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The Sorceress of Crimson Lotus has collapsed, but the battle for humanity’s victory continues.

As the use of the Hero Party’s weapon has been restrained, the Anari Principality made the decision to eliminate the Demon King’s army that had spread throughout the principality as much as possible.

The principality formed a military organization led by the Hero Party.

The expedition, led by Saintess Yan Diere, discreetly departed under the cover of night to avoid detection.

Although the empire might worry that this is a military action to attack it, the principality is simply advancing to expel the Demon King’s army within its territory.

With soldiers heavily equipped with magical firearms, four men and women, including the Saintess, boarded a carriage.

To eliminate the remaining forces of the Demon King’s army still left in the Anari Principality.

And then.

While they departed, the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus regained consciousness.

*

“Ah, Sorceress of Crimson Lotus! We knew you’d awaken!”

“…Y-yes.”

As soon as I woke up, I had to engage in conversation with numerous people who had come to see me.

Since I seemed more like a so-called ‘high person’ rather than the leader of the party, it was decided that the more troublesome discussions would go through me.

“Then let’s get straight to the point. I’ve roughly heard the situation from the Magic King. Instead, you all demanded 80% of the magic stones from the empire?”

“That’s correct.”

“By what right?”

“…By the right of the Hero Party.”

As I began to be aggressive from the start, the ministers immediately started holding their heads up shamelessly.

“The empire has abandoned Count Scouter’s Territory. Of course, the hero saved that area, but you can’t possibly gather all those corpses and magic stones yourself. Therefore, we simply spoke to the empire about cleaning up the demon corpses.”

“You want the empire to acknowledge your entering their land to collect the bodies?”

“Yes. If we leave the demon corpses alone, they will eventually become demon power again.”

That makes sense.

Demons are beings that get stronger by killing and devouring their opponents.

Not as extreme as Leviathan, who chews and eats opponents, but if demons extract and absorb their magic stones as I do, it’s a common trait for them to grow stronger.

“So we need to collect the bodies quickly. You considered this, right, Hero? That’s why you didn’t purposely destroy the magic stones left in the demon corpses?”

“I’ve already grasped the information through the scout’s report. Even if you cut off their heads and stab their bellies, it seems you swung your sword in a way that didn’t affect the magic stones.”

That’s right.

Outwardly, it was Lucius who fought, but it was actually I who wielded the sword.

If I had cut through the magic stones with the Holy Sword, the power of the magic stones would have been absorbed by the sword, but when cut with Ascalon, which contains only the power of wind, the magic stones break and the mana within simply returns to nature.

‘I created the Replica of the Holy Sword for that reason back then.’

The royal treasure of the Anari Principality, the Anari Stick.

The Replica of the Holy Sword has the ability to absorb the magic power of the opponent killed.

To be precise, if the Holy Sword gains power from nature, the Replica steals magic power from external sources artificially.

While primarily draining the magic and life force of the human wielding the sword, it is undoubtedly effective.

If I hadn’t used Lucius’s body, I would have probably created the Replica of the Holy Sword and used the Holy Sword for physical enhancements, while using the Replica to slay demons.

But since that’s not possible…

“The place where the Demon King’s army has perished is a treasure trove of the plains. The longer the corpses rot, the more the magic stones’ mana will leak out, and if we delay just a bit longer, the mana will turn into an empty crystal.”

“I can’t just hand that over to the empire. Gaining all those magic stones from thousands of demons could lead to the endless development of the Anari Principality.”

“With that alone, Anari Principality’s long-held wish could….”

“Long-held wish?”

It’s obvious that I’ve intentionally let slip a mistake.

The awkward exchange of glances as we wonder why we spoke is quite uncomfortable.

“…Witch. We trust you and wish to tell you the truth about our principality. Is that alright?”

“Yes. Go on. I need to know your circumstances to properly demand anything.”

“Our principality has planned to return to being a kingdom for the past ten years. However, the factions split into two.”

“One side advocates for political independence and moderate reform, while the other insists on re-establishing the monarchy through war.”

“We are the moderates, while the war faction is led by the young princess, who insists on resistance to the bitter end.”

“…….”

A picture starts to form.

While the moderates aimed for the revival of the principality, the war faction sought to restore the royal family through war and weapons.

