I raised my voice even further.

“The cursed Demon King’s name is Idria! The Demon King of lies and deception!”

“The Demon King of lies and deception…”

“Idria?”

“Shh. Let the Hero speak.”

I shouted again.

“And that bastard Kaeld Wake, who called himself a hero, is merely a pawn of the false Demon King, Idria!”

“W-What did he say?”

“Lord Kaeld…?”

“Then the person who treated our lord…?”

I rushed to continue.

“The Demon King sought to craft the perfect lie by glorifying the fake hero Kaeld. We must not fall for his deception!”

“Gasp.”

“Don’t be fooled by lies any longer. Don’t let deception devour you!”

A light began to return to the eyes of the townspeople.

Determination started to take shape in their expressions.

They clenched their fists, their bodies tense with energy.

Soon, they cried out as one.

“Ooooo! We believe in the Hero!”

“So you are saying Idria and Kaeld are enemies of mankind, right?”

“Hero! Please slay the falsehoods!”

“We’ll spread the word far and wide. Trust us!”

Good.

I gave a slight grin and turned my body sideways.

“Fear not. Throughout all ages, Demon Kings have always been brought down by Heroes. Lies will vanish by my hand and by the hands of the heroes beside me!”

At my proclamation, the townspeople’s excitement reached its peak.

They shouted in unison:

“Hero Mide!”

“The heroes who will save the world!”

“Long live Mide!”

“May the gods bless our heroes!”

Then—

<Ding! You have gained 10,000 fame points.>

<Fame needed for next level: 108,760 / 100,000>

<Your name will now echo throughout Dronoar Territory.>

<Total fame to be acquired from this event: 15,000>

<Your name echoes across Drucker Territory. (All points collected!)>

<Your name echoes across Quelk Territory. (All points collected!)>

<Your name echoes across Lior Territory. (All points collected!)>

<Your name echoes across Avis Territory. (All points collected!)>

<Your name echoes across Raynus Territory. (All points collected!)>

<Your name echoes across Tetra Territory. (All points collected!)>

<Your name echoes in the capital. (All points collected!)>

<Your name echoes across Hasphil Territory. (All points collected!)>

<Neril Slane now thinks of you as ‘a cool guy’.>

<Xenia Seide now sees you as ‘someone to whom she owes too much’.>

<Offense Dake now sees you as ‘a true leader’.>

<Adwin Ayn sees you as ‘the center of the continent’.>

<Lisel Vint sees you as ‘someone Kaeld was never a match for from the beginning’.>

<Serein Magnus sees you as ‘someone who absolutely deserves to succeed’.>

I’d finally met the fame requirement.

‘That was seriously tough.’

[You worked hard. I’m practically in tears.]

‘Level up, please. Right now.’

[Got it.]

<Ding! You have leveled up.>

<Current Fame Level: Very Famous>

<Fame needed for next level: 108,760 / 500,000>

Level: Very Famous.

I could now access A-grade secrets.

“Uuugh… Ophelia…”

David wept endlessly as he held the now-aged Ophelia in his arms.

He looked on the verge of collapse.

Count Acaine, eyes reddened, asked gravely:

“Can she be returned to normal?”

He was incredibly polite.

Compared to the beginning, it was a dramatic change.

“Yes. It’s possible.”

“Please don’t just say that to comfort me. Tell me the truth, Hero.”

“I always speak the truth. After all, I’m standing against the Demon King of lies.”

“…Ah.”

The count nodded without hesitation.

“You’re right.”

“……”

“So the current Demon King is the one of lies and deception, Idria, and Kaeld is merely a puppet?”

“Yes. The Demon King seeks to create a ‘perfect lie’ through Kaeld.”

“I see…”

He nodded repeatedly.

“When I first saw Kaeld, I was sure he was the Hero. There was no one else to compare him to at the time.”

“Count.”

“The miracle you performed here, Mide, is incomparable to Kaeld healing my illness.”

“……”

“Standing before the real Hero has opened my eyes. Without a doubt, you are the Hero.”

The count bowed his head deeply.

I felt a surge of emotion rise in my chest.

But I managed to stay composed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Thank you for saying that. Please, raise your head.”

