Snap Out of It
"What... what do you mean by that right now?"
Seria stared in disbelief, repeating the words as if she couldn't process them.
"......"
"Didn't hear me? It's exactly as I said."
"...Huh?"
Lurein, who had been standing there with her mouth agape in shock, finally managed to speak.
"S-So, you're saying... I still don't get it...? That Tanas abandoned us? Abandoned us?"
She fell silent, speechless. Her eyes calmly conveyed the truth.
"......"
"Is it true? Arshe! Tell me!"
But Lurein couldn't let go of her denial. She grabbed Arshe's broken arm and pressed for an answer relentlessly. From Lurein's perspective, getting chewed out by the Hero Dario, she must have seen this as a bolt from the blue. After all, she'd been waiting desperately for him to return.
Not just Lurein—all the girls gathered here had probably harbored the same hope deep down.
"Let go! Didn't I just tell you? It seems Tanas disbanded the entire party!"
Arshe shoved Lurein away with a face as cold as her blue hair.
How could that even be possible? Being a hero's companion wasn't something you could dissolve as easily as an adventurer or mercenary party—it was practically a contract. And without even coming to the Royal Capital or getting help from the Pontiff or the saintess candidate, how...?
Was Arshe just playing a cruel prank?
"Y-You're joking, right? This is just a joke!"
"......"
Once that thought crossed her mind, Lurein exploded in anger, but nothing changed.
It had already happened.
"Arshe, sorry to doubt you, but is that information solid?"
Perhaps she'd been stressed lately—Seria had dark circles under her eyes as she backed Lurein up, gazing at Arshe with a look that prayed it wasn't true.
"I can assure you. As the Tyr Church's proxy, I confirmed it directly with His Holiness the Pontiff."
"......I see."
"......"
Arshe glanced briefly at Seria and Lurein before continuing bitterly.
"The twelve blessings bestowed upon us have all vanished too."
"Ah..."
"You probably suspected as much, but... the hero's abilities have been returned as well."
"That's why the magic cube suddenly wouldn't open... So that's what happened."
"......"
By now, even Seria grasped the gravity of the situation, her expression hardening.
Returning abilities meant the party was definitively gone.
"The Flow Control we took from Tanas must have returned to its original owner."
"T-Took? I just borrowed it because I wanted to help Tanas... What about you?! You're the same!"
"Lurein, sorry, but I'd prefer you not lump me in with you."
"What the hell does that mean? You picking a fight?"
Lurein unwrapped her arms and gripped the staff on her back.
"Look at you, getting violent again. Sure, I said some harsh things to Tanas and borrowed his ability, but I didn't beat it out of him with my staff like someone."
"W-What did you say?! You done talking?"
"If you'd hit him a little less, this wouldn't have happened!"
As the two glared at each other, baring their emotions, Lein slowly spoke up from the corner where she'd been staring blankly at the ceiling.
"......So, what do we do now?"
"......"
A hero-less hero party. It simply couldn't exist.
If word got out, they were finished. They'd been living luxuriously, splurging support funds, and wearing expensive gear all thanks to the privileges of being a hero party.
"We don't have much time. With the party disbanded... we have one month left. We need to meet Tanas and convince him before then."
"So if we can't persuade Tanas within a month... we'll be branded traitors?"
True to her role as the Tyr Church's proxy, Arshe was the first to catch Seria's implication, sighing with worry.
Traitor's Brand. The most dishonorable mark for those who abandoned their divine duty from the gods, classifying them as heretics. And since it came straight from the gods themselves, there was no escaping it.
In the Ersha Kingdom, being labeled a heretic was as good as a death sentence.
"...Yes. We need to hurry as much as possible."
"N-No way, that's a lie! Tanas wouldn't... I treated him the best I could... Why would he cast us out? His false charges were cleared, so why?!"
Lurein still couldn't grasp the situation, tearing at her hair and screaming.
"...He must be disappointed in us...?"
"Ah..."
No one readily responded to Lein's murmur. How could they, when they were all recalling what they'd done to Tanas?
"Sob... sniff... hic..."
Soon, sorrowful sobs echoed. Whether they were tears of remorse or fear of the traitor's brand, no one could tell.
At that moment, Lurein lifted her head and spoke firmly.
"No... Tanas has no choice but to come back."
"What makes you say that?"
