It seems like my head is a bit messed up.
Or could it be gaslighting, or Stockholm syndrome?
“Hehehe!”
“Oh, Wizard…. Is your research going well?”
“Uh-huh!”
The musings that came to mind during the conversation with Darami confused my mind.
So, um, it was just a normal thought.
Being with the Hero, and traveling with comrades, arguing, helping, and caring for each other…
Such thoughts were more enjoyable than being tired and exhausted.
There was nothing new, it wasn’t something that would mess up my mind like this.
Honestly, I didn’t know.
It wasn’t a problem whether it was enjoyable or not until now.
I just wanted to keep a distance because I felt tired, exhausted, and didn’t fit in with the situation.
“The Hero and his party who defeated the Demon Lord parted ways to find their own happiness.”
If I was to express what I wanted in one sentence, that would probably be the extent of the story.
The happy open ending where the hero party’s fate is separated from one giant destiny, and they each find their own destiny.
But now, doubting such ‘destiny’…
“It was all… not fun.”
Actually, the vacation I sought after escaping from the hero’s destiny wasn’t as ‘happy’ as I thought it would be.
Rather, it seemed more enjoyable when I met my party members.
When I faced the warrior, when I faced the saint, I felt peaceful in the familiar yet unfamiliar joy.
As I thought about it, I suddenly remembered what the goddess had said.
“My guiding stars are linked to destiny.”
Destiny.
Guiding stars.
Although she left out the giant metaphysical entity, the goddess called it ‘luck.’
Using that luck, she even tried to find the ‘God of Lust.’
So, even though the identity of that luck is unclear, it means that it is pursuing something beneficial.
Isn’t the name itself like that from the start?
On the contrary, trying to get away from that luck is harmful.
Thinking like that was quite strange.
“Why is trying to get away from the Hero party… harmful to me?”
It’s almost as if the destiny clings to me forcibly.
Regarding other things, it’s not just good things that happen, but if it’s about the ‘Hero party’ and things related to those party members, everything went smoothly to the point where it felt forced.
“…I still don’t know.”
No matter how much I thought about it, it ultimately didn’t go beyond the realm of conjecture.
Luck, destiny, all of these are just metaphysical musings piling up.
The fact that such musings manifest in reality might be why the genre of this world is fantasy, but the fact that musings manifest doesn’t make the conjectures rational.
So, um.
“Ugh, I don’t know!”
“Hehe?”
“My head is about to explode… Wizard, just let me lean for a moment…”
“Uh-huh.”
I whined to the Wizard for no reason.
Ah, this feels good.
Now I understand why the Hero always whines a bit.
The wizard, as usual, supported me with a smile without any complaints or grievances.
If I was to pick the most consistent person in the Hero party, wouldn’t it be the Wizard?
Of course, the warrior, the elf, and the saint were also consistent fellows in their own ways…
What should I say.
The Wizard always seemed to maintain her position.
So I could rely on her a bit more than the other comrades.
“I’m tired…”
“Heheh.”
“Wizard, I envy you always smiling….”
“Hehe?”
“No, um, sorry. I don’t mean that you’re always comfortable just because you’re smiling, but somehow I find myself expecting something…”
“Heheh… It’s okay…”
“…Thank you for saying that.”
The Wizard didn’t talk much, but if necessary, she said the right things with a smile.
The phrase “It’s okay” from the Wizard meant that she thought it was necessary at this moment.
It was a thankful thing.
“Come to think of it, I’ve never heard about the Wizard.”
“Hehe?”
I knew to some extent about the other comrades.
There were things said and unsaid, but spending time together for a long time naturally led to knowing certain aspects.
But I didn’t know much about the Wizard.
The Wizard is a genius.
That much is certain.
She interprets and rearranges everything in the world of numbers and orders.
The spells she creates are not confined to the development or academic fields of this era.
Even if thousands of years pass and magical civilization advances beyond this point, there is a certain confidence that the Wizard’s magic will transcend the limits of that era and be the most rational.
That’s how great of a being she is.
