I approached the shabby house plastered with magic and knocked on the door.
“Is anyone inside?”
“…Who’s there?”
“I’m here to help you.”
“……”
Not long after, the door opened, and a young man taller than me stepped out.
Ignoring me, he asked Toruman, who was behind me, “What’s this brat?”
Toruman smirked and replied, “He’s a Hero, just like me.”
“This little kid?”
“And stronger than me.”
“…You’re joking, right?”
“Do I look like someone who jokes?”
Using my small stature, I slipped past him and entered the room.
“Hey, wait! Don’t step—”
Crack! Fshhh.
“—you can.”
I had just stepped on and broken a magical trap, then turned around with a bored expression.
“The way you welcome guests is a mess. Homeowner, aren’t you coming in?”
“……”
Toruman sighed and patted Muffin’s shoulder.
“Excuse me for a moment. I’ll mediate between you.”
“I suppose some explanation is needed.”
“That’ll be inside. This isn’t something to talk about out here.”
“…Understood.”
The door closed, and Toruman entered, taking a seat on the sofa.
I sat next to him and immediately got to the point.
“Muffin Redburn. If you stay like this, your only younger sister will die.”
“Cough! Cough!”
Suddenly, he started coughing as if choking.
Toruman gave me a baffled look.
“What nonsense is that all of a sudden?”
“Elena Redburn, right? That’s your sister’s name?”
“You did some background check on me, didn’t you?!”
No, I already told you I came to help, so what’s with this attitude?
“Shut up and just listen. If you stay like this, you won’t get revenge or anything else. Everything will be ruined. Do you want to hear me out or not?”
Muffin wiped the saliva trickling from the corner of his mouth and waved his finger in protest.
“Toruman, can’t we just kick this lunatic out?”
“If we could, we’d have done it by now. As you can see, this guy is crazy and stronger than me. You can’t judge him by appearances.”
“Sigh.”
Muffin let out a heavy sigh and cast me a sharp glance.
“How much do you know?”
“That your family was destroyed due to the false accusation of colluding with the Demon Army, and that you left the Kingdom, wandering the Slums with your sister, seeking revenge on the Noble House of Kiren’s Baron—the very one who framed you.”
That’s the official truth so far.
“And that the Baron of Kiren knows all your plans and is preparing to stab you in the back—that’s the truth I know.”
From here on, the history that actually happened will have to be changed.
Toruman asked subtly.
“How do you know that?”
“That, I can’t tell you.”
“…”
I had to keep the fact that I came from the future a secret for now.
No one knew where the Demon King was lurking.
Especially if that person would one day become a Demon King’s Army Corps Commander.
Of course, it was highly likely the Demon King knew I had time-traveled, but even so, there’s a difference between suspicion and certainty.
“Why?”
Muffin asked.
“Why do you want to help me?”
I nodded and answered.
“I need your strength.”
“I heard you’re stronger than Toruman?”
“I have to accomplish something impossible alone.”
“What is it?”
“Peace of the World.”
“…You really are crazy.”
Muffin looked exhausted and rubbed his forehead.
Toruman looked at me seriously and asked.
“How do you plan to achieve world peace?”
“First, we have to kill the Demon King.”
“…I see.”
Toruman leaned back on the sofa and chuckled.
“Definitely not something one person can do.”
“…Sir, do you really believe that?”
Toruman didn’t answer but stared off into the distance.
“I’ve seen the Demon King once. From afar, but still.”
I glared at Toruman’s expression.
A faint trace of fear was etched in his eyes.
“Honestly, I can only say it was overwhelming. He’s not simply called the ‘king’ of demons or devils.”
Judging by how specific his description was, he must have really seen it.
“No, it’s questionable whether you can even call him the same kind of creature as us. At least, you could only describe him as something on an entirely different level from us.”
I nodded and replied.
“The name ‘Demon King’ is just a title humanity gave him so we wouldn’t weaken ourselves.”
He was something with the will to exterminate humanity.
Something that performed near-omnipotent acts for that purpose.
Outwardly resembling a human, yet simultaneously a divine being far removed from humanity.
“But not all-powerful.”
“Hmm.”
“To bring him down, Heroes alone can’t unite. All living beings on the remaining continents must come together as one.”
Even as we talk, humans on the frontlines are dying fighting monsters.
