After This Battle, We Get Married
Once this battle was over, they would get married.
Seeing the massive black golem collapse before their eyes, everyone present began to break into smiles of firm resolve.
“Perfect! Now we can head inside.”
“All that’s left is to take down the Demon King waiting in there…”
The blonde elf paladin Amelda sheathed her holy-power-infused sword and shouted with bold energy, while the silver-haired priestess Aileen spoke in a slightly timid yet hopeful voice. They both knew the long adventure they had shared for years—the journey of the Hero Party to defeat the Demon King—was finally reaching its end.
They had just destroyed the black golem that served as the gatekeeper of the Demon King’s castle. The creature possessed considerable combat strength, yet it had crumbled away pathetically without landing any meaningful blows on the party.
It was only natural. The people who had come here were the strongest warriors on the continent, all gathered for the sole purpose of slaying the Demon King.
High Priestess Aileen, elf paladin Amelda, the witch Shude in her red robes, the beastkin brawler Terra with her copper skin and red hair, and finally the party’s greatest asset and leader—the continent’s strongest hero who had just pierced straight through the golem’s core in an instant.
Elan Savior.
He flicked the golem fragments off his blade, then turned to his companions and spoke.
“Good work. Let’s do a quick inspection and then move in.”
His face was slightly tense, perhaps because the final showdown with the Demon King lay just ahead. Watching him, Aileen—his childhood friend and fellow party member—spoke in a gentle voice.
“Don’t be so nervous, Elan. Just like always, we’re going to win. We’ll protect your back, so don’t worry about a thing.”
“That’s right, Hero. With your strength, victory against the Demon King is certain. And after that… just like we’ve always talked about, you and I will—”
Amelda chimed in, her voice filled with trust. Seeing the two of them, Shude and Terra frowned slightly.
“Hey, are you really going to flirt like that again? Sorry, but I’m not yielding the hero to anyone.”
“Same here. The hero belongs to all of us. After we kill the Demon King, we split him equally.”
The two expressed their discontent with words laced in jealousy and affection. Aileen responded with an expression that said the very idea was ridiculous.
“All of you, know your place. No matter what promise the hero made about accepting every one of us, I am the one who will be his legal wife. Never forget that.”
“Sigh…”
“Yeah, yeah…”
“Understood, First Wife.”
The party members reluctantly backed down. Listening to their lighthearted bickering that almost resembled a lovers’ quarrel, the hero—who had been wearing a stiff expression—finally let a small, awkward smile tug at the corner of his mouth.
After that brief but tension-relieving conversation and completing their final checks, the warriors of the Hero Party rose to their feet and steeled themselves for the decisive battle.
And watching them from a distance, separate from the rest of the group, was a man. The party’s porter, Torare, who had carried all the supplies and tools they needed this far, gave them his usual innocent smile and spoke.
“As I said before, I’ll be waiting right here for all of you. Please defeat the Demon King and bring peace to the world.”
“Yeah, thanks for coming with us all this way.”
“Wait for us! There’ll be a mountain of treasure to haul back after we kill the Demon King!”
“Thank you for your hard work. We will definitely return victorious.”
“See you later, Mr. Torare.”
“…”
The Hero Party exchanged farewells with their comrade who possessed no combat ability yet had accompanied them this far, then stepped into the castle. While Elan only spared him a single glance, the other female members all gave Torare bright smiles and warm goodbyes.
Thus, humanity’s last hope—the Hero Party—vanished into the dark depths of the Demon King’s castle. Watching them disappear, the porter Torare slowly curved his lips into a smile and whispered with earnest longing.
“Please come back safely, ladies…”
The Demon King’s castle was shrouded in deep darkness. The moment they stepped inside, what greeted the Hero Party was a space far vaster than they had imagined. It resembled a soldiers’ training ground—or rather, an arena where warriors might spar. Heavily armed demonkind who clearly possessed significant fighting strength stood ready, and at the center of it all, a figure clad entirely in black armor and radiating an overwhelming dark aura sat upon a magnificent throne, gazing in their direction. It was undoubtedly the one they presumed to be the Demon King.
“So that’s… the Demon King?”
“It looks like he’s been waiting for us.”
The Demon King appeared to have prepared his strongest forces. Yet the warriors facing him showed not the slightest hint of fear as they readied themselves to charge forward. In old tales, such moments often involved lengthy exchanges of words before battle, but these heroes had no intention of conversation or compromise.
Gripping their weapons, the Hero Party stared down the Demon King and his subordinates. With the fate of the world hanging on this final clash, each of them began to speak the words burning in their hearts.
“After this fight is over, we’re getting married.”
“Let’s end this quickly, Hero. For the sake of our brilliant future.”
“Let’s go! For our future and for peace!”
“Kill the Demon King.”
Their voices rang out with hope and iron determination. And as he listened to those cries—the very person they were all counting on—Elan Savior naturally thought to himself.
A single phrase he could not possibly say aloud right now.
What a load of bullshit.