Chapter 36: Meanwhile, the Hero's Party...[R-18]
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 36: Meanwhile, the Hero's Party...[R-18]
The queen and the princess.
The two were the most noble figures in the entire kingdom.
With the king having passed away early, there were no other siblings.
Despite this, they were such excellent royals and politicians that the affairs of state ran without a single issue.
Today, however, even their expressions were far from bright.
“So, it has come to this,” the princess said with a deep sigh.
Normally, the queen would have reminded her that royalty must always remain dignified, but this time, she offered no correction.
Her own beautiful face, which boasted a youthfulness that made it hard to believe she had a grown daughter, was creased with worry.
“I never imagined we would be so troubled by the Hero’s Party, Mother.”
“Huuu… Indeed. To think the absence of one person could be so significant.”
The Hero.
A being chosen by the ‘God of Heroes’ and granted his blessing.
The power they wielded was, without exception, extraordinary.
Not only were the effects of the ‘Hero’s Blessing’ ridiculously overpowered, but they also earned the right to wield the Holy Sword.
The same was true for Leon, the one chosen as the Hero this time.
“There was some controversy among the nobles… about why a young nobleman with no notable achievements received such a blessing.”
“Perhaps the problem began back then. We should have prepared for it.”
“I thought there were no issues at first. Not just you, Mother, but everyone must have felt the same. After all, ‘he’ was in this party.”
At the princess’s words, the queen gave a bitter smile.
“Yes, this Hero had his long-time companion, Hyun-woo. And he was more brilliant than anyone.”
“Yes, his talent was simply overwhelming. I only saw him once, but it was enough to give me chills.”
For a moment, as the princess recalled the genius magician, her expression grew distant.
Her eyes were picturing the Hyun-woo she had seen then, a man of formidable power.
The first time the princess saw Hyun-woo was at a demonstration during the capital’s festival.
She could still not forget the resplendent magic she had witnessed that day.
“As long as he was there, I thought, this party would have no trouble even with the Demon King. He was that incredible.”
“Heh, it was so extreme that a rumor even started that the God of Heroes originally intended to choose Hyun-woo, but because he had already made a contract with the God of Mages, the god chose Leon, who was standing beside him.”
“Was there such a rumor?”
“Well, it’s just a rumor, my dear. Only the gods would know the truth.”
As she spoke, the queen thought to herself that she truly wished it had been so.
But now, such a wish was futile.
“To think he wouldn’t just lose such a great magician, but banish him with his own hands.”
“……It can only be seen as utter foolishness.”
The princess clicked her tongue lightly.
“Frankly, Leon’s party, including Leon himself, is severely lacking compared to the heroes of the past.”
“Indeed. The magician Hyun-woo was the one single-handedly propping up their deficient strength.”
Thanks to him, the subjugation of the Demon King’s army had been proceeding more smoothly than ever before.
Who could have known it would all fall apart like this?
I really don’t know what the Hero was thinking.
Of course, it wasn’t that she couldn’t guess his feelings at all.
Hero Leon had been compared to Hyun-woo in many ways.
Even the royal family, who was supposed to be supporting the Hero, had identified Hyun-woo as the more critical asset, which said it all.
He must have harbored an inferiority complex, felt jealous.
Even so, he should not have done this.
If Hyun-woo had simply left the party, the shock wouldn’t have been this great.
But whatever the Hero had done, Hyun-woo had vanished without a trace after being banished.
In the end, the kingdom had lost an immense military asset named Hyun-woo.
“He would have been a great help anywhere, not just in the Hero’s Party.”
“Indeed. We’ve lost an incredibly precious talent.”
For the royal family, that wasn’t the only loss.
Regardless of the process, the Magic Tower had lost its most valuable talent because of the Hero’s actions.
It was the royal family’s duty to handle the aftermath and apologize.
After all, ‘managing’ the Hero was part of the royal family’s role.
Ultimately, the royal family had to offer repeated apologies and promise massive support to the Magic Tower.
This debt would surely return as an even greater burden in the future.
“After what happened, it’s become even more difficult to get support from the magicians.”
This was the party that had driven out even Hyun-woo.
They were already unhappy about a genius being taken from them, and now this was the result.
What magician would want to join such a party?
The princess felt as if she could still feel the icy glare of the Magic Tower Master.
“The future is the bigger problem. We have to fill Hyun-woo’s vacancy somehow.”
“……The Hero must surely look down on our royal family’s support. Otherwise, he would never have done such a thing.”
The queen said nothing in response.
But her silence was an affirmation.
