Chapter: 208
Among Ivan’s long military service, there were three operations where he had to infiltrate the King of the Seven Dragon Lords directly: the King of Tumor, the King of Fernich, and the King of Abiditas.
The most gruesome of these was the lair of Fernich, “The Swamp of Stupidity.” It was an area where all kinds of vicious pests and slimy monsters were lurking, and because the area was wide, there weren’t many places to hide.
Thus, when he returned from the Swamp of Stupidity, he was in no condition to continue fighting.
It’s been a long while since things got this messy. He thought, as he tore open the cap of a healing potion as soon as he got up.
“I will forbid that cursed potion, Brother Cyril.”
“This is a healing potion.”
“How brazenly you lie to a priest. Are you not afraid of divine punishment, Brother?”
The Saint frowned as she cast her healing spell and grumbled.
“Please wait here. Anyway, Sister Enrique and I won’t participate in this battle.”
“You’re saying you’re not going to join the attack on the Seven Dragon Lords?”
“Isn’t it obvious that you’re in this state?”
The Saint gently scolded Ivan, who appeared nearly as a rag.
“Someone has to stay to protect you, Brother.”
“That’s complacent.”
Those who do not swing their swords for fear of them breaking are fools. To think that a scout sent to launch an attack on the Seven Dragon Lords would go into battle with a rear guard because they were injured…
Ivan gritted his teeth and got up. His hands trembled, but as he started circulating the remaining mana, the shaking stopped. While he wasn’t perfectly fine, he appeared sufficient on the outside.
“Go. Before it’s too late.”
“Brother, please lie down a bit longer. You’re not in a state to move.”
“I know my body best.”
“Is that so?”
The Saint suddenly poked Ivan’s shoulder with her fingertip. Stifling a groan that escaped involuntarily and frowning, the Saint smiled faintly.
“I seem to know you better.”
“Winning against Tumor and then becoming complacent when facing the Seven Dragon Lords. If even one of us dies, what will happen to that loss?”
“You can call it complacency, but… I would rather call it trust.”
The Saint turned her gaze to the dark plains leading to the Swamp of Stupidity. A great sound roared from beyond the horizon.
“I determined that rather than leaving you behind and risking losing you, it is better to fail the assault and have to retreat. So did all of us. Even if we fail, I believe we can withdraw without damage.”
Believing in each other’s capabilities. Each of them knew the maximum they could perform in their respective roles.
That was the meaning. Ivan clicked his tongue at this bothersome optimism. This was why he couldn’t like the Hero Party.
“And it’s been a while since they left. It’s already too late to go now.”
“Not a single soul is to be lost? Of course, that’s a noble spirit, but Patricia, do you know how many soldiers were mobilized in this operation, drawing attention from the front lines and ended up dying? Do you know the number of people dying each day as the operation delays?”
Ivan asked, clenching his teeth.
He didn’t hold a great loyalty to Krasilov. He didn’t care more for the lives of countless others than for his own.
In fact, at this point, Ivan was almost grumbling to hide his awkwardness. Since falling into this damned world, he had met so few who dedicated themselves to him like this.
Thus, his words held no malice. The Saint, being no fool, simply smiled faintly as she gazed across the horizon.
The great sound continued from beyond the horizon.
“It’s not about what burdens you bear while fighting or how you fight, Brother.”
A flash of light shone at the end of the horizon. A brief silence followed. Soon, a beam of light shot into the sky and began to brightly illuminate the far swamp.
The Saint made a small sign of the cross as she watched the scene.
“No matter what burden you carry, no matter what trials you face in battle.”
Faint silhouettes flickered at the end of the horizon. Tiny figures smaller than fingernails were wriggling and approaching.
“Even at that end, not losing your conviction. Isn’t that what the Hero Party is supposed to do? We are not here to save people. We are assassins summoned to fight instead of them.”
How coarse. The Saint looked at Ivan and smiled.
“Since we are gathered in desperate need, right before destruction, how could we save someone’s life? Hence, no one will be able to save us. We must protect ourselves as we move forward.”
In Ivan’s view, the advancing Hero Party became clearer and clearer.
Even in their disheveled state, struggling to walk, they were smiling.
He could see Einar, flaunting his muscles and laughing loudly, Jill Ber, with a swollen face pointing at his shattered shield, and Veolgrin, smiling quietly while looking at the sky.
Leading them was a man walking with the heart stone of Fernich pierced onto his long sword over his shoulder, smiling gently as he walked straight toward him.
“Anyone among us, including you, Brother, would have made the same choice in a situation like today if someone had to collapse and step back. We represent everyone in the union. The only ones who can protect us are ourselves.”
