77
Chapter 77
About a hundred years ago, I mentioned the "Demon Beast Forest Extermination Project" planned by the Empire.
The Demon Beast Forest Extermination Project. Its alternative name: the Hero Party Disposal Project.
How do you get rid of a Hero Party that is useless as a weapon of war, useless for chores, and is essentially nothing more than a money-eating parasite? After much deliberation, the Empire decided to throw them into the already troublesome Demon Beast Forest.
However, that plan from a century ago was foiled by a single human woman. Saint Iroel. She protected the forest even at the risk of her own life, and the Empire lost any justification to carry out the project.
But all things are naturally forgotten as time passes.
They say a landscape changes in ten years. A hundred years is more than enough time for a human to be buried in the depths of history.
The current year is Imperial Year 514. Historically speaking, it is a quite peaceful era. Except for one specific "event."
"Saint, do you happen to remember what that is?"
[I am embarrassed to say, I have never gotten a national history question wrong.]
"Hehe, so you do know."
[The Hero Party comes to the Demon Beast Forest. Led by Hero Claire.]
"Right, and because of that, the forest suffers a massive massacre."
Currently, in Imperial Year 514, the Hero Party invades the Demon Beast Forest. They do so under orders to exterminate every single Magical Beast they encounter.
In reality, while they call it extermination, the Empire, the Tower of Magic, and the Seven Nations all know. They know these orders are simply a directive to go and die.
Heroes are strong. That is an undeniable fact. A sword wielded by a Hero can cleave the earth, and the magic cast by a Hero's mage is comparable to that of a Dragon.
However, all of that is based on the point where their "growth is complete."
Heroes are beings that grow. To protect their comrades, to safeguard the continent. They fight and triumph against powerful enemies at every turn. Such as the Demon Army Legion Commanders or the Four Dukes. Simultaneously, they enjoy the sweet reward of growth.
But because Demon King Kanos does not attack the continent, the Hero Party's growth has stagnated. Naturally, a rookie Hero Party cannot possibly conquer the Demon Beast Forest, which is teeming with beasts.
[I heard that in the Southern Demon Beast Forest... every monster except for Dragon King Endros dies.]
Still, a tiger is a tiger even when old. No matter how inexperienced, a Hero is still a Hero. The party centered around Hero Claire succeeds in hunting every beast in the Southern Demon Beast Forest.
Though in the process, they lose most of their companions, and by the time the final beast is felled, the Hero's own heart has been ripped out.
Their struggle was not entirely meaningless. Because it allows the Hero Party dispatched to the forest another hundred years later to meet the Dragon King immediately without any loss of power. Consequently, the Dragon King dies, and a new one of the Five Kings, the King of Humans, ascends.
And the "mage" of that Hero Party is none other than Merlin Gregory.
The Great Sage Merlin Gregory, who made my final years stained with agony. One of the greatest mages in history, an absolute strong one who reached the 9th Circle despite being human and stood on equal footing with the Dragon Lord.
In my heart, I want to just kill Merlin Gregory a hundred years later, but I must not. It would change the history of the Human Realm.
At the very least, until Maria is born, things must flow according to the original history. In the Hero Party a hundred years from now, everyone except Merlin Gregory dies. It will be the same in this timeline.
And the surviving Merlin Gregory... after facing the great wall that is Dragon King Endros, she establishes "Eden Academy" to focus on nurturing juniors.
The place that nurtured Saint Maria and Hero Frey de Siegfried in my previous life, and will also nurture me, Oscar, in this life.
The greatest academy on the continent.
[Do you intend to intervene?]
"How would I even intervene?"
[Does it matter? No one knows what happens inside the Demon Beast Forest anyway.]
"Forget it, what if the history changes for no reason? I'll just watch. They say nothing is as entertaining as watching a fight, right?"
[You have always been an unpredictable person, Joker.]
"Hehe, that's true, but it feels strangely annoying. Are you saying you don't trust me right now?"
I'm a man who gets things done when it counts. Besides, the Saint's birth is on the line, so there's no way I'd be reckless about something like that.
[...I believe there is no man in the world less reliable than you, Joker.]
"My image is absolutely trashed. But does that mean the Saint is obsessed with the most unreliable man in the world?"
[Obsessed? What do you mean?]
"Wait all day, trembling in anticipation for my call, and then snatch it up the second it rings... if that's not obsession, what is? I heard you spend twenty-four hours a day dwelling on our conversations. Hehe."
