episode_0078

“No.”

A rare—no, a tone of voice he had never heard before from his master, so resolute it seemed to pierce his ears. Of course, Riel hadn’t been entirely unprepared for this reaction, so he calmly stated his resolve.

“I knew you’d try to stop me. But please, let me go.”

“Have you forgotten your position? You’re the one who will become the next Tower Lord. Why do you think I went all the way to that backwater village to bring you here?”

Truthfully, Ellin had been nothing short of a life-changing benefactor to Riel. The funds, research materials, and the irreplaceable guidance of the Tower Lord—he had received support that could never be repaid. Riel wasn’t about to turn his back on all that now.

“The Deputy Tower Lord could take your place. I don’t mind being next in line after them. I’m not abandoning the Tower after making something of myself, so please, just this once.”

Riel didn’t dislike the Tower. In fact, he loved it more than anything. It suited his talents, his ambitions, and even the people around him. There was no reason for him to reject this life—

“Why should we settle for less when we have someone as exceptional as you?”

“Because unlike the Tower, I’m the only one she has.”

Seeing that persuasion wasn’t working, Ellin changed tactics, her voice laced with warning.

“You know you could die, right?”

“I won’t.”

“No hero party has ever defeated the Demon King before.”

“They would’ve stood a chance if I’d been there.”

The sheer determination in his eyes was so unshakable that Ellin let out a sigh. There was no point in arguing any further.

“What will you do if I refuse to allow it?”

“Then I’ll have to make a choice.”

If she stopped him, he would leave—even if it meant never returning to the Tower. That was the message Ellin heard in his words.

“They say leaving home only brings hardship. Fine. I yield. Do as you wish.”

“Really?”

“But promise me you’ll come back. The sooner, the better.”

“I’ll return before it’s too late.”

—

“No.”

Somehow, the voice felt like déjà vu. Even though the speaker was different this time.

“It’s already decided. I even have the King’s permission.”

“Then cancel it. Riel, you shouldn’t be here.”

Three days after receiving Ellin’s approval, the newly appointed members of the Hero Party had gathered together for the first time.

“What did I even do? And why are you suddenly speaking so casually—”

“If you don’t like it, do the same.”

Huh? Well, look at that. He’d thought she was a composed, well-mannered noble, but she had a bold side to her.

“Oh yeah? Then I’ll be counting on you, Yuria.”

“That’ll never happen, so wake up.”

Was this really worth rejecting so adamantly? Riel had already proven his skills in front of everyone and earned their recognition. Yuria had been there too—there was no reason for her to refuse his help.

“Why do you hate the idea so much? Did I do something wrong?”

“Who said I hate it? It’s just—”

“Just?”

Yuria hesitated, searching for words. But the excuse that followed, despite her careful consideration, was flimsy.

“What we’re about to do is fight the Demon King. We could die.”

“That goes for all of you. If anything, given your skills, you’re in more danger than I am.”

“But you weren’t even supposed to be part of this party. You’re not here for rewards, so why throw yourself into something this dangerous?”

“I don’t need compensation. I just don’t want someone important to me to disappear from my life.”

That was hardly something Yuria, who was still practically a stranger, needed to worry about. Yet she wasn’t treating him like one. Her eyes met his with an intensity that was almost unsettling.

“…You might end up suffering something worse than death.”

“Why just me?”

Fighting the Demon King meant danger for everyone. Riel couldn’t understand why Yuria was singling him out. He’d planned to brush it off with a lighthearted remark, but her expression was too serious for that.

“I don’t get what you’re so worried about, but it’s better than leaving Marika alone. I won’t regret it.”

“Everyone says that. Until they experience it firsthand.”

Muttering under her breath, Yuria drew the holy sword strapped to her back. The motion was so natural that she didn’t seem like a novice hero at all.

“Let’s settle this with a duel. If you lose, it means you’re not strong enough, and your party membership is revoked. How’s that?”

“Sounds fun. I haven’t had a real challenge from anyone my age. Maybe a hero’s different?”

Confidently, Riel pulled out his staff, and the atmosphere instantly shifted into one of imminent battle. Coincidentally, they had gathered in the knights’ training grounds—the perfect place for an all-out fight.

“Uh… are they seriously about to fight?”

“Starting off like this? What an exceptionally unique party.”

Leona, scratching her cheek nervously, and Erwin, sneering in that elven way of his, muttered their concerns about the party’s future while watching the scene with keen interest.

