The Hero Party Couldn’t Kill Me

Chapter 1: Survived (3)

“Thanks for your hard work!!”

That night.

A big festival was going on in the castle.

The demon king is dead, and the imperial army, which fought with the demon army nearby, also won a great victory.

The Demon Castle, which was like a symbol of the demons, is now occupied by the Imperial Army.

The party of warriors sat at the best place in the central hall of the castle with the commanders of the imperial army and had a toast.

“Isn’t it the first time you have captured the Demon Castle since the establishment of the empire? Your achievements will be remembered forever.”

“This is not our only achievement. It was possible because everyone fought together.”

“Okay then, let’s have a drink!”

“For the Solus Empire!!”

There was the sound of glasses clinking cheerfully, and Calia gulped down her wine.

The sweet wine made her forget the unpleasant feelings she had in the back of her heart.

“Are you going back to the capital tomorrow?”

A middle-aged man with red hair asked Calia. It was the Marquis of Grenouille, Calia’s right-hand man.

“Oh, sure. If we go, the people will spread out on both sides to welcome us. Even Her Highness the Princess has no choice but to say something congratulating us in a public setting. It will be a good spectacle, would you like to go with the Marquis?”

“There are still demon remnants left. Shouldn’t someone stay here to protect it?”

“Oh, don’t be so mean. How long are you going to live on the periphery of the empire, receiving nothing but cold meals? Don’t do that, come with me this time. This time, I’ll let you receive the title of duke.”

“Then, it’s an honor.”

Calia smiled as she looked at Marquis Grenouille, who was standing upright.

Perhaps because she got a little drunk, she felt like she had already become the real power of the empire.

And that will soon become a reality.

She is engaged to the prince. And now that she has defeated the Demon King, the approval rating of the prince’s camp will be higher than ever due to her halo.

On the other hand, the princess camp would be staggered by the downfall of Edmund, whom they pushed so hard.

If only the additional plans prepared by Calia go well, the princess will be completely pushed out of the race for the throne.

Anyway, the emperor is already unconscious. Therefore, if the young prince succeeds him as emperor, her would-be empress will have real power over her.

“By the way, it’s shocking. To think that Edmund had such a dark heart…. Was he really a threat to the Empire?”

When I was intoxicated with my imagination for a long time, one of the commanders who was not aware of it brought up the story of Edmund.

At that moment, all illusions were shattered and the taste of alcohol completely disappeared.

Calia glared at the commander. She wanted to curse at him right away.

“Ugh, I mean! I was surprised to see Edmund look so ugly! This is why he says you shouldn’t judge people by their appearance alone!”

At this, Iris quickly intercepted Calia’s words and escaped the situation.

Thanks to that, Calia was able to manage her feelings.

“Now that we’ve talked about it, I’ll ask. Were there any unidentified teleportation signals within the Empire?”

But that’s only for a moment. This time, the saintess carefully inquired about Edmund’s whereabouts.

Calia wanted to argue with such a saintess, but she couldn’t say anything because of the saintess’ position, so she just bit her lip.

Marquis Grenouille looked at Calia for a while and said.

“I got a reply from Rogue Magic Tower. They said it seems that a teleportation signal was caught at the Blanc-Ma Tower this morning.”

“… That would most likely be Pesima.”

Iris said.

While the focus was on the disappearance of Edmund earlier, Pesima also disappeared.

Perhaps she had to hurry back to leave her will to her protégé. Especially in the Blanc Magic Tower, where there are only two wizards.

“Not necessarily. An archmage like Pesima doesn’t even leave traces of teleportation. Maybe it’s Edmund. They teleported around the same time, so it could be both.”

“Why is Edmund in the Blanc Magic Tower… ?”

“It is the place where Edmund was first summoned to the Solus Empire.”

But the saintess had a different opinion.

She thought that she was also a possibility at first, but the more she said the more it made sense.

Edmund trusted Pesima as much as the saintess in the warrior party. He was also the teacher who taught him magic, and he had a certain insurance called a contract.

And according to Edmund’s contract with Pesima, after Pesima breaks her contract, the contract is forcibly transferred to her apprentice.

So, Pesima’s disciple, Marion, may be the only person who can heal and hide Edmund.

“Wow, the more I think about it, the more it seems right! As expected, the saintess is wise!”

Iris flattered her excessively, she said.

“Then it’s been decided. When we return to the Empire, we’ll start with the pressure on Blanc’s tower. Even so, we already have enough justification.”

Calia, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, also opened her mouth.

Also, they thought they should destroy the Blanc mage tower.

When Pesima disappeared, her demon lord’s corpse also disappeared. And under the circumstances, Pesima was the only person who would have taken the demon king’s body.

“But wouldn’t it be a big deal if Edmund really went to Blanc’s Tower? With their superior magical abilities, they could completely conceal him.”

This time, Marquis Grenouille cautiously expressed his opinion.

“If Pesima had existed, it would have been. But Pesima would be dead by now. So, in Blanc Magic Tower, she is the only young wizard, right?”

“Still, aren’t they the next Mage Tower masters of Blanc’s Tower? And inside the Mage Tower, there must be numerous magic engineering devices they have created. They will probably need the cooperation of other Mage Towers.”

“I don’t think you need to worry about that. Didn’t the other magic towers also treat Blanc’s magic tower like a thorn in their eyes? I’m willing to cooperate.”

The saintess boasted.

Of course, the opponent was the best mage tower in the empire. If it was their superior magic, it might be possible to hide Edmund.

