Volume 2 - CH 1.1

Prologue 2

Translated by SoundDestiny

Edited by SoundDestiny

Two weeks had passed since the defeat of the Poisonous Demon Dragon.

I woke up in my bed at the inn called Wind Dragon Fountain Pavilion, washed my face, changed my clothes and went to the dining room.

“Ned-san. Good morning.”

“Oh, good morning, Risha.”

I had a brief conversation with Risha, a waitress who works at the inn.

I see Risha almost every morning at the same time, so she knows me by name. In addition, we are the same age, so she is easy to talk to.

The inn is an old-fashioned wooden structure, but it is comfortable. The food is delicious, and the waiters are very friendly. I think I was right to ask the regulars of the Adventurers Guild for their recommendations. I will probably stay at this inn for the rest of my stay in the Kingdom of Enuvidia.

“Are you going to the Adventurers Guild today?”

“No, I’ll be somewhere else for today.”

“Ned-san, you show up at a lot of places besides the guild, don’t you? Are you working on….something else?”

“Well, yes. I just do some light chores aside from the Adventurers Guild to earn some money.”

“I see…..Take care of yourself, will you?　You seem to be busy every day.”

“I’m doing better though.”

Compared to the time when I was required to slay a poisonous demon dragon, I have a much easier life now than when I was adventuring with a group of friends who had one or two peculiar behaviours. I’m just grateful that I’m getting enough sleep.

“Oh, by the way, the other day I received a message from an adventurer, Zagan-san. He asked if you could introduce me to one of your vanguards for the dungeon attack.”

“Okay, I’ll get back to you later……Zagan, huh? If there’s a vanguard that fits that guy’s style, it’s Warren or Noct.”

If he wants to recruit party members, I feel it would be quicker to rely on the guild than me, but apparently this kind of consultation has been increasing recently.

I don’t feel bad. These small steps eventually lead to a reliable network of contacts.

After filling my stomach, I head out into town.

The Kingdom of Enuvidia is a large country. The royal capital, the hub of the kingdom, was bustling with activity from morning onwards.

On the way to my destination, I stopped at a general shop.

“Welcome.”

“I’d like to buy a newspaper.”

The man who owns the shop replies [Aight] and takes out a newspaper.

As I take out some coins, I take a quick look at the goods on display in the shop.

“Sorry if I’m imagining things, but the selection of goods is strangely skewed.”

“Ohh, you seem to know. The truth is, I’ve recently run out of stationery stocking routes. I’m trying to find some but……”

“I can introduce you to some merchants if you like. He should be in town tomorrow.”

“Oh, really?　Thank you!　In return, I’ll give you a 50% discount on that newspaper!”

I bought the newspaper at half the usual price and gave the shopkeeper the merchant’s name and contact details.

It was time to head off to work.

Leaving the general shop, I walked straight ahead along the paved cobbles and saw a large castle.

I lightly bade the guards, whom I have spoken to a few times, and entered the castle. It seems that they recognise me enough to give me a face pass. It’s not so bad getting this treatment, I’ve been to this castle several times before I defeated the poisonous demon dragons.

“You’ve arrived”

When I reached the small parlour, a blue-haired knight  – May – smiled at me.

The silver-haired girl who was drinking tea next to her also put her cup on the table and looked at me.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Ned!”

“Sorry, Rushia. I came a little bit late.”

“It’s okay. I’m sure you’ve been helping people again, Ned.

It was a hard word to affirm, so I smiled to cover it up.

To the casual observer, it might be helping people.

But it’s still just complacency on my part.

“I told you before, you are welcome to stay at the castle. After all, you are a benefactor to me and my country.”

“I am flattered by your kindness, but I must refrain. I feel more at home at the inn. I am an adventurer after all.”

When I said this, Rushia  laughed and said, [That’s right, isn’t it?]

“Well then, let’s get this meeting started.”

Rushia took one look at the clock on the wall and nodded happily.

“Umu. The subject for today is the selection test for the Hero Party.”

◆

Having defeated the Poisonous Demon Dragon, the Kingdom of Enuvidia can now afford to do many things. Several diplomatic relations that had been interrupted have been restored, and the power that had been devoted to monitoring the poisonous dragon can now be allocated to other areas.

