Chapter 247 – Congratulations and Support 2
247 – Congratulations and Support 2
Take the Storm Hero Aerial party for example…
The world’s 1st ranked party.
Their leader, Aerial, has eyes of emerald green and hair as green as a raging storm.
His well-trained body, and his back that’s as straight and true as an arrow doesn’t give off any impression of deterioration despite being past his forties. He seems almost majestic, like a sacred tree that has grown tall and thick.
And yet, he has a usually smile on his face that makes him easy to get along with. Even though you know he’s strong, he strikes a perfect balance of not giving off an intimidating aura.
Having a mic pointed at him, Aerial thought for a moment, stroking his chin.
『Hmm, indeed… I do wish to strike back at the members of the Demon King Castle, as well as against my fellow rivals that have been in this industry with me for many years. They may be young, but I wish to do battle with the Fenix party as well. And then there’s…yes, the Wraith party that has yet to enter the rankings. He is in that party after all.』
『He?』
Aerial continued while smiling like a kid who just remembered a practical joke he pulled.
『Contestant Lem. This is the party that he chose after rejecting my own invitation, after all, so I wish to fight the and see for myself.』
I did indeed reject his invitation once.
The excellent and famous White Sorcerer Panacea had left the party, so he was in search of a new party member.
Currently, that slot is filled by the Gale Hero Ewan. A young, earnest, and outstanding Hero.
『I am greatly looking forward to the matching announcements, truly.』
Another was the Jet-Black Hero Ex party…
The world’s 2nd ranked Hero. A man in his late thirties with black hair and black eyes.
Such a gentle smile suits him.
『Well, of course, I want to fight the Aerial party. They’re still ahead of us in the rankings, but I do not think of me and my allies as inferior to them.』
There wasn’t a hint of the gloom that covered his face during the time we challenged the Original Dungeon.
『Other than Aerial, it’s gotta be him, right? Our benefactor, the Greatest Black Sorcerer.』
The title that the Wizard of Foresight Merlin said as a joke.
The interviewer tilted his head.
『Greatest…? Is a Black Sorcerer with such a title truly a…Black Sorcerer?』
Ex smiled gently.
『I have no doubts about the man who came to mind just now. That is just what we call him. Lem, bring on your best tactical choices. We’ll overcome all of them. If I’m with these guys, I won’t lose.』
And then there’s the Nicola party.
『There are two Adventurers that I admire. The first is…I’m sure people have noticed who it is based on the Techniques I’ve been using recently, the Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervor. She’s so cool, and I’ve admired her for a long time.』
『I see…! So the Snow Covered Strong Arm where your arm is covered in silver was created as an homage to contestant Hervor! Well then, that’s one, who is the other Adventurer that you admire?』
Nicola briefly looked at her brother Philip. He gave a nod in return.
「The Black Sorcerer Lem. I learned from him how cool a person who continues to work hard without ever giving up on his dream can be. While I admire these two, I don’t want it to just end there. I also wish to fight them.」
The Silver Hero, who combines the appeal of both elegance and roughness, says that with a fire burning in her eyes.
Then the Ellie party.
『Hah, a foolish question. The ones who yet remain above us, and those who have yet to surrender to us. But I suppose… If I had to say, I would desire a battle with Aerial, the immovable peak of the industry, and…you, Len.』
The only person who calls me that is Ellie.
Refusing to call me neither Lem nor Lemegeton, she gave me that nickname.
The Undefeated Hero, who leads a party of two Black Sorcerers and two White Sorcerer, that I battled alongside as my ally in the Raid Battle, and also a friend I had a match against one time.
『Sir L-Len, you say? Uhm…』
『Don’t bother looking him up, you wouldn’t get it. But, he will come. He isn’t one to pass up such an interesting event…isn’t that right, Len?』
Then the Furcus party.
『I’m hungry…』
Furcus’s stomach grumbled.
『Uh, Sooo… about moving on to the second stage-』
『Hamburger.』
『Huh? What did you s-… Did… Wha-? Did you just say hamburger…?!』
Furcus used the Magic Tool she acquired from the Original Dungeon.
A cloche that creates food out of Magical Energy.
She quickly ate ten portions of hamburgers and then Furcus looked at the camera once again.
『I will defeat everyone. That is all.』
After saying that, she got up to leave the green room, but at the last second, she turned back to the camera that was hastily pointing at her.
