The strange escape plan at dawn, which was supposed to be a secret, had half-failed.
Thanks to soone who had turned into a spy.
But it could also be seen as a half-success, because instead of having a grand farewell party surrounded by the enthusiastic support of the people of the Kingdom of Sorrow, we were able to say goodbye to the people we had beco familiar with in a simple manner.
The Demon King Aktir, the Prince Bjoern, and the guard Tifri were the total number of people who ca to see us off.
I had received a good gift, and I was able to say goodbye, albeit briefly.
This wasn't bad either.
"Travel safely. The Kingdom of Sorrow will never forget your help."
"I'm glad I could help!"
"I will never forget the grace that Lady Sirila has bestowed upon with her light until the day I die. Ah, instead of this, I should do another grand bow..."
"H-one is enough! Stop!"
Siri said goodbye to the Demon King and the Prince.
"Brother, if there's ever anything I can do to help, just call ! I'll co running!"
"Alright. I'll rember that."
I also said goodbye to the polite Bjoern.
Viola, who seed to have said her goodbyes enough the day before, replaced her farewell with a simple hug.
"Goodbye. Co and visit anyti."
"Okay, Dad."
"Stay healthy, Big Sister. Don't cry too much."
"Mmm..."
Viola was sniffling, but she managed to hold back her tears.
How admirable.
It seed she had cried enough the day before.
"Take care, Princess."
"Okay. You too, Tifri."
"See you again. Lazy guard Tifri."
"...Don't give a weird nickna."
Finally, Lasol and Aktir looked at each other.
"Are we going to see each other on the battlefield again?"
At the Demon King's question, Lasol looked at and answered.
"I don't know. Now that the Apostle of Ketel has beco the ruler of the demon realm and has cleared away the darkness, I don't think there's a need to fight anymore."
The Demon King smacked his lips.
"Really? That's a bit of a disappointing news."
"We'll have to discuss the details, but that's what I think for now. Keep that in mind."
"I'll keep it in mind. Go."
"...Perhaps, we might see each other on a different battlefield."
Lasol muttered that and then turned her back.
I waved to those who had co to see us off for the last ti, and then followed her.
And so, we left the Kingdom of Sorrow and walked east.
The sun, which was just rising, breaking through the eastern sky, seed to tell us the direction we were going.
The place we were going was the empire built by those who followed the will of the Sun God.
The Holy Hilka Empire.
* * *
The empire was turned upside down.
Because the Hero of Light had put down her Pure White Sword, left a ssage not to follow her, and then had gone off to the land of the demon race.
It was so sudden that there was no ti to stop her.
Because she had just stared at the east blankly, said that, and then had thrown herself outside the wall.
When they asked, "Uh, what did you say?", she was already flying in the sky with her wings of light wide open.
And that, alone, and unard.
An unexpected, sudden situation.
It was an ergency.
An ergency summons was imdiately issued, and the important figures of the empire gathered for a eting.
The eting was noisy.
A heated debate ensued.
The eting was divided into two factions.
There was a fierce confrontation between the moderates, who said that the Hero of Light had said not to follow her, and the hardliners, who said that they should charge in imdiately, regardless of the hero's command.
Loud voices were exchanged, and they even went to the point of grabbing each other by the collar and fighting.
And then, ti passed.
When the Hero of Light did not return, the voices of the hardliners, who said that they should disobey the hero's command and launch an all-out offensive against the land of the demon race, grew stronger.
The tense balance was broken, and the opinion tilted to one side.
And so, the eting ended with the victory of the hardliners, and the empire actually began to prepare for an all-out offensive.
Not only the imperial army, but also the various kingdoms belonging to the empire dispatched their troops.
The holy knights and priests of each branch gathered, shouting for the extermination of the demons.
Before long, tens of thousands of troops were lined up outside the western wall of the empire.
It was a very large number for having gathered in such a short ti.
And so, the preparations were complete.
They would advance with the rising sun, defeat the vile demon race, and rescue the hero who was in danger!
Tens of thousands of troops were waiting for the order to advance.
Before the war, the area was filled with the sound of people muttering prayers.
On the wall, Archbishop Ascensio was witnessing the magnificent sight.
"Father in heaven, are you watching? Your valiant children."
Archbishop Ascensio muttered quietly, with his hands clasped.
"I will surely bring back your daughter."
The sun was rising behind him.
Archbishop Ascensio felt the warm sunlight on his back, as if Hope was pushing their backs.
"Ah, Hope. You are watching."
Archbishop Ascensio felt the touch of Hope and slowly raised his hand.
