The Terms of Their Contracts
“Everyone is here.”
Only the Hero’s party was gathered in the conference room.
Saint Arciel, her holy vestments torn and scorched in various places.
The mage, Tigria, whose robe’s hem was similarly shredded.
In contrast, the archer, Nydrian, was dressed immaculately.
And finally, the shield knight, Reinhold, clad in gleaming golden armor.
The Hero’s party had assembled, yet they lacked their Hero.
More precisely, it was a Hero’s party without both the Hero and the porter.
“Even though this was supposed to be classified, the messenger seemed to know the gist of it when he delivered the news,” Nydrian spoke up first. She was the only one who could speak normally when it was just the party members.
“Because it was information we couldn’t control,” Reinhold replied, running a hand through his fine blonde hair. The furrow in his brow made it clear he was highly irritated.
Even so, Nydrian disliked how naturally he spoke down to her.
Ever since the subjugation of the Demon King, not a shred of kindness remained in Reinhold.
“With demons openly invading Waltercroix, it was only a matter of time before word got out.”
“I heard Arciel and Tigria encountered demons as well?”
Having just received a stern encouragement from her clan elder, Nydrian was being unusually proactive.
Reinhold glanced at her, surprised by this sudden assertiveness, but said nothing more.
Arciel, on the other hand, felt a pang of disappointment.
Neither of them had even bothered to ask if she and Tigria were alright, despite the obvious signs of battle clinging to them.
If it were Lucy, she would have asked that first.
But Arciel knew all too well that she had no right to harbor such thoughts.
It was shameless of her to expect concern from the very people who had cast aside their own comrade, no matter how justified they claimed it to be.
“I want details on what happened. Keep it quick and concise.”
“Understood.”
Following Reinhold’s demand, Tigria explained the events in chronological order.
She detailed how they had encountered the blue-skinned demon lancer, Salamae—who claimed to be part of the Demon Hero party—on the road from Epaltelga to Waltercroix, suffered a crushing defeat, and arrived to find Waltercroix already under attack by an illusionist. She also recounted the conversation Arciel had with Rabine.
However, Tigria carefully omitted the fact that the porter had been mentioned far more than expected at the center of these events.
She deliberately left out Salamae’s remarks about Rin, as well as her own deduction that Rin was deeply connected to both Arciel and Rabine, which meant the Saint and the thief guild leader were already acquainted.
“So the Hero went to the Zramun Archipelago...”
“Circumstantially, Lucy must have been in Waltercroix, and the Demon Hero party’s illusionist attacked to target her, right?”
Though slightly off from the truth, Nydrian’s hypothesis was the most plausible conclusion the Hero’s party could reach given their current information.
“Lucy joined forces with the Waltercroix Guild Alliance to fight off the demons. Once the illusionist retreated, she intentionally left word of her destination.”
“Ha, what the hell is that girl thinking?”
Arciel cracked her knuckles as she pondered, but nothing came to mind.
As expected, thinking was not the Saint’s strong suit.
“Isn’t it obvious? She’s baiting us. She wants revenge.”
“Revenge... is it?”
“Why the guilty faces? Luciena Estelle always exhibited highly dangerous behavior. We had no choice but to eliminate her. You all agreed to this.”
Tsk, as if that pathetic excuse changes anything.
Arciel despised the shield knight, but she was also growing anxious.
The image of Rabine bursting into laughter when asked about "Lee" refused to leave her mind.
“But it’s strange. Why the Zramun Archipelago?”
“Probably because a battle with us would cause massive collateral damage. She’s likely waiting for us on one of the uninhabited islands in the archipelago to settle things.”
Once again, it was a plausible guess.
Rough-tongued as she was, Lucy had always been considerate of her surroundings. Well, except when it came to the porter.
Was she always this smart? Reinhold was secretly impressed by Nydrian.
Though his narcissistic nature would never allow him to admit it, Nydrian, as a scholar, possessed a far superior intellect when it came to pure academic reasoning.
However, Tigria stepped forward to refute the theory.
“That is likely incorrect.”
“You sound certain. What is your basis?”
When Reinhold questioned her, Tigria hesitated for a moment.
It wasn’t a topic she wanted to bring up, but she had no choice.
