Demon King, you just need to conquer, and your husband will come up with the solution.

Katarina asked back, "Why? Miss Hero, are you planning to send me to the dungeon for colluding with the demons?"

"No... no... I just want to know why..."

"She explained it very clearly. If you don't understand, Miss Hero, you can ask her again."

Catalina pointed at Mary who was lying on the ground, then stopped looking at Catherine and turned to look at Duke Remington.

"Tell me, Remington, who else is there besides you?"

"Ah...what? Who else? The Queen?"

"I advise you to tell me all the nobles who worked with you to overthrow Ains, so that I can give you a decent death."

Catalina's words basically sentenced Remington to death, leaving no room for maneuver.

This made the old man tremble and ask: "My Queen...if I tell it, my sons and grandsons..."

Hearing this, Catalina smiled kindly and responded, "Oh~ Don't worry, I will let them go with you, so you won't be alone when you die."

The old man quickly shook his head and shouted, "Ah! Queen, you can't do this! These are all my ideas alone, and have nothing to do with other people in the Duke's Mansion!"

Seeing that Remington seemed to be planning to resist, Catalina was not in a hurry, but spoke extremely terrifying words in a calm tone.

"Remington, if you tell me, I can still make your funeral more grand. After all, there will be a large group of people buried with you. But if you don't tell me, then I can only choose to feed you to the big dog in your house."

"Feed it... to the big dog..." Remington was stunned when he heard this.

"Yes, your big dog is well-fed, like a cow. I think he should be able to eat a lot. It shouldn't be a problem to feed him all the people in your Remington family~

Of course, don't worry, since you are so old, I will leave you for last. First, your grandson will be the first. Minerva?"

Minerva, who was called, immediately stepped forward with a sword and said, "Yes, Queen!"

"Bring that big dog over here, and have the Remington butcher chop up this old man's grandson."

"Yes!"

After saying that, Catalina looked at Remington who was already in a daze and said with emotion: "Duke Remington, do you think that dog can taste the bones of its master when it is gnawing on them?"

“…Ugh…”

The fairy Shana who was following behind Catherine couldn't help it anymore, so she covered her mouth and started to dry heave.

This was the first time she had seen someone speak such cruel words in such a normal tone. It made her feel sick, and at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a little bit of fear for Catalina.

Catherine listened to Catalina's words that could make people physically uncomfortable, and hurriedly shouted: "Queen Catalina, what you are doing now is even more abominable than the devil!"

"Oh? Haha~" Caterina chuckled and said to Catherine, "Then do you know what the big dog in the Duke's Mansion eats every day when he is taken out for extra meals?"

"what?"

Catherine was stunned by the question, but after thinking about it for a while, she understood what Catalina meant. The big dog usually had a snack...

Thinking of this, Catherine did not continue to question Catalina's confidence, and even the look she gave Remington was full of hesitation and surprise.

Looking at Catherine's childish face, Catalina lost her patience to continue chatting with her. She stood up and approached Catherine.

"Catherine, you are lucky that you are a hero. I won't embarrass you. After all, if I touch you, it will give others a reason to touch me. But if I don't touch you, it doesn't mean I am willing to play house with you.

This is the Duolun Empire, the country closest to the Demon Realm. It is not the inland country you visited before, where people are used to a comfortable life and are willing to play house with you!

I am indeed making a deal with Demon Realm, but why do you think I am doing this?!

I'm always preparing for the invasion of the Demon Realm! I'm much more prepared than those old guys you met before!

I know more about the demons than you, the brave warrior who is about to enter the demon realm to defeat the demon king!

I can even conclude that you can't tell the difference between skeleton demons and undead!

If you hadn't been messing around here, the entire Blackwater City would have become a strong city with everyone united under Ains' governance!

It will be my most secure fortress in the south! And you... gave my most secure fortress to the Demon King's Castle!"

"……I……"

Catherine was speechless by Catalina's words, and only then did she realize that there were so many unknown backgrounds behind Blackwater City.

The first barrier against the invasion of demons was given to the Demon King's Castle... His momentary arbitrariness actually led to such serious consequences!

Seeing Catherine's stunned expression, Catalina became tired and waved her hand to order her to leave.

"Take your team of heroes to the Demon Realm, hero. If you think the journey is too long and there are no nobles on the roadside who have prepared a mansion, servants, and food and drink to serve you, I can have the Griffin Knights take you directly to the Great Rift Valley."

