Ch.20Maybe they’re not such bad people after all?

# 1.

Gardner County.

Located in the northern part of the Babylonia Archipelago, it was cold and dry.

Naturally, the land was barren.

They had scoured the area hoping to find minerals, but there was nothing of value.

Which raises the question:

How did they become one of the ten wealthiest families in the Empire despite such desolate land?

The current lord’s competence?

The son who became a hero?

The daughter with exceptional intelligence?

None of these answers are wrong, but the main reason for their wealth was singular.

-Prepare for battle against the demon race!!

-Exterminate the demon beasts!!

-For the name of <Gardner>!!

It was thanks to the byproducts of centuries of defending the frontlines and eliminating magical creatures.

Now, thanks to the appearance of the <Hero>, demon invasions had ceased, but demon beasts still swarmed and extermination operations continued regularly.

Demon beast byproducts sold for high prices, and the money earned was reinvested in securing supplies, training warriors, and other combat-related areas.

Only the most capable knights and mages were deployed to the northern front, creating a virtuous cycle where their efforts accumulated capital.

Thus, it was said that the combat personnel of Gardner County were among the strongest in the Empire.

And that was,

“There he is, now!!”

“Save the young lady!!”

“Kill the Black Wolf!!”

A statement that applied to those now standing in the way of the <Black Wolf>.

“Excuse me.”

“Eek?!”

“B-be careful!! He’s using the young lady as a shield!!”

“Indeed.”

They were the kind who would take one step further even in the face of certain death.

Those who returned to the battlefield despite surviving countless battles.

Indomitable warriors who would gladly sacrifice their lives for victory.

And now, these brave warriors…

【Target(s)’ fear detected.】

【<Black Veil(Ex)> activates.】

…stopped in their tracks for the first time in their lives.

This was true even for Rohan, the right-hand man of Count Gardner who commanded the warriors.

Rohan had always stood at the front with the Count and had never once retreated.

Having always lived alongside death, he had ceased to fear it, but the <Black Wolf> before him now was different.

The black robes rippling darkly,

The killing intent leaking through the mask’s gaps,

Death approaching silently.

If there were a god governing death, would it not look like this?

‘What kind of monster is this…!!’

No matter how brave a warrior might be, what could one do before a god?

“S-seize that man…”

Though he managed to open his mouth, what came out was not his usual dignified voice but the murmur of a small, cowering human.

Thud, thud, thud…

Hearing this murmur, the Black Wolf approached him, who was blocking the entrance, and asked:

“Me?”

Even his breath was chilling—was he truly something beyond human?

As everyone froze, awaiting the man’s mercy, Hestia Gardner shouted, her pure white nightgown fluttering:

“N-no!! Uncle Rohan!! Come to your senses and run away!! Please, Black Wolf!! I’ll die instead, so please spare their lives!!”

A desperate voice cutting through the silence.

The warriors realized:

Hestia too was feeling a profound terror that transcended death.

“…I said I won’t kill you.”

“Someone exuding such killing intent says that?! Stop lying and just kill me instead!!”

Despite this, the young lady who had been secretly ostracized by the family was now raising her voice for them.

Forgotten scenes began to surface in the minds of the petrified warriors.

-Uncle! You’re playing with me today, right? You promised to smile today!

-I’m sorry, but there’s an important battle tomorrow. I’ll play with you next time.

-Oh… Okay! Sorry! I didn’t know. Don’t worry about it and come back safely, Uncle!

In the Gardner family, being weak was treated almost as a sin.

-But you know what? Aren’t we neglecting the young lady too much?

-She’s not a warrior.

-She tries really hard though.

-Yet she cannot become a warrior.

-Ah, I see.

Under the excuse of following the will of the strong, we pushed her to the back of our priorities.

-Uncle Rohan!! Eek, your expression is scary again. Today I’ll definitely make you smile!

-I’m sorry, but I’m busy.

-Oh… again? Okay, I understand…!

We wielded our swords for peace.

-…Um, Uncle?

-Would you be available later?

-…Yes. …Smile a little.

-Yes. I’ll try.

We had decided that we would take care of the young lady on the day when battles no longer occurred.

But we knew:

-…Take care, Uncle. Don’t get hurt.

-Yes, young lady.

-…Smile a little.

-I’ll try.

That complete peace would never come, and we were merely ignoring the incompetent young lady under the pretense of working for a better future.

But it wasn’t wrong.

Only the strong should lead people, and those who follow should also be strong.

Isn’t it enough for the weak to live happily in the peace created by the strong?

That’s why, when:

-An accident?! What do you mean?!

-While trying to save Young Master Balkan during his training with a captured demon beast, she…!!

When you were injured saving the eldest son, we were secretly relieved.

We were genuinely relieved that you, the incompetent one, had saved the capable eldest son.

Because you are weak.

Because weakness is a sin.

Because numerous warriors toil day and night to protect you.

So,

“…We ignored the young lady like that.”

Why do you,

“Run away, Uncles!! Don’t just stand there frozen, run away now!!”

Risk your precious life for such foolish people like us?

In the dark corridor filled with the Black Wolf’s ominous killing intent and Hestia’s desperate cries.

“…Listen.”

Rohan finally spoke, gripping his sword in reverse and cutting his own thigh.

The pain, like being burned, surged through him, dispersing some of the fear that had gripped his entire body.

Riiip!

He tore his collar to compress his upper body, then gripped his sword again to face the Black Wolf.

“This new life the young lady has given us, use it for her sake.”

Crack!

Many followed Rohan’s example, inflicting wounds on themselves to regain their senses.

“Don’t do it!! Just run away!!”

Hestia was the strategist of the 1st Legion.

She had already analyzed their combat strength.