"Ad—"
At that mont, the adjutant next to him shouted.
"Soone is coming!"
"What?"
Archbishop Ascensio, who was about to give the order to advance, was startled and swallowed his command.
"Where!"
"Over there!"
When he followed the finger he was pointing...
Really, in the distance, soone was walking from the black desert.
'A demon?'
When he looked closely, he saw platinum-blonde hair fluttering in the wind.
Fine hair that resembled the sunlight.
"...Huh?"
It was the Hero of Light, Lasol Grace.
"Isn't that the Hero of Light?"
"Where?"
"Uh...? I think it is."
Murmur, murmur.
The commotion began to spread.
"It's the Hero of Light! It's the Hero of Light!"
"The Hero of Light has returned safely!"
"Waaaaah!"
It soon turned into cheers.
"Ah, by Hope..."
Tears of emotion flowed from Archbishop Ascensio's eyes.
"...Uh, Your Eminence?"
"What is it."
"There are others with her."
But, the Hero of Light was not alone.
"Others?"
"Yes. A man with black hair, a girl with black and white hair, and... uh? Uh-oh?"
"What is it?"
"I-it's a demon."
"A demon?"
"Th-three horns...! It's a Triple Horn!"
"A Triple Horn...!"
As they got closer, their figures beca more clearly visible to the others.
"W-wait a minute. Isn't that the Saint of Pure White?"
"The most brilliant light among the daughters whom the Father had allowed the light!"
"But I heard she had turned her back on the light and had been stained by the darkness...!"
Murmur, murmur.
The commotion was mixed with confusion and spread.
"And that man...! Isn't he the apostle of Ketel, the Red-Eyed Devil who broke the hero's wings!"
"What!"
"Why is he coming with the Hero of Light!"
Confusion ca to the army of light, which had strengthened its resolve and sharpened its killing intent towards the demon race, and was fully prepared.
While they were unable to do either, they walked over.
The Archbishop of Light, Ascensio, went out himself to greet her.
"Hero of Light! You've returned! I'm glad you're safe!"
The Hero of Light, Lasol, who had left her sword and gone to the land of the demon race unard, answered solemnly.
"I had so business to attend to, so I had to go."
"Business, you say...?"
Lasol mumbled for a mont and then said.
"I heard the Father's voice, so I went for a while."
"Ah... I see."
Ascensio answered, putting his hands together as if praying to the sky.
"La Hope. We didn't know..."
Ashuban looked at Lasol blankly.
He had a reasonable suspicion that she was just doing whatever she wanted and then using the excuse of 'hearing the Father's voice' to get away with it.
Ascensio's gaze flowed behind the hero.
"But... your companions...?"
"Ah, you know this one. She is the Saint of Pure White."
"Ah... La Hope. How could I not know. She was the one who shone the most brilliant light among the Father's daughters. But, I heard she had turned her back on the light..."
"That's incorrect information. Although she left the empire, the Father's gaze has not left the saint."
When Lasol sent a look, Sirila floated a small light on her hand.
"Ooh...!!"
It was a pure and brilliant light, without a single speck of darkness.
It was so beautiful that it made one exclaim in admiration just by looking at it again.
"My apologies, Saint. This old man had a false light in his eyes."
Sirila, who had once been a saint of Hope, skillfully put her hands together and replied.
"La Hope, it's alright."
As Archbishop Ascensio's gaze flowed to the other companions, Lasol put her hand on Ashuban's shoulder and spoke first.
"This is the master of the prophecy, the ruler of the demon realm who has brought it to its knees, my friend Ashuban."
Lasol said, as if boasting, with a proud face, as if to emphasize it again.
"He is my friend."
"Uh, um. I see. Then that demon..."
"A friend's companion is my companion. I make it clear that he is not our enemy."
"But..."
"It is the Father's word."
"I-I see. I understand."
"..."
Ashuban looked at the Hero of Light, who was stubbornly insisting, blankly.
To think that the archbishop would sweat profusely and just let it go even when she was being so unreasonable.
He could once again confirm the imnse power of the hero in the empire.
It was to the point where he wondered if she was even stronger than the pope.
"My sword?"
"Ah, I have been keeping it."
A priest who had been waiting behind ca out with a pure white sword wrapped in a cloth.
It was the Pure White Sword, Lux, and to so, it was the hero's sword, called the Holy Sword.
Lasol put it on her waist and looked back at Ashuban.
"Ashuban. Are you going to look around for a while? There's a lot to see. Especially the grand cathedral of the Holy See, which is so beautiful that it's called the Cathedral of Light..."
