Chapter 110
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Failure Means Rebellion, Success Means Revolution, But Success Followed by Ruin... (2)
“Ugh... Haa...”
Not long after the rebellion broke out, Orlando Pacific realized the situation had turned dire. He hurriedly stationed his shadow warriors and slipped out of the royal castle through a secret passage.
“Damn it, damn it. Sigrion, you bastard...”
After emerging from the secret passage, he ground his teeth while dashing through the forest with a handful of his escort knights.
There had been warning signs.
The third prince, a hero who had been denied the throne.
He harbored deep resentment toward his father, Orlando, and his brother, Mir.
‘But I never imagined he’d actually launch a rebellion like this...’
No matter what, I thought the guy had some sense of proportion.
Who would’ve thought he’d drag so many nobles into it?
‘How the hell did he pull it off? Something about granting them immortality...’
For a fleeting moment, he even considered yielding the throne to Sigrion and begging for that immortal power himself.
But as a hero and the king of a nation, he couldn’t stoop to dealing with some shadowy apostle of unknown origins.
Such power was inherently evil and insatiable by nature.
It wouldn’t stop at merely granting strength.
It would surely demand something far greater in exchange.
If the wish was something like becoming the king of a nation, as with Sigrion...
The entire kingdom would end up seized by that malevolent force.
And then, immortality and power be damned—the kingdom would be finished.
“Haa...”
Orlando ground his teeth and let out a heavy sigh.
‘He couldn’t possibly have been so oblivious, just drunk on power like that. What a foolish son.’
Orlando was trash—hating heroes out of inferiority and valuing his own safety and honor over his children.
But he wasn’t so brainless as to ruin an entire nation.
His son Sigrion, however, was trash on another level—and just as idiotic.
“Is Pacific truly finished...?”
Since Sigrion was behind it all, he’d no doubt slaughtered all his siblings who might obstruct his path to the throne, Mir included.
On top of that, he’d either kill or seduce with promises of immortality any nobles who opposed him, pulling them to his side.
A way to reclaim the Pacific Kingdom...
“...There is one.”
Suddenly, a spark ignited in Orlando’s mind.
“Lynn. Lynn Pacific.”
The youngest princess, stripped of her name and exiled over that demon possession incident.
Now wielding a hero’s power, she had become a fairly renowned adventurer.
If he brought her in, couldn’t she drive out Sigrion and his minions and help him retake the kingdom?
‘Yes, if I promise to restore her position as a princess, Lynn will come crawling back on her own.’
She had roughed up the Nibel Knight Captain badly the previous time, but since she’d arranged his funeral before he could report back...
Orlando still believed Lynn was the same weak girl she’d always been.
‘Lynn alone might not cut it, but... among her companions are Jenny Harkur and Scarlett Harkur, aren’t there? I can just ask those bitches for help!’
He was Lynn Pacific’s father, after all.
And the kingdom had been seized by those wielding evil powers.
What better justification could there be?
Besides, Sigrion, empowered by that malevolent force...
And the shadowy mastermind behind him.
They wouldn’t be satisfied with just the Pacific Kingdom.
This was a crisis demanding heroes to step up and save the world, wasn’t it?
“Yes, to Hasler. Perfect plan.”
Orlando praised his own brilliant mind and set off for the Carr Empire.
Upon returning to Hasler, we immediately gathered the guild’s key figures and recounted everything we’d experienced in the Mera Union—and everything we’d uncovered.
“Shall we charge straight into the Mera Union?”
“......”
Whoa, that’s extreme.
Jenny, you’ve gotten fiery lately.
“No, doing that could turn us into the world’s enemy. To anyone unaware, it’d look like we’re toppling an innocent nation for no reason.”
Branch Chief Terry was spot on.
From the outside, it’d seem like we were attacking without solid proof.
We’d need to secure irrefutable evidence and make it public, but first, we had to avoid getting crushed in the process.
“Our forces are strong, but... taking on an entire nation would be tough.”
On top of that, the Mera Union was formed from seven nations combined.
It boasted power on par with the Carr Empire or the Magic Republic.
