The Former Hero Begins to be Re-evaluated

‘Are we arriving at the Kingdom of Artes now?’

The journey to the Kingdom of Artes was extremely boring.

There were no cities to pass through along the way, just a scenery of continuous mountains and fields.

At least I tried to alleviate the boredom by chatting about various things with Ria beside me, waiting to arrive quickly at the Kingdom of Artes.

And at the end of that wait, the Kingdom of Artes finally started to come into view.

As if to prove that this was now the kingdom’s land, a huge gate with the kingdom’s flag hanging was visible.

Probably once we pass through there, we’ll finally arrive at the Kingdom of Artes.

I informed Ria beside me that we had finally reached our destination.

“Ria. That’s the Kingdom of Artes over there.”

“I see. We’ve finally arrived.”

But she doesn’t look that happy?

What I felt during the journey was that Ria didn’t really enjoy this trip.

At first, she seemed excited, asking me this and that, but even that faded as we got closer and closer to the Kingdom of Artes.

As if she had some worries, she became more and more calm, and looked anxious.

‘Hmm… Is something wrong?’

She was so eager to go to the Kingdom of Artes, but now that we’re actually going, is she scared?

I’m not sure, but I don’t intend to worry about it.

It’s not my business anymore anyway.

‘Will I be parting with Ria now?’

Well, it was a short relationship, but I’ll be parting with Ria from now on.

Since I safely brought her to the Kingdom of Artes, I’ll do my business and return to the village. Ria will surely stay here.

I might feel a bit sad when we actually part.

I can’t say I haven’t grown attached after being together for these past few days.

But, well. We each find our own way to live.

If there are meetings, there are also partings, I didn’t think this sadness was particularly bad.

‘Still, let’s buy her a meal before parting.’

Of course, we won’t part right away.

We’ve come this far, I should feed her something before sending her off.

Even if the Kingdom of Artes is in civil war, there should be at least one operating restaurant.

I was planning to part after feeding her a full meal there.

Since I’m feeding her, I should feed her something delicious, right?

What should I feed her? While I was thinking about such things and driving the carriage.

BOOM!!!

“What?”

A huge explosion occurred on the road in front of the carriage I was driving.

Along with that, a pungent smell of gunpowder spread.

There shouldn’t be anyone else around?

This was clearly an attack on us.

Then who attacked us?

“Stop right there.”

After waiting a bit, a group in black outfits revealed themselves.

A group consisting of several men who looked like bandits at a glance.

Such a group was pointing weapons at our carriage.

“Is it certain?”

“Yes. It’s certain.”

After quickly looking over the carriage, they had some conversation among themselves.

“Hmm…”

And at that sight, Ria ducked her head as low as possible to avoid showing her face.

As if trying to hide herself as much as possible.

But it didn’t seem like she was hidden by doing that.

The group of bandits in front of us confirmed Ria and immediately raised their weapons.

“If we’ve confirmed, let’s quickly kill them and return.”

To kill us, that is.

They slowly raised their weapons and approached to kill us while surrounding us.

“Sorry, but think you were unlucky.”

Well, of course their plan wouldn’t succeed.

I may be an ordinary farmer now, but I was once a hero.

To think the person you’re trying to rob is a former hero, didn’t you guys commit some huge sin in your past life?

“Kuhuk…”

The situation was quickly resolved.

There was no need to even properly face them with weapons.

The difference in skill between me, a former hero, and mere bandits is truly greater than heaven and earth.

I just dodged the weapons they swung while appropriately striking their necks.

It couldn’t even be called a battle.

One, two, three, four.

I knocked them out one by one, and the situation ended in an instant.

“Wow… Hero oppa. You’re really strong as expected. Thank goodness.”

When the situation ended, Ria finally raised her head as if relieved.

Ria praising me didn’t seem particularly strange on the surface, but she seemed to be trembling somewhat.

I felt slightly strange about why Ria was acting like that.

‘But these guys are a bit strange?’

But more than Ria’s attitude, what I was interested in now was the identity of these guys who attacked us.

At first I just thought they were bandits, but there were many strange points to think they were ordinary bandits.

