◈ Episode 144. I’ll socialize with you

I recognized the question.

‘You haven’t realized it yet.’

The demon who claimed to be the godmother of the Simuard family has been hunted down.

Her curse, her ailments, should be gone.

Bellier didn’t seem to realize it.

Reality and the continent of Arcana.

Two worlds that couldn’t be connected without going through a rift? Well, if not that, then the blurred effect of the state meant that there was less of a recoil when it was lifted.

Whatever the reason, it doesn’t matter.

Yulah Simuard, the moment her name is mentioned.

Because like the servants of the House of Simuard, you will know the whole story.

But is it necessary?

Including Marcelo, of course. Even if you learn the truth now, it won’t change anything. I don’t know why I didn’t see it coming. It would only make me feel worse.

As a demon hunter, I know.

Demons prey upon human regret.

So it was best to just keep my mouth shut.

However, this guy’s pride didn’t allow me to just ignore it.

” I was not defeated. I’ve been hunting millions of demons.”

“……!”

Bellier was stunned by my shameless boast.

After all, the whole point of entering the Arcana Continent was to find a clue to lifting the Terminal Illness Curse.

Bellier’s green pupils widened as he rolled.

“Millions of……! Oh no! I was so worried about Chief Marcelo that I overlooked it for a moment. The Arcana Continent would never have been safe. If that’s the case, then the blood on that cloth must be Chief Lee’s……!”

Bellier immediately raised his magic power.

“I’m sure you still have the scars, right? It’s thanks to the Goddess Church Sacred Artifact you gave me that I was able to take care of Marcelo until now. Would you please give me the opportunity to repay the favor?”

A holy object of the Goddess Church?

Ah, you mean the [Ritual Robe Tainted with Evil].

I purified it through the Exorcism Ritual, which revealed its true name and power.

[Goddess Church High Priestess’ Silk Robe].

It was bad enough that it had a level 700 restriction on it, but it had the additional restriction that it could only be worn by someone with a skill related to [Healing].

I couldn’t even use it anyway.

I gave it to Bellier in case it would help her.

I’m glad to hear it helped.

But.

“I will only accept your heart.”

“Get treatment quickly before the injury spreads… … !”

“No, there are no injuries.”

I mean, literally.

For a man who died once, he was back in the real world in pretty good shape.

Bellier still didn’t understand.

Well, maybe questioning.

‘If you think about it with common sense, it’s a bit much.’

Two hours after returning from the continent of Arcana.

He changed out of his blood-soaked and shredded clothes.

But surprisingly, there were no injuries.

How did he return after slaying millions of demons? His behavior is very suspicious. ……. And Marcelo woke up unharmed.

“……Haha.”

Are you laughing because it’s ridiculous?

If that’s the case, you can laugh as much as you want, Senior Bellier.

I mean, to come back to work two hours after that rampage at the roundtable.

Whatever happened, you deserve a laugh.

I give you special permission to laugh.

But then, Bellier’s hand went to her eyes.

She wiped the tears from her eyes.

“……No, I think it’s better, Chief Lee. Thank you for coming back safely, and most of all, Chief Marcelo. No, thank you for saving Marcelo.”

Shhh.

Bellier bowed her head respectfully.

……There was no need to make a big deal about it.

All that matters is that Marcelo, the real Chief of our tower, is safe and sound. Once Bellier had recovered his emotions, she spoke.

“Chief Marcelo is still resting in his quarters.”

I thought to myself that I shouldn’t have waited so long to visit him.

Even if it was the right thing to do.

I said grimly.

“I’ll check in on Marcelo at the conference.”

” …… conference? You mean the roundtable?”

“Yes.”

I did.

I had witnessed it.

With my own two eyes, I’d witnessed the destruction of the continent of Arcana.

Now, let’s say.

I didn’t have to go all the way to the High-Rank Demon King.

What if right now, [Laxioros, Demon King of the Western Demon Realm], or a demon of his level, was updated in the rift? Just like it has been all along. The world would be paralyzed with shock once again.

‘Demonic activity did not slow with the crushing of the Demon King.’

Let’s set the record straight.

Crushing the Demon King was only a ‘trigger’.