[...You are too much. Who do you think I became like this for?]
"Are you expecting a villain to give you a compliment?"
[Would a single warm word be too much to ask?]
"That is the hardest thing in the world for me to do."
As I answered coldly, the Saint's voice sounded disheartened. Toward her gloomy mood, I whispered playfully.
"Well then, for today too, I love you."
[...!]
"Ahaha, see you tomorrow."
[I, I love you to...!]
Click-.
I hung up before the Saint could finish her sentence. It felt as though a silent confession of love was echoing across dimensions, but I chose to ignore it.
Maria has remained in the same place, in the same position, for three hundred years. I wonder if it feels uncomfortable, but since she's a soul, she fortunately doesn't seem to mind. Still, she often feels itchy, so I scratch her back and such whenever we communicate.
"Woof."
"Aru, how much did you hunt today?"
"Woof."
"Hm?"
"No time, busy."
The King of Humans walked over with a thumping gait, carrying a massive boar on his back. Aru was perched atop his head.
It would be normal to feel offended, but the King of Humans just laughed heartily without scolding Aru. Truly a man's man.
On the other hand, that brat Aru....
"Hey, Aru. Do you realize you haven't shown your face all day?"
"Woof woof."
"Tsk, there's a limit to how much you can ignore your owner. Are you having a second puberty? You've been keeping to yourself lately...!"
"Keeping to yourself? Don't use hard words. Speak simply."
"Ha, you've really climbed right on top of your owner's head, haven't you? Missing the taste of the magic wand?"
"I'm stronger than the magic wand. Woof woof."
Ever since experiencing an 'awakening' a few years ago... he's been acting all high and mighty, as if he's some kind of king. If I handed him a dagger right now, he could probably assassinate anyone.
Within our party, he is currently the strongest. He hasn't reached the level of Uriel in her prime yet, but I expect he'll be there soon. The problem is that perhaps because his power increased suddenly, his attitude toward us has become severely cold.
"What? You're stronger than the magic wand? Your arrogance is reaching the sky, isn't it?"
But a mutt is a mutt forever. Challenging the authority and status of the owner is simply unacceptable....
*Screech-*.
"Woof?"
"...Actually, no. Our Aru is the best. Yes, yes, there's no wolf like Aru."
"Woof woof."
What did I just see? I thought I saw Aru press her mouth against a rock and lightly clench her jaw, but why has the rock been crushed?
I should never mess with Aru. Of course, if we fought to the death, I would obviously win, but there's no need to cause conflict within the team. This is absolutely not me backing down out of fear. This is a strategic maneuver based on advanced intellectual reasoning. Ahem!
Hop!
Aru, who had been standing on the King of Humans' head, leaped like a feather and landed on my shoulder. Aru rested those soft yet firm thighs over my shoulders.
I didn't feel any particular weight. Her hair has grown so long it practically sweeps the floor, so why is she not gaining any weight? Maybe it's because I push her so hard under the guise of hunting.
Having climbed onto my shoulder, Aru purred as if tired, then dozed off, resting her chin on top of my head. Even though she's not exactly small, she's curled up like that. I let out a sigh and asked.
"Why do you keep disappearing lately? You're making me anxious."
"Woof... I, busy."
"That's why I'm asking why you're busy. What do you even do? You don't even bring back food."
"King of Wolves, busy. Lots to do."
"Sigh, fine, fine. Just get some sleep. Is this what it feels like to be a father raising a daughter? She really doesn't listen."
"Mmm-nya...."
Aru dozes off on my shoulder. If she tips over backward, she'll crack her skull. I moved Aru to the front and held her in a princess carry. Aru only opened her eyes slightly and remained still.
Meanwhile, Beatrice and Uriel, who had gone hunting in the opposite forest, returned. The King of Humans had finished plucking the hair from the boar he caught and was roasting it over a fire.
"Lord, has everything been well?"
"I'm always fine. Why don't you report the harvest first?"
"Yes, this god has caught three boars and five mountain goats."
Beatrice glanced at the net she was dragging. The net was piled high with dead wild animals. Great, that should be enough to last us a few days.
"Wow, as expected of Dame Beatrice. You're the best. How about you, Uriel?"
"This one has caught a single rabbit."
"...!"
My eyes snapped open. Not just me, but the King of Humans also turned his head with a look of shock. Aru's ears flickered and then stood straight up. That brat, look at her staying asleep while hearing everything.
"You... caught a single rabbit?"
"Yes, is there a problem? Hehe, I caught it myself without receiving help from anyone."
