Ch.9632. As If Awakening to Destiny.

“This seems hard to predict.”

Venus grumbled as she sliced through a strange creature that was lunging to bite her.

Aces responded with his characteristically bright smile.

“Do you think that Kariel guy summoned those things?”

“…Can we guarantee that’s impossible?”

Though she didn’t say it aloud,

Venus had kept in mind some of what Kariel had said to Bargo.

The Demon Lord of Wisdom, was it?

…It was something she couldn’t overlook, but not something she needed to share with anyone right now.

Aces emphasized once more.

“Didn’t you say to evacuate the villagers to the lower levels and prepare for any contingency?”

“Yes.”

“That could have been because you were worried the battle above would intensify, right?”

Also…

“And there are those things too.”

Though it was outside the village, some remnants of the Demon Lord’s army still remained.

Gathering people here, even if not as military forces, would be a significant burden for them.

Besides, there was also the pretext of taking preventive measures to avoid innocent casualties.

There were many reasons, but…

“Who could have predicted this?”

That such monsters would appear.

Just then, a voice came from one side, as if to resolve their doubts.

“There were warning signs.”

“Warning signs?”

“……”

A blue-skinned demon approached, skillfully wielding a curved blade.

A monster sliced by it split in half, spewing murky bodily fluids.

“Recently, animals and beasts in the village have all been either fleeing or dying.”

At Ruslan’s words, Aces became troubled.

“So you’re saying the appearance of those things was already foreseen?”

…And we, not knowing that, ate meals and took naps underground with those monsters that could emerge from anywhere at any time?

“Are you saying this is just a coincidence?”

Venus irritably swung her sword again.

Though it seemed like a casual swing, those caught in its path were swept away and sliced through.

Despite her seemingly careless swings, like lazily pruning branches, the difference between her and the struggling guards around her was embarrassingly vast.

“I wouldn’t know. I just wanted to mention that these signs appeared recently.”

Having said his piece, Ruslan rushed toward a precarious area and began sweeping up monsters.

“Recently, you say.”

Venus displayed a mischievous smile at the corner of her eyes.

“Do you know something?”

“It’s obvious who arrived recently.”

“Ah, that’s the connection?”

Aces seemed to catch on, running his tongue over his lips.

Though she appeared to be idly standing still, strangely enough, even the monsters seemed unable to approach her freely, as if there was something around her that kept them at bay.

In fact, whenever she moved, monsters that tried to rush at her either moved aside on their own or fell over, overwhelmed by her presence.

“You’re crazy, you know that.”

“Why are you picking a fight? Why do you always call me crazy?”

“When even mindless creatures know to keep their distance, your level is obvious.”

“That’s a good thing. An intimidating presence or spirit that can be sensed through instinct rather than reason or emotion? Something like that?”

“…That’s why I’m calling you crazy.”

The mercenaries Aces had brought were also achieving overwhelming results.

Since they were being paid, even if temporarily, their professional spirit and efforts were impressive.

“Woohoo! Getting paid to slice monsters and train in real combat while having fun! What could be better?! Gehehehehk!”

In particular, Gehben, a wolf-headed beastman, was causing havoc as if he were in his own home, his eyes rolled back.

Despite appearing to have completely lost his sanity, he ghostly distinguished between friend and foe, sweeping away the approaching monsters—more like a battle demon than a warrior.

“That… that uncultured…”

Aces muttered “He’s off the leash” and clicked her tongue.

Venus glanced at her and said dismissively:

“I’m going to move now.”

“Where to?”

“…Either up or somewhere else to look around. This place doesn’t seem dangerous anymore anyway.”

“That’s true.”

Perhaps her words caught Venus’s interest.

Only then did she draw her sword, gesturing with her chin as if to say “lead the way.”

“You’re coming too?”

“There’s a monster over there to play with. Wouldn’t it be a shame to let it go?”

Grrrr-ruk!

A strange roaring sound came from that distant beast-dragon.

Wouldn’t most people think about running away rather than fighting when they see something like that?

“Looking at you again, you really are crazy.”

“There you go again.”

