CH 55

—Hero Ark crosses his arms while leaning his back against the entrance and looks around at me with a grin.

“Hahaha, you’re a wreck! You’re so lame, even though you made a big show of saying ‘I’m going to defeat the Demon King’.”

Perhaps Ark was aiming to come in when I had weakened the Demon King, but in the end he couldn’t find the right moment and came out after the Demon King had left. Normally, I would usually say a word or two back to such an Arc, but right now, that is more important than anything else.

The hero is here. If that’s the case – isn’t there still something we can do? A glimmer of hope in the despair that had taken over my mind flashed through my mind.

There are only 17 seconds left until the gates of the underworld are opened.

In less than an instant, my thoughts begin to spin at a breakneck speed I have never experienced before.

..The hero is at the entrance, and where is the Demon King? I run my eyes out of the large hole in front of me in the wall of the throne room.

..Think. Where did the Demon Lord say he was going? Remember.. Yes, I’m sure he said: ‘Soon the gates of the underworld will be opened above this royal castle. I thought I’d like to be the first to witness it.

..I’d like to be the first witness. If so, he must have chosen a place with a good view. That means he’s on top of the tallest building in the castle. ..Yes, next to the central royal castle, where this throne room is located, there is a watchtower that extends beyond the height of the castle, which is used in case of emergency.

Boom! and looking up at the watchtower, still there, on the roof of the watchtower, there was the figure of the Demon King, looking up at the sky covered with black clouds.

─ ─ Sixteen seconds to go until the gates of the underworld open.

I hear two footsteps running towards the throne room. Immediately after, I released Princess Leia, and said “Get back!” and made her back away from the front of the big hole. I had no doubt in my mind that those footsteps.. must be those two.

“Ark! I’ve finally found you!”

It was also Nina and Spera who rushed into the throne room.

“Gustav! You’ve been badly injured..!”

Both Nina and Spera were wide-eyed and surprised, but there was no time to explain the situation. I only turned around once and said.

“Hero!”

I shouted. Between me and the two of them, that was enough.

“Hooo!”

The two of them correctly understood my intentions, and as soon as I nodded one, they immediately started moving. Nina strengthened her physical abilities with her skills and sneaked into Ark’s bosom. Spera immediately deployed a magic circle.

“Sleigh! Blow it up!”

“Guhh?”

Nina kicks Ark in the stomach and his body blasts away.

“『Mega Tornado』”

Buuuuut! and a stream of wind caused by Spera creates a path and guides Ark’s body, which is blown away, to my right side, perfectly and precisely.

“..Thank you, both of you!”

─ ─ Thirteen seconds until the gates of the Underworld open.

“Hold it straight! Hard!”

I pick up my own spear, which had fallen while I was throwing it at the Demon King earlier, and press it to the hero and make him hold it.

“W-what are you going to make me do?”

“Good luck.”

“Whoa?”

I grabbed it by the neck and lifted Ark up with the strength of my arms, using my status to my advantage. I then activated the new skill I had just acquired – 『Catapult Arms』. Immediately after that, I felt a heat, as if my right hand were engulfed in flames.

..I’m going to use this -『Ballista』 evolutionary skill to throw the hero and finish off the Demon King with that one blow. I swing the arc, take a deep breath, and aim. I aim at the Demon King on the watchtower.

“Gustav-sama

Princess Leia’s voice, a mixture of confusion and impatience, echoes from behind. But I don’t look back. No.. I can’t look back. What kind of eyes does the Princess see in me, the one who trampled on her resolve and acted out of selfishness because I wanted her to live? I was afraid to find out.

─ ─ There are 10 seconds left until the gates of the underworld open.

“Hey! What are you doing, hey? ︎”

The arc goes wild and the sights blur. The distance from the large hole in the wall of this throne room to the Demon King floating near the watchtower, approximately 100 meters. It was necessary to shoot the hero arc straight and accurately..

But it wasn’t necessarily the fault of the arc alone. At any rate, my arm was also trembling.. Was it the blood loss, the damage, or the fear of failure?

..No, I’m definitely terrified. Argh, I hate myself for being so petty.

If this fails, the gates of the underworld will be opened, and surely many lives will be lost. At that time, will I be able to bear that responsibility..? No, there is no way I can. I will be the one who selfishly brings down the people of the kingdom to the depths of despair.

..I’m sure people will be vindictive.

..Will Nina and Spera despise me?

..And Princess Leia..

In the blink of an eye, the thoughts that rush through my mind become a tidal wave of fear and try to engulf me.. that’s when it happened. Then, with a pat. A warm object touched my back. I turned around unexpectedly to find Princess Leia there, pressing her palm against me as if to support me.

“Princess..?”

“Gustav-sama.”

The princess’ expression seemed to gently envelop me, filled with anxiety, despite the situation, and then she said..

“I love you.”

“──?”

“No matter what happens to this world, I will always love and walk with you, Gustav-sama.”

