Hero's Coffin Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Though she had lamented joining this mercenary group right after the subjugation ended, Beatrice was now going around the banquet hall, actively introducing herself as a member of Hero's Light.

Currently, the Hero's Light mercenary group was naturally receiving the most attention in the banquet hall.

Though the Death Knight had knelt under God's touch, many had witnessed how the incubus was dealt with. It had happened while those pulled out from the swamp were dazedly looking around.

Moreover, the background for this mercenary group's achievements drawing attention included the commotion that occurred on the first gathering day. While they had acted like people drunk on strange settings, spouting bizarre words during the clash with the holy knights, they had actually eliminated demons during the subjugation.

Of course, the holy knights expressed this as mere luck. They said the mercenaries had easily dealt with the incubus because all demons were weakened when 'Solnium's light' burst forth. Though this hypothesis received quite a lot of agreement, people still whispered everywhere that it was an amazing event for one mercenary group to take down demons.

"He really was hiding his power...!"

"Ooooh!"

Mercenaries gathered and talked over there. He regretfully noted that the figure at the center of that group happened to be familiar to him.

"But that guy in the black robe didn't really step forward much, did he? He even collapsed at the end. He just seemed to brush against the demon and fell flat."

"T-that may be true! But it proves that all those protecting that Saiph are strong! And he's come to the banquet looking perfectly fine now, so he must have overcome it with hidden power!"

That figure was none other than Serena. She, who had seriously believed his setting, was still enthusiastically writing fiction, and there was evidence for this.

When everyone was suffering from the nightmare energy spread by the incubus, Kalterik had let out a loud groan right after beating it. His clumsy acting had rather drawn attention, so the story spread that they had been trying to eliminate the demons from the start.

It was fortunate that it hadn't been revealed that he had been cursed by the incubus, that is, that he had been the target of the demon's revenge... but hearing even the fiction that the black-robed Saiph had stayed in the back to command his subordinates made him very troubled.

Beatrice must have heard this too, as she burst into chuckles.

"That mercenary would have liked it more if he had seen your true form."

He immediately looked at her with disgust. When he questioned her with eyes that asked what nonsense she was talking about, she laughed loudly again and drank her wine. After checking the alcohol served at the banquet, she had been satisfied that the lord had spent quite a bit of money, and had already emptied one bottle.

"Now you finally look at me."

"If you're drunk, why don't you just go to your room?"

"Haha! Why would I leave such an amusing space?"

Beatrice shook her head as if that was absurd. Though she had been horrified yesterday about possibly being discovered, she seemed very pleased now that only ridiculous admiration and exaggerated rumors remained. Since demons weren't commonly seen beings, great confusion had been created, which rather helped hide the truth.

Swirling the wine glass in her hand, Beatrice shrugged her shoulders.

"Yes. Everything has been resolved well, and the banquet hall is full of such amusing stories... but why is your atmosphere like this?"

"..."

"..."

That one statement lowered the atmosphere even further at the round table where six people were seated. He had deliberately avoided sitting next to Haren, but after sitting down, it turned out to be a seat facing him. So he kept his hood pulled down deep and absolutely did not look forward.

He hadn't exchanged a single word with Haren since their morning conversation. Thinking it would be uncomfortable for both of them if they saw each other's faces, he had avoided him all day until the evening banquet. It was common for him to stay quietly in a corner without saying anything among the companions anyway.

So while his silence wasn't strange, now Haren was silent too.

His subordinates all watched carefully at his behavior, as if he had entered a vow of silence. Though he still gave faint smiles habitually when making direct eye contact with companions, everyone felt that his overall atmosphere was unusual.

"Perhaps because the holy knights showed such inadequate behavior yesterday..."

"Once we return to the holy city, we need to properly discipline them..."

Noi and Kalterik conversed quietly. Though it was convenient that other mercenaries who approached out of curiosity retreated in surprise at the sub-zero temperature thanks to the sunken atmosphere, even the companions' breathing was frozen.

Beatrice looked between him and Haren questioningly and asked.

"Seeing how fine you look, it seems the demon's curse was resolved well too, but is there some problem? Those three said the Commander resolved it on the sky island too, and that we just needed to trust the Commander, so I was going to ask what method it was."

It was a very unfortunate question that didn't help the cold atmosphere at all. A brief awkward silence fell over the table, and he could guess that the other companions were also secretly curious. Though they attributed the cause of the Commander's low mood to the holy knights' poor showing during the subjugation, they seemed concerned that there might have been some problem last night.

Their attitude was newly amusing. Even though he had been hit by a demon's curse, and an incubus's at that, they didn't suspect at all that anything indecent had occurred. Of course, this time it really was a curse that would kill by trapping in nightmares, and they had just chosen an alternative to break the dream demon's ability, but...

The fact that no one suspected anything even though they had spent a night alone together made him more certain that his decision had been wise. He shrugged his shoulders and answered nonchalantly.

"Who knows. I don't remember anything, I just woke up and was fine."

"Hooh, is the hero who received the grace of purification different in everything? You really don't remember anything?"

"Yeah. Seems like nothing happened."

Rather, he was bewildered by Haren's behavior. Why was he acting like this when he had accepted the proposal too? His tone became even more indifferent, and Noi laughed awkwardly. As if not wanting to lose the flow of conversation that had finally started at the table, he quickly followed up.

"Ha, haha. It's really fortunate that nothing was discovered despite everything that happened. Since we successfully completed the monster subjugation, we'll be able to move around comfortably with the request confirmation stamped with the lord's seal, and the lord said he would give us a separate reward too! If we receive warp passes with that, we can go east in one go!"

His outpouring words revealed his desperation. Since the warp connecting the entire empire could only be used after passing very strict screening, if the lord of the major city Nadael vouched for them, they could cross the empire horizontally without problems.

Especially since they said the western and eastern parts of the empire were far apart, reducing time with warps would also reduce the period they needed to cooperate in the Encroachment Zone, so it was welcome news for him too.

Just then, Beatrice also seemed interested in that part and asked. Since she had cast a sound-blocking spell around the table, they could discuss the Encroachment Zone more comfortably.

"East? You're going east before north?"

"Yes. Actually, since the northern Encroachment Zone is closer from here, we had that in mind, but right now the entire north is very wary of outsiders, so..."

For some reason, Noi trailed off and glanced at him. There was a feeling as if it was an uncomfortable topic. What is it? Why suddenly look at me?

However, before he could express any question, Noi changed the subject.

"Anyway, it's good to go to farther places first when we can get warp passes! And the eastern Encroachment Zone is also suitable to visit in this season!"

"Though it will take considerable time since the city with the eastern warp gate is quite far from the Encroachment Zone, hmm, considering even that point, going east would be better now."

Are there Encroachment Zones that match seasons? Since it was spring now, was it full of flowers, or did spring water flow? After imagining various things, he quickly dropped the thought. He shouldn't expect Encroachment Zones to be comfortable in the first place, and moreover, there was no way to enjoy nature in a space losing life force. There was no point in imagining good things, he would just get blindsided again. With the difficulty cubed.

Haah, he was already feeling overwhelmed about the next search. While he swallowed a sigh inwardly, Beatrice spoke.

"It's such a shame that I can't go there with you. To think I have to leave such an amusing mercenary group."

"..."

"Wait, why did your face brighten? Is that an expression wanting to quickly go to the Encroachment Zone to get rid of me?"

Unfortunately, since Beatrice was sitting next to him, his reaction was completely exposed. To think she could read his inner thoughts this thoroughly. Did she have some strange insight because she was such a unique imperial princess that he could sense something odd about this NPC?