Sabach. In other words, Hyran Gois.
Hearing that na, Offense’s face twisted.
I lightly patted his shoulder and said:
“You know as well as I do…”
“…Haa. Yeah. We can’t settle things with him here and now. This isn’t a territory that’s fully on your side yet.”
“Mm. Sorry about that.”
“Don’t ntion it.”
I stepped to the edge of Agril. The source of thɪs content is NoveIꜰire
“Let’s go down.”
Whoosh.
With Neril’s flying magic, we landed. Imdiately, shouts from the soldiers erupted.
“Ah! Those people…!”
“Mr. Mide Mohan. The Sword master of No Killing!”
“So it’s true! Just like the rumors said, when the monsters appears, the two Heroes descend!”
“I heard Lord Mide is the real one…”
“Shh! Quiet. What if Lord Kaeld hears you?”
Among the murmuring soldiers, I spotted Kaeld.
I grinned and waved.
He scowled and jumped down from the wall.
Tap, tap.
Kaeld and Hyran approached .
I spoke first.
“Yo. We et again.”
“Mide.”
“Your master never seems to get tired of this, huh? No matter how many tis it happens, I will always show up wherever you appear.”
“Shut your mouth.”
“How have you been? And the other lackeys?”
Hyran’s face darkened.
Offense smirked.
“So this ti you’re not going to poison this territory’s citizens?”
“Watch your tongue, damn cursed disciple.”
“I don’t see why I should. And calling disciple is wrong”
“……”
“My teacher is long dead. I killed him myself.”
Hyran’s face twisted.
Serein chuckled.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough bickering. It’s tough without a diator today.”
“A diator?”
“Oh, right. Not a person. Pirensha the ‘second finger,’ wasn’t it?”
“……”
“Haven’t seen her around lately. Guess that failure in the Havel territory must have really hit her hard?”
Serein’s talent for provoking others was, as always, unmatched.
Hyran ground his teeth.
“Don’t mock her. She was truly heartbroken.”
“……”
“She was there when things fell apart in Havel territory. She wept bitterly, saying she had ruined her mother’s work.”
“My, such camaraderie. Anyone listening might mistake you for a real Hero’s party.”
“Hmph. You’re not worth my words.”
His lips moved.
He was calling Idria.
The smoke, which hadn’t even fully manifested, began being absorbed beyond that space.
From atop the wall, thunderous cheers erupted.
“Wooooah!!”
“The monsters are retreating!”
“Yeah! Get lost! This is the Heroes’ territory!”
“But which one scared them off?”
“Lord Mide, obviously. The rumors all say so.”
“Mm… though honestly, those stories are hard to believe.”
“Even if Lord Kaeld isn’t as… strong as Lord Mide, there’s no way he would side with the Demon King.”
That was the kind of talk being passed around.
I asked Trail to bring up the display.
Since the last ti I checked, my fa had risen by ten thousand. Kaeld’s had gone up five thousand.
Double the difference.
This is the power of the statent released by Havel Territory.
I turned to Kaeld.
“If we’re done here, shouldn’t you be heading back? To Idria’s embrace.”
“You…”
He gripped his sword.
Shiver.
But his hand only trembled. He couldn’t draw it.
Too many eyes were watching.
I stopped provoking him and instead spoke in a grave tone.
“Listen, Kaeld Wake.”
“……”
“Give it up already.”
“…What?”
“Stop trying to fight .”
I lowered my voice further.
“By now you should have realized it. After all these tis clashing with , don’t you get it yet?”
“……”
“You can’t win against . So quit it.”
“Shut your mouth.”
“Before long, I’m going to seek out Idria.”
Freeze.
At that, Kaeld’s body stiffened.
Hyran interjected cautiously.
“Why tell us that? From your side, that should be a major secret.”
“I didn’t say when I will attack. As long as the timing stays hidden, what’s so secret about a Hero marching against the Demon King? Even Idria must expect it.”
“……”
“And needless to say, if you’re there when it happens, Kaeld, I will kill you. This ti, not even Idria will be able to snatch your soul before it reaches the Underworld.”
Crunch.
Kaeld bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
I paid it no mind and continued.
“So don’t get in my way. Unless you have got a death wish.”
“Damn you. How long will you keep mocking ? I’m a Hero just like you.”
“Hardly.”
I raised my voice.
“You don’t understand what it ans to be a Hero at all.”
“What?”
“If you did, you wouldn’t have cling to Idria so desperately.”
“Hah! And what about you? Don’t you rely on your Celestial God? You have received oracles through him, haven’t you?”
“Not anymore. I have realized sothing.”
My voice dropped.
“Heroes are made by people.”
“…What the hell does that an?”
“Never mind. I have said too much already.”
I turned away.
My companions glared at Kaeld and Hyran for a mont, then followed .
Neril asked:
“Heroes are made by people? What do you an by that?”
“Mm. Just a vague thought.”
“Vague is fine. Tell . I want to know.”
“It’s just… since Demon Kings are born from the negative energies of mankind… why should Heroes be any different?”
“……”
Everyone tilted their heads.
I shrugged.
“Forget it. More importantly, let’s head into the territory.”
“What? But we’re finished here, aren’t we?”
“My fa just went up a little, but still… shouldn’t I leave a stronger impression? That way, good rumors about will spread everywhere.”
