episode_0050

“Did you hear? That hero is finally planning to defeat the Demon King.”

“That trash hero? What’s gotten into him all of a sudden?”

“Even if he does trashy things, he’s still a hero.”

“If only he were a more impressive and just hero.”

Rumors about the hero were circulating in the capital city of Pifnel.

The hero who had been holed up in the hero’s room at the Central Church, engaging in all sorts of trashy behavior, was now rumored to be embarking on a full-fledged operation to defeat the Demon King.

Half of the rumor was true, and half of it was not.

The hero Cain had actually ordered people to gather the strongest individuals on the continent.

Although the Saint Selena and the bishops recommended that the hero travel as an adventurer to gather comrades personally, Cain did not listen.

Cain wanted the strongest individuals who could immediately fight the Demon King, not comrades who would grow together slowly.

Thus, three of the strongest adventurers from various guilds on the continent were summoned to the Central Church.

Among them was Milaia.

“Hey, you guys. Let’s go defeat the Demon King together. And find the Holy Sword for me.”

Cain spoke arrogantly in front of the three individuals considered to be the strongest.

Despite Cain receiving power from the hero and growing rapidly, relying solely on talent and making no effort, he had no chance of defeating these three individuals with his skills.

Especially Milaia, who was undoubtedly a stronger adventurer than Cain.

However, knowing that he couldn’t touch them anyway because they were heroes, Cain’s attitude was extremely disrespectful.

“…This is what a hero looks like, a disgrace. I’m leaving.”

One of the adventurers turned away, seeing Cain’s trashy attitude despite responding to the call initially.

“If we can gather strong adventurers to subdue the Demon King, we didn’t need a hero in the first place. I’m leaving too.”

Another adventurer rejected Cain’s demand and left.

Now, only Milaia remained.

“Ugh, useless people aren’t needed anyway. But Milaia, you seem different.”

Cain looked at Milaia, the last one remaining.

The idea of gathering strong individuals to subdue the Demon King was a pathetic and unrealistic thought.

To defeat the Demon King, the hero himself needed to become stronger.

And the fastest way for the hero to become stronger was to act like a hero.

But Cain continued to be stubborn.

Milaia could have rejected Cain’s demand like the other two adventurers.

Although she had come here in response to the kingdom’s call, she was not obligated to help the hero.

“…”

However, Milaia did not leave.

It wasn’t because she wanted to help the hero Cain or because she liked him.

She had completely different thoughts.

‘Yunoa…’

Milaia was thinking about Yunoa.

And she was thinking about the bloodstain of her homeland that she had missed.

The reason Milaia had been pursuing strength all this time was to seek revenge against the demons and monsters who had burned her homeland.

And now that she had lost Yunoa, her desire for revenge had grown even stronger.

“Hey, become this hero’s subordinate and help me defeat the Demon King.”

Cain ordered Milaia without even realizing the atmosphere or the topic.

Milaia saw this human as a powerful tool that could draw out the Demon King and the demons.

In fact, he had almost been assassinated by the demons even in the safe capital city’s Central Church.

Cain’s true nature wasn’t really important.

After all, it was only natural for a hero to be targeted by demons.

Mireia, who wanted nothing more than to slay demons, found it quite appealing that they seemed to come looking for her.

It was like burying chicken bones in the ground to lure in a fox, using a hero to lure in demons.

“…Understood.”

Mireia replied to Cain expressionlessly.

Cain’s face lit up with excitement as he immediately approached Mireia and placed his hand on her shoulder.

But at that moment, he felt a chilling aura in the air, causing him to stop his hand.

“W-what’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? I’m a hero.”

“…I know.”

“Tch.”

Feeling a strange unease, Cain withdrew his hand from Mireia.

He thought she was a peculiar woman.

Cain, who spat on the face of a knight commander, threw a vase at a bishop’s head, but for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to touch Mireia.

It felt as if touching her would be like touching a sharp blade that would cut him.

“Anyway, from now on, help me. Let’s start by finding that damn Holy Sword.”

Cain said to Mireia with a slightly softened attitude.

Mireia silently stared back at Cain with cold eyes, not saying a word.

