We Defeated The Demon King And Disbanded Without Any Conflict – Chapter 21

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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Mersen’s body dissolved into particles of light, scattering before disappearing entirely.

I didn’t know where Rain had sent her, but I didn’t have the luxury to worry about that right now.

Rain’s face was a little too close for comfort.

A little closer and our lips would touch.

I could feel her breath on my skin.

The scent of citrus was overwhelming.

“So it’s true, then?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

It wouldn’t be difficult to imagine her reaction if I were to reply with an enthusiastic, “Yep, that’s right!”

But I also didn’t want to lie to her.

So, I chose to remain silent.

Then I remembered the saying, “Silence means consent.”

I had unintentionally agreed to whatever she was asking, and in the worst way possible – by ignoring her question completely.

“Tell me.”

She pleaded, her voice filled with a longing that was far harder to resist than any threat.

She gently caressed my bandage as she waited for my response, her touch as firm and gentle as I remembered.

Right, she hasn’t changed a bit.

Warm, dignified… She never abused her strength.

“Ron, what are you doing?”

She caught my hand as it instinctively reached up to touch my face.

Her grip was firm, preventing any further movement.

“Ah, it felt a little itchy.”

I lied, hating how suspicious I sounded.

“What’s gotten into you?” She asked, her suspicion evident in her tone.

It was a valid question.

“You vanished without a trace, reappeared at the academy with your eyes all bandaged up, conquered the Empire’s labyrinth, stole the princess’ heart… I didn’t want to pry into your business. But we were comrades. You could have at least talked to me.”

Well, that’s a bit rich coming from you.

You were the one who was so gung-ho about going our separate ways after we disbanded.

But even I had to admit that I had been a terrible friend, cutting off all contact without a word.

“Listen.”

She began, her voice laced with concern.

She gently guided my hand back down to my lap.

“I wanted to know why you were hiding your eye, what happened to you, why you never contacted us, why there wasn’t a single rumor about you despite you traveling the entire continent.”

“Oh, really? Is that so?”

Unfortunately, her curiosity and my willingness to sate her were two completely different matters.

The only answer I could offer was, “To forget something.” which wasn’t helpful in the slightest.

“Of course I respect your decision.” she said, her voice softening.

“But to be honest, I wish you had told me.”

I had cut off all contact so abruptly that she could have easily felt abandoned.

She could have cried, yelled, even punched me out of frustration, and I wouldn’t have blamed her.

Yet, here she was, still respecting my feelings.

The repressed, negative emotions I had locked away deep inside threatened to resurface.

“…What… What do you think you’re doing?!”

Rain grabbed my arm, raising her voice for the first time since I’d met her.

Before I could ask what she was talking about, a wave of pain shot through me.

So it wasn’t completely healed after all.

I thought I could face it with a smile, but I guess I was wrong.

Every time Rain exhibited the same noble spirit she possessed as the hero, I would descend further into self-loathing.

If Mersen had been with Rain instead of me… they would have conquered the labyrinth much faster.

Rain would have overcome that situation without a scratch.

If it had been you…

“I said, what are you doing?!”

“…What? What are you talking about?!”

“Why are you doing this to yourself?!”

Her mana, usually so calm and controlled, wavered violently.

It was my first time witnessing such an erratic display of emotion from Rain, who always stressed the importance of remaining calm, even in the face of adversity.

She had always been able to keep her mana in check, even when she was pushed to her limit.

Then, I felt a warm sensation on my skin as Rain’s golden mana enveloped me.

The pain that had been building steadily began to subside.

She was using healing magic on me.

It seemed like her control had improved significantly since the last time she healed me.

“Huh? Have you been practicing your healing magic?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

Her voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.

It was as if the world had fallen silent and the temperature had dropped by a hundred degrees.

I could feel goosebumps forming on my arms as her words, sharp as shards of ice, pierced through me.

I fell silent.

“Are… are you angry?” I asked tentatively.

If it had been anyone else, they might have tried to downplay their anger, but I knew Rain wouldn’t lie, even in this situation.

Her answer, however, was not what I expected.

“Yes, very.”

Wow.

She’s actually angry.

The legendary hero, Rain Garden, known for her composure, was very angry.

And whose fault was it?

Mine, of course.

…Now was not the time to be distracted by irrelevant thoughts.

“I don’t understand why you’re hiding, what’s under that bandage, why you’re trying to hide it from me, someone who’s known you for so long… yet, you showed it to the princess without hesitation. It doesn’t make sense. It’s frustrating, and it makes me angry.”

She confessed, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.

I was stunned that she was able to articulate her feelings so clearly, but that only made her even more terrifying.

Rain Garden, the Hero, was the most dependable leader, but she was also the most terrifying when angered.

She never got angry, not even when Odrox, caught up in the heat of battle, disobeyed a direct order; not when Lian wasted her divine power on a minor scratch, rendering her unable to heal a potentially fatal wound later on; not when Sola talked back to her; and not even when I messed up a reconnaissance mission, leading to our entire party being ambushed.

She simply assessed the situation with her usual calmness and came up with an alternative plan.

That was why we all prayed we would never witness her true wrath, even as we wondered what it would look like.

We were afraid of the consequences, of what might happen if someone so perfect were to unleash their rage.

“I-I’m… sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t enough. I want us to be equals, Ron. To be able to share our secrets and support each other.”

She paused for a moment, then grabbed my hand again.

“I’ll tell you mine… my deepest, darkest secret. In return… you tell me yours.”

She didn’t even wait for my response.

“I, Rain Garden, the original hero and headmaster of this academy… have special feelings for you, Ron.”

… What?

“What?”

My reaction mirrored my thoughts precisely.

As if worried I hadn’t heard her properly, she repeated herself, her tone resolute.

“What are you talking about..?”

“These cookies? I prepared them because I know you like this flavor – the hint of tartness amidst the sweetness.”

I shuddered.

How did she remember something so insignificant, something I myself had forgotten?

“My heart ached when I heard you were at the academy. You became my top priority, above all other students.”

I instinctively shrank back into the sofa, as if trying to create more distance between us.

“Every time I see you with another woman, my heart clenches. I want to tell them to stay away from you. And it’s not just strangers; I feel it even when you’re with our comrades.”

I temporarily blacked out as the absurdity of the situation finally hit me.

But Rain continued, her voice clear and unwavering, searing her “secret” into my mind.

“These feelings aren’t enough to unearth your secrets, are they? I see you retreating further into yourself… so I’ll go deeper. I’ll reveal an even deeper secret.”

You really don’t have to… but the words remained trapped in my throat.

Her imposing aura and golden mana had effectively silenced me.

She leaned closer, her next words even more shocking than the last.

“I vowed to lead a pure and virtuous life, but my thoughts… they’re often anything but. I’ve spent countless hours thinking about you, pleasuring myself.”

…Hold on a second.

That was definitely a secret I could have lived without knowing.

“Imagining your uncovered eye, your smile, the feeling of your touch… it fueled my desire. It should have filled me with self-loathing and regret, and yet, I couldn’t stop.”

Stop.

Please, just stop talking.

I never wanted to hear about the legendary hero’s masturbatory habits.

“Once a day… sometimes four or five. That’s how often I… That’s my secret, my shame. Now tell me yours.”

…Okay. How should I react to this?

Thankfully, I had several options at my disposal.

Regression, amnesia, and selective hearing loss.

…Which one would get me out of this situation in one piece?

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