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I don’t know when it will be, but I said goodbye to Rizeria with the promise of meeting again. Before parting, Rizeria secretly slipped something into my hand without Selian noticing, and when I glanced down, I found a small orb in my palm. The identity of the orb was none other than a communication magical crystal.

Typically, communication magical crystals are at least the size of a fist, making them quite inconvenient to carry around, but this one in my hand was so small that I had to worry about losing it.

I knew that such a miniaturized communication magical crystal must be ridiculously expensive, but to give something like this as a gift… it was indeed a spending habit befitting a beloved young lady of the Duke’s family.

Since I was worried about losing it too, I decided to carefully tuck it away in the charm pouch I had previously received from Rizeria and keep it close to my chest.

“Have all the kids returned by now?”

Although it was meant to be a party, it was more like a slightly larger tea gathering, so it hadn’t been too long, but a few hours had passed, making it about time for my friends to come back.

“Well, I think Anne and Yuli have returned, but the Saint might be late since she’s reuniting with her family. As for our little wizard… the Mage Tower Master isn’t a fool, so she’s probably on her way back.”

Since we weren’t leaving the castle right away, I had plenty of time today. Aside from being invited to dinner by the Emperor, I had no other commitments. Even among the few acquaintances I hadn’t seen in the castle, the most notable was just the professor from my Academy days, and I didn’t feel the need to visit.

Even if the royal knight order was positioned somewhat lowly, being the third most minor, they would undoubtedly be busy with issues concerning the demonic race. Of course, my friends and I would be warmly welcomed if we visited, but there was no need to bother them just to pass on greetings. We could meet up later when we both had more time.

“Then I might as well take a short break in my room before heading to dinner.”

“Senpai! You’ve been waiting a long time!”

While I was chatting with Selian outside the party venue, Luna soon joined us after saying her goodbyes to her friends. She approached us with energetic hops, and I suddenly noticed that one of her hands was linked with my arm while the other held a book.

“What’s that book? Did you bring it with you?”

Considering that Luna wasn’t usually the type to read, I naturally asked. She giggled, loosened her grip on my arm, and proudly raised the book for me to see with both hands.

“I got it as a gift from Ilena earlier!”

So it was. As expected, Luna wasn’t particularly interested in the book, and instead, it was Ilena, Rizeria’s cousin, who had given it to her.

“But that book…”

I had to admit, the cover of the book looked very familiar. I had one myself, and I even saw Lilith casually reading it before I came here.

“She said it was a book written by someone she knows well, and that I should definitely read it!”

As I had mentioned to Lilith earlier, this book was one that the author had published just one volume of before declaring the end of the series. It was a new release that had come out only a few months ago, but the author had poured all their motivation and energy into just that single volume and announced they could write no more.

How ironic it was that the author’s acquaintance was Ilena. I wanted to immediately return and ask her about it, but since Ilena wasn’t the author herself, I decided to hold back, as it could be a nuisance. At least with the first volume, it had some degree of completeness, so it was somewhat bearable.

“I don’t know if it will suit your taste, but I thought it was an enjoyable book. Whenever you have time, you should give it a read, Luna.”

Of course, it’s questionable whether Luna, who disliked reading, would actually read it even after receiving it as a gift, but since it was a novel, if it did match her taste, I was sure she would enjoy it. It would be great if this opportunity would lessen her aversion to books even a little.

*

“What do you mean by eating so formally? It’s not like there are any spectators except for the three of us, so just eat comfortably without worrying.”

Surprisingly, even Mariel had returned to the room, momentarily leaving my friends behind, and instead, I shared a dinner table with the Emperor. Although it was one table, it was quite large, so we were sitting a considerable distance apart, but even this distance felt a bit more comfortable for me.

No matter how often I met the Emperor and she was considerate of my comfort, I couldn’t help but feel cautious treating someone who was essentially my superior.

I was naturally trying to maintain proper table manners, but the Emperor seemed displeased, pointing out my behavior, which was unlike her. Since she wouldn’t say such things lightly, I began to eat more casually, focusing less on the order of my food or the utensils used.

Clank, clank.

The dinner was filled with the sound of utensils clinking as I, along with the Emperor and Isis, proceeded to eat in silence. In fact, even those who would usually serve had been sent outside, leaving the empty plates on the table untouched.

After a rather awkward silence, dinner finally concluded. Only then did the Emperor call over one of the waiting attendants outside to clear the table and leaned back in her chair to speak.

“Thanks to your friends, things have become much easier for me. It perfectly aligned, so my tasks have decreased.”

Even I had been taken aback with how unexpected that was at the time, but since the Emperor seemed satisfied and everything wrapped up well, I guess it’s a good outcome.

“Speaking of which… yes. Let’s discuss the usual reports. What are your plans moving forward?”

“I’ve thought about participating in the war, but I’ve decided it would be better to take down the Four Heavenly Kings first. Eventually, this war will end with the defeat of the Demon King.”

Of course, normally, even if one were to kill an enemy leader, you wouldn’t be able to guarantee that the war would end. There’s a chance that it could only intensify the conflict even further.

