We Defeated The Demon King And Disbanded Without Any Conflict – Chapter 8

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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Hero.

A courageous individual.

That was the title given to me, a human who had received a revelation.

Both inside and out, the meaning implied not just bravery, but the power to save the world.

However, the title held a slightly different significance for me, the one who bore it.

To me, the word “hero” represented an upright human being.

Always living with integrity, treating everyone with kindness, and rejecting malicious emotions.

From the moment I received the revelation, I believed that this was the essence of being a hero, a virtue I had to uphold.

And indeed, I maintained that mindset until the moment I defeated the Demon King.

I treated everyone with kindness, to the best of my ability, and cherished every life.

As if in return for my attitude, they too showed me goodwill.

It wasn’t that there were no conflicts.

Towards the end of our journey, as we neared the final confrontation with the Demon King, a subtle tension often filled the air.

The reason was our affections for one particular man.

And I stepped back.

Because I was the hero.

Because I had a mission to defeat the Demon King and bring peace to the continent.

Rather than participating in the precarious situation and risking further tension, I believed it was better for me to remain neutral, withdrawing myself.

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We vanquished the Demon King.

We officially disbanded the First Hero’s party.

We were all worn out.

But I kept in touch with everyone.

—Everyone except him.

However, I couldn’t reach him.

No matter what I tried – magic, divine messages, inquiries – I couldn’t find any trace of him, not even a single piece of news.

Emptiness gnawed at my heart.

I tried my best to suppress it.

The world was peaceful.

Apart from the occasional, minor evils that emerged, everything was at peace.

But I wanted to maintain my heroic spirit.

And I also yearned to fill this emptiness.

To maintain peace, to uphold my heroic spirit, to fill the void in my heart, even if just a little, to connect with people, I returned to the academy I had established.

I met many people.

I saw many talented individuals, people who admired me, and even those who held romantic feelings towards me.

But I rejected any personal connections.

They all paled in comparison to him, and none of them could fill the emptiness within me.

And then I found him.

At first, I wasn’t certain, but when he stepped into my office, I knew for sure.

The emptiness began to slowly fade, even though all I saw was his face covered in bandages.

Even though I couldn’t see those eyes I loved.

I embraced him.

As his scent, which had been fading from my memory, filled my senses, I couldn’t help but tremble with joy.

I wanted to prove that I still remembered him.

That’s why I always kept cookies and tea with his favorite flavors on hand.

And by offering them to him, I showed him that I had always been thinking of him.

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I couldn’t read your thoughts.

Something about you had changed.

Your tone, your voice, your height, your build, they were all the same.

However, along with the inexplicable bandages, the magic power I used to sense within you was completely gone.

You had always been so expressive, conveying your emotions through your eyes and the flow of your magic.

Now, I couldn’t understand you at all.

It was as if you had closed off your heart, and it made me feel a bit sad.

However, the gaping hole in my chest had been filled, even if only slightly.

Just by being in contact with you for a few seconds.

I used my authority as headmaster a little, something I had never done before.

I created a new required course.

To see you.

Just to see you in my class.

It wasn’t that other students weren’t important.

It was just that you were more important than anyone else.

This time, I wouldn’t let you go so easily.

See you in class.

My student, my hero, my precious one.

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“Hey, weirdo. Don’t read that without permission.”

“Come on, just this once. You know me, right?”

The man, puffing on his cigarette, chuckled and said, “Yeah, I know you.” before letting it slide.

‘Yes! Free newspaper!’ I rejoiced internally as I unfolded the paper.

The headlines screamed, “Al Sora Suddenly Flees Magic Tower” and “Al Sora Joins Academy Faculty” simultaneously.

As expected of a news agency that gathered information from across the continent, there was no shortage of news.

Thanks to their meticulous attention to detail, every letter was imbued with magic power, allowing me to read even with my eyes covered.

‘Odros got married? His wife is beautiful. Congratulations, buddy.’

‘No news about Lian? She earned the title of Saint and achieved the prestigious rank of ‘Seven Stars’. She should be quite famous. I wonder what she’s up to.’

As I was skimming through the various articles, lost in thought, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“Hey.”

At the casual greeting, I turned my head, and a figure came into view.

Broad but not overly muscular shoulders, a perfectly straight posture that exuded confidence and a hint of arrogance, neatly combed hair.

‘…Who are you?’

Unable to place him, I voiced my thoughts, “Who are you?”

The man looked at me as if I was an idiot.

“What? You don’t know me? You don’t know Prion Colson?”

“Who are you?” I repeated.

“The son of Edrion Colson, the Gold-ranked adventurer, and the second top student in the academy. Me?”

Ah—

“Who?”

“Haha, what a rude guy. Sneaking out to read the newspaper…”

Prion snatched the newspaper from my hands.

“And wearing bandages from the beginning, giving everyone a weird impression.”

He flicked my forehead.

“Listen well. I hate slimy bastards like you. The academy is a place for upstanding, talented individuals, not for suspicious nobodies like you. And what’s with your nails? They’re all jagged and dirty.”

He poked my chest with his index finger as he spoke.

“You know, I just joined the disciplinary committee today, on my second day here, and I’m already wearing this armband. And what are you doing? Skipping class to read the newspaper outside the school?”

Prion proudly displayed his armband as he spoke.

I stared at him for a moment and then bowed my head slightly.

“Ah, I am truly sorry.”

Using informal language was my way of rebelling.

“Cut the crap. Go back inside. And take off those bandages the moment you step through the gate.”

“Uh, I don’t want to.”

“This is why I hate guys like you. Always trying to stand out even though you’re all talk and no substance.”

He said he was the second top student, right?

It was hard to argue with his words when someone of his standing mentioned actual skills.

I wasn’t really angry.

If anything, his ranting reminded me of a chirping chick.

I was more like, ‘Ah, I see’.

“We can’t come out during weekdays?”

“Don’t talk back to me so casually… It’s not in the rules, but a true member of this academy should be training even during their free time.”

“Oh, really? Sorry.”

Prion paused for a moment, as if expecting me to argue further.

Then he shoved me hard in the chest and said, “You’re a pain in the ass. Just you wait.”

“Wait for what?”

“I have no obligation to tell you. Go back inside.”

After those words, Prion started monitoring me to make sure I actually went back in.

It seemed like the bandages were the problem…

Did they sell eye patches at the canteen?

No, that would look even weirder.

And they wouldn’t be able to cover everything I wanted to hide.

I returned inside the academy gates.

Sora, who had been spacing out in the bushes earlier, was nowhere to be found.

Well, that was to be expected.

Anyway, I had gained valuable information.

It seemed the disciplinary committee, or whatever they were called, patrolled outside the academy during weekdays.

And Prion seemed to be quite talented.

He had integrated himself into an academy group within just two days.

Lost in those thoughts, I returned to my room.

I greeted Tolman, who was still diligently working out.

“Oh… you’re back. By the way, did you join any clubs?”

“Clubs? What clubs?”

“Are you really a student here? You know, those groups where people with similar interests get together. They were explaining things after course registration. Didn’t you see them?”

There was no one there when I left.

Well, if he said so, then it must be true.

I had no intention of joining anything anyway.

“Which one did you join?” I asked out of courtesy.

I already had a feeling I knew the answer.

He probably joined some kind of physical training or workout club.

“I was going to join the strength training club, but everyone there seemed weaker than me, so I decided to train on my own.”

‘Just how strong is this muscle monster? He’s even more muscular than the upperclassmen.’ Well, his silhouette alone made that pretty obvious.

As I watched Tolman exercising, I remembered something and asked, “Do you know that guy… Per… Peri… Prion? Whatever his name is.”

“…Prion Colson?”

Tolman, who had just finished his set, wiped his sweat with a towel and replied.

He must have been quite famous.

“He’s the second top student. He’s a real jerk, but they say he’s a genius when it comes to magic. He only lost the top spot because his combat skills are a little lacking.”

“Do you know him well?”

“Well, he’s Edrion Colson’s son. Are you from another country? You seem to be a bit out of the loop.”

When I remained silent, Tolman just shrugged as if it didn’t matter.

“Anyway, it’s best to avoid getting on his bad side. They say he’s a real creep, a nasty piece of work.”

‘It seems I already got on his bad side.’

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