Responsibility
Three years had passed since the Hero's departure. The crisis of the continent, which many believed would never return, had reared its head once more, shaking the Empire to its core.
"Your Majesty! A reply has arrived from the Arzen Kingdom!"
"Is that so?! What does it say?!"
The Emperor, who had been unable to sleep day or night since hearing that the envoys sent to the Arzen Kingdom were returning with the Hero's response, badgered the messengers before they could even catch their breath.
"The Hero states that he is currently too busy to offer his assistance, and suggests we choose a new Hero to face the Demon King..."
The words were packaged far more politely than what the Hero had actually said.
Although this was merely King Edwin of the Arzen Kingdom trying to soften the blow, it sounded like a bolt from the blue to the Emperor and the nobles gathered in the council chamber.
Choose a new Hero to face the Demon King...
It would take years just to receive a divine oracle for a new Hero.
Then, it would take years to train and educate them.
It would take even more years for them to master the Holy Sword.
Realistically, even if they selected a new one, it was impossible to expect them to fight the Demon King anytime soon.
Furthermore, who was the retired Hero, Carlos? He was a veteran who had defeated the previous Demon King without sustaining a single injury—a genius the likes of whom history would rarely see again. The Emperor's sighs only grew heavier.
"Useless fool..."
The Emperor's resentful glare shifted toward the Crown Prince sitting nearby. Knowing full well that this crisis would never have happened if the prince hadn't stolen the Hero's fiancée, the Emperor's fury began to boil over.
"Your Majesty! Perhaps we should send another envoy..."
"With what face could I possibly send another envoy to the Hero?!"
"..."
"One of you steals the fiancée of the empire's greatest hero, and the other embezzles his retirement fund..."
The Emperor's resentful gaze shifted from the Crown Prince to his younger brother, Duke Felix, the Minister of Finance who managed the state treasury.
"Y-Your Majesty... It... it wasn't embezzlement..."
"Shut your mouth! If you weren't my brother, your head would have rolled long ago!"
"..."
The Emperor's rage had actually begun before sending this official envoy, during an informal exchange of letters with the Arzen Kingdom—a small but powerful nation in the north.
Until then, the Emperor had no idea why the Hero had suddenly vanished three years ago. But after learning the truth through the King of Arzen, and forcing confessions out of his son, the Crown Prince, and his brother, Duke Felix, his fury had known no bounds.
"Sigh... What do we do now..."
The Emperor valued the Hero's strength, but he valued the benefits that came with him even more. With the Hero, the Empire could lead the human coalition against the Demon King, elevating its prestige and allowing them to levy taxes on other kingdoms under the pretext of funding the war.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has brought immense harm to our Empire through his actions. I believe it is time to reconsider his position as the heir to the throne!"
The murmuring nobles of the anti-Crown Prince faction began to speak up one by one. Even the neutral nobles joined in, cornering the Crown Prince.
"Indeed, Your Majesty. The Crown Prince's actions and the resulting damage are catastrophic. If the Hero refuses to aid our Empire, the consequences will fall entirely upon the citizens!"
Seizing the opportunity, the Second Prince, Edward, who had always coveted the position of Crown Prince, spoke up.
"Your Majesty, the threat of the Demon King's army is a grave concern, but I fear what will happen if the other kingdoms allied with our Empire learn of this."
"What do you mean?"
"If rumors spread that my brother stole the Hero's fiancée and drove him away, how will the world look upon our Empire? That is what I fear most."
"Sigh... Heavens above!"
The Emperor's anger, which had briefly subsided, exploded once more at the Second Prince's words. The atmosphere in the room turned ice-cold. Finally, the Emperor issued an ultimatum to the Crown Prince.
"Listen well, Crown Prince."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"You are well aware of your responsibility in this matter, are you not?"
"...Yes."
"Then this will be simple. Go to the Arzen Kingdom and bring the Hero back, by whatever means necessary."
"What? But... how..."
"Go and beg on your knees! Or give him back his precious Saintess! Do I have to spell out every single detail for you?!"
"..."
Having provoked the Emperor's wrath once more, the Crown Prince quietly bowed his head. Sick of the sight of him, the Emperor delivered his final, harshest blow.
"If you fail to bring the Hero back, I will strip you of your title as Crown Prince."
"What?!"
"Do you understand?"
"...Yes..."
Stripping him of his title meant he would lose his claim to the throne. For him, it was practically a death sentence.