This was the sentiment of the royal family, the very people who should trust and support the Hero more than anyone.
It was obvious how the other nobles would view the Hero’s Party.
“Still, try not to show it in front of them. We must hear their side of the story first.”
“I understand, Mother.”
Just then, the voice of a retainer was heard.
Soon after, the Hero’s Party entered.
A party composed entirely of women, except for the Hero, Leon.
They approached and knelt.
“Hero Leon, I have come to receive your command.”
“Yes, thank you for coming.”
The queen greeted them with a slight nod.
Then she looked at the princess.
“As Her Majesty the Queen is weary from her duties, I will convey her words in her stead.”
It had already been decided that the princess would be the one to speak.
Since nothing good was likely to come of the conversation, it was better for it to be framed as the princess’s personal opinion rather than the queen’s.
Of course, it was a transparent charade.
There was no one here who didn’t know that the words coming from the princess’s mouth were the will of the royal family.
In a way, this was the best consideration they could offer the Hero.
“I trust you all know why you are here. It is about the matter of the magician, Lee Hyun-woo.”
At the immediate mention of his name, Leon’s shoulders flinched.
“The royal family currently feels deep regret over Magician Lee Hyun-woo’s departure from the Hero’s Party. Furthermore, it seems Hero Leon’s opinion was deeply involved in this matter.”
Her words were a rebuke, so direct it was almost an accusation asking why he had driven Lee Hyun-woo away.
What followed, then, could only be criticism and a demand for an explanation.
“Surely you made such a choice because you have a way to fill that vacancy, correct? I would like to hear how you plan to compensate for that loss of strength.”
He must have anticipated this question.
Therefore, a decent, if only for show, answer should be forthcoming.
Based on that, the royal family could also defend the Hero and put out the immediate fire.
…However, the Hero’s answer far transcended the princess’s expectations.
“Thank you for your concern. But we are sufficient without any additional forces.”
The princess’s eyes narrowed at the immediate reply.
If they were truly sufficient, there would have been no need to secretly summon the Hero’s Party here in the first place.
“……You’re saying there is no problem?”
“Yes. As the leader, I do not believe the existence of Lee Hyun-woo is greater than myself, the Hero, and my comrades. There is no need for the royal family to worry about his absence.”
“……I have heard that since Magician Lee Hyun-woo’s departure, you have failed to report any successful subjugations. And yet you claim your current strength is sufficient?”
The other women behind him looked as if they wanted to say something.
But they couldn’t bring themselves to do it.
Reporting to the royal family was the Hero’s role.
They were afraid of how recklessly interrupting would be perceived by both Leon and the royal family.
“We are merely in an adjustment period. It’s only natural, as we are down one member. If you could just give us a little more time and support, we will be able to show you results.”
“Time and support, you say……”
The princess tried her best to remain composed.
But her tightly clenched fists were trembling with rage.
Just how much more support did he need?
It was all the royal family’s resources, and by extension, the people’s blood and taxes.
After throwing all of that into the ground, how can he be so brazen……
The reason the Hero’s Party received such immense support was because of the belief that they would subjugate the Demon King’s army.
It was a trust built by previous generations of heroes who had risked their lives.
So, conversely, what if they couldn’t subjugate the Demon King’s army?
Did they truly have any reason to exist?
Even if they do, others won’t see it that way.
For now, people were being patient out of custom.
But soon, the dissatisfaction of the nobles and the people would reach its peak.
That dissatisfaction would be aimed directly at the royal family for supporting the Hero.
The royal family could no longer bear the damage and continue to absorb the loss.
In other words, it was time for results, not words.
“Very well.”
The princess made her decision based on a purely political judgment.
It was absolutely not a retaliatory move for him having driven out the magician named Lee Hyun-woo, a man she admired.
“If you are so confident that your strength is sufficient, then a subjugation mission should be no problem, correct? We, as the royal family, hereby command the Hero Leon’s party to subjugate the Forest of Darkness within one month.”
“Y-Your Highness… one month is a little difficult…”
“I will not hear any objections. The royal family has already waited long enough.”
The Hero could say nothing.
Because, in fact, the princess’s words were true.
The subjugation she spoke of should have been completed long ago.
It had been delayed because he had banished Hyun-woo.
And wasn’t the result this unprecedented situation, where the Hero was being reprimanded by the royal family?
Therefore, there was only one answer Hero Leon could give.
“I will obey the royal family’s command.”
At his reply, the women behind him squeezed their eyes shut.
In their minds, they could already see the outcome of the subjugation.
And in that, they were no different from the princess and the others present.