While I stayed at the guildmaster’s residence for a few days, Rena came to see me every single day without fail, chatting away endlessly.

But aside from my time with her, I devoted all my hours to talking with the ‘voice’.

[You did well. Only fifty points have come in so far since the incident hasn’t spread much yet, but this father and daughter will soon start making your name known.]

‘Ah. So the points I’ll be getting from this incident are…’

[Right. Over the past few days, I’ve seen many people celebrating Rena’s safe return. She must’ve been a local celebrity. You made a lot of people happy. That means you’ll be getting an extra 700 points.]

‘……’

[Now do you get it? Before you start anything, always think of “the greatest happiness for the greatest number.” This absolute principle will elevate your fame, and one day, it’ll make you a hero.]

Sure. I get it.

But hey, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.

‘Why were you talking down to me from the very start?’

The voice went silent for a moment.

Then, in an unusually hesitant and cautious tone, it asked:

[……Is that… not okay?]

‘No need to sound so dejected about it.’

[Then I’ll keep talking like this. You can speak casually to me too.]

‘Still, I can’t keep calling you “you” forever. You already know my name, so tell me yours.’

[Hoo. I’ve forgotten it. Call me whatever you like. Or you can give me a new name.] Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novelꜰire.net

You sure you won’t regret it?

I’m notorious across the continent for my naming sense.

‘Invisible.’

[What?]

‘You’re not visible, so… Invisible.’

[Ah, I just remembered. My name is Trail.]

‘……’

[It’s Trail. Really.]

Got it, Trail.

I rubbed my palms together.

The new ability was great and all, but what I was really interested in now was something else.

My memories from before the regression.

All the countless quests and information I went through until I defeated the Demon King—they’re all still in my head.

‘Let’s see. I went back 7 years, right?’

Kaeld once said, “The hero died from the very start.”

In other words, by this point in time, the real hero, Bion Kunze, is already dead.

Tracking him down to disturb Kaeld’s scheme is impossible.

But there’s no need to be discouraged.

‘Yeah, for example…’

Tap tap.

I tapped the table with my index finger, deep in thought.

‘For example, Kaeld hasn’t even gathered all his party members yet.’

I was the last member of his party.

According to my memory, it’s still three years until he comes looking for me.

And I remember when each of the other party members first met the hero—down to the year and month.

‘At this point, there are probably three of them still left. Heroes the hero hasn’t met yet.’

Soon, I smirked.

Then I should be the one to meet them first.

With the memories from before the regression, and my new abilities…

‘Just wait. I’ll be the one to unmask you.’

Fake hero Kaeld.

[It’s Trail. Believe me.]

I said I got it.

‘More importantly, tell me what you want.’

[Hmm?]

‘From the look of it, you’re going all out to help me with some weird power, but I don’t accept favours without knowing the reason.’

[You’re a cold one.]

How could I not be?

Every day, I’m surrounded by “sinners.”

Of course, no one lives without committing a single sin—including me.

But being aware of exactly who you’ve wronged and how many times… that’s something else entirely.

‘So, what’s your goal?’

[The world is still beautiful and worth living in. It would be good to fix your habit of viewing kindness with suspicion—]

‘Okay. Let’s go our separate ways.’

[W-wait! What’s the rush? Calm down.]

‘Why the sudden polite speech?’

The guy seemed flustered for a moment, then spoke in a placating tone.

[My only goal is to kill the Demon King of Lies and Deception, Idria.]

‘……’

[Before the regression, you succeeded in exposing Kaeld’s “lie.” But when it came to the actual Demon King, Idria, you couldn’t even lay a finger on her before dying.]

‘Nice and tactful choice of words.’

[I have my reasons for needing to kill Idria. But a Demon King can only be killed by a hero.]

Ah, so that’s why.

‘So that’s why you want to make me a hero? Helping me gain fame and all?’

[Yes. It’s what you wanted before you died too. You become a hero and gain glory, and I defeat the Demon King. A perfect win-win relationship.]

‘……Hmm.’

To be precise, all I ever wanted was to enjoy a peaceful retirement.

Well, I suppose it all leads to the same place in the end.

Someone has to kill the Demon King.

Kaeld can’t do it.

So I will.

It’s a logical conclusion and a perfectly aligned goal.

I smiled softly and said,

‘Alright. Let’s work well together, Invisible.’

[It’s Trail.]

‘Well, that’s not really important.’

[It is important.]

‘Anyway, it’s time I got moving. You said fame is what makes someone a hero, right? There’s no way I’ll gain any sitting around in one place.’

[Hmm. A fine idea.]

Tick.

Suddenly, the same large screen appeared before me again.

But unlike before, it now displayed a large map of the continent.

‘You can do stuff like this too?’

[Of course. Look closely. This is the Drucker Territory where you currently are.]

At those words, a point on the map began to glow.

[Think of the brightness and size of this white light as the fame you’ve earned. Over the past three days, your fame has spread enough to reach about 450. Even if you squeeze out the rest, you probably won’t even hit 1,000.]

‘……’

[In short, you’re a firefly.]

‘Nice metaphor.’

[No. I mean it. Compared to this.]

Snap.

There was a sound like someone snapping their fingers.

Then, in the southwestern region of the map, a gloomy and malevolent black mist began to rise up.

Unlike me, who was barely a glimmer at a single point on the continent, that mist had already completely engulfed three or four territories.

In both scale and darkness, it was incomparable.

