I Was the Scout for the Hero’s Party

After a night of various incidents, we woke up early at dawn and were hastily retracing our steps to return to Quiln.

Since we had entered the forest with the commission to bring back Depal’s head, Robin and I were discussing how to deal with the lord when we returned to Quiln.

“Ha, damn it. What should we do? We caught Depal, but we don’t have any solid proof.”

“Hmm… then perhaps we should at least hand over the armor…”

“I don’t know if that will work… There’s armor but no corpse? Anyone would find that suspicious.”

“B-but… Senior, you were a former member of the Hero’s party, wouldn’t the lord believe you?”

This is truly an awkward situation. On one hand, we’ve successfully rehabilitated Depal, which is a good resolution, and it’s also beneficial that Argyle’s forces have been weakened as a result.

However, if they dispute that we failed the commission, my grand dream of immediately using the gate to go to the capital will crumble.

If they don’t acknowledge that we captured and killed Depal…

Damn it. I’ll just have to wait, I guess.

If it doesn’t work out, I can endure and wait about two weeks until I receive a gate usage permit from Duke Alexis.

As for the problem of running into the Hero’s party… well, I can just stay cooped up in the inn, or if necessary, move to a different inn.

It would be nice if it works out, but I can deal with it if it doesn’t.

By the way…

“…Depal.”

“Hmm? Did you call me?”

“Who else named Depal would be here besides you?”

Why is she following me anyway?

“Hey, Depal. Do you know we’re heading to Quiln right now? I gave you your freedom yesterday. I told you to live your life as you see fit, didn’t I?”

No one may have seen Depal’s bare face before… but someone might recognize her identity by seeing her spear.

“We’re going to submit your armor to the lord as evidence, present it as a trophy, or sell it outright… but someone might discover your identity by seeing the spear you’re holding… why are you making that face?”

When I turned to look at Depal while rambling on, she was glaring at me with narrowed snake-like eyes and slightly puffed cheeks.

I was saying this out of concern for Depal, but was my nagging so disagreeable?

“…It’s nothing.”

“Nothing, my foot. Your expression is full of spite like a kid who’s had their candy taken away.”

When I approached Depal abruptly to examine her expression, she turned her face away sharply and pushed me back.

What’s gotten into her suddenly?

“Hey. Are you upset with me? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”

“You’re… too close… you know…”

Well…

“…Uh… sorry… right. Hmm.”

Seeing her face turn red and throwing a tantrum with such an innocent girlish tone, I somehow felt my fingers curling inward with embarrassment.

I was somewhat aware that Depal had changed a bit since last night, but she’s become a completely different person.

As Depal was being shy like that, I felt my own face getting hot, so I cleared my throat and quickly changed the subject.

“Ahem… anyway, your identity might be exposed when we reach Quiln. I understand that you’re following us because you have nowhere else to go now, but unless you erase all traces of your past as Depal, following us is a bit problematic. Your actions as part of the Demon King’s army are also somewhat troublesome…”

Come to think of it, the spear wasn’t the problem.

Unless she changes her name entirely…

“…I’ll erase it.”

“Yeah, yeah. Now you can live however you wan— what did you say?”

“I want to erase my past as the Doll of the Spear. And… I formally apologize for attacking the supply units.”

“Well, that’s… I can’t really judge right or wrong for such things. That’s just what war is.”

I don’t have any personal grudge against Depal, and what she did as part of the Demon King’s army was ultimately the result of following Argyle’s orders.

Besides, in war, who’s to say what’s acceptable and what’s not?

“Can you help me change myself so I can live a new life as a human?”

The look in Depal’s eyes and the tone of her voice as she spoke seemed somehow desperate.

…I didn’t know she would be this eager to see the city.

“Are you sure? I mean, I did rehabilitate you, but no matter how dark your past is, it’s not easy to shake it off…”

Before I could finish speaking, Depal suddenly raised her spear and brought her knee up to break the spear in two.

“Will this do?”

“No, you crazy…”

Was Depal always this decisive?

Why is she so desperately trying to follow me?

I acknowledge her combat prowess, but since I’m no longer a member of the Hero’s party trying to defeat the Demon King, I don’t particularly need combat strength.

…No matter how I think about it, there’s no merit in having her around…?

The only good thing might be… that her face is pretty, so just looking at her makes me feel good?

As I was making this perplexed expression, Depal finally spoke up first, seemingly frustrated.

“Didn’t you say you would take responsibility for me…! Saying things like I should live as a human from now on, and that you’ll take responsibility so I shouldn’t worry…”

What the hell is this crazy woman saying?

Depal began shamelessly spouting statements that could be easily misunderstood by others.

“You made me like this… and now that you’ve achieved your goal, you’re telling me to get lost?!”

“No, damn it, I never said anything like…”

“Take responsibility! You made me like this… you must take responsibility!”

