A Whisper of Thanks
Don’t let a single one escape. Part 5.
Hela returned after assessing the situation. She turned to me as I unwound the bandages from my face and spoke in a voice heavy with bitterness.
“I’m sorry. It feels as though I’ve stolen credit for Your Majesty’s achievements…”
Even though she had only followed my orders, Hela still offered an apology. For someone as fiercely loyal as her, the situation clearly sat poorly.
Watching her—stubbornly upright, yet somehow endearing because of it—I smiled faintly and answered in a quiet voice.
“There’s no need to think that way. As I said, even if we don’t hide our power, it’s better to keep our names out of it for now. Considering what lies ahead.”
“That… is certainly true, but…”
It was obvious. If word spread that the Demon King had returned, the repercussions would be enormous. The Allied Races would immediately mobilize an army led by the Hero and descend upon us. While the two of us might survive, the demons we had only just rescued would have no guarantee of safety.
Although everyone left here was a demon and therefore on our side, the more people who knew the secret, the greater the risk that it would leak at any moment. In that sense, letting Hela—already a well-known figure—take the spotlight was the wiser choice for the time being.
And there was another reason. One that had nothing to do with practicality.
No. Perhaps all the other reasons are just excuses…
I had trotted out grand justifications about information control, but deep down I knew the truth. The real reason I hesitated to reveal myself to the demons was the guilt that still pressed heavily on my heart.
Because of my mistakes, they had lost their families and loved ones—and were still losing them. If I hadn’t been foolish enough to trust the Allied Races… If I hadn’t let myself be swayed by the Hero simply because she was my favorite character, none of this tragedy would have happened.
All of this misery stemmed from my own stupidity. I had no right to stand before the people I had wounded so irreparably and claim to be their lord, nor to present myself as their savior.
What I must do is simple. Pour every ounce of strength into destroying the Allied Races and rebuilding the Demon Kingdom. That is all…
Reminding myself once more of my duty, I tried to push the discomfort aside.
Just then, Hela spoke again.
“Come to think of it, there’s something I heard earlier.”
“…What is it?”
Her voice was calm. She continued with a more serious expression.
“One of the citizens begged me to pass on a message. They said that if it hadn’t been for the one commanding the undead, they would have been in grave danger. They asked me to tell that person… thank you.”
“…!”
The words of gratitude, relayed through Hela, were short. Yet the moment I heard them, I felt something in my chest lighten—just a little.
At that moment, Hela looked at me with a gentle smile.
“I understand, at least a little, what weighs on Your Majesty’s mind.”
“!”
She had struck straight at the heart of it. Surprise flashed through me.
“Was it… that obvious?”
“Given the circumstances, it’s the only thing anyone could be thinking about. Besides, I have served Your Majesty for years now. I can guess at my lord’s troubles to some degree.”
“…”
Hela offered a quiet smile, then turned her gaze toward the window.
“Even so, as a mere subordinate, I cannot fully comprehend Your Majesty’s anguish. But please, look at them, my lord. Look at the people gathered here.”
Following her words, I looked outside.
There, the demons were laughing and celebrating. Some ate and drank freely from the stores we had hidden away. Others wept with relief as they reunited with family members they had feared lost. Still others—young demon children—slept peacefully around campfires under the protection of the undead, their faces serene.
The sight eased something in my chest. Hela’s voice reached me again.
“It was not anyone else who gave them this moment. It was Your Majesty. Because you returned… because you acted, they were able to be saved.”
“Hela…”
“I have nothing to say regarding Your Majesty’s past mistakes. But at the very least, I wanted to tell you this: you need not turn away from the miracle you have wrought with your own hands simply because of guilt.”
“…”
Her words were soft and warm, yet they rang like a clear bell through the fog of my remorse. After that, Hela fell silent, simply gazing down at the scene below. She, too, had helped save these people, and the pride she felt was plain.
But my eyes were no longer on the demons. They rested on the one who had brought a sliver of peace to my heart—Hela.
I really… knew nothing at all.
In the original story, Hela had been little more than a forgettable mid-boss. Though beautiful, she had been overshadowed by the sheer number of stunning characters in the game. She had no memorable lines, no special events. Even after I possessed this body, she had been nothing more than a loyal guard knight to me.
Over time I had come to see her as a trustworthy subordinate, but that was all. My heart had been fixed solely on the Hero; no other woman had registered.
Yet in this moment, I finally understood. The one who truly cared for me—the one I should have cherished most—might have been beside me from the very beginning.
*
“To the Hero Party, who led this expedition to victory!”
“To victory!”
In Constin, the capital of the Utopia Empire, a grand celebration was underway. The banquet hall glittered with splendor, filled with lavish food, lively music, and nobles in fine attire.
At the center, seated in the place of honor, were the warriors of the Hero Party—the very ones who had sealed the Demon Kingdom’s fate and returned triumphant once more.
“Haha! Thank you all, but today’s victory would have been impossible without your support. This triumph belongs not only to the Hero Party, but to every one of us!”
“We are honored by your words, Lady Schula.”
“I heard you personally claimed hundreds of demon stragglers during the expedition. Truly worthy of the Red Knight.”
“Hahaha! You flatter me. I merely did my utmost for freedom.”
The female warrior spoke with hearty cheer. Short black hair, striking red garments, and pale skin—Schula, the Red Knight of the Hero Party, was in high spirits.
“Our victory, indeed. You’re quite right. We were able to fight without worry precisely because of the steadfast support you all provided.”
Hermann, the Blue Witch, raised her glass with a seductive smile, silver hair gleaming beneath her blue robe.
“I also heard Lady Rabida achieved remarkable feats. Capturing the Arbiter, of all things—most impressive.”
“Hmph. I merely bought time. Without the Hero landing the final blow, it would have been far more difficult.”
Rabida, the dwarf warrior with her long beard and thick muscles, radiated an unyielding presence even at the banquet table.
“By the way, our missing companion still hasn’t shown herself. Busy with clerical duties again, I suppose?”
“Haha, yes. That priestess always has her hands full.”
“Forget the absent one and have another drink. I’ve been wanting to pour one for the Chancellor myself.”
“Ohoho, how could I refuse a cup from the hero Schula?”
The heroes chatted merrily, each in their own way. Yet one among them remained silent, quietly nursing her drink with clear reluctance.
Despite having achieved the greatest feat, she spoke the least.
Elise, the Hero.
She forced down another cup, suppressing the urge to flee.
Was this really all it amounted to? …Just for something like this… I…