Heatwave (1)
"What kind of bullshit is this about a war hero?"
Sure, I served in the military in my past life. But in this life, I hadn't gone anywhere near the Demon King's army. For a shut-in, outcast, loser, virgin, incel, bottom-tier Mabung-i leader like me to be called a war hero? I wasn't even eligible for conscription in the first place.
"Who in their right mind would draft a half-demon, half-human?"
Even if I enlisted, I wouldn't fit in with my comrades, and I'd only ruin the unit's morale. Not to mention, since I was half-human, the distrust that I might betray them at any moment was far greater. There's a limit to how delusional people can get.
Worried my mother might see, I quickly closed the gallery window.
"Thanks for the meal."
"Sure, sweetie~"
After finishing breakfast, I slipped back into my room. And then...
"What the hell is this?"
Filled with questions, I opened the gallery window.
The photo in the War Correspondent's post showed Aredria, the capital of the Ared Empire. It said that the capital had suddenly plunged into absolute chaos, paralyzing the Allied command in one fell swoop and easing the pressure on the front lines.
"But what does that have to do with me?"
"Goddammit."
They weren't even listening to me anymore.
The guy who made the dirty joke about "sucking off" was banned in an instant. Looking at the gallery moderation logs, it seemed Reina had swung the ban hammer.
"Good."
The gallery users still didn't seem to believe me, but...
"Do I look like I give a shit?"
I didn't actually do it, so why should I keep explaining myself?
"If you want to claim I did it, bring some proof."
And...
"Since it helped the Demon King's army, nothing bad should happen to me this time, right?"
Probably?
"Sweetie~"
"Yes?"
"Could you come out here for a second?"
My mother called, so I closed the gallery window for now.
The imperial palace of Aredria.
The Crown Prince, his ceremonial robes half-torn, panted heavily as he roared.
"Never in the history of the Empire's founding have we suffered such humiliation!"
"..."
"For the imperial capital to be exposed to the danger of our own artifact!!!"
The noble commanders and ministers were in a similarly disheveled state. All of their gazes were locked onto one man.
"Gallery Surveillance Director!"
"...Y-Yes, Your Highness."
"We repeatedly warned you to use it with caution because of how dangerous the artifact is! How on earth did an outsider manage to steal it from under your nose?"
The Surveillance Director had no excuses, even if he had ten mouths. Cold sweat poured down his face as he scanned the room. Even though they were inside the imperial palace and unarmed, it felt as though they would beat or strangle him to death the moment the order was given.
Since the artifact had been stolen due to his own blunder, he had absolutely no defense.
However...
'If I tell the truth here, not just me, but the entire Surveillance Bureau will be executed.'
They had finally organized a bureau capable of conducting full-scale covert operations. To have it disbanded over a single day's mistake? That would be a loss for the Ared Empire—no, a loss for the entire Allied Forces.
'If that happens, we might actually lose the war.'
That was how terrifying and meticulous the Head Mod was.
So, the Surveillance Director decided to sprinkle in a slight excuse.
"An agent sent by the Head Mod infiltrated us."
"An agent of the Head Mod?!"
The Crown Prince's handsome face distorted hideously.
"What do you mean by that? How could a demon infiltrate the very heart of Aredria, target the Gallery Surveillance Bureau with such precision, and steal the artifact?"
"Surveillance Director! How dare you lie in the presence of the Crown Prince!"
"Your Highness, we must cut out his tongue!"
"Silence!!!"
The Crown Prince quieted the assembly, then commanded, "Continue."
He decided to hear out the Surveillance Director's report.
"The culprit was not a demon."
"!!!"
At that, the room began to buzz with whispers.
"Then what was their race? An elf? A dwarf? Or perhaps a beastman or lizardman who declared neutrality while playing both sides?"
"No, Your Highness. It was a human mage."
"!!!"
A traitor. A traitor siding with the demons, of all things.
"How insolent!"
The Crown Prince's wrath, which had been directed at the Gallery Surveillance Director, was now redirected toward this mysterious traitor. He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart.
"Did the bastard say anything?"
"According to the remarks he let slip, he was fully aware of all the covert operations our bureau was directing at the Head Mod. He stated he came to deliver a 'warning' on the Head Mod's behalf."
