Esther recalled the lessons she had learned during her time at the convent.
“The Hero and the Demon King are forces that counterbalance each other, like the sun and moon, day and night, or yin and yang. When one grows stronger, so does the other, and when one weakens, so does the other. This is how the balance of the world is maintained.”
“Yes… The teacher said that the Hero and the Demon King possess almost equal power. If the Hero is strong, the Demon King is strong, and if the Hero is weak, so is the Demon King. Thinking about it the other way around… if the Demon King or one of their Four Generals wields immense power, it means the Hero must also possess a similar level of strength.”
Her extraordinary mind continued to analyze and move toward the answer.
“The unimaginable power of Lesia, one of the Four Generals, suggests that the Hero must also have equivalent strength. The current Hero is Raul… but from his appearance and actual abilities, he doesn’t seem like a mighty warrior. Even though the Guardian Knight claimed Raul has hidden potential, if that were true, he wouldn’t have been begging for his life when faced with the Demon Tribe’s threat. This means the Guardian Knight’s assessment must be wrong.”
“And if we dismiss the Guardian Knight’s evaluation as unreliable…”
“Another possibility emerges.”
“The previous Hero… Victor Evans.”
“The Guardian Knight evaluated Victor as an incompetent Hero with the worst potential… but could that really be true?”
“Lesia mentioned that exactly one year ago, the miasma of the Demon Continent thickened, making her stronger just by breathing. That coincides with the date Victor Evans was summoned.”
“Then… if Lesia’s sudden surge in power is the world’s way of maintaining balance, doesn’t that mean a Hero strong enough to necessitate such empowerment was born?”
“The Hero’s party has a secret,” Senior Theresia had warned.
“The reality of the Hero’s party is so different from the rumors…”
“The unreliable assessment of the Guardian Knight…”
“…I understand now.”
“The key to the truth lies with the previous Hero, Victor Evans!”
Although she hadn’t uncovered everything, Esther had finally touched upon the truth.
She realized she needed to meet Victor Evans.
However, for now, escaping this dire situation was her priority.
Lesia still held the Hero’s party’s fate in her hands.
Lesia sneered and said:
“The Hero surrendered of his own accord, the Mage’s arm was severed, the Elf’s ankle was broken, and the Knight lost his eyes. The Saintess remains, but she has no combat power… In other words, your defeat is already sealed. And that’s not all—your disgrace has been broadcast to the entire world. From now on, your lives will be a living hell.”
Esther was the only one who dared respond.
“What do you intend to do with us? Are you going to kill us?”
“Who knows…” Lesia teased with a mischievous grin.
“Killing you all would be easy, but party members can always be replaced. The Hero, however, is the important one.”
Her gaze landed on Raul, who flinched and trembled violently.
“W-What are you going to do with me?”
“Heh. I’ve decided to take you and turn you into one of my minions. That would be far more shocking to humanity than simply killing you. The news that ‘the Hero became a demon’ will be the talk of the world! It’ll make my betrayal seem insignificant!”
Lesia laughed hysterically.
With a snap of her fingers, bats appeared from nowhere and grabbed Raul’s collar with their claws.
As the bats took flight, Raul was lifted into the air with them.
“Ah! Let me go! Let me go! I want to go back to Miku-chan! I’m done with this otherworld! Send me home!”
“Heh. I’ll train you well and turn you into a splendid demon. The next time we invade the human continent, you’ll lead the charge.”
“No! No! Help me! Cynthia! Jeanne! Tiffany! Esther! Someone, please help me!”
“Hero!!!”
Only Esther responded to his desperate plea.
“Lesia! Let him go! You know he’s not even worth killing! There’s no need to go this far!”
“Heh… Think of it this way: the only reason he survived is because he’s not worth killing. I’ll turn him into a demon and use him as the vanguard for conquering humanity. Imagine the despair humans will feel when a former Hero leads the demon army!”
“Lesia! What’s your goal? Why are you doing this?!”
“My goal…? If I had to say, it’s to see the despair on humans’ faces.”
“What… what did you just say?”
