The Deal
“There we go! Sir Cardnios! Good morning to you.”
Tired was tired, but maintaining a diligent image was no small matter. Dragging my heavy body outside, I was immediately greeted by the ever-chatty holy knight Samson, his face beaming with pure cheer.
“Ah… Sir Samson, good morning to you as well.”
“Hm? Is something the matter? Are you feeling unwell?”
My complexion had never been great to begin with, but it must have looked especially awful right now. A flicker of worry crossed the shorter holy knight’s face.
“Oh, it’s nothing serious. Divine power and I just don’t seem to get along very well.”
“Ah, right—of course. You are of the incubus race, after all.”
“Just kidding. I poured quite a bit of effort into making this.”
When I lifted the suspicious-looking chain, Samson’s previously idiotic, sunny expression crumpled in an instant.
“Ugh, what is that thing? It looks like something an archmage of darkness would carry.”
“I did use dark magic, yes. During yesterday’s fight, I stole and learned several interesting spells, then tested them by engraving a few.”
“Hmm…”
The usually relentlessly positive Samson let out a low groan.
This level of tolerance only existed because of his personal fondness for me and the fact that I was an incubus. If an ordinary human had been carrying something like this, he would have smashed their skull without hesitation.
Look at him—his right hand kept twitching awkwardly, clenching and unclenching around the handle of the flail at his waist.
“So… why exactly did you create such a sinister object?”
“It hasn’t been long since I arrived in this world, but it’s far more dangerous than I expected.”
“That’s true. Incidents involving dark mages have grown increasingly frequent lately. The magic kingdom of Casandraite was destroyed by them just two years ago, so I can’t really argue.”
“I’m not particularly worried about myself, but I am concerned for my lover.”
“Ah, you mean Lady Iria.”
Samson stroked his chin for a moment as he recalled her, then let his shoulders slump as if he had no choice.
“To be honest, I’m not fond of it… but how could I scold a man for worrying about his beloved? That said…”
“Dark magic would cause quite the uproar if others saw it, wouldn’t it?”
“Indeed. It would probably be best if you received a blessing.”
“I feel the need for one as well, but wouldn’t that weaken me?”
“Hmm… I’m not certain. We’d have to test it. As it happens, the high priest mentioned he had something to discuss with you. Would you like to see him now?”
“Yes, that would be good.”
“…And that is the situation, Hero.”
At the high priest’s words, both Kyros, who had returned late at dawn, and Maria froze in place.
“So… you’re saying we should travel together with him all the way to the academy?”
The high priest’s expression grew strange at Maria’s trembling voice.
“Is there some problem?”
“W-well…”
Kyros firmly grasped Maria’s hand as she tried to speak, silencing her.
Thanks to his game knowledge, he knew that showing any negative reaction toward Cardnios would only make him look like a fool. So he answered in her place.
“It couldn’t be helped, but Maria was caught up in his attack and is still a little frightened.”
“Hmm…”
The high priest was an experienced man. He could tell the two were hiding something.
Still, the pair before him were the Hero and the Saintess—chosen by the Goddess herself. Out of respect, he did not press them and continued.
“That person… Cardnios, was it?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“We have uncovered the identity of the dark mage he captured.”
Whatever the dark mage’s identity was, it seemed significant. The high priest paused, pressing his fingers against his brow to reveal his exhaustion.
“The dark mage’s name was AbradaShirobe, one of the Twelve Executives of the First Fire.”
“…”
At the high priest’s explanation, Kyros furrowed his brow.
He had never heard the name AbradaShirobe, but he knew the organization called the First Fire.
A group of lunatics trying to open dimensional gates to summon an evil god into the world.
The main enemy in Academy Useless Hero was precisely the First Fire.
Most of its executives were enemies that should only appear in the mid-to-late game. Kyros’s mind fell into chaos.
“Why would an executive of the First Fire be here…”
“Do you remember the red-haired woman Sir Cardnios rescued?”
The high priest answered Kyros’s question with another question.
Of course Kyros remembered the red-haired woman.
The Witch of Calamity. Originally, she too had been one of the First Fire’s executives, so he knew far more about her than the high priest imagined.
But that was future information, so Kyros gave a short answer.
“Yes, I saw her.”
“Haa… Her name is MarganaCasandraite.”
Casandraite.
Kyros, who had little interest in international affairs, showed no strong reaction. Maria, however, was different.
Her eyes widened like saucers and her mouth fell open stupidly.
The magic kingdom of Casandraite had been destroyed two years ago. That meant—
“…Royalty?”
“Correct, Saintess.”
With a heavy, sunken gaze, the high priest swept his eyes over the pair, then let out a deep sigh and began to explain.
“She was apparently held as a slave by that dark mage for two years. We were able to learn where the surviving royals were sold, who they formed contracts with, and what the purpose of this recent terror attack was.”
“…So we really were the target?”
The high priest nodded gravely.
“They claimed to have received an oracle and went wild. They said this was the perfect opportunity to kill the Hero and the Saintess.”
Having brought the story this far, the high priest let out another long sigh.
“From now on—”
Knock, knock.
The high priest’s words were cut off by a knock at the door.
Perhaps due to exhaustion, irritation flashed across his face.
“What is it?”
“Lower holy knight Sir Samson has brought Sir Cardnios.”
“…Would the two of you mind remaining seated?”
