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– So, have we completely crossed the mountain range?

“Yes. We’ve already entered the Domain of the Four Heavenly Kings, so don’t worry if I can’t contact you.”

– I-I can’t possibly worry about Elysia!

A flustered voice came through the Magical Crystal. But it’s not very convincing to say don’t worry when the person who gave me the talisman before parting is doing just that.

“Heh, well… It’s true that we’ve entered the Domain of the Four Heavenly Kings, but I haven’t encountered any enemies yet, so there’s really nothing to worry about. How’s Rizeria? Is everything alright?”

– I want to ask what that laugh means, but let’s just move on. Things are fine here. The most eventful thing was a crazy person waving a weapon around in the plaza?

“That doesn’t sound like nothing… You didn’t get involved and get hurt, did you? If even a scratch appears on Rizeria’s beautiful face, it would be a significant loss, not just for the nation… but for the world.”

– …

“Rizeria? Can you hear me? What’s going on? Did something break?”

The Magical Crystal continues to shine, so it doesn’t seem like the connection has been lost, yet there’s no reply. Normally, it’s not an expensive item, but I can’t help worrying if it might be broken. I check it over but don’t see a scratch.

Fortunately, the silence doesn’t last too long, and Rizeria’s voice is heard again. It seems she just had something on her end that delayed her response.

– D-Don’t worry. The royal knight nearby subdued the person quickly. Actually, it’s more troublesome that the nobles are spouting strange things like the theory of the Hero. They have no idea what Elysia is even doing…

It seems there’s still some negative opinion about my existence amongst the nobles. It’s interesting that even after I incapacitated two of the Four Heavenly Kings, there are still people talking like that. I’m not even hiding my identity these days.

They probably feel the need to claw for any bit of power that they can, rather than genuinely believing that. Undermining others and inciting chaos is the basis of politics and power struggles.

Even with the emperor’s overwhelming power, those types must be a thorn in his side. They can’t be openly suppressed, as that would undermine the emperor’s dignity, but leaving them be is just an irritation.

– Ah… That wasn’t something to say in front of Elysia. …It wouldn’t do any good to ask you to pretend you didn’t hear it, right?

What a thing to say after already spilling everything. I can just picture Rizeria on the other side of the Magical Crystal, covering her mouth while poking her tongue out and giving a sheepish smile.

She might have been the epitome of a charmingly graceful lady at the social party, but since we’ve become close, she’s shown some clumsy sides that make her endearing. That too is part of Rizeria’s charm.

“Honestly, I don’t care what people who don’t know me think. Even if the whole world were to curse me, as long as Rizeria acknowledges me, I’ll always be able to keep my spirits up.”

– Uh…

My words are no empty compliment. What was it that made me accept Rizeria’s invitation in the first place?

To be of some help to the emperor, to make public opinion a little more favorable toward me, the hero, and the emperor. In that regard, Rizeria has been more helpful to me than anyone else.

Of course, it wasn’t solely for the sake of utility that we became friends, but it is indeed true that she has been a great help. Even without an official title, she is more glamorous, elegant, and beautiful than any noble, and her influence is as profound as her nobility.

No matter how much negative sentiment there is against me among the nobles, as long as Rizeria is around, I can remain at ease. It’s almost like a husband wandering outside and a wife managing the household.

The man who marries Rizeria in the future must have saved a country… no, the world in his past life.

Snap.

Lost in such thoughts, I suddenly heard a sound behind me and turned my head to see Selian standing there. It seems the sound was from a twig that she stepped on.

“It’s about time we set off. Please, cat lady, take your leave now.”

– …Do you also have a hobby of eavesdropping? It seems our lovely fox has no sense of privacy. We were having a chat alone with Elysia!

“You don’t know, peaceful Rizeria, but to sync up by breathing with someone in front requires a level of intimacy where you have to know everything about each other.”

Since I introduced Selian to Rizeria at the last party, they’ve become close enough to call each other by their nicknames. Both cats and foxes are adorably small animals, making the nicknames quite fitting for Selian and Rizeria.

If Rizeria is a cat and Selian is a fox, what kind of animal would I be?

“Then, I’ll contact you again tomorrow. Have a wonderful day today as well.”

– Yes. Elysia, have a good day too.

As usual, after exchanging goodbyes, I gathered my mana. Once I confirmed the light from the Magical Crystal had dimmed, I tucked it back into my backpack.

“…You two seem to have a great bond. Not a day goes by that you don’t contact each other.”

“Well, we’re friends, so this is a given.”

Since receiving the Magical Crystal from Rizeria, I’ve been sure to contact her every day without fail.

