Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Senior Fake Hero - 1
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Me and Neril unnecessarily made a fuss preparing breakfast.
Risel tilted her head and said,
“I’ll prepare the meal.”
Neril replied, her face still flushed red.
“No need. We’ll handle it.”
“......”
“It’s not like that, right?”
“I haven’t said anything.”
Offense snickered.
“See? Adwin. We did well just sleeping in the carriage.”
“Lately, it feels like something’s happening in this party that only I don’t know about.”
“You’re so young.”
“Hey, seriously. I’m not a kid.”
“And I’m not an old man.”
In any case, breakfast preparations were finished.
Compared to Risel’s cooking, it tasted like chewing raw grass.
Jenia smiled brightly and spoke.
“Maide, I’ll give you half my meal again today. Since if you rescue Ophelia, I promised you half my meals for life.”
“And I refuse every time. You don’t need to ask anymore.”
“Yes. I know you’ll refuse, so I give it to you with peace of mind. And today’s food seems edible enough.”
Neril cut in.
“Are you saying that for me to hear?”
“How about you learn cooking from Risel, Neril? Then later, you can assist in the kitchen.”
“So that was serious.”
Anyway, as the meal was wrapping up, I spoke.
“Let’s go meet the lord of this place today.”
Serein asked,
“Huh? Why?”
“Thanks to Neril’s headband, this mark engraved on me. We need to check if it works properly.”
“Ah. It feels just like when the high priest at my temple tested if his fake potions fooled acquaintances before selling them.”
“Uh...... yeah.”
I wanted to deny it, but it was so exactly the same situation that I had nothing to say.
Adwin took a gulp of milk as a palate cleanser and said,
“Of course it’ll work, right? Risel sis and Bion sir, the two who met the hero directly, both said it’s perfect.”
“I’m not particularly worried about that part either. There’s another reason for seeing the lord.”
“What is it?”
Instead of answering, I pulled a map from my bag.
Then, pointing to one spot on the map—right here, Gavril Territory—I said,
“This place is located in the central continent, similar to Tetra Territory. In other words, until the oracle, it hadn’t leaned toward either me or Kaild.”
“......”
“And looking at it through Trail’s ability, as I mentioned before.”
I asked Trail for the map.
Tap.
As expected.
“This place has my and Kaild’s reputations completely mixed. Overall, I’m a bit pushed back, though.”
“......”
“It’d be hard for me to touch the southern territories that were originally Kaild’s domain right away. But here......”
“I get what you mean. Worth a try.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Then Risel asked,
“But how will you raise Maide’s reputation? It’s not like an earthquake will happen like in Tetra Territory.”
“With Kaild.”
“......?”
“Kaild probably received a special mission from Idria. To completely crush me, who’s overwhelmed in reputation.”
Everyone’s expressions darkened.
I shrugged nonchalantly and continued.
“Whether soon or late, he’ll come looking for us. Anyway, as long as Idria has spatial authority, physical distance isn’t an issue.”
“......”
“If we’re lucky, we might even meet Kaild with the lord.”
“Is that lucky?”
“Of course. We could probe him and find an opening. You know, that guy is, how should I put it......”
I paused to choose my words, then realized there was no need to pick nice ones against Kaild.
“He’s really sloppy.”
I received an excessively lavish welcome at the lord’s residence.
Nearly all the employed staff in the residence rushed out to greet us.
The elderly butler at the front spoke.
“Hero Maide Mohan. And heroes. Welcome.”
I heard Jenia and Neril whispering behind me.
“They called Maide a hero. This lord seems wise.”
“Or scared.”
“Huh?”
“The second oracle called Maide the hero. From the lord’s position, it’d be burdensome to pick a fight on purpose.”
I thought the same.
But of course, I didn’t voice such thoughts.
“Thank you for the welcome. I’ve come to see the lord.”
“Unfortunately, the lord is out at the moment.”
“Oh.”
“We’ve informed him of the heroes’ visit, so he’ll return shortly. Would you mind waiting an hour or two?”