“A demonic sword is sealed within the Zramun Archipelago.”
“A demonic sword?!”
Arciel reacted instantly to the mention of such an evil artifact.
“I’ve never heard of a demonic sword being sealed in the Zramun Archipelago.”
“Those who have not deeply studied history and scripture would not know.”
“Explain in detail.”
“…….”
“Tigria, I am asking for an explanation.”
The shield knight tried to pressure her with an authoritative tone, but the mage was not one to be swayed by such shallow posturing.
Yet, she remained silent for an unusually long time.
If only Rin were here...
Would I be able to speak without shivering from this strange dread?
If only Rin, who knew her secret, were by her side.
Suddenly, she missed him.
Clinging to that single yearning, Tigria forced herself to speak.
“It was the greatest achievement of the Second Hero. He seized the demonic sword from the Demon King and sealed it in the Zramun Archipelago, earning the cheers of the entire world. However, envious of his popularity, the thief of that party framed the Second Hero, claiming he intended to rule humanity with the demonic sword. The other party members joined in the accusation, and the Second Hero was ultimately captured and executed.”
“…….”
“And what followed is exactly as history records.”
What she calmly revealed was a piece of lost history.
Even Reinhold let out a low groan at the tale of a Hero betrayed by his own party.
The only one who could speak up was Nydrian, who had already been thoroughly scolded by her elder.
“I understand that a demonic sword lies there. But what does that have to do with Lucy?”
“Demons are a race born when humans are subjected to extreme pressure and consumed by impure emotions.”
The world called this corruption.
“The same applies to demonic swords.”
A chill ran down the spines of everyone except the mage at this unimaginable truth.
“A demonic sword is created when a Holy Sword is corrupted.”
“When?! I can’t follow your logic at all. You said the Second Hero sealed the demonic sword, right? Then when did the Holy Sword become corrupted, and what was the Holy Sword Lucy has been using all this time? It doesn’t make sense!”
“It was the First Hero.”
She had asked for a simple explanation and received a bombshell.
The more they tried to argue, the more shocking the revelations became.
Reinhold also tried to deny it.
“The First Hero is someone I deeply respect. She was the Solitary Hero who first revealed the existence of demons to a world that knew nothing of them, and she charged alone into the advancing demonic host, sacrificing herself to stop them.”
“The First Hero did not die. Or rather, she did not die back then.”
“What?”
“She halted the demon army’s advance, but the demons retreated with her near-death body. The Demon God then personally tortured and corrupted the First Hero.”
“A Hero... corrupted?!”
“I do not understand your surprise. You yourself, Reinhold, suggested the possibility of Luciena Estelle’s corruption during our last meeting.”
That was only because it had been a political show.
Forced to argue against his own past words, Reinhold struggled to hide his displeasure.
“Fine. So when the Hero fell, her Holy Sword became a demonic sword?”
“Correct. However, because the Demon God had directly interfered with a human Hero, the Goddess forged a new Holy Sword and bestowed it upon the Second Hero.”
“If everything you say is true and historical fact, then where is this corrupted First Hero now, and what is she doing?”
“She is dead.”
“When, where, and how?”
Tigria counted on her fingers.
“Two months and one week ago. The location was the Demon Realm.”
Arciel wanted nothing more than to shut that mouth.
Nydrian covered her mouth in horror, while Reinhold bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
Why was it always the mage who delivered the inconvenient truths and the facts they desperately wished to deny?
“She died at our hands, led by Luciena Estelle.”
The Demon King was, in fact, the First Hero.
“To return to the main point: since the demonic sword was originally a Holy Sword, it could potentially be used to reinforce the current Holy Sword. This is merely a hypothesis. I have not tested it, so I do not know.”
Hit by this devastating final blow delivered without warning, every member of the Hero’s party—except the mage—clutched their heads in agony.
Nydrian gathered her light armor and bow.
She slotted her specially crafted arrows into her quiver and, true to her nature as a botanist, placed several small vials of medicine into her inventory.
“Are you off?”
“Yes, Elder.”
“This time, we must erase the demons from the face of the earth and prevent the extinction of our race.”
“I will succeed, no matter what.”
“Have you properly reminded the Crown Princess and the shield knight of our agreement?”
“Yes.”
