The Hero’s Mentor is a Demon (King) Witch

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Late winter night.

The cold wind sweeps through the forest.

In the open space, a group of companions huddle around a solitary campfire, sleeping in a circle.

Crack, crack.

I shoved more firewood into the pile beside me.

The flame ignited by the spirit reflected my face, long red hair falling to my waist, my skin as pale as that of a corpse.

Only one thing stood out: my crimson eyes, reminiscent of the demon race.

Common folks say those with such red pupils must have the blood of a demon.

Perhaps I am the child born from a woman who consorted with a devil.

It’s true that not all red-eyed beings are demon-kind, but everyone with demonic blood possesses those red eyes.

Demons, fiends, and demon kings alike.

Why do I have such eyes, you ask?

“Master, aren’t you going to sleep?”

A young man approaching from afar, calling me ‘Master,’ held a shining holy sword in his hand.

Of course, he wasn’t coming to kill me but to get rid of the things threatening us.

“Why would I sleep? I’m someone who doesn’t need rest.”

“But you said that enough sleep can relieve mental fatigue, Master.”

“That’s something only the weak need. For a witch like me who has lived for hundreds of years, it holds no meaning.”

“Hundreds of years…”

The youth, wryly smiling at my words, sat down across from me.

His gaze, aimed at me through the dancing flames, felt incredibly oppressive.

“You must have been lonely.”

“Not particularly. I’m fine.”

“Haha, you don’t have to be modest about it.”

“I genuinely am.”

Mistakes are troublesome.

While I might have lived for hundreds of years without knowing about the outside world, that’s merely the case within the ‘Intermediate Realm.’

But that guy interprets it as he pleases.

“It’s okay. You were sealed for hundreds of years, so I understand if you felt lonely. But now, it’s alright. You have me and the others, right?”

“No, I’m really fine!”

“There’s no need to be embarrassed. Everyone’s asleep right now. Someday, they’ll come to understand your true feelings. They just don’t know yet. You’re pretending to take care of them.”

No.

Everyone except you knows.

I wanted to spit that out, but I decided to ignore the actions of the young hero, who pretended not to hear me.

“Master, you are my lifesaver and the one who has made me a hero…”

That’s right.

That guy is the hero.

Among the seven demon kings summoned into this world, he became the owner of the ‘Holy Sword,’ capable of standing against the demon king.

While other heroes wield divine weapons granted by kingdoms or other organizations, this youth possesses the ‘True Holy Sword’ passed down from ancient times.

How did this brat come to wield the Holy Sword?

I made it happen.

To be precise, I turned him into a hero.

To ensure my own survival.

“…Thanks to you, Master, I’ve come this far. I’m truly grateful.”

“Uh, sure.”

“Uh, Master.”

The hero looked at me with a serious face, straightening his posture.

“What do you plan to do after sealing all the demon kings?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet.”

“Just as I thought. You’re only focused on your mission…”

“It’s not like that.”

I aimed my staff at the hero, wanting to shut him up before he got too excited.

“I’m a witch. I am a being that cannot mingle with the world’s people. Even now, if it weren’t for you being a hero, there would be a few in this party looking to kill me.”

“Haha, that can’t be true! They are all good people.”

“…….”

Good people?

I glanced at the women fanned out on either side of the hero.

“How can there be no men here?”

Why am I sitting opposite the hero?

In the process of deciding the seating arrangement, this clueless fool has no idea about the fierce under-the-table standoff that took place.

If I didn’t have the magic and power to seal the demon king’s soul, they would never have left me alone.

The hero is oblivious to the truth.

“…So, what do you really want to say? After sealing all seven demon kings, what’s next?”

“I want to live with you, Master.”

“What?”

Suddenly, my stomach churns.

It feels like my upper cells are rotting away, twisting my insides.

“I originally wanted to live with you in my hometown, but that seems really difficult.”

“Well, that’s true.”

The hero’s home.

Having chosen this innocent and naive fool as a hero for a reason instead of the village where the Holy Sword was embedded.

Every other candidate had some disqualifying trait, and eliminations led to this kid being the last one standing.

That’s all there is to it.

Of course, I didn’t directly tell the hero that.

I chose this youth, Arthur, as my hero because he was the most righteous, just, and pure of heart.

Anyone can be the owner of the Holy Sword, but it was I who chose the owner.

“I will serve you, Master. What do you think?”

“Enough. You should be thinking about how to live with one of these kids, not worrying about me.”

“Ah, well, that’s….”

Arthur’s face reddened as he began looking around at me.

“Master, talking about such things in front of everyone…”

“What? Everyone’s sleeping right now. Because they’re asleep, we can talk about this. Hehe, who is it? Your childhood friend, the sword saint? Or perhaps the saintess? Or maybe the princess of the Elf Kingdom? If not….”

“Master.”

“Hmm?”

“Um….”

Arthur sighed deeply and hung his head.

“Am I really qualified to live my life with someone?”

“…….”

Oh no, here we go again.

He started digging his own grave again.

“If that brat keeps self-loathing on his own, I’m going to have no path left for myself.”

