Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Prologue
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"Don't think it's over just like this!"
If you called that voice inhuman, you'd actually be paying it too high a compliment.
It was a sound so savage and repulsive it was hard to believe any living creature could produce it. Just hearing it felt like it was chipping away at your sanity—a dissonant tone that had no business existing in this world.
But none of us showed any fear of that voice. The Saintess boldly shouted back at the monstrous roar.
"The evil aura is weakening! It can't fight anymore!"
The overwhelming energy that had left us barely able to breathe until moments ago was steadily fading.
"Graaaah, aaaah, uwaaaaaah!"
The Demon King was strong. But our hero party was even stronger.
There was a knight who bore both the blood of the imperial family and the power of the Hero. There was an archer who had left the World Tree's side, vowing to eradicate all evil.
There was a sorceress who had pursued truth for centuries, and a priest recognized by the Goddess herself for her deepest faith among all believers, having sworn to devote everything to her.
They weren't unscathed, of course. The Hero's blessed armor was shredded to ribbons, like paper toys a child had played with.
Naturally, those who should have stayed in the rear weren't looking pristine either. The archer and sorceress had collapsed from battle fatigue, but their eyes gleamed with the joy of victory.
They had stopped attacking not out of despair or surrender. Nor had they exhausted every last drop of strength.
"Ugh, grrr, aaaaaah!"
It was because the sorceress's ultimate spell, activated at the very end, was still crushing the Demon King along with the surrounding space.
"Aaaaaah!"
The Demon King, who had spouted quite a few lines before, ended up screaming a clichéd death cry.
And soon enough, even that faded away. The Demon King was gone.
"We... we did it, Elenor!"
The Saintess's bright voice drew a gentle smile from the sorceress. The Hero's expression remained relatively steady, but even her stern face held a hint of happiness.
"It's thanks to all of you being here with me. You worked hard until the very end. Nerwen, Celia, Pashier."
"You're the one who did the most work here and achieved the most honorable feat, Hero. When we get back, I'll immortalize your exploits in song. Even among elves, few have accomplished what you have."
Nerwen rarely said things like that. It was probably the highest praise she could muster.
"I'm the legitimate heir and all... but considering the experience I've gained here and the risks from the Demon King's Army running rampant, I'll just barely break even. Oh, that's including the support promised to the Magic Tower, though."
The sorceress showed the least joy, but no one gave her a harsh look. What we'd just witnessed was nothing short of a miracle wrought by human hands in the present age.
"It's over. Let's head back."
"Should I start calling you Princess now? Nah, we can keep it casual among ourselves, right?"
"If you want to emphasize that you're older than my grandfather that badly, call me whatever you like."
With light banter, the collapsed party members rose to their feet. The long adventure was finally at an end, and it was time to go home.
But my job wasn't done yet. As I hurriedly picked up arrows scattered on the ground and magic tools flung about, I frantically called out to the party members who were already trying to leave the Demon King's chamber for real.
"W-Wait a second!"
"What is it, 'Stinky Bag'? You're not trying to stall us with some nonsense, are you?"
The archer's cold gaze pierced me.
"I still need time to gather the arrows..."
"Idiot, the Demon King's dead—why are you so desperately picking up arrows? What do you even plan to use them for? Quit the crap and follow us."
The sorceress's words were as curt as ever, but today they were music to my ears. I grabbed just the arrows on my arm and turned to follow, only to feel the archer's icy glare pouring down on me.
"You planning to abandon precious elven arrows because of some fool porter's stupid judgment?"
Here we go again. They couldn't agree among themselves, so they were turning it on me.
I could understand the stress buildup, but it still pissed me off to be on the receiving end.
"Should I... pick them all up, then?"
"Needing an order for that? True slave instincts. But I like that you know your place. Fine, pick them up."
I sighed and bent down again to gather the arrows. But the other four didn't wait for me.
"No, I mean, just wait a little..."
"With the Demon King dead, the rest are just stragglers. You've trained under me, so you won't lose to trash like that."
The Hero's cold voice tightened around my throat.
"Training" or not, it was just her—a knight trained professionally and empowered by the Hero's strength—beating me unilaterally.
Stragglers or not, this was still the Demon King's castle. Get caught by even a low-grade monster here, and I'd be dead on the spot.
"Do you have any idea what an honor it is to even tag along as a porter on this adventure?"
I gave up hope. Convincing the Hero in that state was impossible.
"Even the laziest, most incompetent in my knight order would be called a hardworking genius compared to you! And you're witnessing an achievement they could only dream of!"
"Ha..."
I let out a deep sigh and simply watched the hero party leave. Once Princess Elenor made up her mind, it wouldn't change.
If two or three other party members jumped in to persuade her, maybe there'd be a chance. But my voice wasn't worth half a person.
As always, I'd have to risk my life and dodge somehow. I'd survived the battle with the Demon King just now, so low-grade monsters should be manageable.
I took one deep breath and began picking up the arrows from the ground. The wounds I'd taken from the Demon King earlier throbbed.
In the now-empty Demon King's chamber, the only sound was the rustle of me gathering arrows.