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The Attack of the Demon King Beelzebub.

About three days have passed since then.

The villagers who fainted have all come to their senses, and before they could even discuss what happened while they were unconscious, they were thoroughly trapped in the village by people from Count Odrone’s territory.

-What happened here?

-Hero Liriez summoned an ancient weapon called the Spirit Device through the awakening of the Holy Sword, defeated the enemy, and then the Demon King Beelzebub appeared and was defeated.

-… Can you provide more details, including the circumstances?

-Of course.

The Count, who likely came to the village due to the Narag Poison Bug infestation, seemed to go a bit insane upon hearing my testimony.

-Is Droniel… okay?

-Yes. But why the sudden honorifics?

-You’re with the Hero and the Sage, so how could I be rude? Moreover, I cannot disrespect the benefactor who saved my daughter. Thank you, Sage.

Fortunately, Count Odrone regained his composure and welcomed me.

Perhaps he heard from his daughter about who I am, but for me, it was very easy to explain to someone who trusts me.

-So, what happened was…

After explaining the situation.

-You understand, right?

-Yes. Understood. I will immediately seal off the village.

Count Odrone decisively decided to seal off the village.

-We must not allow information about what happened here to leak out. We need to enforce silence. The villagers will understand.

-That’s right. You really do know. What happened in the Village of the Holy Sword.

-… Yes. I heard it from Droniel. So, I’ll station soldiers in this village, preventing anyone from going out while also subduing any further Demon Race that might come to the village.

With the Demon King dead, there could be new threats arriving.

For revenge.

Blood revenge for the death of the Demon King called Beelzebub.

-The Hero killed the Demon King!

-Hero Liriez killed Demon King Beelzebub!

Hero ‘Liriez’.

But why Hero Liriez?

A giant fly monster almost devastated the village, but due to the efforts of Sorceress Bel and Hero Lucius, Beelzebub was killed.

The incredible feat of defeating one of the strongest beings in the Demon World, Beelzebub!

If we were to assess the rank in the Adventurer Guild right now, Lucius would have qualified for S-rank.

Finally, the name of Hero Lucius would be known to the world—

-Let’s keep this matter completely secret.

This information won’t be disclosed.

-Just talking about the Spirit Device is already giving me a headache; mentioning the Demon King Beelzebub now would be too hard for people to believe. The Demon King is a figure of fear.

No matter how powerful Count Odrone’s territory is, even if it’s not the Great Demon Lord Belphegor.

-The mere name of Demon King Beelzebub alone can terrify people. Demon King Beelzebub. Great Demon Lord Bel Phegor. The names are similar, and when I first heard it, my heart sank. The fear of the Great Demon Lord still lingers in people’s minds. But saying Demon King Beelzebub? It raises the fear that the Great Demon Lord may come again.

Thus.

The fear that arises simply from the name ‘Demon King’ was significant enough among people, so we decided to bury the truth about Demon King Beelzebub.

Then what about the assault on this village?

-The village has been attacked three times. One was the attack by the Narag Poison Bugs. One was the attack of the insect-like creatures and a giant monster. And one was the attack by Demon King Beelzebub. If we use numbers one, two, and three, we’ll disregard the two and three.

-No, how can we just disregard them? They did contribute!

-People could die in the process. Do you understand?

-No, but still…

-I’m fine. As long as the people are safe, that’s enough for me.

-If Lucius is fine with it, then that works for me too.

The insect monsters weren’t fine because of the Spirit Device, and the Demon King Beelzebub was, well, a Demon King.

In the end, our achievements were just to exterminate the bugs that attacked the village and deal with the mass outbreak of Narag Poison Bugs.

-Sorceress, are you really okay with this? I feel like I haven’t done much, but Arther and the Sorceress worked really hard…

-It’s alright. When you’re in a Hero Party, unfair things happen every day.

Not having one’s contributions publicly acknowledged is like the destiny of a Hero Party.

In reality, even though the Wind Hero achieved the great feat of killing me, doesn’t anyone even know who it was?

-Being a Hero is fundamentally a job to fight against injustice.

After all, it wasn’t something we could formally report to the Adventurer Guild, and recklessly spreading information would only lead to trouble.

-And, after all, a Hero is also the busiest person in the world. Now, we should leave this place immediately.

-Me?

-Yes.

Liriez had to leave.

Because she belonged to a different faction—the ‘Order of the Goddess.’

What follows is not what I conveyed.

