Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: There is Someone to Replace - 1
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The reason this game's title is *Pursuers of the Eight Stars* is because it's a story about the eight people qualified to defeat the Demon King, including the Hero.
With Claire fixed as the Hero, the rest become Hero Party members depending on the player's choices, and you can progress through the game while checking each character's story and abilities.
Of course, the Sage doesn't appear in any of that.
To begin with, he's a character who doesn't even have proper illustrations in *Pursuers of the Eight Stars*, and he's essentially a bonus pack added due to the brutal difficulty of Hardcore Mode. No way something like that would show up.
Anyway, the important part is what happens to the rest of the eight Pursuers of the Eight Stars—the ones not chosen—once the Hero selects their party members.
Truth be told, nothing much. They become part of the game as NPCs, merely helping out during the Hero Party's journey or in Adventure Mode.
Among those eight Pursuers of the Eight Stars, the Dark Elf shaman Sairon is a character with quite a deep connection to Evangeline.
I watched the two of them for a bit before shaking my head. I'd seen the event that triggers when they meet during Adventure Mode plenty of times in the game. So, whether they fought or not, I decided to focus only on what mattered.
"Hmm..."
I checked the roster tablet, starting verification on the people affiliated with the Black Rebels. Hm. Hm.
As expected. Almost everyone I suspected was there.
First, on the church side: the Pope, and three cardinals from the Pope's faction?
Those three—they're the cardinals who were hostile toward Veronica.
"Something evil is emanating from here? What is this? It's mixed with some seriously bad energy."
Lukendi peered at the roster tablet I was looking at and made a troubled face. As expected of a beastkin—her senses were no joke.
Right. Spot on. This is why I told Evangeline to bring me this roster tablet.
This quest item for the Demon King revival event casts a spell that binds you to an organization by having you engrave your own name.
If you betray them or try to erase your name from the roster tablet, the spell activates and deals massive damage.
At the level of spell on this roster tablet, that damage would be enough to take a life.
No matter who the target is—even the Pope.
"Why is His Holiness the Pope's name here? On a roster tablet that gives off such an ominous, evil vibe... And this. Isn't this a spell that only activates if you write your own name?"
"Huh? You know about it?"
"My little sister's a shaman, so I know a bit about spells. No, that's not the point right now. Hey. Sage. What's going on? I'm serious here."
Lukendi's eyes were gleaming. Why was she getting like this?
"Haha. We just took down some Mine Demons on a commission from His Holiness."
"You're worried about not getting your reward?"
"If His Holiness gets tangled up in something shady and falls from power, the reward flies out the window too! Hey. Sage. If you're gonna do something, can we at least get our reward first?"
She didn't seem like she intended to interfere, but she was fidgeting restlessly—probably because the reward was hefty.
Well, for adventurers, nothing's more important than rewards.
"I'll take responsibility for that reward."
Even if the Pope falls, there are plenty of people who can replace him.
From my position, I'd like to push Veronica forward, but she wouldn't want the job, so I'd back one of the cardinals friendly to her for Pope instead.
If that's the case, handing out rewards would be a piece of cake.
"Well, if the Sage says so. We're not strangers, so I'll help. But seriously, what is this?"
"It's the roster tablet of the Black Rebels, an organization aiming to revive the Demon King."
The area went dead silent the moment I finished speaking. Everyone wore expressions of disbelief.
But Sairon, who had been mocking and jeering at Evangeline, quickly regained her composure and nodded.
"Hmm. Well, I've heard the Pope's been showing a lot of interest in the Hero. Giving all sorts of special commissions and such. Almost like... he's trying to pull her under his wing."
"Participate in reviving the Demon King, then use the church-affiliated Hero to take him down again and expand the church's influence?"
Baltin muttered with gleaming eyes, and Evangeline quietly added,
"...Um, before, he, he contacted me too... about that."
At her words, everyone clamped their mouths shut. They seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation.
"Anyway. So? We going after the Pope now? Helping with stuff like this gets you big rewards, right?"
Sairon grinned and hooked her arm around mine.
With her exhibitionist tendencies, Sairon's skin was fully exposed.
Which meant the sweat she'd worked up in the previous battle was now smeared all over my face.
"Back off a bit."
"Human guys all love this stuff. Want to lick my armpit?"
"You crazy? Why would I lick that?"
Looking at her reminded me of real-world stuff. Sairon's character intro pose was raising both arms to expose her armpits.
There were definitely armpit fetishists cheering for it.
Not me, of course.
"G-Get, g-get away!"
Just then, Evangeline rushed over and yanked Sairon away. At Evangeline's venomous yet flustered expression, Sairon giggled and straight-up hugged me.
Of course, it wasn't because Sairon liked me or anything. We'd barely worked together a few times, and there hadn't been any opportunities to build affinity.
The real reason Sairon was clinging to me was one thing.
Her relationship with Evangeline.
Sairon was also one of the eight Pursuers of the Eight Stars and had wanted to join the Hero Party.
In that situation, for Evangeline—the same elf who'd been her rival since childhood—to join the Hero Party and receive blessings, how infuriated must she have been?
