You'll Understand, Right?
I did this for you, Ronan... You'll understand, right?
Those were the words Amy always said to Ronan whenever I played The Hero and Party Members.
Watching her put on that radiant, childhood-friend smile — so sweet it could melt anyone — both Ronan and I used to feel our hearts flutter for no good reason. There were plenty of times I found myself seized by the urge to do anything for her.
"Wanna die?"
Yeah, well. Not anymore.
Those words had been a curse for Ronan. Because of them, he had sacrificed himself over and over — always for Amy's sake.
Looking at Ronan's body now, wrecked almost beyond recognition, this had to be right after he'd taken down one of the Four Heavenly Kings. And even before he'd been reduced to this state, Amy had almost certainly said the exact same thing to him.
You're the reason he's like this. And you're still saying that?
I couldn't not be angry. Wearing an expression of genuine fury, I glared at the pink-haired woman in front of me.
"Wh... what?"
Amy looked thrown by the reaction she hadn't expected. Fair enough. In more than ten years as Ronan's childhood friend, she had never once heard him talk to her like that. Hearing something so harsh from him for the first time in her life, her shock was written all over her face.
In the heavy silence that followed, the remaining two party members stepped in.
"Ronan, why do you keep acting like this? Amy only said that for your sake."
"She's right, Lord Ronan. Lady Amy was the one who insisted we shouldn't abandon you till the very end. If you're going to curse someone, curse us."
They had already moved to Amy's side and were glaring at me — insisting their childhood friend had done nothing wrong, that they were the ones who had abandoned Ronan.
"You two still haven't come to your senses either, huh."
I looked at the pair of them and let out a sigh. Of course I knew what they were trying to say. I knew the situation better than anyone — and I knew better than anyone how absurdly false it all was.
You got gaslit by that pink-haired bitch too. In a way, I almost feel like we're comrades.
"...Excuse me?"
Well. They weren't going to figure that out anytime soon. Both of them looked flustered by what I'd said, but I had zero obligation to explain anything.
"Forget it. Talking would only wear out my mouth."
And with that, I bid my party members farewell. Staying here would only piss me off further. Leaving was the right call.
I walked out of the inn without so much as a glance back.
Straight to the Imperial Palace.
I didn't need to deliberate over a destination. I already knew exactly where I was going. From this moment on, I was heading straight to the Imperial Palace to collect my reward.
There's no way in hell I'm watching them swallow every last bit of it.
Whatever came later could wait. This came first.
Ronan's hero party had just defeated one of the Four Heavenly Kings. Calling them the ones who'd contributed the most to that subjugation wouldn't be an overstatement. Naturally, the Empire would hand out a fitting reward for that achievement.
I'm not going to be a sucker this time.
If I left right now, what would happen to those rewards? I already knew the story cold. The party members and that other hero, Jaxx, would gobble up every scrap of the credit. Not a single bit of recognition would come back to Ronan.
I had absolutely no reason to follow that pathetic storyline.
"Let's see..."
I dug through the bag with purpose. And sure enough — there it was. A teleport crystal. A high-value, single-use item. With this, I could reach the Imperial Palace first without a doubt.
"Activate...!"
A sharp vwoom — a flash of light — and I teleported straight to the Imperial Palace.
"So this is the Imperial Palace?"
Once the teleport finished, I looked around and found myself inside a glittering, antique building. This had to be the place. The teleport had gone off without a hitch.
I was still taking in the palace with open curiosity when someone approached me.
"Hero Ronan. We've been expecting you. Her Highness the Princess is waiting."
A girl in a maid's uniform addressed me — a rather cute-looking one. Spotting me, she bowed at a perfect ninety degrees.
Whoa... so this is what maid outfits look like in this world.
It hit me all over again that I was inside an NTR adult game. Cutouts from the armpits all the way down the chest line, a skirt short enough to make a statement, and garter belts on top of it — a maid uniform designed purely to wreck a man's composure.
"Um, Lord Ronan... if you keep staring like that..."
When I looked at her with undisguised fascination, the maid's face turned a little shy.
"If Lord Ronan desires it, I would gladly offer this body for sexual service."
And then she delivered a line perfectly suited to this world's setting. Well — in an adult game, of course the palace maids would be like that.
"...No. I'm fine. So the reason you called me — Her Highness wants to see me, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Tempting as that offer was, I had more important business. I needed to meet the princess as soon as possible — to get ahead of Jaxx and my former party members before they could open their mouths.
"Lead the way."
"Understood."
The maid agreed and started walking ahead. I followed, and before long we arrived at an elaborately decorated door.
So this is where the princess is.
The Empire's Third Princess, Ataraxia. She wasn't the real power behind the throne, but she was the one person you could actually reason with — about the only sensible, uncorrupted figure left in a rotten imperial family. Speak to her, and most things would get handled properly.
"Entering, Your Highness."
The door opened. Inside, seated at the center of her office and reading through documents, was the princess.
"A pleasure, Hero. I've already received word that you slew Draculas of the Four Heavenly Kings. You have my deepest gratitude for lending your strength to the Empire."
The moment she noticed me, the princess rose from her seat and greeted me with the elaborate etiquette of the high nobility.
"Not at all. I only did what needed doing. I don't think it warrants thanks."
"Truly the words of a hero."
I answered with a measured dose of humility, and the princess seemed quite pleased.
"So, what brings you here?"
Time to get to the point. She would have already figured I hadn't come for no reason. She tilted her head slightly, as if turning over why Hero Ronan would show up like this.
"I've come to discuss the reward. Just to be sure — could you tell me what compensation I was originally set to receive?"
No point hiding it. I answered straight, and asked — half already knowing the answer — what the original arrangement had been.
"Hmm... regarding the reward, it was decided that everything would go to Hero Jaxx and Hero Ronan's party members, was it not?"
"...Hah."
Exactly as I'd expected. Not a single deviation.
Ronan, you absolute, brain-dead sucker.
He'd shattered his own body taking down one of the Four Heavenly Kings, only to hand every scrap of the reward to other people. It drove home all over again just how hopelessly, insanely generous a sucker Ronan had been. Fine, give the party members something — but dumping the credit on another hero? What the hell was that?
In his mind, Jaxx had been a fellow hero who'd fought alongside them, and the party members had inflated Jaxx's achievements — but I was not about to sit back and let that stand.
"I've changed my mind. I want that reversed. I was the one who defeated Draculas of the Four Heavenly Kings. I intend to take the reward myself."
I said it to the princess without flinching. Rewards belonged to the people who'd earned them — in the amount they'd earned them.
"I see. Very well. I also believe Hero Ronan is the one who should receive the reward. I'll prepare something that won't leave you wanting. You have my word."
"Thank you."
The princess agreed without resistance. With that, the plan to secure my reward was complete — for now.
"Before you go — there is a banquet planned. Would you care to attend?"
As I turned to leave, the princess called me back. Since I was already here, she suggested, why not enjoy myself a little?
"A banquet... All right."
Well. No harm in it. A banquet meant plenty of good meat and good wine.
I told the princess I'd be there and stepped out of the room.
"This way, please. I'll show you to your quarters."
Outside, the waiting maid began to guide me. I followed her lead.
And as I walked behind her, I ran into some familiar faces.
"Huh?"
"..."
"Um... Lord Ronan?"
The members of the hero party I'd parted ways with only a few hours ago. They spotted me and stared, looking mildly flustered.
Nothing strange about this, I guess.
They'd have teleport crystals of their own, obviously. Their being here wasn't particularly surprising.
"Who's that dog barking?"
No need to acknowledge them. We weren't on greeting terms anymore.
I ignored the looks aimed my way and walked right past.