Chapter 245
- Ah, is that so? (1)
I used the multi-purpose labor of the shuttle who is also an observer to secretly approach the hero. I defeated the nearby acting villains.
– Acting villains?
– Who else would wear outfits like this if not villains?
They were guys wearing obvious villain outfits.
Black tailored suits, even their swords painted jet black. Anyone could tell they’re villains.
“You’re being too obvious with the villain vibes.”
Of course it makes sense for night villains to wear black suits, but
“You’re too caught up in stereotypes.”
Instead of going around in suspicious clothes, it’d be better to go for the element of surprise.
For example, try coordinated suits in white. Who would suspect them as villains?
With just a benign impression, some may even mistake them as clergymen.
– Mistake the master as a clergyman? That makes no sense!
– I pretended to be a professor before, clergyman could work too!
With a sage on the left and hero on the right, no one would suspect us.
Oh? That’s not a bad idea!
Well, for that, first of all,
“Instructor?”
“There aren’t any others around, right?”
Getting the hero out first should be the priority.
“How did you find me?”
“I located you by asking the God of Nature.”
“I knew it…”
Seeing the hero’s face fall into deep despair, it looked like he realized his fate.
– Don’t you feel bad for him?
– He’s the one who started this.
I asked him to leave me alone, but he clung on.
He shouldn’t have chased after me when I tried to run.
Getting stuck on carrying out the god’s will is why he’s suffering now.
– But even if he didn’t cling to you, wouldn’t the master have clung to him? Isn’t this just bitterness?
– Hmm… you’re probably right, not bitterness though.
– Hahaha! Such evil!
It is evil. Humans are animals that do their best to survive. I’m just doing my best to live.
And it’s not like the hero is completely blameless either.
My current plan is to maximize my chances of survival given the situation.
If he wasn’t around me, instead of using the hero, I would have used other methods.
– Are you sure?
– Of course. If he had escaped, the shuttle would have escaped too. Then I’d have no way to find him!
– That’s true.
This is all just deserts.
“Why…did you come?”
Seeming to realize this, the hero sighed deeply and asked.
“I have something to do.”
“What is it?”
The hero’s words made me pause for a moment.
How should I explain what I’m thinking right now?
Hmm… Ah, that’s it.
“Let’s become heroes.”
“What?”
The most fitting words to explain my scheme. It was ‘let’s become heroes’.
“What do you mean?”
“To become a hero.”
“But I’m already a hero?”
That’s common knowledge.
Laiyna Lell Swin, hero chosen by the God of Nature!
Few know his full name, but there isn’t a person on the continent who doesn’t know the name Hero Swin!
The dragon slayer who defeated the ancient dragon, and currently the strongest hero on the continent!
The more the Demon King walked the land threatening the world, the more his fame grew.
As I said before, humans are animals who do their best to survive!
– What’s that supposed to mean?
– Just as I’m using him to survive, others are cheering for him to survive too.
The only thing they can do is pray.
The commoners without the power or courage to step up can only pray to the god and wait for the hero to defeat the Demon King.
“And for those citizens, you must become the hero of heroes.”
“Instructor…”
When I finished my flawless explanation, the hero closed his mouth tight.
“Are you telling me to fight the Demon King?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think I can do that alone?”
“I didn’t say to fight alone. With Mirea’s imperial army sweeping away the Demon King, you just need to pick up the pieces.”
“What do you mean?”
As the head-tilting hero asked, the shuttle started to explain eagerly.
“The imperial forces chasing Mr. Naran met and fought the Demon King’s army, and as a result the imperial army won an overwhelming victory.”
Since he hadn’t received any information while captured by Sia, the hero seemed to know nothing unexpected.
As the shuttle’s explanation continued, the wide-eyed hero shouted in surprise when he heard there wasn’t a single casualty for the imperial forces.
“Is that possible?”
“It’s possible, that’s why we need you.”
If it was just an overwhelming victory, there’d be no need to find him.
