The Heroes Who Executed Me Are Obsessed With Me

The Blue Tower.

Now without its Tower Master, the place had fallen into utter chaos.

“How could the Tower Master abandon her post and attack the Holy Alliance?!”

“No matter the reason, this is unacceptable!”

“We must act before we become complete enemies of the Holy Alliance!”

The Council of Elders.

Though composed of long-standing figures in the magical community, not a hint of composure or seasoned wisdom could be seen among them.

“Deputy Tower Master!”

All eyes turned to an elderly man with a head of white hair.

“Say something, please!”

Deputy Tower Master—Emdwal.

As Yuru's chief advisor, he had served to guide the young Tower Master along the right path. Given her youth when she rose to power, Emdwal had essentially overseen internal affairs of the Blue Tower.

“Everyone, calm yourselves.”

Despite the urgency of the situation, Emdwal responded with perfect serenity—prompting another wave of outcry.

“How can we possibly stay calm right now?!”

“Our Tower Master just attacked the largest alliance on the continent!”

“The other Towers may strike us preemptively to prevent wider conflict!”

Magicians were supposed to act in moral cooperation with their host nations and only move for the greater good, never driven by personal feelings.

It wasn’t a written law, but it was an unspoken rule shared by all Towers. Anyone who violated it was subject to censure by every magician, regardless of affiliation.

Thus, if the Blue Tower were misunderstood to be an enemy of humanity, the other Towers could deem it their duty to punish them.

“No one would make such a foolish decision.”

Still, that was merely a possibility. It was unlikely the other Towers would take Yuru’s personal actions as representing the Blue Tower’s official stance.

“I’ve already dispatched envoys to each Tower. They’ll understand the circumstances. They won’t act rashly.”

Though Emdwal calmly explained, the unease among the magicians remained.

“Even if the other Towers can be reasoned with…”

“Holy Krata won’t overlook this.”

Holy Krata.

The continent’s reigning superpower, strong enough to dictate the Hero’s trial and execution.

In short, Krata’s judgment could sway the entire continent.

“…I’ll speak frankly.”

Even Emdwal didn’t deny this truth.

“Krata won’t let this go. In fact, I suspect they may use this chance to assert dominance over the Towers.”

“D-Deputy Tower Master!”

“They might use us as an example.”

At this bombshell, the room erupted in stunned expressions.

“An example?”

“You’re saying Krata might try to destroy us?”

Emdwal didn’t answer right away. But the truth was, it had been Krata’s unilateral push for the Hero’s trial that led to Yuru’s actions.

Krata was a monstrous nation that absorbed all power it could the moment opportunity struck. It wouldn’t be strange if they now set their sights on the Blue Tower.

“It’s time we made a decision.”

With that, Emdwal placed a letter on the table. Confused glances turned toward it.

“What is that?”

“A formal alliance proposal. From the Empress of Ezer.”

An alliance proposal. From Tia de Mezelef.

“No way…”

Some gasped as a chill ran down their spines, but Emdwal finally stated the core of the matter.

“Ezer has declared its intent to strike Yaphenon.”

It was a direct act of defiance against the Holy Alliance.

“They claim Yaphenon attacked first—binding Ezer’s hands in the name of the Alliance, only to strike and attempt to swallow them whole.”

“T-That can’t be…”

“It’s madness!”

“Mad or not, I confirmed it with my own eyes. I spoke with their Royal Guard Captain, Rexton.”

Emdwal calmly swept his gaze across the room.

“If Ezer is being unjustly invaded, we have a duty to aid them. No—we must help. For our own survival.”

The Towers claimed neutrality, but no one truly believed that.

The fact that no one had ever dared to attack a nation hosting a Tower was proof enough of the unspoken reality.

“We’ve already been attacked.”

Emdwal understood all too well that a storm of blood was drawing near.

“Now that the Tower Master has acted, if Ezer attacks Yaphenon, we’ll be lumped together as one faction.”

“T-Then shouldn’t we abandon Ezer first…?”

“I have no intention of ending up like the Hero.”

Emdwal replied firmly to the concerned magician.

“Do any of you intend to meet your end quietly, like he did?”

The Hero—Clay.

There was no need for lengthy explanation.

A man who had fought for humanity, only to be executed under charges of collusion with the Demon King.

No one here could say with certainty what the truth really was.

But—

“D-Damn it!”

“Who wants to end up like that?!”

“If those bastards come to wipe us out too, I won’t just sit still!”

They only knew this: his end was a horrific one they never wanted to share.

“Then the answer is clear.”

Emdwal rose to his feet.

“We will stand with Ezer.”

Seeing no one rise to object, Emdwal declared it aloud.

“For the survival of our Blue Tower!”

As he clenched his fists with such force it looked like they might shatter, all those watching swallowed dryly.

But none of them noticed.