Serein burst out laughing.
“Pfft! As expected, Mide, talking about fa and reputation suits you best.”
Idria received a short report from Hyran.
She had already been watching, but hearing it aloud made it feel even more vivid.
Another failure.
Idria closed her eyes gently.
Hyran trembled with sha as he spoke.
“I have no excuse.”
“No. It’s the sa outco as the last two. I expected this one to end the sa way.”
“……”
“We need sothing different. A special thod. We can’t keep going like this.”
She absentmindedly raised her hand to bite her fingernail, then caught the gaze of her children staring at her.
As a mother, she must never show such weakness. She quietly lowered her hand.
It was then.
“Still struggling, I see.”
“Velosian.”
Without a hint of presence, Velosian appeared.
Kaeld narrowed his eyes at him.
‘Who the hell is that guy’
Even Idria seed unsure of his true identity.
Idria had failed several tis recently.
Should he… switch partners?
Could Velosian be a better ally?
Just as Kaeld was having such thoughts.
Velosian smiled faintly at him.
“What are you thinking?”
“Huh? Nothing in particular.”
“Were you perhaps considering abandoning Idria and joining ?”
At those words, Idria and her followers snapped their heads toward Kaeld.
Kaeld forced a sly smile and shrugged.
“That’s a ridiculous accusation. I have had enough of false charges being pinned on by Mide.”
“Hm. That’s not how it looked to .”
“Don’t start a fight. Just say what you ca to say.”
“Hm. Then let be clear.”
Velosian’s voice was soft, but his words were poisonous as he addressed Kaeld.
“You ought to be more grateful to Idria.”
“…!”
“She may not enjoy it, but without extraordinary patience, no one would bother taking care of an incompetent fool like you.”
Grit.
Kaeld ground his teeth.
‘How much could he possibly know about ? How much has he even seen, to speak like that? Why am I always despised like this…’
Then Idria spoke.
Her expression was surprisingly gentle, far too kind to be directed at Velosian.
“At the very least, you and I share one thing in common.”
“There are many more. Shall we discover them together?”
“Spare the nonsense. State your purpose.”
“I think it’s about ti you seriously reconsider my previous proposal.”
“That matter was already…”
“Ah, wait.”
Velosian raised his hand.
“Your other children are here. Let’s change locations.”
“……”
So Mide wouldn’t be able to secretly peer into our plan.
Idria understood the unspoken part.
She had already intended to refuse, but it was always best to be cautious when it ca to Mide.
“Children. Wait here for a while.”
“Mother. That man is dangerous.”
“He doesn’t intend to harm . Don’t worry.”
And with that, Idria and Velosian stepped outside.
The Finger of Lies began chattering among themselves.
“Well, it makes sense. Mide can see our secrets, after all.”
“But Velosian’s secret can’t be seen? Who knows… maybe he just made that up himself.”
“……”
“You don’t have anything to say, Batore?”
“……”
“Quiet as always. That’s just like you.”
Except for Batore, who was lucky to say a single word a day, the rest were noisy.
No, today there was one more silent figure.
Hyran glanced at Pirensha and asked:
“You’re still brooding over what happened at Havel, aren’t you?”
“…At last, Velosian has co.”
“Huh?”
“No, nothing.”
Resolve had settled in Pirensha’s eyes.
Since the last monster invasion, peaceful days had continued for so ti.
From a normal perspective, it was good news. But for , who still needed to raise my fa, it was dull.
We were staying in Venti Territory, where the last invasion had taken place.
Over dinner at the inn, I asked:
“Where is Adwin?”
“He is talking with Mariana.”
“Hm? Ah.”
“He tries to act grown-up, but he is still a child. He probably wanted to hear from her after so long.”
True enough. Any ordinary boy would long for his mother’s arms.
But then Offense cut in.
“I don’t think that’s it.”
“What do you an?”
“He said there were a few things he had to ask his mother. Ever since that eting between Lisel and Grade.”
“What things?”
“Heh. Not my place to say. Anyway, Mariana must be having a rough ti right now.”
I understood, and a small grin escaped .
Neril tilted her head and asked :
“By the way, shouldn’t we be deciding our next destination soon?”
“Hmm?”
“It’s been a whole week without a move from Idria. She has probably given up on the speed attack strategy.”
“Hm.”
“She is probably wracking her brain for the next plan. And you say there aren’t any new secrets to uncover, either.”
I nodded.
Xenia spoke up.
“In that case, we should probably look for quests that can raise our fa in the anti, shouldn’t we?”
“Yeah. Got any good ideas?”
“Hmm… nothing cos to mind.”
Most of the major incidents before my regression had been caused by Idria.
But my presence had already warped her plans considerably compared to before.
And outside of her sches, there weren’t many fa-worthy events to pursue.
‘Trail, anything? Use that instinct of yours.’
[Well…]
‘So that’s a no. Got it.’
[Would you just listen for once?]
‘Oh? So you do have sothing?’
[No. I don’t.]
How shaless.
Just then, Lisel’s voice rang out.
“Serein? Are you not feeling well?”
At that, all our eyes turned to Serein.
Huh. Why hadn’t I noticed sooner?
Her face was much redder than usual.
Her eyes were hazy, and her breathing ragged.
She answered in a lower, slightly cracked voice.
“I just felt a strange chill. I think I might have caught a cold.”
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