The Hero Party's special training continued.
To prepare for the Demon King who could arrive at any moment.
They became capable of things they couldn't do before.
And they were growing with each passing day.
"P-please cancel the hellish training, mister...!!"
"Once hellish training begins, it cannot be stopped. See it through to the end, Luna."
"H-hiiing..."
Of course, every day was a series of torments.
But the Hero Party endured and persevered.
They knew what kind of existence the Demon King was, and they didn't want to remain weak.
Perhaps that's why.
At the one-week mark.
The Hero Party's growth was clearly visible to my eyes.
"Luna."
"Yes?"
"Your body's balance isn't bad."
"Did you just peek at my body!? M-mister, you pervert!!"
"...I take back the compliment."
What does she think I am?
Luna, who had overcome the difficult hellish training.
Though I canceled the compliment.
My words about her improved body balance weren't empty flattery.
*Her mana circulates more actively than before. And she's become able to channel mana to desired parts of her body.*
However.
She still couldn't wrap mana around her sword.
Since this was a process even other knights struggled with.
It seemed Luna needed a bit more time.
*...Perhaps she's lacking a trigger.*
"Sword Ki" was a talent that manifested in those with aptitude.
And since that wall was high and thick, it wouldn't manifest without a trigger to overcome it.
The reason it hadn't manifested in Luna was probably because she lacked such a trigger.
I turned my gaze from Luna to look at Hare.
Hare seemed to notice my gaze immediately and ran toward me cheerfully.
"M-mister! Were you looking for me...!?"
"...No, I was just looking."
"I-is that so...? Okay, mister..."
Dejected—
Hare's shoulders drooped as she turned back toward her spot.
Her gait was calmer than before, and her footsteps were barely audible.
She was applying the footwork technique I'd taught her even in daily life.
*Perhaps the most dramatic change isn't Luna but Hare.*
For one thing, she had no hesitation in attacking with her daggers during sparring.
If there were a demonic grandmother pulling a cart in front of her, Hare would coldly plunge a blade into her heart without hesitation.
Perhaps that's why.
The current Hare seemed to have become somewhat sensitive.
"...Estia."
"Hm?"
"Move aside. It's hard to clean."
"O-okay..."
Should I say her radar was always on?
The feeling that she was on edge was strong.
And the most precarious person was Saten.
She had grown quite a bit during this training camp, but...
"..."
"Saten."
"...Yes."
"Do you have some complaint?"
"Yes, many. Can't we end the training camp? I'm more comfortable alone."
...But your expression is rather fierce, Saten.
Even accounting for Saten's expressionlessness.
From the outside, she always seemed to be frowning, looking full of complaints.
*...Isn't Saten waiting?*
Perhaps Saten was waiting for the Demon King to attack quickly.
That thought came to mind.
Still, during the training camp she'd become closer with her friends and learned how to cooperate in sparring.
So it could be considered meaningful.
More than that.
*The biggest problem is...*
This one would be the biggest problem.
I looked at Estia sprawled out in the middle of the living room and spoke.
"Estia."
"What, oppa. Is it mealtime already?"
"...When is your teacher coming?"
"Why are you asking me! Just give me food!"
Scratch scratch—
Estia lying down scratching her belly.
Was it okay for a Saint to be like this?
A sigh automatically escaped my lips.
"Haah..."
Indeed, when would Estia's teacher arrive?
And when would Estia grow?
*Will she be able to use Divine Power before the Demon King comes...*
That was what worried me most.
The Demon King of Sloth, Sloth.
A handsome man with green hair and languid eyes.
Sloth, who was difficult to distinguish from humans, was currently.
In the center of the Dungeon City Henencia.
He complained to his nearby subordinates in a lazy tone.
"I didn't want to work... Why are you Grimoire guys so uselessly competent...? I didn't want to work..."
"..."
"I don't wanna work..."
Those Demon King guys are always making a fuss at me...
Sloth hated working.
He always wanted to roll around in his room playing, and didn't want to destroy human society.
Because there were many tools that enriched and made life comfortable.
"Can't I just... be human...? Humans have it best... Haah..."
I'll just be human...
Originally, Sloth was the most human-friendly Demon King among the Demon Kings.
He would enslave humans, but wouldn't experiment on them to death.
Humans were also smarter than demonic beings, so he'd delegate work to them.
As long as they didn't bother him.
All humans could maintain their lives.
