Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Breaking Lies - 2
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At that moment, Lepia's words continued.
“The Idria who captured my soul found you, Mariana. You remember meeting her, right?”
“Yes, yes. But she left without saying anything special.”
“It was when she was talking about vessels... That’s exactly when she embedded me into your soul.”
“......”
“I don’t know why she put me into you. On top of that, she even cast spells to keep me from overtaking you. The reason my soul fused so peacefully wasn’t because I’m some saint—it’s because Idria put me to sleep.”
It was a case similar to her giving the Withering Jewel to the Martial King.
For some reason, Idria was handing out so-called growth items to promising talents across the continent.
Why? Just what was her goal?
‘If she’s the Demon King, shouldn’t she be wary of humans getting stronger? Why is she making them stronger instead?’
Mariana hurriedly asked then.
“W-what about my husband? Do you know what happened to him?”
“......No. As I said, I fell asleep right after fusing with you.”
Mariana’s face visibly darkened.
Lepia spoke in a regretful tone.
“I’m sorry.”
“Huh?”
“I feel like telling you the truth has only caused more confusion.”
“Not at all. It was a great help.”
Lepia gave a gentle smile.
It was a shame she wore Adwin’s face.
The portrait of her in the history books had been stunningly beautiful.
“I should get going. Iori’s probably craning his neck waiting for me.”
Then Neril spoke up.
“Please tell him not to show his face again. Not that he will anyway.”
It was surprising to hear her speak so respectfully to someone.
Lepia was from far before Neril’s time, sure, but she’d been snapping at Iori with casual speech.
‘So this is a hero. Who even Neril treats with respect. An impressive figure.’
[You’re impressed by the weirdest things.]
Lepia replied.
“Heh heh. Iori actually likes you quite a bit.”
“No way. We fought each other with our lives on the line.”
“He’s endlessly generous to those he acknowledges. And your magic skills are more than worthy of his recognition.”
“......”
“Besides.”
Lepia paused for a moment and turned to me.
“Future Hero.”
“Yes? Oh, yes.”
“I have a proposal.”
“Go ahead.”
“With the current Five Greats party, there happens to be this amazing necromancer whose body I’m borrowing. I’d like to help you all through him.”
I caught on instantly.
The others did too—their eyes went wide.
“You mean.”
“Yes. Call on me from time to time from now on. I want to land a solid hit on Idria, that Demon King of Lies and Deceit.”
“......”
“Especially you, Maide. Your swordsmanship is self-taught, so your stance and techniques are incredibly free-form. Lucky for you, I’m self-taught too. We’ll get along great.”
I’d been acknowledged by a legendary hero.
As someone aspiring to be a hero, my heart couldn’t help but race a little.
But I couldn’t just nod eagerly here.
Mariana sat across from us, looking anxious.
No mother would cheer for her last remaining family—her beloved son—to join a perilously dangerous hero party.
“It’s a true honor, but Adwin isn’t part of our party yet.”
Mariana let out a sigh of relief at that.
Lepia picked up on it and quickly changed tack.
“I see. Even without using this child, I hope we meet again someday.”
“Me too.”
“And you, Neril. Next chance you get, how about receiving some guidance through Iori?”
Neril furrowed her brow.
“Skip the guidance. But for your sake, Lepia, I’ll take a bit of advice a few times.”
“Ahaha. Iori would get mad if he heard that.”
Just then, the spell on Adwin’s arm flared up once more.
It was about time for her to go.
Lepia’s voice grew faintly hazy.
“Everyone. Sorry for all the trouble in so many ways, and thank you.”
“......”
“Idria is unprecedentedly strong and cunning. I was truly worried.”
“......”
“But seeing you all puts my mind at ease. Please take good care of this empire and continent.”
I hurriedly bowed to her.
“Leave it to us.”
Everyone behind me followed, their greetings filled with respect and awe.
“Farewell.”
“See you again! Let’s have a meal together next time.”
“P-please go carefully.”
Was that last one even appropriate for the moment?
Anyway, that was how Lepia departed.
Soon, Adwin slowly opened his eyes.
Noticing everyone’s stares on him, he spoke.
“Heh heh. Such earnest gazes. Have you sensed the blue wolf aura within me?”
This incident had been flashy and noisy enough that the aftermath was chaotic too.
The castle and bell tower had collapsed, and territory folk had been dropping like flies in broad daylight—a major disaster.
The lord planned to report to the capital, so he needed to figure out exactly what had happened.
As the ones who resolved it, we stayed by the lord’s side as advisors.
Over the course of a day, we helped craft a report ‘to our taste.’
The lord said to Jenia.
“I see. So even the ghost disturbances plaguing the territory were all that wicked spirit’s doing.”
“Yes. It was a spirit far more powerful than Mariana. She couldn’t have noticed.”
“Hmm. I owe you an apology too.”
“You’ll understand. You’re a good man.”
To lighten the mood, the lord turned to me.
“I heard you accomplished something great. Is there anything you desire?”
“Of course not. It was just what needed to be done.”
Neril and Jenia smirked at my heroic response.
But the lord nodded earnestly, impressed.