The enraged soldiers who lost their comrades would do their utmost to defeat the Demon King. Avoiding the Demon King’s army weakened after fighting the princess’ forces by escaping to the demon continent would end everything.
“Damn! Why are they so strong…”
“I know right.”
I thought it was a flawless plan, but thanks to the princess’ forces being stronger than expected, even I and the hero were exhausted.
“Hero, isn’t the imperial army’s strength a good thing for us too?”
“No, it’s not good.”
Seeing the hero and I sighing, Hil tilted his head.
“What’s the problem?”
Many. Far too many.
Up until now, not a single place on the continent had blocked the Demon King’s army.
The Demon King destroyed a nation right after being born, and advanced while destroying countless cities on the way to the demon continent.
Even the Ruvella City Alliance, said to have one of the greatest military forces on the continent, was annihilated by the Demon King and his army.
Many must have despaired.
According to the shuttle, even other heroes were dying after failing to stop the Demon King’sarmy.
What would happen if the rumor spread that the imperial army had overwhelmingly defeated the enemy in that situation?
“People would start praising the imperial forces.”
“And after that?”
“Ah! I see.”
“Right. Weaker nations would start calling on the imperial forces for help. Then the imperial forces could legally travel to other nations.”
No one could stop the Demon King’s army, but they easily defeated it without any damage.
Only a very small number know now, but soon this rumor will start spreading across the continent. And countless allied nations with the empire will start requesting aid.
And that’s not all.
Even kingdoms not allied with the empire may request the imperial forces’ help in exchange for various rights and privileges.
It’s still more prudent to hand over to fellow humans of the empire compared to becoming penniless nobodies after being ravaged by the Demon King.
“Knowing the princess, she won’t miss that chance. Under the pretext of facing the Demons, she’ll steadily usurp military power and even use those nations’ soldiers to capture me.”
The whole continent would be after me. It was a more horrifying thought than the Demon King chasing me.
“That’s why he has to step up.”
That’s why I need the hero. He has to make a name for himself across the continent.
“How would the hero stepping up change anything?”
“It gives people hope that there’s still a chance.”
“Hope?”
“That’s right. The opponent is the Karan Empire. That name is the strongest, but at the same time the worst.”
The Karan Empire. The country that won the last Great War and the sole hegemonic power on the continent.
“The Karan Empire is strong. No one can deny that.”
“Yes, of course.”
“And the stronger they are, the more enemies they have.”
No other country on the continent would even think of fighting the Karan Empire.
This is because even the two duchies under the Karan Empire are considered to have stronger military forces than a normal kingdom.
There were analyses saying at minimum five or more kingdoms would have to combine forces to even put up a fight.
At most, it was said that all nations on the continent except the Karan Empire would have to band together to be a match.
That was how powerful the Karan Empire was. And for other nations, they cannot be allowed to become even stronger. If the Karan Empire grew stronger, the continent could become unified under the name of Karan.
“They’re so strong that they can’t be allowed to get any stronger – that is the Karan Empire. Not even nations allied with the Karan Empire want to see them grow stronger.”
“But with the Demon King’s army’s appearance, it can’t be helped.”
“Right. Currently only the Karan Empire can face the Demon King’s army.”
“But if the hero is active…”
“They’ll ask for help from him instead of the Karan Empire.”
While the hero originates from the Karan Empire, not many know that. Most simply see him as a hero of the Nature Religion.
The Karan Empire that must not grow stronger, and the hero who is a nice puppet.
If both can defeat the Demon King’s army with equal chance, it’s obvious who the other nations would choose.
“But the hero has to defeat the Demon King’s army first for that to happen.”
“That’s true.”
“Isn’t that impossible?”
“In the current situation, yes.”
No matter how strong the hero is said to be, he’s still alone.
I have to keep the shuttle with me so I can’t give him that, and his other comrade Selena the elf ran away ages ago.
So,
“You need to become a hero.”
“What?”
