How To Leave The Hero Party- Chapter 18

—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
—————————————————————–

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

If you were cold, you could build a fire. There were even skills that raised the surrounding temperature.

That skill had been quite useful during our journey to defeat the Demon King, especially in the frigid regions.

As if remembering that, Claire’s eyes widened. She looked flustered, then nodded.

“Ah… right… right…”

“So, that’s all for today. You should go.”

Claire nodded again and left the tent. Once she was gone, I lay down on the cot. It was quite comfortable, as expected of a bed meant for high-ranking officers.

–Rustle.

I was just about to fall asleep when I heard a noise outside.

An enemy?

Or the Hero’s Party again?

I gripped the dagger at my waist, waiting for the sound to approach.

“Mr. Sage, are you awake?”

A familiar voice. The adjutant. What was he doing here at this hour?

“Come in.”

A moment later, the tent flap opened. The werewolf adjutant, dressed in light armor, entered respectfully and bowed her head slightly before speaking.

“You’ve worked hard today. And…”

“I’ll be participating in the operation tomorrow as well. Please ensure the knights and soldiers familiarize themselves with today’s strategy.”

“Oh? Are you sure?”

It seemed she had come to ask me to participate in tomorrow’s training as well. Her tense expression melted into a wide smile.

Even a werewolf looked pleasant when smiling.

“That’s what I’m here for.”

“That’s a relief. I was worried you might find it burdensome… Ah, and if there’s anything you need…”

Burdensome? If anything, it was the Hero’s Party’s constant attempts to approach me that were burdensome…

As if reading my mind, she hesitated, her expression troubled.

“Um… regarding the Hero’s Party…”

“I understand the situation. And I know you’re not in a position to give them orders.”

Claire, Leventia, and Evangeline had, after all, defeated the Demon King. A mere adjutant couldn’t order them around.

So, even if she told them to stay away from me, they wouldn’t listen.

I didn’t intend to force her to do something beyond her authority. Besides, I could handle them myself.

“Haaah… Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Unless General Leoden intervenes, there’s nothing we can do.”

“Yes…”

“Just ignore them.”

“Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience. General Leoden will be returning within a week, so…”

The adjutant, who had been saying she would request their reassignment upon Leoden’s return, flinched.

It was true that reassigning them now would be difficult. This area was currently the most dangerous part of the battlefield, and their strength was needed here.

She probably assumed Leoden would refuse her request.

“Don’t worry about them. I need to rest now, so please excuse me.”

“Yes, sir. Have a good night.”

After the adjutant left, silence returned to the tent. I lay on the cot, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

The “Pale Moon” event had several branching paths, but the main flow was always the same.

First, a land soaked in the blood of the fallen.

Considering the number of casualties on this battlefield, that condition was already met.

Second, an assassination attempt on the Queen.

That was taken care of as well.

Now, for the third condition…

That should be happening soon, so I might as well get some sleep.

A week passed, filled with unremarkable events – a night raid, the appearance of a new monster, a knight or soldier snapping under the pressure.

Returning from another White Beast training exercise with the soldiers and knights, I noticed a commotion in the encampment.

“General Leoden has returned.”

One of the knights who had been assisting me said cheerfully.

It was understandable. General Leoden was bringing reinforcements, and even with the knowledge of the strategy, hunting White Beasts was exhausting.

As I entered the main part of the encampment, I saw several new faces.

“Sage, there you are.”

General Leoden, who had been talking to a knight, greeted me. He glanced at Claire and Leventia, who were hesitantly entering the encampment, then placed a hand on my shoulder and asked,

“Have you found anything?”

“Nothing much. Just the locations where the new monsters are appearing, the whereabouts of the White Moon Cult remnants responsible for this, and the place where they plan to summon the Pale Moon.”

This, too, was part of the game’s strategy. I had no intention of hiding it, and I wasn’t planning on using this information for anything other than completing the event. So, I told General Leoden everything.

His reaction was as expected.

“…You truly know everything.”

“I just know what I know.”

“Is that so? Truly remarkable. In any case, this is good news. The kingdom has officially declared the White Moon Cult a heretical organization and will provide full support for their eradication.”

It seemed he had brought a considerable force and resources for that purpose. General Leoden beckoned, and Claire, her face brightening, hurried over.

“W- What is it?”

Did she think she would be assigned to work with me?

Claire asked, glancing at me expectantly. General Leoden sighed slightly.

“I trust you’re aware of the incident at the White Rock Fortress.”

“Y- Yes…”

“Hero Claire, by order of Her Majesty the Queen, I am assigning you the task of locating and eliminating the White Moon Cult. Do you accept?”

“If it means working with the Sage… I’ll gladly accept!”

Claire exclaimed joyfully. I said calmly,

“There’s no need for you to come.”

“…Huh?”