Where else would they get the chance to witness a battle between the world’s hope—the Hero—and a genius mage? It would help them gauge each other’s strength, and establishing a clear hierarchy early on would prevent future conflicts. With those excuses in mind, the two indulged their curiosity. The only one genuinely trying to stop the fight was Marika.

“Both of you, stop! Yuria, do you dislike Riel that much?”

If that was the case, then this situation was her fault. She shouldn’t have given in to her own unease and leaned on Riel back then.

“I already said it’s not that. Of course, I’d feel more secure with Riel here. But this is our duty, isn’t it? If we start relying on others from the beginning, what kind of heroes would we be?”

“I’m part of the Hero Party too.”

“Shut up. Just back off twenty paces.”

“You’re even giving me distance? How generous.”

“Wouldn’t want you making excuses if you lose.”

Tch. Riel clicked his tongue inwardly. She was no pushover. Her arrogance and confidence matched his own, and her sharp tongue was just as relentless. A tree destined for greatness stands out from the sapling—this girl was undoubtedly going places.

But none of that excused her dismissiveness. Thoroughly provoked, Riel bared his teeth in a grin.

“Fine. Then if I win, how about we set the terms for my reward?”

“Whatever. I don’t care.”

“You don’t care?”

That was as good as a blank check. He could demand anything—things a girl wouldn’t normally agree to, this or that. For boys in the throes of adolescence, it might’ve been enough to make them drool, but Riel was riled up for an entirely different reason.

“You’ve got some nerve. You think I’m easy?”

If she lost, she’d accept any demand—meaning she had no intention of losing. No one had ever dared challenge Riel like this before. This level of disrespect was a first.

If she was going to look down on him this much, he couldn’t accept any handicap, distance be damned. Magic gathered in Riel’s palm at point-blank range, just as the holy sword gleamed. A clear, resonant chime pierced the air, dominating the atmosphere.

“Enough.”

Unlike the party’s warriors, who carried massive swords on their backs, this woman wore a simple longsword at her hip. Though longswords weren’t exactly light, hers looked refreshingly sleek compared to the others’ oversized blades.

“Fighting on the very first day—have you forgotten you’re the Hero Party? If this is how you start, the future looks bleak.”

“It’s not a fight. It’s a duel to settle our differences.”

“That matter has already been decided. Arguing about it now won’t change anything. The Hero Party is, at its core, a specialized military unit. If you don’t stop now, it’s desertion.”

“That’s—”

While Yuria looked crestfallen, Riel snorted. Since he couldn’t put her in her place with strength, he’d needle her with words instead.

“What a shame. You just lost your last chance to kick me out. Not that it would’ve worked anyway.”

Scowling, Yuria turned her glare on Riel, her face twisting in frustration at his careless taunts before she finally stormed off.

“Fine! Do whatever you want! See if I care!”

With the Hero gone, the party was left incomplete, but Cecil paid no mind and began speaking.

“It’s regrettable that we’re starting off like this, but welcome. I am Cecil Astoria, captain of the Royal Combat Division and your instructor.”

“The youngest Swordmaster? Wow, what an honor!”

“It’s not that impressive. I only inherited the title after my father, the previous Swordmaster, fell in battle against one of the Demon King’s generals.”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

The news of the former Swordmaster’s death had reached them about two years ago. Having completely forgotten, Leona lowered her eyes.

“No need to apologize. The battlefield is a place where we stake our lives. My father was always prepared for that.”

“But that doesn’t mean it isn’t sad.”

“Yes. You’re right. But it’s something we can’t change. Those who remain must keep moving forward.”

Easier said than done. Marika couldn’t comprehend how she could speak so calmly about her father’s death.

“How can you say that? If I lost someone important to me, I don’t think I could bear it…”

“That’s exactly what you’ll learn from now on.”

This unexpected answer made Erwin narrow his eyes.

“Not how to fight the Demon King’s army?”

“Of course, I’ll teach you combat. But you’ll learn far more in actual battle. So what I will teach you is how to remain detached in the face of death. You’ll witness countless deaths—people you tried to save, soldiers you fought alongside, even someone standing beside you right now. You can’t afford to grieve or despair every time.”

Cecil drew the sword at her waist. Whether it was hers or not, it was clear she wasn’t using it now. The blade was chipped, the hilt worn—covered in countless scars.

A sword that had reaped innumerable lives. How many times had it been drenched in flesh and blood?

“Slaughter the enemy. Fight alongside your comrades. And when they fall, trample over their corpses and march onward. Eradicate the evil that threatens this world—permanently. That is your mission.”