Meanwhile, the Second Prince, Edward, who had just been handed a golden opportunity, struggled to keep a straight face, his lips twitching upward despite the solemnity of the situation.
A few days after Edwin's visit...
Having failed to get the answer she wanted from me that day, Kir had departed for the central continent, where the Demon King was said to have appeared.
I had thought I would be fine after she left. But perhaps I had harbored strange feelings for her as well, because I went through a difficult time afterward, unable to even step foot outside my house for a while.
Once I finally pulled myself together, I left the cabin to fulfill my promise to Edwin.
When I arrived at the capital where Edwin resided, an unexpected figure was waiting for me at the city gates.
"Sir Hero!"
I had felt a sense of unease seeing the crowd gathered before the gates... and sure enough, despite an entire order of knights standing guard, a woman came charging straight through them the moment she spotted me.
"P-Princess Clara..."
She was Edwin's younger sister, and the princess of the Arzen Kingdom.
Dressed in a flowing, luxurious gown fit for the palace, she had been waiting at the gates with a retinue of maids and knights, looking as if she were expecting someone.
"Princess... what brings you here?"
"W-Well... I was waiting for you, Sir Hero!"
"Me? But how did you know when I would arrive..."
"..."
Instead of answering, Clara pointed behind her. There, a group of merchants—whom I had assumed were just traveling in the same direction—were bowing respectfully to the princess.
"Those people..."
"I sent people ahead so I could come out and greet you!"
I had met Princess Clara many times in the past, but she seemed taller and more mature now, having lost the childish air she once had.
Just a few years ago, when I came here to meet Edwin, she had been nothing but cute. Now, that little girl was nowhere to be seen.
"We shouldn't just stand here. Let's head to the palace, Sir Hero! My brother is waiting."
"Ah... yes..."
Instead of just walking beside me, Clara insisted on linking her arm with mine, clinging tightly as we walked.
"Princess... people are watching..."
"It's fine."
Normally, entering the capital required a strict identity check at the gates, but traveling with the princess made the process seamless. Once inside, a carriage—presumably Clara's—stood waiting.
"Sir Hero! Last time, when my brother said he was going to see you, I asked to go with him. But can you believe he went all by himself?"
"Last time...?"
"About a month ago."
A month ago... that would be when he came to deliver the Empire's message.
"Isn't my brother terrible? I stayed up all night waiting for him to leave, and he snuck out behind my back..."
Edwin had likely done that to keep his promise to me. I had made it clear that my cabin's location was a secret between the two of us, so he had probably kept it from his own sister to honor that agreement.
Or perhaps he knew I found Clara's forwardness a bit overwhelming and decided to leave her behind on purpose.
"Are you returning for good now? Does this mean you'll be going back to the Empire?"
"No. I plan to stay here in the Arzen Kingdom for the time being, Princess."
"Really?! You're actually going to stay at our palace?"
"Yes. I expect I will remain here until His Majesty commands otherwise."
Edwin would almost certainly offer me a stay in the detached palace. While that meant having maids and modern comforts, the downside was that I would likely be dragged into various events and banquets, leaving me with no personal time.
"Is that so...? I see..."
I wasn't sure if I was seeing things, but a fierce glint flashed in Princess Clara's eyes. If we went to the palace like this, Edwin was going to get an earful.
Before long, the carriage slowed to a halt as we reached the palace. A guarding knight stepped forward to open the door, revealing Edwin and a line of nobles gathered at the grand entrance.
As Edwin began to walk toward me, the others followed closely behind him.
"Welcome, Carlos. The journey must have been exhausting."
"Not at all, Your Majesty. Thanks to the Princess coming out to greet me, the trip was quite comfortable."
Honestly, I wanted to speak casually and snap, *'If you knew it would be exhausting, you should have sent a carriage to my cabin,'* but with so many nobles watching, I couldn't bring myself to do it.
"Your Majesty?"
As I shook hands with Edwin, Clara stepped down from the carriage. She approached Edwin with a bright smile, though her eyes carried a distinct, murderous intent.
"Please allow the Hero to stay in the detached palace."
"Huh? Uh... well... Clara..."
"Your. Majesty? Did you perhaps not understand what I just said?"
"Ah! No, of course I did! I understand completely! Very well, the Hero shall stay in the detached palace!"
Edwin flinched before Clara, ultimately giving in to her demands. I could only glare at him for deciding my accommodations without consulting me first.