The Hero’s Mentor is a Demon (King) Witch

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The Guild Leader, the Bald Person, led us towards the guild.

“Hey, Master. Do I really have to talk to that person…?”

“Of course. You understand what I’m saying, right?”

“Well, about that…”

Lucius seemed totally unwilling.

The Bald Person walked ahead, constantly glancing back at Lucius and me, and I could only laugh at the suspicious look he gave.

Anyway, after talking to Lucius alone, our identities would be a resolved issue.

`It’s only natural for the Hero of the Holy Sword to hide his identity.`

There are times when revealing one’s identity is necessary, like in the case of Bearnes, but right now, there was no reason for Lucius to do so.

However, it was somewhat necessary to showcase a bit of strength.

`Being strong enough to defeat a Sand Worm in one strike would suffice.`

Just a swordsman with incredibly powerful strength.

Not a user of the Holy Sword, but someone as strong as a hero.

Right now, maintaining that level of reputation was just about right, and if pesky little flies cling on, I could just have the guild leader take care of it.

`What will a Holy Sword user do when asked to keep it a secret?`

The more suspicion he has, the more capable he must be.

“We have arrived. Then all three of you inside…”

“Hey, Hero!!”

“…..!!”

I was momentarily startled.

Because of the word “hero.”

It was a familiar voice.

And there, running towards us with a bright voice—

“Pervert!”

“Ah, Witch. Why so much?”

In front of me stood a pervert.

“Don’t you feel the blessing of the Moon Goddess?”

“…Isn’t that a bit too much to feel?”

“The more powerful the Goddess, the better I can protect people, so it’s fine. Ha ha.”

The Hero of the Flames, Bearnes, wielding flames from the Sword of Flames as if it were part of her clothing, truly had a knack for giving chills to people.

“Witch. And everyone in your party. I’ve heard the news. Your exploits were truly amazing.”

Sway, sway.

“I can’t believe you defeated that gigantic Sand Worm in one blow! Moreover, saving so many people must surely be thanks to the Moon Goddess watching over you. Hehe.”

It felt overwhelming to see such a large person completely wrapped in flames instead of clothes, and it made me want to call the guards right away for public indecency.

“Lucius, don’t look.”

“M-Master…?”

“I said don’t look. Not at that.”

Lucius had just used the power of the Holy Sword.

From what I heard about the battle in the north, Bearnes had used the power of the Holy Sword too.

`It’s dangerous.`

Even now, Bearnes was actively using the power of the Holy Sword.

`The power of the Holy Sword might be revealed.`

Perhaps, the two Holy Swords could resonate with each other.

I certainly couldn’t welcome such a situation.

“Haha, Witch. Am I going to eat you or something? Why are you so shy? I’m just as fine, if not more so.”

“Hello? What are you talking about right now?”

“Hahaha! It’s alright, Witch. You don’t have to be so embarrassed. It’s awkward at first, but you’ll get used to it later.”

“I don’t want to get used to it, nor do I want to!”

This woman, what she’s trying to say to me….

“Master, please calm down….”

“Calm down my foot!! You’re trying to convert me into someone from the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess!!”

The Demon King!!

I, Belphegor!!

How could I!!

Become a priest of a being like the Moon Goddess!!

“The door is always open, Witch. I will surely make you believe in the Moon Goddess and truly dedicate yourself to humanity….”

“I won’t do it!”

“Alright, bear with me, Bearnes. Please calm down, Witch.”

The Bald Person was looking at me with lukewarm eyes.

It was quite an infuriating gaze, and I felt unnecessarily annoyed.

`It’s all Bearnes’s fault.`

If she hadn’t approached me yelling pointlessly.

If she hadn’t approached me about believing in the Moon Goddess.

“Well… many people are gathering, so please come inside. Bearnes, and everyone in the Witch’s party. Since many people are gathering, it would be difficult to continue the discussion here.”

The Bald Person quickly opened the door to the guild and led us inside.

“Since many people are gathering….”

“Of course, people will gather with the Hero here.”

“More people will probably come after hearing about the Witch’s exploits?”

“What exploits have I done?”

“If your job wasn’t a sorceress, it wouldn’t be strange to call you a Saintess based on how many people you saved.”

Bearnes took my hand and her eyes sparkled.

“If I had seen the Witch’s rescue efforts firsthand, I might have really fallen for you. This hard work following the teachings of the Moon Goddess—”

“It’s different.”

I tried to resist, but I needed to draw a line at the Moon Goddess part.

“I didn’t save people because of the teachings of the Moon Goddess; I saved them because it was what I should do.”

“……!!”

Bearnes gaped in surprise.

I wondered what was so astonishing, and I felt my stomach twist from saying something unbecoming of a Demon King.

“Witch, you seem to be shy…?”