This wizard.
And…
“… When did you join our party, Wizard?”
“Hehehe.”
“No, um, it’s not important.”
I had to gather various materials for the Wizard’s development.
Because the Wizard’s development is the development of magic itself.
“I’d like to hear about the Wizard someday.”
“Heheh.”
“…Well, for now, just a smile is enough.”
I didn’t know if the day would come when the Wizard would tell her own story.
I had never heard her speak for a long time.
But I didn’t rush or pressure her.
There were people for whom just a smile was enough.
If she wanted to tell someday, she would.
If she didn’t, it would be regrettable.
“Come to think of it, I wonder if the Demon Lord is doing well in the Demon Castle…”
“Hehehe.”
“Should we go check it out?”
***
The demon realm.
A different world beyond the city called the ‘border of humanity,’ with completely different ecology and air.
It was the first time I had visited since chasing after the Hero who ran away some time ago.
It’s not a place an ordinary person would visit multiple times.
Thinking about it, the elf was quite peculiar.
She was a veteran who participated in the hero party for the demon subjugation twice.
Even if she was an adventurer, it was unusual to get involved in such exploits twice.
“There’s no Hero, but, um, I guess it’s okay to just go in…?”
I stood in front of the Demon Castle, lost in thought for a moment.
I thought it wouldn’t be a problem to go in since the doctor had already destroyed all the traps.
Probably.
In fact, I could deal with the traps in some way.
After all, it was the specialty of a Rogue to dismantle or destroy them alone.
The worrying point was the fact that the Demon Lord might have resurrected the demons.
The Demon Lord is the origin of all demons, and as long as the Demon Lord exists, demons will constantly fight and be immortal.
That’s why the goal is to subdue the Demon Lord.
If left alone, the demons that have increased like harmful algae will mess up the human realm.
“…Well, I warned her, so it should be fine.”
With that, I prepared himself mentally and stepped forward into the Demon Castle.
And then, I locked eyes with a demon who was cleaning inside.
The demon, wearing a maid outfit and holding a broom, blinked and looked at me.
As I was about to draw a dagger from my pocket to slit the demon’s throat, the demon raised both hands in surrender.
” Wait a moment! Are you here to see the Demon Lord?” she said,
“…Uh..”
“Please wait a moment! I’ll inform the Demon Lord of your visit right away!”
Surprisingly, the demon didn’t show hostility or aggressiveness towards me.
Perhaps the Demon Lord had instructed them beforehand.
If a human comes, report to the Demon Lord immediately, something like that.
It’s fortunate that there’s no need for combat to resolve this.
The demon who had disappeared somewhere returned shortly after.
“P-Please follow me! The Demon Lord has granted an audience!”
“Uh…”
With the demon’s guidance, I walked into the Demon Castle.
Unlike the chaotic mess from last time, it now maintained a mostly repaired and intact appearance.
The collapsed shelves were back up, torn paintings were replaced with new ones, and the broken walls were rebuilt and coated with plaster.
I couldn’t imagine how hard they worked to repair it in just a month.
Should I just break everything again when I brings the Demon Lord back later?
It was so perfectly repaired that I almost felt like doing it.
Curious, I asked the demon as I walked towards the Demon Lord’s chambers.
“The interior is remarkably clean now. It was all destroyed last time.”
“We demons are accustomed to repairing the damaged Demon Castle. Most demons, whose purpose is combat, may be a little different… but we, who are created specifically to serve the Demon Lord, are especially specialized in these tasks.”
“Good to know.”
“Yes?”
These demons, if left alive, could contribute to the city’s development as laborers.
Since the Demon Lord belongs to us, aren’t all of the Demon Lord’s minions also ours?
“If you enter here, the Demon Lord will be seated.”
“Thank you for guiding me.”
As I entered the Demon Lord’s chambers, the Demon Lord, who was seated on the throne, greeted me.
“I welcome you to my abode. My master.”
“Yeah. Looks liveable.”
“… Has it already been a month?”
She trembled with anxiety again at the thought of losing everything once more.
