171. The Hero Party Without Uncle (4)
After defeating the Demon King of Wrath.
The Hero Party quickly boarded a train and left the desert village of Abrom.
They didn't want to stay there any longer.
On the late-night train, Luna asked with tired eyes.
"I hate the people of Abrom. What about you, Hare?"
"...I feel the same. They fell for the Demon King's words and dared to try to kill us? Why should we protect such citizens?"
"Exactly."
In the past, she would have said they must protect them no matter what.
But now, she didn't know what was what.
"The people I'm trying to protect are trying to kill us... and we're fighting Demon Kings for those people... doing all this, I don't know what I'm trying to do anymore..."
"You don't know what you're trying to do. You already know the answer to that."
"What is it...?"
"It's to bring Uncle back to life."
"..."
Right, Uncle's life is more precious than the safety of citizens whose faces I don't even know.
However, Luna's heart was complicated, unable to find a clear answer.
"Still, I'm the Hero... I have to save people..."
Even if my thoughts differ, I have to.
I'm the Hero.
But, I'm Lunacia Luna, aren't I?
Luna's head was complicated, so she turned her gaze to the train window.
"...I don't know what I am."
"Then read the advice. Wouldn't Uncle have written some advice?"
"...You're right."
What advice would Uncle give for my current situation?
After abandoning me so easily, what kind of great advice could he have given?
Luna immediately opened the book and checked the advice for the current situation.
"Found it."
The answer wasn't far away.
Luna began reading the advice aloud.
"Even when it's hard and exhausting. You are the Hero. You must do it. Instead, I will always be watching over you. So, let's work hard together...?"
Bullshit.
Uncle left me.
Yet he says he'll always be watching over me?
"Uncle is... a liar..."
Crunch—
Luna gripped the book containing the advice tightly.
She couldn't bring herself to crumple it, so she just gripped the cover tightly.
"Hare."
"...Yeah."
"What do you want to do when you meet Uncle?"
"...I want to spend time with Uncle like usual. Wake up in the morning and help Uncle, train at lunch, and be satisfied with eating dinner together."
"I see..."
Hare doesn't particularly resent Uncle.
Well, since only I'm repeating the hard times, that makes sense.
Luna slowly closed her eyes from fatigue and muttered.
"I also... wanted to go back to when I was happy... but, as I kept going back, my thoughts changed..."
"...What do you mean?"
"Just, going back once doesn't change anything..."
In the end, even if we bring Uncle back to life.
Uncle will take his own life again.
At those words, Hare shouted in anger.
However, Luna's eyes were slowly closing.
"You, what are you saying—! How can you say such harsh things about Uncle—!"
"Just... I had that thought... Uncle never changes..."
"You, you—!"
Hare was angry and wanted to argue with Luna.
However, Luna had already closed her eyes and fallen asleep.
With nowhere to vent her emotions, Hare shifted her gaze to the window.
Outside the window, the scenery changed rapidly moment by moment.
"Uncle never changes...? So Uncle will die again...?"
Then we just need to change Uncle.
We need to make it so Uncle can never take his own life.
Hare finally admitted her thinking was wrong and changed her plan.
"I'm going to... make Uncle happy so he won't die..."
Thus, Hare made a vow to herself on the train running through the night.
The Hero Party traveled through many cities to find the last Demon King.
The City of Lies, Lang, Mine Lehel, Chepri Village.
They searched the cities written in the advice to find the Demon King, but when they arrived at each city, only assassins greeted them, and there was no particular harvest.
Wherever they went, the hatred spread by the Demon King of Wrath strangled and exhausted the Hero.
Thus, at the end of a difficult journey, they arrived at the 'Underground City, Grim'.
A city built underground, mainly where many criminals hid, the Hero Party secured lodging.
Estia lay on the bed and muttered.
"Why are we doing such hard work ourselves! You idiots! If we go home, Uncle will make it comfortable!"
"Yes, if we go home, Uncle will be there. So, would you shut your mouth for a moment?"
"No! I have the right to speak as I please!"
"Sigh, now that the Saint has awakened, what little sense there was is gone."
Saten held her head from the oncoming headache.
She couldn't sleep dealing with people constantly trying to take their lives.
It was even more painful for Saten, who suffered from insomnia.
"Just how many identities did he have for all the citizens to try to kill us?"
"...He meticulously set it up so he could torment us even after his death. That Demon King bastard."
Grind—
Hare ground her teeth in anger.
"If he's dead, he should go peacefully..."
Luna, who had finished preparing, said to Hare.
"Hare, are you done preparing? I'm finished."
"...Yeah, I'm done preparing too. Follow me. Let's see if there's a Demon King in this city."
The Hero Party set out to find the Demon King.
They didn't know exactly where the Demon King was, but their steps, with hoods pulled over their heads, were filled with certainty.
