I Am Not the Heroine

The third request the hero brought did not need my help.

To be precise, it did not need my direct magical support.

Ku-goong…

The massive body of the magical creature known as the Great Web lay limp.

“Request complete. Everyone worked hard.”

“Haah…”

Unlike the previous request to play with the jackal, this time there was only one creature.

And the hero’s party was stronger in small groups.

Also…

“Rui, these shoes are really great!”

“That’s right! I just hopped lightly and felt like I was moving like Rapirie!”

That’s because I had given them the ‘shoes’ I was preparing.

Customized shoes made with individual characteristics, just like the gloves from before.

Fortunately, the reviews were good.

“Hmph, what are you talking about?”

“Rui, your shoulders are much higher…”

“Now that I look at it, our mage seems like the type to dance well when complimented.”

After a bit of light banter about the successful request, the heroines started expressing discomfort.

Fortunately, it wasn’t about my shoes, but complaints about the Great Web we fought just moments ago.

“It feels a bit sticky…”

“Hahaha, I guess we got hit with a lot of spiderwebs.”

I seemed to have caught onto the true meaning of this request.

‘Is this a service scene the author intentionally inserted?’

After all, the three heroines were covered in spiderwebs.

It looked like perfectly normal spider silk, but strangely it appeared as if their bodies were tied together with string.

………

The hero was making an effort to avoid looking at them.

“Everyone, go into the room and wash up.”

I was at the back and, thanks to my robe, hadn’t gotten hit with any spiderwebs.

I could give the heroines enough time to wash up.

‘The ferocity of the Great Web would be somewhat helpful.’

Moreover, it had made quite a mess, so there was no need to worry about attacks from other magical creatures or predators.

“Oh, really?”

“Should we take turns washing?”

“No, just go wash up all at once. I can stay alone for that amount of time.”

At that, the expressions of the three heroines lit up brightly.

Then, each of them expressed their thanks and went into the room with the key I gave them.

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……Hero, aren’t you going in?”

“Uh? Me?”

I was dazedly looking up at the sky while waiting for the other party members, but oddly enough, the hero didn’t enter the room.

For reference, the hero was also in a messy state with spider silk. No, on top of that, he was covered in some sticky bodily fluid, so it would be even more uncomfortable.

“Yes. Hurry in and wash up.”

“But leaving you alone in this forest…”

Seeing the hero stubbornly insisting on something odd, I sighed softly.

“Hero, you smell.”

“……?!”

“I can manage for about ten minutes, so just wash up quickly.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll be right back.”

Did the comment about smelling bother him that much? The hero jumped in surprise and entered the room.

Four doors now stood before me.

I took out a pen and marked a golden dot in the sky.

“Hmm, about five days?”

I was prepared for any variables that might arise during the episode of the Fortress of Twilight.

There was about five days until ‘that’ arrives.

I wanted to move a bit faster, but it was too delicate.

‘Let’s organize that one more time.’

The Fortress of Twilight—it’s one of the important episodes where the hero’s party experiences something significant in the western part of the Empire, against the backdrop of an unknown structure that appeared near Alpares City.

‘Essentially, it was said to be akin to a siege.’

Up until now, the battles the hero’s party had engaged in were at best extermination missions.

And those had mostly been one-sided, resulting in minimal damage during the process.

But this time, it would be different.

Numerous adventurers, mercenaries, and the guards of Alpares would participate in the battle.

And on the opposing side, a multitude of magical creatures would pour out from the Fortress of Twilight.

War.

In this episode at the Fortress of Twilight, the hero’s party would experience war.

‘Above all, the hero’s party will meet strong members of the Demon Race for the first time.’

Previously, the hero’s party had encountered the Demon Race a few times.

However, the most power they had faced was roughly equivalent to that of the Aktras met mainly in Intrel Village.

But, in this Fortress of Twilight, they would meet beings nearly equal to each party member and be scattered because of them.

‘To preserve the party’s strength as much as possible… I need to avoid that scenario.’

Just because I eliminated the scattering scenario doesn’t mean that growth variables will disappear.

“Hmm.”

Of course, I intended to follow the story as closely as possible, so I had a method in mind.

“Rui, I’m back. Nothing happened, right?”

They say there’s a big difference between the time it takes for men and women to wash up.

The hero, who had gone in the latest, came out the fastest.

His hair was still damp, indicating he had rushed out.

“Nothing happened.”

“Um… there’s no smell, right?”

“I was joking earlier.”

“Oh, I see…”

I sighed, stood up, and took out a towel from my space.

Of course, it was a brand new one that I had washed after using.

“Sit down.”

“Uh? O-okay…”

Then I started gently drying the hero’s hair.

The unique acupressure massage I got from Rapirie was a bonus.

“Hero, have you heard anything about Alpares City?”

The hero, who didn’t know how to direct his gaze, turned serious at my question.

“Yes. The frequency of magical creature appearances has suddenly increased… I’ve heard that the upper echelons of Alpares are preparing for the appearance of the Demon Race.”

Hmm, it seems the upper echelons aren’t completely incompetent.

They must be leading from the Alpares Count’s family. With the insight of the Alpares lord, they could gather considerable support troops.

