I Became the Burden of a Conscienceless Party

205 – Side Story 2. The Story After, Esmeralda (2)

The story after, Esmeralda (2)

She also has her excuses.

Firstly, she has no knowledge of the geography around the Demon King’s Castle.

In the first place, unlike other people, she had no reason to care about the vicinity of the Demon King’s Castle.

Now, there was Irina, who was managing the Demon King’s Castle, and Millia, who was the head of the Magic Tower for research purposes, and Tina, the head of the ＜Eye of Truth＞, a group of scholars who were conducting topographical surveys, but she didn’t have anything like that.

So I didn’t have to worry about it and there was no need to bother me with my luggage and important documents like other people did.

She called it a time of self-reflection, but it was also something that had no justification to begin with.

“hmm.”

Esmeralda looked back at herself.

What on earth was he? While everyone else was busy working and trying to seduce Jim, what on earth was he doing?

“Am I just a freeloader?”

Nothing was done.

I had been thinking for a long time that I would retire after defeating the Demon King, and I actually did it.

At first, it was quite comfortable. I no longer had to toss and turn every night, wondering how I could defeat the Demon King, and since camping was always a basic necessity, I was able to spend my time in the Demon King’s castle, which was the best environment for me, so I felt at ease.

She said that it was not good to be too lazy, so she went to the training ground and swung her sword, but that was the end of it.

She was a freeloader, just eating and sleeping while everyone else was working hard to make the world a better place.

“Hmm… … This is a leap.”

Even though the answer was already clear, Esmeralda tried hard to deny it. What matters now is why she was lost, not why she was a freeloader with only strength.

“Because I’m a vigilante!”

Esmeralda was still making excuses, despite her earlier words telling her not to make a leap of faith. And just in time, she came up with a good excuse.

“So the reason I got lost was because of the vigilantes… … .”

However, Esmeralda claims to be a vigilante, perhaps because she has a conscience and creates a position that does not exist.

But no matter how nicely it is packaged, there is no denying that she is currently lost and has to survive by picking berries and eating mushrooms.

“Ugh… … !”

Esmeralda cried alone.

It’s not just that I’m lost, but also because I regret my past choices.

That’s right. Esmeralda recalled the time before she got lost, when she was wandering around the path that Jim might have taken, trying to recall what she remembered.

An incident where I accidentally discovered a group of demons being chased by demons and helped them.

The work of guiding lost and stranded scholars to a safe place.

Helped mediate between a wizard who was in conflict with the demons.

I solved all that.

It’s not because she’s a warrior, but because she acted according to her nature.

It was a proud thing. I could feel pride when I saw the expressions on the faces of people who were expressing their gratitude to me.

So Esmeralda set off, controlling her smiling lips.

While showing only the back of your head.

“I should have… asked for directions!”

When on earth did he start to lose his way?

Why was I so intoxicated with myself for just doing a great job and turning around without even caring about that?

Since she had always been struggling since coming to the Demon World, she was very happy to see herself solving problems with overwhelming strength.

“after…….”

Esmeralda sighed deeply and swung the holy sword.

As her holy sword traced a beautiful golden trail, the fruits of the trees fell to the ground with a thud.

It’s her dinner tonight.

“Hehe, it looks delicious.”

Feeling of reduced intelligence.

Esmeralda sat down on the floor and picked up the fallen berries.

Actually, it didn’t look very tasty.

However, unlike the old Demon World, it has become a fertile land, so edible fruits like these have been produced.

Well, well.

Esmeralda chewed the fruit with an almost expressionless face.

Today, too, the dining table is lonely and monotonous.

It was a harsh experience for her, who enjoyed the sumptuous meals at the Demon King’s Castle.

There was a time when I was leading a vegetarian life that I didn’t want to live.

“It’s like I’m a forest fairy.”

“what?”

A familiar face appeared in the forest, accompanied by a rustling sound.

Was this the expression of those who had been saved by her? Esmeralda looked at the other person with an expression that seemed more saved than ever.

“Mr. Jim!”

“What are you doing here? I was worried because you didn’t come home even after waiting for me. Well… … I’m glad that it wasn’t as bad as I expected.”

“Are you here to pick me up?”

Jim smiled.

“I’m lost too.”