"...Anyway, the Demon King will be in the darkness where he's not visible. Since a lot of time has passed, let's kill the Demon King quickly. I want to see Uncle soon."
Uncle, who gave meaning to our lives.
With the desire to see him right now, the Hero Party left the lodging.
However, in front of them, as if waiting for them to come out.
A butler in a black suit was waiting.
Luna sniffed and immediately identified him.
"Guys, that person is a Grimoire."
Hare reached out without hesitation.
"Estia, Divine Power. I think we need to do some torture."
"It's not torture, it's a blessing! More importantly, when are we going home—"
"Be quiet, we'll go home later. Stay still."
Having traveled with Estia, Hare had roughly figured out how to use her.
Don't tell her the truth that Uncle died.
Don't answer questions.
If they talked and she realized Uncle's death as a result.
Estia would go crazy and forget everything.
So the key was to stay away from that topic as much as possible.
"First, if we torture this butler, we'll get answers. So, give me Divine Power quickly."
"No, you don't need to do that."
The butler bowed his head and said politely.
"It's fine to kill me, but if you're going to see the Demon King anyway, it would be better to follow me."
"What if following you is a trap?"
"That may be so. But that's for the Hero Party to judge."
The butler said so and turned his eyes to the left.
There, ordinary-looking people and criminals were hiding in the alley.
He was taking advantage of the fact that Luna couldn't kill citizens.
"You, you cowardly bastard—"
"Our master's life is at stake. I had no choice. Now, will you board the carriage?"
The old butler asked if the Hero Party would board the carriage.
The choice was entirely up to the Hero Party.
While they were pondering, the first to step forward was Hare.
"...What are you doing, get on quickly."
"Don't we need to think about it?"
"No, this is the fastest way to meet the Demon King. And, from the outside. There are no devices on the carriage."
"So after that, it's a matter of our skills."
"...Something like that."
Was it because Hare's words were persuasive?
Saten followed Hare toward the carriage.
Luna was worried for a moment, but Uncle had advised, 'If the path is a dilemma, it's better to follow Hare.'
Having no choice, Luna followed them onto the carriage.
"Demon King."
If we just defeat this Demon King.
Everything will be over.
Seeing how politely they're guiding us, they seem friendly, but...
"As soon as we see the Demon King, we fight immediately. Everyone got it?"
"...Got it."
"Yes, I understand."
"Demon King? There's a Demon King ahead? But where's Uncle?"
"..."
Thus, the Hero Party boarded the carriage and soon arrived at the entrance of a palace.
The meaning of that action was easy to understand.
"...Underground City. This seems to be the Demon King's city."
"Since they guided us to the palace, it's better to think so."
The Hero Party looked around and followed the butler's guidance toward the palace.
On the way, there were no apparent traps, just the gazes of very ordinary servants pouring down.
There were no signs of the Demon King's vicious deeds.
And the Hero Party, arriving at the end, reached a lavishly set table.
"You must not have had a proper meal coming all this way. Please eat."
The butler, as if showing goodwill, invited the Hero Party to the elaborate table.
However, the Hero Party couldn't respond to the butler's goodwill.
Because of the being already eating at the far end of the table.
Luna suppressed the trembling Holy Sword and said.
"That guy is the last Demon King."
"According to Uncle's advice, it's the 'Demon King of Gluttony'. Gluttony."
Gluttony.
Indeed, true to his name, he was eating with crunching sounds.
He appeared to be over 2 meters tall, with a belly swollen like a pregnant woman.
He had a disgusting body, but for some reason, the people in the palace were showing him respect.
"A Demon King shouldn't receive such gazes..."
And Luna found the sight of such a Demon King utterly repulsive.
"Someone gave up food and honor because of the Demon King..."
Luna drew the Holy Sword shining from her heart.
The people in the palace were momentarily flustered at the sight but didn't stop her.
Luna, who ran without any interference, easily plunged the Holy Sword into Gluttony's body.
So easily it was suspicious.
"You, you Hero..."
Gluttony, feeling pain from being stabbed by the Holy Sword.
His face contorted in a painful expression.
However, his gaze was directed only at Luna.
He smiled slightly and laughed.
"You've swallowed too much..."
"What, what are you saying—?"
"A Hero shouldn't have done that...?"
"Speak so I can understand. You trash."
"It's overeating, Hero..."
Gluttony said so and, as if his breath had stopped, ceased moving.
From the beginning, he seemed to have accepted the future of his death and had no intention of fighting at all.
Luna was so flustered and absurd at this situation.
"Wh-what is this—"
"Hero."
The butler approached Luna, who had killed his master, and said.
"I will guide you to the capital. As my master wished."
"...Alright."
She didn't know what it was about.
But at the butler's words, now devoid of demonic energy, Luna had no choice but to agree.
Now it was time to see the peaceful world without Demon Kings.