The Former Hero Begins to be Re-evaluated

I eventually decided to help Ria.

In the process, I pondered countless times, and even now I’m not sure if this judgment is correct, but I was planning to help for now.

So I headed towards the Kingdom of Artes with Ria.

“Really… will you really help me?”

At my decision, Ria showed a very surprised expression.

She wasn’t saying that with pretense.

It seems she really didn’t expect me to help like this.

“Why. Don’t you like it?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then why?”

“Well… I just didn’t think you would help. Besides, a hero can’t stop a rebellion in a country.”

Did I seem that cold-hearted?

It seemed Ria didn’t have much faith in me.

That’s probably why she didn’t tell me her real identity in the first place.

In fact, it seems Ria knew about heroes in her own way.

Heroes usually don’t try to intervene in human problems.

Heroes are beings who defeat demons, not beings who intervene in problems between people.

Basically, heroes should remain neutral in fights between humans.

Ria, who was royalty, probably knew about that part.

So my current decision could be said to be quite exceptional.

“Besides, the rebellion happening can be said to be natural.”

And this is the biggest problem.

In fact, the Kingdom of Artes was ripe for rebellion.

I don’t know exactly, but I know from some stories I’ve heard.

Ria’s father, the previous king, wasn’t a very good king.

He neglected state affairs, indulged in luxury and pleasure, and imposed heavy taxes on the people.

He was a king who could be called a tyrant or despot.

That’s why the rebellion occurred. It was obvious everyone would die under such a king.

They rebelled to save themselves.

Ria probably knows that too.

No, as someone who was in the royal family, she would know her country’s history better than me.

So she seemed to feel a lot of guilt.

In many ways, it couldn’t help but be an awkward situation to ask me for help.

Although she wanted to inherit the throne, she seemed to constantly question herself whether she was qualified to receive help from me.

“Geez. You talk too much.”

I ignored Ria’s words.

I had no intention of receiving objections to a decision I had made after sufficient thought.

I decided to help considering all those things.

“Stop with those boring stories, I’ll take responsibility and help you inherit the throne for now.”

I intend to put Ria on the throne.

Although I failed to subjugate the Demon Lord and was stripped of my hero position, I am still someone who was a hero.

My influence from working hard for a year can be considered enormous.

While it might not work for a big country like the Empire, for a small country on the frontier like this, I can easily put Ria on the throne with just my influence.

Whether Ria wants it or not.

“But that doesn’t mean I’ll help you perfectly.”

“What…? What do you mean?”

Ria was surprised at my words.

She had an expression wondering what I meant by not helping completely.

I clearly informed Ria that I wasn’t trying to put her on the throne without any conditions.

The rebellion happened because it was bound to happen, and I understand that part to some extent.

So I know that if Ria is on the throne, there will inevitably be voices of discontent.

Voices saying she’s the daughter of a tyrant, wondering if she’ll exploit them again, will surely arise.

“You prove yourself.”

So, you need to show them.

“I’ll only give you the minimum opportunity.”

I explained to Ria.

What I’m about to do from now on.

I wasn’t trying to give Ria a guaranteed result.

I’ll help her inherit the throne, but maintaining it is her own ability, isn’t it?

I’ll only give Ria an opportunity, and won’t intervene beyond that.

“I’ll help put you on the throne. But after that, I won’t particularly help you.”

Whether she rules benevolently or tyrannically after inheriting the throne.

Whether she makes the people happy or miserable.

Whether she maintains the throne by killing people or living in symbiosis.

Whatever actions she takes, I won’t intervene any further.

The only help I’m giving is helping her inherit the throne.

“I don’t know what happens after that. There might be another rebellion, and you might really die then.”

Everything after that was entirely up to Ria.

She’ll have to take responsibility alone.

This was how I thought of helping Ria.

“How about it? Are you confident? If not, you can just go back.”

In simple terms, it meant to seize the throne with her own ability.

At first glance it might seem like an irresponsible thing to say, or rather it actually is an irresponsible thing to say, but I had no intention of doing more than this.

If she doesn’t want it, she could just give up the throne and go back even now.

“That’s enough. I’ll definitely become a great king. Unlike my father.”

But Ria seemed satisfied.

Rather, she seemed overflowing with confidence.

Ria told me with firm determination that she would show me she could do it.

“Alright. Do your best.”

I just gave a small cheer to Ria like that.

Taking Ria with me, I entered the Kingdom of Artes.

#

‘By this time, they should have defeated the Demon Lord.’

About a month had passed since the second hero was chosen.

The prime minister thought that by this time, they should have already arrived in the demon realm and defeated the Demon Lord.

It was certain because Han Soo had almost cleared the demon realm, so there wouldn’t be any obstacles on the way.

Moreover, news came that the hero party members were staying in a city near the demon realm.

The prime minister told them to come see the hero party quickly.

To hold a celebration party, that is.

The prime minister prepared a grand party for the hero party members who had worked hard all this time and waited.

“Oh… The hero party members have finally arrived.”

And not long after the prime minister sent the message, the hero party members arrived.

It’s been about a month?

The prime minister looked at the hero party members with satisfaction.

They were now heroes who had defeated the Demon Lord.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“…”

But despite the prime minister’s welcome, the hero party didn’t look happy.

Not only that, the current state of the hero party looked a bit strange.

Why on earth are they like this?

Are they not happy about the party?

“But… where is Sir Herald?”

“That…”

Moreover, that wasn’t all.

The hero Herald was nowhere to be seen.

Only the hero’s party members had returned, no matter how much he looked, the hero couldn’t be seen.

He wondered if they might have disobeyed orders? But it couldn’t be Herald of all people.

He was a person who loyally followed the Empire as the head of the knights before being a hero.

He wouldn’t disobey orders.

Then what on earth is it?

Could it be…?

When the prime minister put all this together, he reached a shocking conclusion.

“Hero Herald has passed away.”

Herald died after killing the Demon Lord…

Only then could the prime minister understand the situation.

The reason why the hero party members were sad and Herald didn’t come here was probably because Herald had died.

The death of a knight who had devoted his whole life to the Empire, that death was not light at all.

The prime minister took a moment to mourn.

“But Herald defeated the Demon Lord, didn’t he? Let’s hold the most honorable funeral possible for him as a hero of all time.”

But still, the prime minister intended to give Herald a reward befitting his loyalty.

Although he lost his life, didn’t he defeat the Demon Lord?

The party members here now were proof of that.

The party members returned alive from the battle with the Demon Lord.

Although Herald died, he had fulfilled all the duties he had to do.

So he couldn’t be underestimated at all.

He too was a being who was not at all ashamed in front of the names of past heroes.

“It’s alright. Don’t be too sad. Herald must have passed away peacefully seeing the Empire prosper free from the danger of the Demon Lord.”

The prime minister comforted the depressed party members.

Still, this was a time and place that should be celebrated.

He hoped they would now raise their heads and enjoy the party.

“…”

But still, the party members’ faces didn’t change.

Are they that sad about Herald’s death?

No, it was a bit different from being immersed in sadness.

How should I put it, it was like they had a sense of guilt? That kind of feeling.

What on earth are they sorry about?

The prime minister didn’t know.

But he soon found out.

“Um… Prime Minister. Actually… we couldn’t defeat it.”

“…? Couldn’t defeat what?”

“The Demon Lord.”

The mage of the hero party timidly told the truth.

The fact that they couldn’t defeat the Demon Lord…

“What???”

The prime minister who heard the shocking fact.

He couldn’t help but be startled.