The communication Magical Crystal, which has no limitations on distance and is compact enough to carry around, is practically an artifact that can only be found in the royal treasury. It’s so precious that you can’t easily obtain it, even if you wanted to pay for it. Her willingness to lend me such a valuable item makes it easy to stay in touch.

“Shall we set off with great enthusiasm today as well?”

After walking all day yesterday through the ground covered in purple slimy substance, I didn’t actually find a single demonic race.

But turning back isn’t an option, so I can only move forward.

“I hope we find something today.”

Yet, contrary to my expectations, today seems just as uneventful. In fact, if one of the Four Heavenly Kings were to show up, it might oddly soothe my anxious heart. Of course, defeating them would undoubtedly be no easy task.

“…What could their objective be?”

“Who knows? Even you’re aware that this is a situation unlike any I’ve seen before, so I can’t even begin to predict it. It feels like a trap, but I can’t even guess what kind of trap it would be.”

No matter how much I expand my senses, I can’t feel any presence at all. Perhaps due to the contaminated environment, there’s not even the sound of insects chirping.

“Huh…?”

While remaining vigilant, I noticed Anne, who was walking ahead, had discovered something and waved her hand towards us.

“Over here! Everyone, come here!”

Since we were moving together, we quickly gathered around Anne to see what she had found.

“Oof…”

“What on earth…?”

I’m not particularly squeamish, but the moment I laid eyes on the scene before me, my brows instinctively furrowed.

There lay the corpses of demonic monsters scattered here and there. As I shifted my gaze along the traces, more and more corpses came into view.

Not only was their number significant, but their condition was also deplorable. They were so dehydrated and cracked that when nudged with a toe, they crumbled into dust and blew away in the wind.

Even though they must have been left for quite some time, there weren’t even any common maggots crawling around. Even flies know better; this corpse isn’t worth laying eggs on.

As I ventured deeper following the traces, alongside the demonic monsters, the bodies of demonic beings appeared. Their condition was no different from the previous demonic monsters. In fact, every corpse bore a blank expression, adding a bizarre feeling to the scene.

Going further inside. As I progressed deeper, the bodies of demonic races began to appear.

The first sighting of a demonic race’s corpse was also the same. Dehydrated and in a state resembling dried firewood. No, dried firewood can at least be used to light a fire; these corpses are even less usable than firewood.

With each step, my anxiety increased. But I couldn’t stop.

As I moved even deeper, a change occurred. They were still corpses, but their faces held expressions, allowing me to guess what emotions they felt before they died.

Pain, despair, frustration, resentment, anger… all sorts of filthy emotions radiated from the already deceased demonic race’s corpses.

They were perhaps powerful enough to have some semblance of self as beings under Glen, one of the Four Heavenly Kings. If the previous demonic monsters were low-tier, these ones now seemed to be intermediate-grade.

Having come this far, it was clear what awaited me next.

The faces might still carry expressions, but the corpses had gaping chests. Some of them were even demonic races whose faces I recognized.

To remember their faces means that they are not ordinary, unremarkable beings. Quite directly, they are high-tier demonic races. Of course, there are a few unfamiliar faces, but judging by their condition, they seem to be high-tier demonic races that I simply don’t recognize.

The number of high-tier demonic races with their hearts ripped out? About five.

The number of intermediate-tier demonic races is even greater, while the numbers of low-tier demonic races, demonic beings, and demonic monsters are all even more.

What on earth happened here? Did some apostle of justice come and wipe out all these demonic races? Did an internal conflict arise, leading them to kill each other and self-destruct?

I know that isn’t the case. All the energy must definitely be directed towards Glen. Even the nutrients left in the corpses were completely siphoned away.

“…What a horrific sight.”

“Right? But the truly horrific part is that it’s clear all of this was orchestrated by Glen.”

While he might not have absorbed everything efficiently, I can’t even begin to imagine how much stronger he has become compared to the Glen I once knew.

Could it be that he’s even stronger than the Demon King from the previous round? We are also far stronger than before, but at this rate, we can’t guarantee victory.

No. Even so, could someone like Glen, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, even handle such a massive amount of energy?

In the midst of all these questions and anxieties, I suddenly realized something I had forgotten.

“So… where is Glen?”

Right. I can’t see Glen, the one who’s responsible for all this chaos. If he wanted to ambush us, he would have had countless chances already, yet there isn’t a hair of him to be found at this moment.

It’s not that he’s just absent; I can’t even feel his presence. Instinctively, I know that, aside from us, there’s nothing alive left in this forest.

If that’s the case, then what on earth motivated Glen to commit such actions? Is it possible this was done to prevent us from discovering his moves?

An inexplicable anxiety wraps around my heart endlessly.

 

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