“Did the Count of Alpares make any special requests?”

“He said there’s no need to hurry, but that we should visit Alpares if we could. He didn’t make any special requests or anything.”

“I see. Now turn around.”

“Uh?”

“You need to do the front too.”

“O-okay…”

The hero awkwardly sat on the rock and turned his body, and I moved closer and rubbed the towel against his black hair.

Since I was drying it only with a towel, without any dryer or other tools, it took longer than expected.

But I could finish before the other heroines came out.

“I’m all done.”

“Th-thank you.”

“Ahhh! That feels nice!!”

“Rapirie, that’s too impolite.”

Just then, the three heroines came out, and our break was over.

Then, with the four of us looking neat, we mounted and started our gallop through the forest towards Alpares City.

*

The black brick castle walls covered in darkness. However, strangely, the light coming in through the windows was all a shade similar to twilight.

From within the castle walls, numerous screams and roars echoed, causing the ground to tremble slightly in response.

-Aktras has been hit.

In one corner of the castle, a low voice echoed through the empty air.

“One of the primordial roots, is it?”

-That’s correct.

“And the opponent?”

-The Hero Party.

“The Hero Party? They shouldn’t have been able to pierce Aktras’s ambush?”

-There is a new mage who just entered. She seems to have faced Aktras directly.

“A variable, huh? But simply adding one won’t lead to major changes.”

Cluck cluck.

An old man’s laughter filled the room. The sound resembled that of an elder, yet the magic it held was anything but ordinary.

Kurreung…

The castle trembled solely at the sound of laughter.

The voice in the air warned the one who laughed.

-Do not be complacent. The identity of that mage has yet to be revealed.

“No matter who that mage is, she cannot disrupt this plan!!”

Bang!

A wrinkled fist slammed down on the throne, echoing like thunder.

“Our clan will soon have the first descender, and they will become His most cherished loyal servant. I will present the head of the Hero to Him with pride.”

Cluck cluck cluck.

Soon, the voice in the air vanished, and the old man slowly took his seat on the throne.

A new mage had entered the Hero Party, which had been maintained by four for the past year.

This should be interesting.

The old man’s mouth stretched unnaturally wide.

*

Whoosh.

“Eek.”

I woke with a start due to Lux’s sudden bounce.

“Rui, wake up. We’re almost there.”

“Y-yes…”

Was Lux’s reaction the alarm?

With Rapirie’s words, I stretched and looked ahead.

A massive city surrounded by white walls.

Alpares City.

We had really made it to our destination.

Beep beep.

I lifted my pen again and made another golden dot in the sky.

I must’ve moved a bit faster than the party, as we were about a day ahead of schedule.

With this, it seems… I might still consider the variables.

“First, we need to go into the city and meet Count Alpares. Everyone alright with that?”

There was no opposition.

No matter how much of a Hero Party we were, we were still facing the nobles of this land.

At least the noble wasn’t particularly infamous in terms of public image, and the other heroines, even the notably strict Rapirie, nodded along willingly.

The Alpares Mansion, which could be considered the heart of Alpares City, was situated on a slightly elevated area.

Since the city itself had to be carved out of a mountain, it was inevitable that it would rise in height toward the back.

“It is indeed the hero. We’ve heard you are coming to visit the Count.”

With the words of the guard commander at the city gate, news of our party entering the city spread rapidly.

“It’s the hero!”

“That’s the hero~!”

Although they had just heard the news, the enthusiastic cheers from the citizens echoed around.

“Thank you, everyone.”

In response, the diligent hero accepted each greeting graciously.

The heroines seemed to have also gained attention by name, as some cheerers called out to them.

“Ariya! Just one glance, please!”

“Serelin, you’re amazing!”

“Rapirie~!”

Right, well, no one was calling for me.

Of course, there wasn’t enough to make an official announcement yet.

“Who is that?”

“Weren’t there only four? Who is that…?”

Such discussions were present among most.

At that moment, a voice called out to me.

“Wow~ could it be the mage!”

But the tone of that voice was surprisingly high and childish.

It sounded almost like something a child would say…

“But she looks so young! Must be the hero’s little sister!”

What?

I glared at the one who spoke with the eyes of an eagle.

It was a child.

I tried hard to ignore it, but that comment kept circling in my mind.

Just then, the hero, who was walking ahead, approached the child.

“Y-yes, it’s the hero…”

“Hi there?”

“Hello…”

“That person you mentioned is our party’s mage. Her magical abilities are exceptional. Even I can’t treat her lightly.”

“Oh, is that so…?”

“Therefore, please refrain from calling her a little sister. She really hates that kind of comment.”

“Yes, sir!”

………

Even though there was no need to offer an explanation, I felt strangely good.

Thus, after receiving such a grand reception, we finally arrived at the manor and faced a man.

“Hero Party, it is an honor to meet you.”

The man had a unique mustache that caught the eye, resembling a scheming noble from a comic strip.

Yet despite his appearance, he had a surprisingly good reputation among nobility.

“I am Wiener Alpares. I look forward to working with you.”

The head of the Alpares family and the lord of this city was none other than Count Wiener Alpares.

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