It seems like my head is a bit messed up.
Or could it be gaslighting, or Stockholm syndrome?
“Hehehe!”
“Oh, Wizard…. Is your research going well?”
“Uh-huh!”
The musings that came to mind during the conversation with Darami confused my mind.
So, um, it was just a normal thought.
Being with the Hero, and traveling with comrades, arguing, helping, and caring for each other…
Such thoughts were more enjoyable than being tired and exhausted.
There was nothing new, it wasn’t something that would mess up my mind like this.
Honestly, I didn’t know.
It wasn’t a problem whether it was enjoyable or not until now.
I just wanted to keep a distance because I felt tired, exhausted, and didn’t fit in with the situation.
“The Hero and his party who defeated the Demon Lord parted ways to find their own happiness.”
If I was to express what I wanted in one sentence, that would probably be the extent of the story.
The happy open ending where the hero party’s fate is separated from one giant destiny, and they each find their own destiny.
But now, doubting such ‘destiny’…
“It was all… not fun.”
Actually, the vacation I sought after escaping from the hero’s destiny wasn’t as ‘happy’ as I thought it would be.
Rather, it seemed more enjoyable when I met my party members.
When I faced the warrior, when I faced the saint, I felt peaceful in the familiar yet unfamiliar joy.
As I thought about it, I suddenly remembered what the goddess had said.
“My guiding stars are linked to destiny.”
Destiny.
Guiding stars.
Although she left out the giant metaphysical entity, the goddess called it ‘luck.’
Using that luck, she even tried to find the ‘God of Lust.’
So, even though the identity of that luck is unclear, it means that it is pursuing something beneficial.
Isn’t the name itself like that from the start?
On the contrary, trying to get away from that luck is harmful.
Thinking like that was quite strange.
“Why is trying to get away from the Hero party… harmful to me?”
It’s almost as if the destiny clings to me forcibly.
Regarding other things, it’s not just good things that happen, but if it’s about the ‘Hero party’ and things related to those party members, everything went smoothly to the point where it felt forced.
“…I still don’t know.”
No matter how much I thought about it, it ultimately didn’t go beyond the realm of conjecture.
Luck, destiny, all of these are just metaphysical musings piling up.
The fact that such musings manifest in reality might be why the genre of this world is fantasy, but the fact that musings manifest doesn’t make the conjectures rational.
So, um.
“Ugh, I don’t know!”
“Hehe?”
“My head is about to explode… Wizard, just let me lean for a moment…”
“Uh-huh.”
I whined to the Wizard for no reason.
Ah, this feels good.
Now I understand why the Hero always whines a bit.
The wizard, as usual, supported me with a smile without any complaints or grievances.
If I was to pick the most consistent person in the Hero party, wouldn’t it be the Wizard?
Of course, the warrior, the elf, and the saint were also consistent fellows in their own ways…
What should I say.
The Wizard always seemed to maintain her position.
So I could rely on her a bit more than the other comrades.
“I’m tired…”
“Heheh.”
“Wizard, I envy you always smiling….”
“Hehe?”
“No, um, sorry. I don’t mean that you’re always comfortable just because you’re smiling, but somehow I find myself expecting something…”
“Heheh… It’s okay…”
“…Thank you for saying that.”
The Wizard didn’t talk much, but if necessary, she said the right things with a smile.
The phrase “It’s okay” from the Wizard meant that she thought it was necessary at this moment.
It was a thankful thing.
“Come to think of it, I’ve never heard about the Wizard.”
“Hehe?”
I knew to some extent about the other comrades.
There were things said and unsaid, but spending time together for a long time naturally led to knowing certain aspects.
But I didn’t know much about the Wizard.
The Wizard is a genius.
That much is certain.
She interprets and rearranges everything in the world of numbers and orders.
The spells she creates are not confined to the development or academic fields of this era.
Even if thousands of years pass and magical civilization advances beyond this point, there is a certain confidence that the Wizard’s magic will transcend the limits of that era and be the most rational.
That’s how great of a being she is.