“Saving people is only natural, and yet the Witch is writhing… Possible.”

“Doesn’t it seem like the Hero of Flames and the Witch are like sisters? Like the Witch’s younger sister.”

The buzzing of the crowd around me slightly annoyed me, but I gulped in reaction to how close Bearnes was coming towards me.

“Alright. I misspoke again. Hehe, why do I get so flustered when talking to the Witch? First, let’s go inside and discuss a bit more, shall we?”

Bearnes reached out her hand to me, and I grabbed it to ensure she wouldn’t feel embarrassed as we went inside.

`Avoiding the Hero would be fine.`

With my current specs, I couldn’t win against Bearnes.

If I strained for efficiency, I might reach a draw, but it could lead to a situation where I’d be either dying together or possessed by a burnt-out bug A.

“Now that we’re not on the battlefield, how about wearing at least a top?”

“Haha, am I not wearing one?”

“We’ve agreed to call that underwear socially.”

“How could it be underwear if there’s nothing on top, Witch? It’s just clothes. Hehe.”

“…….”

`I don’t think the Hero of Flames acted like this in my day.`

Oh, how time flies.

How could a descendant of the Hero who swung a Holy Sword in full armor turn out to be such a woman?

If the past Heroes knew the Hero of Flames was such a promiscuous existence, they’d be banging their heads in their graves.

The qualifications of a Hero are excellent, but now they walk around in clothes dictated by the weird cult of the Moon Goddess.

Mercenary King.

Hero of Flames.

Pervert.

*

At that moment.

Malpas was regrouping the army a little distance away from the Normans.

“Kyeek! Keek…!!”

The crow soldiers in agony.

Most of them were burnt and begging in pain.

They had hurriedly flown to a lake through a Dimensional Door, dashing in and out, but the skin burned and seared from the fire caused unbearable agony.

“Dammit, dammit….”

Malpas grumbled, fiddling with his burnt hand.

“The operation has completely failed…! At this rate, I won’t be able to secure offerings for the Demon King…!”

After luring humans south by attacking the north, then swallowing them with a Sand Worm.

He had been supposed to act according to that plan, but the north’s attack was blocked by the Hero of Flames, and the Sand Worm was defeated.

“Dammit…! I need a chance to prove myself to the Demon King…!”

[It seems the situation is quite hard for you, Malpas.]

“!!”

At the voice transmitted through the Magic Stone, Malpas clenched his fist.

As much as he wanted to smash the Magic Stone right away, the counterpart was a being that had evidently produced ‘results’.

[Is the amount of offerings to present to the Demon King sufficient?]

“…It will be secured by tomorrow.”

[I heard there was a Hero of Flames. How unfortunate. What if you join me and fight together from now?]

“Shut up. I’ll do my job my way.”

[Oh? Hmm… I see. If you say that much, then I have no further comments.]

The old man’s voice flowing through the Magic Stone was laced with a low chuckle.

[But bear in mind, the more offerings you present, the more complete the true awakening of the Demon King will be.]

“I know…! Right now, only the body of the Demon King has crossed into the Human World. I know better than anyone that to bring his soul to this world requires tremendous power. The true power of the Demon King is not something to be matched by a dragon’s body.”

[Yes. He possesses the power to overturn the continent even in a human form. …But if anything comes up, let me know. After the ‘Great Fall,’ there aren’t many survivors, are there?]

“…Hmph. Just because you captured one town, don’t get cocky. I will definitely conquer the Normans.”

[Good luck.]

Beep.

The Magic Stone conversation ended.

Malpas immediately stood up and shouted loudly to the monsters.

“Everyone, take a break! Tonight, while they let their guard down! While they’re intoxicated with victory! Let’s all unite and attempt an aerial assault!”

Flap.

Malpas’s wings spread wide behind him, and his feathers began to scatter in all directions.

“For the Demon King!!”

*

While the Bald Person and Arthur Lucius entered a private room by themselves.

Mercenary King, Bearnes, scanned the Witch with her eyes from top to bottom.

`Still a truly good person, no matter how you look at it.`

The abilities she possessed.

The charisma to lead people.

Leadership.

And pride that could stand shoulder to shoulder with her own.

`She seems to have grown a bit too.`

It felt like she had grown even more prideful than the last time I met her, but the Witch had more than enough reason to be proud.

A Hero.

Not acting by doctrine, but moving from the heart to save people.

Who could display such a heroic aspect more than her?

“…….”

As expected.

`It wouldn’t be bad to recommend her as a candidate for Saintess.`

If she became a Saintess of the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess instead of just a witch.

Surely, she would be extraordinarily beautiful.

“……Hehehe.”

Bearnes couldn’t help but smirk at the thought of Sorceress Bel in her Saintess robe.

Saintess robe.

It is a very special garment that can only be seen by good people.