We Defeated The Demon King And Disbanded Without Any Conflict – Chapter 20

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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“Aren’t you a mortal?”

“This is the human realm, not the demon realm.”

“Do you really have to be so dramatic?”

Ron had truly conquered the labyrinth.

And he did it with an air of nonchalance, like he was merely going for a walk.

Mersen was still far from pulling her own weight, so it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had single-handedly defeated it.

Now, Ron was casually stabbing his sword into a glowing orb, which seemed to be the labyrinth’s core.

He taunted the indignant voice emanating from it with his usual, indifferent tone.

Mersen watched, dumbfounded.

The original hero and his companions had disbanded and retreated from the frontlines; what would happen if the name of this powerhouse was to become known?

Of course, there wasn’t a major threat like the Demon King anymore, but hordes of monsters were still gathering at the borders, always attempting to encroach on human territory.

Hadn’t a mobile fortress, spewing steam, dispatched scout monsters into the Empire just recently?

“Your Highness.”

Ron said, turning to her after he sheathed his sword, having finally silenced the core.

“Let’s keep our little adventure under wraps. Let’s just say a regular adventurer and you, the princess, joined forces to conquer this labyrinth.”

“But… no matter how hard I try to understand, it doesn’t make sense why you’d make such a suggestion for my benefit. We only just met, and I’ve been nothing but a burden…”

Her question remained unanswered.

Just as Ron was about to speak, the coreless mobile fortress began to crumble.

The ground beneath them gave way.

They must have been quite high up because they could feel a rush of cold air through the cracks in the floor.

“Ahh!!”

Mersen cried out, her face pale as she clung to Ron.

Fear of heights or not, the possibility of plummeting to her death was terrifying.

Ron, on the other hand, remained completely unfazed.

“You’re not going to sentence me to death for this, are you?” he joked, casually putting his arm around Mersen’s waist.

As soon as she felt his hand – firm, warm, and undeniably reassuring – her fear magically disappeared.

Her initial curiosity towards this unknown man had already transformed into something much deeper.

She had only caught a glimpse of the hero, Rain Garden, from afar, and here was a man who had fought by her side and saved her life multiple times.

Wasn’t he the true hero?

“Hero…” she breathed.

“I’m no hero.”

Ron dismissed, waving his hand dismissively.

They had long since escaped the collapsing fortress through an escape route Ron had found, their feet now touching the soft grass of a field.

Mersen could hear the deafening roar of the fortress collapsing behind them, but she barely registered it.

She couldn’t believe she had fallen for him.

She used to scoff at those cliche stories, but here she was.

“My heart was already his before I even realized it.”

Mersen, with the sound of her own heartbeat echoing in her ears, swore to dedicate her power and status to repay this man, her “true” hero, who had saved her.

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The long, drawn-out story was finally over.

Rain knew me well, but even she was unaware of the reason behind my tightly wound bandage.

“Thank you for telling me, Your Highness. In that case, shall I summon Sola now?”

Rain asked after she bowed respectfully, bringing up the main reason for Mersen’s visit.

Mersen, however, seemed to have lost all interest in the matter, clinging to my arm.

She was not letting go.

It was a little scary, to be honest.

Well, not Mersen herself, but Rain, who was practically radiating golden mana, was another story.

Aren’t you stronger than you were in your prime?

You could be out there on the front lines instead of being stuck as the headmaster.

“It’s alright. We have much to discuss.” Mersen stated, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I could practically see the vein throbbing on Rain’s forehead as her eye twitched at her blunt refusal.

I could feel the mana rippling around her head.

“Discuss?” she asked, her voice deceptively calm.

“Hero, I’m this close to becoming a Gold-rank adventurer!” Mersen chirped, her eyes twinkling.

She sounded just like a little kid.

Unconsciously, I…

“Ron, what do you think you’re doing…”

“Ah.”

…patted her head.

The subtle scent of citrus filled my senses, and I could feel the smooth texture of her hair against my fingers.

Just as my hand made contact with her head, I heard Rain’s bewildered voice, which snapped me back to reality.

Whew, that was close.

I already messed up, but I’m glad I stopped after one pat.

This is why associating with juniors, especially younger ones, is dangerous.

They make me do things I wouldn’t normally do.

“A-are you… not going to pat my head anymore..?” she mumbled, her cheeks flushed.

Thank goodness for my bandages.

If I had made eye contact with her, I would have completely lost it.

