Chapter 181: Return (2)

The delegation returning to the Ulstro Kingdom marched at a brisk pace.

Everyone was eager to return home. The delegation didn’t include many nobles, and those who were present were mostly officials or knights. As an old continent saying went, the fewer the nobles, the faster the march, and their journey was indeed swift.

Traveling almost in a straight line, they reached the Ulstro border much faster than their journey to Ventorino.

However, their pace slowed considerably after crossing the border.

Still, the delegation didn’t complain.

Every territory they passed on their way to the capital offered lavish banquets and plentiful entertainment. And they understood the reason for the slower pace.

The route was different from the one they took to Ventorino.

“So, what’s the reaction from the nobles?”

“Honestly, many are apprehensive.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Valdes nodded at Mercedes’s reply.

The reason the First Princess was deliberately guiding the delegation’s route in this manner was simple.

To assess the state of the regional nobles and public sentiment.

A considerable amount of time had passed since the demon attack on the meeting between the two kingdoms. The Ventorino Kingdom, deciding they couldn’t hide the incident, actively publicized it, turning Valdes and the Royal Guard Captain into heroes. This news had ample time to spread to the Ulstro Kingdom.

The reaction here was different.

Unlike the Ventorino citizens, who were enraged by the attack and eager for retaliation, the people of Ulstro were afraid. They feared war and the resulting damage more than they feared the demons.

Mercedes was visiting the territories that suffered the most during the previous war to assess and reassure them.

“Even if we go to war, I intend to minimize the damage, but we still need to be careful.”

“Indeed. The people are important, after all.”

Even though Valdes had control over the royal families of both kingdoms and was constantly scheming against the nobles, peacefully taking over the continent with laughter and joy was impossible.

Aside from the animosity towards demons, conflicts of interest between the ruling classes were inevitable. Just as there were those who betrayed humanity for profit, there were those who would never cooperate due to conflicting interests. War was unavoidable unless Valdes gave up.

Knowing this, Mercedes wore a rare look of melancholy.

Feeling uneasy and apologetic, Valdes turned to Marie to change the subject.

“How’s Jurina?”

“Jurina? She’s quiet for now… but honestly, I don’t know what she’s thinking.”

“Hmm.”

Indeed, she had been quite silent.

Not only in her actions but also in her words. She wasn’t incapable of socializing, but she was overly cautious, suspecting Valdes’s subordinates might be anywhere.

Her cautious behavior made those who approached her feel awkward. A beast-person, a rare race in Ulstro; a former Royal Guard from a neighboring country; and a seemingly approachable beauty. She could have easily become popular, but the incident with Valdes had changed her completely.

“That won’t do… Well, it can’t be helped.”

Infiltrating enemy territory.

For Jurina, it was a situation where she couldn’t distinguish friend from foe.

Extreme caution was inevitable. It was especially so since Marie had subtly warned her to be careful.

“So, what are you going to do with Jurina, Elder Brother?”

“Well…”

Valdes stroked his chin, pondering Marie’s question.

He considered leaving her alone for a while. Jurina couldn’t do anything anyway, and her actions were under his surveillance. Marie, Ethylene, Grett, Elsa, and others. There were also a few servants whom he hadn’t directly involved but had asked to keep an eye on her, leveraging their affection for him.

“I’m thinking of leaving her be for now. I don’t have much to do while I wait.”

“Huh? Why?”

Since he hadn’t explained his subsequent plans, Marie looked puzzled.

Mercedes felt the same.

“You’re not moving on to the next step immediately? There’s still the Empire, the Allied Republic, the Three-Country Alliance, and the Holy Kingdom. Besides…”

“There are also the new Heroes.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

A meaningful smile spread across Valdes’s face at the mention of the Heroes.

“Then, could it be…?”

Marie’s expression turned to one of disbelief. It hadn’t been even three months since she met Valdes, but through their intimacy, she had learned a lot about him. She could easily interpret a smile like this.

“Yes, the new Heroes are my next target.”

“You’re going to eliminate those who pose the biggest threat first.”

“That’s right. I’ve handled things faster than expected, so I have more time than I originally planned. I have about a year and nine months until the war preparations are complete. I can afford to take it easy for a bit.”

“But aren’t the Heroes in the Holy Kingdom? What are you going to do?”

“Simple. I’ll join the Hero’s party.”

“!!”

Both princesses gasped in surprise.

They finally realized what Valdes was aiming for and why he was willing to wait for several months.

“Ah, I remember! I think I read in a book that it’s customary for Heroes to form a party, travel the continent for training, and request support from each nation.”

“I didn’t do that because I became a Hero under urgent circumstances. I don’t know how strong the summoned Heroes are, but they’ll likely dedicate themselves to training at the Holy Church for at least three months. They’ll also study the continent. And when the time comes…”

“The Holy Church will officially announce the Heroes’ existence and recruit party members.”

“I plan to participate then.”

Valdes responded with a small smile.

With his abilities, it would be strange if he failed the party member recruitment. If his apparent skills seemed lacking, he could simply claim he had grown stronger in the past three months. He had Serenia as his teacher and the public persona of a sword genius.

