The Hero Party Couldn’t Kill Me

Chapter 2: The Mistakes of the Hero Party (2)

“Did you get a good rest?”

As the morning dawned, Raphaella entered the room to check on my condition.

Actually, I couldn’t rest properly.

While formulating a strategy based on the information Rafaela gave me yesterday, her thoughts bit her tail and she even planned how to get revenge on the warrior party.

Thanks to that, she couldn’t sleep even though her body was tired.

Still, it was never in vain to restore my memories like that.

‘I was stupid.’

Because I’ve been able to look back at a lot of things I’ve known but overlooked.

From the individual flaws of the warrior party members to the signs that they will betray me.

Well, I won’t blame myself at the time. I also had a hard time at the time, so I didn’t pay much attention to that, and even if I knew, the ending of the saintess excommunicating me by mentioning the goddess would have been the same.

Instead, with the lessons I learned, I set up a more thorough revenge plan, so it worked.

“I am ready.”

So even though my body was tired, my mind was clear.

Raphael also smiled as if he was relieved at my appearance.

“Can you stand up?”

When Rafaela asked, I tried to stand up.

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It was still difficult because of the pain, but unlike yesterday when I couldn’t get up, I was able to sit down.

“Okay, then the priestess will come now. Again, don’t worry too much.”

Smart.

And then, as soon as Raphaella finished speaking, there was a knock on the door.

Rafaela opened the door and a woman entered with her head bowed.

A woman who looks as tall as me, who was 183cm on Earth.

With her glossy black hair, she stared at me with strange blue eyes.

“You are Edmund of the famous warrior party. It’s an honor to meet you. I am the priestess and leader of Speth. It is the Swan Arcana.”

“… Nice to meet you.”

I also slightly bowed her head to greet her. Then she summoned her card from the sleeve of her own dress and laid it out in front of her.

“Draw three cards. By the way, you shouldn’t use any magic. Raphaella, so are you.”

“… Yes.”

I looked at the cards Swann had laid out on the bed.

I should have looked at the front pattern, but it felt like reading a fortune with a tarot card. In fact, the interpretation of the divination I heard from Raphaella was similar to that.

After thinking for a while, I just drew three cards according to my heart.

Swan turned over the cards in the order I drew them.

“The first one is a hermit in the right direction. You were a very lonely person. He was wise and capable, but disconnected from reality.”

It was unexpected. I thought there would be a card that symbolizes something like force or a shield.

I just wondered how well those words fit into what I realized last night.

“The second is the death in the right direction. You were abandoned at the warrior party. No, I literally almost died. That is why I came here.”

… This was too obvious.

The problem is the last card, but I watched with bated breath as Swann flipped the last card.

Right referee.

The moment I saw it, I felt that something was the right card for me.

“It is an upright judgment… It must mean good to you. Be glad. You will receive a fair compensation for the pain you suffered in the future.”

Swan’s interpretation was also positive.

When I saw this far, it was unexpected. She thought that even the goddess she believed in might have abandoned me, but at least she doesn’t seem to be that way.

If that’s the case, wouldn’t Swann’s reaction be positive as well? He glanced at Rafaela to see that she was also relieved.

“It is still too early to rejoice. This is just an interpretation of you. We have to see how it affects our space.”

Swan said, shuffling the cards again.

She spread the cards on the bed again, and she drew a card herself.

“Look. After all, didn’t it come out that there was anxiety in leaving you here?”

Then she showed her card that she had drawn.

The moon in reverse.

This is… Is this a bad card?

“You said you were betrayed. Then you must be thinking of revenge now.”

Swan then interrogated me. I looked at her her, neither affirming nor denying her.

“If you remain here, we too will be caught up in your revenge. It means that my innocent people must die in your war.”

It seems that neither the divination nor the goddess that the priestess believes in are completely false. My revenge plan included enlisting her help.

“Do you have anything to say?”

But what’s interesting is her attitude. She definitely didn’t make a decision and gave me a chance.

As if waiting for me to refute.

Then now is the time for the information you received from Rafaela to shine.

“Swan, I have a question for you. I understand that the empire has already sent an envoy to Speth. What did you do then?”

“I was pressured to become a vassal of the empire. So I kicked them out.”

“Then, now that the subjugation of the demon lord has been completed, the empire will soon pay attention to this place. And the imperial army will be commanded by the brave Calia.”

“… So what are you proposing?”

When Swann asked, I said confidently.

“If you allow me to stay here, I will kill Calia and protect Speth.”

***

“So, was there any evidence that Edmund would pose a major threat to the Empire?”

Calia’s mind was taken aback by the princess’s question.

I hate to admit it, but Calia couldn’t find any objective evidence.

However, her saintly expression did not waver at all.

“The revelation of the goddess is already the biggest evidence. Could it be that you don’t believe in the Goddess?”