That Emdwal’s shadow, swaying in the candlelight, did not resemble an old man—but a young woman.

That Emdwal’s movements were synchronized with the flicker of that shadow.

Flash.

As though conjuring a phantom of someone not physically present, a pair of blue eyes shimmered faintly in the shadow’s face—then vanished.

♧

『Beatrice has returned!』

With the cry of the gargoyle leader, Goe, a red dragon-shaped Beatrice descended from the skies.

『That is…』

The gazes of the gargoyles turned to Beatrice’s back.

There, a corpse was tied down.

Thud!

Beatrice turned her head and bit through the rope, dropping the body to the ground. The gargoyles gathered around to inspect it.

『I-It can’t be!』

『Damon?!』

Damon.

The sight of the young man with green-tinged hair shocked the gargoyles, and they all turned to Beatrice.

Their eyes seemed to ask what had happened. Beatrice returned to her humanoid form and let out a sigh.

“I found him buried in a grave of his own making. His wounds were severe, so he was in a state close to hibernation, but he’s alive. He was never someone who would die easily anyway.”

His body, gaunt to the point of resembling a skeleton, was riddled with stab wounds. It was hard to believe he was still alive after what looked like dozens of stab marks, but as she said, Damon was not one to die easily.

The King of the Dead.

That title suited him, a man who hovered near death and could cross its boundary with ease.

In order to wield more power, he would become a skeletal undead, then return to a fleshed human form like now—something he did as naturally as breathing.

『It’s true…』

『It seems he’s still breathing.』

『Then there are only two of the previous generation’s Four Generals left.』

Beatrice scoffed at the remark.

“Already writing me off as outdated, are you?”

『N-No! That’s not what I meant…』

“Beatrice.”

At that moment—

A sudden voice made everyone turn.

Standing there was Clay, the master of Barungenia.

“Clay.”

Beatrice’s face brightened as she approached him.

“It’s good to see you again after so long.”

“You could have at least sent word you were coming.”

Clay greeted her with a faint smile.

Watching the warm reunion, the gargoyles muttered among themselves.

『The Demon King definitely treats Beatrice differently.』

『Well, she’s more powerful than us.』

『Still… there’s something more than that…』

“Beatrice?”

Fwoosh—

Another voice suddenly called out, and Beatrice turned sharply.

“Hm?”

Her brow arched at the sight of the woman standing behind Clay.

“What is that?”

Athanasia, the ancient god.

The stagnant divinity she exuded—weathered over countless ages—made Beatrice reveal her draconic face.

『Why is Elhaen’s remnant here?』

Her voice, heavy enough to press down on the air, made the gargoyles grit their teeth. Yet Athanasia only shrugged, seemingly unfazed.

“Calling me Elhaen’s remnant is a bit insulting, don’t you think? I’m a god who existed long before Elhaen appeared.”

『Would you mind just answering the question?』

“You’re awfully arrogant. But I suppose you’d have to be, to be one of my partner’s companions.”

『What?』

As Beatrice glared at her, Clay spoke softly.

“It’s a misunderstanding.”

『She says it’s a misunderstanding.』

“Hm, not sure what exactly the misunderstanding is, though.”

Athanasia tilted her head and stepped up beside Clay.

“We share power, so we’re partners, aren’t we?”

“Athanasia.” Clay looked back at her. “We share faith, yes. But watch how you phrase things.”

“Boo, how boring.”

She turned to Beatrice and offered clarification.

“It’s true. We’re partners in faith.”

“What on earth…”

Beatrice, having withdrawn her draconic visage, asked in visible confusion.

“What happened while I was gone?”

But it wasn’t just Athanasia that Beatrice didn’t know about. Suddenly, ice blossoms bloomed in the air as another presence revealed herself.

“Aaaah~.”

With her white hair fluttering, Selimia unleashed a fierce cold.

“Our Demon King is truly blessed. He’s already gathered all the necessary seeds.”

Unbothered by Beatrice’s dumbfounded stare, Selimia went on.

“Of course, I alone would’ve been enough—but I suppose I must respect the Demon King’s wishes. That’s what it means to be a considerate consort.”

“Northern Witch?” Beatrice sighed deeply, “When did you get out, and how’d you make it here?”

“Technically, the Demon King came to get me.” She smiled as she linked arms with Clay. “Would you call that… a personal welcome?”

“Clay.”

Beatrice turned her gaze away from Selimia, ignoring her words.

“Seems like a lot of people wanted to share the marshmallows I gave you.”

“……”

Clay’s awkward expression said everything.

The gargoyles, witnessing this rare side of their Demon King, could only glance around at one another.

But in this awkward scene, the real victim lay elsewhere—

『Please… just send me back to the grave…』

Damon, the newly reawakened former General, curled up as if stripped of his blanket, clutching his body amidst the frosty tension.

(End of Chapter)