I’m Not A Hero Like You After All

Was it not a nightmare?

The treasury, where all sorts of precious and significant treasures of the Empire were stored.

How could someone like me even dream of infiltrating there?

But then, that impossible event became reality and is now part of the past.

“So, you’re saying the treasury door was wide open, with no guards around, right?”

“…Yes.”

Though I have much to say, now that I’m seated, my mouth feels dry, and my tongue stiffens.

If only I could explain properly, maybe there’d be less misunderstanding.

Yet, the anxiety etched into my body doesn’t easily fade.

“Do you really think this story makes sense?”

Father glares at me with an unusually stern face, unlike his usual self.

“……”

Meanwhile, Mother remains silent, continuing her stoic silence.

At least Emperor’s quick handling of the situation allowed for this private meeting.

Still, rumors about this will surely spread far and wide.

“So, what did you do there? Or what happened?”

It’s not an accusation.

The Emperor’s voice, along with the intent in his blue eyes watching me, seems more curious than accusing.

“……”

But how can I possibly tell the truth?

-Huh, these kids have grown up. Watching children grow… well, it’s understandable, isn’t it?

Also, the fact that this is clearly a reception room and not an office matters.

Even so, that golden woman floating in the air, observing this situation with apparent interest, is both distracting and irksome.

“Some kind of voice led me… and when I realized, I was inside the treasury. I tried to leave immediately…”

“Carriel, your voice is too soft. Without being rude, please give His Majesty a clear explanation.”

“Ahh, it’s fine. Hermine. He’s speaking clearly enough. Don’t rush him.”

Mother broke the silence to point something out, but Emperor stopped her instead.

“So, you followed some kind of call, found no one guarding the place, and the treasury door was wide open. Is that the story?”

“Yes, that… is correct.”

My throat dries up.

My mouth feels like it’s burning.

My heart races, and my limbs feel unbearably uneasy.

Just suppressing these feelings alone makes my mind hazy.

-Hmm…?

And then.

That golden woman, who had been casually observing my distress from above, suddenly smiled purely, but then twisted her lips into a mocking grin.

However, Carriel, slouched in his seat with his head bowed deeply, couldn’t discern her mischievous expression or its hidden meaning.

Still, his palms were already drenched in sweat, as if expelling inner anxiety.

====

“It wasn’t magical interference.”

The Empress, returning late to the reception room, reported on the investigation.

“There are unnatural aspects indicating some sort of involvement, but…”

To which the Emperor rubbed his chin and responded.

“Well, even so, we can’t simply dismiss this as a supernatural phenomenon, can we? Isn’t that right?”

“Perhaps demons or heretics might’ve been involved.”

The Emperor calmly accepted Mother’s opinion.

“It may be nothing serious, but until the situation becomes clear, we can’t guarantee anything. I’ll handle this carefully, but Ruelde, Hermine—I don’t want you two to scold Carriel too harshly.”

“Thanks to this foolish child, I feel ashamed.”

Father sighed while looking bitter, but the Emperor shook his head with a smile.

“Between us, let’s not be so formal.”

“……”

Mother still seemed to have much to say, yet she maintained her silence.

“You must be tired, go back soon. Hermine, you especially should take better care of yourself at this time, shouldn’t you?”

“But…”

“I’ll request additional personnel from the Order. You just rest quietly—not for your sake, but for your child’s. Surely you understand what I mean, don’t you?”

“…I thank you for your thoughtful consideration, Your Majesty.”

“Anyway, don’t be so stiff when it’s just us.”

“Heh. If Ermina could relax her shoulders so easily, she wouldn’t be Ermina.”

“…True, but still.”

After brief words of encouragement, I had to board the carriage home with my parents.

“……”

“……”

“……”

Strangely enough.

The silence was unbearably oppressive.

-This isn’t a normal family situation, is it?

The golden woman, lying in the air propped up by her arms, watched this situation with apparent interest.

But despite that,

I didn’t betray any hint of awareness towards her presence until I locked myself in my room after returning home.