Just as Brother did. The Saint smiled as she looked at Ivan.
Ivan had to turn his gaze away to hide his awkward expression. He would have stepped forward without hesitation if it meant stepping in for someone from the Hero Party. That was the duty of a scout.
The darkness parted, revealing the sunrise. Light began to shine down on the swamp. It was a rare good day deep within the Demon Realm.
A Hero approaching in the midst of it spotted Ivan and smiled brightly. Jill Ber, who had been following him, laughed out loud upon seeing Ivan getting back on his feet.
“So annoyingly resilient! You survived again!”
Ivan too was muttering as he looked at Jill Ber’s smile.
“So annoyingly resilient. You’ve come back again.”
The Saint watching that scene chuckled.
Ep34. Universal Council.
“Do you remember that time, Brother Cyril?”
“Hmm.”
The teenage Saint and the newly minted scout were now gone. Only two weary individuals burdened by the world sat in the vehicle now.
Looking out at the rattling train window with its rhythmic clatter, the Saint quietly smiled.
“It’s nice to go with you like this. You feel the same, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t inform you sooner since the timing is more urgent than expected. Please don’t worry.”
“It’s fine.”
“Well, I’m more worried about Sister Elizaveta’s anger than yours.”
The Saint turned her gaze away with a huff. In the narrow compartment, Isabelle was sitting tight next to Ivan.
The Saint’s brows furrowed for a moment but then relaxed.
“Why is Sister here?”
“Because it’s my turn this time, Saint.”
Isabelle said, raising her eyes menacingly like a hungry cat.
“For the next two hours, it’s my turn.”
“…I see.”
It was an answer that left many questions but the Saint didn’t want to dig into the abyss. She nodded gently to soothe Isabelle and opened her book.
“I need to prepare that thing for lunch too, you understand?”
“…Do you have anorexia as well?”
“No! But it must be fair! We’re all part of a party. If one person is favored, then the balance—Hmm, that wouldn’t be right. We all need to be fed equally!!”
“Fairness…?”
“Yes! Because that elf chick—Elpheira—only gets that treatment, later on, when there’s urgent combat, things could go wrong if she’s the only one being protected! We need to maintain an atmosphere where everyone helps each other out equally! Training as if in real combat, and real combat as if in training!”
Ivan nodded and turned his gaze. The peaceful spring prairie was rapidly passing by outside the train window. The morning sky was clear.
Isabelle’s chatter drifted outside the window along with the prairie. There was no need to pay attention to the scattered words flowing without thought.
The Hero Party from back in those days had been like that too. They would get worked up over trivial matters and compete. Seeing that trend endure, one could say the party still maintained its mental health.
Not a bad thing. Ivan was blankly watching the scenery outside, answering Isabelle’s words with “Hmm, oh, I see.”
Currently, this train had Elpheira, Ecdysis, Lucia, and Oscar aboard, alongside Isabelle.
In the end, it was as if they had brought along the original Hero Party members, and the Saint glanced at Ivan and Isabelle, chuckling softly.
*
It was the day before.
– I’m going to run some errands at the Papal Enclave. Would you be able to assist me, Brother?
Upon confirming the assistance request he received from the Saint early that morning, Ivan began preparing. He checked his equipment and packed some convenient food and travel tools.
With the semester just starting, he couldn’t take students on an overseas expedition that might never end. Since the Saint had pointed him out, he was making the travel preparations alone.
“Hey? Where are you going?”
As he fed Elpheira breakfast and packed his luggage as usual, she followed him to the headmaster’s office, commenting on the decor.
“To the Papal Enclave.”
“What? That far? With whom? No way—.”
Elpheira’s eyes widened sharply.
“Are you planning to perform some ceremony before His Holiness?”
“I’m going with the Saint.”
“…??? A ceremony with the Saint…?”
The dumbfounded Elpheira’s mouth flapped open, and soon she threw herself on the couch and began to scream.
“Ah, I don’t want to go. I can’t. I’m starving. I’m going to starve to death. I’ll become a tree!”
Since the Eternal Palace had disappeared, elves can no longer die by turning into trees. It was against reason to remind her of that harsh truth, so Ivan ignored her and continued to pack.
“Daddy, sniff, I miss you. Why did you leave me alone? It’s cold and I’m hungry, the humans have no warmth, they’re barbaric and primitive…”
“…It’s work.”
“You won’t even tell me what the work is about. Daddy… sniff.”
“The Saint requested protective services.”
“Why just you, Ivan? Two grown men and women shouldn’t be going alone. Hmph. Hmph. That’s quite irresponsible. Humans may be reckless, but as a noble elf, it’s necessary to guide such a lower species along the proper path.”
