Ch.2Another Prologue

# Another Prologue

The colonel who had agreed to help me escape was killed by the hero.

Honestly, he was just one of my workplace superiors whose name I couldn’t even remember, but his sacrifice will forever be etched in my heart.

“Damn it…”

Honestly, I didn’t expect it.

That the hero would follow me, I mean. Usually, even if I said I’d be away for a while, she would simply nod in agreement.

It was an operation I carried out only after completing several verification procedures in that manner.

I confirmed how long she would stay put and under what circumstances she would permit my outings.

Yet still…

“I couldn’t have been found out, right…?”

Of all times, yesterday. It’s strange that she targeted yesterday among so many opportunities.

As if she had seen through our plans.

“No, that’s just paranoia.”

If that were the case, she would have no reason to keep me alive. Forgive me because we’ve been together for so long? Even for a carefree hero like her, that would be impossible.

Well, not entirely impossible… but there would be no reason for her to pretend not to know.

The hero has already become too powerful for me to handle.

In such a situation, would she turn a blind eye and spare a demon who had been selling information? Such a fortunate thing couldn’t possibly happen.

Yes, if I had been discovered, my head would already be severed.

“Munch, munch. Eirene! There are so many berries in the forest!”

A blonde girl with green eyes appears from the forest, arms full of unidentified berries, nodding with her mouth stuffed with pulp.

“Hero… Those berries are poisonous. You can tell just by looking at the color, can’t you?”

“Really? But they don’t affect me, so it should be fine, right?”

“No, sigh… Sit down here. I’ll cast a purification spell on you. And please throw away those berries.”

The girl with snow-white hair and blue eyes, who has a pure impression, sighs and makes the hero sit down as if scolding her.

The recovery and support specialist of the hero’s party.

The Saintess, Eirene Saintess.

Originally, the hero’s party had five members including me, but now we’re separated for our respective missions.

Well, by missions, I mean we’ve gone back to our main jobs; it’s not like Esmeralda specifically ordered anything.

Since everyone is a promising talent in their respective groups, they often take time off.

Of course, this time it’s expected to lead to more serious activities, so they’re scheduled to regroup in the middle…

‘I should have quit before this.’

Just my rotten luck.

How did they manage to gather only natural enemies of demons in one place?

But there is one good thing.

“…I don’t think the hero would have discovered me, of all people.”

The hero is fundamentally naive.

This is the result of my observations after infiltrating this party and living with them for over three years. Perhaps it means she’s pure, being directly chosen by God. And being pure also means being ignorant.

In simple terms, she’s stupid. But despite being stupid, she has good intuition and luck.

Just look at how she prevented my escape this time.

“Damn it, I should have considered that the hero would have good intuition after being chosen by the holy sword…”

I didn’t expect it would be enough to catch a fleeing demon and their accomplices. If that were the case, why didn’t she catch me when I first infiltrated?

Thankfully, due to her purity and ignorance, she doesn’t seem to suspect that I was collaborating with them.

“Lug, are you alright? I heard from the hero. She said you were kidnapped by demons while we were sleeping last night.”

“Ah, y-yes, I’m fine, Saintess.”

As I was grinding my teeth alone, the woman who had been busy stopping the hero approached me.

This girl with snow-white hair like snow and sky-blue eyes is the only conscience in this insane party, yet also my natural enemy, the Saintess.

Just her approaching makes me feel suffocated.

Indeed, the Saintess of the Celestial Order.

The concentration of holy power floating around her is downright lethal.

If I were a low-level demon, I would have dissolved into mere blood just from her approach.

“I think it might be better if we sleep in the same tent, even at night. If something like this happens again…”

“Ah, no. That’s a bit…”

“I’m worried. Lug is weaker compared to us.”

It was a statement that hurt my pride.

But it wasn’t wrong; I had already become the weakest existence in the hero’s party.

Whether I revealed my true form or not.

“Still, it wouldn’t look good to others and could easily cause misunderstandings, so it’s better not to. I don’t want to be a burden.”

Just sleeping in the same space as you would give me nightmares.

I’m sure in my dreams, baby angels would appear blowing trumpets and challenge me with sweet voices saying, “Have you lost your mind, you bastard?”

“Is that so… I shouldn’t burden Lug any further.”

“If that’s the case, please let me leave this party…”

“That’s not possible.”

Eirene Saintess smiled brightly as she rejected my request.

Why is everyone in this damned party so desperate to keep me?

And is this something to reject with such a radiant smile?