“Ha ha. Such humility. Truly hero-like.”
The last part seemed tacked on thoughtlessly.
Realizing the weight of his words, the lord’s face stiffened briefly, but he soon spoke in a softer tone.
“Yes. A hero. You are a hero.”
“Oh, come on.”
“Ha ha. No use refusing. It’s not just me saying it.”
Thud.
He rose from his seat.
He threw open the curtains in the room and opened the window.
Shouts that pierced the ears came from outside.
“The window’s open!”
“Does that mean the meeting’s over?”
“Hey, don’t block. I can’t see.”
“Don’t cross this line! Ugh, I said don’t cross!”
An enormous crowd had gathered beyond the barriers around the mansion.
Jenia drew a light breath.
“We saw it in the last territory too, but... this cheering is incredible.”
“You’d better get used to it if you’re sticking with this guy.”
“I’m worried I’ll end up too brazen.”
“You’ll be fine. You’ve got the talent for it.”
“Praise?”
“An insult?”
I left their banter behind and approached the window.
The lord stepped aside for me.
“Waaaaah!”
“Hero! Hero!”
“It’s Maide the hero!”
“Thanks to you, Hero, my daughter’s life was saved. Thank you so much. Really. Sob sob.”
“Hero! Does this mean the Demon King is descending?”
“The Demon King will be defeated by you too, right? Just like this time!”
I slowly raised my arm amid their cheers.
Then clenched my fist tight.
“Rest easy, everyone. Nothing will harm you. I, Maide Mohan, promise it!”
“Uwaaaaaah!”
Thunderous roars.
I closed my eyes quietly.
Trail’s voice came then.
[Heh heh. Now you’re enjoying it. Sweet, isn’t it?]
‘Yeah. Makes me think that’s why Kailed didn’t want to kill the Demon King.’
He’d planned to take her core without slaying her, bringing eternal crisis to the continent and empire.
All to be hailed as a hero forever.
[Fame’s like a drug. Get careless, and it’ll swallow you whole.]
‘Don’t worry. No matter how alluring fame is, it’s nothing compared to my retirement blueprint.’
[What value do you even place on retirement? ...Whatever. Check this out anyway.]
A screen soon appeared.
[Ding! Gained 5,000 Fame Points.]
[Fame Points needed for next level: 22,760/20,000]
[Your name will echo throughout Rayners Territory henceforth.]
[Total Fame Points to be acquired from this incident: 8,000]
[Your name echoes throughout Drucker Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes throughout Quelk Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes throughout Rior Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes throughout Avis Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Neril Slaine thinks of you as ‘the man acknowledged by a hero.’]
[Jenia Side thinks of you as ‘the strongest man in the world.’]
Oh, leveled up.
I quickly said.
‘Time for the next level.’
[Yeah. Obviously.]
His voice was just as excited as mine.
New lines appeared on the screen soon after.
[Ding! Level up!]
[Level: Fairly Famous.]
[Fame Points needed for next level: 22,760/100,000]
From Slightly Famous to Fairly Famous.
This should’ve overtaken Kailed’s fame by now, right?
Curious, but there was something more pressing than checking.
I closed the window and said to Trail.
‘Now I can see higher-grade secrets, yeah?’
Trail replied matter-of-factly.
[Yeah. With the level up, you can view up to B-rank.]
‘Good.’
[Sorry to burst your bubble, but B-rank won’t show Idria’s goals.]
‘Plenty else I’m curious about. Like Neril and the Enerica family secrets. But right now, the most important is...’
I gathered my thoughts and continued.
‘...what happened to Adwin’s father, Somel.’
[Huh? That’s more mundane than I expected.]
‘Don’t call it mundane. It’s about my comrade’s father.’
[Ahem. Not what I meant. It’s got nothing to do with the continent’s crisis, is all.]
‘Objectively, sure. But tell me anyway.’
I’d never met Somel in person, but seeing him on the screen somehow reminded me of my own father.
His face had grown faint in my memory now.
One of the few remnants was him cooking venison he’d hunted himself for my birthday.
The image of my father fumbling in the kitchen, burning the meat with his clumsy skills, lingered in my mind.
[Fine, whatever. One sec.]
The screen popped up again.
[Used Eye of Omniscience.]
[Current Eye of Omniscience level is 3. Viewable secret rank: B-rank.]
[Selection condition: ‘Secret between Somel Ain and Idria.’]
[Secret rank: B. Proceed?]
Oh.
Good, it was viewable at my current level.
Somel’s face appeared on the screen.
Checking the timestamp in the top right, it was that very night—the day he’d installed the emperor on the throne and returned home to his wife.
He stroked the head of his sleeping wife, Mariana, beside him.
“Phew. It’s amazing how you sleep so soundly anywhere. I can’t sleep for some reason.”
“You have good instincts.”
Suddenly, a voice spoke to Somel—one he’d never heard before.
But I knew it well.
‘The Demon King!’
Idria, who’d toyed with and tormented us so.
She floated in the room’s shadowy air, in the same pose as kids reading books face-down.
“Even a lowly worm like you knows when to die.”