But it didn’t matter. It is enough to pressurize him by saying that he will excommunicate the Blanc Magic Tower if necessary.

What mages of the Mage Tower fear most is that their Mage Tower’s authority will decline.

Hasn’t Pesima already coaxed him into betraying Edmund like that?

“Wow! That’s it! Then let’s have another drink!”

Iris raised her glass high as the atmosphere seemed to have disappeared.

***

“Pesima-sama… ….”

At the center of the workshop in the Blanc Magic Tower.

The next Mage Tower owner, Marion, looked at her master with a gloomy expression.

In front of her lay the cold body of Pesima, the sorceress she most admired and her mentor.

Right after Pesima teleported back to the Mage Tower, she lost her life after taking out only the belongings she had to hand over from the subspace.

It happened so suddenly that Marion could not do anything about it. She belatedly tried using recovery magic, but to no avail.

After crying all day over her teacher’s unexpected death, she finally found and read the will that Pesima had left her during her lifetime.

– If I bring the demon king’s corpse, send it to the laboratory immediately. You’ll want to keep the body as fresh as possible.

She was her ugly disciple, but she couldn’t properly follow Pesima’s first order. It was only then that the demon king’s body, which had been left in one corner of the room all day, was moved.

– I cannot pass on knowledge to you in the traditional way, but I have devised a method in case you die on the battlefield. Drink the potion I’m giving you and activate the skill scroll drawn on the note. I’ll have to do it ASAP. The later it is, the less knowledge I can pass on to you.

The second instruction is the tradition of the Blanc Magic Tower.

It was a ceremony to pass on knowledge to the successor of the Magic Tower.

… And that, too, she ate. I’ve already wasted too much time.

– Finally, when I die, the contract I made with Edmund will be fulfilled by you. If he is alive, Edmund will come to you again. Then listen to his request. Because that’s how I pay off my debt to him.

But I’m sure you’ll be able to carry out the last instruction.

“Edmund… ….”

Marion thought of Edmund for a moment.

Although he was with him for a short time, she remembered Edmund as a good man.

If he was suddenly summoned to a completely different world, he would be embarrassed and desperate to return to his own world, but he accepted the situation very resolutely.

Even when she heard that she had to fight the demon lord, she didn’t show any denial, and silently followed Pesima’s rigorous magic training.

Above all, he was very kind to Marion.

Of course, it bothers me that the church announced about Edmund’s revelation this morning.

But the truth is, she couldn’t believe it. The Edmund she saw, he was by no means the man who would overthrow the empire.

And now that her anyways contract was delivered to her, Marion had no other options.

“Master’s will, I will carry on.”

After reading Pesima’s will, Marion took her heart.

She then stood up with the potion and magic circle left by Pesima in her hand.

A lot of time has already passed, but the time limit Pesima said was 24 hours. Fortunately, the day hasn’t passed yet.

Even if it is lacking, it is said that she will be able to inherit the knowledge of Feshima and her ancestors, the masters of the Mage Tower.

Marion drank her potion, determined again. She then activated her skill scroll left by Pesima.

Now, she will be reborn as a proper master of the Blanc Magic Tower, not a foolish wizard.

***

“Are you awake?”

I opened my eyes again to the sound of a beautiful woman’s voice.

The first thing that catches your eye is the unfamiliar ceiling.

It was made of light brown wood, and in the middle of the ceiling a lantern was shining softly.

Judging by the smell of old books and various potions, this place seemed to be a wizard’s workshop.

“This is… Where are you?”

“It is a city called Speth. I brought Edmund-sama, who was lying in the White Forest, here.”

“Huh….”

I couldn’t believe it.

Did the wizard of Speth really find me?

“Then… Am I alive?”

“I sutured the stab wound, and I succeeded in suppressing the poison that spread to my left shoulder. Yes, Sir Edmund lived.”

“Ha ha ha… ….”

Then I laughed out loud.

This time it wasn’t a laugh, it was a genuinely happy laugh. I was so happy that I was about to burst into tears.

I honestly thought I was dead.

The wounds were already deep, and he hadn’t crashed to a place where he could get help.

However, the right person saved me at the right time, overcoming atrocious odds.

“I… Mr. Edmund?”

“Thank you… Thank you very much….”

I thanked the mysterious woman and tried to stand up.

“Kuu!”

But I couldn’t get up because of the pain, as if the wound hadn’t healed yet.

“Oh, you can’t get up yet. He’s recovering quickly, but he’ll have to lie down at least until tomorrow.”

Then the woman hurriedly approached and said.

Thanks to her, she was able to see her face.

Long hair pink like cherry blossoms.

Eyes similar to hair color.

Clean skin and chubby cheeks that look like they haven’t lost their charms.

And, a strangely familiar face.

Come to think of it, she already knew my name.

“By the way….”

“Yes?”

“Are we old friends?”

“Do you remember me?”

As soon as he heard my question, the woman thrust her face in front of me and asked. A look full of anticipation.

She had to come up with something, even in order not to disappoint her.

Hmm… Certainly, pink hair is not common in this world. Where did you see it?

‘This way! Follow me!’

For a moment, a fragment of memory came to mind.

Burning Sordon. A group of people following me.

In the meantime, I saw a girl with pink hair.

“Maybe… Are you one of the prisoners of the Solus Empire held in Sordon?”

I asked and the woman smiled broadly and nodded her head.

“Yes, I lived thanks to Edmund-sama.”