“But if you ever have any difficulties, please tell me. I can only pray for you, but…”

“No, you can do many other things besides tha— ugh!”

Eirene takes my hand in both of hers and assumes a prayer posture. Pure white light leaks from her palms, burning my hand.

“…”

I mustn’t scream here. It took exactly two years to get used to this act.

Fortunately, her prayer is not meant to destroy demons but to wish for well-being, so although it hurts, it doesn’t leave wounds, which is a comfort.

“Hehe, though you say you dislike it, you always let me pray for you, Lug. I’m grateful for that.”

“…”

No.

When Eirene Saintess grabs my hand, my body shrinks as if electrocuted.

It means I can’t move because of the physical damage.

I would escape if I could.

It’s uncomfortable to even be in the same place as the Saintess whose head is full of flowers, along with the hero!

“Shall we go eat now? Yesterday, because Lug was kidnapped, we couldn’t properly serve you… But today, the hero and I showed off our skills.”

Eirene Saintess holds my hand and smiles brightly. Her smile is truly pure and beautiful. Separately, I wish she would let go of my hand…

I’m starting to lose feeling.

“No, I don’t have an appetite…”

And I couldn’t possibly eat.

When the colonel met such an end for my sake.

How could I eat with a straight face less than a day after the colonel’s death?

I’ll abstain from food and drink for three days and nights to honor the colonel’s death…

“Since Lug had a hard time yesterday, today we have a special spicy soup that Lug likes! Eirene woke up early to make it!”

“Yes, I’m coming now.”

Let me just have a hearty bowl of soup and start honoring from lunch.

***

A red stew boiling in the pot, as if it contained hell itself.

The hero, Esmeralda, didn’t like the stew, but for the sake of the depressed Lug, she decided to keep quiet.

“Here! Enjoy your meal, Lug.”

“Thank you, Hero.”

“No need for thanks! Taking care of my comrades’ mental health is part of my role too!”

“Ah, yes…”

Taking care of comrades’ mental health was usually Lug’s job.

The hero Esmeralda was, if anything, the one being taken care of. She didn’t seem to have mental anguish, but because she knew so little, there was much to teach her.

“Hoo… hoo… Lug really likes this food. I’m… ugh… it’s a bit too spicy for me…”

Eirene, who had received her food first, asked with tears in her eyes.

This was a clear indication that the food was made solely for me.

Even in this situation, she tried not to lose her benevolent smile, truly befitting a Saintess.

“Haha, is that so? Maybe it reminds me of food from my hometown.”

It tasted similar to the Purgatory Soup from the demon realm.

Having been deployed away for many years, Lug often felt nostalgic for the soup that substituted for it.

‘Yes, Purgatory Soup… I must have eaten it with the colonel too. Now the colonel can no longer eat it.’

Suddenly recalling the face of his workplace superior who was killed last night, Lug became depressed and put down his spoon.

“Could I have another bowl, please?”

“Of course! This dish was prepared for Lug in the first place!”

Lug received a refill of the soup he had scraped clean and picked up his spoon again.

If he was going to put down his spoon in sorrow over the colonel’s death, he wouldn’t have eaten in the first place. Of course, only Lug could enjoy the spicy soup.

It’s known that he likes the soup, but not everyone can like it.

“Ugh…”

Eirene, despite her teary eyes, ate her food with the mission that one should not leave food uneaten.

“Nom, nom.”

Esmeralda, at least, didn’t discriminate against food.

If the other two members of the hero’s party were here, one would surely cry and the other would quietly put down their spoon.

Esmeralda thought this as she ate the soup bite by bite.

As the meal was coming to an end, Esmeralda carefully observed Lug, who was already on his third bowl of soup.

“W-what is it?”

Lug, feeling uncomfortable under that gaze, asked, and the hero, Esmeralda, answered with a broad smile.

“Nothing at all.”

A pure and innocent smile. Somewhat foolish-looking even.

But what was reflected in those two eyes…

[Name: Lug]

[Race: Mixed-blood Demon]

[Trait List]

Common Magic Lv. 32

Black Magic Lv. 34

Blue Blood Lv. 1

Balance Lv. 4

Tireless Stamina Lv. 2

[Overall Estimate: Lv. 274]

[Note: He is enjoying the food you made with satisfaction. Some of his accumulated stress has been relieved.]

“Then enjoy your meal! Lug.”

A truth clearer than anything else.

‘You’re going all the way with me, you damn demon.’

The hero, Esmeralda, was monitoring the demon spy Lug today as well.