This World Needs a Hero

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The path to the Empress’s Star Palace was exceptionally quiet.

Except for the necessary guards, no one was in sight.

The shadows on the street belonged solely to me.

In stark contrast to the bustling central part of the imperial palace, it felt even more desolate.

“People have been silenced.”

It was a wise choice. The upcoming conversation was not for anyone else to hear.

I headed to the location I was informed of.

“I’m going in.”

The most secluded bedroom in the Star Palace.

There was no response, but a presence could be felt. I pushed the heavy door with subdued force.

Creak!

As soon as it opened, a pungent scent hit me. Shards of a wine bottle were scattered on the mat.

“…..”

A dirty and dark room. The Empress was staring at this side.

“Is this the second time you’ve seen me, Doppelganger?”

“In fact, it’s the tenth time, Your Majesty.”

“What?”

The Empress’s face twisted slightly.

“Do not say ‘Your Majesty’ with that face.”

She got up and approached.

Broken glass fragments lay under her bare feet, but she seemed indifferent to the wounds.

In her hand, a blood-stained longsword was held.

“Did you want to see me?”

“Yes.”

Swish.

As soon as the answer was finished, the tip of a sword was pointed at me.

It was a warning. If there was any hint of suspicion in the upcoming conversation, it will be difficult to survive in the palace.

A warning that if any flaws are revealed, leaving the palace alive will be challenging.

The Empress spoke.

“I was planning to announce Ted’s death at the banquet.”

“That’s…”

“I know. Something must have happened. But I didn’t want to hide it after everything was over. The death of my friend has the right to be known by everyone.”

Her yellow eyes glowed fiercely like a beast’s.

“However, an imposter suddenly appeared… disgustingly imitating Ted.”

“…..”

“What’s the meaning of this? Why are you still lingering in the role of the Doppelganger?”

The Empress must have heard stories about me from the Hero.

But it seemed like she didn’t anticipate my decision to continue his legacy, or perhaps she knew and denied it.

Anyway, at this moment, Doppelganger was an unusual entity in this era.

It would not be easy for people to relate to a monster they saw for the first time, especially one trying to follow in the footsteps of their friend.

“I am…”

I took a deep breath. A single word from me could change the future about to follow.

“I have no intention of quitting the role.”

The Empress narrowed her eyebrows.

The response didn’t come right away.

What on earth was she thinking?

The intention to seize the opportunity of Ted’s death was probably expected.

As someone who anticipated blame, not knowing the subject, I was a bit surprised.

“…..”

Just a very deliberate scrutiny up and down.

After a long exploration, the words that came out were only one syllable.

“Why?”

“Because humanity still needs a Hero.”

“…Ha.”

The Empress chuckled.

“Yeah. Of course, we need a Hero. But how?”

How could a Doppelganger continue playing the role of the Hero without being exposed? It was a valid point.

Certainly, she must know that my performance is flawless.

Even if she hadn’t noticed, I never raised suspicions on countless formal occasions.

But vowing to live as a Hero was different from performing the role.

“Does it seem like a position you can handle just by changing the outer shell?”

The Empress’s expression gradually became colder.

The hand holding the sword twitched.

Now was the time. I spoke up first.

“Your Majesty’s most worrying aspect is probably the lack of military force.”

I cannot fight like a Hero. Although I gained skills not inferior to an ordinary knight after receiving training from him, compared to a Hero, I was like a fledgling.

“If you give me some time, I have confidence in gradually getting closer to him.”

“What?”

The Empress’s eyes narrowed sharply. I took out the monocle from my pocket.

“The Iris of Laplace…!”

Without waiting, she took another step closer.

Glass pierced her barefoot, but she showed no signs of caring.

“Ted entrusted this to you…?”

“I’m sure Your Majesty knows what this artifact can do.”

Even if others didn’t know, the Empress would have been aware of Iris of Laplace.

After all, she had been associated with the Hero since her undergraduate days.

She would also know that those who used it could become stronger.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this. I thought it had been destroyed.”

“He left it for me.”

“Heirloom… Hmm, yes, an heirloom.”

The Empress finally reacted to being pricked by glass. Faint murmurs followed.

“…But how do you plan to buy time?”

“I will go to the Academy.”

“The Academy?”

There was a subtle change in the Empress’s expression. A spoonful of interest added to full skepticism.

“That must be Rosenstark. Correct?”

“Indeed.”

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Rosenstark Academy. The continent’s top institution for nurturing the brightest talents.

It had produced countless Heroes over the years and was also the place where the Empress and the Hero first met.

“If Your Majesty helps, I am considering becoming a professor there.”

After careful consideration, going to Rosenstark seemed to be the best option in the current situation.

‘I can’t go back to the front line, and staying inside the system is not an option.’

Using force on the front line is naturally impossible. The system is also in a situation where unknown betrayers are lurking.

Moreover, there is a high probability of being entangled in political fights.

‘But Rosenstark, located in the far west, is relatively safe and would be easy to operate in.’

‘The obvious goal is to get to the safest place with minimal attention.’

‘Of course, going to the academy is not just for my safety.’

“I have three reasons for deciding to go to the academy.”

“Firstly, it’s about legitimacy. Now that the demonic invasion has reached a state of subjugation, it’s not strange for a Hero to head to Rosenstark to nurture successors.”