In my heart, I wanted to punch him in the gut and yell, “Shut it, you idiot!” but physical strength is on the side of that guy wielding the Holy Sword.

Even if he were to apologize saying, “I’m sorry, Master! I was just so frustrated!”, the women surrounding us wouldn’t let me be.

In that case, there’s only one good method.

“Why? Is it because the blood of the demon race stains your hands?”

“!!”

It’s merely about helping him finish his self-pity as quickly as possible.

“You, once just a countryside boy, have killed countless demons. You’ve sealed away no less than three demon kings. Are you worried about what will happen after you bring down the remaining four demon kings?”

“…Yes.”

“What about it?”

“How can someone who has committed so many massacres live happily?”

“Haha!”

…

I wanted to laugh out loud.

But that body of mine was not one that allowed for such hearty laughter.

Understandably so, this body is merely that of a stunted 20-year-old child.

“Once again, you make me laugh, Arthur.”

However, that doesn’t mean laughter may erase the contempt.

“Do you think of demons as living beings?”

“Of course?”

“No. Demons are not life. They are devils, mere beasts pretending to be human to deceive humans. Don’t be fooled.”

“But they….”

“Yeah, they’re intelligent and cunning. They act like they care for humans, whispering sweet nothings, while scheming on how to use humanity from behind. They are two-faced beings.”

Just as I use Arthur.

“Will a butcher fall into livestock hell for killing numerous cows and pigs? The one who has slain the demon king forces trying to enslave humanity and brought peace to the continent cannot go to hell and suffer eternally, can he?”

The hero going to hell, the Demon World after his death?

I absolutely refuse that.

“If such a day comes, I will use all my power to send you to the Celestial Realm. Who would dare send a hero like you to hell? Nonsense. I’ll fight with angels to ensure you reach paradise.”

“Master….”

“You, then, should grasp your happiness. When are you the happiest?”

“I….”

Arthur stared at the campfire, lost in thought for a while.

I felt relieved, thinking that I had dodged the self-pity moment.

“Thank goodness.”

Now I could finally feel at ease.

I couldn’t understand why, despite being surrounded by so many women, I had to take care of this brat’s mental state.

No, in truth, I already knew the answer.

These women only knew how to give Arthur brief physical satisfaction and help him forget, but had no idea how to mentally stabilize him.

“The fate of a handsome man truly is tragic.”

He has countless women flocking to him, but they only care for his looks, abilities, and the power of a hero.

They act all sweet in front of Arthur, but behind his back, they’re desperate to occupy the same bed as him.

Such are the heroes’ parties today.

Truly the end times.

“In my day, things weren’t like this.”

The heroes’ parties I saw were nothing like this.

From the Holy Sword’s holder to the Elf Archer, Dwarf Warrior, and Great Sorcerer, they were all muscular men who could easily crush the orcs one-on-one.

Friendship!

Passion!

Dependable comrades you could trust with your back!

Compared to today’s hero party, even if there were disputes, they could share a drink and brush it off.

“I wonder what they’re doing now.”

The human hero must have died of old age, while the Elf Archer and Dwarf Warrior might still be alive due to their long lifespans.

As for the Great Sorcerer…

“Speaking of which, Master.”

“Hmm?”

“When were you the happiest?”

“Me? Well….”

I readily answered.

“When I sleep in bed.”

“…….”

Arthur didn’t speak a word afterward, but I found sleeping to be the happiest moment.

Right now, I can’t sleep.

This body, a deceased one.

“I want to seal the demon kings quickly and return home.”

“I roughly know where three demon kings are, but we still don’t know where the last one is, right?”

“Oh, that’s fine. After sealing the remaining six demon kings, the last one will surely show up.”

“Really?”

“Why, it’s….”

That demon king is me.

“Well, let’s discuss that later. It seems the enemies are drawing near.”

At my words, the hero grasped the Holy Sword once again.

And one by one, those lying next to us slowly began to rouse.

“Now that we’re near the Demon King’s Castle, everyone be careful. That’s where the Demon King of Sloth, ‘Belphegor,’ ruled over five hundred years ago.”

Five hundred years ago, my base.

“Prepare for battle.”

I steadied my breath, ready to give commands to the hero party.

The hero doesn’t know.

His seemingly reliable comrades are eavesdropping on our conversation without even sleeping.

And the hero party doesn’t know.

That I, the witch of the hero party, said to have been sealed five hundred years ago, is actually the demon king.

“…….”

Will I survive the jealous and envious gazes from those women, sending love-filled looks toward the hero behind me?

“I need to seal the six demon kings quickly and bolt back to the Demon World with the kids.”

I want to regain my body and return to the Demon World to sleep.

That’s all I wish for.

“Everyone, be swift! Yes, good! I’ll take the lead!”

So,

“Follow me! I’ll clear the path!”

Please.

“…Thieving cat.”

“…Hmph.”

“Arrogant little….”

I’d rather they not look at me with such rivalrous eyes.

“Ha, haha.”

I couldn’t help but sigh as I watched the women charge ahead.

“I’m a man, you fools.”

I, Demon King Belphegor.

A demon king who’s just stuck in a girl’s body.