We Defeated The Demon King And Disbanded Without Any Conflict – Chapter 24

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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“Something on your mind?” Tolman asked.

Lately, he’d been focusing on his own training, so the frequency of my training sessions had decreased significantly.

“Not really.”

I replied, my mind elsewhere.

I had foolishly removed my bandage in front of Rain without a second thought.

And I almost scratched at my face in front of her, as well.

She probably noticed.

I thought I was doing better, but I guess I was wrong.

I had convinced myself that I was fine, but the moment I looked into Rain’s clear, blue eyes, the self-loathing I had buried deep inside resurfaced.

“Is that so? Well, if you say so.”

Tolman said, shrugging as he returned to his seat. I was relieved that he didn’t pry further.

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“Hello, Ron. You’re here again today, I see.”

Prieresil said, sliding into the seat next to mine.

Her sudden friendliness was unsettling.

Hadn’t she been the one who told me to “take off that filthy bandage” on the first day of class?

“Oh, hey.” I replied, caught off guard.

“You know…” she began, launching into a detailed account of her day.

I hadn’t even asked her, but she spoke with the eagerness of a student seeking their teacher’s praise.

I offered a few halfhearted responses, and she beamed at my every word.

Then, as if remembering something important, she began rummaging through her bag.

“I organized my bag just like you taught me. What do you think?” she asked, holding it up for my inspection.

“Why are you packing like you’re going into a labyrinth? You don’t have to organize it like that all the time. It’s a hassle, isn’t it?”

“Oh… Um… Well…”

My words made her hesitate.

Was she expecting praise for following my instructions?

“It’s not bad. You really did follow my advice, huh?”

I lightly patted her bag, and she practically glowed with happiness.

How did I know, even though I couldn’t see inside?

I could sense her mana overflowing with excitement.

“Ehehe… Actually… I was wondering… I want to change my class. I want to be a scout, and not a mage.” she confessed, her voice hesitant.

“Huh? I wouldn’t recommend that.”

Being a scout was an unpopular choice.

It was the most dangerous role, you rarely get recognized by your comrades, and it’s incredibly stressful even outside of combat.

I knew this firsthand.

Besides, Prieresil was the top student in our class, recognized for her talent in combat.

Becoming a scout would be a waste of her abilities.

“What about… a mage scout?” she asked tentatively, as if reading my thoughts.

I wasn’t sure why she was asking for my advice, but I thought she’d be better off researching magic in a magic tower or becoming an adventurer.

Listen to the wisdom of your elder, kid… I wanted to say, channeling my inner veteran, but coming from someone in a student’s uniform, it would probably sound like the ramblings of an old man.

“Pri! What are you doing with him? He always sits in the back, never talks to anyone… It’s creepy. You don’t have to be friends with everyone just because you’re the top student.”

One of Prieresil’s friends approached us, her words dripping with disdain.

The blatant disregard was a clear indication of my current standing among the first-year students.

A suspicious-looking student with mediocre abilities.

I hadn’t shown any real talent during my training with Prion Colson, known for his strict and demanding training methods.

I always sat in the back, my expression blank, completely unremarkable.

I was basically a loser who craved attention.

No wonder they were annoyed that I was talking to their star student.

‘He’s just sitting around doing nothing while we’re busting our asses!’

“Whatever. It’s your life. Do what you want.”

I muttered, rising from my seat.

Class was over anyway.

“…Ugh.”

“Ignore him. We have another class to get to.”

“…Annoying…”

“What was that?”

“Nothing. Let’s go.”

My hearing was quite good, so I easily picked up Prieresil’s mumbling.

Was she talking about me?

I pushed the thought aside and headed towards the headmaster’s office, as promised.

I could sense two presences the moment I opened the grand doors.

One golden, the other crimson, their mana clashing like opposing forces.

“What’s going on here?”

“Ron!”

Sola ran towards me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace.

What was up with Rain and Sola?

Their personalities seemed to have changed.

It was like they were finally letting go of something that had been holding them back.

I briefly reminisced about the noble Rain and the arrogant Sola of the past as I patted the head of the girl who was nuzzling her face into my chest.

Even though we were the same age, she seemed more like a younger sister to me, both in height and demeanor, so the gesture felt natural.

Come to think of it, Mersen was also younger than me.

Maybe I had a soft spot for my juniors.

“Ron… Ron…”

Why was she sniffing me?

I didn’t smell bad, did I?

I discreetly sniffed my uniform, but I couldn’t detect any unusual odors.