Only then did I finally let out the thoughts I’d been suppressing.

“…Who exactly are you?”

-So, you’re asking now?

“I didn’t have the opportunity to ask before.”

If I had inadvertently revealed such signs during the tense situation with the Emperor and my parents present…

-Wasn’t it obvious? Just say you were possessed by a ghost or haunted by spirits!

“…Because I knew exactly what they would say.”

Father would have scolded me for lacking mental fortitude and getting bewitched.

Mother would’ve squeezed the life out of me, claiming my wicked ways attracted such entities.

The Emperor, usually full of compassion and consideration, might also react unpredictably.

-So hiding it solves the problem?

“Revealing it wouldn’t have solved anything.”

-For someone supposedly going through puberty, this lack of trust in relationships is rather intriguing. Quite fascinating indeed.

“Considering how casually you address even my parents and the Emperor… Were you acquainted with them in the past?”

-We knew each other, sure. But it wasn’t pleasant.

Her smile was oddly enchanting.

Tension made me ignore her before, but upon closer inspection—she truly was a captivating woman.

Her tone was both archaic and casual at times.

Her gestures and mannerisms were somewhat erratic, but…

Precisely because of that, she exuded freedom.

-Ah, the tension’s dropping. Good. Let’s do this.

The woman, who had been floating around aimlessly, settled herself mid-air.

-There’s the tedious way of questioning and answering, or the straightforward method of instantly understanding each other. Which do you prefer?

“Are you suggesting some kind of knowledge-sharing magic? In that state?”

She obviously looks like a ghost.

Is she seriously implying that’s possible?

-Something similar, yeah. So, which do you choose?

Questioning and answering allows for withholding or distorting information at will.

On the other hand, her second suggestion… I’m unsure.

If she possesses overwhelming power, could she potentially toy with me unilaterally?

-Bah, empathy’s overrated. I’m neither a bandit nor a tyrant. Fair trade, mutual agreement, and equal exchange—these principles maintain civilization and society’s minimum standards.

“…I know people who talk like that.”

Fair trade.

Mutual agreement.

Equal exchange.

And.

Civilization’s maintenance standards.

This is….

“Are you a demon… or perhaps a daemon?”

-So, we’re going with the Q&A method?

“…No. Let’s make a deal.”

As she flicked her finger, glowing letters appeared in the air.

One: Both parties shall fully disclose without deceit.

Two: Disclosure method based on shared experiences, e.g., memories.

Three: Selection of provided memories is optional.

Four: The contract concludes when both parties are satisfied. Any unnecessary stubbornness or emotional venting is strictly prohibited.

-Confirmed? Sign there.

At the bottom, a line resembling a signature field was drawn. After carefully reading the content, I placed my hand there.

Naturally, my name engraved itself.

-Making contracts so casually is a bad habit, kid.

“If you intended to deceive, there’d be more elaborate ways.”

-What if I planned to drag you deeper and trap you irreversibly?

“…Enough talk. I’ve signed.”

-Hmph, you were such a loser in front of the Emperor and your parents, but you perk up once you’re in your own room.

With a small chuckle, she reached out to finalize the contract.

-Now, select the memories you wish to share with me. We’ll confirm them first, then I’ll provide corresponding memories.

“There’s no specific order mentioned in the contract, is there?”

-Your life’s worth isn’t even half of half of half of half of mine! Stop stalling… Take advantage while I’m considerate.

“……”

The golden woman observes me with ease.

“So, how exactly do I convey the memory?”

-Exert your will. It’s not hard. Think, organize, and submit.

…I’d know if I’d ever done this before.

Still, it’s not wise to start off by giving up.

Following her advice, Carriel calmly organized the contents he wanted to show her.

So….

Skipping vague childhood memories.

‘Roughly.’

Fifteen years old.

From then till now should suffice.

About two years’ worth, probably.

Deciding on that, he mentally agreed for a moment.

As if the transaction had been sealed, unfamiliar memories surged into him like a gushing spring.

