My Disciples Think I’m Strong

The news of the demon race causing havoc in Pretium spread unexpectedly quickly.
Even in Secul, quite far from the capital, a notice was posted:

[S-rank adventurer Incurou and retired S-rank adventurer Ella Todia’s failure to subjugate the Demon Lord.]

While I had already learned of Habito’s fate from Aerial, I couldn’t hide my disappointment.

Opportunities to face a Demon Lord-level foe under the Grand Anti-Demon Magic field were rarer than one might think.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say a once-in-a-lifetime chance had been missed.

No doubt the next time we met, we would have to engage him at full strength.
Back then, not even six S-ranks together would have sufficed against him.
For the heroes were existences rapidly growing stronger by the day.

If it had been the game, the Demon Lords’ strength wouldn’t have fluctuated so much, leaving me with a tinge of regret as I licked my lips.

In any case, separate from that, the heroes’ training was progressing steadily.

Around a week after Habito visited Pretium, Tina and Iris had fully mastered the Mirage Waltz forms.

While still exhibiting some deficiencies, the areas they struggled with were quickly corrected thanks to Pasma’s continuous guidance.

As for Maria, she was nearing the third tier of magic. Particularly wind magic – having Aerial by her side seemed to have helped her break through to the third tier.
It was the kind of rapid improvement befitting a hero.

For a while, I intended to simply observe their skill growth at this pace.
At most, there were only ten years left until the Demon-Human War. My task was to nurture their growth as much as possible within that time.

However, despite their growing prowess, there was nothing I could directly contribute.
At most, I would occasionally offer them advice.

In the game, they had grown without a mentor. But now, they had not one, but two optimal tutors.
And yet:

“Why am I being called your ‘master’? I can understand calling Pasma or Aerial that.”

I couldn’t fathom why I was being lumped together and referred to as their master as well.

“Because you’re our master, of course!”

A typical nonsensical answer from Tina.

“It was thanks to Master’s out-of-the-box thinking that we could discern which direction to take the Mirage Waltz. Without that guidance, we would have spent months floundering aimlessly!”

The Mirage Waltz was a multi-faceted sword technique.
In other words, it could be said to have no fixed form.

While it had basic forms, they could be adapted to one’s personal style at any time. Ironically, being constrained by rigid notions would only hinder its mastery.

All I had done was recall the skills and described movements from the game to guide her towards a more counter-offensive style that suited her.

“And for me, who would have thought that the amount of mana absorbed could vary depending on the breathing method?”

There was a setting that utilizing a specialized breathing technique allowed one to circulate their mana pathways for longer, thereby increasing absorption capacity.

An utterly absurd concept for something other than singing, but it was undoubtedly an essential training regimen for mages.

“Aerial said she was surprised, as even she wasn’t aware of these facts.”

Of course a Spirit King, who had lived for lifetimes without mana depletion, wouldn’t know such things.

“I suppose the strong do perceive things differently?”
“……”

No, I’m not strong.

My ability to defeat Urkha was solely due to Pasma’s power, and the Mirage Storm technique was only possible because of Aura’s presence.

While the performative display may not have been bad, without relics, I was ultimately just a powerless human.

Moreover, I intended to pass on all the relics I had collected once they had grown into proper heroes.

I didn’t want to see the protagonist groveling before the demon race, so I planned to keep only a few relics for self-protection and hand over the rest.

“In any case, thanks to that, my mana recovery has vastly improved, allowing me to draw out my mana to its limits. How could I not call someone who provides such guidance a ‘master’?”

Yeah, what could I say to these rapidly growing kids?
Eventually, once they realized my weakness, they would naturally look down on me and leave.

Calling me ‘master’ would only last for a fleeting moment.

It’s not like I felt particularly lonely or anything.
For an ordinary commoner like myself to have any connection to heroes was already a miracle.

As I observed the heroes’ training, intending to head inside and prepare dinner, Aerial grabbed my shoulder.

“Praus.”
“What is it?”
“You sensed it too, didn’t you? Is it because you have a lot of mana that you can detect things far away like me?”

……What? I was just trying to go home.

“The village is in an uproar. It seems something has happened.”

It’s only been a few days since we returned home.
Not only did a Demon Lord visit the capital a few days ago, but the heroes need time to grow stronger, don’t they?

I sighed and turned my head in the direction Aerial was looking.
Indeed, I seemed to hear something as well.

……Actually, I didn’t hear anything at all.
Why did she say I could hear it from this distance?

“There’s a carriage. Quite a powerful individual. What do you make of it?”

She even claimed to see it? I couldn’t see anything at all.
No matter how much I squinted, as a human, I lacked the ability to see through objects.

“…Don’t worry about it.”
“What do you mean, don’t worry? Are you going to be negligent despite your weakness—”

She stopped mid-sentence.

“Ah. I suppose there’s no need for that.”

As if realizing something, she suddenly patted my arm.

“Praus, you could have told me if nobles were visiting the village.”

What is she talking about?
I surreptitiously checked her expression. It didn’t seem like a lie.

But if it was true, why would nobles visit such a village?
While Secul was located fairly close to Pretium, it was an unremarkable village unworthy of noble visits.

Could it be that information about the girls being heroes had leaked out?

No, that couldn’t be the case.

The only ones aware of their hero status were me, Aerial, and Pasma.

While it was true they had awakened and grown stronger, for others to recognize them as heroes, they would need to remember the original heroes’ auras.
However, there were no longer any surviving individuals in the Empire who could recall the heroes.

“…It seems they’ve come looking for you?”

She tilted her pointed ears towards the village as she spoke.

……Me? Why?
What reason could nobles have for seeking me out?

Initially, there was no way nobles would ever seek out a commoner like me.

In an era with a clear class system, it was unheard of for nobles to directly approach commoners. Even if they did, they would typically send knights to summon them.

Yet nobles had come directly?

It was highly likely this meant troublesome issues had arisen for me.

Damn it, what variable has occurred this time……?

As I racked my brain, Aerial nonchalantly described the situation:

“Urkha is here too. Along with Duke Tory. And another woman – a blue-haired one. Oh, the villagers are rushing out and repeatedly bowing to them.”

I had a terrible premonition.

“Ah. The village chief is pointing towards this hill.”

How could she possibly see that? The trees are blocking the view!
Did Spirit Kings possess some kind of clairvoyance?

“The nobles are walking this way. What will you do?”
“What will I do? There’s nothing to be done.”
“As expected of Praus. Even Pasma bowed his head to nobles. But you lack any such manners?”

For some reason, her words sounded like, “So you really are a rude one, aren’t you?”
It’s not like I wanted to be this way. Damn Aerial.

“Tone it down a bit. Do you know how chilling it is whenever you look at me like that? Your magic power is needlessly strong, and without the weapon I gave you, you’re just a weakling acting arrogant.”

Aerial gestured towards Aura as she berated me.

“Though I suppose I should acknowledge that you managed to erase a mountain with Aura’s power?”

‘Thanks ever so much for acknowledging me.’
“How long must I endure your insolent ramblings?”
“Insolent?! I was trying to compliment you!”

She was just adding insult to injury.
As she scowled and grumbled, I gazed at her with pity.

It was then that something abruptly pounced on me.

“Praus, found you!”
“?”

My center of gravity shifted backwards, and I fell flat onto the weeds. Dazed, I looked up at the pink-haired cat girl sitting on my stomach.

“…Urkha.”
“Hihihi! You didn’t even react, Praus~!”

She poked my cheek as she spoke.

“Aren’t you almost thirty now?”
“I’m still twenty-nine, you know?!”
“Twenty-nine or thirty, it’s all the same.”
“It’s different!”

Poke! Poke!
Ow! It feels like my arm might break!

She exerted such force pinning me down that I couldn’t push her off.

“Get off. You’re heavy.”
“I’m not heavy, look at these abs!”

She showed off her pale, scarred abdomen. Admittedly, there was no flab. But there were no abs either.

“Not interested. Get off.”
“You’re so mean!”

Was Urkha always this childish?
Her behavior was just like a little kid’s.

Even the ten-year-old heroes didn’t act like this.

Thinking that, I glanced sideways at the three heroes.
While their gazes held different meanings, they generally seemed to find the situation amusing.

“One is already burdensome enough. Don’t come over here.”

The children flinched, as if considering joining her.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

I looked back at Urkha. She showed no intention of heeding me, simply smiling.

Reluctantly, I gave her an intense stare, causing her ears and tail to jolt upright in surprise. She hunched over me, cautiously observing.

“D-Don’t look at me so ferociously…”
“I won’t, if you get off.”
“Geez. I came to visit. Why aren’t you welcoming me?”
“Do I look like someone who would welcome visitors?”
“Yes! Praus may sound gruff, but you’re a kind person who treats everyone equally, regardless of race or status!”

She clenched her fists, her eyes shining. I’d rather you didn’t view me that way.

As I relaxed my gaze, Urkha obediently climbed off me.

“…So what brings you here, Urkha?”

After getting up and brushing off the dirt from my clothes, I asked:

“I stopped by on my way back to Ause. Crown Prince Chris wanted to hear about the official duel, so I went to Pretium.”

So that’s how the story unfolded.
If Urkha had been in Pretium too, they might have captured the Demon Lord.

What a shame.

From what I’ve heard, it seems Stella was eventually kidnapped.
The Stella we’ll encounter in the future will likely be quite troublesome, but if the heroes grow strong enough, they should be able to handle her.

However, separate from the battle itself, there was a way to save Stella even if she became the Succubus Queen.

In the game, there had been branching paths.

When encountering Stella during the Demon-Human War, whether she could be persuaded or not depended on which side – human or demon – she harbored more resentment towards.

If she resented the demon race more, she could be saved. If not, she would have to be killed.

While that episode was still far off, I intended to prepare for it.

“Ah, and about the Demon Lord who attacked Pretium—”
“You’re leaving out the main individual involved in that story, Urkha.”

A silver-haired woman interrupted Urkha, who had been about to spill information she hadn’t even asked for.

Blue hair and blue eyes.
A striking woman with broad shoulders and visible muscles wherever her skin was exposed.
Even at a glance, her beautiful appearance belied the harsh life she must have endured.

Clad in a blouse and pants that seemed woven from fine silk, she approached me.

“…Duchess Ella Todia.”

As her name left my lips, her blue eyes widened slightly.

“Oh my, so you do know of me, Lord Praus?”

She smiled demurely, covering her mouth with her hand.

‘It’s fortunate for you that you were hoping to purchase the Purification Stone.’
“You barely survived, it seems.”

Ah shit, why did that come out so ominous?
It sounded like I had wished for her death.

“!”

Surprise filled Ella’s expression. Visibly shaken as she looked at me, her mouth was agape in horror.

“…So it was indeed you who sold the Purification Stone.”

Well, yes, but why is she blushing?