* * *

It had been several days since entering the Abyssal Passage.

I was starting to get tired, wondering when I would finally reach the surface.

“Heck… Huh… Heck….”

I had encountered over dozens of demons in the passage so far.

The Wyrm Dragon I met when searching for Kiki was one of the weaker demons in the Abyssal Passage.

I couldn’t relax for a moment as I encountered all sorts of strange demons I had never seen before.

Just now, I met a giant lizard-like creature that spat venom, causing the left sleeve of my shirt to be torn off.

Feeling the cool breeze on my left side where the sleeve was missing reminded me of the cloak I wore when I first arrived in this world.

The red glowing mushrooms Eldeborn mentioned were still guiding me.

But I never thought I would be trapped in the passage for so long.

Was Eldeborn really guiding me properly?

I was starting to doubt it.

“Yunoa, thinking that as long as she knew the way, she would easily reach the surface without considering the depth she had fallen from. Eldeborn was indeed guiding Yunoa properly, but exhausted, Yunoa began to doubt the accuracy of the guidance.”

So the path is correct after all.

That was somewhat reassuring.

If I lost my way here, I honestly didn’t have the confidence to find a way out no matter how much I wandered.

“Hmm?”

That’s when it happened.

I felt a subtle breeze brush against my cheek as I walked through the passage.

It was a warm breeze that I had never felt before, unmistakably blowing towards me.

Could it be the wind blowing from the exit to the surface?

My pace quickened, following the red glow of the mushrooms around the corner.

“An exit!”

Finally, I saw the exit leading outside.

I ran towards the exit in excitement.

“Ugh… It’s blinding….”

After being underground for so long, my eyes were blinded as soon as I emerged from the exit.

Gradually, my eyes adjusted to the light, and my vision cleared.

“Oh….”

And I was greeted with the sight of the surface world.

Purple grass and flowers of unfamiliar kinds spread in all directions.

Strange magical orbs resembling will-o’-the-wisps floated sporadically in the air.

Truly a landscape that lived up to being called the ‘demon realm,’ it was exotic and otherworldly, but more beautiful than repulsive or terrifying.

“Is that the demon king’s castle?”

Not far away, a very large castle came into view.

It was a unique castle with high, sharp spires asymmetrically attached in several places.

Overwhelmed by the unfamiliar scenery of the demon realm, I stood there, staring blankly, when suddenly Shari floated over and appeared before me.

But something seemed a bit off.

She hesitated, looking at me with a different expression than usual.

“Shari?”

And then suddenly, scenes sent by Shari began to flash through my mind.

I saw the figure of a very kind-looking female demon.

Then, passing through the demon king’s castle, a path leading to a certain village appeared.

In that village, I saw the same female demon I had seen before.

She bore a strange resemblance to Shari, none other than Shari’s mother.

“You…?”

Shari continued to send me various scenes.

It seemed that on the way back, there was a demon village where Shari had lived.

“You miss your mom?”

She nodded.

Shari looked at me and slowly nodded her head.

But then she looked hesitant, not knowing what to do.

“On the way back to Kuber, you want to see your mom, but you’re worried it might be dangerous, right?”

It seemed like Shari felt sorry for asking me for a favor.

“Hmm…”

I had received quite a bit of help from Shari so far.

I thought that help was more than what I had done at the Belfork Mansion.

If it was just a brief stop on the way back to Kuber, it should be fine.

Although there was a risk in humans wandering around a demon village, if Shari showed herself, at least she wouldn’t be attacked without warning.

Quietly, I reached out and gently stroked Shari’s head, who was watching me.

It’s pitiful to become a ghost, and it’s too sad if you can’t see your mom.

I don’t know if ghosts age, but it’s only natural for a child to want to see their mom.

“Let’s go see her. I’m curious about what kind of person your mom is too.”

As soon as I finished speaking, a smile bloomed on Shari’s face.

Still, since this is the demon realm, I should be careful not to encounter aggressive demons like Bloodstain.

With a happy expression, Shari took the lead and began to guide me, showing me the way.

I looked around and slowly followed behind Shari.