But the demonic race was different. They were inherently selfish beings. Right now, the demonic race was united under the banner of the Demon King, but if we were to take down the Demon King, they would inevitably disperse in search of survival, and sightings of the demonic race in the material realm, especially within human territory, would become extremely rare.

“Hm… that’s not a bad idea. Thanks to my memories, I won’t have to wander around searching for where the Four Heavenly Kings are hiding… good luck.”

Of course, I didn’t mention certain important details, but I had already shared with the Emperor that I am the Hero and that I had failed in my previous life. Maybe that’s why the Emperor agreed with my plan to confront the Four Heavenly Kings.

Of course, no one knows the outcome. No matter how much stronger my friends and I had become compared to before, thinking back to the traps I fell into in my last life makes it impossible for me to let my guard down. Furthermore, this time, the demonic race had some strange aspects that differed from my previous life.

“I’m truly grateful for you.”

“I’m just doing what I should as a Hero.”

“Well, that’s true, but that’s not all. If it weren’t for you, I might have drowned in boredom. Ahem. In that sense, you’ve saved this Emperor’s life. You can take pride in that.”

I suppose he was referring to the fact that I occasionally provided him with conversation. After all, being in the position of Emperor, he likely didn’t have anyone he could talk to freely, so it must’ve been nice to have someone like me—a Hero and a Regressionist—to converse with without too many concerns.

“Honestly, it was thanks to your ample consideration that we could have this conversation. I’m grateful for your kindness.”

At my words of thanks, the Emperor chuckled softly and spoke again.

“Our oblivious Hero can’t even joke without reservation. Anyway, my thanks are sincere. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to alleviate many of my burdens as Emperor. By the way, do you remember what I mentioned before?”

“What do you mean…?”

“That promise I made with you. Once we successfully defeat the Demon King, I would help your house regain its status. I already granted you the title of Count for that matter.”

“Ah… so it’s about that promise.”

I was wondering what he meant, and so that was it. Of course, I hadn’t forgotten. No, I couldn’t forget it even if I wanted to. Just as much as I sought revenge on the demonic race, regaining my family’s status was something I would never overlook. When I first brought it up, it was in exchange for borrowing Elysia’s name, but now that I came to realize she was my sister and I was the firstborn of House Frentz, it felt almost destined.

“Oh, you don’t need to look at me with such a worried expression. That thought hasn’t crossed my mind. I only brought it up because I was worried you’d forgotten. Seeing your face, I suppose there’s no need for me to worry.”

For a moment, I was concerned if the Emperor’s heart had changed, but thankfully that was not the case.

“Please complete the task of subduing the Demon King safely and proudly lay claim to your wishes, no matter what others say. The future you will be more than deserving.”

Just as I was about to express my gratitude, the Emperor raised his hand, pausing my words.

“Don’t go spilling worthless sentiments. I keep saying this, but I’m the one who’s grateful. Ha… talking with you makes me feel sentimental.”

I caught sight of Isis’s frown as she looked at the Emperor, but I made myself ignore it.

“Since I’m feeling sentimental now, I suppose I should say one more thing. Hero, and although she’s not here right now, former Hero Selian. I… hmm… I’m struggling to find the right words to articulate this.”

The Emperor paused, thoughtfully stroking his chin, before suddenly finding the right thought to continue.

“Okay, let’s say ‘friends.’ Of course, for you two, I’m just the Emperor of the Empire, but I sincerely regard you both as my friends, even if it may be one-sided.”

Indeed, it was a word that definitely wouldn’t have crossed the Emperor’s lips in normal circumstances. Yet, I had no objection to this side of the Emperor.

“As a one-sided friend, I will support you. May you overcome challenges and achieve your desires. I would wish for the blessings of the Goddess to be with you, but since you are the Goddess’s sword, that remark might mean little. Instead, I hope my blessings will be with you.”

The Emperor chuckled as if sharing a funny joke. I almost smiled back at him, but since he had personally called me a friend, I felt I didn’t need to stroke his ego for the day. Yeah. It was a boring joke, so I didn’t laugh. Instead, I spoke up.

“It’s only proper to reciprocate if I receive something. Although I possess the Goddess’s sword, it’s also the Empire’s sword. I may not have blessings to offer, but at the very least, my sword will be wielded to defeat your enemies and protect you.”

Well, it was naturally the least one could say as a noble of the Empire, but still, there’s a vibe about saying it, so I’ll let it slide.

“It’s just the usual flattery, but hearing it from you doesn’t feel too bad. That’s enough. I should let you go now. If I hold on to you any longer, I might have to worry about the Emperor coming in unannounced.”

The Emperor seemed to have decided that he would conclude the conversation, rising from his seat. Naturally, I and Isis followed suit.

“Tomorrow, we’ll both be busy. There’s no need for us to keep showing our faces. If you need anything as you leave, feel free to ask the butler who has been following you. I’ve given him that kind of authority.”

While it wasn’t a formal dismissal, it was clear from the Emperor’s words that I didn’t need to linger around, so I grabbed the door to the dining hall and headed outside.

Just before closing the door behind me, I bent my head lightly to the Emperor, and I caught a glimpse of him halting his raised hand.

“Well then, take care.”

Beyond the closing door, the Emperor’s voice bid me farewell.