With her face now completely red as if it might burst, Depal grabbed my collar and began pressuring me with tears in her eyes, her short blue hair swaying.

I quickly looked around hoping the others would intervene… damn it. They were just munching on hardtack while watching the farce between Depal and me with great interest.

“Ack… w-wait a minute… let go of this…”

“Take responsibility! I said take responsibility!”

“Al… alright!!! Damn it, I’ll take responsibility!!! I’ll take responsibility and make sure you function as a proper person…! Ack! Please…”

Having received a definite answer from me, Depal finally released her grip on my collar.

This crazy woman… she’s not a minotaur, so why is she so strong?

“Senior… I’m not sure if this is appropriate.”

“We’ll talk later.”

At my venomous words, Robin flinched and quietly avoided my gaze.

Depal, who had grabbed my collar, was now beaming with joy for whatever reason, pushing my back firmly.

“Hmph… well then, let’s hurry to Quiln!”

“Damn it… my life… such a life like a novel. The world looks beautiful.”

…I don’t even know anymore. Whatever happens, happens.

Deep in the Merden Forest, in a fortress boasting ironclad defenses.

Under a flag bearing the emblem of the Demon King’s army with the number 7, a man and a woman sat facing each other.

“So, what brings you here?”

Argyle, the Puppet commanding the Demon King’s 7th Legion, narrowed her brow as she looked at the man before her.

‘An unpleasant bastard.’

Always finding fault with Argyle’s affairs, sending her to the Merden Forest was just the tip of the iceberg among the things this man had done.

Due to unpleasant memories with the man in front of her, she simply couldn’t view him favorably.

“Argyle. It seems you’ve disposed of Depal?”

“…I was planning to release that child someday. Unlike Bacchus, her face isn’t known to humans yet.”

“Oh my, how considerate of you. I wondered how that soft-hearted Depal could tear humans apart… so you used such a vile method? Subtly using brainwashing magic to make her slaughter humans, and now you’re playing parent?”

BANG!!!

When Argyle’s fist struck the table with a loud noise, a large hole formed in the center of the table.

“…If you wag your tongue any more, I’ll put you in a wax mold too.”

“Oh my, I’d rather pass on becoming a wax figure. Haha…”

It would be no trouble at all to kill the man in front of her right now.

This forest wasn’t his ‘territory’ after all. However…

As Argyle barely managed to calm her boiling insides, the man quietly put down his teacup and spoke.

“Argyle. This is your last chance. I don’t know how you feel about me, but you haven’t forgotten that I’ve been supporting you all this time, have you?”

“…What do you want?”

“Slurp… no, no. It’s not that I want something specifically… why must there be such distance between family?”

Argyle clenched her fist tightly, grinding the wax pen in her hand to powder.

What family, this despicable bastard.

“…Mention ‘family’ one more time, and I’ll tear off your limbs and throw them to the salamanders as food.”

“You’re quite sensitive~ Ahem… alright! Let’s get to the point.”

The man, who had already emptied his teacup, put on a rather serious expression and opened his mouth toward Argyle.

“Depal’s signal has been completely cut off. It seems the mana stone was taken… Until now, I’ve covered up your mistakes to some extent, but losing a mana stone is a serious offense. I might not be able to cover for you completely. The brainwashing you put on Depal would have been undone, and she might have completely defected to the humans.”

“…It was my mistake. I’ll accept the punishment for it.”

“That’s not what I mean… sigh…”

Seeing Argyle’s stubborn attitude, the man rose from his seat with a deep sigh.

“Anyway, the front line at the Iron Plateau has been becoming stagnant recently. The Demon King seems to be having a bit of a headache due to the stalemate… well, thanks to Huntley collecting the corpses of the other four, our forces will be replenished.”

“Huntley collected their corpses?”

“Well, the Hero apparently turned those four into rags? But… Huntley’s skills are reliable. Even if we don’t have enough materials for the ritual to revive all four, he said he could definitely bring back at least two?”

“…So they can’t revive all four… It seems the situation at the main force isn’t very good either.”

“Our forces were weakened because those four were defeated. So… you’ll need to break through the Merden Forest quickly too. I’ll try to smooth over this Depal incident somehow.”

“…Thank you.”

“Ah… right. Sorry for coming when you’re busy. You probably don’t want to see my face either.”

Saying this, the man ruffled Argyle’s demonic purple hair and turned his back, beginning to open a gate.

“Big brother is leaving. Reinforcements will arrive soon, but don’t handle them too roughly. Don’t die to the Hero.”

After the man disappeared into the gate, Argyle, who had been staring intently at the empty space where the gate had been, spoke in a low voice.

“…Big brother, seriously…”

Without fixing her disheveled hair, Argyle walked toward the tent where her staff was gathered.

If she were to be defeated by the Hero, she wouldn’t be able to show her face to her brother out of embarrassment.