“But we can’t just ignore it, right?”
Scarlett shrugged as she asked.
True enough.
Letting it slide was far too risky.
“If Instructor Kane’s hypothesis holds, they’re devouring heroes’ lifespans. And that could even lead to the Demon King’s revival.”
Veronica had a point.
Who knew what else might unfold if we sat idle?
But whatever happened, it wouldn’t be anything good.
“It’s not a hypothesis. The Saint’s words are always true. That is the answer.”
“......”
Wait, why is Mersenne even here?
Shouldn’t he be in the capital or carrying out hero duties?
Not that I mind or anything.
It’s just... him calling me “Saint” and Jenny “Goddess”...
It’s a bit overwhelming.
I’d prefer if he stayed out of sight.
“...Saint. May I offer a word?”
As I was thinking that, Mersenne spoke to me with his usual grave expression—well, he always looked grave, but still.
“About the heroes’ lifespans... I have something to share.”
“What is it?”
Hm, must be uncomfortable for a hero to hear.
You can leave if you don’t want to listen.
Please do.
“I am grateful beyond words for the chance to offer my humble counsel to the great Saint and Goddess...”
...Just go.
By the time his lengthy gratitude had everyone wearing expressions like mine or Jenny’s...
“...To be precise, I have something to say about my father, Principal Parus Remnant.”
...?
Parus?
Why him all of a sudden...?
“Ah.”
The moment I recalled Principal Parus, it hit me.
That guy... now that I think about it...
“As expected of a former Hero Academy instructor and Saint. You saw it right away.”
His age...
“Principal Parus Remnant—my father—is currently 48. The year’s almost over, so he’ll soon be eyeing 49.”
Nearly 50.
He’d surpassed the average hero lifespan.
Sure, living a bit longer might not seem like much.
But if a curse was siphoning heroes’ lives to Demon King Kraksus...
It changed everything.
Even former Marquis Harkur hadn’t broken past 45.
He’d fallen ill right after turning 40 and never left his sickbed.
Yet Principal Parus showed no signs of decline.
He was still actively serving as Hero Academy’s principal.
What was going on?
Did Parus have something extra special?
Or...
“Did he strike a deal with them?”
“......”
“......”
The room fell silent the moment I said it.
Everyone was probably thinking the same.
That’s when Jenny raised her hand, breaking the quiet.
“...Or maybe the curse just doesn’t affect him.”
“The curse doesn’t work on him?”
Parus was immune to the curse.
Could that be linked to why they tried to take out Lynn directly?
“...Actually, Dad started getting sick right after he was invited to the Mera Union and came back.”
What? Seriously?
This... had to be connected, right?
“Is that true?”
“Yeah. When Bro and Lynn headed to the Union, I was so worried I almost told you, but I thought, no way it’s related. And yet...”
Listening now, it screamed connection.
“Them specifically summoning Lynn this time, too. And Dad falling ill after his visit. Maybe it’s because someone immune to the curse exists, so they had to curse him directly.”
...So Lynn’s assassination attempt was to implant the curse after all.
“That’s not it, O Goddess.”
“...?”
Mersenne suddenly cut in.
“Gasp...! I had no intention of contradicting the Goddess! Forgive my irreverence, I—”
“Quiet. Just get to the point.”
Jenny shut down Mersenne’s dramatics with a single line.
He got straight to it.
“...Father visited the Mera Union about ten years ago as well. Not by invitation—he went of his own accord.”
Hm, so the story goes: after that, Father started acting strangely...
“From then on, Father changed a bit. He became obsessed with the academy’s education, ranting that if its traditional methods crumbled, the world would follow.”
Just as I thought.
So it started back then.
Principal Parus’s bizarre fixation on Hero Academy.
“We’ll start there.”
There might be some link to the Mera Union.
If so, digging into Principal Parus first should do it.
“I’ll inform His Imperial Majesty and see if he can lend assistance.”
He couldn’t strike or investigate the Mera Union directly.
But looking into Principal Parus? That should be feasible.
He’d promised full support, after all.
Shouldn’t this much be on the table?
Right, Your Majesty?