"Still, this incident is a bit different, so it can't be helped..."
Why did a Hero have to appear now...
Since the Hero appeared and the Demon Kings' lives became endangered.
He couldn't just sit still.
"You're certain that the Hero Party's mage... that Cecilia Saten is here in Henencia...?"
"...Yes, that's correct."
"Hmm, Wrath also said not to hide anymore since the Hero appeared..."
It's too bothersome to search.
I'll just do as I please...
The Demon King of Sloth.
Sloth.
In this vast city, to find the Hero Party.
He reached his hand toward the sky.
"If I kill everyone, the Hero Party will come out..."
It was the moment the Demon King of Sloth's authority activated in Henencia.
"This is terrible! J-Jun-woo!! If we're not careful, everyone will die...!! The Dungeon City is in danger...!!"
It was also the moment Minerva thought it was a disaster.
The time has come.
I looked at Minerva's problem that appeared before my eyes.
[The Demon King has attacked Henencia, Jun-woo! I'll inform you of the situation in real-time from now on! Save the answer key as much as possible! Got it?! First, go outside with the Hero Party!]
[1. Got it.]
[2. I don't know.]
"Number 1. Got it."
The moment the Demon King attacked.
It seems the course of my future has been determined.
Thinking I would save the answer key as much as possible, I gathered the Hero Party at the entrance.
Tension was evident on Hare and Estia's faces.
"M-mister...! We can beat the Demon King... right...? You won't get hurt... right...?"
"Let's just run away, oppa! The Demon King is scary!"
Hare kept glancing at me, feeling anxious.
Estia wanted to flee because she was scared.
*...But we must do this.*
To save the children.
To give them an opportunity to grow.
To defeat the Demon King.
We had to do this.
Hoping the Demon King who came for us was the Demon King of Envy.
I raised my hand toward the front door.
Just in case, I glanced at Luna and Saten.
Unlike Hare and Estia, their expressions overflowed with confidence.
"Mister! Let's hurry and defeat the Demon King! Hero Luna will win!"
"...I also want to defeat the Demon King quickly. I'm tired of group living."
Luna seemed pleased with her growth in such a short time, overflowing with confidence.
*Having confidence is good, but...*
It could lead to arrogance.
Especially with Luna.
Before going outside.
I decided to deflate Luna's momentum once.
"Luna."
"Yes!"
"Don't get cocky just because you've gotten stronger over a week. You're still a greenhorn."
"I-I'm not a greenhorn! Don't treat me like a child! I'm not a child!"
"Be quiet and prepare. Here, use real swords instead of wooden ones."
Thud—
I took out swords from subspace and tossed them to the adult complainers Luna and Hare.
"You two protect Saten and Estia as much as possible while fighting. Do it like when you sparred with me. Understand?"
"Luna is an adult, so! I'll specially listen to mister!"
"I-I'll try my best too...!"
"Good if you understand."
Since we'd sparred more than once or twice.
They should do well on their own now.
*However.*
Sparring and real combat were different.
To ensure the Hero Party didn't make mistakes, I had to pay attention and be careful.
The Demon King's aura I felt on my skin was ominous.
And the range was considerable too.
From now on, I couldn't let my guard down.
Especially the Hero Party members, even more so.
"...It seems you don't know what's happening outside yet."
"Huh? What do you..."
"Be on guard from now on. And don't be shocked."
"Explain so I can understand! Oppa!"
...Could I explain this in words?
Rather than explaining 100 times verbally.
It would be faster to actually show them.
*We don't have time either...*
Creeeak—
I opened the front door and went outside.
The Hero Party followed behind me.
*As expected, the authority has manifested.*
As soon as we came outside, the Hero Party and I immediately looked up at the sky.
Red currents rose in the sky, and a thick smell of blood permeated our noses.
People's screams could be heard from the surroundings, and damp air brushed against our skin.
And the moment the Hero Party faced the surrounding streets, they realized.
"Wh-what...? Th-there's someone lying there... But why don't they have an arm..."
That reality was crueler than they thought.
And just how brutal an existence called a Demon King was.
Only then could the Hero Party realize.
I walked among the corpses scattered around.
And spoke to the Hero Party.
"Try not to look at the corpses and follow me. We can prevent more victims if we kill the Demon King quickly."
"..."
However, no one could answer my voice.
Since they were all seeing such a scene of slaughter for the first time.
They couldn't say anything due to shock.