“Hero…”

“If you could make a formal declaration of what you just said, that would help. You may want to coordinate with Hasphil or Avis Territories, their lords view me quite favourably.”

“If I make that announcement, we’ll all be aligned. The empire’s fragmentation will naturally resolve.”

“Not just resolve, it will forge a stronger unity.”

…Centered around me, of course. But I’ll keep that part to myself.

I do know how to read the room.

I changed the subject.

“Anyway, let’s return to Ophelia’s matter.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Her current body is a fake, altered by Idria. The aftermath of the purification is keeping her stable for now, but it won’t be long before Idria seizes control of her again. And when that happens, the worm horrors will start all over.”

At that, it wasn’t the count but David who turned pale.

He nearly crawled over on his knees to me.

A noble, no, the heir of a count, kneeling before me.

I flinched at the sight and tried to stop him.

“P-Please get up.”

“Hero… please don’t kill Ophelia.”

“…What?”

“She’s my light. My hope. She means more to me than the Celestial God himself. Please…”

David still loved Ophelia as if she were a part of him, even in her dying body.

As if her appearance didn’t matter in the slightest.

Neril muttered under her breath:

“That’s real love… Age really is just a number.”

“If anyone else had said that, I would nod along…”

“Could you not talk?”

I spoke to David.

“I would never kill Miss Ophelia.”

“T-Then?”

“Just a moment first.”

I turned to Trail.

‘Show me. The secret between Idria and Ophelia. I want to know what happened to her real body.’

[Understood.]

Soon, a screen materialized.

On the screen, there was Idria.

And Ophelia, too!

Though her eyes were closed, I could tell she wasn’t just sleeping.

‘A body without a soul.’

In other words, her soul had already been separated from that real body.

To Idria, it was just an empty shell, not worth keeping.

Yet, she was still floating Ophelia’s real body in the air, gazing at it with fascination.

‘When was this?’

I scanned the screen and was shocked.

The event shown was only three days ago.

Right when we first arrived in Dronoar Territory.

At that moment—

A deep male voice rang out from the screen.

“That body looks exactly like the one you sent to Dronoar recently.”

I recognized that voice instantly.

My teeth clenched before I realized it.

‘Kaeld!’

Idria didn’t even glance at him as she replied:

“Of course it does. That one’s the real thing. The one I sent to Dronoar was a fake based on this.”

“Then is there any reason to keep the real body around?”

“You really are a curious little bug.”

“……”

“There’s no practical reason. But this is just… a matter of personal taste.”

She twirled her finger with a smooth motion.

At that, Ophelia’s body, floating in midair, began to spin in sync with her finger.

“There’s something I’ve always wanted to do once I achieve everything.”

“What is it?”

“To kindly, thoroughly explain to all the foolish beings who have believed in so-called truths… just how false those truths really were.”

“…You want to reveal your lies? Wouldn’t that destroy them? Isn’t that contrary to being the Demon King of Lies?”

She replied in a calm tone.

“For all those long years, no one ever truly knew me. I wasn’t remembered by anyone. I just died, over and over again, at the hands of Bion.”

“……”

“Bion’s no different. He’s a hero who saved the world more times than anyone can count, but not a single soul remembers him. That’s why… I feel a sort of kinship with him.”

“What are you trying to say?”

Idria smiled with a distant, composed look.

“When I have achieved it all, I want to tell humanity one thing: that the Demon King Idria didn’t suddenly fall from the sky one day. That I have always been there, right beside them, wherever lies existed.”

“……”

“To do that, it’s better if I have proof.”

“Ha. So you’re keeping Ophelia’s real body as proof?”

“Yes. You could say I’m preparing for retirement.”

I was speechless.

‘Preparing for retirement?’

One day, I’ll have to explain to that bastard what retirement really means.

[Tell me, too. Your retirement plans weren’t anything special either.]

I ignored him and turned back to the screen.

Idria raised her other hand and sliced downward.

A tear split the air.

She placed Ophelia’s real body into that space.

“I look forward to that day.”

Snap.

The vision cut off.

After a brief pause, I turned to David.

“Ophelia’s real body is safe.”

“W-What?”