I was about to nod when I caught that he said ‘heroes’.
“Heroes...... plural?”
“Yes. Please don’t be too offended by my words. We ordinary folk can’t tell which of the two oracles is real.”
“That’s fine, but does that mean the other hero has visited too?”
“He’s waiting in the drawing room right now. Kaild...... ahem, Mr. Kaild.”
Offense clicked his tongue.
“Maide’s intuition is spot on. But I didn’t expect him to arrive first.”
“Is he really targeting Brother Maide?”
“What else? But he’s too cocky.”
“Huh?”
“There’s seven of us and he’s alone. Idria didn’t come as a babysitter, surely.”
His words made sense logically.
But I doubted Idria sent Kaild alone without any preparation.
Well, we’ll see.
I straightened up and said,
“We’ll wait in that drawing room too.”
“Huh? B-but......”
“I know what you’re worried about. There’s only one hero, and one of us—me or Kaild—is fake, so you fear a fight might break out.”
“Ahem.”
“Don’t worry. Starting a fight in the lord’s residence? A hero wouldn’t do that.”
It’d damage my reputation.
I didn’t mention reputation outright, but the butler seemed to understand and nodded.
“In that case, I’ll guide you. This way, please.”
Soon, we stood before the drawing room door.
The butler stepped back slightly and said,
“I’ll escort you as soon as the lord returns. Please wait a moment.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
As the butler left, we exchanged glances.
Neril said,
“That bastard’s beyond this door, right?”
“I thought you’d softened up lately.”
“When dealing with him, I can’t help getting sharp.”
“I see. Then get even sharper.”
She shrugged and turned to Adwin.
“Adwin. That thing.”
“Yes? Oh, yes.”
Quick-witted Adwin chanted the spell promptly.
Neril had requested a soul-linked secret conversation.
In a somewhat mischievous tone, she said,
[Let’s talk about something Kaild in this room shouldn’t hear.]
[Such talks are always welcome. Specifically what?]
[I agree he’s sloppy, like you said. So, let’s probe him.]
[Huh?]
[Make him admit he’s in bed with Idria.]
With that, I understood Neril’s scheme.
We already knew everything anyway.
If I lead properly, Kaild might let something slip.
Then his confession......
[We spread it through Apert View everywhere, right?]
[Yes. Sharp.]
[I’m sharp, but not as much as you. Great idea.]
[Don’t expect too much. Kaild might not be that reckless.]
[Depends on how I lead. Alright, let’s do it.]
[Got it. I’ll prepare Apert View in advance.]
With that, we set a simple plan and opened the door.
Click.
And upon entering, I foresaw the failure of this modest plan.
Kaild wasn’t alone.
‘That guy?’
[What? You know him?]
‘Yeah. Didn’t expect to meet here.’
His face was hidden by a helmet, but that very thing identified him.
The First Finger of Lies. Sorbias.
A formidable foe who nearly doomed our party before regression.
In fact, I almost lost party members in the fight with him.
[Come to think of it, you mentioned in Dronor Territory. You tore space to escape the First Finger of Lies.]
‘Right. No other way to hide the party.’
[Is he that strong?]
‘In pure swordsmanship, I can win. But his special techniques left me defenseless.’
I looked at him again with renewed eyes.
He was clad head to toe in black armor.
Even hearing the door open, he didn’t glance our way.
I hid my surprise and turned my head from him.
Then Kaild’s voice came.
“Maide Mohan.”
“Yeah, what. You’re here?”
“......”
“Long time no see. Doing well?”
Chin.
I sat casually on the sofa opposite him.
The party sat quietly beside me, glaring at Kaild.
A hero’s mark was engraved on his forehead.
‘That’s fake too, right?’
[Yes. Oracle and mark are a set. Idria wouldn’t forget the mark while preparing the oracle.]
‘Damn. Need to expose that as fake.’
[Your forehead mark is fake too...... no, wait.]
Then Kaild’s voice came again.
