Chapter 4

Chapter 3 The Main Act Is to Come The audience chambers were on the top floor of the king’s castle, built in the very center of Boar Kingdom. In the middle of this room, King Tortoise IV rose from his throne in shock. “Are the heroes actually missing?!” “Yes, Ruzal and the other four heroes have left Boar Kingdom,” reported the commander, deeply distressed and uncertain whether or not he himself believed it. “They sent word that the responsibility of defeating the Demon King was far too great, and the five of them left the kingdom, going their separate ways.” “Ridiculous! Ruzal is the heir of a great and noble house. Are you saying he’d throw away his inheritance and title?!” “Yes. He said, ‘I’ve found something more precious than land and honor.’” “That’s absurd…” Displeased, Tortoise IV sank back onto his throne. “All five heroes leaving at the same time…” Under the Goddess’s guardianship, the heroes were an important military force, not only against monsters and demons but against neighboring countries as well. Only those with outstanding talent could become heroes. They had immense magical prowess, and they could take on a thousand enemies at once, single-handedly influencing the fate of the country. And now the kingdom was losing five of them at once, which made even the king’s face pale. “Were you unable to stop them? No, it’s not too late. Go and bring them back using any means necessary,” ordered Tortoise IV. He wouldn’t punish them for their failure to defeat the Demon King. In fact, he’d go so far as to offer them a monetary gift as an apology for forcing them to take on an impossible task. He’d even offer Ruzal the title of earl he so desired. The commander shook his head with a pained look as his king desperately threw out suggestions. “I fear it will not work. I’ve attempted to stop them and persuade them to change their minds, but they’re steadfast in their decision…” The knight had already abandoned the most important thing to him: his family. Nothing could sway a decision that immense. “Above all else, they’re absolutely petrified of the Demon King. According to them, ‘He’s a creature more wicked than the Evil God himself, and we’re no match for him…,’” continued the commander. To be exact, the heroes were actually afraid of the Demon King’s advisor, but there was no way the commander could know that. “Are you saying the Demon King’s so horrifying the heroes would throw away everything?!” asked the king incredulously. “I was under the impression Your Highness was also well aware of this.” “Mm…” The king let out a long groan and fell silent. They were talking about the same Demon King who’d single-handedly defeated three thousand soldiers. Both the king and his commander, who’d led the remaining shreds of that army, had seen an immense power beyond their worst nightmares. “An embodiment of true horror, as you would expect from his title…,” murmured the king. The army had pushed forth in high spirits after breezily dispatching the orcs and goblins. Those ugly monsters were as weak as legend would have them. But then the army came face-to-face with that blue giant, who raised one hand and spoke some incantation. In the next moment, arrows of light rained from the sky, moving of their own accord and piercing the hearts of three thousand soldiers. In the length of a short breath, they were killed and utterly defeated. “How much power does he have…?” His controlled attack left the bodies of the slain soldiers intact, striking even more fear into the hearts of those who remained. Had the bodies been injured any further, resurrection would’ve been impossible, unless they were heroes, of course. The Demon King must’ve known this, as all the soldiers sustained only a single injury. It’s kind of like how it’s harder to take an enemy alive than to kill them. It’s even harder to kill your enemy and leave an undamaged corpse. And yet, with incredible ease, that’s what the Demon King did. In other words, if he’d intended to kill them, he could’ve destroyed not just half the army but the entire army and kingdom, eradicating everyone, including Tortoise IV. They’d encountered a demon of great strength, just as legend had it—no, more powerful than in those stories. Were they fighting an impossible battle? Should they surrender themselves as quickly as possible? “We shouldn’t have faced the demons…” The king quietly uttered these cowardly words. “What’re you saying, Your Highness?” chimed in a man in his early thirties who’d been standing at the king’s side with a serene smile on his face. He wore a pure-white robe emblazoned with a golden symbol reminiscent of the sun. He carried no sword and wore