“Idria is keeping it. I’ll kill her, reclaim that body, and Adwin will transfer Ophelia’s soul into it.”

“Ugh… thank you. Thank you so much.”

David bowed his head, sobbing in earnest.

I patted his shoulder and continued.

“But we can’t leave Miss Ophelia as she is.”

“Ah, well… you said the Demon King might strike again at any time…”

“Yes. I’ll place her somewhere the Demon King’s power can’t reach.”

“And where would that be?”

“Here.”

I drew my Sword.

David flinched but didn’t back away.

That alone showed how much he trusted me.

In fact, it was the count who reacted with surprise.

“Hero… what are you doing?”

“Please step back and watch.”

“Ah… understood.”

I heard Serein whisper behind me.

“Lisel, what’s Mide trying to do?”

“I was just about to ask that myself. Offense, do you know?”

“No idea.”

Ah, right. The only time I have used this technique was back in Raynus Territory, no wonder those three have no clue.

Then Adwin, puffing himself up, opened his mouth.

“Hmph. Of course this is beyond the comprehension of you foolish commoners. I shall be generous and…”

“Why do you speak like Sir Grade.”

“Didn’t Mide explain it before? He’s going to tear open space and store her inside.”

“Wait, that wasn’t just a metaphor?”

“Mide’s a very straightforward guy.”

“Being straightforward and this direct are very different things!”

Adwin, who had been trying to show off for once, was thoroughly disheartened.

Just as his shoulders slumped..

“Heh. So you are Adwin.”

“Eh? Ah.”

“The Hero once wondered who was superior between you and me.”

It was Ophelia.

She had opened her eyes and was struggling to sit up.

David rushed to support her, surprised.

“Ophelia, are you okay?”

“Don’t look at my face.”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t want to show you a face this wrinkled. Not to you.”

“Ophelia!”

He gently turned her face toward him.

“You think I’d say something like that just because you have aged?”

“No! Of course not…”

“Well, I’d never say it either. What are you even talking about?”

Ophelia began to cry.

Struggling, she raised her hand and caressed David’s face.

“I want to see you again… as I once was.”

“You will. The Hero promised.”

“The Hero…”

She turned to face me.

“Hero, please… I’m counting on you.”

“Don’t worry.”

I gave a firm nod.

Her face relaxed into a faint smile, reassured.

She turned to Xenia and spoke again.

“Xenia. I always dumped everything on you, didn’t I? Even when we were on missions together.”

“Sniff… Don’t say that. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even be here.”

“Do you still eat two servings at a time?”

“Yeah… but not anymore. I promised to give half to Mide, wait, why am I saying this now?!”

“See? You and I… we’re always like this. We argue, then make up. That’s who we are, right?”

Xenia wiped her tears away with the back of her arm.

“Hmph. You are so stubborn.”

Time to get started.

The purification of this territory is almost complete.

I drew my sword.

“Let’s begin.”

Everyone nodded.

I took a deep breath and activated the technique.

Spatial Rend!

A technique I developed to counter Idria’s authority.

My space won’t be affected by hers.

I had already tested that before regression.

It happened when I fought the First Finger of Lies before regression.

We were on the verge of victory.

Cornered, the First Finger unleashed a “final outburst.”

It was an overwhelming ability, beyond comprehension.

In the end, even Kaeld ordered a retreat, but escape was impossible before its power.

So, in desperation, I tore space open.

And into that space, I evacuated my party members.

Before the space closed, I saw Idria.

She had been watching through the First Finger, but appeared herself when intrigued by my ability.

“You are a strange one. Why are you partied with someone like Kaeld?”

“Idria!”

“Using spatial authority in front of me? Intriguing. Come out here.”

Snap.

Idria flicked her fingers.

But the space I created continued to close.

“……?”

She tilted her head and snapped again. Several times.

But nothing worked.

Before my space shut completely, I heard her voice.

Urgent and out of character for her.

“Who… are you?”

TL : I wonder if Mide could access the vault beneath the imperial palace even without Grade’s permission cause you know, Mide has some connection to the vault’s creator, and we still don’t know anything about Mide’s origin. Newest update provided by ⓝovelFire.net

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep