with his eyes rolled back after seeing the sight of James and the beastfolk holding him tightly. In his hands was the portrait of Lionel Wigden, the great head of the Lionel family and Albus Lionel's father.

I could not hide my anxiety while watching this entire sight from a short distance away. I could only leave with peace of mind if the knight commander initiated the operation toward the plains, but the knight commander had lost his mind after witnessing James's abnormal sexual desire and could not issue the sortie order.

As soon as the knight commander collapsed, the knights swarmed over and shook the knight commander awake again. They too were at a loss on what to do due to their resentment toward James, their worry for the knight commander, and their anxiety about the operation. Everyone here felt the same.

Opening his eyes again, the knight commander gathered his dazed mind and looked at his surroundings. He stared outside the barracks as if firmly believing the situation he was in was a nightmare or an illusion. James was still kneeling there. Next to him, Mila was hugging him tightly with a worried expression.

"Euaaaaaak!!!"

Knight Commander Albus screamed again. Before he could hug his father's portrait and wail, another knight secretly hid the portrait behind the commander's desk. Unable to figure out what to do, his hand, which was crawling on the floor looking for a place to share its sorrow, reached out to me.

I held the knight commander's hand tightly and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Knight commander."

The knight commander placed his head on my seated lap, then buried his face and began to cry. Feeling the knees of my priest's robe getting soaked, I had to struggle to maintain my composure.

"Eoheuheu.... High priest...! Why...! Why did you make my son like that! What sin did my son commit......! What wrongdoing did my son commit that you connected him to such a cursed fate!!"

"I do not know why James is acting like that either. However, how can you call the love between a beastfolk and a human cursed? And, is that issue big enough for you to neglect your responsibilities as the knight commander right now? Knight commander. Now is the time you must fulfill your duty as a soldier. You must quickly eliminate the members of the Church of Love and establish justice."

"Eoheuheuheu.... You are right...... Your words are right, high priest...... But......! But as a father, how can I not object after seeing that dreadful sight? How can I grant permission for this marriage with a sane mind? What excuse will I make to our ancestors after I die?"

"It is the path the person himself chose. Therefore, as a father, you should give him your support. James Lionel overcame the prejudice and discrimination between beastfolk and humans and fell in love with a beastfolk. Didn't you say it yourself, knight commander? You had prejudice against beastfolk, but upon meeting them directly, they were not as barbaric as you thought."

"But this is different! Aigo...... Eoheuheu...... Heuheuk......! This bastard James!"

The knight commander's gaze turned to James again. James trembled slightly at the lion-like glare, but soon overcame Albus's anger with a shout filled with resolve.

"Father! Please grant us permission for marriage!"

"What about Matilda! What do you plan to do about Matilda!"

"I only have Mila!"

If a lightning bolt struck a person's face, wouldn't it take on that form? Knight Commander Albus's face was colored with shock.

"Are you spouting that nonsense thinking it's human speech! Kkeuaaaaak! Attend me! Right now...! Right now!!! That!! That!! Eoeok...... Eok......!"

The furious knight commander grabbed the back of his neck and fainted again. Just when would this Avici Hell of repeating fainting and fury end? I turned my gaze away. I could not just awkwardly wrap up the incident and leave here. I looked for the vice commander and called him over.

He was leading the troops on behalf of the half-mad commander. He was trying hard to block the malicious rumors spreading inside the troops, but as long as they could not do anything about James crying out for authorization in front of the barracks while hugging a beastfolk, there was no way to avoid malicious rumors about the Lionel family. When I met face-to-face with the vice commander, his expression clearly showed fatigue.

Even though the troops had not departed yet, he was exhausted like a soldier who had just finished the Thousand-li March. I patted his shoulder and spoke.

"Vice commander. I will try to persuade the knight commander. So, vice commander, please persuade James."

"How am I supposed to do that? The soldiers do not dare to even lay a finger on him because he is the knight commander's son. With the knight commander, who should be giving the orders, lying down like that without saying a word to drag him away, no one can take any measures."

"Roughly tell him that his marriage will be 'considered' if he achieves a great achievement in this subjugation of the Church of Love. He is still young, so he will be easily swayed by just that much. I will try to persuade the knight commander in the meantime."

"I do not know if it will go well, but I understand for now. The mission comes first, after all."

I shook the knight commander awake. He still couldn't regain his senses properly. Upon getting up again, the knight commander flailed his hands to look for his ancestor's portrait. I tightly grabbed his hands and spoke.

"Get a grip. Knight commander. You have to prepare for battle."

"High priest...... I am afraid to accept this reality."

"If it is hard to accept, you should break through it head-on like a knight. Knight commander. If you are ashamed of him marrying a beastfolk, you just have to make it so that no one can point a finger at that issue."

"What do you mean?"

The knight commander's face contorted. I continued speaking.

"You place a condition on James Lionel. Lay out a very grand achievement fitting for the name of the Lionel family as a condition, and say you will only grant permission for the marriage if he accomplishes that condition. If James Lionel becomes a knight worthy of that name, no one will make an issue out of him marrying a beastfolk, and if he fails to accomplish the condition, he will not marry the beastfolk, so no one will make an issue out of it."

"......Even that is difficult for my pride."

"Knight commander. Are you planning to ruin the situation due to personal matters when a major national event is right ahead of us? What is important right now? Is it the issue of James Lionel marrying a beastfolk? Or is it the issue of the Church of Love extending its demonic clutches over the Eastern Plains? Evil demons are still running rampant in the Eastern Plains, trying to turn the beastfolk into cruel soldiers and enslave them. Knight commander. Is this matter really that important? Is it important enough to forget your own position? I have presented a compromise plan. I cannot just stand by and watch this issue drag on any longer."

".....Your words are right, high priest. It seems I had forgotten what was important."

Right on time, James left his seat to change into his armor. Thanks to that, the knight commander's two eyes could see the faces of the soldiers waiting for him. The knight commander took a breath and sprang up from his seat.

"All personnel! Prepare for deployment! We have asked for cooperation from the beastfolk, so you must not attack the beastfolk! Our goal is one! To completely annihilate the wicked cultists who are disturbing the peace of the Eastern Plains and attempting to extend their demonic clutches over the kingdom! The Church of Love, from the Eastern Plains Region!"

He had returned to his majestic appearance as the knight commander before anyone knew it. The soldiers raised their weapons high to cheer for his returned majesty. Right on time, James was returning dressed in his armor. Mila must have gone somewhere else, as she was not attached to his side. A fighting spirit was burning in James's eyes. The knight commander flinched for a moment upon seeing James, but he did not faint this time.

James shouted.

"Father! I will stand at the vanguard in this subjugation! I will kill all those Church of Love bastards! I will establish military merit that will remain in history! So please give me a chance!"

The knight commander nodded his head at that answer and shouted in an even more booming voice.

"Good! James! I will accept your opinion and make a proposal! If you cut off the heads of 100 Church of Love members with your own hands! And make a distinguished contribution in finding out the location of the Church of Love's headquarters, I will grant permission for your marriage!"

I shook my head side to side. As long as there was this father and son overflowing with motivation, this subjugation would not fail. From here on out, it was the military's domain, so there was no place for me to interfere. I looked for my carriage and Elsi to return again.

It was now time to go home.