-Look, someone is looking for you. Go.

-I understand. So, um… what? I have to report directly to the Pope about Celcius at the Order?

Liriez’s expression stiffened.

-Yes. The Pope asked for you.

-Ah… do I have to go?

-He said to come even if it means using Teleport Magic.

-No, why would the leader of the Holy Knight Order use magic to call me…

-That means it’s important.

Having succeeded in the opening of ‘Celcius’, she must naturally go to the headquarters of the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess as the Hero of the Holy Sword.

An item that had disappeared from history.

But now it has appeared after hundreds of years?

No, surely someone must have been looking for it even now.

Just not as openly and ostentatiously as this time.

Perhaps even the ones using the Spirit Device now must be absolutely silent?

I, being a being from 500 years ago, might not adhere to their rules, but that’s why they might want to repress me even more.

‘Naturally, breaking societal agreements will lead to scorn.’

I wonder what judgment the Order will make concerning the Spirit Device, but since an object erased from history has become visible—I am the one who made it known, so it might be a bit tricky.

But I also have my say.

‘Then why are they making such a fuss and trying to erase it according to their preferences?’

The Great Demon Lord Belphegor.

Having won a one-on-one battle against the Spirit Device, but there are no records of it.

Even if it’s not Celcius, is it that shameful and unjust that a mass-produced Spirit Device aligned with the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess was destroyed?

To cover up the fact that Belphegor destroyed the Spirit Device of the Goddess’ Order, they erased the Spirit Device from history.

I understand.

Belphegor, my existence, managed to barely win in a one-on-one, so the Spirit Device is indeed powerful.

-No, if the world finds out, everyone would want to use the Spirit Device!

-The mass-produced Spirit Device that almost defeated the Great Demon King Bel Phegor will be made public, so now everyone will start urging Heroes to bring Spirit Devices to light! Ahh, the world will become chaotic again!!

-What on earth is the Sorceress thinking, showing the Spirit Device to the world again! This is not an age so dangerous! Don’t they realize that wars might break out between nations just to seize the Spirit Device!

If one were to ask why the Sorceress couldn’t see the changes in the times, I wouldn’t have an answer either.

Given that I brought this up, I might have to be called to the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess too.

The Sorceress from 500 years ago.

From the perspective of the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess, I am a being that knows all ‘truths’ of the world, having been privy to the flaws of the Order that they erased from history 500 years ago.

I, the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus, will likely be viewed with great caution, and if I don’t align with their direction, they might think of eliminating me.

I won’t be easily eliminated, but I also won’t easily follow along to the headquarters of the Order.

-Sorceress, it’d be hard for me to not go, right?

-Yes.

-You state that too firmly. You’re too resolute. After all, we once shared a seat and were so close!

-Just go. I’ve already told you most of what I can about the Spirit Device.

-Still…

Liriez, perhaps having grown fond of me, or fearing what might happen if she mentioned the Spirit Device to the Order, was very anxious about going to the headquarters and speaking of the Spirit Device.

But what can be done?

-Liriez Cesarcross. You are a believer of the Moon Goddess, not me.

Liriez’s affiliation is not that of a Hero Party member but rather a person of the Order of the Goddess.

As a member of the Holy Knight Order, she had to return to the Order without fail.

Then there is one problem.

-So, is it okay to just leave the Sorceress here?

Absolutely not.

Having summoned the Spirit Device to eliminate bugs, keeping the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus nearby will surely lead to serious problems.

Thus, it was necessary to assign someone to monitor the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus.

Someone from the Order, whom they could trust, and who wouldn’t be swayed no matter what the Sorceress of Crimson Lotus might attempt.

-Then I’m the right person for the job! I’ll accompany the Sorceress and take her to the headquarters of the Order! How about it?!

Liriez claimed she would keep an eye on me and, when the time was right, take me to the Order.

-No.

Of course, my words didn’t take root.

-Liriez, you go to the Order. The Sorceress of Crimson Lotus I’ll keep an eye on.

While blocking Liriez, who is capable of restraining me, I wondered who could sufficiently monitor me.

There is.

“Saintess.”

“Yes, Sage.”

“Why did I become a Sage?”

“Because you are a Sage.”

Saintess, ‘Yan Diere.’

“Thank you for your future help, Saintess.”

Liriez would join Lucius’s party instead of Liriez, who would now monitor me and Hero Lucius.

In short.

Yan Diere has become a comrade.

 

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