Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Demon King's Army ■■■ Hero Sage (3)
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“Ugh……”
The stern-eyed mayor of Mir City, Lucas—with his thick white mustache under his nose, firmly set mouth, and hooked nose—clutched at his furrowed brow.
His head had been pounding nonstop from the string of recent incidents.
In his twenty years of consecutive terms as mayor, he'd never worried this much.
Mir City lay on the empire's outskirts, but its economic growth from local specialties and the silver output of the Kevral mines made it the envy of any city or fiefdom.
Simply maintaining the status quo was enough to keep his regime secure in such a prosperous place.
But two months ago, the visit from the kingdom's mages had led to their corruption and the loss of the city's forces.
All two hundred of Mir's voting sons—men with the right to vote—had perished in the expedition.
The moment news of the total wipeout and rumors that the kingdom mages had been corrupted by demons reached the city, protests erupted en masse, accusing the mayor of selling his own sons to the devil.
It was obvious who was behind it.
The tricks of the opposition party, always lurking on the fringes of city politics.
They called him a minion of the Demon King and demanded he step down immediately for a new election.
But before that issue could even settle, the kingdom launched a massive conscription.
Word arrived late of Sir Vergio's death—the kingdom's finest knight.
The citizens were shocked and enraged.
Some in the council shouted to raise soldiers and slay the Demon King at once, while others warned against becoming the front lines and urged flight.
In the end, victory came through war.
With news that the Hero would lead the kingdom's soldiers, knights, and mages, courage surged.
Adventurers hoping to claim their share began flocking to Mir.
“For them to be completely wiped out, with only a thousand returning……”
It was a devastating defeat.
Even the Hero had gone missing, plunging the city into gloom.
The kingdom planned to send more troops, establish a base nearby to prepare for future Demon King army invasions, and station forces there.
But monsters kept attacking the kingdom troops trying to set up periodic bases, preventing any smooth passage.
‘Having another force stationed near the city is worrisome, but……’
There was no choice.
They all knew the city's forces alone couldn't win against such foes.
And the mayor couldn't spare much thought for it anyway.
Right now, he was pouring all his energy into rebutting the accusations of responsibility for the deaths of the soldiers in the second expedition.
It was clearly the opposition party pushing for revenge through battle—so why were the arrows turning back on him?!
“Hoo. Reelection's out of the question now.”
His head throbbed.
Troubles loomed on every side.
Still, he had no intention of stepping down here.
He didn't want to be remembered as a mayor who stirred up messes and then fled his office.
No one would want twenty years of successful rule to crumble over this.
He'd end it with his own hands, somehow.
Mayor Lucas steeled himself inwardly.
He would endure and endure.
“Mayor, have you heard the news?”
His secretary spoke up.
“Heretics are running wild in the back alleys and slums.”
“I know.”
Problems exploding everywhere at once were truly suffocating.
“What do they expect me to do about it?”
From the mayor's office, he could see the army camped outside the castle walls.
Five hundred kingdom troops dispatched from the capital.
Their presence seemed to symbolize the crisis hanging over the city.
‘Even the kingdom mages were brainwashed.’
Could this city really hold out?
Worry gnawed at him anew.
“I wanna clock out.”
“How many days have we been on duty now?”
“Almost a full month already. With the emergency, they won't even let us go home…… I should've never signed up as a career soldier.”
“Tell me about it. I've already forgotten what beer tastes like.”
“Heard that inn with the holy light has new dark beer.”
“Really? The barmaid there's cute—I used to go all the time. When'd they add it?”
“Dunno. Heard it from a guy on leave.”
Mir's guards chatted idly.
The city's atmosphere had gone to hell from recent events nearby.
“Those kingdom bastards have no plans to leave, huh.”
“Why do more of those capital hicks keep showing up? And monsters have been surging lately, they say.”
Then, the guards spotted a strange figure approaching.
It was coming from the direction of Dibel Forest, where the Demon King's dungeon had supposedly appeared.
“What's that?”
“Huh? What?”
“Look over there. Someone's coming.”
“Who……?”
The soldiers stood ready to ring the bell at any moment.