The four demon kings I’ve slain, including Decarabia, have left a void in the ranks of the demons.

It seems that a Demon War has begun among the demons to claim the vacant throne.

-“Then I will grant you the honor of participating in the Demon War with me, Laxioros, on an equal footing!”

Yes, the reason the demons were silent was so that they could take the throne.

They were just watching each other.

I don’t know how the battle for power will play out.

But I can assure you of one thing.

‘Millions, then tens of millions, then hundreds of millions.’

It’s the eye of the storm.

The beginning of a war, or the end of a war.

The moment when something happens.

The demons will be on the offensive like never before!

Yes, the roundtable was to prepare for that.

But to explain this complicated situation.

I couldn’t explain it to Bellier.

I could only summarize it in one line.

“The time has finally come for the tower to move.”

“……!”

Of course, I have to be quick on my feet.

As I said, this was not something I, of course, could handle at the level of the Magic Tower. So, after a long time in power… … . No, the time has come to use ‘authority’.

*

His mind was clear.

Marcelo was lying in his bed, the covers pulled back over him.

Absolute peace.

It was because of Bellier’s newfound faith.

Beyond the door, he heard a conversation he couldn’t ignore.

“Thank God, thank God, thank God, thank God.”

” ……Senior Vanguard, don’t you think crying is too much?”

“Bensch William, is that something you would say?”

“What, me say what?”

“He put his ear close to the door of the separate room and made a fuss… … !”

… … Did we have a relationship where the chief and senior cared about each other?

‘Not yet.’

Marcelo gave a small laugh.

Still, it didn’t mean he didn’t understand the change.

Since falling into the world of adventurers, the tower has seen so many events.

“It must have brought us together, even those of us bound by rivalry.”

“You’re right, Chief.”

“……Gosh, Senior Matisse, I didn’t realize you were here.”

Indeed, Senior Black Mage.

A corner of a private room.

Matisse, sitting in the shade, answered Marcelo’s monologue.

Marcelo carefully pushed himself to his feet.

“Don’t you think you shouldn’t overdo it, Chief Marcelo?”

“It’s not too much.”

Marcelo smirked.

“I’m just embarrassed to be lying still.”

“I’m glad to hear that, then.”

“Where’s Senior Bellier, by the way?”

“She said she had to stop by somewhere.”

“Oh, is that so?”

The curse of the terminal illness was gone.

Marcelo couldn’t even imagine it.

He’d fainted and collapsed like a broken film.

“It looks like I’ve caused you a lot of trouble…….”

He could only assume that Bellier had worked on him.

Matisse remained silent.

Then, just before Marcelo woke up.

He remembered his conversation with Bellier.

-“……I think you’re onto something!”

-“The curse symbols are fading.”

-“……I can’t believe it.”

It all happened before the sun had even set.

Matisse’s head was full of question marks.

What clues did Chief Lee have on the Arcana continent?

How much did he know before deciding to enter the continent?

But Matisse remained silent.

Whatever it was.

It wasn’t the kind of news he wanted to share.

“Ah, by the way, did Chief Lee enter the Arcana Continent as planned? No, Senior Matisse, before that. I was unconscious for a few days, right?”

……A pure expression of not really knowing anything.

Is this what I should answer?

It’s been less than a day.

Should I be honest?

“Judging by the lack of fatigue left in my body, I’d say……. I feel like I’ve been unconscious and sleeping for five days. Oh, this is not the time to be lying around……!”

I need to catch up on some work…….

Watching Marcelo muttering, Matisse raised his eyebrows.

It hadn’t even been a day, and he couldn’t possibly have any unfinished business.

“Listen, Chief Marcelo. That task is…….”

Of course, Matisse’s worries didn’t last long.

Boom.

Bellier was back in the private room once again.

“Chief Lee Ho-yeol has returned.”

Along with some unexpected news.

“……ba, he’s back?!”

A shout from the slightly open doorway.

I could see Bensch’s curling lips.

A series of questioning voices soon followed.

“What, you’re saying that the Chief has already returned?!”

“Because you told me to believe it. I didn’t doubt it……. But so soon?”