It was a match made in heaven.

***

Jim also had his excuses.

Since he was the guide and porter of the warrior party, I thought there wouldn’t be any problems this time either.

And indeed, it was.

The only minor issues were that Jim’s physical strength was not what it used to be and that the environment of the Demon World, which he was so familiar with, had changed.

Unlike in the past, when you could simply fly into the air and check the direction when you were confused, today’s luggage couldn’t even properly determine the direction.

Is the only thing we can rely on the calculation of direction derived from the relationship between the sun and time?

Even that would lose its meaning at night, and even though the demon world had been purified, not all the demons had disappeared, so it was necessary to prepare for their attacks at night.

Only then did Jim realize.

‘I should have brought at least one person as an escort… …!’

I set off in such perfect shape that I didn’t even have time to ask for an escort.

The same goes for the people of Demon King’s Castle.

Since Jim was the Demon King and was going on an expedition alone, no one followed him or pointed it out.

Actually, it was a natural thing.

That was a natural thing for the demons.

In a place where power is authority, who would be worried if the Demon King were to go out alone?

Those who had any sense of propriety were so possessed by the burden that they were unable to make sound judgments.

A journey that was set out on without any plan.

The first night, Jim was chased by demons and lost his way. He was unable to connect the changed environment with his previous one, so he wandered around.

After wandering and wandering through the forest like that.

“Still, I was able to join you, warrior, so my goal was halfway fulfilled.”

“… … That’s right. I’ve found Mr. Jim, so I’ve accomplished half of my goal.”

All that remained was the result that the warrior and the demon king got lost together.

It’s truly amazing.

“Mr. Jim, do you have any food?”

“Oh, yes. Unlike you, I am far from being a superhuman. I thought it might be a long trip, so I prepared thoroughly.”

“Oh oh……!”

Esmeralda greeted Jim’s confident appearance with a bright smile.

I don’t ask for much.

Jerky will do. She wanted to eat meat, but for now, she would be satisfied just by chewing on jerky.

“Here are some tree fruits.”

“… … .”

However, what Jim took out was the fruit that Esmeralda had been chewing on.

Jerky? There’s no such thing.

Would you have packed something like that when you set off on a journey intoxicated by the atmosphere?

Even if he had noticed it in the middle, Jim had no intention of turning back.

I thought I could gather enough from the surrounding area to eat. That was true, so I guess that’s why I kept the fruit like this.

Well, well.

Esmeralda and Jim sat down next to each other, chewing on the fruit.

It was nutritious but tasteless.

And there was no taste to the chewing.

There is a reason why Esmeralda is looking for meat.

“Mr. Jim.”

“yes.”

“Can we talk?”

“As much as you want.”

While she was chewing on some fruit in the silence, Esmeralda turned her head slightly and looked at Jim.

Jim’s words may have lost their steam, but he was certain that he had come to get him.

I was secretly glad about that fact.

So much so that I had to bury my face in my arms placed on my knees to hide the corners of my lips going up.

He came to find himself.

No one else but yourself.

“Why did you decide to come to me when there are other people?”

It was a blunt question.

I wanted to hear that they had come to find me because I was special.

To be honest, other than that, why would you come all the way to a place like this?

It’s okay if you don’t. For example, if Jim came to see you because he was the worst.

In a way, it means that I was very worried about her, so even if it’s a little ambiguous, I’m still happy.

but…….

“Everyone else has returned home, but you, the warrior, haven’t come home.”

“……yes?”

The words that came out of Jim’s mouth were so different from what she had expected.

Everyone else came home. She was the only one who didn’t come back.

There’s nothing strange about that. However, it’s strange that they’re members of the warrior party.

‘You just sent the luggage that said they would come looking for me? Irina and Milia?’

That makes no sense.

Esmeralda’s sense, no less than Tina’s, indicated that the current situation was not ordinary.

“… … Did something happen with the kids. For example… … That… … That thing, right? That thing… … .”

“s*x?”

“No, what the fuck are you talking about?! But that’s right! Did you? Didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. Otherwise, how could I have escaped the Demon King’s Castle alone? Now, only you remain, Hero.”

“oh my god!”

Esmeralda collapsed in despair.

“Ugh… … .”

really.

I was very desperate.