chapter 40
40 – Childhood Friend Hero’s Journey (13) – Recognition?
I went straight to the demon realm.
Actually, it is naturally not possible to visit the Demon Realm, the territory of the Demon King, so easily.
The Demon Realm is obviously very dangerous as it is in the middle of the demonic territory and enemy territory.
But now, it doesn’t really matter.
The demon king’s army had already been devastated by the warrior party in the past.
In the current demon king army, all four kings are dead, and almost all demons are dead.
The only demons left are the demon king and the rest of the remnants.
Because of this, it is almost deserted except around the castle.
It’s not that much of a problem to go in and out of the Demon Realm like this.
As soon as I entered the world of demons, I immediately headed for the surroundings of the demon castle.
If you go there now, you’ll probably be able to meet Laina.
However, I was able to see other nice people before I met Rina.
“Hee… Ah… Alan… Yes… Why are you here…?”
A beastman with purple hair hurriedly jumps out of the demon castle.
A former member of the hero’s party, Mer was the cat-clan prisoner whom I imprisoned before.
When she ran out and saw me, she froze and stopped.
Mer said he didn’t understand why I was here.
“Then why are you here?”
And it was the same for me.
I don’t understand why Mer is here.
Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t really understand.
It must have come here with Raina.
But, what I’m talking about now isn’t that kind of problem.
“I’m sure I said I’d fall behind when I got out of jail?”
The crime of embezzling the warriors’ party’s money.
I still forgave Mer.
She made some pretty nice demands in exchange for that, to be kept in jail.
But you’re not listening?
“That… That’s… Heh…!”
When Mer saw me, she sweated profusely.
Mer is completely cornered.
At this moment, Mer could only choose one thing.
“Sorry, Alan.”
Hurt!
Mer tried to run away with all her might.
Because I was stabbed a lot.
Now, at this moment, her only choice was to run away.
But.
“Where!”
Mer, who was running away, was easily caught by me.
As for her original Mer, if she didn’t have any traps or something like that, she would have very few of her creatures that could catch her…
She must have already fought in the Demon King’s Castle, and her speed was significantly reduced.
It wasn’t too difficult for me to catch Mer in that state.
“Got it!!!”
I grabbed her mer and tied it tightly with her rope.
She couldn’t move at all like that, Mer.
Mer immediately fell into tears.
“Hueng… Please forgive me, Mr. Alan.”
And she begged me to forgive her.
“Hmm…”
Mer has a precedent of forgiving me once before.
That was just to put him in jail.
But now that he betrayed that and came out like this, I couldn’t forgive him any more.
So I guess I’m going to have to mess with this sh*t cat b*tch?
Then how does George spread rumors that he is well-cooked?
I was thinking about that.
“Alan…!?”
“Lina?”
A happy yet unwelcome face appeared.
A girl with golden hair and a pretty impression…
Even when she broke up, she didn’t even think that she would be reunited.
She is a woman who never thought that even if they met again, she would be reunited in a place like this…
It was Raina, my ex-girlfriend and childhood friend.
“Ehh…”
That’s how I met Raina.
About her Laina, whom I haven’t seen in a long time. What if I see her again and her mind turns around for some reason? Actually, I did worry a little about that.
But there was no need to worry about that.
The already sweet feelings of love had completely disappeared.
“Hey. What the hell are you doing?”
“…”
So I treated Rina as a hero.
Raina is now coming out of the Demon King’s Castle, and judging by the appearance, it was absolutely not the case that she defeated the Demon King.
After she gets robbed by the demon king, she must be the way out.
I couldn’t help but be angry at that appearance.
Does it make sense that the hero is robbed by the devil?
Anyway, I need to reprimand you.
“Why did you annihilate all the party members I raised and fill in useless party members?”
“…”
What Raina was doing now was an act that made no sense to be called a hero.
I couldn’t deal with the demon king’s army on the verge of destruction.
In addition to killing all of her comrades, I freed the ones I’d tried to imprison and even recruited them into the party.
“Then, at least produce good results. What the hell is this?”
“…”
But in that situation, I couldn’t even defeat the demon king.
It even made a situation on the verge of destroying humanity.
Do I look like I’m not angry?
“Hey. If you want to make an excuse, try it.”
I never thought that no matter how much the real Rina was lacking, she would fall short this much.