『…Berith, Lem. Payback time.』
She’s referring to the victory Berith and I had over the duo of Furcus and Orobas in the Tag Tournament.
Something she hasn’t forgotten about as a woman of war.
Even if we’re both colleagues in the Demon King Castle, even if I am her disciple of the sword, none of that matters before a match.
Moving on to the Astrea party.
『Regardless of who they are, all that stand before us as enemies shall be thwarted. That is what it means to be the Knights Order. With those reasons, I suppose it would have to be the Fenix and Wraith party. Our battle with them changed our perception of this occupation known as Adventurer. With that said, we shall be victorious next time. It is my duty as not only a Hero but as a part of the Knights Order.』
Even if a Four Great Spirits contractor were to become an enemy of Mankind while still keeping their connection with the Spirit, they must be suppressed.
Without the power to do so, world peace cannot be maintained.
The pinnacle of knights, who will not allow herself to be defeated for the sake of peace, is also looking for a resolution to that battle that ended with neither a clear winner nor loser.
Finally, the Fenix party.
The world’s 4th ranked. The Flame Hero. My childhood friend from the same hometown. One of the candidates to become Mankind’s strongest.
My best friend.
『We are focusing on the battles ahead, aiming to grab hold of victory together. That is all that we are thinking about.』
『Is there no party that you would especially like to battle against?』
『As you stated in the question, this is about the second stage, and there isn’t anyone I particularly wish to fight in the second stage. There is no need to limit it to this tournament.』
『…T-that is to say…?』
『Even if we do not have the chance to fight each other this time, we will surely run into each other eventually so long as we are both aiming for the peak. There will be many opportunities in the future. That’s all I need to know. Either way…』
At that moment, I felt like my eyes were locked with Fenix’s through the TV screen.
『I won’t lose a second time.』
The time they took to show the responses of each and every party didn’t take a long time.
Only the famous ones took a little longer. Lots of clips of party responses flowed after another. Most of them saying how they wish to fight a high-ranked Adventurer or mentioned the name of a strong Monster.
If you were to look at all of them as a whole, those who wished to fight me were few. I get it.
But that doesn’t matter.
I was burning.
I couldn’t help the burning sensation from within my chest.
Even though I’m just a Black Sorcerer who couldn’t become a Hero…
We met, fought, and then…they wish to have a rematch.
Am I feeling honored? Happy? Thankful? It might be all three at once, but I think this is the closest to what this feeling is.
…Bring it on. My allies and I will win the next one as well.
「…Even if you can’t make a promise, sometimes it’s enough to just say what you’re thinking at that time, y’know?」
Sensing something from the expression I was making, Blitz said that, like giving me a slight push from behind.
「…Yeah.」
That’s it. Blitz is exactly right.
It isn’t a promise or anything, but a declaration. Just to show that this is what I’m feeling.
It isn’t as if we have a fixed relationship as rivals or sworn enemies It’s not like we have an answer.
But…isn’t that enough?
「Uhm…! Blitz!」
I stood up forcefully from my chair and he waved his hand as if to shoo me away at the same time.
「Yeah, go on, get outta here. When it comes to things like this, you gotta run so fast that your legs and lungs almost give out.」
I was already dashing out of the tavern while he was talking.
The scenery flew by me.
I sprinted with all my might to my dorm room.
I open the door and go directly to the living room.
「…! L-Lem…?!」
Milla, who was sitting on the couch and lazily watching the TV, looked at me as I bounded into the room.
「Milla…!」
「Y-yes…?!」
I stare straight into her ruby red eyes, which looked nervous.
「A-about the last thing you said in our fight.」
Instantly, her face turned bright red.
Her gaze darted here and there, avoiding eye contact.
My heart skips a beat whenever our eyes meet, but seeing her avert her eyes feels somewhat lonely.
「Uh…p-please forget all about that…」
「I…I’m not very good at that sorta thing. And I’m not the kind of guy that can do things like that smoothly.」
Even though I’ve had time to think about what to say, it just doesn’t come out the way I want it to.
「L-Lem…?」
「I kept thinking about all sorts of things, like how it would be rude to wait until I had a more crystal clear answer or something like that. In fact I…I’m still thinking about it now…」
「…It’s alright.」
Milla gives me a considerate smile, perhaps noticing my odd behavior.
