Ch.8The Reason He Is Needed (6)

# The Reason He’s Needed (6)

‘What the fuck is this?’

Space magic, which reportedly fewer than ten people in the Demon Lord’s army could use.

This was the first time he’d learned that Millia could use it.

As a spy for the Demon Lord’s army, there couldn’t be more crucial information than this, but right now, that wasn’t important to Lug.

‘What the hell is happening right in front of my eyes?’

Lug wanted to deny reality.

What was all this about? What had all his efforts been for?

“My efforts…?”

How hard had he worked to pull this wagon here? He had pulled the wagon over mountains and valleys, treating the horses that drew the wagons like family.

Even after losing all the horses in an unfortunate accident, he hadn’t given up, pushing forward solely for this one purpose.

The pride of a porter.

Yes, that’s what Lug had.

Even if it was just a cover for espionage, he had never been anything but serious about this job.

He was a porter. A person with the proud duty of transporting luggage.

But…

“Then what’s that?”

“Don’t know, probably an attention-seeker.”

“I heard rumors about the Hero’s party having a freeloader…”

Now he had become a deranged attention-seeker who stupidly pulled a wagon by hand when they could just move luggage with space magic.

The murmurs of the gathered soldiers hurt Lug’s heart even more.

What made it sadder was that even Lug himself couldn’t deny it.

“Ah! No… that’s not it. Our Lug brought a wagon filled with special items that couldn’t be transported with space magic.”

“Oh… I see.”

The supply officer, who had been looking at Lug with half-closed eyes, nodded at Esmeralda’s desperate excuse.

As it happened, checking the supplies in the wagon Lug had pulled, they were all weapons with magic engravings.

“They say magic can interfere with other magic, so that makes sense.”

Only then did the surrounding soldiers begin to nod.

But Lug’s heart had already been torn to shreds long ago.

They might be magical weapons, but normally there would be no reason for Lug to be there.

After all, the weapons used by the Hero’s party, except for Esmeralda’s sword, were all carried by their respective owners.

So it meant that all future luggage could just be stuffed into space magic. That would be more convenient for travel and also for contingencies.

“Hero, I think I’m not need—”

“Lug is an essential member of our party, so no.”

“I haven’t even finished speaking.”

“Anyway, no. You’re probably going to wallow in self-pity again and say, ‘Sob sob, I don’t think I should be in this party!’ and try to quit, right?”

“…”

Lug was speechless at Esmeralda’s rebuttal, which seemed to read his mind.

‘Wow, I really thought she could read minds for a second. Impressive.’

Lug hung his head in misery. He became convinced that this vicious Hero’s party would never let him go, even if he wasn’t needed as a porter.

“Lug.”

“…Lady Millia. Since when have you been able to use this kind of magic?”

“You said last time that you were struggling and wanted to quit. So when we went to the magic tower this time, I worked hard to learn it.”

“I see…”

As expected of the joint successor to the seven magic towers.

She spoke as if she had just picked up a snack while grocery shopping, making it seem like an insignificant spell for a moment.

But wasn’t the direction of her effort a bit strange? Lug privately shed tears at Millia’s misguided sentiment.

“This should make things less burdensome for you, right?”

And Millia, the very person who had made Lug miserable, was smiling faintly as if seeking praise.

For Millia, who had no friends besides Lug, this was her most precious gift.

“Yes… thank you.”

It was indeed the perfect gift for a demon spy bastard.

***

Fellheim Senova, an officer of the fortress city Senova, was coldly staring at the Hero’s party approaching from afar, causing a commotion.

No, to be precise, she was staring at Lug, the porter of the Hero’s party who was mixed in with them.

‘Weak, worthless. A guy not even worth using as a common soldier.’

She didn’t underestimate the Hero’s party. Although she had only heard rumors about them, she didn’t think for a moment that those rumors were exaggerated.

That’s just how Heroes were.

What did it matter if they were just rumors? They had already proven themselves.

The Hero was chosen by God and obtained the holy sword, and the Saintess was recognized as the representative of the religious order by her very existence.

The Mage was a genius with the greatest talent even in the magic tower, and the archaeologist belonged to the Eye of Truth.

But not the porter following behind them. Just a survivor of a destroyed village who had arrogantly joined the Hero’s party.

“He can’t even fulfill his own role.”

Look at him now, dragging a wagon and sweating profusely.

He was a being who didn’t even fit the position of porter in the first place.

And what about the space magic that Millia had just demonstrated?

Would such a youngster really be needed in a party that had already reached that level?

Fellheim Senova knew.

“I should help them cut their attachments.”

That it was all just attachment.

The Hero’s party’s attachment to the porter.

And the porter’s attachment to the Hero’s party. It would be a hundred times better to cut such things off early.