“Haha, how could I possibly pat a princess’s head?” I chuckled awkwardly.

“But you just did… And I worked so hard to earn your praise, Hero…” she mumbled, fidgeting with her fingers.

Stop it, you mischievous little princess.

Don’t act so cute, especially when you’re so much smaller than me.

I might really mess up your hair if you continue.

“Your Highness, please mind your actions. There might be people watching.” Rain cautioned her.

“Hmph… I’ve already confirmed that there are no monitoring spells active. I’m quite adept in magical research.” she scoffed.

“Even so, it’s always best to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances.” she retorted calmly.

“Headmaster, are you perhaps harboring some sort of inappropriate feelings for my hero?”

Mersen suddenly asked pointedly.

“We are talking about a student and a headmaster here… surely that isn’t the case? Especially considering you’re Rain Garden, the legendary hero whose name is known throughout the land.”

Rain drew a sharp breath as her words, laced with a suggestive tone, hung in the air.

She might have used a sweet tone, but the weight of her status was far heavier than I had anticipated.

“Of course not.” she finally answered after a moment of silence, regaining her composure.

“As Your Highness mentioned, we are a headmaster and a student.”

She paused for a moment, gently placing his teacup back on the table.

“However.” she continued, her tone hardening slightly, “this student is currently under our academy’s care. Your recent actions have drawn unwanted attention to him. He is ranked somewhere in the middle of his class. If he becomes known for his association with you, it could attract not only positive attention, but malicious intent as well.”

“That’s…”

“I would like to minimize any potential harm that could come to a student due to external factors unrelated to their own abilities.”

“But surely with your abilities, Hero, you could easily handle any unwarranted malice.” Mersen argued.

“On a different note, why are you an academy student? I assumed you were a top-rank adventurer.”

“Well, I enjoy traveling and gaining different kinds of experiences.” I explained.

“I heard that this academy produced some of the most skilled adventurers, even those recognized as heroes, so I decided to apply.”

“I see.” she mused.

“Do you think you’ll ever return to the Empire?”

“Your Highness.”

Rain interrupted before I had a chance to answer.

“This student is still bound to the academy. While we respect our students’ freedom, engaging in activities that demand extended leave during the semester could have a detrimental effect on their academic performance.”

Mersen seemed to be deep in thought, contemplating her words.

“Are grades truly that important?” she wondered aloud.

“Pardon?” Rain asked with a slight frown.

“Could you please clarify?”

“You said you enjoyed traveling and gaining new experiences.” she pointed out.

“Doesn’t that mean graduating from the academy isn’t your top priority? Staying here for, say, another five years seems counterproductive to your goal.”

“…Is that so?”

Rain was looking at me, waiting for my answer.

Her tone was calm, even a little lower than usual, but I could tell she was flustered.

She must have felt a degree of anxiety, wondering when I, her comrade whom she had reunited with after so long, might leave.

Rain and I were similar in many ways, having formed countless bonds throughout our long lives.

However, it would be absurd to compare those forged on battlefields, facing imminent death together, to the connections made during times of peace.

It was only natural for her to be worried, since the bond we shared was so unique and strong.

I, however, needed a moment to gather my thoughts.

I pretended not to hear her and shoved another cookie in my mouth.

Mmm, delicious.

“Are those really your true feelings?”

I was suddenly overwhelmed with the scent of citrus, and my already blurry vision seemed to dim further.

Rain was standing right before me.

We can’t, not while you’re the headmaster and I’m…

Before I could voice my concerns, Mersen let out a yelp and grabbed Rain, pushing her away.

“W-What do you think you’re doing?!” Mersen shrieked, her face flushed.

“A headmaster, especially the legendary hero, should conduct herself with decorum!”

It was an admirable attempt to scold her using words that could have been directed at her as well, but the difference in their physical strength was too great.

Rain didn’t budge.

“Forgive my transgression, Your Highness. However, as the headmaster, I cannot stand by and watch a talented student rush headlong into danger without proper guidance.”

“That’s…”

…Unnecessary? That’s what she wanted to say, but she stopped herself.

“So, is that truly how you feel?” Rain pressed.

“Headmaster.” I interjected, desperately trying to change the subject.

“These cookies are delicious. Where did you get them?”

Trying to steer the conversation away from my future plans turned out to be a grave mistake.

“…My apologies, Your Highness.”

With those words, Rain cast a very deliberate teleportation spell on Mersen.

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