no armor. “Our Goddess will not look kindly on us if we overlook the demons and their sins.” “O-of course, Bishop Hube.” Tortoise IV became flustered when he saw the bishop’s smile. At first glance, it appeared benevolent, but it carried a quiet forcefulness, allowing no room for excuses or objections. “We, the faithful followers of the Divine Goddess, would never yield to those foul demons!” “Hmm, I see. All is well.” Tortoise IV rubbed his chest in relief upon receiving a pardon from Bishop Hube, as the commander and other ministers displayed visible displeasure at the pathetic sight of their king. They didn’t dare say anything, though. The pope and other high-ranking cardinals were the only people in this country—actually, in this world—who could take a stand against a Goddess’s bishop. “However, it’s unforgivable for the heroes, for the Goddess’s disciples, to flee from evil,” said Bishop Hube in a hellishly calm voice. “Let us contact the church to have Ruzal and the others excommunicated.” “What…?!” Tortoise IV let out a cry of shock, and the others froze in response to this callous decision. There’s always at least one church for the Goddess in every territory. This was true, of course, for great cities like Boar Kingdom but also for small towns with a couple hundred residents. The church wasn’t just a pillar of faith: It was an institution that literally held life itself in its very hands. It healed disease and injury and gave back life to those who died. To be excommunicated meant they could never enter the church again. In other words, it meant they’d never again be resurrected. In normal cases, one could be resurrected as long as the body was intact. But this security blanket would be taken away if one was excommunicated. Faced with this fear, not even the king could go against the Goddess’s bishops. “But Ruzal and the others are heroes. Excommunication would…” As heroes chosen by the Goddess and granted the power of immortality, wouldn’t it be pointless to kick them out? Bishop Hube beamed as he spoke to Tortoise IV. “As believers of the Goddess, we know best how to handle heroes,” said Hube. He didn’t provide any more details, and his excessively wide smile was anything but comforting. “Th-that’s good, then…,” stammered the king. “Yes, Your Highness has nothing to be concerned about,” reassured Hube, turning from the king, who could do nothing but agree with him. He looked toward the entrance. “A true hero will grant our prayers and defeat the evil demons,” he insisted. Just as he finished saying this, the large door to the audience chamber opened, and a lone figure walked in—a swordswoman with flaming red hair and a matching crimson scarf. What she lacked in grace, she had in energy. In light clothing, she came to a full stop in front of the king, respectfully took a knee, and spoke with a strong, clear voice. “Arian, hero of the Divine Goddess, reporting back from my duties as ordered by the church! The great black wolf has been exterminated!” “I’m glad to see you’ve returned safely,” said Hube, momentarily taking his attention off the king. Arian was unsure if she’d interrupted their conversation, but she simply flashed a smile before dropping and opening her sack. From her bag, she withdrew a fang, the length of a grown man’s forearm. With one look, the audience saw the size and brutality of the black wolf she’d single-handedly fought. The fang served as proof of her skills. “Ah, that’s amazing! As I’d expect from Miss Arian!” crooned the commander. “Thank you very much,” she replied with an embarrassed smile. As Hube watched this exchange, his smile hardened slightly. He quickly changed the topic, asking her, “So, Arian, you’ve been away from the kingdom, but I am sure you’ve heard the rumors.” “Are you talking about the stories about demons in Dog Valley?” she asked. “Precisely. An army of evil demons is attempting to steal our land and slaughter our people.” He failed to say that Boar Kingdom had mobilized their army first and continued the attack with their five heroes. He also made a point to not mention he’d pushed for the use of force, despite the king’s repeated insistence they proceed with caution. “So the demons continue to do such horrible things…,” said Arian, taking Hube’s words as truth. She hung her head as a dark expression overtook her face. “Yes, and as the Goddess has taught us, the demons are hideous, barbaric filth that must be eliminated,” continued Hube. “……” “The five heroes, including Ruzal, attempted to eliminate our enemy, but they feared the Demon King to such a degree that they ran and abandoned their country.” “What? Sir Ruzal and the others?!” exclaimed Arian.