The Hero’s Party, including Claire, was the strongest force on this battlefield. General Leoden, who had intended to assign them to me, tilted his head in confusion. Claire’s face fell.

But I truly didn’t need them.

This event didn’t require brute force.

“Do you need more troops? Then…”

“I don’t need troops either.”

“H- Hyun-woo! Are you… are you going alone again? But… but it’s dangerous…”

“Alone?”

I shook my head.

It was time for the third condition to be met.

“I’m not going alone.”

As Claire bit her lip,

“General Leoden!”

The adjutant, running towards us, called out urgently,

“The Church’s inquisitors have arrived!”

Claire’s face hardened, and I smiled.

The third condition of the event,

The arrival of Inquisitor Cardinal Veronica, had been fulfilled.

This world had religious organizations. The “Church,” like most religious organizations, worshipped the light and strived for peace and harmony.

While religious groups often caused problems in other games, the Church in this game was relatively benign.

Of course, there were still event-related quests and achievements.

So, maintaining a certain level of trust with the Church was necessary, and I knew several members of the clergy.

Veronica, a key figure in this event, was one of them.

As the silver-clad paladins and priests, armed with Divine Marks, spears, and shields, entered the encampment, some of the knights and soldiers knelt and made the sign of the cross, while others openly scowled.

But the paladins ignored them. The priests who accompanied them sprinkled holy water, blessing the area.

At the head of the hundreds of paladins and priests, a figure stood out.

Unlike the others, dressed predominantly in silver and white, this person wore a black robe that covered their entire body, even their head.

A woman, her slender figure accentuated by the black robes, a menacing mace, unbefitting a priest, hanging at her waist.

Claire’s jaw clenched at the sight of her. Leventia’s fists tightened.

Evangeline wasn’t present, but even if she were, her expression wouldn’t have been pleasant.

A woman who wasn’t on good terms with the Hero’s Party.

The most renowned inquisitor of the Church walked towards General Leoden, who looked conflicted, made the sign of the cross, then removed her hood.

General Leoden sighed as he looked at the woman with long, flowing silver hair and a stern, cold, yet delicate beauty.

“Inquisitor Cardinal Veronica, what brings you here?”

“May the light bless your path. I heard that the cultists we were tracking in Silver Village have established a base here.”

She replied curtly, then glanced at Claire. When Claire avoided her gaze, Veronica continued calmly,

“We were unable to track them down back then, despite the Sage’s assistance. It’s unfortunate that we let them escape after they destroyed an entire village to perform their wicked ritual. I’ve been pursuing them ever since.”

General Leoden looked puzzled.

It was understandable. Veronica was known for her relentless pursuit and eradication of cults.

“You lost them even with the Sage’s help? They must have been quite powerful.”

“Yes, well…”

As she said that, she glanced at Claire again, about to say something, when I spoke first.

“It’s been a while, Veronica.”

“…Oh, Sage. It has, hasn’t it?”

Veronica smiled faintly and approached me.

She stood closer to me than Claire, Leventia, or Evangeline ever had. I didn’t stop her.

We were relatively close, and she was one of the few sane people in this world.

“May the light bless your path. How have you been?”

“Same as always.”

“I heard the news. You’ve become the Princess’s tutor? …I offered you a position several times…”

It was true.

After completing a few Church-related quests and events for achievements, Veronica had offered me a position as an inquisitor.

“Working under a friend is less appealing than going solo.”

As a priest directly under a cardinal, I could have been in charge of an entire city, with a substantial income.

It was a prestigious position, and many priests aspired to serve under Cardinal Veronica.

But I had refused for one simple reason.

“You haven’t changed.”

As she glanced at the Hero’s Party again, a satisfied smile playing on her lips,

“Wow! Mr. Sage! Mr. Sage! It’s been a while! How have you been?!”

“Oooh! A performance on the battlefield! If I can unleash my destructive performance here, I don’t even care if I die!”

I saw familiar faces in the crowd, faces that made my head ache just by looking at them.

Adventurers, eccentric and troublesome, but undeniably skilled, were entering the encampment.

“Adventurers?!”

General Leoden looked surprised, clearly not expecting this. Veronica, also puzzled, confirmed they weren’t part of her group. I was equally bewildered.

What were they doing here?

“Hey, why are you here?”

Adventurers usually avoided fighting monsters on the battlefield.

At my blunt question, Lark, the rooster-headed lizardman bard with whom I shared no musical common ground, ran a hand through his long hair and said casually,

“We received a request from the royal Princess. To protect you, Sage.”

Hmm…

It seemed I had chosen my student well.

Unexpected reinforcements.

“What’s the reward?”

“Heh. The Princess offered us the main performance slot at her birthday party. Hah! My musical genius will finally be recognized!”

Looking at him, puffing up with pride, I thought,

I’ll have to be somewhere else that day, no matter what.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