When I arrived at the high priest’s office following Samson, there were already guests waiting.
The useless Saintess who had headbutted me yesterday and then fled.
The pathetic Hero who had abandoned all his duties to chase after a woman’s skirt.
It seemed the high priest’s business with me had something to do with these two.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have invited an outsider to sit in on a private meeting with the Hero and Saintess.
After quickly assessing the situation, I gave Samson a short bow of thanks and entered the room.
“Cardnios, of the incubus race, affiliated with the Mandol Company. It is an honor to meet you, High Priest Biliorio.”
“Yes. Though it is rather late, I offer my gratitude for your prompt action in saving citizens and aiding the holy knights in distress. Caulose’s hero, Sir Cardnios.”
The high priest rose from his seat to return my polite greeting.
The Hero’s eyelids trembled as he watched us, while the Saintess’s face showed… fear?
What? What did I even do?
The lively energy she had shown when we first met was completely gone. The Saintess hunched her shoulders and kept her eyes fixed on the floor.
“Now then, Sir Cardnios. Please, take a seat. We were just discussing matters concerning you.”
Matters concerning me, huh…
I briefly studied the high priest’s complexion.
His bloodshot eyes were steeped in deep fatigue, and the corners of his wrinkled mouth drooped downward, clearly displeased with the current situation.
After disposing of the traces from the two Expert-level underworld figures yesterday and confirming the purpose of this terror attack, I had reached a conclusion sooner than expected.
They were going to try to hire me.
The Holy Kingdom currently lacked the resources to handle this alone.
The Hero and Saintess were still only at the User rank, and since one of the executives had already targeted them, there was a chance it could happen again.
The documents I had brought contained information on the locations of First Fire hideouts as well as nobles and nations they had made deals with. The kingdom would need to divert forces there as well.
Therefore, the three Master-rank captains the Holy Kingdom possessed could not be moved, and even the Expert-rank leaders could not be dispatched recklessly.
That left me—an amicable figure whose destination overlapped with theirs—as the one to request an escort from.
Was that the flow of things?
The high priest clearly disliked this development, but for me, it was excellent news.
“As it happens, I also have a favor to ask. I will listen attentively.”
“Hmm… Is it regarding the grimoire or the chains?”
The high priest spoke as if he already knew, even though I hadn’t said a word.
I could feel the difference in experience compared to a fly-by-night Expert like myself.
If he was going to be this straightforward, it made things easier for me.
“Both… Would that be too much to ask?”
“Haa…”
Apparently quite exhausted, the high priest rubbed his face once despite the presence of guests, then shook his head.
“Not at all. Compared to what we wish to request, it is quite simple. Shall we bestow a blessing? Or would purification be better?”
“A blessing, if you would. The grimoire is sealed with authentication magic, so please keep that in mind as well.”
“Understood.”
“Hm… While I’m asking favors, may I add one more request?”
At my question, the high priest twitched the tip of his eyebrow, openly displaying displeasure.
Hey now, I get that you’re tired, but that temper of yours is pretty short.
“Go ahead and speak.”
His posture immediately turning sloppy, the high priest leaned back comfortably in his chair and jerked his chin.
It was understandable to get irritated when someone kept piling on work while you were exhausted, but this wasn’t even a request for my own benefit.
He should at least listen before throwing a fit. Tsk.
Clicking my tongue only inside my mind so it wouldn’t be heard, I voiced my second demand.
“While moving the documents yesterday, I noticed there are quite a few dark mage hideouts in this area.”
“Yes, thanks to that we are extremely busy.”
His tone clearly suggested I should wrap it up and leave, but I pretended not to notice and continued.
“Therefore, traveling the trade route with my father-in-law—oops, excuse me—with Mr. Mandol seems difficult.”
“Hm?”
When something different from what he had expected came out, the high priest finally straightened his back. I almost laughed. What a sly old man.
“If possible, I would like to travel to the empire together with the Hero’s party.”
For a moment, a spark of interest lit up the high priest’s previously weary eyes.
That’s right. The Holy Kingdom probably hated the idea of asking an incubus who reeked of demonic energy for help—it damaged their dignity.
If a single piece of lip service like this could earn their favor, there was no reason not to do it.
“Hmm… Adding two more people to the party isn’t difficult.”
When the high priest cleared his throat and gave a positive reply, the two people sitting beside him flinched.
The Hero had seemed to recognize me from the start. Had he shared information after running away yesterday?
I’d have to test the waters while traveling with them.
“Haha, thank you. Since you’re helping me like this, I don’t have much to offer in return.”
I took out the heavy coin pouch that had once belonged to the dark mage and set it down on the table in front of the high priest with a thud.
It was my way of saying, I even considered your reputation, so if you have any conscience, take this and keep your mouth shut.
Whether my intention had been conveyed or not, the high priest subtly reached out, moved the pouch into a drawer beneath the desk, and bowed his head in thanks.
“I don’t know how it’s done in this world, but this is an offering I am presenting to Goddess Victoria.”
“Ahem. Though you were born with demonic energy, your piety will surely reach the Goddess.”
The high priest offered a solemn, priestly blessing, and I nodded in return.
Of course it will. After all, that very Goddess summoned me.
Master Cardnios truly is amazing! Even the high priest couldn't help but be moved by his generosity. As expected of the man who saved us all!