Despite her words, the smile on her face was heated with anticipation for battle.

Though her appearance might seem far from combat and fighting,

Her essence was that of a guardian of war, stirring death and bloodshed.

In other words, a battle demon.

She joined the Savior faction for the insane reason that siding with the weak allowed her to face the strong.

Surrounding herself with righteousness to slaughter evil.

Cloaking herself in justice to fight without limits, wanting to indiscriminately butcher the evil that continuously emerged.

That was the purpose she had stated when she first sought to learn swordsmanship—this crazy woman.

At a glance, her purpose might seem similar to Venus’s own, and their paths might be the same.

…But there was a stark difference between them, making them fundamentally opposed.

“By the way, where did that nun from the Irenis Church go?”

“…There are no nuns in this village.”

“But there’s a church.”

“It’s not a church, just a chapel or something.”

She swung her sword as she flew through the air.

Those caught in its path were either sent flying as if hit by a mace without being cut, or they collapsed and crumbled without even realizing what had happened to them.

“You’ve been observing quite carefully.”

“Ah, I see now. You were trying to save that girl?”

“Unlike you, I don’t ignore the innocent.”

“While despising the weak.”

“……”

“Ah~ Sorry! Did that sting?”

Indeed.

Having this crazy woman as a companion made movement unhindered.

Even those who blocked their path,

she dispatched them easily with casual, dance-like swings.

…It’s impressive how she’s perfectly fine now, when earlier she claimed to have strained her muscles fighting the Legion Commander to save that guy.

By that logic, Venus himself should have been lying at death’s door, but for him, injuries of that level would heal in a few days.

After taking medicine and receiving some healing magic effects here, how could he complain?

“I don’t forget debts. That’s basic, isn’t it?”

“Why? Once you receive something, isn’t that the end of it? Why repay? Isn’t that a loss the giver accepts?”

“…You’re such trash.”

“No, I’m right! Do you thank every fruit you eat like those long-eared folks? Did you used to give meaning to every piece of bread you ate? Thanking the animals you kill is mockery, isn’t it? It’s better to act dignified as the victor and the strong—that way, the eaten beast would feel less wronged.”

“……”

Why does she always perform good deeds despite being so selfishly cunning?

She’s twisted, and thoroughly so.

“But in a village in this state, if she got stranded, would that girl be safe in that condition? She had children with her too.”

“…The children I don’t know about, but she won’t die.”

That woman.

“She’s a woman sent to monitor whether that damn sword gets pulled or not.”

“Is that so?”

“…With all the noise we’ve been making about the sword being pulled today or soon, do you think they wouldn’t have come?”

Luiness.

The reason she wasn’t visible might be related to the forces behind her.

That’s what Venus concluded.

The fact that she’s moving now is, in a way, targeting that.

“Now we’ll see how impressive her backers are.”

“I doubt they’ll be more appealing than that monster.”

“…If you find it so interesting, go there instead. Who asked you to follow me?”

“You should speak properly, Venus. You said she’s a monitor, right? That means she has a reason to be there at this moment, doesn’t she?”

If it doesn’t get pulled now.

“I wonder when that will finally be pulled?”

====

In this moment.

I’ve seen many things.

Whether my choice was right or wrong.

It might be too late to judge now.

But.

The village froze solid.

Everything froze.

No one living and moving normally.

No one at all.

Only myself.

The boy who lost his family and neighbors overnight had no way of knowing why this happened to him.

There, he met the girl.

Luciri, the Witch of the West Wind.

And the kingdom’s investigators who came to examine the anomalies.

In that journey, the boy might have been swept along, just following.

But the boy wasn’t merely dragged along.

He sought solutions with the troubled girl and was granted permission to accompany her.

He helped with anomalies in several villages and did everything he could during the audience with the king.

Even in the small crisis that occurred in the kingdom, he solved problems together with his newly joined companions.

It might have been a small anomaly in a small country.

It wasn’t a miracle.

But the boy’s struggles clearly had meaning and inspired and impressed many who watched.

The boy grew robustly in that process.