“You didn’t understand my question. The revelations given by the Goddess will actually come true.”

“… You forgot that there are some exceptions.”

“I’m not done with my story yet. What I mean is, if you tried to kill Edmund, you might be making him hold a grudge against the Empire.”

Understanding her princess’s question, Calia clenched her fists.

Aren’t you saying that if Edmund turns black, the responsibility lies with the hero’s party?

However, unlike Calia, the saintess did not change her expression.

“You can think that way enough. But no. Ever since the Goddess gave me that revelation, Edmund has already had dark thoughts.”

“Ha… So let’s change the question. Did Edmund not have the will to rehabilitate?”

“So we gave him the opportunity to choose after giving him the revelation of the Goddess. Will he remain a hero or resist as a villain? And he cowardly ran away. In the end, he kicked himself out of the opportunity to repent.”

“Is that choice made fairly? You didn’t force him?”

“Are you suspicious of me now?”

The princess held back her anger by biting her teeth.

“… Then, how is the saintess going to stop the revelation of the goddess from happening?”

“‘Blocking’ is a misnomer. We are begging the Goddess to change her future. And in the process, we have to show our will.”

“Is that showing your will to kill Edmund?”

“Yes. And we must earnestly pray to the goddess.”

“So, what happened to Edmund now? Can you confirm whether he is alive or dead?”

“Currently, it is most likely to be in Blanc Magic Tower. So, we must thoroughly investigate the Blanc Magic Tower. Just in case, we’re also looking for unconfirmed traces of teleportation throughout this continent.”

“… ….”

For a while, the princess stared at her saintess and was lost in her thoughts.

The saintess also looked at her princess without being pushed back at all.

After a brief war of nerves, the princess opened her mouth.

“Okay. That must have been a tough question, but thanks for the answer. We’ll discuss this later.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve been holding on to this happy day for too long. Just go Roswell and other big cities are waiting for you. Oh, there is a celebration to commemorate the defeat of the demon lord tonight, so please join us.”

It was only then that Calia and Iris, who were on either side of the saintess, let out a sigh of relief.

I can finally get out of this icy place.

“Ah, saintess. If you’re not rude, may I ask you one last question?”

When the party of warriors was about to leave the palace, the princess grabbed her saintess again.

The saintess stopped her steps and looked back.

“What exactly was the vision the saintess saw? Edmund, how exactly is he a great threat to the Empire?”

“You know. The revelations I have seen can only be known by the chief priests of the Etoiles. No matter how much you are the princess, I can’t tell you.”

The saintess said firmly.

However, the princess clearly confirmed with her two eyes that the saintess’ pupils were shaking in her fleeting moment.

***

“Have you seen Her Highness’s arrogant behavior? Now they’re even trying to eat the saintess!”

“Be quiet. Everyone else will listen.”

“And, didn’t you hear those who believed in Edmund earlier? I bet you. Obviously, Her Highness ordered it. Do not believe the Church’s announcement.”

“You are overinterpreting it. Edmund was the one who shone the most in the warrior party. So, I understand why the princess reacted like that.”

After coming out of her imperial palace, Calia fiercely challenged her saintess. However, the saintess still had a calm expression on her face.

“Then, haven’t you seen Her Highness’ expression? She probably still isn’t convinced. I could still stand up for Edmund, but are you saying it doesn’t matter?”

“What do you want? Are you saying excommunicate the princess?”

The saintess’ voice, which was always soft, sharpened for the first time. Calia was stunned and said nothing.

The saintess stopped her steps and looked straight at Calia.

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“Yes, I didn’t like the princess’ behavior either. However, it was a situation that could raise enough questions. If we leave the church with things like this, our image will only get worse.”

“But….”

“I already told you. If there is evidence that she is helping Edmund, she will excommunicate her.”

“… All right.”

“Then come quickly. As you know, today we will be traveling all over the Empire. We have a long way to go.”

The saintess’ expression changed to her usual gentleness again.

She walked towards the portal to the next city. Iris also looked at Calia for a while and followed her saintess.

Calia stood in the middle of her path and hung her head.

What kind of situation is this?

I thought that now that Edmund had disappeared, she would completely dominate the hero’s party.

The princess thought that she would not be able to even squeak because of the momentum.

If the prince were to become the next emperor, she would rule her empire instead of the young prince.

But judging from the princess’s attitude today, it seems that the competition for succession to the throne is not yet over.

Her saintess doesn’t help her like she thought.

Her whole body began to tremble.

“Calia? Are you okay?”

Her Marquis Grenouille spotted her and approached. Calia raised her head and looked at Marquis Grenouille.

With a bewildered expression, she murmured.

“… No.”

“Yes?”

“No matter what. I need a way to get ahead in the race for the throne…”