“I have a good excuse. I can use the same one I used during the martial arts tournament.”

“And there’s also the attack during the meeting.”

“The Holy Church might not like it, but the larger the recruitment, the harder it is for them to manipulate things.”

“They might create unnecessary controversy if they’re not careful.”

“Wow… that’s a great plan!”

Marie’s eyes sparkled.

The details would determine whether it was truly a good plan or a flawed one, but based on what she had heard so far, it seemed promising with a high chance of success.

Infiltrating the party would be the real challenge, but Valdes had already caused quite a stir in the two kingdoms. It would be stranger not to trust him, despite some lingering unease.

“But if you join the Hero’s party, we won’t see each other for a while.”

“Ah, that’s true…”

The princesses’ expressions darkened.

Marie had no combat abilities, making it impossible for her to join. Besides, as princesses, they wouldn’t be allowed in the Hero’s party. Any problems could lead to diplomatic complications. The Holy Church’s large-scale recruitment was partly because they couldn’t accept royalty or high-ranking nobles.

Valdes opened his arms and embraced the dejected sisters, comforting them.

“Why are you so gloomy? We still have a few months left.”

He patted their backs, and Mercedes and Marie gradually brightened up.

“Hehe, you’re right.”

“Haa… I’ll have to spend a lot of time with Elder Brother until then.”

“It’ll take a few months to return to Ulstro, right?”

“It won’t be a quick trip. They usually travel in a nearby direction.”

“But at the same time… it’s an opportunity for Elder Brother.”

“Indeed.”

Valdes had several reasons for wanting to join the Hero’s party.

First, it was to easily approach and eliminate the Heroes before they grew stronger. He didn’t know how strong the twin Heroes summoned from another world were, as the Holy Kingdom tightly controlled information.

However, while he didn’t know their current strength, they were bound to become stronger in the future. That was the nature of Heroes. No matter how weak they were at present, their potential was overwhelming. Every Hero so far had defeated the Demon Queen within two years of their appointment.

Therefore, it was necessary to subdue them before they grew any stronger.

Second, it was related to the Hero’s party’s itinerary. They were obligated to visit each nation to secure proper support from their rulers. This tradition dated back to a time when magic was less developed.

While it seemed unnecessary in this era of long-distance magical communication, it was a useful tradition. The Hero’s visits to major capitals boosted morale across the continent and motivated the complacent nobles and royals to oppose the demons. It was quite effective.

‘…I traveled around the neighboring countries too…’

Valdes reminisced with a wistful look.

Starting from the Holy Kingdom, he had visited the Three-Country Alliance, the Dezak Empire, the Allied Republic, the Ulstro Kingdom, and finally, the Ventorino Kingdom. The last two were already on the front lines, so they weren’t of much significance. And of the first three, only one had provided proper support.

The Three-Country Alliance had made excuses and ignored the Hero’s party, while the Allied Republic hadn’t mobilized its core forces.

Especially the Dragon.

Despite being appointed the Speaker of the Allied Republic’s Council, it constantly demanded treasures. And the council members, centered around the Dragon, were constantly at odds.

Despite being a nation and an organization created to oppose the demons, they couldn’t seem to unite. There were factions that didn’t care if humans died as long as their own nation was safe, and factions that insisted on following the Dragon’s every whim. There were also factions advocating for national stability, for establishing an empire with the Dragon as emperor, and all sorts of other factions.

The other races who had come to the front lines seeking glory and the beast-people, who were proactive in the war against the demons due to heavy initial losses, had been of great help.

‘And every single one of them later… Tsk. I got lost in thought.’

He frowned and clicked his tongue.

While there were good memories from that time, it was ultimately filled with frustrating events. His comrades had all died or betrayed him. There were a few exceptions, but they were few in number, and the memories with them were limited.

Seeing Valdes’s grim expression, Marie suddenly raised her hand and exclaimed,

“Ah, Elder Brother!”

“…Ah, yes. What is it?”

“I, I! There’s somewhere I want to go!”

“Suddenly? Where?”

“The Archmage’s Dungeon!”

“…There? Why?”

He looked displeased. The so-called Archmage’s Dungeon wasn’t much to see. The facilities were primarily for Archmage Robert’s numerous experiments.

There was nothing of interest for ordinary people.

“You’ll be going there briefly after returning to the capital anyway, right?”

“Hmm… Still, no.”

“What?! Why?”

“Because…”

Valdes trailed off and closed his mouth. He let out a small sigh.

“I don’t want you to see what I’ll be doing there. Robert is there. I don’t want you to know what I’m going to do to him.”

“Ah…”

Marie and Mercedes both wore peculiar expressions.

While it might seem like he was distancing himself, he was being considerate of them. No one wants their loved ones to witness the horrific things they do. That was true even for the Demon Prince, who was carrying out cruel revenge.

“I understand. But still…”

“Please come back from there quickly.”

“…Haha. Of course.”

The three exchanged glances and smiled faintly.

“Let’s stop talking about this. Where are we headed next?”

“The Marquisate of Propylene.”

“Propylene? If it’s there…”

“Yes, that’s right. Ethylene’s territory.”

It seemed the day to meet an old acquaintance was approaching.