Lasol, who was explaining excitedly like a child with sparkling eyes.
But the man with red eyes answered indifferently, as if he wasn't interested.
"No, I'm busy. I'll go back right away."
"Ah..."
Lasol, who had beco slightly sullen, nodded her head.
"I see... I understand. The ti is near, so you don't have much ti. Then will you co and visit after it's over?"
"Well... we'll see."
At that, Lasol smiled brightly.
"...!"
Ascensio, and the others who saw that dazzling smile, were shocked.
She had always maintained a blank expression and given orders in a solemn tone.
This was the first ti they had seen her smile like this.
"I'm in a hurry, so bring the carriage at once."
"Yes, yes! Bring the carriage!"
At Lasol's command, a carriage was imdiately prepared, and they got on it and went off to the north.
Clip-clop, clip-clop!
Archbishop Ascensio and the tens of thousands of soldiers who were lined up in front of the wall stared blankly at the receding carriage.
"Um... Your Eminence. Shall we disperse?"
"...La Hope. Disperse."
* * *
Rattle, rattle—
Is this why the empire is the empire?
The carriage ran smoothly on the well-paved road.
And after a few days of running on such a comfortable road.
Before long, it had been only a short while since they had entered an off-road with no road.
Feeling the welco rattling, I asked Lasol, who was sitting across from .
"Co to think of it. What happened to the Hilden Kingdom?"
"Ah, you an there."
Lasol, who had been reading the Bible, raised her head.
"Well... let's just say there was a large-scale burning at the stake."
"Archbishop Holio? Was he alive?"
"He was alive, so he took the best spot at the burning at the stake."
Lasol closed the Bible and smiled.
"He burned well. It seems the Father was also watching."
"That's heartwarming news."
I, who had been staring out the window, realized that the ti had co, and woke up Siri and Viola, who had been sleeping soundly.
"We're here. Wake up."
"Mmm..."
"Already...?"
The two sleepyheads woke up, rubbing their eyes.
The carriage door opened, and as soon as they got out of the carriage.
A scent similar to the one I had slled in the demon realm greeted .
"Sniff— ha..."
I inhaled it deeply.
It was the sll of ho.
Lasol, who had followed out, put the palm-sized Bible she always carried in her bosom and looked at .
"Ashuban."
I t her eyes, which resembled the sunlight.
"Lasol."
We naturally shook hands and said.
"I didn't know you would take all the way to the border of Maia."
Although it was still a lawless area, when the carriage with the imperial family's crest passed by, the many bandits were nowhere to be seen.
It was similar in effect to the aura torch I had held up high and run with.
Lasol laughed.
"What of it. Isn't it natural for friends?"
"Is that so? I don't know if I took up too much of the busy hero's ti."
Lasol shook her head gently, with a smile on her lips.
"Don't worry about it. It was a sufficient reward."
"Really?"
"That's right. I'm satisfied enough just by talking with you on the way. It was so much fun that I didn't even notice the ti passing."
"...?"
What did we talk about on the way?
There wasn't much productive talk, like about the grand plan of the Dark Heaven Society and the Evil God who would soon descend, the prophecies written in the Bible, or training thods.
It seed that most of it was just useless jokes that I exchanged with Dofang.
—What if a sword gets serious?
—...? I don't know.
—It turns black.
—Puhuhup! You're so funny.
It seed that there was no one with enough guts to dare to make such a cheap joke to the Hero of Light.
[...This one doesn't seem normal either.]
Anyway, it was ti to say goodbye.
"See you again."
"When the crisis cos, I will stand by your side without hesitation."
"Then I'd be grateful."
"Until we et again, goodbye."
Lasol waved and saw us off.
We waved back at Lasol and entered the Maia Kingdom.
—KWAAAAAAAK!
"Welco, magical beast!"
BOOM!
Before long, we also said goodbye to the welcoming party that greeted us and ran towards Milestone.
And so, we arrived at Milestone, the hideout of the Sherwood rcenary Corps.
Thump!
"You bastards! We're back!"
As I kicked the door open and rushed in like a wave...
"...Huh? Viola?"
"It's Viola!"
"The crybaby is back!"
"It's the devil!"
The Sherwood mbers who had been lazing around in the hideout poured out and gave us a warm welco.
And at the center of that heartwarming scene.
"You guys... hwaaaaaaaah."
Viola, like a crybaby, burst into tears once again.
The Sherwood rcenary Corps.
Now that all the scattered stars had been gathered.
All that was left was to shine brightly.
(End of Chapter)
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