The formation of a heroic party is the best example of this.

That is why it must be done carefully. This is a step towards a new era for the Kingdom of Aenebidia, which has escaped the threat of the poisonous demon dragon.

“Last time, we heard incessantly from Ned about heroic parties in other countries. But in the end, the characteristics of the heroic parties were on a case-by-case basis.”

“Well, yes. The status and values appropriate for a brave man differ from country to country.”

I nodded to May’s words and said.

Suddenly, an entity called the Demon King appears in the world and threatens mankind with countless monsters. The heroic parties are warriors dispatched by each country to fight against them.

A party can have at most seven members, and each country can only dispatch one party. There are no rules, but as the heroic parties travel around the world, it is preferable that they are small and not too expensive. Another reason is that if too many people are allocated to a hero party, the country’s armed forces will be stretched too thin.

Besides, …. head count is useless in front of the demon king.

The fact of the matter is that the Demon King and the monsters that follow him are so strong that even the most skilled adventurers are no match for them. Therefore, the heroic party is an honour that only a handful of strong men are allowed to carry, and it is no exaggeration to say that they are the representatives of the country.

However, it is not just a matter of being strong. The heroic party must be supported by a large number of citizens, as they set out on a journey to defeat the Demon King on behalf of the country.

In the Kingdom of Intail, where I was from, adventurers were not criticised for becoming heroes. However, in the neighbouring Imperial Kingdom, for example, where civility and lineage are valued, knights with the right education and training, rather than beaten-up adventurers, serve as members of the heroic party.

The characteristics of the heroic parties varied from country to country.

“I ask you once again, what abilities are you two looking for in a hero?”

To my question, it was May who answered first.

“Strength, to say the least. In the end, we want them to fight the Demon King. We can’t choose someone who doesn’t seem to be able to defeat the Demon King as a hero.”

That’s a fair point.

Nodding, Rushia then stated.

“No matter how strong you are, you cannot be selfish. I want you to be aware of the country and people who support you.”

In this view, the heroic party of the Kingdom of Intail could be considered an exception.

Those guys were rampaging around with their own selfishness until the very end. That one was clean and charismatic, but if they can’t be …… controlled, they will be a burden to the country. That’s why we gave up on them early.

The reason why each country dispatches a brave party is partly the cause of defeating the Demon King, but it is also undeniable that there is a business aspect to it.

The reason why each country dispatches a brave party is partly the cause of defeating the Demon King, but it is also undeniable that there is a business aspect to it.

When a party of heroes from their own country defeats the Demon King, a huge economic effect will be generated. However, if more money is spent than that, it will be a failure as a business.

“What do you think, Ned?”

“Well, I think…..”

It reminds me of the brave men and women I know.

What kind of hero I knew…..what was the hero I could not be?

“A…..human being.”

A simple conclusion came to me.

“No matter how strong you are, you cry when you are sad and laugh when you have fun. I think that kind of person deserves to be a hero.”

At least, all the heroes I knew were like that.

Even though they were people who stood up to the Demon King, sometimes they cried and sometimes they laughed. That kind of humanity is surely an element that attracts the masses.

However──

“……I don’t mean to say this myself, but it’s not something that can be assessed in an examination.”

“Umu. But I agree with the opinions from Ned. A Hero is a representative of the people. Therefore, they must understand the feelings of the people.”

May seemed to agree and gave a small nod.

“There are plenty of people who are simply strong. That’s exactly what all the guys on this ranking are.”

Saying this, I spread the newspaper I had bought at the grocery shop on the table.

The ranking of the strongest humans that I made to persuade Rushia before……is still talked about all over the world, apparently. Thanks to this, for the past week, the newspapers have been constantly carrying the rankings.

“It’s a bit late for this, but can’t we assemble a hero party together using the power of Ned? No, of course not, and I’m not going to rely on you to give it up either. …… I’m just asking about the possibilities.”

I thought for a moment and replied to May, who said while looking at the rankings.

“It’s a delicate point. If a person is suitable to be a hero, he must be a suitably competent person, but…..usually such a person is in a special position. No one wants to be in a party of heroes from another country.”

