Chapter 5

In the silent magic workshop,

Ryuzas's face, which was being threatened with a knight's sword, turned from pale to ashen.

"What's wrong, Ryuzas? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"R-Really... Are you really Amatsu? B-Because you are—"

"Supposed to be dead, right?"

By revealing information that Iwata Iori should not have known, he seemed to understand that I was Amatsu.

With wide eyes, he began to shout in a trembling voice.

"No way! I definitely summoned the hero! Why are you here?! What's with that appearance?! Why—"

"Shut up."

"G-Gah!"

Even when he thrust the magic-infused knight's sword, it couldn't completely pierce Ryuzas's body.

It seemed that the robe he was wearing had a highly advanced defensive spell.

"Wait, Amatsu! Don't kill me!!"

"...After killing me, don't you think that's a bit too much?"

Do you think I'll forgive you?

You've got some nerve.

"It's not like that! I, I was deceived by Dionysus and the others!!"

Hearing that name, I stopped the movement of the knight's sword I was raising.

Deceived by Dionysus and the others?

"Lucifina and the others said that if I killed Amatsu, the honor of slaying the Demon King would be given to me!"

"...If you're still lying at this point—"

"No! It's true! They really approached me with that offer!"

With a desperate look, Ryuzas explained.

A few days before the assault on the Demon King's castle.

They proposed to kill Amatsu at the right moment.

They approached Ryuzas with this plan.

"Did you agree to it?"

"Y-Yeah... But, I wasn't the only one! Some of the people who joined the support for the battle at the Demon King's castle also participated in this plan!"

The human and demi-human coalition army to defeat the Demon King's army.

Among them, a few members of the Oni and Werewolf races had cooperated in the plan to kill me.

Ryuzas rambled off the names of those people.

"Ah... Those guys, huh."

Hearing their names, I immediately remembered them.

Each one of them had approached me, claiming to agree with my ideals and offering their cooperation.

I still remember the voices of those who offered to help with a smile.

Those who had agreed to kill me for money and glory.

"Kukuku..."

Laughing at the absurdity of believing those who said they would cooperate with humans for peace.

I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of being killed by the hero I was recognized as.

"—So?"

"Ah!?"

Ryuzas, who had started laughing, took a step back, and I calmly urged him to continue.

"So, we followed Lucifina's plan."

The demi-humans pretended to be demons and delayed the human reinforcements who were following our party.

They created a situation where no one could come to my aid.

"Ah... That's why the reinforcements couldn't get in."

I understood from Ryuzas's words.

His expression and the events that unfolded didn't seem like he was lying.

And the rest is as I know it.

While I was fighting the demons, they cut off my right arm, which held the power of the hero.

Lucifina's magic alone was enough to defeat the weakened Demon King.

So, they could replenish their magic used in the battle and dispose of me, who had outlived my usefulness.

"...I see."

The plan devised by those two, and Ryuzas and the demi-humans who agreed to it, made me feel sick.

"So, what exactly did you get deceived about?"

"Dionysus and Lucifina were spies for the Demon King's army!"

"...What?"

Those two were spies for the Demon King's army?

I froze at the unexpected words.

But Ryuzas's expression was desperate, and he didn't seem to be lying.

"After killing you, I was ambushed by Dionysus.

They said that once Amatsu was dead, you were no longer needed!

I was betrayed by them too!"

Saying this, Ryuzas lifted his sleeve to show his arm.

There was a deep, gouged wound.

A wound inflicted by Dionysus.

After killing me, those two had apparently given up on Ryuzas.

They abandoned their agreements with the other demi-humans.

"Then, why are you still alive?"

"Lucifina said, 'We need someone to report the hero's defeat to the humans,' and made Dionysus stop attacking...!"

In exchange for reporting 'Amatsu's defeat' and 'Lucifina and Dionysus's betrayal' to the humans, Ryuzas was spared.

Ryuzas fled back to the kingdom and reported that 'Lucifina and Dionysus betrayed and killed Amatsu.'

The way he excluded himself from the report was laughably convenient.

"So, where are Lucifina and the others, and the demi-humans who agreed to this plan now?"

"Lucifina and Dionysus are with the Demon King's army. The Oni race followed them. The Werewolves were abandoned and are now in the hot spring city of the coalition countries...!"

There's no guarantee that what Ryuzas is saying is true.

But if it is, it explains why the two names were erased from the records.

It wouldn't be possible to publicly admit that the hero was killed by his companions.

Especially if one of the traitors was a knight chosen by the kingdom.

It also makes sense in many other ways.

"N-No! I'm not at fault! They deceived me! I'm a victim too!!"

Ryuzas was shouting at my feet.

If what he said is true, indeed he and the demi-humans were deceived by those two.

Thinking that Lucifina and Dionysus had been acting to deceive me, I felt nothing but a desire to kill them.

But.

Even so, the fact that Ryuzas betrayed me doesn't change.

I can't forgive him.

"Work with me, Amatsu! Let's kill those two who betrayed us! You can take revenge on the demi-humans who betrayed you! This time, let's defeat the Demon King! With you, we can definitely do it!"

Ryuzas, with a twisted smile, extended his hand.

In response, I—

"Shut up."

Swung the sword forcefully.

The flesh protected by the robe was slightly cut, and fresh blood spurted out.

"A-Ah... Blood... Amatsu, what are you—"

"Did you think I would forgive you?"

I suppressed Ryuzas's objections with my authority.

Indeed, he had been deceived.

However.

The fact that he betrayed me remains unchanged.

I had trusted this guy with my back.

The thought of my own foolishness made me laugh.

"...Ryuzas. Teach me how to解除 the seals on the ritual room and the treasure vault."

Important places are sealed by magicians with great care.

