Chap 31-The Outsider of the Hero Party

 

Hero Talon.

It’s been a long time, but his face is half its size.

Well, yeah. He must have been quite anxious, losing the Holy Sword as a Hero. No matter how much you try to conceal information, it always leaks out somewhere.

But.

Something caught my eye.

Something that shouldn’t be with the hero party had arrived,

A familiar face was mixed in.

Yes. The stranger who came with the Hero was the kingdom’s princess.

Princess Luciella of the kingdom. The king’s only daughter, whom he cherished dearly, and her appearance was truly outstanding.

I had deliberately approached her, who was curious about the Hero, to lay the groundwork for sucking her dry later.

An ominous feeling engulfs my body.

Gulp.

I swallowed involuntarily.

I naturally retreated behind Arietta.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh. Well. There’s something like that.”

First of all, that princess is a star sign.

And one with the ability to see through people’s hearts.

Libra, was it? Truth and lies. Good and evil. It can tell whether this bastard is a killer or not.

As an additional ability. It can recognize the identity of the other person.

To be precise, no matter who I transform into, Luciella’s eyes will only see me as Sien.

In other words, it would be troublesome if I caught that princess’s eye right now.

I had no choice but to watch from afar as the hero party got cursed at by the Emperor or the imperial nobles.

“But. There’s a woman I haven’t seen before.”

“Yes, Emperor. This is Princess Luciella of the kingdom, who is in charge of this envoy. She greets the sun of the Empire.”

Why did that human even come along?

‘Let’s stay as quiet as possible.’

The connection between that princess and me was truly bizarre.

I don’t consider myself a saint.

Well. Considering what I’ve done so far, I’m closer to a common thug or a con artist. At best, I’ve been pretending to be nice while doing hero party things and trying to help humanity, but that’s it.

So, you see.

That Luciella was someone who knew about me a long time ago.

She’s a woman who knew from the beginning what kind of person I was inside.

And yet, she’s someone who likes me.

To be precise, I’ve been doing everything I can to shut Luciella’s mouth before even the remaining image of me collapses, trying to persuade the princess and all that.

And she liked that and stuck to me.

I was burdened by that, but now I’m living as Ciel and had forgotten about it.

I never thought she’d come in person.

“Ah, Princess Luciella. I’ve heard of you.”

The Emperor clapped his hands.

As if he knew to some extent.

“Is that so?”

“I believe the Hoen royal family only has one star sign at the moment.”

Star sign.

With just that remark, the surroundings were instantly filled with a buzzing sound.

A human chosen by a star sign is usually not called by such a long phrase, but simply called a star sign.

At first glance, it sounds like he’s teasing, “The kingdom only has you as a star sign?”

Rather, the kingdom has never produced a star sign before, so the Emperor should be seen as genuinely impressed.

The problem is the conversation that will follow.

Princess Luciella accepts and likes every aspect of me. She’s just crazy.

She has risen to the next in line for the throne after the crown prince because she is a star sign, but she has no interest in the throne.

She’s an ambiguous human being, but at the same time, that’s why I don’t know what she’s thinking.

So. She knows what’s inside me, but I don’t know.

Logically, it doesn’t make sense that she likes me even after seeing what kind of person I am.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I think I’m on the same level as that Hero bastard.

“Ah, well. Then this envoy isn’t just for the hero party.”

“Yes. I suppose Your Majesty has been considering that point as well?”

I see.

The princess had already figured out the Emperor.

That quick-witted woman must have realized that the relationship between the kingdom and the empire would be reversed due to this Holy Sword theft and the empire’s recovery of the Holy Sword.

She probably came to negotiate as much as possible in advance.

If they just put the Hero forward, that bastard would act arrogantly again, and the relationship with the empire could be ruined.

Above all.

Right now, at this very moment, imperial soldiers are dying on the front lines.

What would happen if the Hero acted like a dog in the meantime?

As a princess of the kingdom, she would want to resolve this situation now.

“Well, I understand. The princess probably doesn’t know the situation here, so I’ll tell you. Hey, Hero.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Didn’t you feel anything while coming to the empire?”

“I saw the brave imperial soldiers fighting on the front lines.”

Sure. He’s trying to put on a good face and answer, but.

That’s not the end of it.

“No.”

“Yes?”

“Our soldiers, sent to the front lines because of your ridiculous threats, are all dying.”

The Emperor sneered at the man, who was much younger than him.

It was a mockery of the Hero.

He had believed in the Hero’s words with a desperate heart, but he failed, so being mocked is actually a generous treatment.

“That’s not a threat, but.”

“Spare me the grand talk about being for the sake of humanity. How can someone who claims to be so concerned about humanity send allies to their deaths and then banish a companion before the battle with the Demon King?”

He’s launching a scathing verbal assault.

The Emperor had no intention of missing this opportunity.

Already, the surroundings were filled with an atmosphere that was beyond solemn, and the nobles and knights were all sending resentful gazes towards the hero party.

As if they would stab someone to death with their eyes at any moment.

The hero party couldn’t help but be conscious of their gazes.

The three women just quietly lowered their heads, and only the Hero, who would regain the Holy Sword, confidently opened his mouth.

“That is an internal matter of the hero party.”

“Internal matter? As long as the Holy Sword stolen by a thief with such resentment is in the empire, we can’t just let this pass! How arrogant must you be to banish a companion when you should be joining forces to fight the Hero? Was that why you asked us to buy time?”

The Emperor brought up the matter of Sien’s banishment, that is, my banishment.

After all, forcing the imperial army to their deaths can somehow be argued as part of a reckless operation.

In fact, looking at the records of absurd wars, there were many cases where reckless operations succeeded.

But.

