The Hero Returned to Butler Territory
"You, do one job with me."
I said that to Lilite, who was covered in my cum on her ass and waist.
Was it because she hadn't gotten any in her womb? Lilite, wearing an expression mixed with regret and emptiness, glared at me and snapped.
"What the hell? You're the Hero, and I'm with the Demon King's army."
I chuckled at Lilite's irritated outburst.
As she said, she belonged to the Demon King's army, but her position was pretty ambiguous. Despite not having a poor track record compared to other executives, she wasn't acknowledged by the Demon King or his right-hand man, Baal. The Demon King's army was a ridiculous organization to begin with—full of guys even less loyal than the empire's rotten nobles. Most followed the Demon King because it let them satisfy their greed, or because they feared Baal more than him.
"Anyway, if you just head back like this, you won't save face, right? At least you gotta hit Butler Territory hard before you go."
"...So you're saying you're handing Butler Territory over to me?"
I laughed at Lilite, already showing her greed.
"You nuts? I'm the Hero."
"Fuck, then what the hell do you want?"
"You attack just enough, and I block just enough. That way, we both save face, yeah?"
Lilite started looking at me with interest at my words. But she didn't answer right away—probably because she couldn't trust me.
"You really the Hero? You're gonna hand those people over to me?"
"Ah, of course, no indiscriminate killing. You only take out the ones that fit the conditions I tell you."
"...What conditions?"
I grinned at Lilite, who was gradually lowering her guard, and began explaining my plan to her.
After listening quietly, Lilite accepted my proposal, figuring there was nothing in it for her to lose.
"You're insane. Poor humans, having a guy like you as their Hero."
"What? This is pretty generous of me, isn't it?"
In the end, we bantered like that after reaching an agreement, and soon Lilite's gaze drifted to my lower body.
"Fine. This is me doing you a favor, so I have a condition too."
"A condition? You crazy? I could just kill you right now and lose nothing."
At my teasing tone, Lilite rolled her eyes like she was scared, but she still pressed on.
"If things go well, do it with me one more time. That's my condition."
"Do what, more?"
"You know damn well, you bastard."
Lilite yelled that at me, and I burst out laughing at her reaction. She was a demon bitch rotten to the core, but in this life, she seemed like someone I could use pretty damn well.
'Alright then. Let's see how they react.'
"Um, did anything happen last night?"
Marian glanced at the Hero and asked. She'd snuck into his room the night before and locked eyes with the woman sucking him off, and it was bothering her.
Her nerves on edge, Marian had searched the village from morning for the woman but found no trace.
'She definitely wasn't some ordinary woman.'
She'd spotted Marian's soul projection instantly, something even the Hero hadn't noticed. No way she was just some country girl—Marian was suspicious of her identity.
Of course, she could just ask the Hero, who'd spent the night with the shady woman. But Marian couldn't bring herself to do it. She'd have to explain how she knew first.
"Nothing. Why?"
Marian frowned at the Hero's shameless reply. He wasn't wronging her by sleeping with other women, but his casual lie pissed her off for no reason.
"So, what now?"
"Well, gotta move to the next place as planned."
Marian nodded at the Hero's words, and they left the village without regret. She figured the locals would handle themselves—they'd chosen this.
'What the hell is going on?'
As they toured small villages outside the empire following the Hero, Marian couldn't help but notice something off. Every time they arrived, monsters attacked—but they only hit lightly before fleeing.
Sure, "lightly" still killed some, but the dead were all bad eggs. One time, a guy pushed the man next to him at a goblin and ran. Obviously buying time by feeding his buddy to it—but hilariously, the goblin ignored the fallen guy and chased the runner.
'What, goblins aren't neighborhood dogs that only chase runners!'
Marian, trained in basic monster habits as a saintess, couldn't make sense of it.
Those who bravely fought took minimal damage; those sacrificing others or sneaking off in the chaos mostly died. It felt less like a monster raid and more like the Goddess's judgment.
The weird part? Even as Marian grew suspicious, the Hero acted like he knew it would happen—totally unfazed.
"So, what'll you do?"
"I'll follow."
A young-looking village youth answered the Hero's question. Interestingly, the monsters' behavior made convincing people way easier. From their view, even bad guys dying shook them up—future looked bleak.
'Is he... controlling the monsters?'
Watching goblins and kobolds show up like they were tailing the saintess and Hero, Marian couldn't shake the suspicion. Everything worked in the Hero's favor.
'No, that can't be.'
But she dismissed it quick. He was the one she'd found via the Goddess's oracle. A Hero controlling monsters? Even with her stress lately, that was too far-fetched.
"Anyway, it worked out, so whatever."
The saintess, who'd lost all affection for humanity, thought that watching the villagers prep to follow the Hero. Sure, some were brazen assholes, but not all—and saving people didn't feel bad.
'Ah, that Lilite bitch. Way more useful than I thought?'
I watched the villagers pack, thinking that.
I'd ordered Lilite to lightly attack and scare them, but I hadn't expected perfection. Sure, small fry monsters, but her control was masterful. Hell, I wondered why the Demon King or that Baal prick hadn't used her right.
"We're all ready."
This young guy running the village had thrown himself at a goblin to save a fallen kid, but Lilite flexibly pulled it back—no scratch.
I nodded at the polite youth and led them out of the village.
The others from previous villages were stashed somewhere safe. Since the monster puppeteer was on my side, no risk there.
Sure, Lilite could stab me in the back, but having seen her longest in my past life, I didn't rate it high.
Some might ditch over the Hero ditching them in the woods irresponsibly.
'Whatever, they'll survive on their own.'
No need to worry about folks who'd left my hands.
"Open the gates!"
Arriving at Butler Territory, I shouted at the firmly shut gates.
A good number of refugees trailed me, and a bit further back, the monster horde lurked, eyeing chances while surrounding the walls.
Obviously, they wouldn't attack till I gave the word.
So this was a test of sorts.
"What bullshit is that?"
The reply came from atop the walls. Seeing a familiar face sneering down, I played along.
"Oh, Captain of the Guard? Ass stab healed up?"
"You bastard! You bring monsters and demand gates open? Fuck off!"
Face red with rage at my jab, the guard captain bellowed at me.