Ch.22. [URGENT] Hero Party, 1 or 2 Members Needed (2)

“Was it unnecessary to include the requirement of having experience with solo requests of rank 2 or higher?”

I frowned as I looked at the recruitment notice I had painstakingly created last night. I wasn’t tired. Perhaps because even a decayed hero is still a hero, Ilroy’s body didn’t fatigue from just one sleepless night. I wasn’t sure how many applicants would come running, but I hoped at least one or two interested people would show up. If I could just find someone “decent” among them, I could at least ease one of my worries.

“This is how people were recruited in the original work too.”

Well, I didn’t act thoughtlessly. Openly posting a notice on the Adventurer’s Guild board was the method Ilroy used in “I Won’t Return” when he needed to find new party members. And I knew the fatal mistake Ilroy had made back then. Of course, I also knew exactly how to rectify that mistake. I folded the recruitment notice and placed it on the table. At that moment, I wondered how George would react if he saw this notice.

Bang! Thump thump thump thump.

How does he know my thoughts so perfectly? I let out a hollow laugh as I sensed George’s approaching presence. For someone who only knew the concept of “sensing a presence” from novels, actually being able to feel someone’s presence was a remarkably strange sensation.

“Ilroy!”

He’s desperately calling for me from outside the door. Did he miss me that much? I could tell George had reached the door without even looking. Before I could prepare to greet him, the door to the hideout was flung open with a thunderous noise. Seeing the giant standing in the doorway, I felt an intimidating pressure beyond what I had imagined. Ignoring the cold sweat running down my back, I crossed my legs, pretending to be calm.

“You’ll break the door. What’s the rush?”

“How can you speak so casually after what you’ve done?”

I thought my voice would tremble, but it was surprisingly steady. Perhaps this was a trait ingrained in the original hero Ilroy’s body. It was fortunate not to appear cowardly.

“What exactly have I done?”

“That notice you’ve folded and placed on the table! That poster prominently displayed at the Adventurer’s Guild! Did you pull such a stunt less than a day after I warned you not to act recklessly?”

George deliberately unleashed his intimidating aura. Those glaring eyes looked like they would devour me. I secretly swallowed hard. Even without mentioning George’s abilities, anyone would feel intimidated if such a giant man glared at them in anger.

Still, I had to maintain my audacity. If things didn’t proceed according to my plan, I was as good as dead anyway. Whether I died by this muscle man’s hands, died while trying to defeat “The Seven Calamity,” or lost my life to assassins from the kingdom or holy nation before even attempting to fight—though dying by his hands would probably be the most painful, at least dying while doing what I wanted seemed less unfair.

“I just judged that we don’t have time. We only have three months of vacation, right? We need to fill the vacant positions as quickly as possible. You told me to take responsibility for my actions, didn’t you?”

George’s face contorted at my words.

“Taking responsibility for your actions doesn’t mean doing whatever you want. Couldn’t you have spared at least a day to discuss this with me?”

I stood my ground against George’s growling voice.

“I’m not sure if that discussion would have ended in just one day. Besides, we do need to recruit people anyway. So you can’t say my method is wrong.”

“It’s not just about the method, but are you trying to advertise to the world that there’s a problem with the hero’s party? Adventurers will quickly spread rumors—that there’s discord or issues. Did you want unnecessary noise to arise?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“It would have come out eventually, even without them. And when false rumors spread before the truth, people focus on the rumors and lose interest in the facts. It’s better to let it out now than to keep it hidden and have it explode later. By the time we set out for subjugation again, the commotion will have died down.”

“What truth? The truth is that you unilaterally dismissed them.”

“That’s exactly what I mean. Rumors are stronger than truth. Since we can’t put spilled water back in the cup, we should at least clean it up. We can’t tarnish this party’s name ourselves.”

“You…”

George shook his head, wrinkles forming on his face. Now he couldn’t raise objections based on principles.

“…There must have been better ways than posting a notice at the Adventurer’s Guild. Didn’t you consider seeking cooperation from the kingdom?”

A long sigh escaped my lips. Arguments are indeed tiring.

“How exceptional would the talent be if we sought help from the kingdom? They’d inevitably engage in bloody internal struggles and send someone only a week before our vacation ends. Someone who’s gone through their internal selection process but whose name we’ve never even heard.”

I continued without pause. George might look ignorant, but he was a reasonable person. If I spoke clearly and coherently—if not logically—he wouldn’t strongly oppose.

“Let’s ignore all those facts. Assume the kingdom sends a 5th or 6th circle mage. Could they properly coordinate with our party in just a week? Could they adapt to our upcoming journey? Absolutely not.”

George’s frown gradually began to fade. I didn’t let him slip away.

“It’s absurd to think we can fill Aryen or Isis’s positions. We should aim to find someone who can best substitute their roles and maximize the party’s synergy.”

I said this while tapping the recruitment notice. Well, I had a separate purpose for posting the recruitment ad now, but I couldn’t reveal all my reasons to George.