This wizard.
And…
“… When did you join our party, Wizard?”
“Hehehe.”
“No, um, it’s not important.”
I had to gather various materials for the Wizard’s development.
Because the Wizard’s development is the development of magic itself.
“I’d like to hear about the Wizard someday.”
“Heheh.”
“…Well, for now, just a smile is enough.”
I didn’t know if the day would come when the Wizard would tell her own story.
I had never heard her speak for a long time.
But I didn’t rush or pressure her.
There were people for whom just a smile was enough.
If she wanted to tell someday, she would.
If she didn’t, it would be regrettable.
“Come to think of it, I wonder if the Demon Lord is doing well in the Demon Castle…”
“Hehehe.”
“Should we go check it out?”
***
The demon realm.
A different world beyond the city called the ‘border of humanity,’ with completely different ecology and air.
It was the first time I had visited since chasing after the Hero who ran away some time ago.
It’s not a place an ordinary person would visit multiple times.
Thinking about it, the elf was quite peculiar.
She was a veteran who participated in the hero party for the demon subjugation twice.
Even if she was an adventurer, it was unusual to get involved in such exploits twice.
“There’s no Hero, but, um, I guess it’s okay to just go in…?”
I stood in front of the Demon Castle, lost in thought for a moment.
I thought it wouldn’t be a problem to go in since the doctor had already destroyed all the traps.
Probably.
In fact, I could deal with the traps in some way.
After all, it was the specialty of a Rogue to dismantle or destroy them alone.
The worrying point was the fact that the Demon Lord might have resurrected the demons.
The Demon Lord is the origin of all demons, and as long as the Demon Lord exists, demons will constantly fight and be immortal.
That’s why the goal is to subdue the Demon Lord.
If left alone, the demons that have increased like harmful algae will mess up the human realm.
“…Well, I warned her, so it should be fine.”
With that, I prepared himself mentally and stepped forward into the Demon Castle.
And then, I locked eyes with a demon who was cleaning inside.
The demon, wearing a maid outfit and holding a broom, blinked and looked at me.
As I was about to draw a dagger from my pocket to slit the demon’s throat, the demon raised both hands in surrender.
” Wait a moment! Are you here to see the Demon Lord?” she said,
“…Uh..”
“Please wait a moment! I’ll inform the Demon Lord of your visit right away!”
Surprisingly, the demon didn’t show hostility or aggressiveness towards me.
Perhaps the Demon Lord had instructed them beforehand.
If a human comes, report to the Demon Lord immediately, something like that.
It’s fortunate that there’s no need for combat to resolve this.
The demon who had disappeared somewhere returned shortly after.
“P-Please follow me! The Demon Lord has granted an audience!”
“Uh…”
With the demon’s guidance, I walked into the Demon Castle.
Unlike the chaotic mess from last time, it now maintained a mostly repaired and intact appearance.
The collapsed shelves were back up, torn paintings were replaced with new ones, and the broken walls were rebuilt and coated with plaster.
I couldn’t imagine how hard they worked to repair it in just a month.
Should I just break everything again when I brings the Demon Lord back later?
It was so perfectly repaired that I almost felt like doing it.
Curious, I asked the demon as I walked towards the Demon Lord’s chambers.
“The interior is remarkably clean now. It was all destroyed last time.”
“We demons are accustomed to repairing the damaged Demon Castle. Most demons, whose purpose is combat, may be a little different… but we, who are created specifically to serve the Demon Lord, are especially specialized in these tasks.”
“Good to know.”
“Yes?”
These demons, if left alive, could contribute to the city’s development as laborers.
Since the Demon Lord belongs to us, aren’t all of the Demon Lord’s minions also ours?
“If you enter here, the Demon Lord will be seated.”
“Thank you for guiding me.”
As I entered the Demon Lord’s chambers, the Demon Lord, who was seated on the throne, greeted me.
“I welcome you to my abode. My master.”
“Yeah. Looks liveable.”
“… Has it already been a month?”
She trembled with anxiety again at the thought of losing everything once more.