To break these seals, one must either use a more powerful magic or recite the predetermined words.

"Seals? Why?"

"Just tell me."

With the sword pointed at him, Ryuzas shouted the method to解除 the seals.

From his expression, he didn't seem to be lying.

This is all I needed to know from him.

But, one more thing.

There was one thing I had to ask, even if it wouldn't change anything.

"I... My goal was to end the war and create a world where all races could coexist. I thought Lucifina and you were fighting with the same goal. But were you really just mocking my ideals...?"

Because of those three, I was able to keep fighting.

For the first time, I found something I wanted to do, not just going with the flow.

Was all of that a mistake?

"...F, I thought it was an impossible dream. Even if the Demon King was defeated, coexistence was impossible."

Ryuzas said.

Humans had no intention of coexisting with demons.

They would kill all who resisted and enslave those who surrendered.

That was the future that awaited after the war.

"Ah, I see."

I had my answer.

What coexistence—ridiculous.

In the end, I had just been swept away by the ideals my companions spoke of.

It was impossible to coexist with multiple races when I couldn't even get along with my own companions.

Ah, I was disappointed.

In myself for believing in you.

"There's nothing more I need to ask you—"

"R-Right, Amatsu. There's something I need to show you."

Interrupting my words, Ryuzas, looking anxious, pointed to a shelf at the back of the workshop.

"...What is it?"

"It's about Lucifina and the others. It's easier to show you than to explain."

"Fine. Walk to that spot."

With the sword still pointed at him, I made Ryuzas walk.

The destination was a shelf lined with research materials.

"I never thought you'd be alive... How did you survive that? And this body—"

"...Just walk. There's nothing to tell you."

I would like to know too.

My survival is probably related to the kingdom's second summoning.

But that doesn't mean I have any gratitude towards the kingdom.

"...It's here."

Arriving at the shelf, Ryuzas opened a drawer and reached inside.

"Hey, Amatsu. I said coexistence was impossible, right?

At the time, I really thought so. But now, it's different."

While rummaging, Ryuzas said.

"Since then, I've realized you were right. I've always regretted killing you. I wanted to make amends...!"

His voice and shoulders trembling, Ryuzas spoke, and I just listened silently.

"Hey, Amatsu. You're planning to leave the kingdom, right? If so, let me help you. I can get you out safely! Please, I want to help you!"

"...Do you really mean that?"

"Yes! I really do!"

"...I see."

During the conversation, he seemed to have found what he was looking for.

Ryuzas withdrew his hand from the shelf.

"Show it to me."

"...Before that, there's something I need to say."

Ryuzas, holding something, turned around,

"—You've always been too soft, Amatsu!!"

Channeling magic into his hand, he thrust it at me.

The fingertips, reinforced by magic, were as sharp as blades.

"Idiot!"

The blade-like fingertips.

If they hit, they would easily tear through my body.

If they hit, that is.

"What!?"

The hand missed me, slicing through the air.

I had been standing in a position where I could dodge his attack, anticipating it.

"You haven't changed. You're still—"

I knew.

I knew he would say something and try to catch me off guard—

He was an excellent magician, but not good at close combat.

His movements were slow, either due to age or the wounds from Dionysus.

Dodging this was easy, even for me now.

"Ah!"

Ryuzas's face contorted, and he let out a scream.

Dodging the attack, I aimed the knight's sword at his neck—just as he did.

"Look at this!"

Ryuzas suddenly pulled up his robe, revealing a crimson emblem etched into the lining.

"If I die, this magic will blow up the entire area!

If you kill me here, you'll die too!"

The amount of magic stored in the emblem was evident from its red glow.

If I killed Ryuzas, the explosion would likely destroy the entire castle.

"Hehehe..."

Ryuzas laughed, genuinely amused.

"Besides, you won't be the only one to die. Everyone in the castle will die! Even those who had nothing to do with your summoning will be caught in the blast! Can you still kill me, Amatsu!?"

His expression changed from fear to a smug grin.

I couldn't help but marvel at how ugly humans could be.

"You can't kill me, can you? You're too soft, Amatsu!"

Showing me the emblem and using himself as bait, Ryuzas closed the distance.

He made gestures as if to thrust his neck into the blade.

"Try it, kill me if you can! Hey, Amatsu—"

A kick landed on Ryuzas's face.

I felt the bone in his nose break.

"Ughh!"

The impact sent Ryuzas crashing into a ventilation window behind him.

He broke through it and fell headfirst.

"Ahahaha!"

His scream echoed and then faded away.

This room was quite high up.

If a human fell from this height, they wouldn't survive.

But the explosion didn't happen.

Even from this height, that scum would still be alive.

Thirty years ago, he was one of the strongest magicians in this world.

He was quite weakened, but he wouldn't die from this fall.

"Unpleasant trust."

I see, as long as he wears that robe, I can't kill him.

It seems that even if I forcibly removed it, the trap would still activate.

And with my current strength, I can't defeat him in a one-on-one battle.

This time, the surprise attack worked, but it won't work twice.

"...I need to regain my power."

If I regain my former strength, I can withstand the robe's activation.

I can kill him in a direct confrontation.

Besides, I need to meet those two who were spies for the Demon King's army.

I need to pay a visit to the demi-humans whose names Ryuzas gave me.

My plan is set.

Regain my former strength and take revenge on those people.

I already have a plan to regain my strength.

For that, I need to move on to my next action.

There are still a few things I need to do.

I need to pay a visit to the kingdom that summoned me so carelessly.

"Ah, right."

Thinking of a parting gift for Ryuzas, I smiled.

Whether he falls for it or not, it would be amusing to try.

"—Wait for me."

Muttering this, I left the magic workshop.