Elpheira stood up with her posture set, speaking as if she was on a mission. Ivan stared at her for a while and then nodded.
Well, having a mage wouldn’t hurt. Given the Saint’s weakened state, they were short of support. It would be good to have someone who could handle things in risky situations.
At least Elpheira would be competent enough.
And who would look after her and feed her while he was away? If he tried to force-feed her, she’d likely throw it all up.
“Yay!!”
*
Around lunchtime, after the morning classes ended.
“…So, tonight, wait a minute. You, elf. What’s so funny that you keep grinning?”
“Oh, now you’re picking a fight over smiles? Humans are something else.”
“Isn’t it weird how you keep grinning while looking at me and Ecdysis? What’s up? What’s going on?”
“Ah, if I say this to the ‘stragglers,’ it might sound too much like a ‘boast’… Ugh… I can’t help it…”
Ivan has plans to go to the Papal Enclave for a ‘honeymoon’ to receive the blessings of ‘His Holiness’ and the Saint. At this revelation, Isabelle stared blankly at Elpheira.
To her, it was a calm statement based entirely on fact. From an elf’s perspective, a few years pre-marriage or a few years post-marriage could still be seen as the sweet ‘honeymoon’ phase.
Going to the Papal Enclave was also a fact, along with the chance to meet the Pope since she was going with the Saint. If they met the Pope, surely even a single prayer would be viewed as a ‘blessing’ from a human perspective, right?
“Liar! Don’t lie!”
“You’d love to believe that, wouldn’t you? Hehe…”
“Looks like you’re seriously insane! Daddy, I’m sorry! Today, Daddy’s friend’s daughter is going to die!”
“I’ll cast a silence spell, Bella!!”
Oscar sighed in the corner of the now chaotic clubroom. Is this truly the Hero Party? Were our fathers like this too? (Probably not that different.)
As Rucia watched that scene from a corner of the room, the ensemble of magic, conductor’s baton, and longsword continued until she clapped her hands and stood up right before the clubroom was about to collapse.
“Why don’t we all just go together?”
“What…?”
“I mean, our Brother wouldn’t suddenly suggest going to the Papal Enclave just to have a wedding ceremony with Elpheira, right? Elpheira, we’re going to the Papal Enclave, yes?”
“Of course. Why would I lie to a lower species?”
“Well, assuming that’s true, then he’s just taking her along to some operation. Should I assume it has something to do with his brother?”
Rucia said, looking skeptically at Elpheira. For a trained agent, deduction and interrogation were basic skills, and Rucia was a direct disciple of Enrique, the master of all Krasilov agents.
With an understanding of the situation, Isabelle took a moment to catch her breath and then looked at Oscar.
“Is the Hero Party deploying?”
“I want to go to classes. Guys, we missed the entire last semester. What will we do if we keep skipping this semester?”
“Deploying to rescue humanity?”
“Wait, do you know what operation it is? It’s possible they’re just doing diplomatic work between this country and the Papal Enclave or maybe Ivan is accompanying the Saint for her own personal reasons. They’re close after all.”
“The party is one body, right? Does the left arm rest while the right arm works?”
“Did you sleep through class? What was done by the right hand shouldn’t be known to the left.”
“Surely the pious Oscar, who diligently attends theology classes, wouldn’t miss the opportunity of meeting His Holiness, right?”
“This is driving me crazy.”
Oscar observed the group with a thinly veiled expression of despair while looking at the disheartened Elpheira, the red-eyed Isabelle, and the seemingly clueless Ecdysis…
“What did you say would do, Oscar? Abandon your childhood friend? Betray the people of Tylesse?”
“What can I do that would be of help between you guys?”
“If we all insist on going together, how would the Uncle refuse?”
“Is that really enough of a reason…?”
“If you’re not there, he’ll have to book a single room for himself, being the only man.”
“…?”
Isabelle leaned closer to Oscar’s ear and whispered quietly.
“So why not book a double room including you and when I give a signal, you can step out for a bit. You said you’d help us, right?”
“Goodness.”
This shady plan clearly contradicted the code of chivalry, so Oscar could only make a short sign of the cross and pray for the fallen man of Tylesse.
But what could he do? His father’s last words had been to protect that girl.
As Oscar nodded with a conflicted heart, two people who had been quietly waiting behind them lit up their eyes.
An elf with naturally sharp hearing and a vampire with extremely developed senses from birth were smiling in the silence.
“…??”
In the sudden calm of the room, a bard from Drovian, who didn’t have particularly sharp hearing, cocked his head.
“Party formation complete! Let’s head to the Papal Enclave!”
Isabelle clapped her hands energetically and stood up.