“A hero among heroes.”
I’ve decided to gather new comrades for the hero.
#1 Their Circumstances: Circumstances of Some Heroes
“Cough…”
“Peshe! Hi, hang in there!”
“Just endure a bit more!”
“No… I was wrong…”
I looked at my laughing comrade spitting up blood. It was a wound from protecting our rear till the end.
“Laria… What can we do?”
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”
Laria, our party’s cleric who can still heal, apologized with tears flowing from her eyes.
“Laria… Don’t make that face.”
“Oh no…”
“It’s not your fault.”
“No, it is! If I just had a little more faith… If I had enough faith to be chosen as a saint by the Earth God!”
“No, your faith is enough. The Earth God knows that too.”
“Don’t smile like that! Hurry up and say it hurts!”
“Hahaha! It’s too late anyway.”
“No, it’s not too late! Act spoiled like usual! Why are you laughing at a time like this!”
The guy who’d always ask Laria for healing even for small wounds was now vomiting blood while laughing.
Both Laria and I knew. That it was already too late.
But we couldn’t give up. Because this guy was our precious comrade.
“Heril, leave me.”
“Shut up.”
“You know I’m done for, right?”
“I said shut up.”
“The Demon King’s army will be here soon. If you stay, you and Laria will die too.”
“Then let us die.”
“Hey, don’t say that. Isn’t it unjust to die from sympathy?”
“Why are you bringing that up now!”
I was a bit flustered by the sudden attack.
Seeing my reaction, Peshe laughed sneakily.
“You’re sympathizing too…”
“Huh? No I’m not…”
“What, what?”
“I’ve already had a hot night with the beautiful lady at the inn.”
“What are you two talking about!”
Laria, her face bright red, yelled loudly while still using her recovery magic.
Talk like this must have been unfamiliar to her after living in the temple since childhood.
“Once treatment is done, I’ll scold you both!”
“But I did nothing wrong…”
“And I’m already done for…”
“Both of you be quiet!”
Laria clenched her mouth shut, glaring at Peshe’s wounds with tear-filled eyes.
“I-I’ll definitely scold you, so you have to live, Peshe!”
Seeing that, Peshe let out a sigh.
“Can’t even die easily…”
“Of course. You still owe me money, don’t you?”
“Did I?”
“Yeah, you did.”
So don’t die.
I step forward, drawing the holy sword I received from the Earth Temple.
I can see hundreds of troops approaching from the distance.
Part of the army of the Demon King who threw the world into crisis along with the evil god he serves.
Each has combat abilities incomparable to normal monsters, and their numbers are in the hundreds.
“Is this the end?”
If I abandon Peshe now, Laria and I may still be able to escape alive.
But,
“I’m a hero.”
I was properly chosen by the God of Nature himself.
I fear death, but abandoning my comrade is even more frightening.
“Come on!”
I draw my sword and channel my magic power.
The moment I swing the symbolic golden sword beam of heroes, hundreds of beams pierce the Demon King’s army!
“Huh?”
My thoughts halted for a moment.
Hundreds? Was I ever that strong?
“Not abandoning your comrades, not bad.”
“W-Who is it?”
A handsome man suddenly appeared by my side.
“You want to save your comrade, right?”
“What?”
“I can save that guy, want me to?”
The moment I realized he meant Peshe, I nodded my head.
“It’s sad but he can still live.”
The moment he waved his hand, I heard Peshe scream from the distance.
“Wha- What?”
“He’s under treatment. There’s a saying, right? Good medicine tastes bitter.”
It was my first time hearing this saying.
I’ve heard the saying good medicine tastes bad, but not that it’s bitter.
“First we need to deal with those guys.”
The beautiful blond man with the pure white sword spewing the golden beam symbolic of heroes did not seem afraid at all facing hundreds of enemies.
“W-Who are you?”
I stammered out the question to the man walking forward, and he answered without even turning back.
“I’m Hero Swin, the man who will crush the Demon King.”