“Hahaha! Yes, that expression! Farewell, fake Hero party! May you forever struggle in lies and ignorance!”
With a single flap of her wings, Lesia vanished like a flash of light, taking Raul with her.
“Not worth killing.”
That judgment applied equally to the surviving members of the Hero’s party.
It would be redundant to describe every hardship they endured to return to the empire, so let’s just say they managed to succeed in their grueling journey.
Predictably, as soon as they appeared, they were met with jeers and mockery from the crowds.
The Hero’s party, like mute spectators, showed no reaction and headed straight for the imperial palace.
Their sole focus was to report the results of the expedition to the Emperor; they had decided to think of nothing else.
After all, thinking wouldn’t change their predicament.
The party, now without their Hero, knelt before the Emperor.
The state of the Hero’s party was utterly miserable.
The mage, Cynthia, had lost an arm.
The knight, Jeanne, wore an eyepatch.
The elf, Tiffany, was hobbling on crutches.
The only unscathed member was the saintess, Esther.
It seemed that within the group, Esther was being recognized as a potential leader, as even the veterans deferred to her for the report.
Esther spoke.
“Shamefully, the Hero’s party has returned in this state. We humbly seek an audience with Your Majesty.”
“You managed to return, somehow,” the Emperor sneered, a remark layered with multiple implications.
Esther could easily grasp his intent.
“To not return would have been to commit yet another sin,” she replied.
“And what is there to report? Everyone has already witnessed your disgrace.”
The Emperor’s own actions had been part of that disgrace, but he feigned ignorance, shifting the blame onto others.
Of course, no one could hold the Emperor accountable. He was the ultimate authority.
Esther continued, “We are fully aware of our failures and sins.
Truly, we are prepared to accept any punishment, even expulsion from the Hero’s party.
But Your Majesty, what do you plan to do after you cast us out?”
“There are many eager to join the Hero’s party,” the Emperor replied.
“And how will you replace the Hero? Raul has been captured by the Demon Tribe, and his fate is unknown.”
“We’ll summon another Hero, of course! What else?”
“Summoning requires funds equivalent to the national budget. A year ago, we summoned Victor, and recently we summoned Raul. Never before have summoning rituals been conducted this frequently. The cost will be astronomical. Where will the funds come from?”
“It is regrettable,” the Emperor said with feigned concern, “but we’ll have to seek aid from the world. There are many wealthy nations. The Kingdom of Grimoire, for example, rivals our empire in riches. We’ll seek their assistance. Heroes exist to save the world, after all. Since we’re bearing the burden of supporting them, isn’t it natural for other nations to contribute subsidies? It’s for the greater good.”
“Your Majesty, fear of the Demon Tribe is one thing, but fear of starvation due to lack of funds is another. Isn’t that just as frightening?”
“Are you suggesting we live without a Hero?”
“After two Hero summoning rituals, nations have already been forced to pay heavy subsidies under the guise of Hero support funds. The oppressive taxes have caused significant suffering. If it happens a third time, it will push them beyond their limits.”
“Then what would you have us do? Do you have a solution?”
“I do.”
“What…?” The Emperor leaned forward, intrigued. “Tell me. What is your solution? I’m curious now.”
“Old is gold,” Esther declared, her voice commanding.
“Instead of summoning a new Hero, why not reinstate the one we already have? You can rebuild the Hero’s party without spending a single coin.”
“What…?” It took the Emperor a moment to grasp her words.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Victor Evans.”
It was a name that hadn’t been spoken in a long time.
Esther continued, “Summon Victor Evans again. Rebuild the party around him. Only then will the Empire… no, humanity, have hope.”
“What nonsense is this? Why bring back someone who’s already failed? Besides, we don’t even know where he is or whether he’s alive. Victor and Raul are in the same situation—missing, possibly dead.”
“He is most likely alive somewhere. Allow me to explain his strategic value. First, the thickening miasma of the Demon Continent—”
“Wait!”
At that moment, the Guardian Knight, who had been standing by the Emperor’s side, stepped forward.
He seemed to have something to say.
“May I speak?”