"Maxim, one of the Eight Heroes. Ah... I see, you wouldn't know since you've been asleep all this time."
Then, Serengeti realized that she had been asleep for a long time and changed her words.
Serengeti had been asleep ever since the Great Expedition to the Demon World ended. She had briefly woken up, but even then, she had no idea about the current situation.
Feeling a chill, she asked, "Surely, the term 'hero' only came about after the Great Expedition ended?"
"Yes."
"You mean there are eight heroes, not just the sole hero Wilhelm?"
"...... One of the Eight Heroes is Knight King Wilhelm, including Maxim."
"Huh? That's absurd! Maxim fled right after the Great Expedition, abandoning the mercenaries who followed him."
"...... Wait. Is that true?"
Duke Wieser's eyes widened. If Maxim, one of the Eight Heroes, was actually a fugitive...
He had heard something similar before, but he couldn't be sure it was true.
But Serengeti was his daughter.
Duke Wieser knew better than anyone that Serengeti detested lies.
So it must be true.
Serengeti glanced at him and continued, "Only Sir Wilhelm reached the end of the Demon World and confronted the Demon King. Maxim, however, fled as soon as he reached the entrance of the Demon World, a cowardly deserter."
"The other Eight Heroes?"
"...... Who are they? Eight heroes?"
Duke Wieser swallowed and called out the names of the remaining heroes.
The moment he finished, Serengeti's body began to tremble with anger.
"Honorless scoundrels......! Two of them didn't even participate in the Great Expedition. How dare they?"
"Who didn't participate?"
"Gracia and Master. They didn't even join. Even the others are far from being heroes."
"...... If that's true, this is...... a huge problem."
Duke Wieser realized the severity of the situation.
All of the Eight Heroes, except Wilhelm, were fakes.
Fakes, but acting like the real thing.
The entire continent believed they were genuine heroes.
Those who knew the truth were all dead.
The only one left was Serengeti.
"It needs to be corrected."
"No one will believe you."
"...... Heir."
"And you're not fully free from the curse yet."
"Isn't that unfair?"
Isn't it unfair?
I shrugged.
"What do you think will happen next?"
"...... Ah."
Only then did Serengeti take a deep breath.
Then she laughed softly.
"...... They really are fools."
Fools, indeed.
They had turned someone who should never have been an enemy into an enemy.
Serengeti knew Wilhelm better than anyone.
The most honorable Wilhelm always got what he wanted.
He eliminated anyone who stood in his way, no matter how.
He was the most terrifying, the strongest, and showed no mercy to his enemies.
Thinking about it, there was no need to worry.
"Stand up. Hudson has healed your body."
"What do you mean......?"
Serengeti reached out and quickly looked under the blanket.
There, her perfectly healed legs came into view.
"...... How?"
"Hudson healed you with the highest-grade elixir."
I gave the elixir, but Hudson did the healing, so it wasn't a lie.
Hudson looked at me with a deeply moved expression.
His face was about to burst.
"Hudson. You did this for me......?"
"The elixir was provided by the Heir. I just sprinkled it drop by drop."
"Even so, you must have hardly slept......"
"It was for you. If you're fine, I don't care if I die."
"Ah, Hudson!"
"Serengeti!"
They hugged each other tightly.
...... Duke Wieser could only look at them with a confused expression.
"I understand that this is a touching reunion, Serengeti, but there's something you need to do for me."
Thud!
At that moment, Serengeti's body straightened.
Just like in her knight days, she stood with perfect posture.
Serengeti, who had risen from her seat, raised her right hand, clenched it into a fist, and placed it over her left chest.
"I will do whatever you ask."
"I need you for my next trial."
Main Quest 6.
For its completion, I need Serengeti.
Her abilities.
The transcendent powers granted by the 'Star'.
Serengeti's eyes sparkled.
"Do you need me?"
"...... Yes."
"Understood. When do we leave?"
"Let's just leave it at that for now. I'll inform you of the schedule later."
Seeing her overflowing energy and enthusiasm, it seems she has fully recovered.
Besides, it's a touching reunion right now.
I didn't want to interrupt it.
But Serengeti had different thoughts.
"What's the point of delaying? If it's about crushing those scoundrels, I'll lead the charge. I'll cut off the heads of those laughable traitors and throw them into the abyss to be cursed forever. To restore the tarnished honor and make everyone in the world know the true heroes, there's no need to hesitate even for a second in executing those who spout lies......"
All preparations are complete.
I remembered.
Every time I talked to Serengeti, I spent the whole day pressing Enter.
She dominated the conversation so much.
At first, I thought there might be hidden quest hints in the conversation, but there was nothing.
It seems Wilhelm felt the same way.
'...... PTSD is setting in.'
The memory that surfaced due to the Star.
Serengeti talks a lot when she gets excited.
Perhaps it's the result of her silent training with a sword since childhood.
Once she starts, no one can stop her.
This is as controlled as she gets.
"...... Hmm."
Duke Wieser blinked, looking back and forth between me and Serengeti.
He had just learned that Serengeti was such a chatterbox, and my attitude towards her didn't seem like a first meeting.
To avoid arousing suspicion, I shrugged as casually as possible.
"According to the Knight King's chronicles, if you don't interrupt her at the right time, she can talk for an hour."
"...... Is that my daughter?"
"Did you perhaps make her do silent training when she was young?"