To be frank, their actions were not the actions of bandits.

‘Rather than trying to rob something, they aimed for our lives.’

Money wasn’t the goal.

They clearly moved to kill me and Ria.

Then why?

I’m not sure of the reason, but for now it was certain that these guys weren’t ordinary bandits.

‘Let’s see…’

I started examining the possessions of the unconscious bandits.

Is there anything suitable?

While I was searching hard hoping something would come out.

“This is…?”

I didn’t expect this to come out?

I found a document with the official seal of the Kingdom of Artes stamped on it.

#

Herald found the current situation quite awkward.

Not only was the Demon Lord preparing a banquet, but she was also making incomprehensible statements towards him, the current hero.

At the Demon Lord’s attitude, Herald felt his mind go blank for a moment, but soon came to his senses.

‘It must be some kind of scheme of the Demon Lord…’

This must surely be a scheme of the Demon Lord.

It might be a strategy to lower morale before the battle.

There was nothing good about getting caught up in it.

Such strategies were useless against him, who had various experiences from decades of activity as the Knight Commander.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I, who stand before your eyes now, am the hero, Herald.”

Herald drew his sword and pointed it at the Demon Lord while speaking.

His attitude was that the Demon Lord’s schemes were completely useless.

He, not anyone else, was the hero.

“…”

At Herald’s words, the Demon Lord was silent for a moment.

She just silently stared at Herald.

“Are you really the hero?”

“That’s right.”

And she started asking one by one about what she was curious about.

“Hmm… Then let me ask one thing. What happened to the hero who came before?”

“That person was stripped of his hero position. Because he couldn’t defeat the Demon Lord.”

The hero who came before, probably referring to Han Soo.

Why is she asking about Han Soo?

Although he didn’t know the reason well, there was no particular reason to hide it.

Herald told the Demon Lord who was asking about Han Soo what had happened to him.

“…”

After Herald’s answer, the Demon Lord maintained silence once again.

“I’m at a loss for words because it’s too ridiculous.”

And then she showed an expression as if quite perplexed.

Her attitude was as if saying how could such a thing happen.

“I’d appreciate if you didn’t judge just by appearances. I’m much stronger than you think.”

At that attitude, Herald started to get angry.

Hasn’t the Demon Lord been ignoring him continuously since earlier?

The Demon Lord kept looking only for Han Soo, ignoring him who was right in front of her.

Herald was also a hero.

Although his appearance may look old and not strong, he absolutely shouldn’t be ignored.

To show that directly, Herald rushed at the Demon Lord.

“Hmm.”

Even at Herald’s sudden attack, the Demon Lord simply blocked it by raising one arm.

The Demon Lord had a very leisurely expression.

But how long would that composure last?

“Haaah!!!!”

Herald started pushing fiercely.

Although the power of each individual attack wasn’t very strong, his swordsmanship was continuous.

The continuous attacks accumulated through long experience were attacks Herald was confident in.

Even young knights couldn’t handle Herald’s continuous attacks like this.

‘Good, I’m pushing her back…’

I shouldn’t give any opening.

Let’s end this quickly before the Demon Lord can do anything.

Thinking that, Herald didn’t rest.

Amidst the continuing attacks, Herald was clearly pushing back the Demon Lord.

Just a little more…

If he does a little more, he should be able to defeat the Demon Lord.

Thinking that, Herald burned himself up.

“Huff huff… Why aren’t you falling?”

But even after 30 minutes passed, an hour passed, the Demon Lord didn’t fall.

No, she wasn’t even tired.

How could she be so fine like this?

Herald’s expression gradually started to darken.

“Is this all you’ve got, even though you’re also a hero? Tsk… I didn’t have great expectations, but I’m quite disappointed.”

The Demon Lord said to Herald with a sigh.

“What…?”

At those words, Herald finally realized.

That until now, the Demon Lord had just been playing along with him.

“I’ll get serious now.”

That from now on, it wouldn’t be that way.

The Demon Lord started walking towards Herald as if annoyed.

The Demon Lord’s aura, which was already creepy, became much stronger.