Nodding, Nydrian recited the terms she had stated to Reinhold during the meeting.
Upon securing the Hero, Luciena Estelle, and eliminating the demonic threat alongside other global perils, the Empire shall provide the Elves with a vast, alternative forest to replace their shrinking homeland.
“Exactly. If things continue as they are, our extinction is inevitable.”
“Yes, I know.”
“The survival of our entire race rests upon your shoulders, Nydrian!”
Once again, a heavy weight pressed down on her.
Yet, Nydrian had to endure it.
The fate of all Elves depended on her.
“I will be on my way.”
“You must complete your mission and return alive.”
The only reason he prays for my safe return is because of my political value.
Swallowing her bitterness, Nydrian stepped out into the plaza in front of the imperial palace.
“Saint Arciel, the prestige of the Goddess and the Holy Kingdom rests upon this journey.”
“I get it, so stop nagging! You lot better keep the contract you and the Empire made with me!”
“We keep that agreement close to our hearts.”
“Then why don't you recite it? The terms of our contract.”
What kind of Saint is this selfish?
Yet, the Cardinal, acknowledging that he too was a greedy politician, maintained a calm facade.
“Upon your securing of the Hero and the elimination of the demonic threat, the Holy Kingdom and the Empire shall construct an academy in Gutter Alley, your place of origin, and appoint you as its headmistress.”
“You left out the details. The Empire is to fully fund the academy, and the Holy Kingdom must bestow blessings and baptisms upon all residents of Gutter Alley. And in return, I step down from my position as Saint.”
Upon securing the Hero and neutralizing the demonic threat:
1. The Empire shall fully fund the construction of an academy in Gutter Alley.
2. The Holy Kingdom shall bestow blessings and baptisms upon all residents of Gutter Alley.
3. Arciel shall be appointed Headmistress of the academy and formally abdicate the title of Saint.
Had it not been for that final condition, this contract, built on laughable lies, would never have been signed.
There was no reason to refuse when she was offering to step down voluntarily once the job was done.
Of course, whether the contract would actually be honored remained to be seen.
“Hey, Cardinal. How is Gutter Alley doing lately? You’re keeping an eye on it, right? To make sure no one spreads rumors about me coming from there.”
She asked indirectly, hoping to catch any wind of Lee’s existence, but the Cardinal maintained a blank face.
“There have been no such blasphemous individuals.”
“…I see.”
Since they had purged the alley itself, there was no one—no living soul—left to speak of it in the first place.
Mocking the oblivious Saint in his heart, the Cardinal saw her off.
“May the Goddess’s grace be with you.”
“Don’t make me laugh. I’m the one who channels that grace.”
With her inventory packed, Arciel headed toward the plaza.
Did she know?
That the price she paid to forcibly acquire the power to channel that grace was her entire past.
Surprisingly, the mage was with the shield knight.
“Do you truly intend to just watch?”
“That is the term of our contract.”
“Hmm.”
Even the shield knight, who usually carried himself with practiced ease in front of others, found Tigria uncomfortable to deal with.
“If you wish to study true affection and love, does it have to be me?”
“Because I perceived the affection you show the Crown Princess to be genuine. All other forms of affection I have observed thus far were mere fabrications driven by political gain, material profit, or carnal lust. Therefore, you and the Crown Princess are the most suitable subjects for my research.”
Tigria’s only grievance was that despite agreeing to the terms, Reinhold rarely allowed her to observe him with the Crown Princess.
Since they only met in secret, it was difficult for Tigria to study true love.
“It’s not my place to say, but is that research really important enough to betray the Hero for?”
“A foolish question. The Second Hero’s party and the kingdom collapsed because of a betrayal born of lust, not true love. As a mage seeking truth, this is a research topic I cannot afford to ignore.”
“You don’t have some other motive, do you?”
“I have no other motive. However, if you prove unhelpful to my research, I will have no choice but to seek another subject. You still require my assistance. I expect your full cooperation.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Shuddering inwardly, Reinhold distanced himself from the mage.
He walked straight toward Rinacien, who was waiting for him.
“Be careful, Morgan.”
“To protect the peace of this world, I cannot afford to die.”
His sense of justice was entirely genuine.
His desire to become the savior of the world was pure and absolute.