“People will be reassured, seeing a Hero willing to shoulder the future of humanity in a different way.”

“…That makes sense.”

“Now, for the second reason.”

The Empress slightly leaned forward. A sign of interest.

“I plan to catch the traitors at the academy.”

“…Traitors.”

The Empress muttered in disbelief.

“If I go to the academy, the traitors will have to come along. After all, they’re people aiming for the Hero.”

“I see what you mean.”

“A less crowded academy will be much more advantageous for tracking them. I’ll gather clues there and collaborate with Your Majesty.”

The Empress nodded slowly.

“What’s next?”

“…The last reason.”

It could be considered the most important goal of going to the academy.

“I plan to find other talents to succeed the Hero.”

The Demon King will return. However, humanity, having lost the Hero, had no way to resist him.

Even though I would strive to act as a Hero, there needed to be a contingency plan in case my growth fell short.

A second Hero to replace Ted Redeemer. The disciples of the academy would be the foundation for that.

Rosenstark was a place where talents from across the continent gathered.

“…..”

The explanation was over.

After a short silence, the Empress spoke again.

The sword in her hand was now pointed toward the floor.

“…Yet, I can’t just let you go.”

“I hope Your Majesty won’t give up either.”

“…Huh.”

The Empress bit her lower lip delicately.

A suppressed moan that seemed to have been desperately held back emerged.

The heaviness in the golden eyes. But the precarious atmosphere disappeared faster than it appeared.

The Empress, who quickly regained her dignity, looked at me.

“Yes, fine.”

“Does that mean…?”

“I’m saying I’ll join in on this charade of yours. What can I help with?”

…It’s done. A tingling sensation ran down my spine.

I realized I had just gained the most competent accomplice in the world.

“First, Your Majesty…”

That way, a colossal and white lie to prevent the destruction of humanity began.

—

[Continent Far West.]

[Rosenstark Academy.]

There was an unusual commotion in the professor’s quarters.

“Be careful when moving it! It’s an item given by Her Majesty. If it gets scratched, I’ll have to sell both kidneys to compensate!”

“Hey, you blockhead! I told you to be careful. When did I ever say to move as slow as a snail? Hurry up!”

Considering there was still a long time until the start of the semester, it was an exceptional disturbance.

The maids lined up in a row watched the workers exchanging loud shouts.

“If these are decorations that Her Majesty personally sent to arrange the Hero’s residence…”

“How strange… It seems like there’s some truth to the rumors that something is off between the two.”

“It’s not strange at all. They’ve been close since their undergraduate days.”

A few weeks ago, a decree from the empire’s absolute ruler arrived at the academy.

[Rosenstark Academy, with all due respect, prepare to welcome the newly appointed professor, Ted Redeemer. Any hint of negligence will be met with severe punishment.]

The newly appointed professor, Ted Redeemer.

The sudden news of a Hero becoming a professor at the academy caused a great stir at Rosenstark.

No one expected the next move of the one who defeated the Demon King to be joining the academy.

“Hush!”

The elderly head maid sharply whispered to the maids.

“Shut your mouths now. She passed through the main gate, and she’ll be arriving soon.”

About ten minutes until the arrival.

The faces of the maids gradually began to regain composure.

It was unusual for them, even for those who dealt with high-ranking nobles, to treat them with such indifference.

However, professors who knew a bit more about the Hero couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

They whispered among themselves.

“The Hero is leaving the military and coming to Rosenstark. I never imagined this.”

“Well, fighting on the front lines can get tiresome, I suppose.”

“…Actually, I’m a bit worried.”

“What about?”

“Everyone knows, but why pretend not to…?”

A chilly silence lingered among the professors.

“Kukuku…”

Even though Ted Redeemer would be seen as a perfect Hero by the public, tirelessly striving for the salvation of humanity, possessing noble sacrifice and character, there was an aspect that didn’t quite fit.

“Let’s think positively. Regardless, Rosenstark’s status will rise even higher. It’s not necessarily a loss…”

As the conversation was about to conclude, a lively voice suddenly interjected.

“What interesting stories are you all whispering about so secretly?”

It was a tall woman. Her neatly cut short blue hair swayed from side to side when she tilted her head.

The professors coughed and turned their gaze away.

“Ahem. We weren’t talking about anything special. Isn’t that right?”

“…Hahaha, it seems the president is already here. I’m looking forward to the Hero’s arrival.”

The woman’s name was Yussi Glendor. The 15th president of Rosenstark Academy and the owner of the prominent target group ‘Glendor.’

In the past, she was a member of the Dawn Knights who fought alongside the Hero on the battlefield.

Academy staff secretly referred to her as ‘that crazy woman.’

Yussi’s sparkling eyes behind her glasses shone.

“Of course. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”

“Haha…”

Furthermore, she was a devoted fan of the Hero.

Not showing any enthusiasm for the Hero in front of her was equivalent to declaring to quit working at Rosenstark.

It was when all the professors decided to keep their mouths tightly shut.

Closer and closer.

A large carriage appeared confidently at the end of the road.

On its side, the imperial emblem was prominently displayed.

“Oh my!”

While Yussi was adjusting her clothes with a girlish expression, the carriage, drawing everyone’s attention, stopped in front of the professor’s quarters.

The sound of horse hooves echoed ominously.

Thud.

Finally, amidst the noise, a subdued footstep made its way through the commotion.

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