Maybe I was just used to it?

“Do I smell?”

“Ron, I was so scared… Rain yelled at me… she told me to attend the Seven Stars meeting…”

Rain?

That Rain?

Se lost her temper?

I couldn’t believe it.

And did I smell or not?

She completely ignored my question.

“Pat… Pat my head…” she pleaded, her voice trembling.

“Huh? Uh… Rain, is she regressing or something?”

Rain sighed, her expression weary, but shook her head.

“Sola, I never yelled at you…”

“Hmph.”

Ignoring Rain, she burrowed her face back into my chest.

Her crimson mana, which had been clashing with Rain’s, had vanished.

The room was now filled with only a gentle, golden glow.

“I need some context before I can say anything.”

I said, completely lost.

Sola lifted her head from my chest, her eyes wide and pleading.

“How dare they summon me, the pinnacle of magical prowess, without my consent! Do they have no respect? And what was that about conquering a labyrinth, not conducting magical research? Such nonsense… I told them I wouldn’t go… and then Rain… she got angry…”

Her arrogance briefly resurfaced, but it quickly gave way to fear.

She trembled, her eyes welling up with tears, a look of terror I had never seen before.

Wasn’t she the one who faced the Demon King with her arms crossed, commenting that he was “nothing special?”

Well… I guess people change.

She had been cooped up in the Magic Tower, a notoriously isolated place, for quite some time.

Even if she loved magic, that kind of isolation would take its toll on anyone.

So, her usual demeanor, the one she displayed when we first met, was a facade?

An act she put on for my benefit, after all this time?

The thought made me feel a mix of sympathy and pride, like an older brother watching his younger sibling struggling to appear strong and independent despite their hardships.

“Oh, I see. That must have been upsetting.”

I said, trying to be understanding.

“It was… scary… and… I hate it…” she whimpered.

“Well, in that case, you shouldn’t go. The current labyrinths aren’t that dangerous. We don’t need all Seven Stars, do we?”

“That’s true… but…”

I looked at Rain, who frowned.

But it was a fleeting expression.

“…You’re right. But…” she mumbled, her voice trailing off.

This hesitancy was unlike her.

I encouraged her to just say what was on her mind, watching as she fidgeted with her fingers.

She finally seemed to make up her mind.

“Fine. I’ll tell you, since we’re ‘special’ and share secrets with each other.”

She said, emphasizing the word ‘special.’

“I wanted Sola to attend the meeting because Odrox and Lian will be there. That’s why I lost my cool.”

Sola flinched at the word ‘special’, burying her face back into my chest and shaking her head vigorously.

“I still don’t want to go. I’m never letting go of you. If we leave you alone at the academy, you might get involved with those… those weird people…”

“What? I’m coming too.”

“Huh?”

Sola looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise.

I nodded to confirm that I was serious.

“N-no! I don’t want you to come!”

What was she so afraid of?

“Ron, why don’t we just go by ourselves?” Rain suggested.

“I’ll keep you safe.”

“That won’t do.” I said, cutting her off.

“This meeting isn’t just about conquering the labyrinth; it’s about reassuring people that there’s still someone who can protect them. Two people aren’t enough. And besides, Ron would probably ask us to exclude his name from the roster.”

“…Hmph.”

Sola, unwilling to concede, huffed and turned away.

She was acting like a child.

Was she really regressing?

A minute of silence passed.

“Fine… I guess it’s better to go and see what it’s all about.” she finally said, her stubbornness broken.

As if waiting for this exact moment, Rain turned to me.

“Ron, what about you? Want to join the meeting?”

“Nah, I’m good. I’m not one of the Seven Stars anyway.”

I knew that the other heroes, except maybe Odrox and Lian, wouldn’t welcome my presence.

And meetings were boring.

I’d rather study alchemy.

“Alright. Sola, can you use your teleportation magic?”

“You’re asking me to be your personal chauffeur? You know how to teleport too, right?”

“I do, but it’s inefficient to teleport multiple people, and I’m still not very good at conserving mana.”

“Fine… whatever. Where are we going?”

“The Dukedom’s reception hall. Is that possible?”

“Please. Don’t underestimate me.”

I watched as Rain and Sola prepared to teleport.

It was a familiar scene, their collaboration a common occurrence during our adventuring days.

The air was thick with tension, but it was nice to see them working together again.

Sola began chanting, and her and Rain’s bodies dissolved into particles of light.

I was alone in the headmaster’s office.

What should I do now?

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