Chapter 8: The Hero’s Triumphant Return II
As Prince Ryuguin stylishly and fantastically boasted about his achievements—the annihilation of the Sealed Labyrinth—four women reacted in a way he hadn’t anticipated.
“Um… But the Hero-sama…”
One of them began to speak, only to suddenly fall silent, realizing that any form of rebuttal might offend him.
“But what do you mean by that?” he asked, tilting his head in confusion. His eyes were devoid of laughter.
“Those who are capable across generations tend to possess a generous and flexible mindset. So, go ahead, I’m all ears,” he said, his tone suggesting that her words might be bordering on anti-Hero sentiment.
She was not allowed to remain silent, and with a hint of hesitation, she finally posed her question to Prince Ryuguin.
“I heard that an incredible labyrinth was recently conquered, fulfilling a long-held wish.”
To her words, Ryuguin nodded solemnly. “That’s right.”
“It seems that while many were attempting to conquer the labyrinth, the Hero-sama was here in the Town of Lemone…?”
He was taken aback. Prince Ryuguin was genuinely astonished. He was utterly bewildered by the ignorance of this woman. Yet, her ignorance made her endearing. As the famous philosopher Socrates once said, knowing one’s ignorance is wisdom. She was aware of her lack of knowledge, which is why she sought answers from the Hero standing before her.
Had she been a drunken patron at a tavern, he would have punished her for her insolence, but a beautiful woman was a different story. Especially one as obedient and charming as her; he felt inclined to overlook her transgressions.
Prince Ryuguin was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his own generosity, causing him to feel dizzy.
“Well, it can’t be helped. Allow me to explain the workings of this world.”
He sighed dramatically and struck a pose, shrugging his shoulders in a ‘what can you do?’ manner.
“Imagine a summoned Hero from a foreign land. He accomplished what the local fools could not—conquering the labyrinth one after another. At this point, he could be considered a Hero of the Ages, a savior of the nation. So, what happens next? He stands at the top of that world.”
“Do you understand so far?” he asked, and the four women nodded eagerly.
“In my world, there exists a concept known as ‘amakudari.’ However, in this case, it might be closer to ‘shukkou.’ To put it simply, a higher organization sends personnel to a lower one.”
As he spoke, Ryuguin’s face flushed with excitement, and he confidently declared, “It’s about connections, convenience, and there’s a WIN-WIN aspect to it, along with a sense of oversight.”
“In short, the important thing is that I, the pinnacle of this world, sent the Hero Party—an elite force—into the hands of those who conquered the Sealed Labyrinth.”
After a lengthy explanation, he finally took a breath. His words, however, were difficult for anyone other than him to comprehend. One of the women tilted her head and asked him.
“Hero-sama, but I’ve heard that this time, the contributions of the Saintess and the Holy Knight Ashley, as well as the Guild Master of the Green Eyes and the famous clans, were greater…”
Ryuguin let out yet another sigh, one of many that day.
“Weren’t you listening to what I just said? If you apply that logic, it should be clear. While a woman’s ignorance can be charming, you need to develop a habit of thinking.”
Despite disliking women who could think for themselves, he pompously proclaimed this. Rising from the bed, he patted her shoulder as if he were comforting a kindergarten child.
“At this point, whether Mika and the others excelled or not is irrelevant. What matters is not ‘what they accomplished,’ but ‘who sent them.’ So, even if they contributed nothing to the conquest of the Sealed Labyrinth, it doesn’t matter at all.”
The four women reacted with a simple, “Huh?”
“The three members of the Hero Party were sent by me, the top of the top in this world. That fact alone means all their achievements belong to them.”
“Then, that would mean it’s the Saintess’s achievement—”
“You seem to be misunderstanding a bit. But that’s fine; I’m in a good mood today. Think about it for a moment. Suppose there was a famous swordsman who wielded a Demon Sword, and he defeated a gigantic dragon that was deemed impossible to slay. In that case, would that achievement belong to him or to the powerful Demon Sword he used?”
“N-No, it wouldn’t.”
“Exactly. The Hero Party belongs to me. Just like the relationship between the swordsman and the Demon Sword, the achievements made by my party are mine. It’s only natural, right? And you see—”
At this point, no one else in the room dared to speak. Prince Ryuguin’s mouth curved into a smile, taut like a drawn bow.
“Saintess Mika.
Sage Angelica Honest.
Sword Saint Eris Gladius.
These three adore me so much that they left behind a pitiful, slow-witted man who was once their beloved to stand by my side! When they hear that the magnificent achievement of conquering the Sealed Labyrinth belongs to me, I bet they’ll be overjoyed to the point of tears!”
Prince Ryuguin’s voice resonated with a melt-in-your-ear charm as he wore an exquisite, blissful smile.
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What can be gleaned from this story is…