The Martial King nodded and replied.
“She said her name Idria. I’m sure of it.”
It felt like my thoughts had come to a stop for a moment.
The only reason I didn’t shout out loud must be thanks to my experience being tossed around as a mercenary.
Instead, I screamed internally.
‘Idria!’
[Idria!]
‘Don’t copy me.’
[Is that really important right now? Idria isn’t… the Demon King I’m thinking of, right?]
Idria, the Demon King of Lies and Deception.After a moment of thought, I opened my mouth.
‘With your Eye of Omniscience, can you uncover the Demon King’s secrets too?’
[Yeah. As long as the target has intelligence, it’s basically possible.]
‘Great. I’m using the Eye of Omniscience.’
[O-okay.]
Trail stuttered but activated his ability for me.
But—
<Error. ‘The Secret Between Terce Crine and Idria’ is classified as Grade A.>
<Access requires Eye of Omniscience Level 4 or higher.>
I had a feeling it wouldn’t work.
Trail looked visibly sad, so I tried to console him.
‘Don’t let it get to you. Not like this is the first time I’ve been disappointed.’
[Was that… supposed to be comforting?]
‘Anyway, why the hell is Idria’s name coming up here? Don’t tell me the Demon King has already descended at this point in time.’
I had subconsciously assumed the Demon King hadn’t arrived yet.
From what history records, the Demon King’s descent and the oracle happen simultaneously.
So I figured the Demon King’s appearance would coincide with the moment the oracle descended and recognized Kaeld as the Hero.
But Idria already existed.
‘Are they laying the groundwork already? Damn, with all that power, and still such meticulous prep work.’
Maybe my expression was too grim.
Xenia, now also looking serious, asked,
“Mr. Mide, what’s wrong? Is it a name you recognize?”
“It’s a very famous one.”
“Famous? Even I, who know all the bizarre happenings across the continent, have never heard it before.”
It would be famous in a few years.
I simply shrugged and asked Terce:
“Still hiding anything?”
“Heh. Well, at this point, what’s left to hide? In truth, there was a woman I loved. But she caught the lord’s eye, and they got engaged…”
“So, nothing else. Got it.”
“W-wait! At least let me finish!”
“Not interested.”
“You’re not curious why I killed the young lord and plotted rebellion?”
“Nope. That’s the lord’s job to interrogate you for.”
“T-then why even bother doing this to me? I thought you held a grudge!”
I tilted my head.
“Did I ever say I had a grudge?”
“Y-you said it was to fulfill a comrade’s dying wish—”
“That doesn’t mean I had a grudge. I honored his dying wish. That’s all I needed to do.”
There wasn’t even such a comrade to begin with.
I casually walked out of the prison.
Neril and Xenia hurried after me.
Neril asked,
“I’ve never heard of anyone named Idria either. Who is it?”
“No need to know just yet. You’ll find out soon enough, playing hero like this.”
“You’re such a mysterious man.”
“Charming, isn’t it?”
“If only you didn’t talk.”
Neril shook her head in exasperation.
Xenia looked deep in thought before asking,
“What will you do now?”
“My business in the Lior territory is finished. I plan to head to the next destination.”
“…”
“Why? You coming with me?”
Xenia opened her mouth to say something, then clamped it shut.
It looked like she hadn’t made up her mind yet.
Since pushing her wouldn’t help, I simply headed for the estate gates.
That’s when it happened.
“Ah! There he is!”
“It’s Sir Mide! The Sword master of No Killing!”
“Wait, is he leaving already?”
“Please wait! Just a moment!”
Suddenly, a large crowd began to gather around us.
In their eyes was a deep sense of gratitude and admiration.
Even I, who had seen it all, couldn’t quite hide my surprise at the situation.
As I stood, awkwardly surrounded, someone who appeared to be their representative stepped forward.
“Sir Mide. Please forgive us.”
“There’s nothing that needs forgiving.”
“The Martial Kin—no, that bastard Terce deceived us and murdered our beloved young lord. He even killed my subordinate to cover it up.”
“…”
“Since Terce was arrested, we’ve all felt a surge of vitality in our bodies. Perhaps all this time, our laziness was because the young lord’s soul was trying to convey his injustice.”
So that’s the conclusion they reached.
Well, it was a conclusion I had every reason to be thankful for.
I nodded with a deeply sympathetic expression.
“I’m sure that’s the case.”
“From now on, we’ll all work harder. The estate’s harvests will increase, and this land will become as lively as it is vast. All thanks to you, Sir Mide.”
“…”
“Hey. Bring the gift.”
At the representative’s command, another man grunted and dragged over a sack nearly the size of his torso.
The clinking inside left no doubt it was filled with coins.
“No. I’m well aware of the Lior territory’s situation. And this is winter, when work is hard to come by.”
“…”
“Other estates might get by with the food they stored in summer and autumn. But your harvests haven’t been that plentiful, have they? Since you were all… um, struggling with the young lord’s grievance.”
The representative and the people of the estate grew teary.
I clicked my tongue and continued.
“When that happens, isn’t the very funding you’re trying to give me your lifeline? You should use it to pay the merchants and buy food for the territory.”
“Sniff… Lord Mide… I never imagined you were thinking about us to that extent.”