George seemed deep in thought after hearing my words. Just calming his anger was a significant achievement. I leaned back in my chair, secretly relieved. After his contemplation ended, George scratched the back of his head and sighed deeply, as if annoyed at having to yield to my argument.

“…Fine. I’ll go along with your way this time. But at least let me accompany you during the interviews. Don’t party members have the right to see and choose who joins?”

George’s voice was completely exhausted. It seemed that using mental energy from the morning was tough even for the kingdom’s best defensive knight in heavy armor.

“Of course. I’m not that thoughtless.”

George stood awkwardly for a while even after hearing my answer. I wanted to tell him to leave, but I didn’t have that much courage. After giving me one last glare, George left the room. I opened the window at the back of the office and took a deep breath of outside air. The office still felt oppressive, as if crushed by the pressure George had emitted.

“Now I can breathe.”

I draped myself by the window and glanced cautiously at the office door through which George had left. While I hadn’t exactly lied, I couldn’t help feeling like I had deceived him. The look in my eyes was less apologetic and more like someone worried about being caught.

I got up from where I was leaning and returned to sit at the table.

“Well, I’ll show him the results later.”

I’m sorry, George. I’ll let you accompany me to the interviews, but you don’t have the right to choose party members.

I unfolded the notice from the table and muttered to myself.

Because I already have a predetermined candidate in mind.

==

The notice seeking new members for the hero’s party became a hot topic among adventurers. Once it was confirmed that the notice wasn’t a scam but genuinely seeking members for the hero’s party, the news spread to all adventurers inside and outside the royal capital.

“Will the pay be good?”

“Of course it will. Should I apply?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you don’t stand a chance.”

“…But are there actually people who qualify for this?”

“It’s the hero’s party we’re talking about, if anything, aren’t the requirements too low? Don’t assume others can’t qualify just because you can’t.”

“What did you say?”

…Such disputes became common within the Adventurer’s Guild.

“But why recruit now of all times? Isn’t this when morale should be high after defeating the ‘third calamity’? Did something happen?”

“Don’t know. But the hero’s personality seems nasty, doesn’t it? It’s probably related to that.”

“Hey, come on. He’s still the hero who defeated the ‘Calamity,’ don’t talk like that.”

“But he does seem a bit arrogant, doesn’t he?”

“Well, there must be some circumstances.”

As Ilroy had predicted, various rumors about the hero party’s situation began to spread. Since the rumors carried different stories, people’s words didn’t converge. Instead, their eyes and feet converged, flocking to the Adventurer’s Guild in the royal capital.

A week had passed since Ilroy posted the notice that caused a stir in the royal capital. George and Ilroy were looking out the window from Ilroy’s office at the top of the hideout, which would serve as the interview location.

“…Quite a turnout.”

George said this while looking down at the people gathered in front of the hero’s base. Thirty, maybe forty people? More people than expected had come claiming to meet the qualifications Ilroy had set. Some didn’t meet George’s standards, but a few made even him raise his eyebrows in acknowledgment of their skills.

“Look, that mage in blue clothes seems quite strong. Probably from the magic tower. The person with the large sword on their back looks good too. Above all, they seem experienced. There are more skilled people than I expected.”

George said with a sinking voice.

“Of course, they’re far from filling Aryen and Isis’s shoes, but there are several who could pull their weight as adventurers.”

In the past few days, Ilroy had been quite subdued. He hadn’t done anything particularly eye-catching, and the reckless behaviors George had mentioned had decreased. Of course, that didn’t mean George had come to trust Ilroy.

George’s assessment of the hero remained unchanged. Not particularly skilled or talented, lacking leadership to guide others, not adept at reading political currents—someone who made him wonder why they were called a hero at all. George only believed in his own potential and that of the adventurer they would select today.

‘…He’s probably still shocked that Isis left the party.’

George clicked his tongue as he watched Ilroy staring out the window with a deeply immersed expression. He’s probably not thinking anything at all with that look.

At that moment, the corners of Ilroy’s mouth, who had been staring out the window with a deeply furrowed brow, slightly turned upward.

“…Found it.”

A voice like a small exclamation. George, who had been watching Ilroy, followed his gaze out the window but couldn’t see anything that would capture his attention.

“What did you find?”

At George’s puzzled voice, Ilroy shrugged his shoulders.

“You’ll find out later. Let’s start the interviews.”

George’s eyes followed Ilroy as he returned to his place. Glaring at Ilroy with distrustful eyes, George returned to the corner where a full-length mirror stood and crossed his arms. At least if they selected someone according to George’s words, they wouldn’t fail. And even the hero would have to listen to George when it came to recruiting people.

Probably.

.

.

.

“Ilroy. This mage seems quite skilled. Let’s put them on the waiting list first…”

After the first interviewee’s session ended, George whispered to Ilroy. Ilroy nodded briefly.

“I’m sorry, but we’ll see you next time.”

“This crazy bastard.”

A curse quietly escaped George’s lips.