It’s regrettable that this eventually led to piracy, and that the emergence of the Magic King Endymion, who sided with the moderates, shattered the war faction’s position.

“…Therefore, we want to assert ourselves to the empire this time around.”

“You can call us unscrupulous people using the Hero. We want them to consider this place an independent nation rather than a colony.”

“Please, assist us.”

“…Even if you say you want help, your ultimate goal remains the same, right?”

I pointed downwards with my finger.

“You want the Wind Hero to not just stay in the Anari Principality, but to become a citizen of the Anari Principality, right?”

“…….”

The ministers, struck in their hearts, could not utter a word.

They certainly didn’t expect me to directly hit the core issue without skipping the intermediary processes.

“Alright. I’ll listen to your proposal. What can you offer Lucius and his partners?”

“A transaction…is that it?”

“Yes. I am a guide proposing a happy future for Lucius. When everything is said and done after defeating the Demon King, where Lucius lives is his choice.”

Lucius has his own freedom.

“But in that choice, I can offer a little advice. As a master. As the witch and sage of the Hero Party. So tell me, what can you bring for Lucius?”

“…It feels like you’re asking for a dowry…?”

“For the happy future of my disciple.”

By now, Lucius must be fighting hard against the Demon King’s army.

For that disciple’s happy future, the master must show the right path.

– Master! I’m going to become a researcher at the Magic Tower!

– You can’t be a researcher at the Magic Tower! That’s a shortcut to becoming a human slave to the professors of the Magic Tower!

…Thus, I must prevent my disciple from going down the wrong path.

“…How about making Lucius the Prince of the Principality?”

“The Prince?”

“Yes. As the Prince of the Anari Principality.”

“Ha, aiming for the position of the Arpe Empire, are we?”

“…….”

The ministers bowed their heads deeply.

“You aim to raise the Holy Sword Hero to a king and pass down the Holy Sword to the royal family in succession while challenging the empire, don’t you?”

“……The empire is filled with ugly people.”

“It seems to me there’s not much difference between the empire and the principality. Why not be honest? To abolish the empire and live like it ourselves.”

At my words, the ministers fell silent.

“Alright. No matter what your proposal is, as long as I eliminate the Demon King and Lucius is happy, that’s all that matters. If Lucius, out of resentment towards the empire, destroys it and wishes to turn the Anari Principality into an empire, then your proposal would be the perfect condition for Lucius.”

“Sage…?”

“Are you listening to us…?”

“I’ll only listen. Just listen.”

Humans have been this way for a long time, and this isn’t land I’ll be ruling, so I’m not particularly disgusted by it.

Just.

“Bring a more concrete proposal. A proposal good enough to entirely cut off the hands the empire extends towards you. Also, please assist in defeating the Demon King as much as possible. Did you hear from the Magic King?”

“…Is the proposal from that Magic King…?”

“I said that. Ah, don’t worry, I’m not sacrificing your knights or soldiers.”

I simply said.

“There are no men with muscles as great as knights, so I called them. Right now, I really need a lot of men.”

*

“…Hah.”

Lucius lowered the Holy Sword.

Surrounding him were numerous corpses of the demon race laid out in utter devastation, and Lucius wiped the blood off his face with the back of his hand as he looked up at the sky.

The sky is blue.

If it were gloomy, it might’ve made things easier to bear, but the clear sky made it hard for even Lucius to feel melancholic.

Perhaps on days when it rains or the clouds are thick, it’s easy to feel downcast.

As if the sky doesn’t wish for Lucius to feel depressed, it was indeed clear.

If the sky was bright today with such intent—

“Hero!!”

A messenger rushed toward him from a distance.

“Urgent news from the royal castle! The Sorceress of Crimson Lotus has awakened!”

“……!!”

Lucius clenched his fist tightly.

He had just overthought what was merely a temporary collapse from overworking.

Ah, his worries turned out to be unfounded.

If she never awakened for the rest of her life, he wouldn’t be able to face his master.

“…What did the master say?”

“Yes! The Sorceress of Crimson Lotus commanded to gather warriors to defeat Satan!”

“…What?”

Clank.

“…Is being a hero insufficient…?”

“Ah, well…”

The messenger gulped and continued.

“……She said to only call the really strong men who think they’re tough…”

“…….”

Lucius straightened his back and chest and returned the Holy Sword to its ring.

“My master is calling for me.”

 

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