Ch-75: Kingdom of Prona (7)

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"Cloud, it sounds like you're going to leave us here and go somewhere… is that right?"

To Eri's words, Cloud nodded his head.

"Where are you going to go?"

"I plan to visit the Kingdom of Alitia, the Empire, and the Principality of Polycia. Maybe even the Kingdom of Carta, I don't know."

"That's almost going about the whole Continent… It's not a brief visit. Cloud, be honest. You don't need us anymore?"

Eri was persistently bullied at Lorian's party. Bullying was not as direct as beatings and abusive slurs.

Lorian, the core of the party, disliked such vulgar behavior.

Because of that, they ignored or persecuted Eri in an indirect way, that is, by turning their backs on her, to leave her out of the plans.

That's why Eri was a little sensitive to this way of speaking. It was only natural that the words of leaving behind three party members in the Kingdom's capital and going around the continent felt like he was saying that they were being abandoned.

"Is that really..?"

Neria asked in a trembling tone.

'Cloud doesn't need us… me…? W, Why..?'

Numerous thoughts ran through her mind.

Leaving Cloud's party at the Imperial Banquet.

The fact that Cloud knew her secret.

She was defeated by Mars in a simple swordsmanship challenge.

The figure of Cloud, who was more friendly with Frillite than her.

There were too many things that came to mind.

Neria's complexion turned pale blue.

Her expression stiffened, she no longer even knew what to say.

Eri said while pursing her lips.

"Tell us if there is anything we lack. I'll fix it, we will fix it. If you want, I will work harder than I did in the dungeon."

Eri didn't put her pride in front of her as usual. She went open with a low attitude, she was ready to accept even harder trials.

Neria also came to her senses at that moment and nodded her head eagerly.

"I, too, will try harder than before. I'll try my best not to be a burden…"

Neria's eyelids trembled.

Looking at her face that looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment, Cloud let out a deep sigh.

"When did I ever say I was leaving you all? It's just a small breakup for a while for a purpose."

"That's…"

"Different."

Cloud interrupted Eri with a more serious attitude than before.

"As you all know, I am a hero. I have a duty to protect citizens from demons. In order to fulfill that duty, there are times when we have to be away from each other for a while. Now is the time."

Cloud had a lot of work to do.

Before any of the Four Heavenly Kings descend, he must recruit new colleagues and find the equipment left by the other heroes.

In the meantime, if something goes wrong and he was late, there may be a terrible situation where humanity will face a Heavenly King without a hero.

That is why it is necessary to delay the advent of the Four Heavenly Kings as much as possible by letting the party hunt the leftover demons.

"And did I ever try to give up on you guys, even a little? No, that will be the answer. I always try to bury the past and treat everyone like nothing ever happened. As such, I am very disappointed by your present behaviour."

Eri and Neria's mouths closed shut.

He had treated them nicely, that's why they had forgotten what they did to him in the past. When they thought about the sordid past Cloud had been ignoring, they also realized how rude the remarks they had just made were.

A long silence ensued.

Neria, let alone Eri, couldn't figure out how to open their mouths.

Their frivolity was so shameful that their lips felt heavy.

"You seem to need some time to organize your thoughts. Let's take a break today and talk again tomorrow."

After breaking the long silence, Cloud left his seat and went upstairs.

After he left, the table went still.

After a moment, Eri leaned back on the chair, ruffling her bangs backwards. She turned her head to look at the other two.

Neria stared blankly at the table. Looking at her sad expression, Eri knew what she was thinking without asking.

Ophelia was quietly chanting after meal prayers.

Eri spoke to them.

"Ophelia, are you okay? There was no sign of agitation from the beginning…"

Ophelia finished her prayer and opened her eyes.

What should she tell Eri?

That it was because of the kindness and faith he showed in her?

Cloud did not accept the Archbishop's proposal to change the candidacy of the saintess. That showed he trusted her, and meant she should too.

Ophelia didn't forget the tingling tension she felt at that time, the panic that her heart drummed with, the looks she received from her fellow nuns.

As long as they remain in her mind, her faith in the hero will not be shaken.

However, she said it concisely because it was a bit difficult to explain this in detail.

"I just know that hero is not like that."

To Ophelia's words, Eri smiled bitterly.

"That's right… I'll go up first."

She had not finished her food, but she was no longer in the mood to eat.