"……Need not……"

"If you don't need it, why are you still here? Reminiscing about the last luxurious mansion you can experience?"

"..."

Catherine, who was embarrassed by Katarina's rebuke, lowered her eyes and walked out of the hall quickly, looking like she was running away...

Shana and Fox looked at Katarina, and then quickly followed Katherine who was leaving.

After the brave team left, Remington quickly climbed forward and begged, "My Queen! My Queen! I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything! I'll tell you everyone's name! Don't do that to my grandson!"

"Haha, you old guys won't cry until you see the coffin..."

Catalina sneered, and then asked the knight beside her to find Minerva.

When Minerva came back, the big dog had a swollen face and was dragged back by her collar like a rag.

"My Queen! I brought the big dog!"

"Ah, leave it there. Remington has confessed everything. Let's release his grandson."

"..."

Hearing Catalina's request, Minerva was stunned. After a moment of silence, she responded with an awkward expression: "Your Majesty... Queen... I, I handed the fat boy to the butcher first... The butcher was a little excited, and it seemed that he had a personal grudge against the fat boy, so..."

“…Ugh!!!!”

Remington, who was standing by, let out a scream instantly, and then fainted with a "click".

Minerva stood there, and apologized to Catalina awkwardly: "My Queen, I seem to be a little too anxious..."

Catalina waved her hand indifferently: "It doesn't matter. After all, he still has a son even if his grandson is gone. Besides, the dead are just as useful. We can also use whether his grandson can be buried in peace as a bargaining chip. He will definitely confess."

"Then... his grandson should be preserved for the time being?"

"Ah, no, that's too much trouble. Just feed him."

"…Aren't you going to use it as a bargaining chip?"

“The old man won’t know. He will go up to the gate tower of Blackwater City tomorrow. He won’t have time to check whether his grandson is buried in the ground.

In addition, you, the Griffin Knights, must also act quickly. Once this old man wakes up and confesses, you must immediately move out and capture all those involved.

As for the charges for their arrest... haha, just tell them that they were having secret dealings with the demons.

Arrest all the people in the Duke of Remington's family except the servants. Screen out the loyalists of the Remington family from among the servants and take them to the gate tower of Blackwater City tomorrow."

As she spoke, Catalina looked down at the big dog Dobby lying on the ground and reminded him, "Oh, don't forget to spare the nobles' pets. Let this dog have its last meal and take it to the city gate tower tomorrow."

"Yes!"

Minerva nodded, and then suddenly noticed Mary who had been slumped on the ground, and asked Catalina: "My Queen, what should we do with this person? Should we send him to the city gate?"

Chapter 35 I came to Blackwater City for only three things!

"Your Majesty, how do we deal with this?" Minerva asked curiously.

"Mary Bell?"

Catalina looked at Mary, her expression becoming subtle. Kill Mary? Of course, she could easily make such a decision, but...

Catalina has always been a person who seeks to kill people and destroy their hearts. She feels that it is not enough for Mary to end up with death alone...

So she walked up to Mary Bell and said, "Do you think I'm going to kill you?"

"..." Marybelle didn't dare to breathe, and replied with a trembling body: "I will obey your order, Queen..."

"Ha...haha, I've actually been arranging informants to be around Irons, watching him while also observing you. Do you know what my informants say about you?"

"..."

"She said you were too ambitious and had high aspirations. I think that letting you die just because you made a wrong move might be too easy for you. I don't want you to die so easily."

Katharina bent down, pinched Maribel's face, and said, "With Ains gone, Blackwater City cannot be left without someone to manage it, but I can't find someone to replace him for a while.

After all, he is too special, no one can replace him... You are his student, although you can't say you are a replacement, but at least you can learn a little bit. So, starting today..."

Mary was shocked by what Catalina said. Was she going to replace Irons? Was she...alive? And the reason for her survival was... Irons?

"You seem to think that I want you to manage Blackwater City?" Catalina raised the corner of her mouth and continued, "You are too optimistic, Maribel, I have read your report and I know what kind of person you are.

You are the kind of person who will grab at any opportunity you have, and you are full of complaints about this small place, Blackwater City.

In this case, I will not give you any chance and let you stay in this small place. I will not let you be the governor. I don't have the habit of having traitors as my subordinates.

