Information from Ronaria
I caught Ronaria as she fell, and in the process, I tore the rope hanging from the chair and grabbed it, rolling the chair onto the ground. I then tossed Ronaria, who had lost all her mystery, onto the bed, straightened the fallen chair, and sat down, turning my gaze toward her.
“Hehe, I’ve been held by a man for the first time!”
“…First time?”
“Yeah, it’s my first time. Oh, but just to clarify, it’s not like I’ve never been held in that way before! I’m the owner of a brothel, after all, so I have experience in that area… though it’s mostly with girls.”
“…I can hear you.”
“Yeah, I know. But putting that aside, let me share some information with you.”
“Ah, but before that…”
“??”
“How do you know this? I understand that you have eyes and ears everywhere, but you shouldn’t be able to figure it out so easily.”
“Oh, that?”
While it might not be necessary to worry about it, I was curious enough to ask. For some reason, she seems to have a high favorability toward me.
“Well, it’s because of my body type. I’m fortunate to have high-paying customers. So, when I get them drunk or during pillow talk, I hear a lot of things.”
“…I see.”
“Exactly. To be honest, I was actually hoping to hear about you and that girl, but as a side benefit, I ended up learning a lot of other things.”
“…So that’s how it is.”
“That’s right. So, what do you want to know?”
“Hmm.”
It’s a tricky situation, but while my mind is clear, I might as well ask about the main objective. I’m curious about the Demon Lord’s Army executives and the Hero, but those aren’t the most pressing matters to remember right now.
“Then, can you tell me about the Other Races?”
“Sure, that’s fine. I think you’ve already guessed that something is happening with them that can’t be ignored… right?”
“Yeah, I’ve considered that possibility. So I’m thinking about changing my plans.”
“Right, that plan is probably about the Disaster Classification extermination requests, right? There’s a giant serpent with the Dwarves, a giant insect with the Elves, a Wyvern with the Harpies, and I believe there’s a Demon Lord’s Army executive with the Mermaids?”
“…Ah, I don’t know about the Mermaids, but the rest is correct.”
“Yep, so about what’s happening… it seems they’ve been given orders. They don’t seem to be aware of it or remember it, though.”
“…Huh?”
Given orders?
“What do you mean?”
“When I got them drunk and used this (pointing to a device), they said a voice kept telling them to change in their heads.”
“…Change?”
“Yeah, change. Normally, there wouldn’t be any reason or meaning to comply, but the moment they recalled that voice, they trembled and couldn’t speak.”
“…So there’s a coercive force due to the difference in power.”
“Exactly. I figured you’d understand that.”
“They’re not from the Demon Race, are they? They must be a higher existence.”
“Good catch! Well, it’s likely they’re being monitored, and thinking about it gives me a headache, so I can’t dwell on it.”
“…I see. I had a similar experience recently. But why do the Other Races need to abandon their original forms and change into something new?”
It’s not so much a pure question as it is something I can’t imagine. If it’s simply for personal interest or hobby, I can accept that, but if not, I can’t understand the purpose. If they’re forcing the reclusive Other Races to interact with other races, there’s no need to prevent them from living their lives.
“What do you think? But my thought is that the Other Races need to step onto the battlefield. So, they’re trying to abandon their livelihoods, prioritizing standing on the battlefield over life and death.”
“…Ah, I see. I thought the phenomenon happening with the Other Races would spread to humans, which is why I couldn’t ignore it, but you’re considering it from the angle that the Other Races have a reason to step outside and fight.”
“Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that. I think that’s the case… but now that you mention it, if that happens, it would lead to chaos.”
“Yeah, that’s why I was thinking of killing the Demon Race to solve this.”
“They don’t seem to be from the Demon Race, right? I’m a victim, but I don’t know enough about it. Is the Demon Race different?”
“Yeah, they can be made to obey and follow orders… but in their case, they seem to act normally while secretly blowing things up or transforming into Undead or Chimeras. At least, they shouldn’t be able to detect any abnormalities.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“Right.”
…Well, there’s no point in thinking alone. I should take this back and consult with Stella and the others, and I might as well ask those I’ve gathered.
“Alright, I’ve got enough on the Other Races. I’ll save the deep thinking for later.”
“Is that so? Then, what will you ask next?”
“The Demon Lord’s Army executives—no, let’s skip that. Tell me about the Hero now.”
It would be a lie to say I’m not curious about where the Demon Lord’s Army executives are, but if I find out, I’d want to go kill them immediately. I have no direct connection to them, and there are more pressing matters to focus on right now, so I’ll hold off on that. Instead, I’m curious about the New Hero, as I haven’t received any information about him at all.
“The New Hero seems to be killing the groups of demons that have occupied villages and settlements and burying the people there. They’re the ones who were killed by demons because the former Hero couldn’t save them.”
“I see.”
“Huh? Aren’t you angry?”
“I understand that I can’t save everyone by myself, and I’ve long since prepared to bear all the blame and resentment that comes with it. I’ve endured all the insults regarding this matter and intend to continue doing so.”