That's why they were sworn enemies, and there was even an event where they fought when they met during the main story.
"Ufufufu... Hey. Sage. Human guys love this stuff. Right? Right?"
Delighted by Evangeline's reaction, Sairon pulled my face right into her chest and rubbed it against herself.
"It hurts!"
The gem barely covering her nipple scraped my face. I shoved Sairon away, and she looked disappointed while scratching her cheek.
"I think this every time, Sage. You're a really unique guy."
"Who'd like having a gem rubbed on their face? Only perverts like that stuff."
"Y-Yeah... T-The Sage is... different."
Why are you looking so proud? Anyway, we didn't have time for this.
"Alright. Then the Pope should notice by now that this roster tablet is gone."
"So what're you gonna do?"
"What else."
I raised Moonlight, and soon footsteps started echoing from the alley.
Adventurers? Or maybe the Holy Knight Order.
Or perhaps pursuers from the Black Rebels?
"Wait there."
Mercenaries, huh. Well, makes sense. They couldn't exactly ask Holy Knights or adventurers to find an item openly recording affiliation with the Black Rebels.
These mercenaries, disguised as civilians and lurking in the city, seemed to be moving on a commission from the Pope or one of the roster tablet's members. Spotting us, they drew their weapons.
"We heard thieves broke into His Holiness's chambers. Something got stolen. Bet it's that. Hand it over."
The burly man who looked like the mercenary captain said with a sleazy grin. I glanced at them and smirked.
Who hands it over just because they say so?
"Nope."
"Then we'll take it by force. You guys in the back—if you're not involved, scram."
Baltin, Lukendi, and Sairon weren't part of this. They could leave, no problem. Actually, it'd be easier if they did.
If they left, Evangeline could escape with her blessing, and I could teleport away.
But as expected, our righteous, reward-loving Baltin didn't deviate an inch from prediction.
"Running off and leaving a friend? Not something the King of Beasts would do."
"Whoa! Honey~ So cool~"
Baltin raised his fist and flared his mane dramatically. Matching him, Lukendi seemed set on fighting the mercenaries too.
"Eh~ I don't wanna fight because of Eva."
"Then go."
"Hey. Sage. Sage. How about it? Say you wanna lick it, and I'll help. Okay?"
"Get lost."
"Kyahaha~ So tsundere~!"
"Crazy..."
I grabbed Sairon, who was shaking her chest in a not-quite-seductive tease right in front of me, and pulled her back.
Why would a shaman charge the front lines?
"T-The Sage and, t-together..."
Evangeline seemed half out of it. Her face flushed, she stared blankly at me and mumbled hesitantly,
"C-Can I... fight... together too?"
"Were you planning to bail alone?"
The others can run, but you can't while I'm fighting.
"U-Uh-uh! No! Y-Yeah! Of c-course we fight together!"
Was it because Sairon had been bullying her earlier? The cowed Evangeline suddenly beamed. She thrust out her hand, and a bow and arrow materialized in midair.
"Kill them."
As we all prepared to fight, the courteous mercenary captain who had waited drew his weapon.
In terms of skill... about an A-rank mercenary band. Numbers several times ours.
Well. Still, we had to win this with control and tactics.
"Ice Fog."
My spell activated, and combat erupted in the alley.
"Urraaaah!!"
Baltin's roar struck the mercenary captain's chest. With a leather-ripping sound, the guy flew back, crashed into the wall, and collapsed—ending the fight.
They'd come out all dramatic at first, but it turned into a nothingburger.
Of course, this fight wasn't over yet.
"Sage. Next?"
"We take this to the church."
"The church?"
Sairon tilted her head. Fair question. Why go to the church when its highest authority, the Pope, was the enemy?
But I had my reasons to trust it.
"Veronica's handling it. She's also acting as inquisitor and Inspectorate officer. The church should be under control by now."
Allied with the cardinals hostile to the current Pope's crew.
At my words, Sairon smirked, while Evangeline glanced at me.
"Wow. You totally trust Cardinal Veronica, huh?"
Evangeline flinched, her shoulders trembling. She stared at me with wavering eyes, then clenched her fists.
"Unlike those guys."
Sairon had encountered the Hero Party a few times during the main story. They'd never fought together, of course.
But through that, she'd learned about my relationship with the Hero Party.
Later, as an adventurer, when she heard how desperately they were looking for me, she'd laughed her ass off.
In other words, that line was outright mocking them, knowing full well.
"Right? Right? You trust Cardinal Veronica? More than those guys?"
Whether I trusted Veronica more than the Hero Party.
What a ridiculous question.
"...Ugh.."
Evangeline hung her head.
But the truth is always one.
Nothing changed.
"Alright. Let's go."
Footsteps echoed from the alley as I transformed Moonlight into staff form.
"To get your rewards."
Tonight, the Pope would fall, and a new Pope would ascend.
Author's Note
Hello! It's Malmulmalmul! Feeling a bit chilly and shivery—might be coming down with a cold lol
Everyone, stay safe from colds!
See you tomorrow~ Bye~