You come and teach me the governor I am lacking, and I will arrange a student for you. All you have to do is tell him everything you have learned from Ains.

Of course... even if I leave you alive, don't expect to live so easily."

As she spoke, Catalina took out a hairpin from her white hair. The coldness gradually accumulated on the hairpin, and then Catalina stabbed the hairpin directly into Mary's heart!

This was certainly not done because Catalina regretted her decision and wanted to kill Maribel.

When she pulled the hairpin back, there was no wound on Mary's chest, but she could not forget the pain that pierced her heart, and she gasped with lingering fear.

Catalina wiped the hairpin, put it back into her hair, and said, "I have planted a curse in your heart. Every time it rains, it will flare up and make your heart feel the pain of the cold.

Under such circumstances, you have to train a student within five years. I will personally test your student to ensure that she has drained all your knowledge and is capable of succeeding Irons.

As for you... Hehe, don't worry, I can guarantee that the curse will torture you to the point that you will only wish for me to give you death~ This is my punishment for traitors."

"..." Mary stared at Catalina blankly, listening to the punishments against her. Was this her fate? No future, no possibility of moving forward.

Even his existence was only to drain away the only knowledge he could rely on, and the purpose was only to create a person to replace Ains...

After recognizing this reality, the corners of Mary's mouth gradually curled up in a sickly way, revealing a stiff and silent laugh. Of course, this laugh was not directed at others, but at herself...

Ah, she understood. It turned out that when Irons showed that smile, he was not laughing at her... He was laughing at himself, at the person he served... a woman like Katarina...

……

"Ah... It seems that I have done something wrong this time~" In the hero's mansion, Bornakov looked at Catherine who ran back in embarrassment, and teased her while drinking.

"Can you please stop making sarcastic remarks, old man..." Shana muttered with an unhappy look on her face.

"This is not a question of whether it's sarcastic or not. What Katarina said is not wrong. You have been too arrogant all along. It's a good thing that you can suffer a little loss in Blackwater City. At least you will be more careful when listening to others in the future."

Catherine covered her face and said silently: "I'm sorry, everyone... I did make a mistake this time... Not only did I mistake Governor Irons, who was guarding the border town, for a traitor, but I also caused the Duke of Remington and his family who entertained us to suffer..."

"It's already this late, and you're still saying good things to that old man Remington. Catherine, you're simply being used by that old man! And their big dog actually eats people! Eh... It's a case of evil getting its own way to evil to run into Catalina..."

Shana sat aside and defended Catherine, while Victor, a doctor standing at the window, watched the Griffin Knights quickly move out of the mansion and said, "Tonight, it's probably not just the Duke of Remington and his family who will suffer..."

……

"Ovinia, has your puppet found out anything?" In Blackwater City, Trinity, who was startled by a large group of griffins, found Ovinia and asked about the situation.

Ovinia was sharing the same vision with the puppet at this moment. After observing for a while with one eye closed, she said, "It was Queen Catalina of the Duolun Empire. She led the entire Griffin Knights to surround the Duke's Mansion...

Ah, there is some movement. The Knights are suddenly moving and dispersing in other directions. Their destination is currently unknown."

"Queen Catalina? Why did she suddenly come to Blackwater City? And she directly surrounded the Duke's Mansion..."

Helena, who was following behind Trinity, speculated, "Do you think it's because of Irons' disappearance?"

"..."

Helena's guess caused the two witches to fall silent for a moment. Ovinia twitched her lips slightly and said, "A governor of a small town should not have such an influence..."

"Not necessarily." Trinity had another opinion: "I have always felt that with Ains's talent, he should not be just a governor of the border... Perhaps he has some unspeakable relationship with the capital of Duolun...

Tsk, then, that guy seems to have a vague relationship with Queen Catalina!? He...how can he hook up with women so well!? "

Trinity's jealousy made Ovinia roll her eyes speechlessly and asked, "So, you still want to rescue that man who has unclear relationships with a bunch of women from the Demon King's Castle?"

"Save him! Why not? If you don't save him, he will be held in the hands of the devil for the rest of his life. Saving him, although the competition pressure is a bit high, at least we can still rely on our own abilities!"

"I think you are really hopeless!"

Ovinia clasped all six of her arms and cursed at Trinity.

At this moment, the cry of an eagle was heard again in the sky, and then a huge griffin appeared in the sky. As its wings flapped, violent air currents echoed in the streets of Blackwater City.