“I see. Then, I’m sorry.”
“…What?”
“Well, I thought you might get angry, so I provoked you. But if you’re that determined, then my words could be seen as an insult.”
“I’m not bothered by it, nor do I need to be.”
“Even so, you know? Apologies can serve purposes beyond seeking forgiveness or calming someone; they can also be for self-satisfaction.”
“Ah, I see. Then I’ll accept your apology and forgive you.”
“Hehe, thank you.”
In any case, it’s true that I’m not bothered by it. The only ones who have the right to be angry and retaliate are the Saints who continue to risk their lives to save everyone.
“So, about the New Hero, he seems to be in the southwestern mountains right now.”
“Hmm… What about his companions?”
“Companions? Let’s see… a white dove, a blue wolf, and a former wandering judge, I think?”
“…What? No human female companions?”
The Saint and the Sage should be there, right? There’s no way they wouldn’t be following the Hero, and it’s hard to believe they wouldn’t leave a memory due to their outrageousness. And the former wandering judge… that must be that seeker.
“The human female… oh! You mean the Saint and the Sage, who were like the former Hero’s shadows?”
“The phrasing is harsh and crude, but yes. I’m sure they’re accompanying the new Hero.”
“They’re dead. About two weeks ago, they were killed by demons.”
“………???”
Dead…? Those who were so acutely aware of the risks of dying, who would go to such lengths to avoid it? No, to begin with, with the Saint’s healing magic, is it even possible for them to be killed by a mere demon? If the New Hero is out there killing demons, then he shouldn’t be just a weakling.
“Well, it seems that when the New Hero entered a village that was attacked by a High-Ranking Demon, they had their head ripped off. According to a witness, they thought they wouldn’t be attacked since the Hero was fighting, so they let their guard down, and a few demons came up and ripped their head off.”
“…That’s anticlimactic.”
“It was apparently quite anticlimactic. They were grabbed by the mouth, silenced, and as a result, couldn’t use magic. They struggled, but were brutally decapitated.”
“I see… What about the Hero’s condition?”
“At that moment, he looked sad, but without being consumed by revenge, he burned the two bodies and buried them before continuing his journey. The former wandering judge cooperated with the New Hero, saying he wanted to accompany him to watch over their fate.”
“…That’s unexpected.”
“Is it?”
“When I saw him, he seemed timid, and I felt that if someone close to him died, he wouldn’t be able to fight.”
More than anything, it seemed impossible for him to burn a human corpse. I never thought he could continue to throw himself into the chaos of war as a Hero… was I wrong about him?
Still, even though I hated them to the point of wishing for their death and disappearance… hearing that they died so easily brings a sense of melancholy.
I never felt the need for anyone to stay alive or to be well, and if you asked me if I wanted to return to those days, I could answer without hesitation that I absolutely did not.
…Why was I sad? Remembering the grudges and grievances instead made my heart feel lighter. And why were they so careless during the battle? They were in the backline and had no close combat abilities, so there was no way they should have let their guard down.
…Well, whatever. They’re dead anyway; there’s no chance of them coming back.
“This place… Ah, wait. What’s the general opinion of the Hero in the world?”
“Um… They seem unreliable, but as a successor, they’re rated quite highly? They drive the Demon Race away from villages and settlements that seem to have no rewards, and they don’t demand compensation afterward, so it looks like they’re getting a good reputation.”
“So they’re accepted, huh… That’s good to hear.”
“I see. So, do you have anything else you want to ask?”
“Anything else I want to ask…”
…Nothing comes to mind. I’ve learned what I wanted to know, and I don’t feel the need to know more.
“Nothing, huh? I guess that’s it for today.”
“Is it over? Wait, already? The night is still young!”
“…Are you dissatisfied?”
“Yeah, I am.”
…Then I suppose I have no choice.
“Fine, I’ll keep you company.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I won’t lie here. But I’ll only be a conversation partner.”
“Uh, okay, but… don’t you want to hold me?”
“Not really.”
“…Even though I have the marks of a Succubus in places other than my tongue, and even those with strong mental fortitude can get aroused?”
“That kind of thing doesn’t work on me.”
I almost got killed by a Succubus during my first year of traveling. Even if I found them attractive, I’ve managed to suppress any overwhelming lust that could cloud my mind.
“That’s impressive. What about aphrodisiacs?”
“They don’t work much. Besides, higher-tier Succubi have even greater aphrodisiac effects and try to brainwash you.”
“Oh, really? So we can talk slowly?”
“Until dawn, at least.”
“Yay! Then I’ll brew some tea.”
“…In that case, I’ll prepare some snacks. Is there anything you can’t eat?”
“I can eat anything!”
※※※※※※※※
- Next time, from the New Hero’s perspective.
As a side note:
– The protagonist’s thoughts are clouded by a jamming effect. Therefore, when he investigates and thinks alone, he cannot arrive at a perfect answer.