The area ahead was the frontline where demons and humans divided territory and fought.

It would be better for both sides.

***

Fellheim Senova.

A veteran of the frontline who gives our demon kind a hard time. The first emotion I felt when I met her was fear.

“Hmm…”

A neat, angular posture.

One eye that seemed to be appraising.

A veteran who had survived countless battlefields was looking me up and down as if evaluating me.

That alone was enough to make me, a demon spy, feel intimidated.

I stood stiffly, trying not to show it, but I couldn’t hide the cold sweat running down my cheeks.

‘Ah, what’s with that expression? Fucking terrifying.’

After slowly looking us over, Fellheim finally spoke.

“What are you so afraid of that you’re trembling?”

‘Oh, have I been found out?’

What should I do? My life flashes before my eyes.

When I first joined the army. And until this moment.

‘Fuck, I only remember seven years’ worth!’

Was that all there was to the valuable part of my life?

Just being worked to the bone in the army and then being drafted for this dangerous mission, facing life-threatening situations every night?

Is this what life is?

“Y-y-your, your expression looks really scary.”

“Ah, I’m sorry, Tina. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

While I was calculating about 26 escape routes in my head, I heard those words. Only then did I glance to the side and see Tina trembling like a wet puppy.

She usually acts so smug, but she’s more chicken-hearted than I thought.

No, depending on the type, maybe even smaller-chested than a chicken?

“When you live on the frontline like this, frowning becomes a habit. So I guess I look like this even normally… I’m sorry.”

Fellheim Senova smiled gently and handed Tina a candy.

Tch, this old hag doesn’t know anything.

How much our kid hates being treated like a child!

I’ve tried to appease her before by giving her candies and snacks, but it never worked.

“Wow! Peppermint candy! So delicious!”

Wait, was it just a difference in taste?

Was the “child” who said not to treat her like a child referring to that?

I should prepare some yokan next time.

…No, I don’t want there to be a next time.

I’m going to leave this damn Hero’s party as soon as possible!

So I won’t think about next time.

While I was admonishing myself with this solemn mindset, Fellheim Senova’s gaze finally fell on me.

“And you are… hmm, the porter who moves luggage.”

“Ah, please call me Lug the porter, not the porter who moves luggage. Many people still get confused!”

“I, I see. …Does the Hero refer to companions as luggage? Perhaps I was wrong.”

“No, it’s not that my character is the problem, it’s that Lug’s name is Lug. He’s definitely not luggage.”

“Uh… ahem! I see. I understand. I must have misspoken.”

The Hero’s unnecessary correction.

I have to admit her composure, not getting nervous even in this situation.

She looks like a lunatic, but thanks to that behavior, the tension was somewhat relieved.

Could she have deliberately made a joke to ease the tension? No, the Hero is too stupid to know such things.

“Hmph.”

For a moment, the Hero’s gaze turned toward me. It was a seemingly stupid smile.

At the same time, I thought I heard a grinding sound, but it was probably just Tina eating her peppermint candy.

“Are you still tired? Seeing you sweat, I realize I’ve been thoughtless. Let me turn on some cooling magic.”

“…I’m fine. It’s right to think of the condition of those on the frontline before someone like me.”

“Is that so? I appreciate your consideration.”

Fellheim said that and began adjusting the temperature control device. Soon, cool air started flowing, and Fellheim shrugged, sat down in her chair, and said:

“It’s hot today. A bit of coolness would be easier on these old bones.”

No, I said I’m fine!

The sweat I’m shedding now isn’t from the heat.

I don’t need an adult’s consideration like that!

But I couldn’t say such things directly. Eventually, the temperature control device that Fellheim Senova had turned on began to cool the room.

“Hmm? Are you still hot?”

I was still dripping with cold sweat. If things had stayed as they were before, I might have stopped, but with the temperature being adjusted like this, I felt more flustered, as if my tail was about to be stepped on.

“Well… now that I look at you, it doesn’t seem like you’re sweating from the heat?”

The temperature had dropped enough to give me goosebumps.

Even Fellheim Senova, unless she was an idiot, would realize that the sweat I was shedding wasn’t from the heat.

“Are you perhaps…”

Ah, this seems to have gone to shit.

Just as Fellheim Senova began to stare at me with a cold gaze.

“We’re tired, so would it be alright if we give our report later?”

The Hero cut in.

The timing was truly exquisite.

It almost looked like she had intervened to defend me.

But Fellheim Senova seemed to feel some weight in the Hero’s words and replied with a slight smile:

“Ah, of course. This old woman was keeping young people again. Go rest for now. We’ll talk later.”

Fortunately, it seems we’ve passed the crisis.

Though I still think things have gone to shit, of course.