“This is the hometown of one of my dearest friends. So it’s practically my hometown too.”
“Boohoo…”
“Please live well and healthily—for the sake of the young lord too. That’s all I wish from you.”
When I said that, the surroundings suddenly turned into a sea of cries.
“We said such harsh things…”
“He really is amazing… Lord Mide is a hero.”
“No, more than a hero! He might be a legendary warrior from myths!”
“Yeah, no doubt about it. Lord Myde is the Hero!”
And at that moment—
<Ding! You have gained 1,000 reputation points.>
<Reputation points needed for next level: 2,760/20,000>
<Your name will echo throughout the territory of Lior.>
<Total reputation points to be earned from this incident: 5,000>
<Your name is spreading through the Drucker Territory. (All points collected!)>
<Your name is spreading through the Quelk Territory. (All points collected!)>
<Neril Slane considers you a “man perfect in both martial and scholarly pursuits.”>
<Xenia Seide sees you as “someone stronger than her father.”>
…
Ahem. Hmm-hmm.
[A man perfect in both martial and scholarly pursuits? Is she actually complimenting you for the little trick you pulled to boost your fame?]
‘Looks like Neril had better judgment than I thought. I never noticed it before the regression.’
[……]
‘But more surprising is how Xenia thinks of me like that.’
It’s only natural that Xenia knows I’m stronger than her father, Dame.
She must realize that herself.
Still, regardless of actual skill, in her mind, her father probably remains the strongest and greatest in the world.
But she thinks I’m stronger than him?
‘If I asked her to join me again now—’
It feels like I would get a very different answer this time.
Just as we left the border of Lior Territory with a carriage, Neril suddenly flicked something toward me as if she’d remembered something.
Tap.
I caught it—it was the Gem of Desolation.
“I fixed it.”
“Really? You sure you didn’t just find a different one that looks similar?”
“What a weird way to give a compliment.”
“It’s just… amazing. I can’t even see the cracks where it was split in two.”
“Don’t worry, it’s the real thing. So—how are you going to use it?”
Good question.
I grabbed it since it’s valuable, but I never really thought of a concrete use for it.
Seeing my expression, Neril let out a small sigh.
“I figured. You just wanted to have it, didn’t you?”
“Yep.”
“It was originally a gem that absorbs vitality, but I made a few tweaks during the repair.”
“Huh?”
“It now holds the collected life force of the people of Lior, gathered over 20 years by Terce. That’s a massive amount of energy. Would’ve been a waste to let it rot.”
She continued like it was no big deal.
“So now it doesn’t just absorb—it can release energy too.”
“Release? Oh…”
“Yeah. It can function as a near-infinite energy source. Life force is basically a pool of potential—it can be transformed into anything.”
“So… an amplifier?”
“……Technically yes, but the way you said that made it sound cheap.”
Neril pouted slightly.
I smiled gently and said,
“Thank you, Neril. Really.”
“Hmph.”
“If not for you, I wouldn’t even know how to use this. Actually, I probably couldn’t have even gotten my hands on it.”
“It’s fine.”
“I’ll definitely repay you someday. When I become the Hero.”
“I said it’s fine. I’m not really…”
She didn’t finish her sentence out loud—just moved her lips.
Neril probably had no idea, but I could read her lips just fine.
‘I’m weak to being sincerely thanked like that.’
[Keep doing it. She is starving for gratitude.]
‘Well, she has probably been cursed at her whole life. Even without that, this time she’s more than earned my thanks a hundred times over.’
I wrapped the gem in cloth and carefully tucked it into my coat.
Then, I heard Xenia’s voice.
“You’re really going to keep that?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Ugh… But that’s the core of the Demon King of Desolation. It’s supposed to be held by the Holy Order of Light.”
“Please overlook it this once. Even if you confiscate it now, if I become the Hero, you’ll have no choice but to return it to me. I could invoke the Hero’s name and demand it—for the purpose of opposing the Demon King.”
“…Is the Demon King really going to descend?”
Xenia asked in a cautious tone.
Sorry, but the Demon King has already descended.
I thought of Idria, who had handed the gem to Terce, and who even now must be scheming something somewhere on the continent.
“It’s certain.”
“I don’t know what makes you so confident… but if that’s true, it would be the fifth Demon King’s descent in continental history. We were born into an unlucky age.”
“That depends on how you look at it.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ll become the Hero. And with Neril here and you, Xenia, as my party members… you’ll become heroes too.”
“……”
“Together, we’ll defeat the Demon King. Just like the heroes of the past four times—your name will go down in history, Xenia.”
Xenia’s eyes trembled.
“I’m not really interested in that kind of fame…”
“That’s fine. Even if you weren’t, someone like you would stand at the front lines to face the Demon King anyway. Even if you had never met me.”
“……”
“But since we have met, I’d like an answer now. Will you fight with us?”
Neril crossed her legs with a slightly displeased look, but didn’t interrupt.
Someone who could control Agril and create a massive barrier large enough to protect an entire audience.
Someone who could bring Terce back from the brink of death in perfect form.
Neril knew better than anyone what a powerful ally such a person would be.
The problem was Xenia.
‘The first time she met Neril before the regression…’
She said if that woman joined, she would leave the party.
How would she respond this time?