Of course, this was a highly embellished report by the Gallery Surveillance Director, but given the gravity of the situation, everyone swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.
"So... the Head Mod caught wind of our secret operations against him, flew into a rage, and sent his agent to deliver a 'warning'?"
"Yes, Your Highness. He added that he would never tolerate such actions again."
"Good heavens... and this was merely a 'warning'?"
Aredria had been engulfed in the magical influence of the 'Ominous Staff' until noon. Although the artifact eventually lost its mana, fell, and shattered, the heart of the Empire had been plunged into utter chaos from dawn throughout the entire morning.
An effect that stripped people of their emotional control. Consequently, the lower classes committed crimes all over the city, while the nobles engaged in unspeakably bizarre and depraved acts.
Even the servants, who usually harbored grievances against the Crown Prince, grabbed him to vent their complaints. In extreme cases, they had even torn his clothes and scratched his skin.
If that mage had intended to truly punish them...
'Aredria might have met its end that very day.'
The Crown Prince resolved to proceed with caution. The front lines were currently favorable to the Allied Forces, so there was no need to provoke the dangerous Head Mod.
"Very well. From now on, the Gallery Surveillance Bureau shall limit its activities to merely monitoring the Head Mod's movements. If we rashly provoke him, we might face an even greater retaliation—"
"No!"
"!"
The one who suddenly burst into the meeting room was...
"Your Imperial Majesty!"
It was the Emperor, who had been bedridden. Having secluded himself for some time and delegated all authority to the Crown Prince, he had somehow appeared in the meeting room, supported by his attendants.
"Y-Your Majesty?"
"My son, I trusted you and gave you full authority, yet why do you speak such weak words?"
"Your Majesty, what befell Aredria yesterday was a 'disaster' we could not even begin to counter."
"Hmph. So, are you suggesting we compromise with those demon bastards?"
The Emperor, whose eyes were usually dull and vacant, grew sharp and clear the moment the word 'demon' was mentioned.
"It is not that, but..."
"Enough! Perhaps because the 'Ominous Staff' revived the emotions I had forgotten, I feel incredibly refreshed. Hear me, my lords!"
At the Emperor's thunderous shout, everyone fell to their knees.
"Do not slacken our offensive, neither on the front lines nor in the gallery!"
Clenching his skeletal hand, which was nothing but skin and bones, the Emperor declared:
"To wipe every single demon bastard off the face of this earth—that is the wish of the entire Alliance."
Three days later, the leadership of the Alliance of Orderly Races resolved to mobilize all of their capabilities to punish the Head Mod.
A few days after my mother returned home and Reina's infiltration took place.
Construction has been completed.
The house construction, which had been progressing steadily, was finally finished.
Surprisingly, my mother didn't seem particularly curious about the house building itself. While I was worrying about how to explain it to her, she brought it up first.
"I heard you met the Operator?"
"How did you know?"
"Is there anything your mother doesn't know? I suppose that house is also part of the Operator's power. Then again, the old house was far too worn down. Your father would have had to return for us to even get it repaired."
"Ahaha..."
She already knew about the existence of the Gallery Operator.
My mother stared quietly at the house, then suddenly spoke with a serious expression.
"Son."
"Yes?"
"Do not trust the Operator completely. There is no such thing as kindness without a price."
"...Pardon?"
I was about to ask what she meant, but my mother instantly changed her expression, grabbed the items floating around, and feigned ignorance.
"Oh my, these little things are so adorable~"
She gave the red magic stone she won from the auction the simple name 'Reddy' and the black treasure sword 'Blackie,' playing with them as if they were puppies.
'What is going on?'
Not only did she know about the Operator, but she had also warned me. To not trust her completely.
"Hmm."
After pondering for a moment...
'Well, I'll think about it later.'
I stepped inside the newly completed house.
"The inside is cleaner than I expected."
Both the exterior and interior perfectly matched the house I had envisioned. Since there were window screens, I could open the windows without worrying about bugs.
"Oh?"
There was electricity and running water. And even...
"Wait, there's gas too?"
Click, click, click, click, whoosh!
A blue flame bloomed and danced on the gas stove.
Just then, the Operator appeared.