(I COMPLETELY FORGOT THAT YUURI WAS BLIND ;-; I wrote this entire chapter with Yuuri having eyesight and only realized halfway through the next chapter like... wait... Yuuri's blind, what am I doing? So I went back through and realized that I did it throughout this entire chapter.

Honestly, that was enough to make me kind of just want to quit this series. xD But instead I decided that I'd just rewrite this chapter, to make it make sense.

So ~ I do recommend re-reading this, since I had to change up some of the plot to make it make sense. I also won't be uploading Chapter 26 until next week, since it took me so long to redo this chapter. I'm so sorry! My bad! :c)

Chapter 25:

THE TRUTH

Yuuri's POV

Yuuri walked through the prison with a guard at his side to guide him as he looked for Diederick. I have to clear his name, but to do that, I first need to question him, personally.

With each cell he passed, he could hear the guards next to them salute him stiffly and he started to feel more and more confident that they'd actually let him talk to the man. Eventually, he passed by a cell and just had enough time to register that there was a prisoner inside before he froze in his steps, making the guards each stiffen entirely.

Without turning around, Shibuya took two steps back, stopped, and listened through the window.

"Who's in there", he asked.

No response came from inside the cell, but the guard who'd been guiding him said, "Lord Weller, your highness."

The king reached to open the door but was stopped by a guard's spear and another one's hands on his arm. "Please forgive me, your highness, but you can't go in there."

Yuuri slapped the spear away and clenched his hands into tight fists. "Let me in! I'm the king, aren't I?! Then you have to obey me! Who says I can't go in, anyway?!"

"Lord Von Voltaire, your highness..." The prison guard sounded as though he was caught in between a rock and a hard place.

"Let me deal with your consequences later, I have to talk to Conrad!"

The man backed away, as though in hesitation or fear. Although Yuuri couldn't see the expression on his face, he figured the man was in the midst of weighing his options. He only hoped that he'd feel as though his king's wishes were more important than his own job. Wait, aren't I his boss?

Eventually, the man huffed a defeated sigh and pulled the key from his pocket, then unlocking the door and opening it for the maou to walk in. "Please hurry, your majesty", he stuttered.

Conrad's POV

"C-Conrad...?" If conrad could see his majesty's eyes, he felt as though they'd be as round as the full moon. With every syllable, his voice wavered audibly. "Why are you here? Why are you chained to the ground? Those who betray the Great Demon Kingdom come to these cells, so why are you here?"

He stepped closer but stopped himself from walking all the way across the room. The guard who'd been guiding his majesty stood against the door, glaring at the soldier with suspicion and hate, as though he awaited the second Conrart would turn on his highness and become violent enough to kill. At least he's doing his job...

He turned his attention back to the worried king. He's so kind. To worry about me when I betrayed him... "I'm suspected of being the spy who attempted to assassinate your highness and leaked information to Big Shimaron."

His majesty took another step forward and into the light, illuminating the newly replaced bandages over his eyes and reminding the soldier that his king had been blinded. He was blinded because of me... how much more pain will I cause his highness? The soldier closed his eyes and lowered his head slightly, in respect for his highness. "I would never dream of purposefully betraying you, your highness. And I would never allow anyone to harm you or cause you any unhappiness, if it were in my hands."

His smile dropped and he looked back at the king, ready to apologize for betraying him, when he recognized the innocent and kind smile on the king's face and his breath caught in his throat. Yuuri had that smile of his that spewed love upon all who saw it. Continuing to smile, he said in a calm and loving voice, "It's Yuuri, Conrad. Remember? You named me."

"Does this mean that you forgive me...?"

A drop of nervous sweat rolled down the boy's temple as he rubbed the back of his head and smiled through his blush. "I mean, you were only trying to help, right? I guess I can't stay mad at you for that." He relaxed some and pointed at his guard, enthusiastically shouting, and causing the standing guard to jump and widen his eyes in surprise. "Besides, we have more important problems, right now! They think you're Big Shimaron's spy - we have to clear name!"

"You're too kind, Yuuri", he chuckled.

The Maou's face lit up bright red and he turned on his heel, waving as he walked out the door. "A-anyway! I have to go check on Diederick, I'll be back later!"

Thank you, your majesty, for forgiving me.

Diederick's POV

The maou ran into Diederick's cell and skidded to a stop inches away from the older man. Because of the bandages, Bauer couldn't tell what exactly what his highness' expression was, though his lips told him that it was entirely serious, making him scoot back and shake in his boots.

After a second of them facing eachother like that and the guard sweating buckets, the king finally chuckled playfully and smiled widely. Alright, now I'm slightly confused... am I in trouble...? "Y-your highness...?"

"You aren't the spy, are you?" His highness sounded positively sure of himself and it set the brunette at ease.

He breathed a heavy sigh of relief and relaxed on the stone bench as his majesty sat beside him. "N-no. No, I wouldn't do that to your highness. I was a prisoner in Big Shimaron - why would I betray the ones who freed me from them?"

"Then why did you ask me to stay hidden for 12 hours?"

Diederick looked at the king with wide eyes. His majesty's body language told him that he was calm and genuinely curious, as well as calculating and observing.

"Because I wanted to assist you, your highness!" Does his highness suspect me? I would never betray him! "I was on duty for the next 12 hours and wouldn't have been able to be alone, until then. I would never betray your majesty!"

"Alright, I believe you", he said, waving his hands in front of him nervously. He straightened up, then, and faced the door, as though giving up on even pretending to make eye contact. "Though, I do have one more question: Where were you when the ship was attacked? I didn't even know you were on it."

"I was in the hold, your majesty."

The Maou sighed. "Well, that complicates things..."

Adalbert's POV

Adalbert was drinking tea alone at a table when Velma approached him cautiously. He'd sent her off to spy on Big Shimaron and get information on who might be his highness' traitor. Although he didn't want to admit it, he would go out of his way a thousand times if it meant protecting his highness.

"I've got info on his majesty's traitor", the red-head stated, looking as though she herself was shocked by whatever she found out.

"So?"

She looked to her right, to her left, and then bent down, cupping her hands over the blonde's ear. The news she whispered even shocked the unshakeable Adalbert.

"Grab me something to write with quick. I need to tell his highness before it's too late."