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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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“Hmm?”
“Gah!…”
Rebecca stepped outside during the banquet to look for the Hero.
However, right after that,
she unexpectedly encountered someone she personally did not want to meet.
“Uh… Lady Elisia…”
Elisia, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King’s elite guard and the daughter of General Elias, who was once her superior.
Upon facing her, Rebecca immediately bowed her head and showed her respect.
“Uh… Your name is definitely… Rebecca, right? The Hero’s aide”
“Y-yes! That’s correct!”
Elisia recognized her immediately, which was unexpected for Rebecca.
However, a single thought automatically surfaced in Rebecca’s mind.
‘Damn it… I’m doomed. Of all people, it had to be her…’
Elisia was the person Rebecca feared the most among the Four Heavenly Kings.
Although they had never directly interacted, Rebecca knew from various experiences that this smiling young lady before her was someone she should never get too close to if she wanted to survive.
‘No matter how much of an enemy she is, she’s someone who tortures humans to death while laughing. There’s no way someone like that is sane. And thinking about what happened back then… ugh…’
Just recalling those memories sent a chill down her spine, and she desperately hoped this monster would go somewhere else.
But then…
“By the way, where are you in such a hurry? The banquet has just started.”
“Ah… well, um, the Commander went somewhere, and I’m looking for him.”
“The Commander… you mean the Hero?”
“Yes, um… that’s correct. Lady Elisia. He hasn’t been seen since earlier, even though he’s one of the key figures in this war…”
“Hmmm… is that so?”
Rebecca spoke without having the luxury to make excuses in response to Elisia’s question.
Then,
after hearing Rebecca’s words, Elisia smiled with a somewhat ambiguous expression and said,
“Alright then, I’ll help you find him specially.”
“W-what? Ah… there’s really no need for that…”
Rebecca felt as if she had been hit on the back of the head with a hammer at Elisia’s unexpected statement.
However, Elisia had no idea about Rebecca’s inner turmoil and simply smiled sweetly at her younger colleague.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to feel burdened. I’m quite confident when it comes to finding people.”
“R-really?”
Elisia’s words could simply be interpreted as boasting about her skills.
However…
‘If I refuse here, does that mean she’ll come after me wherever I am and cut off my hands?… Ah… no, surely it can’t be that extreme…’
For some reason, Elisia’s words did not sound ordinary to Rebecca at all.
In the end, unable to refuse this ‘favor,’ Rebecca set out with Elisia to find the Hero.
The two of them wandered around Antioch for a while searching for places where the Hero might be, but surprisingly, they did not see him anywhere.
‘Ugh… where could the Commander have gone? He needs to show up soon so I can get away from this scary woman…’
While Elisia searched for the Hero casually,
Rebecca felt like every second was taking years off her life due to fear of what might happen if things went wrong.
As Rebecca’s anxious feelings grew stronger at that moment…
“Speaking of which, I heard you made quite an achievement in this war? You’ve been active in the vanguard as the Hero’s aide.”
“Ah… y-yes! Well… honestly, it’s embarrassing to call it an achievement…”
Feeling intense tension from Elisia’s sudden approach to conversation, Rebecca replied nervously.
Meanwhile, seeing her reaction, Elisia interpreted it as simply being nervous due to her status and continued speaking lightly.
“There’s no need to be so humble. I already know how much you and the Hero contributed.”
“No… what we actually did was just follow behind the Commander and assist him a little. Most of the achievements were made solely by him.”
Rebecca didn’t say this out of simple humility,
nor because she had become more modest due to fear for her survival.
As she stated, what she and her 100 companions did in this war was essentially just act as sidekicks for the Hero.
The Hero effortlessly turned back the rain of arrows and magic directed at them, annihilating everything in sight as he charged through thousands of enemies.
Each swing of his sword reduced dozens, even hundreds of foes to ashes, and despite displaying such immense power, he showed no signs of fatigue as he continued to slash through the swarming attackers.
Initially unclear, Rebecca and her comrades fighting alongside the Hero found their own combat abilities enhanced, likely due to the overwhelming magical energy he wielded.
The Hero single-handedly took on the roles of a damage dealer, tank, and support, showcasing his extraordinary prowess. In this situation, Rebecca and her allies felt they merely benefited from being near such a powerful figure.
“Honestly… we hardly did anything. Of course, the Commander said that alone was enough help, but I don’t think I deserve to claim any credit for it.”
This honest statement from Rebecca brought back a vivid memory she would never forget: the sight of the Hero bravely blocking enemy attacks to clear a path towards the castle.
At that moment…
“Hmm… you felt that way too,” Elisia remarked with an intrigued expression upon hearing Rebecca’s words.
Then, in a voice filled with excitement—almost as if something significant was about to happen—Elisia began to speak again.
“Yes, the Hero is indeed amazing. I also received tremendous help from him during my encounter with Rob.”
“Did… did that happen?” Rebecca asked, recalling how Elisia had been saved by the Hero in her time of need.
The image of that moment was still etched deeply in Elisia’s mind.
Surrounded by formidable foes and injured, she had faced a life-threatening crisis when the Hero appeared like a guardian angel to protect her.
Though it was just a fleeting moment, it felt like a strong wall shielding her from danger, providing comfort and reassurance.
As she reminisced about that experience, Elisia smiled warmly and said,
“To be honest, when I first saw him, partly because of what happened with my mother, I found it hard to trust him. But as time passed and we fought together, I realized he is someone I can rely on.”
“Ah…” Rebecca thought about Elisia’s story and felt a sense of shared experience.
However…
‘Wait… considering things calmly, there’s no way Elisia would trust someone normally! Is it possible she’s planning something sinister behind that facade?’
Unfortunately, this fleeting feeling quickly succumbed to her overwhelming fear. Given her already negative impression of Elisia, changing that perception was no easy task.
Rebecca couldn’t shake off the thought that Elisia might be preparing to betray the Hero while pretending to trust him.
While Elisia felt a bond with someone who shared similar experiences, Rebecca’s anxiety only grew stronger at that moment.
“Wait? Oh look over there!” Elisia exclaimed suddenly.
In an instant, they spotted the Hero alongside someone whose face they couldn’t see. As they approached him…
“**, could we start as… lovers?”
“!?!”
“!!!!”
This, perhaps, was one of the many reasons Rebecca found it so hard to trust Elisia…