May made a disappointed face.

I smile lightly at her.

“In any case, the people won’t be convinced that I personally chose the members. I think the hero party of this country should be chosen by Rushia, the representatives of this country.”

“…… That’s true too.”

May is convinced.

The selection test for the Hero Party is also meant to be a presentation to the people. At any rate, the hero party will be the representatives of the country, no less than the royal family. The people need to be convinced that if they have survived such an examination, they can represent the country. We have to conduct that kind of test.

“Speaking of which, Ned. I have a question about these rankings…”

Rushia said, pointing to a newspaper spread on the table.

May’s white fingers, with their nails neatly clipped, are placed on top of the strongest ranking of mankind.

“What is this Yggdrasil?　There are two people with the same surname in the ranking. ….”

I was only a moment too late in replying to that question.

It’s okay……neither Rushia nor May noticed my discomfort.

I pushed down my agitation and answered.

“……who knows. They must have a big family.”

◆

The meeting continued for several hours afterwards.

After the meeting I left the castle and visited the Adventurers Guild alone.

This time I did not visit to receive a request. I had a quick chat with the receptionist and headed upstairs to the private room I had reserved.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Ned.”

When I entered the room, a blonde woman in pure white armour looked at me.

Riese Von Aldiana. She is the leader of the 『White Dragon Chivalric Order』, the most famous adventurer party in the country.

“You’re as lovely as ever. Come here, come here. Let me pat you on the head.”

“Only you can say such a thing, Rises……. oi, stop, don’t touch me.”

“Don’t be so reserved. If you went to the trouble of choosing a private room, this is what you were expecting, wasn’t it?　I was expecting a lot of stuff, by the way.”

“As if!  Just get away from me.”

“Aah!?”

I forcibly distance myself from Riese.

Riese’s existence level is 6, whereas mine is 1. Essentially, my physical abilities should be no match for Riese at all, but…..somehow, Riese doesn’t do anything that the other person doesn’t want to do.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for so long……”

“…..you’re being childish.”

For a moment, I thought, [Can’t I allow it for a little bit of that?]  But I soon came to my senses.

“I chose the private room because I wanted to talk to you about these rankings.”

Saying this, I spread the newspaper on the table, which I had just shown to Rushia and the others.

However, Riese does not look at the newspaper, but looks gainfully surprised.

“─ ─ I suppose, it’s about Yggdrasil. right?”

The loose air disappears.

The air is no longer relaxed.

“The darkness that lurks in the Amdo Empire, the secret society Yggdrasil. I’m the one who commissioned the creation of the……rankings, but I never thought their name would come to light so brazenly and so openly.”

(アムド帝国)

“Wasn’t this ranking supervised by the Great Sage Merlin and Lucas, the King of Wisdom? That’s also a difficult opponent to….. rein in.”

“Aaa. They know everything, but they don’t care about the value of their knowledge. To them, Yggdrasil is not a secret society, it’s just another organisation.”

Often, one should not expect a common-sense attitude from a race of geniuses.

If I had had more time, I might have been able to hold the reins, but at the time I was in a hurry to persuade Rushia. In fact, if Rushia  had arrived just a little later in the fight against the Poisonous Demon Dragon, we could have been wiped out. It was the best decision at that stage to let the Great Sage and the Wisdom King work in a groove, without controlling them.

Besides, my intentions were not involved in the matter of the rankings being released to the public. Maybe someone close to those two people got a whiff of the scoop and wrote the article……They’re working very fast. Thanks to that, I’m in a bit of trouble now.

“Yggdrasil is an illegal organisation based in the Amdo Empire. I have heard that its aim is to develop weapons to help defeat the Demon King, but the……actual situation has not been made public. The only thing that is clear is that its activities include inhumane experimentation.”

The beginning of the project was a mere coincidence. A soldier from the Amdo Empire overheard a conversation between Yggdrasil members in the camp. Hearing that the prisoners were to be used for human experimentation, the soldier immediately reported the matter to his superiors, who later executed him and his superiors for espionage.

But one cannot put a door in another’s mouth. The Amdo Empire seems to have prevented the leakage of information, but a small number of people have escaped surveillance and passed information on to others.