There’s not much content.

In fact, it’s so concise that it momentarily confuses.

“……?!”

The Golden Beast.

For instance, the entity known as the Worst Gold.

The one said to have led the world into hell for four years.

The Golden Demon King.

The being who set the stage for nine heroes, including my father, to gain fame as warriors saving the world.

It was…

No, she was….

“You?! Why are you clinging to me?!”

-Don’t panic, kid.

She smiles.

-I didn’t ask for this, you know. You approached me. Let’s get that straight.

“……”

She appears as merely a beautiful woman at first glance.

However, her true identity… once a calamity who painted the world red—the Demon King.

The Golden Demon King, once a lieutenant under the Great Demon King who unified the Demon Realm.

And after the Great Demon King disappeared, she eliminated all competitors to establish her own kingdom—the ultimate victor.

Yet, for some reason, she’s in this form now.

“……”

-Revealing just a name and trying to wrap up the contract? How shameless! How unfair! I expected at least some complaints about this imbalance. Surprisingly mature of you. Hmph!

“…Didn’t you mention earlier that deceiving and backstabbing could involve even greater methods?”

After all, she’s a Demon King.

Not one who became a Demon King through sheer force either.

Wisdom and intrigue.

More precisely, she became the Demon King through gold.

Does that mean she lacked power?

Stories claim the nine warriors barely triumphed over her, almost facing total annihilation.

No wonder the topic of the Demon King remains taboo even among heroes.

So terrifying, so chilling.

Even though it’s all in the past.

The scars and wounds remain vivid.

-If I truly intended to deceive, calling myself an Elemental King or even pretending to be a god would’ve sufficed. That was certainly within my capabilities.

“Why didn’t you?”

-Because there was no reason to.

She remained composed.

-I don’t need to pretend to be a rat, you know? Sure, I might tease someone for fun, but unless it’s necessary to deceive an enemy to win a war, why bother analyzing things like this?

“But….”

Is it because of lingering attachments, keeping her bound to the mortal realm?

Or unable to ascend to heaven and unwilling to descend to hell, thus forcibly remaining here?

…Who knows.

-Stop worrying. I know when to accept defeat. While alive, I might’ve used anything disgraceful to revive, but look at me now—I’m dead, right? Clinging unnecessarily would only make me look pathetic. And it’d be boring too.

“Don’t you wonder what happened to your subjects?”

-What concern is that of mine? The dead don’t interfere in the living’s affairs. I’m neither a wandering spirit nor a malevolent ghost. What could I possibly regret so much that I’d obsess over past matters even after death?

…Irresponsibility, no.

Her words carry sufficient weight.

Perhaps.

This itself might be Carriel’s way of deceiving himself.

-I’ve prepared everything. My subjects likely continue appropriate relations with you folks.

She grinned savagely.

-Those who didn’t listen to me are probably still persecuted and exterminated. You reap what you sow. It’s a subject’s duty to obey their king. Rebellion demands a price.

“……”

Is this the mindset of a tyrant?

Or the rational thinking of a sovereign?

Honestly, I don’t know.

-Anyway, seeing your memories has sparked more curiosity. I want to delve deeper into certain aspects.

“So, does that mean you’re dissatisfied with the contract?”

-No, it’s not dissatisfaction.

She draws a clear line.

-Reading memories and hearing personal accounts are different experiences. Now that I have foundational knowledge about you and your surroundings, let’s hear why you’ve become the mess you are today. What events shaped your past? Come on, share.

“……”

-Of course, I won’t leave you hanging. I’ll provide what you currently need most.

What do you say, Carriel?

-Do you desire power?

The strength to overturn your pitiful fate.

The overwhelming power surpassing any existence in this world.

-You can change the world if you wish.

“……”

Truly, it’s the devil’s temptation.

Demons never play losing games.

Someone once said that.

Still.

“Unnecessary.”

-Huh?

What did you say?

Did I mishear that?

The Demon King’s brow furrows, and a tiny wrinkle forms on her porcelain forehead.

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