“Heh. Meeting like this again brings back memories.”
“Still that creepy laugh.”
“Shouldn’t you all be sitting by my side originally?”
“Even if I was your party member, I wouldn’t sit next to you. Even setting aside your evil deeds, we just don’t mesh personality-wise.”
......said Neril, sitting right next to me.
Kaild glanced at the other party members.
“Are you all happy with Maide?”
They gladly answered.
“At least better than traveling with you.”
“For one, Maide covers all our travel expenses.”
“Honestly, I want to erase the memory of following you even briefly.”
“How about surrendering before it’s too late?”
“Though it already is, really.”
Didn’t know my party members were so good at roasting.
But true to form, Kaild showed no dismay and tried to retort.
That was when.
A low bass cut through between us.
“Enough talk.”
“What?”
“You’re scheming something.”
Damn. Caught after all.
Sorbias nodded at Neril.
“Extend your hand forward.”
“Ha. Ordering me now?”
“Yes.”
“You......”
I cut in.
“Just cancel it, Neril.”
“But.”
“It’s busted anyway. If you don’t cancel the magic, they’ll just clam up and stall. Better to get useful info instead.”
Neril clicked her tongue lightly and extended her hand.
Then canceled Apert View right before Sorbias’s eyes.
Kaild broke into a cold sweat.
“That magic......”
Sorbias answered.
“What was it...... Apert View? You tanked his reputation hard with that in Tetra Territory.”
“......Yes.”
“Even someone who experienced it firsthand isn’t cautious enough. Wonder how I’ll coordinate with a guy like you.”
“Still harsh to the leader.”
“I’ll treat you as leader in front of commoners. But do I need to before those who know the truth?”
At that, Kaild shut his mouth tight.
I had little interest in his pathetic sight.
Instead, I turned to Sorbias.
“What are you? Kaild’s the leader?”
“As you heard.”
“Looks like another of Idria’s limbs...... and you bow to Kaild?”
A scoff came from behind Sorbias’s helmet.
“‘Bow’ is inaccurate. I’ll pretend to be Kaild’s party member. You know why.”
“No hero in history lacked hero-grade companions. To make Kaild look like the real hero on the surface?”
“Correct.”
He nodded confidently, without shame.
Neril spoke in a displeased tone.
“The Demon King’s filthy limb is quick-witted too. End of times, huh. Oh, literally the end times.”
“Neril Slaine. Didn’t expect you to come to this territory.”
“What?”
“Everyone above high nobility knows you wiped out the Enerica family. Why visit a place tied to painful history?”
I watched Sorbias closely.
To me, it seemed he already ‘knew the answer’ and was asking.
Neril furrowed her brows.
“You lot really know how to grate on nerves.”
“A hero’s mark on Maide’s forehead.”
“......”
“Did you come to make that?”
For a moment, I inhaled sharply.
Even as the First Finger of Lies, how could he spot that?
Neril’s headband’s greatest feature is that it ‘absolutely doesn’t get caught.’
The magic itself is low-level, but even hiding that it’s magic was guaranteed by mana’s father, Bion.
‘How did he see it at a glance?’
[Maybe just fishing.]
‘No. He said it with certainty.’
I quickly interjected in their conversation.
“Why pick on another’s party member?”
“Just testing. The second oracle lacked sincerity to anyone’s ears. Like forcing out something you didn’t want to give.”
“......”
“But the mark is right there, so intriguing.”
“Historically, oracle and mark always came together. Receive the oracle, get the mark. Even if the second oracle was insincere, it doesn’t make sense to assume no mark based on that.”
This time, Sorbias fell silent.
I growled in a low voice.
“What are you?”
“Dunno.”
Of course he wouldn’t say.
Fine. I’ll check myself.
I examined his Blood Letters.
Like with Ophelia or Hiren, if the same, black Blood Letters would float above his head.
Sure enough, as predicted, Blood Letters......
‘......?’
I rubbed my eyes.
What. What did I just see.