If the killing intent emanating from the Black Wolf was proportional to his actual power, then his claim of defeating a legion might not be an exaggeration.

“Please run away!! You absolutely can’t stop him!! You can feel it too!!”

Of course they could feel it.

If the man before them used his full power, they would all be dead within seconds.

But,

“We need to finish this quickly so we can go play.”

Nevertheless, they would protect the young lady at all costs.

“Huh…? Did Uncle Rohan just smile?”

“I’ll smile for you as much as you want from now on, if you could just wait a little—”

As Rohan, his resolve firm, slowly approached Hestia…

Splash!

Splat!

Pitch-black blood covered his vision.

“Huh…?”

…Did it burst?

…What?

…A person?

…The young lady?

While all the warriors were dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events…

Splash, splash, splash…

The Black Wolf, covered in blood, placed the blood-soaked nightgown in Rohan’s hand.

“You should have treated her well when you had the chance.”

With a smirk, the Black Wolf turned and went back to Hestia’s room.

“Tell His Imperial Majesty: if he disturbs the <Black Wolf> one more time, I will kill everyone in the Empire.”

As he finished his warning with killing intent while sitting on the broken window…

SCREEECH!!

A grotesque bird, seemingly stitched together from human parts, flew in and hovered behind the Black Wolf.

“You… You bastard!!!”

Finally snapping out of his shock, Rohan charged forward with tears of blood, but…

CRASH!

He was blocked by a flesh puppet that smashed through the ceiling, sending him rolling across the floor.

“…Did you just insult the Captain?”

“Enough. We’re leaving now.”

“…Yes, Captain.”

That was the end of it.

In less than 30 minutes after the attack, the Black Wolf, having completed the “Assassination of Hestia,” left with a cruel smile.

Splash.

The debris from the horrific explosion touched Rohan’s hand as he knelt in the flowing blood.

“Ahhh!!! You bastards!!!”

Rohan, consumed by rage, shouted at the retreating <Black Wolf> riding the grotesque bird.

“I’ll remember this!! The warriors of Gardner will tear you to pieces!!!”

No matter what,

Without fail.

# 2.

Meanwhile, on the back of the flesh-made grotesque bird that had soared above the clouds to conceal itself.

Hestia, now wrapped in the robe the Black Wolf had been wearing, looked toward Gardner County and let out a soft sigh.

“That was my favorite nightgown. You won’t throw it away, will you?”

“Of course not. It’s a memento now.”

“…I’m not dead, you know?”

“They think you are, though.”

The Black Wolf’s words were true.

Just before confronting Rohan and the others, he had calmly proposed:

-Make your choice.

One, quietly pretend to be dead and come along.

Two, try to struggle.

-For reference, if you choose the second option, I will kill everyone in the mansion.

Naturally, she didn’t believe him at first.

All rumors tend to be exaggerated, and those about the <Black Wolf> would be no different.

So she chose option one, planning to escape when the opportunity arose, but…

“…Monsters.”

The Black Wolf and all his members were monsters beyond imagination.

That’s why Hestia changed her strategy.

‘Judging by the Black Wolf’s actions, it’s clear he doesn’t intend to kill me.’

What he wanted was not her death, but the rumor of her death.

‘For what purpose?’

The Black Wolf had said:

-This way, the operation to raid the <Black Wolf> using a legion will be canceled.

-But why?

-Because I don’t want to die.

But she couldn’t believe that.

‘By my calculations, a single legion wouldn’t even be able to scratch the <Black Wolf>.’

Anyway, regardless of the exact reason, one thing became clear from today’s incident:

‘The Hero’s party will return.’

The Emperor’s incompetence.

The spreading rumors.

Public sentiment already at its tipping point.

If news of my death reaches my brother’s ears on top of all this?

‘100% chance of a return march.’

This raises another question:

In the current situation, only the Ten Strongest or the <Hero’s Party> could stand against the <Black Wolf>, so why make the bad move of faking my death and creating enemies?

‘…Could it be.’

To avoid unnecessary conflict with the 1st Legion? To prevent bloodshed?

‘…Maybe they’re not such bad people after all?’

With a glimmer of hope, Hestia looked up at the <Black Wolf>.

“Urgh, Captain, can’t we kill something before we go? My hands are itching.”

“Quiet. Just drive properly.”

“Haha! Yes, Blood Demon! It keeps shaking and my drink is spilling! Ah, how frustrating. Hand over the reins and step aside! I have something to try!”

“Don’t drink and drive.”

…Well.

They are bad guys after all.

SCREEECH!!

It was a night when a grotesque bird, made from what was once wealthy, cried mournfully.

# 3.

One week later.

A group of humans who had passed through the entrance of demon territory and reached the noble realm stopped their march.

The document delivered by carrier bird was not an ordinary one but an urgent message.

A woman standing at the front of the group read it and turned her head.

“Listen without getting excited, Balkan.”

“Hm? Suddenly? But I’m hungry, can’t we eat first and then talk?”

“I’ll relay it first.”

The woman with sky-blue hair, her face still expressionless, opened her mouth.

“An unidentified group called <Black Wolf> attacked Gardner County. Casualties being counted. One confirmed death. The name of the deceased…”

…Hestia Gardner.

“…What the fuck?”

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.

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【Grace period ended.】

【<Prologue> has ended.】

【Bad Ending – <6. Hero’s Return(A)> is set above the main scenario.】

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“Let me go, you bastards!!! Before I kill you first, quickly!!!”

“Hold him tight, Marine.”

“Yes, don’t worry~.”

After a brief commotion.

The blue-haired woman, who had been contemplating with an expressionless face, turned her body toward the path they had come from.

“We’re returning to the Empire.”

Fortunately, this time there was unanimous agreement.

“We will exterminate the <Black Wolf> and then return.”

There were no objections.