NOVEL NEXT Chapter 51 - Episode 51: Life of a Former Hero
Episode 51: Life of a Former Hero
If it’s the hero Cea, he should know Zaus well.
The hero was killed by Zaus…
Where could the body be?
I’ll resurrect him with undead secret arts.
Heh heh. As expected of me! If I ask the undead hero, who now knows about Zaus, for information!
With discipline, I’ll resurrect the hero!!
Gwahahaha!
The traitorous weakling demon!
Polite titles like “Duke of the Dark” are given, but your lineage is the bottom of the barrel among demons. You’re weaklings who got pushed to the frontier!
I am the elite! I am the captain of the Demon Lord’s personal guard!!
Don’t get cocky just because you’ve strengthened the goblins a bit. I’ll expose the secrets you’re hiding! If you think with discipline, there must be a reason you’re hiding your status with concealment magic. Heh heh. That’s right. If you’re stronger than the Demon Lord, there’s no need to hide anything!!
Are you scared, Zaus?
Heh heh. That’s why you’re hiding, right? Maybe your level is lower than that Gobutaro’s? Heh heh.
It’s very likely!
The reason for hiding is lack of confidence!
His level is lower than a goblin!!
Heh heh.
The goblin vanguard is just a bluff. You were about to be fooled. If you think with discipline, it’s strange for just one goblin to come. You were about to be completely fooled!
Heh heh. You cowardly piece of crap, Zaus.
I’ll expose your secrets!
It’s probably not a significant level anyway.
I’ll report your information immediately.
Then, I’ll have the Demon Lord crush you! And that damn goblin too!!
Wait and see with a clean slate!
Gwaaaahahaha!!
Perfect!!
100 percent!!
It’s my victory!!
I decided to enter Rontomelda territory wearing a hermit’s hood.
Heh heh heh.
This hood has the power to conceal demonic energy.
With this on, I can easily enter human territories with magical barriers.
Well, if I claim to be a traveling medicine seller, my identity won’t be revealed. Heh heh.
Hero Cea is said to be from Hajime Village.
I visited the village.
Hmm…
I searched around the graves, but I only found graves of past heroes.
Is Cea’s grave in another place?
Should I ask the village chief?
“Oh. Are you selling medicine and traveling?”
He’s about in his seventies.
He shows a kind smile.
Let’s just fake a smile.
“Yes. I heard there was a hero in this village, so I wanted to meet him.”
I know that the hero Cea was killed by Zaus.
So, there should be a grave where the body is buried.
If I resurrect that body with undead secret arts…
“Hero… you say. That might take a while to explain. How about some tea?”
“Huh? Uh… Sure… Well then… Excuse me.”
I didn’t come here to have a long conversation.
“I want to hear more about the medicine you’re selling. This village is short on medicine.”
“Y-Yes…”
Damn old man.
Tell me about Cea soon.
“Please take your time. I’ll go check on the kitchen for a moment.”
As I sit at the table, a man brings tea.
“P-Please… have some…”
This man… There’s a slave mark on his right hand.
Does the village chief own slaves?
About the medicine…
Well, I prepared the medicine so I wouldn’t be suspected.
Heh heh heh. Even in situations like this, discipline is important. I haven’t overlooked anything.
I’ll leave it on the table until the village chief returns.
Powdered medicine. Ointment. And–
“A medicine in candy form, easy for children to eat. It’s made into candy, so you just have to lick it.”
“Candy!?”
Huh?
Suddenly, the slave man raised his voice.
“A-A-A Candy… Candy… Crunch…”
He seems terribly afraid of the candy.
Did something happen?
The man trembled and dropped the dishes to the floor.
“Ahhhh!! I-I did it!!”
Haha.
Well, he’s a slave. He might get scolded by his master.
As I’m thinking that, the man starts bowing to me.
Huh? Why me??
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!! I’ll reflect on my life!!”
He says and repeatedly hits his head on the ground.
“No… I-I didn’t do anything… Well, I was just a little surprised.”
“Aaaah! A-Are you surprised!? I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry!! Please forgive me. Please forgive meeeee!!”
“No no. It’s all right now, so don’t worry.”
“Can you forgive me?”
“Yes. Forgive… I mean, there’s nothing to forgive… Haha. Don’t worry about it.”
“Ahh! You’re so kinddd!”
“……….”
What’s with this slave… He’s oddly emotionally unstable.
Then, the man started praying towards the sky.
“Oh. I thank the customer. I thank this day. Thank you, thank you, thank you–”
Hey hey, are you okay?
“–Thank you, Village Chief, for everything. Thanks to you, I am still alive today. Thanks to you, I exist. I am a lowly creature. I’m sorry for being born.”
Is this the village chief’s doing?
This is going too far.
And there, the village chief returned.
“Hehehe. Did my slave cause you any trouble?”
Smiling, but it’s terrifying!
These are the ones you should be most afraid of.
I want to get out of here right away.
“Did you cause trouble for the guest?”
“N-No! I received forgiveness!”
“Oh…”
“I also expressed my gratitude to the world! I also apologized to the Village Chief!!”
“How many times?”
“Uh, three times or more!”
“All right.”
Terrifying!!
What’s going on here!? This village chief is way too scary!!
“Hehehe. You must educate your slaves properly.”
Hii…
Stop looking at me with that smile…
“Now then. I’ll talk to the traveler. You leave, Cea.”
“Yes. Excuse me.”
Huh?
Did I just hear “Cea”?
Th-The same name as the hero…?
“Oh, did you notice? That man was the former hero.”
Whaaaat!?
“That hero Cea died, right?”
“…Hmm. Well, yes. He died. Hehehe.”
No, that’s why the smile is scary.
“He was reborn, you see. As a true human.”
A true human…
Then, his voice was heard from the back of the kitchen.
“Thanks to the villagers! Thanks to everyone! Thanks to my comrades! And most of all, thanks to the Village Chief! I’m sorry for being born!!”
Not exactly a true human… He feels like something else entirely.
No, that’s not important.
If Hero Cea is alive, then things are simple.
“Um… I’d like to have a conversation with the hero alone, please?”
“Oh. With such a lowly creature?”
No, not like that.
“Um, well. I’ll give you these medicines I’ve lined up here! How about it?”
“What! Such valuable medicine! Very well. Then–”
And then, narrowing his eyes,
“Just five minutes. I’ll allow conversation.”
Short!
“Cea doesn’t get breaks. He must continue to work. That’s how he must atone for his sins. Hehehe.”
Ugh.
This village chief is definitely not normal.
Anyway, permission has been granted. I’ll extract the demon duke’s secrets from Cea.
Cea and I went to the backyard of the village chief’s house.
It seems like this is where we can be alone.
He carefully glanced around several times. And then, after confirming that no one was around, he clung to my body.