Because of this, she was very angry with Rina, but…
“… Looks like…”
“What?”
“If it were you, it would have been the same…!”
Anyway, my childhood friend didn’t even reflect once.
Instead of reflecting, he was rather angry with me.
@ @ @
To be honest, Raina failed.
As a hero, not being able to defeat the demon lord, whatever the reason, was absolutely unacceptable.
It was only natural to be cursed at or scolded by someone.
Because she did not faithfully fulfill her duties as a warrior.
“Hey. As you said, I failed in subjugating the demon lord.”
So I did listen to Alan for a while…
Because it was only natural for her to be scolded by someone.
But… Even so.
I couldn’t help but feel angry after hearing it.
Because although she failed herself, she did not fail because she was not good enough.
It was just a bad situation.
“But. Do you think it would have been successful if it were you?”
And, of course, in that situation Alan would have failed as well.
But it didn’t make sense for Alan to say that.
You don’t even know the situation.
Why do you talk so easily?
He didn’t even stand in front of the demon king.
Do you think you would have defeated the demon lord in that situation where all the party members were useless?
I couldn’t help but get angry when I thought that.
“It would be the same if it were you. Please don’t get me wrong.”
Even if Alan was a warrior, he would never have been able to defeat the Demon King.
There’s no way Alan can do what he can’t even do ..
Even if Alan was in the party, even if Alan was a hero, the result would not have changed.
“Rather, it was me. The damage was only this much.”
He himself is the strongest hero, and Alan is the weakest.
It would have been better if I was better. He couldn’t do much more.
So he didn’t want to hear that from Alan.
“Please don’t get me wrong!!!”
He begged me, please, not to speak as if he knew everything.
Lina’s cry.
Alan’s reaction to this cry was…
“It will turn.”
It was a sigh.
@ @ @
‘Anyway, that sh*t stubbornness’
I am not aware of Rina’s stubbornness.
She is really strangely stubborn.
Lina was like that when I was dating when I was a warrior, but I don’t know.
However, hearing such stubbornness in this situation, I really let out a sigh.
I made the situation like this, but isn’t it time to be stubborn anymore?
Anyway, it’s a year where common sense doesn’t work.
‘Why on earth did I like a b*tch like that?’
In the past, I seem to have been tightly covered with bean pods.
In the past, I probably liked even that kind of look, right?
Now that I think about it, I get goosebumps.
“Haa… I don’t understand.”
Anyway, I have no intention of arguing now.
The conversation won’t work anyway, and Raina will never admit it.
So words are meaningless.
Behavior is meaningful.
“Enough. Give me the warrior’s blessing. You promised. If you can’t defeat the demon king, I’ll give you the warrior’s blessing again.”
In the end, I was the only one who could rectify this dead end situation.
It was time for me to return to being a warrior.
If not, the human race might perish.
So I demanded the fulfillment of the promise.
“…”
Rina heard me and clenched her fists.
She didn’t answer, but she glared at me like she was very angry.
The feeling that he didn’t want to give it to me was so strong.
“Hey. You’re not saying you won’t give it to me after making it this far, right?”
“…”
But if you don’t want to give it to me, it’s really bad.
I continued to urge Rina.
If you don’t give it now, something very serious may happen.
“Hey. Is there really something to destroy all humans? What you want is the destruction of mankind?”
“…”
What if Raina fails again?
Then, the demons will restore all their power when the warrior party is all dead.
Then there is no turning back.
“You really don’t want to give it to me?”
No matter how stupid you are, it doesn’t make sense to not give it at this moment.
So I felt uneasy.
As it is, ‘I will subdue the demon lord. I haven’t failed yet.’ I was worried that Rina would leave while saying something like that.
“Reach out your hand…”
But fortunately, he seemed to have a heart to give.
Rina held out her hand to me, shaking her body.
Her hand began to glow due to the warrior’s blessing.
“Yes. You have at least a conscience.”
I held Rina’s hand.
Then he began to receive the warrior’s blessing back.
The warrior’s blessing permeated into my body from Raina’s hand, and I was just about to feel the warrior’s blessing.
Raina removed her hand from me.
“I’m going to subdue the demon lord. I haven’t failed yet. So I’ll give you half back.”
“What…?”
Is this b*tch sane now?