If the guy who planned the operation screws it up, that’s a different story.

That moron Hero ended up banishing Sien before the battle with the Demon King.

“That’s.”

“Don’t say you don’t know the situation again. Do you know how many soldiers are dying on the front lines because of you? Because of that wrong choice? If the king has any conscience, he should send troops. Why has he been silent until now?”

“I’m sorry.”

The Hero lowered his head powerlessly.

This time, it was entirely the hero party’s fault.

They couldn’t manage their companions, they couldn’t manage the Holy Sword. What’s more, they drafted a reckless plan and forcibly pushed the imperial army in.

“Your Majesty. May I say a word?”

“Does the kingdom’s star sign also intend to side with the Hero? Our troops are dying because of the threats of that young fool who doesn’t know anything about war? And thanks to that, anti-imperialists are becoming more rampant. What do you think about this?”

Anti-imperialists had existed before, but the Emperor’s words were not wrong.

Since a corps-level scale went to the front lines this time, anti-imperialists will be more rampant due to the weakening of security.

The Hero couldn’t say anything.

Because it was always me, Sien, who fought against such situations.

So, I was entirely in charge of the arguments.

Then, in the end, the princess has to step in.

“I know everything. This is naturally our responsibility.”

“Oh?”

“It’s not a matter that can be resolved with money, but we will try our best to compensate. Rather, how about putting this hero party on the front lines?”

Oh. That’s a good idea.

Isn’t she saying that she’ll push the hero party into the empire’s front lines here?

Those bastards need to suffer a bit.

The Hero, who had been unable to come to his senses due to the Emperor’s dazzling tongue, also turns his head to look at Luciella.

“Princess. That’s not your decision to.”

“Isn’t it the duty of a Hero to help humans in crisis in the first place? And if the Hero put them in crisis, he should take responsibility. Surely someone who said he would defeat the Demon King isn’t trying to run away from the Four Heavenly Kings?”

The hero party has nothing to say.

They shouldn’t.

They’re the ones who made such a reckless plan to kill the Demon King, but they won’t fight the Four Heavenly Kings army fighting the imperial army?

Are you guys scared? That’s all I can say.

If, even in this situation, they’re only forcing sacrifices on the empire because they want to give the empire a blow, then they’re truly sons of bitches.

“That’s not it, but.”

“Don’t disappoint the king and the people who chose you as the Hero any more. If you haven’t even fought the Demon King, you should at least do this much.”

The princess is amazing too.

If the Hero and his party continue to insist on their pride and refuse here, then the relationship between the kingdom and the empire will be at its worst.

What does this mean?

In the end, the kingdom loses its friendly nation.

They will never be able to obtain military cooperation again.

The Hero had no right to refuse.

There are also the eyes of those nobles.

I see. The Emperor summoned all the nobles for this reason.

Nobles who suffered damage to their private soldiers thanks to the Hero. And nobles who didn’t directly send troops but paid for the war expenses.

No matter how corrupt the nobles are, they had to give up their wealth when the Hero said he would fight the Demon King. The gazes of those nobles who only suffered hardships couldn’t be good.

In the end, the Hero and his party became pigs dragged to the slaughterhouse.

Serves them right.

Pay the price for banishing me.

Endure it with evil and strength. You incompetent Hero.

Strictly and coldly speaking, this is also a good opportunity for the Hero.

The temples, Magic Tower, and Great Forest, whose momentum has been broken due to the Demon King battle failure, may not be positive about this.

While fighting like that, they can gain practical experience as much as they rolled me.

In the end, the empire can breathe a sigh of relief.

I heard that anti-imperialists are being purged by the Thieves’ Guild or handled by the village security forces, but they will now move in earnest.

So, then I just have to watch from behind like this.

“It’s good that the story is fast. Then let’s document it and officially request it from the kingdom. But I don’t think that’s the only reason the princess came in person.”

That’s right. It’s a bit suspicious for the princess to come in person.

In the first place, the princess was far from politics, so there’s no reason for her to come here.

Even if a high-ranking official of the kingdom came and bowed his head to the ground, this much would be resolved.

The princess came in person not just to apologize, but for another reason.

It’s time to get to the main point.

“The thief Sien is a valuable talent of the kingdom. The hero party committed the act of banishment, so shouldn’t we find him?”

Ah. I see.

The princess came here after all to find me, Sien.

I expected it, but was she thinking of saying that to the Emperor outright and getting his cooperation?

This has become troublesome.

I’m seriously screwed. If the Emperor had talked to my master, he wouldn’t necessarily talk about me.

But he probably doesn’t know about the princess’s star sign ability.

“Is that so? Are you saying you’ll stay in the empire and look for him?”

“Yes. I thought we should find him since he’s a ‘hero party’ member.”

The princess twisted the corners of her mouth refreshingly.

It’s really over.

What’s the reason for mentioning that on purpose?

It’s to mention that Sien is a ‘hero party’ member so that the empire can’t oppose it.

In the first place, the empire has no reason to stop it.

Since the princess gave the justification like this, the princess will have a field day and die.

Oh. This is really bad.

If the Emperor had any pride in the empire, he would just oppose it, but.

Since the princess bowed her head from the beginning.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t seen Sien in person either. But if you want to look for him in the empire, we’ll issue a pass and won’t stop you.”

I’m screwed.

The princess had to stay here.

Should I tell her about the star sign ability now?

No.

Anyway, I’m Schperen’s student. If I don’t come out of Schperen until the princess gives up and goes back, that’ll be it.

“Why have you been quiet since earlier?”

“No, it’s just right to watch quietly. Don’t you think?”

“Hmm. Then never mind.”

What a clueless princess.

Would I have thought that the princess would suddenly appear as a variable?