Embracing his sturdy frame, the Crown Princess whispered.
“I’m afraid.”
“Of what?”
“I feel as though the hardships we face are a punishment from the Goddess for what we did to the Hero.”
Just like the tragedy of the Second Hero.
She swallowed the rest of her words, but Reinhold understood perfectly.
He smiled gently and lightly tilted Rinacien’s chin up.
“There is no need to worry. The Hero acted recklessly, forgetting her place, and threatened to become a new enemy to this world. The Goddess’s wrath is directed at injustice and corruption, not at us for dealing with the Hero.”
No one knew.
With whom he had struck a deal to become the world’s savior.
Even if the Goddess herself were to condemn him, he was confident he could justify his brand of justice. And if she tried to tear down that justice, he had acquired the power to resist.
With that person, it was possible.
Knowing nothing of this, Rinacien smiled back at him.
“I suppose one could look at it that way. I’m sorry. I am still so unprepared—mmph!”
He couldn't help himself.
He couldn't resist kissing this noblewoman who possessed a subtle, thrilling vulnerability.
Yes, this is what a real woman is.
A woman far superior to Luciena Estelle, who did nothing but wag her tail based on looks alone.
As Reinhold shared a polite yet greedy kiss with her,
the mage, observing them from a short distance away, tilted her head.
“It is indeed genuine affection. However, the surrounding atmosphere feels continuously distorted.”
Even though she was conducting the research she wanted, she felt no satisfaction.
Only questions lingered.
I must meet Rin soon.
That was the conclusion Tigria had reached.
“Waaaaaaah!”
The citizens cheered.
“A truly magnificent sight.”
“May we witness this grand spectacle again once the world’s evils are swept away.”
The nobles put on their refined airs.
“The physical healer of the Hero’s party! Saint Arciel makes her entrance!”
The massive gates of the imperial palace swung open, and the Saint stepped forward.
She carried herself with a proud posture, her glossy brown bob swaying as she walked in her coarse, simply woven vestments.
“The archer of the Hero’s party! The High Elf, Nydrian, makes her entrance!”
The green-haired archer marched forward without hesitation.
Her neatly braided hair swayed with every step.
“The mage of the Hero’s party! The magic scholar, Tigria, makes her entrance!”
The mage wore a black robe.
Though she held an ordinary staff, the crowd stared in wonder at her long purple hair, which floated slightly upward of its own accord.
“The shield knight of the Hero’s party! Sir Morgan Reinhold makes his entrance!”
Finally, the handsome blonde youth.
Despite his gentle features, the shield knight possessed a solid, well-built frame, appearing in full armor with his massive shield in hand.
Without looking at one another or glancing back, the Hero’s party marched silently toward the outskirts of the imperial capital.
“Waaaaaaah!”
The crowd roared even louder at the assembly of the Hero’s party.
While the other members tensed up, Reinhold alone basked in the adulation with easy grace.
The high nobles and the imperial family, including the Crown Princess, followed them into the plaza, but their names were not announced.
For today, the spotlight belonged solely to the Hero’s party.
In the presence of those departing to fulfill a sacred duty, none could flaunt their status or authority.
Yet, Reinhold had no intention of letting this golden opportunity slip by while the eyes of the world were upon him.
After walking a certain distance, he suddenly halted.
Since their de facto leader had stopped, the rest of the party had no choice but to halt as well.
Reinhold cast a melancholic gaze toward the sky for a brief moment.
Then, very slowly, he turned back to look at the Crown Princess.
When their eyes met, Rinacien’s eyes were already brimming with tears.
“Morgan... I pray for your victory.”
The Crown Princess’s voice echoed across the hushed plaza.
Though soft, the sheer sorrow in her voice carried clearly, drawing heavy sighs of sympathy from the crowd.
Only then did Reinhold offer a bright smile and nod.
“Let’s go.”
With a look of grim determination, he took the lead once more.
The Hero’s party, led by Reinhold.
Yet, a Hero’s party without the Hero.
Once again, they set out on a journey to root out the threats to the world.
And the first objective of their journey was to secure the Hero, Luciena Estelle.
Royals, nobles, and commoners alike wished with one heart that they would safely find and rescue the Hero.
Without a single soul remembering that the porter, too, was gone from the Hero’s party.