The human-shaped thing drew closer and closer.
“Huh?”
“Isn't that the Hero?”
The Hero, presumed dead, had returned.
Ding~ Ding~.
“The Hero's back!”
“She's with the priestess!”
Her hair had grown long since before, so they hadn't recognized her at first glance, but that sword at her waist and the circlet on her head made it clear.
It was definitely the Hero.
The Hero, clad in dust-covered armor, strode steadily toward Mir.
The return of the missing Hero.
“Open the gates quick!”
“Come on, escort her in.”
Hero Sage passed through the gates into the city.
“H-Hero! Are you alright?”
“We thought you were……”
The guards who met Sage's impassive gaze felt a chill run down their spines.
For a split second, they imagined her sword slicing their throats.
Some even leaked a bit of urine.
“Wh-what was that just now?”
“You felt it too?”
“The Hero seems a bit off.”
“Yeah. Like…… she was looking at us like bugs.”
Must be their imagination.
“Soldiers will come soon to escort you to the mayor.”
She nodded.
The motion felt eerily puppet-like, sending shivers through them.
The mayor heard the news that the Hero had returned.
“The Hero? Really?”
“Yes.”
“Ha ha, looks like the world is finally on my side.”
If only just a little.
For the first time, he felt like he might overcome this crisis.
“Escort her in at once. Ha ha ha.”
Soon after the knight left, Sage entered the mayor's office.
Her image had changed completely from her first visit.
Her silver hair, cut short like a man's before, had grown out to near her chest.
The fury that once filled her face had softened somewhat.
Had she just barely escaped the Demon King's dungeon?
Her attire wasn't exactly presentable.
“Hero, we thought you'd fallen. Soldiers testified you were captured by the Demon King—did you escape?”
“Yes, I made it out safely.”
“And the others……?”
“Gone. It's just me and the priestess.”
Sage gestured to the silver-haired priestess standing behind her.
The moment Mayor Lucas met her eyes, he felt his loins stiffen involuntarily.
‘What the……’
How could a priestess have such a lascivious gaze?
Just locking eyes with her sparked fantasies of burying himself in those plump breasts.
Was she really a priestess?
“Ahem, anyway, we'll prepare a room for you to rest. It must have been too much even for the Hero. We can hear the details later……”
“I have a question first.”
“A question?”
“Yes.”
“About Sir Vergio.”
“Ah, you mentioned it before. I clearly remember the Hero vowing revenge for Sir Vergio.”
Back then, revenge had been her driving force.
“I did, didn't I.”
Something felt off about her response, but Lucas brushed it aside.
“What do you want to know?”
“What do you think of Sir Vergio? I heard he charged at the Demon King without proper preparation due to the king's reckless orders.”
“Where did you hear that?”
Sage didn't answer.
She just gave a bitter smile.
It felt like there was some story behind that smile, so Lucas didn't press.
“The orders were reckless, yes. The Demon King corrupted two kingdom mages, after all. At the very least, someone of Sir Vergio's caliber should have gone along.”
Sage nodded.
“However, I don't think it was His Majesty's fault. They couldn't properly gauge the enemy, and Sir Vergio was the kingdom's best. His Majesty trusted him.”
“So the king bears no blame?”
“I'm not sure. But Sir Vergio's death is tragic. Losing the kingdom's greatest knight so pointlessly……”
Lucas gave a wry smile.
Watching him, Sage clenched her fist.
“Liar.”
“What did you say?”
“The mayor's a liar too.”
Sage glared with axe-like eyes and drew her holy sword.
“S-Sage? What is this?!”
“You're smiling right now.”
“Smiling? What do you……”
“You say you're sad Sir Vergio fell, but why are you smiling? Think I'll fall for it if you say it with a smile?”
“I can't understand. What are you……”
Lies, all of a sudden.
He'd only spoken his true feelings.
But a wry smile makes him a liar?
What did that mean?
He couldn't comprehend.
“Priestess, what's going on?! Stop the Hero! She seems out of her mind!”
“Don't point at Vivian!”
Priestess Vivian placed a hand on Sage's shoulder as she heard the enraged Hero.