[That’s the fame that bastard Kaeld has right now.]

‘What?’

[He’s already acquired three heroes. Since the oracle hasn’t descended yet, his name hasn’t spread across the entire continent. But in the southwest, he’s already considered on par with a Champion.]

‘……’

[That’s the size of the fame you have to catch up to. Getting the picture now?]

I swallowed hard.

Looking at that, my light really is nothing more than a firefly.

‘I’m in the northeast right now. The continent is long from top to bottom… so I’ll have to build my fame gradually starting here. I shouldn’t even glance at the southern regions for a while.’

[I think the same. So, what’s your next plan?]

‘Hmm.’

I crossed my arms and fell into thought.

What should I do?

What famous event happened around this time before regression?

Something that may not have shaken the whole continent, but at least caused a stir in this region…

“Ah!”

I sprang to my feet.

“That’s it!”

[Indeed!]

“Don’t act like you know. I haven’t said anything yet.”

[I read your mind, remember.]

Trail spoke in a subtle tone.

[It’s been a while since the last reunion. Right?]

The voice was right.

Soon, not far from here, in the Quelk territory, a fairly famous—and brutal—incident will take place.

There’s a terrifying woman who’s kept the entire continent on edge for years.

A villainess who roams from region to region committing all sorts of atrocities.

The so-called Witch of Carnage.

Neril Slane.

She was once a member of my former party.

To be more precise—

‘At this point in time, she’s still a party member Kaeld hasn’t sunk his claws into.’

Then I have to get to her first.

Time to go see that lady again.

“Huaaah. Mister, don’t go. Don’t gooo.”

Rena, who still thought of me as her ‘white horse-riding uncle,’ clung to me, bawling her eyes out.

The guild master, seeing his daughter like that, gave a strange expression somewhere between a smile and a grimace.

“I have to go. I’ve got something to do.”

“What is it! Just stay here. I’ll make you happy.”

“Sorry. But I’ll come see you again someday.”

“…You promise? You’re not lying, right?”

“Of course.”

Rena soaked my clothes with tears and snot before finally letting go.

“Sniff… Fine. But you have to come back. By then, I’ll have grown so much that you’ll regret the choice you’re making today.”

“Heh. Alright.”

She wiped her tears and stepped back.

Then the guild master stepped forward and spoke.

“It’s truly regrettable to send you off like this. You’re just as the rumors say.”

“Huh?”

“I heard the Sword master of No Killings never stays in one place.”

Please stop calling me that.

Just call me Swordmaster!

[So you did like the sound of it.]

“Was the treatment I gave you lacking?”

“It’s not that. Besides, wouldn’t it be uncomfortable if I really decided to stay?”

“Huh?”

I gestured with my chin toward Rena, who was still sniffling in the back.

The guild master’s expression stiffened slightly as he caught the meaning.

I whispered to him.

“A man of your standing surely has things more important than your daughter’s romance.”

“……”

“Don’t make that face. I’m not against political marriages or anything. I’m just saying, no need to keep up appearances with me.”

His expression turned a bit unpleasant.

“You think I’m that kind of man?”

“……”

“I’m disappointed, Sir Mide. I swear I have not a speck of shame before the heavens…”

“What sin did you commit against Id Blaket?”

At my words, the guild master’s eyes wavered.

He was a seasoned merchant, so his expression didn’t betray anything—but the eyes, the window to the soul, couldn’t fully hide it.

“W-what… What do you know?”

Truth is, I know nothing.

I didn’t bother using the Eye of Omniscience to uncover his secrets.

But I do know one thing for sure—that he wronged that person.

“Guild Master.”

“……”

“Live a good life. Let’s not meet again.”

Leaving the stunned guild master behind, I departed from Drucker territory.

Inside the carriage headed for Quelk territory.

I reviewed the plan with Trail.

So far, Kaeld had secured three party members.

And the remaining ones—excluding me—numbered three.

If I want to balance the scales, I have to get all of them first.

‘Neril was the one most aligned with me, at least in terms of opinion.’

It’s a bit of a late regret, but sometimes I wonder—what if I had spoken to her while standing watch the night before our final battle with the Demon King?

Told her that Kaeld was guilty of crimes against 148 million people.

She probably would’ve laughed in disbelief.

Maybe even twirled her finger at her head like I was crazy.

‘But eventually, she would’ve listened seriously.’

[Sounds like you trusted that woman, Neril, quite a bit.]

‘Not sure if “trust” is the right word. But at the very least, she wasn’t someone I could dismiss lightly.’

[Hmm. But even if you’d said something earlier, it wouldn’t have changed anything. You wouldn’t have stood a chance against the Demon King anyway.]

God, the way you phrase things.

In any case, she was the only one besides me who ever doubted the Hero Kaeld.

Unlike me, she didn’t have concrete evidence—her doubts were more like “Does Kaeld really have what it takes to be a Hero?”—but that alone puts her leagues above the others.

[Still, “Witch of Carnage” is a pretty fearsome title. Not as bad as the “No Killings Sword-whatever,” though.]

‘Nah. Even the Swordmaster of No Killings is nothing compared to the Two-Syllable Name Guy.’

[…My bad.]

‘Besides, the title “Witch of Carnage” is honestly pretty unfair. I didn’t even realize it until I joined her party later on.’

[Huh?]

I stayed quiet for a moment, then answered.

‘Most of it was false accusation.’

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