“Then, is Chief Lee in the magic tower right now?”

Even Matisse, who normally would have been annoyed by Bensch’s rhetoric, was silent.

First and foremost, it was news about Chief Lee.

Only one person reacted differently.

“……You’re back already?”

Only Marcelo, his sense of time blurred.

Bellier cleared his throat.

It happened on the continent of Arcana, and Chief Lee Ho-yeol, the man in charge, will explain it at the roundtable…..

“Chief Lee Ho-Yeol said this.”

Bellier could only reply with a single word.

“I’ve been hunting millions of demons.”

“……Let’s wait, what, what did you say?”

“Millions?! I have the wrong ears, don’t I, Senior Bellier!”

Wudangtang─

Senior wizards barging through the door.

In front of everyone, Bellier declared once more.

“No, you heard correctly, Chief Lee Ho-Yeol hunted down millions of demons on the continent of Arcana in just over two hours and returned safely to the Magic Tower.”

“!!!”

How is that even possible, even by common sense, even by magic?

The greatest military force on the Arcana Continent.

A look of astonishment crossed the face of the chief, senior mage of the Magic Tower.

*

Yusra Kingdom, Frost, Holy Land Muon.

There was no need to distinguish between the regions.

Now that the demon-type monsters’ activity had subsided.

Everywhere you looked was filled with players.

“I told you, demons, we could do without those bastards.”

“I swear I mumble homen, homen, homen before I go to sleep.”

“Oh, by the way, what happened to Skarl?”

Even after rolling back from a decent-level rift.

These are the players who still have the energy to make small talk.

The chatter didn’t end as easily as it began.

“Well, since the parties involved haven’t talked about it, it’s just speculation. Are you even going to move? Who is Lee Ho-yeol? Even if I say something politely, it’s not enough.”

“yes? It wasn’t even his name, he was called the Evil Dragon Hunter!”

“But Skarl is stubborn as hell. If I were him, I’d say, ‘I misspoke last time, I’m sorry, I’d like to talk to you again, and I’d take a few steps back.'”

It wasn’t a trivial fight, but Ho-yeol was related to his hidden class, [Dragon Knight].

He was Skarl, who should have made an official appearance.

That made it even more confusing.

“Is this the time for pride when you’ve had enough of begging? I don’t know.”

“But it’s kind of funny, don’t you think?”

“What?”

“Skarl, that’s obviously a monk. How have you been living so quietly all these years?”

“Ugh, what are you going to do now? Take a good look at the mob’s face during the time you are watching Skarl’s face. Even before, he attacked me with aggression… … .”

Of course, the most important thing for the players was the experience and items in front of them rather than the news of the world. Therefore, the players could not help but concentrate in unison.

Ding─

The bell chimed to announce the time.

Pooh─

At the same time, trumpets sounded.

It was the same for the Kingdom of Yusra, Frost, and Holy Muon.

The players faced each other.

I don’t know about the bell, but the trumpet sounded……?

A rare occurrence.

No, it hadn’t happened since the Cataclysm.

It’s only natural to realize in your gut.

“It’s ……, something big is coming.”

“Dudes. I think something is coming.”

“Ha. Something, what is it.”

Glup,

Ppuu─

Anticipation grows as the trumpeting continues.

Didn’t someone tell you that?

Great expectations lead to great disappointments.

“……!!!”

However, not this time.

Not as much as the anticipation.

No, it was because the story unfolded in a way that far exceeded my expectations.

In a way that was more intuitive than anything else.

A message flashed before players’ eyes.

[Quest: The Unfinished Holy War]

“……Crazy, what kind of quest is this?!”

It’s a quest that’s so out of the ordinary.

.

.

.

The Kingdom of Yusra.

The Golden Round Table.

I looked at those seated.

King of Yusra, Hakuna.

Acting Lord of Frost, Harkon.

Talim Eber, leader of the Paladins of Muon.

“At last, the beginning.”

“Holy War, I’ve been waiting for this day.”

“May the Goddess bless you.”

Their gazes turned toward me in unison.

I would have said hundreds of millions of demons… … .

Shouldn’t we start by adjusting the number of people here too?