Silent training means not speaking at all.
Duke Wieser nodded with a troubled look.
"...... It's all my fault."
"It doesn't seem to be a problem for just anyone, so don't worry."
He treated her talkativeness like a disease.
After all, for a knight's daughter, being talkative is a significant weakness.
Of course, Serengeti only talks a lot to two people in this world.
One is Hudson.
The other is Wilhelm.
That's why.
Hudson was looking at me with a strange expression.
He didn't expect Serengeti to show this side to anyone other than himself.
"...... Ahem. I apologize. I spoke out of turn."
In the meantime, Serengeti realized her mistake and bowed her head briefly.
She had misinterpreted my need for help in my trial as "I need your sword to execute the traitors."
It's true, but right now, Main Quest 6 is more important.
After all, the so-called Eight Heroes, except for me, are like dominoes on a sandcastle.
'They are overconfident, thinking they control all the players perfectly.'
Their current behavior confirms this.
Seeing them make excuses and defend themselves in the real world, it feels like it's about to happen soon.
The named NPCs I thought were in hiding.
If they are truly players, many of them won't be swayed by the Eight Heroes.
They just prefer to act from behind the scenes.
'Once the tipping point is reached, they will act.'
They will stand against the Eight Heroes.
Soon, the world will become a battlefield of chaos.
In the process, it might even be revealed that the 'Dimension Warrior' is just a 'game addict.'
If the reputation and status of the Warriors are tarnished, will the world still believe and follow them?
Once a seed of doubt is planted, it continues to grow.
Even if not immediately, there are many ways to bring them down.
It's just a matter of which is the most efficient.
"Let's have a conversation."
I left before any unnecessary suspicions could arise.
I had a place to go.
*
Outside, Isaac was waiting with a slightly worried expression.
"You look like you have a lot to say."
"Actually...... I'm feeling uneasy."
"Are you worried someone will come after you?"
Isaac nodded.
The reason he had been hiding in Kramdel for so long was to avoid being pursued by someone he had wronged.
"Don't worry. No one will pay attention to you for a while."
They can't pay attention.
At least for a while.
The continent will be in an uproar over the story of Maxim and the Duke.
Besides, Isaac's main enemies are the named NPCs, i.e., players.
Most of them are associated with the Eight Heroes, who are busy with Earth's affairs.
With Maxim's issue on top of that, there's no one to pay attention to Isaac.
"If you keep your promise, I will keep mine."
The promise to provide the highest-grade appearance-changing potion after a year of service.
The promise to give him a new life is not a lie.
"...... I believe you."
Isaac took a deep breath.
Saint, Overlord, Heir of the Knight King.
I don't know how many faces he has, but one thing is certain.
'His words carry authority.'
Strangely, I believe him.
His words that no one will pay attention to you for a while are strangely reassuring.
The unease disappeared as if it were a lie.
The promise to keep his word is strangely trustworthy.
Why?
Isn't he the one who deceives everyone with different faces?
Yet, he has authority in his words and his presence.
Those who follow him are genuinely loyal to him. Isaac has seen many people, but he has never seen anyone with such a mysterious and trustworthy presence.
Even the so-called Eight Heroes.
'Compared to them-.'
Isn't this man more of a hero?
Judging by his actions and behavior, the word 'hero' comes naturally.
He sealed the Demon World's gatekeeper Ahram in Kramdel and executed Maxim, one of the Eight Heroes, who was tormenting the city's citizens.
Although the process wasn't clean, it was a perfect Iijima.
He never thought Maxim would be turned into an undead to kill the Duke.
So, he might not be a hero in the process, but the result is that of a hero.
What kind of person is he?
The more I know, the more he seems like an onion.
Then.
"However, I'm a bit worried about your sin value."
"About my sin value?"
"Hmm."
He nodded.
Indeed.
In Kramdel, it wouldn't matter, but in a human city, especially to priests, Isaac's sin value would be immediately recognized.
Isaac's sin value was on par with a 'major villain.'
He was at the level of a high-ranking member of a large criminal organization that controlled several cities.
At this level, he could even intimidate ordinary citizens.
If we travel together, it could be a hindrance.
"Fortunately, it's a good time to get rid of it."
"...... What?"
What does that mean?
Isaac instantly doubted his ears.
Surely, he doesn't mean to eliminate the sin value?
"Follow me."
*
Isaac looked at Priest Andrew with a bewildered expression.
Priest Andrew also had an incredulous look.
"A, a pardon......"
Clearly, Priest Andrew had used all three of his pardons.
He had given all three to one person.
But now, a fourth pardon appeared before his eyes.
When his hands were washed with the holy chalice, Priest Andrew immediately realized that he could issue one more 'pardon.'
And only to the man standing before him.
'Now I understand why only priests can open the Platinum Box.'
I smiled slightly.
Now it makes sense.
The Platinum Box obtained from sealing Ahram.
But the Platinum Box could only be opened by high-ranking priests who could recite the 'Prayer of Praise.'
The reason was this.
'The pardons can be duplicated.'
That's why I used the last third pardon without hesitation.
Priest Andrew, still looking skeptical, said, "I can activate the pardon's privilege one more time, but how did this happen......?"
"I forgive your sins, Isaac."
"Wait. Using it so carelessly......!!"
Whoosh!
Placing my hand on Isaac's head and using the pardon, his sin value was cleansed in a bright light.