Eri climbed the stairs and entered her own room.

She laid down on the bed and organized her thoughts.

'I understand Cloud's meaning, it's his duty. However, why…'

Whenever she imagined failing Cloud, her body and mind felt venerable.

For some reason, she expected it too.

Cloud was one of the few people who recognized and acknowledged her work. She would never want to fail such a person.

'…Neria and Ophelia are the same, they acknowledge me.'

Cloud was not the only person who acknowledged Eri.

Neria and Ophelia also acknowledged her.

Even if Cloud was leaving for a while, the two of them remained, so she shouldn't be depressed.

Yet, there was another strange thing.

If things went well by doing as Cloud said, she can hamper the evil plans of the demons with her own hands.

If that happens, not only will she be acknowledged by the royal family, but will also be acknowledged and respected by the citizens.

It was Eri's lifelong dream.

It was at a different magnitude, where only a few people like Cloud acknowledged her.

Still, her heart was not moved.

Getting that kind of recognition and acknowledgement should have moved her heart, she should be squealing with joy, that should have been happening. But, whenever she removed Cloud from the picture, her heart felt empty.

Conversely, what if Cloud came into the picture?

What if he complimented her by putting his hand on her head, as he did at Roberto?

– Pound!

An exhilarating sensation rose from her chest, and at the same time a great sense of satisfaction filled her being.

This had been going on since Roberto incident.

At this point, Eri had no choice but to admit it.

Eri had come to crave recognition from Cloud, a single person, more than the recognition of all others combined.

His smile.

His hand moving her way.

After she admitted it, her mind felt at ease.

'…I'm going to have to follow him tomorrow somehow.'

Eri thought through the process how she would apologise to Cloud while thinking of plans to safeguard the city in another way.

After staying up all night, she was able to perfectly articulate the words of apology.

However, she found no particular way to solve the city's demon problem.

'…if the four of us put our heads together, something will definitely come out.'

Brushing away her scuttling thoughts, Eri cleaned up her messy self.

She walked down to Cloud's room and knocked on the door slowly.

– Knock.

"Cloud? I am Eri."

– Knock.

"Cloud? …are you sleeping?"

She knocked on the door a few more times, but no answer came. The more she knocked, the more anxious she became. In the end, Eri couldn't stand it and grabbed the doorknob.

– Cluck.

The door wasn't locked.

Eri swallowed her saliva and entered the room.

The room was neatly empty.

Except for a folded paper on the table.

Eri unfolded the paper, her hands trembling slightly.

=====================================

To Eri, Neria, and Ophelia.

By the time you read this letter, I must have already left the capital.

I'm going to apologize for leaving like this after telling you all to stall our talk till tomorrow.

It must be feeling sudden, you all may be feeling betrayed too, but I couldn't help it.

Seeing your reactions, I didn't think you all would understand what I was trying to convey. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to convince you all.

That's why I ended up using this hard measure.

""

After reading the letter, don't even think about moving amongst you guys to find me. Then, if things come to worst, it would become a hero party without a hero.

Okay?

Again, I'll ask for you all to keep the capital safe.

In fact, it's up to you how you act after this.

Because you guys are not a hero, and don't need to shoulder the responsibilities of one.

But if you leave the capital, I will, personally, be greatly disappointed.

==================================

Eri's hand holding the letter trembled.

The first thought that came to her mind was to run after Cloud right away, but the word 'disappointment' written on the letter caught her attention.

For her, who longed for Cloud's approval, the disappointment he mentioned came very heavy.

In the end, she was bound by the shackles of 'Cloud's disappointment' and all Eri could do was sit down helplessly.

"Eri? What are you doing in Cloud's room…?"

Neria came checking, finding it strange that Cloud and Eri hadn't come down yet even though it was time for breakfast.

"Huh…? No…"

Reading the letter, she shook her head.

"Ah… no… this is… this is a dream!"

Denying the reality, she banged her head repeatedly against the wall of the inn chanting she had to wake up, and soon.

It would have worked either way if not for her level; a level 40's body was quite damn strong.

– Clutter.

Unable to withstand Neria's repeated headbutting, the inn wall collapsed.

And Ophelia later had to pay for the collapsed inn wall.

* * *

A paradise of crime and nightlife, the Kingdom of Alitia.

It is a kingdom, but only in name, the king has very little real power. Because the royal family's nothing more than imaginary puppet royals, and there's a separate organization behind the black curtain to control and limit them.

It's a criminal organization.

For which there are four heads, not one.

Each head, or Vampire Ancestors, command a family of their own.

They, endowed with eternal life, had long sunk their fangs inside this kingdom hundreds of years ago and were now masters of it.

And one of those Ancestors, Kutcher, questioned with an expressionless face.

"Is what I have heard correct? Third Squad was wiped out?"

The only survivor trembled at the Vampire Ancestor's impassive tone. Even the Ancestor's impassive tone made him scrunch in fear, who was just a low-level vampire.

"One survived, but he says that even it was done intentionally."

"T, The hero said t-that we were definitely send by s-someone p-pussy vampire. Not even worth a nail of that f-female vampiress' strength. G, Go tell h-him to hammer h-himself back i-into a c-coffin—"

Kutcher's eyebrows, which had been consistently expressionless, twitched slightly. Simultaneously, Raymond's hand, Kutcher's assistant, pierced the lower vampire's chest and grabbed at his heart.

"Keep, Kuk, hick… A, Ancestor… P, Please have m-mercy…"

"Our master's mercy is not worth your life."

Raymond tightened his fingers and punctured the lower vampire's heart.

The lower vampire collapsed.

Raymond wiped the blood off his hands with a handkerchief.

"Raymond."

"Yes, Master."

"How weak was the Third Assassination Squad? Enough to be defeated even by the weakest hero?"

"If it had been in the past, I would have shook my head without hesitation, master. Laughing it off as nonsense, not believing in least. However, if the rumors about the hero I have heard recently are true, I cannot give you a definitive answer."

"The result is here, anything else to doubt, hm?" Kutcher said, pointed his finger nail at the dead vampire.

"There is a possibility that they couldn't show their prime skills as the mission was to suppress rather than assassinate."

"We even took the advantage of surprise and numerical superiority. Saying that they couldn't show much of their skill is nothing but an excuse."

Kutcher disdainfully looked at the dead vampire.

'I thought it would be easy, but I was wrong.'

""

Not long ago, a spy planted in the Haley family brought an important piece of information.

The information was that Haley had ignored Gis' request. From what he had heard, it wasn't an unreasonable request. What he asked for was not the death of Hero Cloud, but just to scare him off.

Kutcher was puzzled as to why Haley had not granted such an easy request.

However, it was an opportunity too precious to miss just because of puzzlement.

It was an opportunity to bring in the trust of Hero Gis, who had been uniquely attached only to Haley, to Kutcher.

Taking advantage of this opportunity would have lowered Haley's position and raised his position in the vampire world.

'I thought it was just a sweet apple to bite, but at least I know now it is slightly poisonous.'

But the fruit was too sweet to abandon just because of its minor toxicity.

Just having a single nail peeled off wasn't something that hurtful.

So, Kutcher ordered Raymond.

"Send the Prime Squad and Shedia."

"…apologies, Master. Unlike Third Squad, Prime Squad members are of noble lineage. It would be considered an insult to even breathe in the same air as Shedia."

"I hope this mission to success, no matter what. Shedia is undoubtedly of dirty blood, but it's also true that she has brought us results. Bring anyone who complains here, to me. I'll solve their breathing problem at once, with leisure."

There was a slight hint of anger in Kutcher's tone. All Raymond could do before the Vampire Ancestor's wrath was to bow his head.

"…at your command, my master."

Raymond left the Vampire Ancestor's room with his head bowed.

His face turned dark.

"Prime Squad shouldn't make things go wrong because of emotions, I think not."

If the hero dies, there will be a riot on the continent.

Raymond sighed as he walked down the hallway.

* * *

I lay down on the bed and threw the crumpled paper up into the air before catching it to throw it up again, killing time.

By the way, this roll of paper was a warning letter from Adreana.

Mentioning that Gis was sending assassins after me, so to lay low for a while.

Thanks to this warning letter, I handled things cleanly, with appropriate quietness.

'By the way, the time has come…'

I took out the moonstone necklace out of my arms. This item was given to me by the Empress as a gift.

"Is this really going to work?"

If we brought a werewolf into the question, it would. It definitely would.

You can read fully translated chapters, including the last chapter, for $20.

p(a)treon.com/Daoist02