Chapter 80
“Mm. That’s not something I do.”
Hypnosian’s answer was just as unexpected as the question.
If a high-ranking demon like him wasn’t responsible, then who was?
“It has nothing to do with my will. The appearance of darkness is… a matter for those above me. Probably something the Demon God is doing.”
He pointed toward the sky as he said this.
“What I do know is that there’s only one way to dispel the darkness in this region.
You have to defeat me.”
“…Hmm.”
Darren let out a troubled groan.
Perhaps this was simply too complicated a problem for someone who lived life so straightforwardly.
After scratching the back of his head for a long while, he finally spoke up again.
“Uh… have you tried complaining?”
“…Complaining?”
“To the Demon God or whoever. Like… saying you don’t want to do it anymore.”
For some reason, Hypnosian found Darren’s suggestion hilarious.
He bent over laughing, practically gasping for air.
“Haha—hahahahaha! I’ve heard some ridiculous things, but that one takes the cake.
Do you go talk to your Goddess when you’re unhappy? Does she fix it for you?”
Darren blinked slowly.
I’d never said this out loud, but… he looked kind of stupid in that moment.
“I’ve lived for over a thousand years and not once have I seen his face.
The Demon God, I mean.
Are you… any different?”
At that, everyone’s eyes turned to me.
Among us, I was the one closest(?) to the Goddess.
Of course, I’d never actually met her.
Just once in a dream.
“Well, honestly… I’d like to meet her too. I’ve got a lot to complain about.”
When I said that, Hypnosian shrugged as if to say, See? Told you.
“That’s how it is. You and I—just pitiful beings caught up in the quarrels of gods.”
No one said anything.
I was no exception.
I had never looked at it that way before.
“Anyway, I enjoyed talking today.
You’ll have to defeat me eventually… so I’ll be waiting.
Beyond the darkness.”
With that, Hypnosian waved as if he’d said all there was to say.
“W-wait…!”
But before any of us could grab him or stop him, he vanished.
It felt like waking from a dream.
No one spoke for a long time.
We all just stared at the empty spot where Hypnosian had been.
“…Let’s head back.”
Adrian finally broke the silence.
On our way back to the palace, the sleeping residents began waking one by one, confused but unharmed.
Thankfully, no one seemed to be injured.
We, however, said nothing.
Our minds were too tangled.
When we arrived at the annex, Leo finally spoke.
“So… what do you all think? About Hypnosian. I mean… what he said.”
“…It’s a tough one.”
Darren scratched his head with a grimace.
Hearing him call something a “tough problem” was nothing short of astonishing.
“I mean, I feel kinda bad for that demon guy… but our mission is to drive out the darkness.
And to do that, we have to defeat Hypnosian.”
“…True.”
Leo nodded uneasily.
“I think so too.
Leaving the darkness as it is would be negligence as members of the Hakion Heroic Order.”
Even Lena looked conflicted as she voiced her agreement.
They all agreed it was unfortunate—but unavoidable.
After all…
“Since he won’t really die, we don’t have to feel guilty—let’s just beat him.”
Anyone who could say that sincerely had to be a psychopath.
Just as everyone’s thoughts were settling firmly on “We have no choice but to defeat him”—
“Um… but what exactly happened at that thousand-year-old ruin?”
Leo asked suddenly.
Everyone looked to Adrian—the only one among us who might know.
After all, he was a library archivist.
But—
“Uh… I’m tired. If it’s all right, may I turn in early?”
Adrian didn’t answer the question.
Since he’d been quiet ever since the encounter, everyone just accepted it without suspicion.
“A-ah, y-yeah! Go rest, Adrian. You look pale.”
Darren patted his back, and Adrian apologized before retreating to his room.
…He’s definitely bothered by the topic.
No one else seemed to notice, but I did.
I had seen him crying at that ruin yesterday.
Since he had left, I was the only one who could answer Leo’s question.
“Well… I don’t know everything. But Adrian and King Aither told me a bit.”
So I explained the tale of Mage Halo and his companions—
how they had defeated the forces of the Demon God Ponerus, but at devastating cost,
and how even the lone survivor, the mage, eventually passed away.
“And afterward, the mage Halo’s friend, Ramis, created the Hakion Heroic Order—to protect the Goddess’s chosen hero.”
Hearing sniffling, I turned to see Leo wiping tears, nose bright red.
I mean… it’s sad, but is it tear-worthy?
When I glanced around, Darren and Lena also had watery eyes.
Apparently they had all been extremely emotionally invested in the tale.
“Sniff… Chief…!
Chief, we… we’ll protect you…!”
Darren suddenly grabbed my hand with both of his.
“O-okay, okay.”
I let out a dumbfounded laugh.
I had absolutely zero intention of sacrificing myself, so I had no idea why he was acting like this.
I soothed the team as they mourned the tragic fate of Mage Halo.
Another day passed.
The Next Morning
“Uuugh… Lena, you’re heavy… move…”
Half-asleep, I pushed away the leg draped across me.
But—since when had Lena’s leg been that hairy?
Before I could question it further, sleep started pulling me down again.
Until—
Lick, lick, lick
A rough, sandpaper-like tongue assaulted my face.
“…?”
Okay, hairy leg was one thing…
but what was with this exfoliating scrub of a tongue?
I jolted awake.
And sitting on top of me was not Lena—
but the black panther, Nemir.
“Huh? Nemir? What are you doing here?”
I rubbed my eyes, but the sight didn’t change.
A massive black panther wearing an ornate jeweled gold collar was perched on my stomach.
“Wh-what? Why is that black panther here?!”
Lena, apparently awakened by the commotion, shrieked as well.
“Yeah… why indeed…”
I scratched behind my ear, thinking hard.
This panther was always at King Anzav’s side.
If Nemir was here, then—
‘…The king didn’t come here too, right?’
No way.
Even a king wouldn’t barge into the private quarters of two young women.
…Right?
Just then—
Ahem. Ahem-hmm.
A man’s voice came from behind the curtain over the arched doorway.
Apparently, King Anzav was waiting outside the room.
At least he hadn’t entered, which was… something.
Still, barging into our lodging at dawn was insane.
I hurriedly grabbed a cardigan, wiped my eyes, and stepped out.
There he was in the annex sitting room—Anzav, draped in gaudy gold clothing, shamelessly waving at me.
“Good morning, Hero chosen by the Goddess.”
“….”
Wonderful.
Just the morning I wanted: an intrusive king.
Suppressing my irritation, I sat across from him.
Nemir immediately trotted after me, placing his huge head on my lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
While scratching Nemir’s ears, I spoke.
“What brings you here at this hour?
If you had business, you could’ve sent someone.”
“Ah, apologies. With the sun already so high, I didn’t imagine our heroes would still be sleeping.”
His reply was unbelievably smug.
Our conversation woke the others, who shuffled out one by one.
Darren—his eyes still swollen from crying last night—looked like he’d walked straight out of a gag manga.
“We slept late because something happened yesterday.”
He was a king, so I couldn’t punch him no matter how much I wanted to.
I forced a bright smile.
If I smiled twice like that, someone might actually get murdered.
“Mm, yes. I heard something unfortunate happened.
That’s why I came personally. Hahaha.”
At those words, I remembered something.
In the original game story, after Hypnosian’s intrusion, Anzav visits the next day…
and introduces the royal alchemist, who then brews the wake-up antidote…
But—I had already prepared all of that myself.
Meaning Anzav had no real role left here.