Thanks to his body trained as a forest keeper, his innate toughness, and optimistic personality, he stood firm without backing down against gloomy Luciri, easily influenced companions, and those with strong self-assertions.

When crises came, he united their strengths.

In the series of hardships and incidents that occurred in a short period, the boy who knew little of the world… still doesn’t know much.

Nevertheless, the boy had clearly changed from before.

“……”

Kariel, holding the sword hilt embedded diagonally in the ground while pulling Leo close,

conveyed the scene he had just witnessed to the holy sword.

Normally impossible, but he tried it because the Demon Lord said it was possible.

And so.

[Why won’t you leave me alone?]

In that space.

Another guest was invited besides Kariel and the holy sword.

“You’re the one who spoke first, to me and to him.”

At Kariel’s words, the holy sword remained silent.

“Huh? What?”

Leo, bewildered by the situation, could only stare with wide eyes for a while.

What on earth was happening?

It was a long, extended time.

But for those watching this scene from outside, it was just a moment.

Eventually.

Leo, who grasped the sword hilt after Kariel released it,

Drew the diagonally embedded sword in one swift motion.

It’s as light as a feather.

The drawn sword, as if it had never been rusty and shabby, began to emit radiance.

The holy sword spoke.

That his journey was the answer.

If he maintained his current mindset,

At least until that moment,

The holy sword would help him.

At that moment,

The isolated sword that had chosen to sleep made its declaration.

And.

Kariel, who watched the scene, and.

-…

The Demon Lord, each sank into different thoughts.

Long ago.

Regarding the qualities of a hero.

The world often defines it as overwhelming power.

That’s correct.

Above all, hero and warrior are not synonyms.

That’s why people get confused.

Anyone can become a hero.

As long as they have power.

As long as they achieve feats.

Regardless of who they are—their character, virtue, origin, or good and evil.

They become heroes.

But heroes can always fall and decline.

Even great emperors and kings became tyrants and oppressors over time.

Nevertheless.

Who can say they are not heroes?

However.

They are never called warriors.

Why is that?

Because the qualities of a warrior differ from those of a hero.

An unyielding heart.

A will that doesn’t compromise with reality.

In other words, indomitability.

Therefore, for a warrior, strong power is merely an accessory.

It’s good to have but not necessary.

Because.

They will never yield in any case.

And that is hope, which ultimately achieves victory.

That’s why they are warriors.

If they don’t yield but are defeated, they are not warriors.

No, they can be defeated.

But because they never give up and never yield, they eventually create a foothold for reversal.

If they win in the end without yielding despite losing 100 times,

That is undoubtedly the duty of a warrior.

And.

Their ultimate goal is the victory of justice. The victory of good.

Evil loses to good.

Good triumphs over evil.

Therefore.

How could the world, the gods… not love such beings?

Therefore, the quality of a warrior means being respected and loved by the world,

And inevitably receiving divine favor.

There have been many exceptional individuals from early on.

Many were once heroes.

But they eventually succumbed to the battle with themselves.

Thus, they.

Became villains, tyrants, robbers, murderers.

Even that was possible because they had power.

Power carries such weight.

Just possessing it weighs on one’s shoulders, weighs on one’s body, and compels choices.

If one is swept away by it, if one yields to it.

In the end, even the soul is crushed.

Countless heroes have been crushed under it.

But.

Those who carry that burden and steadfastly move forward, advancing to fulfill their beliefs.

They are warriors.

How… noble and sacred.

Therefore, friend or foe, all must respect and admire them.

Must revere them.

Therefore, if they have enemies,

They are… those who hate, envy, and deny such nobility.

…The absolute evil and vile slaves and servants who have sold their souls to evil.

“……”

But.

If there is someone who has sold their soul to evil, even if not absolute evil.

What should they do?

Like fate.

As if awakening to destiny.

Luiness, who had just climbed the stairs.

In the distance, she witnessed.

…Leo raising the drawn sword high.

“Ah….”

Why.

Why did you make me witness this scene?

If only.

If only.

…If I hadn’t climbed up.

If I had witnessed this scene a little later and realized it,

…I too might have had some time to hesitate.