「Even after I became a part of the Demon King Castle, a lot of things happened, and I didn’t have proper time to really think about it…no, this is just another excuse.」
「…Fufu. You were suddenly sent off on a business trip to another Dungeon, then there was the Raid Battle, and then you went to investigate the Original Dungeon. You really have been busy, Chief of Staff.」
「Y-yeah. But I…I’ve been thinking how unfair it is that only you’ve been saying it.」
「That is simply because I say it of my accord.」
At that moment, in the face of her lonely smile, my thoughts were blown away.
「H-heart.」
「…!」
「I don’t know if it’s the same, but whenever I’m with you, my heart starts to pound. It feels like it’s about to burst, or I get so nervous that it feels like it’s gonna jump out of my mouth. All of this has happened.」
I could feel the heat on my face like it was on fire.
「…Did you rush back home just to say that?」
「…T-thing’s felt awkward ever since that fight…」
「Did you think I was upset when you didn’t say anything in response?」
「I wouldn’t go that far, but…how should I put this…」
I didn’t even think about it when I was running back, but now I noticed the drops of sweat dripping from me.
Why can’t I properly say what I want to in front of her?
「…A man like you is…」
Huh?
That’s funny.
I was standing in front of Milla, who was sitting down on the chair.
How come it’s the reverse now?
I’m the one sitting down, and Milla’s the one standing in front of me.
…S-she switched our positions in an instant?!
Furthermore, her knee is on the seating area between my thighs as if to prevent me from getting up, and both of her hands were on my shoulders.
We were so close that I could hear the sound of her golden locks flowing down.
I could never get used to this dizzying scent of hers.
Her red gemstone-like eyes were moist, her beautiful skin was flushed, her glossy lips parted, letting out almost white puffs of bated breath and her sharp Vampire fangs peeked through.
I’m…getting a sense of deja vu.
This feels very similar to the first time she sucked my blood.
Apparently, Milla is under the attack of a very strong blood-sucking impulse right now.
「I don’t know whether you’re a late bloomer or an audacious individual…no, perhaps both. You are humble, yet self-confident, hates losing despite being modest, tries to be kind despite knowing the harshness of reality, and unwittingly steals the hearts of others. You are truly…hopeless.」
Milla’s lips move closer to mine and…just before they touch, she goes past it and moves close to my ear.
「And that is why nobody can keep their eyes off of you.」
It felt like she had given my heart a form and was caressing it directly.
A sweet, numbing feeling that is hard to describe.
She pulled her face away from mine and returned to the usual Milla with a gentle smile on her face.
「Lem.」
「Y-yes.」
「I thank you for your concern. However, I am not, by any means, fed up with you, Lem.」
「Huh?」
She puts a hand to her cheek, gazing downwards out of embarrassment.
「It’s just that…well… saying such a poetic thing just before I perished…and whenever I recall it, I can’t help but feel embarrassed. Whenever I look at you, that moment just pops into my head and I cannot bring myself to look you in the eye.」
「O-oh, is…is that why? …I see, so that was it…」
This means I’m just…
…just a guy who made a misunderstanding and hurriedly blurted out「My heart pounds for you.」, etc.
At that very moment, I understood what Milla was talking about.
This truly is embarrassing and I can’t bring myself to look her in the eye.
「But, I was happy.」
「I-I…! Uhm…that is…I’ll go take a bath.」
I stood up, trying to escape.
「Fufufu. You’re right since you smell of booze and a little of sweat.」
She knows that much only because she was so close to me. My shame increased.
「I’ll…hm, yes…shall I slip into something comfortable and wait for you in the bedroom?」
I could see the mischievous, teasing smile on her face.
「…Please don’t tease me.」
While saying that, I am somewhat happy that she’s back to the Milla I know.
Feeling relieved while your heart is still pounding is a strange feeling.
A few days later, the tournament matching was announced.
RELEASE RATE
Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 90 hours
I’m not quite vibing with the Wraith party being as good as it’s portrayed. We got two 10-year-old kids, although they are admittedly trained by a former rank 1 hero, then a white sorcerer that didn’t seem to be anything special until he got inspired and a half-giant woman with a non-combat related job. If Wraith and Fran were like 6 years older, I could respect it, but I just can’t come to terms with them being skilled enough to bring their party to win against *actual* top 10 contenders, with people who should be nowhere near top 10 party material like Josh and Melania.
Rant over, just had to get it off my mind