Uriel spoke proudly, squaring her shoulders. Her protruding chest was emphasized.
I replied with a beaming smile.
"Finally! You're finally earning your keep! Now I don't have to provide separate meals for you, Uriel! Since you're now capable of self-sufficiency!"
"Wha- what? Leader, that is...!"
"What, is there a problem? Of course, this is your first hunt! Even though it took a whole two hundred years for your first success! They say the first time is always the hardest, right? Since you've done it once, you'll be better from the second time onward!"
Whoo! I can finally legally kick this parasite out! I threw my arms wide and shouted hooray.
Unlike me, Uriel was trembling as if she had received a great shock. Her expression, once filled with superiority, was instantly swept away by bewilderment. Who told her to brag about catching a mere rabbit? She's not Aru.
Of course, since it's her first hunt, she should be proud, but how do you plan to compensate me for the two hundred years I've devoted to you?
"Lea- Leader... I will do better... so, please, huh? Please take back what you just said...."
"What? Are you seriously telling me to take back my words now? Is that how the Lord taught you?"
"Leader, you know how this goes...! If I stay like this, I'll surely...! P-please, save me! I'll never act arrogant again...!"
"Ahaha, I'm joking. Just a joke. How could I abandon a comrade I've grown so close to over the years? I was just teasing you. So relax. You look like you're about to cry."
"A-a joke? Phew... I knew it... you gave me a heart attack! Honestly, you're unbelievable!"
Compensate for what? I never expected anything from a parasite in the first place. I'm just grateful as long as they stay quiet and don't cause trouble.
Anyway, if Uriel died, Michael would immediately descend to tear me apart. With our current team, I think we could somehow gang up on one Archangel, but if Gabriel and Raphael descend too, there's no hope.
And more importantly, I'm not a cold-blooded monster who throws away comrades. On the contrary, I'm actually quite soft-hearted and vulnerable to emotional bonds.
"Uhaha, it's a boring world as it is, so I have to live by playing these kinds of pranks."
"Tsk! honestly, you're just...!"
"Bwahaha! An angel! You look hilarious!"
"Hmm... still, you're someone I once worshipped, yet here you are groveling before a demon. How truly sorrowful."
"G-groveling! Who is groveling! Beatrice! How dare you be so insolent and blasphemous!"
Come to think of it, it wouldn't be strange if Beatrice and Uriel's relationship were the worst. Actually, based on their history, it's only natural.
Yet they always bicker and stay close. It's rare for an apostate of the Church and a fallen being turning back into an angel to be so friendly, but our Beatrice and Uriel don't seem to care about society's gaze.
Oh right, this isn't society. I've been in the Demon Beast Forest for so long I forgot.
Sizzle- snap-.
While I was teasing Uriel to celebrate her first successful hunt, the King of Humans, who finished roasting the boar, tore off a piece of leg meat and handed it to me. It was roasted to a golden brown but completely unseasoned wild meat.
It's fine. I don't eat for the taste. It's great if it tastes good, but even if it's tasteless, I have to eat it for the nutrients.
"Everyone, fill your bellies today. Because I have no idea what's going to happen starting tomorrow."
"Hm? What is that supposed to mean?"
As I spoke while chewing on the roasted boar, the King of Humans twitched an eyebrow in question. I whispered with a wide smirk.
"Because some distinguished guests are scheduled to arrive."
*****
Rustle-.
"Ugh, it's cramped. Can't you move over a bit?"
"Uriel, why are you taking it out on me? This is only happening because the King of Humans is so massive."
"Honestly, John is one thing, but Dame Beatrice's sword is just way too big. Since when did a greatsword become larger than a person?"
"...If my Lord tells me to change it, I will."
"Forget it. You're already used to it, so just keep using it. By the way, John, where did Aru go? Why isn't she here?"
"She disappeared a while ago, saying she had somewhere to go."
"Tsk, that brat. Leaving right at this important moment. Huh? Shh, quiet! Everyone, hush!"
A group of five humans slowly approaching a cluster of goblins.
One holds a sword, one carries a mage's staff, an elf has a bow, a large man carries a shield, and another is dressed in priest's robes.
"As expected, the first hunt begins at a goblin den. From now on, not a single sound from anyone. They're doomed anyway... but it'll be a pain if we get spotted."
We are hiding in the nearby bushes, watching.
To witness the end of the Hero Party, those of a tragic fate, who are destined to perish in the Demon Beast Forest.