Originally, there had been a number of unexplained incidents in the vicinity of the Empire. Large numbers of corpses were dumped deep in the mountains. The appearance of a new species of monster that may have been artificially created. A succession of prominent scholars went missing, and the remains of research facilities were sometimes discovered.

It is rumoured that Yggdrasil may be the culprit behind them. However, even so, there is no record of the Empire seriously investigating Yggdrasil. In other words, Yggdrasil is a powerful organisation within the Empire.

“There have been several people who contacted Yggdrasil in the past to ascertain the truth. However, not all of them returned alive. In some cases, they were found in a state of utter disrepair.”

As a result of a series of such cases, the notoriety of that organisation has spread among adventurers and citizens throughout the land.

“Don’t get involved with Yggdrasil……It is common knowledge for those who know the world to a certain extent. But now that its name is on the rankings, someone might provoke them. I would like….Riese  to casually appease those people.”

“I understand. I’m still confident in my ability to speak out on this. I think you were right to turn to me.”

It’s not just about speaking out. I trust Riese. That’s why I relied on her.

Until now, only a few people knew the name Yggdrasil. Rushia and May, of course, and most adventurers don’t know it either. His Majesty the King might know it, but in short, it is a name that is known only to those who are powerful enough to stand alongside the king of a country and those who are in a special position to know it.

“Personally, I find that organisation ominous….. Please take care of them.”

When I told her this, Lese made a pretence of thinking[Hmmm]

“From the looks of it, it looks like the rumours are true.”

“Rumours?”

When I asked her back, Riese replied with a mysterious look on her face.

“Yggdrasil is the only organization that The Illusion King cannot reach. I hear there are whispers of such things among those who know about……Ned.”

‘Such a thing being whispered about? ‘

I let out a sigh and nodded.

“I don’t know who started the rumour, but……it’s true.”

“I suppose there have been instances where someone has made contact? And yet Ned can’t make contact, which is quite unusual.”

“Aaa. That’s why it’s ominous.”

I don’t know if I can successfully verbalise this feeling.

But if I were to dare to tell you…

“I kind of feel like……they’re avoiding me. I’ve never thought about making contact with them, either, but that organisation’s wariness towards me feels a bit special.”

In the past, for various reasons, I had investigated Yggdrasil. But there were no results at all.

The only reason I could see Yggdrasil’s name in this ranking is because I had no intention of investigating that organisation.

If the means and the end had been reversed, this would not have happened. If the ranking had been created from the beginning to investigate Yggdrasil, their names would surely not have been listed.

“Does this mean Yggdrasil is being extra vigilant about Ned?”

“Not in that…..sense.”

I think of the heroes who are omnipresent in this world. Riese, for example, or Rushia, for example, or my former comrades, Lloyd. They may be wary of them but is there any reason to be wary of me alone?

“It’s complicated.”

Riese mumbled with a pout.

“You are often looked down upon because of your abilities and personality. It’s a very complicated feeling to know that Yggdrasil is the only one who is particularly aware of Ned….”

“I don’t know what those people think of me though. I hope they don’t see me as an enemy.”

I myself am nothing special, just an ordinary guy.

Yggdrasil’s wariness of me could well be just a misunderstanding.

“Anyway, I ask you to be vigilant. The selection examinations for the brave party will be starting soon, and when that happens, security against the outside world will be weakened for the sake of gathering candidates.”

“Alright. There’s only so much an adventurer can do, but I’ll report back to you as soon as I can.”

Riese nodded seriously.

“By the way, Ned. Changing the subject, it seems you’re helping with the selection tests for the hero party, right?”

“Aaa. The princess of this country said: 『I want to rely on your experience, having travelled to many countries around the world! 』.”

“A sound decision.”

“You think so? I’m not going to be much help if I’m there, but….”

“You’re good at building parties, aren’t you?　Not only the 『The Seven Meteors』, but the Intail Kingdom party you used to be a part of is also quite prominent.”

It’s a topic I don’t like to hear about.

As I frowned, Riese continued happily.

“Was it 『Stardust Light』?　It’s the talk of the town among adventurers. Just the other day they managed to take down a giant monster that was said to eat mountains.”