"Seria, don't you still have Tanas's Divine Weapon?"
"It's stored at the church headquarters."
"Lein has his money, Arshe has his armor."
The others nodded slowly at her question.
"And I have all the magic items."
"Ah...!"
"See? I don't know how he disbanded the party, but... when he comes to the Royal Capital, he'll look for us first."
"Hm... That makes sense."
"We can convince him again."
"But... will it really work?"
Lein muttered worriedly, hugging her knees.
"It... it has to, right...?"
"Don't worry. With the swordmaster issue, he'll head back to the capital soon anyway. So..."
Just as she tried to spin her happy delusions again, a knock echoed through the room.
"What is it?"
"Lady Seria. A messenger has arrived."
A messenger...? Now, of all times? If it wasn't important, she'd have told them not to let anyone in.
Unable to shake a nagging unease, she hesitated before slowly opening the door.
"What is it?"
"Lady Seria, sorry to disturb your rest, but..."
The messenger trailed off, oddly avoiding her gaze.
I did ask them to look into information on Hero Tanas... right?
"Well?"
"Don't beat around the bush—speak."
By now, the other three girls had gathered behind Seria, their faces tense.
"...He's gone missing."
"......Pardon?"
Missing? Who? It took no time to realize the stunned words had come from her own mouth.
"The Hero is missing."
* * *
Tanas sat cross-legged on the bed, repeatedly attempting qi circulation and breath regulation. He started with the Minor Heavenly Circuit, then moved to the Major.
Woooong—
"......"
Was there progress? After just one day, faint blue energy flickered and faded around his body several times.
"Hoo."
He'd originally planned to learn the powerful Heaven-Shattering Flow Divine Art first, but he had no choice.
Thanks to those bitches sending the porters after me...
To survive, he'd hastily cultivated the Reverse Blood Demonic Art, burning his lifespan. His dantian and meridians throughout his body screamed like those of a critical patient.
Those women hadn't helped at all—they'd been a hindrance to the bitter end.
So, the second art he cultivated was the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art. Perfect for recovering his current condition.
This art harmonized and balanced the body, converting the impurities in his meridians into inner energy with the special properties of sun-moon qi.
So it comes to this after all.
The Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Divine Art, of all things. He didn't like the side effects, but there was no alternative.
Forcing the Heaven-Shattering Flow Divine Art and suffering qi deviation would be no laughing matter.
Better to rejoin those crazy bitches than risk qi deviation.
At least, thanks to the hero's authority, his natural recovery was swift.
"That's enough for now."
He rose from the bed, stretching his limbs and assuming positions.
Just one day, but by suppressing his emotions and immersing in training, a tiny sprout of fresh sun-moon qi had peeked from his dantian.
"Guest, breakfast is ready. Shall I bring it up?"
The innkeeper's voice came from outside the door. Time to check the bait he'd laid yesterday.
"No need."
As he descended the stairs to the central hall, he scanned the surroundings.
Seven, huh...
Men and women eyeing him with greedy stares from all corners—practically a crime.
Ignoring them, he sat naturally in the center of the hall.
"Guest, your food."
"Thanks. Here's a tip."
He slipped a gold coin into the server's hand. The stares from around him intensified.
"Th-Thank you! Sir swordsman!"
As the server vanished, here she comes. A woman of about twenty, hooded in black, approached lightly.
"...Might you have a moment?"
"Miss, what's this about?"
"Hehe... Nothing much. Want to grab a drink somewhere nice with me?"
At that instant—
"Heh heh... Some noble's brat?"
Three men who'd been lurking nearby closed in like a net. Thugs, by the look of them.
"Looks like you're having a good time. Sorry to interrupt."
"Brother, you're a new face around here..."
"......"
He'd picked a high-end inn to avoid scum like this.
A quick glance showed the guards averting their eyes in fear.
"We're good Samaritans, see? You look loaded. Hand it over nice and easy..."
The burly leader thrust his boar-like face forward.
"Scram. Not saying it twice."
No need for polite speech with trash like this—they'd just walk all over him.
The complete opposite of how he'd treated the server. The giant flinched and stepped back.
"You little shit! I was trying to be nice!"
Realizing he'd retreated unconsciously, his face flushed red.
"Kekeke... You're dead now. Know who my boss is?"
"......"
Tanas sighed inwardly. Don't bother dogs while they're eating, they say.