“I told you, didn't I? Humans are full of hypocrisy and lies. When their life is at stake, they push their duties onto others to save themselves. The one who needs to convince Sage isn't me—it's the mayor himself.”
“She's right. Vivian's right. Humans are liars. Hypocrites.”
They're insane.
These bitches are all crazy!
They're no Hero or priestess.
Demons brainwashed by the Demon King.
“Guards! Guar…… Ghk!”
Sage clamped the mayor's mouth shut.
“This is punishment for liars.”
“You demon!”
And with Sage's holy sword, the mayor's head fell.
“Mayor! What…… No? H-Hero?”
“What do you think?”
“Th-think about what?”
“About Sir Vergio.”
Step.
She took a step toward the guards.
“Ah, no need to ask. You'll just lie anyway.”
Without waiting for an answer, she killed the guards.
“Aaaah!!! The Hero's gone mad! Everyone, stop that crazy bitch!”
“I'm not mad. I just realized the truth.”
“Gaaah!!”
The soldiers fell to the Hero's holy sword without resistance.
She was said to rival the late Vergio at his peak.
Mere city soldiers were no match.
Dying soldiers.
Desperate resistance, but no one could defeat the Hero.
Even the few knights present fell to her.
“The Demon King told me. To decide for myself.”
Before leaving the dungeon, the Demon King had said.
-Go to Mir and ask the humans. If they speak the truth, you can resume as the kingdom's Hero. I won't stop you. But if they lie, and you think they deserve heavenly punishment……
The Demon King had gently stroked her head.
-Open Mir's gates and welcome my army.
Sage nodded and opened Mir's gates.
At that signal, hundreds of orcs and spiders swarmed in.
The kingdom troops outside were caught off-guard by the sudden monster assault and fell helplessly.
“Wh-what?! Block them!!! Don't let them through no matter wha……”
Sage severed the commanders' heads in one stroke.
The monsters poured through the open gates.
“Ahh…… The savior has come……”
And in the back alleys, onlookers knelt and shed tears.
“See? Everyone. The savior has arrived. God's messenger, come to redeem you from the filth of human greed and selfishness. Let us welcome them.”
“Aaaah.”
Those enthralled by Amy and the fallen priestesses took up arms and joined the spiders and monsters.
Strangely, the monsters didn't attack them.
As if they'd been allies all along.
“Stop them!!!! You damn mutts! Where's the mayor?! Where the hell are the commanders?!”
Those barely keeping their cool screamed themselves hoarse, but with the leadership wiped out by Sage, no one remained.
Hell unfolded in Mir.
“Aaaah!”
The screams of resisting soldiers.
“Kyaaah! Nooo!”
And the cries of those dying or being raped by monsters echoed everywhere.
Atop Mir's crumbling walls, Hero Sage lay with her head in Vivian's lap.
“Sage, feeling better now?”
“Yeah. I'm fine next to you, Lady Vivian.”
“Don't let it hurt too much. Humans are liars by nature. They always hide their true feelings and deceive others.”
“Yeah. Liars. They were so bad.”
“But that's why we must wear masks when dealing with humans. We're too weak to trust them blindly.”
Sage looked up at Vivian from her lap pillow.
“Do we really have to?”
“Sadly, yes.”
“I don't want to.”
Vivian smiled and gently brushed back her hair.
“Act mature in front of others from now on. It doesn't matter with me or the Demon King, but it looks bad to everyone else.”
“Why?”
“You're the Hero. The one everyone reveres. You need to be dignified. Sage isn't a child forever.”
“Okay…… If you say so, Lady Vivian. So it's fine in front of you and the Demon King?”
She still hesitated calling the Demon King with honor, it seemed.
“Of course. The Demon King and I can handle your childish side.”
“Got it.”
Vivian stroked the head of Sage, pillowed on her lap.
“Sleepy?”
“Yeah, a little.”
“Then I'll sing you a lullaby. Sleep easy. The Demon King will come and end it all soon.”
Amid the screams of the collapsing city, Vivian sang a lullaby for Sage.
To the crumbling Mir.
The Demon King made his triumphant entry.