I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

"How could this happen? It was my selfishness alone—it has nothing to do with Nero!" Alice protested.

"That's why you need to return," Darkness said, her tone calm and firm as she met Alice's gaze. "Go back to the capital and explain to Claire yourself that this wasn't Nero's fault. Only you can stop her from continuing to blame Nero."

Alice hesitated, conflicted.

She had just made new friends. Today had been one of the happiest days of her life, and her adventure had only just begun.

Compared to her days in the royal castle, the past few days had been far more exciting and fulfilling than she could have ever imagined.

But… if it was for Nero's sake…

"Returning is inevitable, but does it have to be now?"

A gentle hand ruffled her hair, and that simple gesture brought Alice a sense of comfort and reassurance.

"Axel is a wonderful place," Nero said softly. "It's full of warm-hearted people, delicious food, and captivating stories. Leaving before you've seen and experienced it all—don't you think that would be too cruel for Alice?"

"But…" Darkness still looked uneasy.

Alice's pleading eyes only added to her discomfort, leaving her visibly restless.

"Princess Alice… Please don't look at me like that…" Darkness muttered helplessly.

"What are you so worried about?" Nero interjected with a smirk. "Hesitation shows that your heart has already tipped the scales. You've made your choice—you just won't admit it yet."

Darkness bit her lip in frustration, unable to refute Nero's words.

Nero stepped closer, her emerald eyes gleaming with confidence.

"Listen well, uncertain one!" Nero's voice rang out, strong and commanding.

"Standing before you is the Rose of Rome, the Empress of Majesty, the ruler of all under heaven—Nero Claudius!"

"I admire your loyalty to your master, but I loathe your disregard for me!"

"Where I stand is Rome's territory, and all who dwell here are under Rome's protection—including the one you serve so loyally!"

"So, swallow your needless worries. With Alice by my side, she's safer than anywhere else."

Darkness stared at Nero's unwavering confidence, then glanced at Alice, who looked at her with wide, hopeful eyes. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she relented.

"Fine… Princess Alice can stay for a few more days."

Nero turned to Alice, locking eyes with her. In Alice's gaze, she saw pure admiration, gratitude, and joy.

Darkness had agreed to let Alice stay, but only for a few days—three to five at most. Still, that was enough.

All good things must come to an end, no matter how much you wish otherwise.

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"Chomusuke, are you hungry? Want some dried fish? Or maybe water first?" Nero asked, holding out a small dish.

The room was dimly lit, the streetlights outside glowing softly as night blanketed the town.

"Or perhaps… you'd like a bath first?" Nero teased, her tone playful. "Relax, just kidding. I know you hate baths. Now, stay away from the window—don't even think about escaping!"

On the bed, Alice and Yunyun were engrossed in a game. It resembled chess but featured pieces representing swordsmen, adventurers, and mages, reflecting this world's unique professions. Nero figured some otherworldly traveler must have adapted the game to fit this culture.

She recalled seeing Megumin and Yunyun play this game before. That match had ended with Megumin shouting, "Explosion!" and flipping the board, claiming victory as she bolted from the room. At first, Nero thought it was just Megumin throwing a tantrum, but later discovered the game actually had a rule allowing players to use explosion magic to wipe out the enemy—albeit only once per day.

"I'll upgrade my adventurer to an advanced mage and use Light Sword! I win!" Yunyun exclaimed triumphantly.

"Huh? I… I lost…" Alice muttered, her face falling in defeat.

Yunyun jumped up in excitement, her enthusiasm causing her… assets to bounce slightly. In contrast, Alice pouted in frustration.

Their attention shifted as they heard movement near the window. Nero had caught Chomusuke trying to escape and was now carrying the small black cat with wings back into the room.

"Chomusuke seems to like Nero a lot," Yunyun remarked, a hint of envy in her voice. "Whenever I try to pet its head, it bats my hand away. Nero, are you just really good with animals?"

"Even Nero can't make Chomusuke take a bath, though," Alice chimed in with a giggle.

The sound of the door opening drew their attention. Megumin entered, leaning on her staff for support, clearly exhausted.

"I'm back…" she murmured.

"Welcome back, Megumin. Did you find any teammates today?" Yunyun asked.

Something about Megumin seemed different. Though she was as drained as usual after using her explosion magic, her expression was unusually animated—she looked downright euphoric.

"Of course not!" Megumin declared with exaggerated pride.

"Then why are you so happy? I thought the biggest troublemaker from Crimson Demon Village had finally found someone as odd as she is to team up with…" Yunyun sighed.

"Hey! Who are you calling the biggest troublemaker? Say it to my face!" Megumin snapped.

Not just Yunyun, but Alice and Nero, too, were curious about what had Megumin so elated.

"Prepare to be amazed!" Megumin said with a smug grin. She tried to strike a dramatic pose, only to nearly topple over from exhaustion. Giving up on theatrics, she pulled out her adventurer's card and proudly held it up.

"From this day forward, I am Megumin, the first and greatest Demon Slayer Explosion Mage! I defeated a powerful high-ranking demon all by myself!"

As Megumin recounted her story, Nero finally pieced together what had happened. While wandering around, looking for a target for her daily explosion spell, Megumin had come across a demon missing a wing and covered in injuries.

Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to claim a glorious title, Megumin had unleashed her explosion magic, obliterating the demon in one fell swoop. The battle had rewarded her with a massive amount of experience points, allowing her to level up significantly.

Watching Megumin boast about her feat to Alice and Yunyun, Nero couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the demon named Host.

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T/N: I couldn't find a vic- I mean someone to do endnotes...so here's my obligatory shilling [patreon.com/WiseTL]