“……..instead of blowing up a whole mountain.”

“That’s bold. That’s a very Ned thing.”

‘What does that mean?’

If there’s a mountain-eating monster,they would say it plainly, [Let’s blow up the whole mountain!] And they will do it.

The king of the Kingdom Of Intail is lucky to have cut them off. …..Well, even if they weren’t a heroic party, they’d still be doing the same thing.

“What are you going to do for the selection test for the Hero Party?”

“That’s a secret, but …… well, I can tell Riese.”

In deciding on the content of the examinations, I have been given a certain amount of discretion directly from Rushia, the princess of this country.

I might ask Riese to help me later on, and it would be good to share the information with her now.

I told her about the tests I had discussed with Rushia and the others just a few minutes ago and decided on.

“The first test is a simple interview. The brave party is often in the line of fire as representatives of the country. We need to be able to communicate at the very least.”

“That’s a fair point. When you form an adventuring party, that’s something to take into account.”

Riese and I know what I’m talking about because we both are and were in an adventuring party.

Adventurers are involved with all kinds of people. Guild officials, clients, local collaborators and many more. Building a good relationship with them is important in order to accomplish a request.

The heroic party performs more work involving other people than the adventurers. I don’t want to select people who have communication difficulties.

“The second test is a battle royal. They will be divided into two blocks and they will all fight amongst them until there are only ten parties left.”

“……It suddenly got radical.”

“Strength is essential for a heroic party. Incidentally, this battle royal will be open to the public, so perhaps the Adventurers Guild will be asked to provide security.”

Of course, the national guards will be mobilised, but they probably won’t have enough manpower.

The people are now very excited by the defeat of the poisonous dragon. This is where the selection test for the Hero Party will be held. A large crowd is expected to gather.

“If you’re short on manpower, I can lend you the 『White Dragon Chivalric Order』 again, like I did with the Poisonous Demon Dragon.”

“…..Don’t be so casual about it.”

“It’s not casual. I say this because of the trust we have built up.”

That being said, it’s hard for me to refrain from doing so too.

But I’m not going to be that reserved with Riese, either.

“So, after the battle royal, we’re going to have a final exam…….”

After telling her that much, I shut my mouth once and retracted my words.

“Let’s keep the details of the……final exam under wraps yet. I haven’t worked out the details yet.”

“What’s the matter? Is it a special test?”

“Yes, it’s special. It is special and …..also dangerous. But it’s the perfect test if we want to pick a hero party.

At the end of the day, it’s a bold test.

The people will probably be divided on the subject. But we thought the test was the right one to choose the bravest of the brave.

“From what I’ve heard about the exam, there’s only one strong candidate that I know of.”

At this murmur, I looked at Riese’s face.

Riese pours her gaze into the void and tells me, remembering the past.

“She’s an adventurer named Seren＝Duvalis. In this country, she will be the most famous adventurer after me.”

(セレン＝デュバリス)

“…… I have heard of his name. An adventurer who uses the power of thunder, with an existence strength of five.”

“Quite an intelligence network,Ned.”

Rushia laughed.

“Seren was once called my favourite rival. However, since I chose the path of fighting alongside my friends as the head of a party and Seren chose the path of mastering her strength as an individual, it is not an easy comparison……If it were a simple comparison of strength, she might be stronger.”

“…… that sounds promising.”

To have Riese say that much, she can certainly be counted as a strong candidate.

For my part, I’d welcome her with open arms. I hope a good and brave man will show up…….

“Well then, it’s time for me to leave.”

Saying this I put the newspaper away and stood up.

“What, do you still have more plans?”

“I’ve been asked to introduce adventurers for a dungeon raid. I’ll try to find a suitable one while I’m at the guild.”

This is the story that Risha told me this morning at the inn.

Since I’m here, I might as well get it over with.

“Ned. When do the selection trials start?”

“We’re working out the details of the dates, but……it’s roughly two months from now.”

When he replied, Riese let out an exhale of admiration for some reason.

“By then, your connections will have taken over the kingdom.”

“……Don’t be so good at listening to people.”

I let out a sigh as Riese laughed happily.