Hero's Coffin Chapter 70

Chapter 70

#Part 8. 37%

The city was in an uproar.

The aftermath of last night's disturbance was bigger than expected. The commotion that occurred at the venue longing for the hero spread widely in just a few hours, eventually reaching a level where the entire city's security became stringent. The streets were packed with guards, and there was even talk that the city might be closed off.

He had anticipated that the repercussions wouldn't be small, but he was taken aback by how big and fast the reaction was. In this situation, he thought it would be understandable even if Harenir got angry or temporarily tightened the collar on his neck, but unexpectedly, he didn't say anything to him.

He just looked down at the street scene through the window and shrugged his shoulders, until finally Kalterik and Noi couldn't hold back and asked. In fact, at first, Kalterik glared at him with eyes that said 'You caused another disturbance!', but belatedly remembering who had been with him last night, his face became bewildered.

"What happened last night...?"

"There was a commotion at the venue, and they say there were even casualties..."

Noi, his pointed ears twitching, was busily collecting rumors circulating in the streets. Even though he hadn't summoned any undead, it seemed that the suspicious being who appeared at the venue last night had been established as Isaph, and it was spreading as a terrible tragedy with multiple casualties.

Occasionally, there were voices saying 'it's not certain if it was Isaph', but at this point, as everyone thought of Isaph as the being most opposite to the hero, he seemed to have naturally solidified as the culprit.

Harenir answered calmly.

"There were no casualties. Some people might have gotten minor injuries from falling while trying to leave in a hurry, but..."

"What? Then did that guy really...!"

"It was just a commotion caused by Isaph's poor physical condition yesterday. I was with him, so I saw it clearly. We escaped quickly, cutting off pursuit, but the city's response is faster than I thought."

He was surprised by the smoothness of the lie. What was this? He had expected him to tell the companions everything truthfully and intensify their watchful gaze towards him, so he was puzzled.

And the companions wouldn't generously understand that it was a problem caused by his poor condition. If anything, they might reproach him for not taking proper care of his body.

However, contrary to his prediction, Mela slowly nodded.

"He did look really tired yesterday..."

"Ah, that's right. He looked so pale, like he might collapse..."

"Ahem, hem!"

Even Noi agreed, and Kalterik suddenly burst into a fake cough. He glanced around as if he felt sorry for momentarily suspecting him of causing the disturbance, but he kept his mouth shut because he really was the cause. Although he had been tired from being tormented by evil spirits during the day, it was clearly a disturbance he had caused of his own volition.

He didn't know whether to be surprised by the companions' understanding attitude that he had been sick, or to feel guilty at the conclusion that 'he wouldn't have caused such a commotion in his right mind'.

"To think such rumors spread so badly over just that. There's even talk that some believers collapsed, but that must be a lie too..."

Even Noi looked at him as if worried about the malicious rumors, making him even more speechless. A believer close to him really did collapse... He vaguely remembered seeing the man who tried to grab his arm sink down in shock.

Afterwards, Kalterik, as if wanting to change the subject, asked, "But why did you go to that venue?", but Harenir dismissed it simply by answering that he had some business. It was amusing that the most ridiculous part was being buried like this. But perhaps he should keep his mouth shut in return for Harenir keeping the cause of the disturbance a secret.

Harenir stroked his chin thoughtfully and said,

"Since it was an event jointly organized by the city and the Order, there might be some scrutiny, but I sense the lord is reacting somewhat excessively. To mention a city lockdown order in just one day."

"He must be a noble who wants to look good to the temple. If he catches Isaph by any chance, it would be a great achievement..."

Noi answered. There would be nothing that could raise a lord's reputation more than capturing Isaph at a time when the empire's antipathy towards him was at its peak. Harenir glanced at the guards outside the window again and concluded.

"It would be dangerous to leave the city unnecessarily now. Let's stay here quietly for a few days."

"...What? Wouldn't it be better to get out quickly before a lockdown order is issued?"

"You've always quickly left places where you were sighted. Since you didn't choose to stay in those places, the security on the roads leaving the city is probably tighter now."

"Ah, that's right. There were no conflicts as long as we didn't actively chase."

Harenir and Noi answered in turn to his puzzled question. He had heard that all pursuit teams trying to catch Isaph had failed, so did that mean that despite being so strong, he didn't go out of his way to fight?

It was interesting, but he inwardly felt uneasy about everyone being tied down here. Even though Harenir had said they would rest for a few days anyway...

Just then, his eyes met Harenir's.

"If the city is closed off, returning to the holy city will definitely be delayed, so we won't be able to go to the uninhabited island either."

"...You really..."

Was he trying to become a living cultural asset with his uninhabited island talk?

The momentary thought that his not pointing out yesterday's disturbance was consideration was instantly crushed. He looked at Harenir with disgusted eyes, and Harenir laughed out loud. Though he was said to habitually smile, it was rare for him to laugh audibly like this, but since last night, it seemed like his threshold for laughter had lowered.

...Wait, could this possibly be a new form of punishment for causing the disturbance? Goosebumps rose at this very plausible inference. He looked at him with an expression that said 'Surely not', and Harenir met his gaze with smiling eyes.

Whoosh! He turned his head away without realizing it. It was really incomprehensible, but facing his smiling face made him feel strange for some reason. It had been a problem since after seeing the night market.

Thinking that this was just because that smile grated on his nerves, he tried hard to ignore it.

***

For several days, the companions quietly moved around only near the inn.

Having secured lodgings in the center of the city turned out to be a great advantage. Most daily necessities could be obtained nearby, and it was also suitable for gathering information about the situation. The companions expected that the city's emergency alert would naturally subside as time passed.

However, something completely unexpected occurred.

"They say monsters attacked the city?!"

"Part of the northern city wall has collapsed, and they're forming a subjugation team."

Noi returned startled as soon as he obtained the information, and Mela also reported the situation with a grim face. The damage from the attack was somewhat less because guards were stationed throughout the city, and the monsters' rank itself wasn't high, so it wasn't a dangerous situation, but it seemed they needed to be cautious about the monsters moving in groups.

To the north of the city, a vast forest spread out, and it seemed the monsters had made a 'nest' in the swamps there. It seemed to be a term referring to the monsters' base, and the purpose of the subjugation team was to destroy it before it was fully established.

"Where demonic energy thickens, demons often accompany..."

"Perhaps the monsters are also being affected by the movements to revive Dedium."

Mela spoke seriously, and Harenir also nodded slowly, analyzing the situation. Kalterik even tore off the official notice posted on the square's bulletin board and shouted,

"So now the lord is seeking mercenaries to join in subjugating the monsters!"

Everyone's attention shifted from 'the suspicious being that appeared on the Holy Festival' to 'monsters'. It was somewhat fortunate, but he was bewildered as the companions' interest also seemed to have shifted.

As expected, Kalterik exclaimed with shining eyes,

"Shall we lend a hand lightly?!"

He just blinked from afar. Right, the Holy Knight Order was a group that professionally subjugated monsters, and Kalterik had experience of being attacked by monsters in the past, so he would want to help even more. And the others, as devout believers, wouldn't be able to ignore a city in danger.

Their sense of duty was truly great and admirable, but...

Wasn't this supposed to be a rest period?

He had felt somewhat sorry for everyone being tied down here because of him, but seeing their reactions now, it seemed they would have returned immediately even if they had gone far away upon hearing this news.

Moreover, Mela muttered, "Compared to the Dium, monsters are...", making him even more bewildered. They would be fighting Dium again in the next Encroachment Zone anyway, so why were they treating facing monsters before that like some kind of warm-up exercise?