That was it. With just that one word, the wave of fear that had been surging in my heart suddenly receded as if it were a lie.

After all the trouble she went through, she entrusted me with everything.

She told me that no matter what the outcome was, she would accept it. She would continue to be my ally and support me, so don’t worry. I could feel her gentle but strong determination flowing into my palm. That fact alone stopped my arms from shaking.

..It’s so simple for me. Even if the whole world was accusing me, if only one person – Princess Leia – was next to me, that was enough for me.

Something warm fills the space in my heart that was created after the fear left. It was so strong that it almost overflowed. It was like my heart was erupting and my body was burning. If there was a name for this feeling, both happy and bitter, it would be.

“I love you.. Princess, I still love you.. I love you!”

“Wa, me too.. I love you!”

I shout my overflowing emotions as they are. The princess also responds. ..Ark, who is still hanging on to my right arm, opens his mouth.

“..What did you guys suddenly say..?”

I grabbed Ark firmly by the neck, who was opening his mouth like an idiot, and I set my sights on the Demon King once again.

..I must not miss it. Even if I do, the princess will surely try to atone for even that sin with me. But that’s not possible. In order to make no one unhappy and to deliver the best ending to the Princess.

I will put all my weight, all my strength, all my fighting spirit, all my soul, and above all, the love, love, love that overflows in my chest! I will put all of it on my right arm.

“Uhaaaaaaa!”

“──Nooooooo?”

I swing my right arm out and throw Ark off. Ark screamed and flew straight up into the sky at a speed that produced a sonic boom.

─ ─ One second left until the gates of the Underworld open.

I’m sure that the hero of the story would not have taken such a risk. But the hero would definitely not prioritize the life of one woman over the lives of the entire nation. I am sure that the protagonist, with the special powers they has been given, would take more and more righteous measures. They must make such a righteous choice that everyone would be convinced and would want to support him.

But that’s probably why I’m just a mob after all. I have no special powers, I have the same sensibilities as Hero, I think more about my own life than world peace, my family and friends are more important than anything else, and if I loved someone, I would risk my life just for them.. I’m just another mobster anywhere.

.. but that’s all right. If I had been given the big role of a hero, I am sure that I would not have been able to give my all just for Princess Leia like this now. That’s why I’m so glad I was able to reincarnate as a mob character who could put everything on the line just for the Princess.

“Blast through!”

The arc, which was moving forward in a straight line at a speed exceeding the speed of sound, was illuminated with a blue light on the way. The emblem of the hero on its back shone. It split the sky like a beam, straightening, and closing in on the Demon King Kaiser on the watchtower.

“Kuhahahahahaha – Ughhhh?”

It was already too late when the Demon King, who was looking at the suspiciously shimmering red light above the kingdom and laughing high in the air, realized something was wrong. The holy blue light was right in front of him – together with the half-crying, snivelling, and drooling hero Ark.

“Nngh….”

Bang! With a loud “bang”, the tip of the spear pierced through the demon king’s body, and then Ark’s entire body fell through to his back. And immediately afterwards, the blue glow of light exploded and expanded, burning the Demon King’s body from the inside.

“───..!”

Without looking back at the hero who had penetrated his body, the Demon King simply floated there. With a gaping, large hole in his body. And then, without uttering a single word, the Demon King crumbled like burnt-out coal.

─ ─ Zero seconds left until the gates of the underworld open.

The Gates of the Underworld had emerged from the thick black clouds that covered the sky above. It was a heavy iron double-opening door with a rusty-red color, and when opened, it was an eerie thing that was not difficult to imagine, filled with horrific things.

But..

“..clear.”

The black clouds above where the Demon King had crumbled away broke and a blue sky appeared. Then, the thick clouds disappeared as if spreading out from there, and the gate of the underworld that appeared also gradually faded away.. and finally disappeared completely.

─ ─ 『Level up. lvl 53 to 56』

.. The Demon King crumbled away. The gates of the Underworld did not open.. and the sound of the level-up was played. That means.

I turn around vigorously.

“We won..”

“Gustav-sama

Suddenly, Princess Leia jumped on me. I involuntarily fell on my buttocks on the spot.

“Gustav-sama! Gustav-sama!”

“..Princess.”

The princess was crying in my chest, shedding big tears and sobbing uncontrollably. ..She must have been very anxious. Even so, she believed in me and entrusted it to me. I gently and slowly stroked her lovely head.

“Princess. Everything, everything is finished..”

Lagging behind, Nina and Spera also ran up to me. Even though the Demon King has been defeated, both of them look worried. ..Well, if they see the extent of my injuries, of course they’ll be worried..

..Oh yeah, and I’ll have to go retrieve the arc I threw away later. But that can wait. I’m a bit tired now.

I slowly closed my eyes, a heavy sense of exhaustion overtaking me. I feel the solid warmth of Princess Leia in my arms, and this time I completely lose consciousness.