But the front isn’t only humans.
Dwarves, Elves, and other minor races have joined forces to stop the Demon Army’s advance.
“But no matter how much you do, if you don’t defeat the Demon King, everything will be meaningless.”
The world still stands on the brink of destruction.
If the Demon King isn’t slain, all life will perish.
The army to oppose the Demon King is ready.
The Hero prepared to kill the Demon King is ready.
What’s missing are the supporters who will fight alongside the Hero—the so-called Hero Party.
Toruman looked me in the eyes.
“You’re going to do that?”
I nodded.
“If we don’t, we all die.”
“…Not only a straightforward answer, but you’re absolutely certain.”
It has to be that way.
Because I’ve been through it all.
But since I couldn’t reveal this, I dropped a hint.
“Heroes usually have good intuition, right?”
“…I can’t deny that.”
Humans blessed by the gods.
That’s why they are Heroes.
When a Hero says they have good or bad intuition, it’s a kind of divine grace—a sort of future foresight.
Toruman must have already sensed that I told the truth.
“Let me ask you one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Have you fought the Demon King?”
…Huh?
“Hey, sir. Isn’t that a bit much? No way a kid who doesn’t even look twenty has fought the Demon King…”
“How did you know?”
I was honestly surprised.
Even with good intuition, I didn’t think he’d be able to tell that much.
Muffin trailed off with a dumbfounded expression, but I didn’t care.
Toruman nodded as if he expected it.
“I guessed from your expression when you heard the word ‘Demon King.’”
“My expression? What about it?”
“You showed no interest whatsoever. As if you were hearing a story you already knew.”
“…Oh, I see.”
So that’s it.
To guess all that just from my expression.
“Sir, you’re smart—like a friend level.”
“…That’s a rather ambiguous compliment.”
“Don’t worry. It’s a compliment.”
I don’t know if he has the sage-level magical knowledge, but I thought our ways of thinking would get along well.
“Wait a second. I think my head can’t keep up with this story.”
Just as Muffin’s face turned pale and panicked,
Toruman and I both turned our gazes toward the door.
Click.
“Brother? Who are you talking to?”
The one who came in was a blonde girl about my age.
“Eh, Elena? What are you doing here?”
“The magic traps in the house broke, so I came to see if something happened…”
Elena looked back and forth between Toruman and me, tilting her head.
“Who’s this… sir?”
I waved my hand and replied.
“He’s here to help you.”
“……”
I looked at Muffin’s face, which seemed to want to say a lot but looked helpless, and continued.
“And he’s the one who told your brother you might die soon.”
“Hey, you!”
Muffin frowned and seemed ready to snap.
“Elena, don’t worry. He’s just here to talk with your brother…”
“Brother. Quiet for a moment.”
Elena’s eyes sharpened as she stepped toward me.
“Say that again.”
I nodded and repeated.
“I’m the one who said you might die.”
“Why do you think I might die?”
“That’s not a question asked out of ignorance, is it?”
“……”
Elena fell silent at my question.
That alone was a sufficient answer.
“The plan’s preparation, the financing, and even the Capital Slums King are cooperating, and your name is on the list of all the planners.”
“……”
“If the Baron of Kiren finds out about the plan you prepared, who will be the first target?”
Muffin’s face turned pale at my question.
“Wait… Elena. What is this? Weren’t we supposed to put my name out front?”
Elena looked at Muffin firmly.
“If we’re going to rebuild our family, you can’t have even a single blemish. Don’t forget that our family’s principle has always been justice.”
“That’s that!”
Muffin frowned and grabbed Elena’s shoulders tightly.
“You’re the last family I have! Why did you do something so reckless?!”
“It’s not recklessness. It’s determination.”
The sharp aura in Elena’s eyes made Muffin flinch.
It was like the look of a wolf eyeing its prey.
I clapped my hands to lighten the mood.
“I’m not done talking yet, so both of you calm down.”
“……”
“……”
Seeing the cat-like siblings glare at me, I nodded.
I ignored Toruman’s dry, cold gaze.
“I’ve felt ignored since earlier, so I’ll say this one more time—listen carefully.”
I picked up the kettle on the table and took a sip.
The warm water soothed my throat.
“I came to help you take revenge. I have the strength and the justification. But I want to borrow your strength.”
Muffin stepped forward, as if protecting Elena, and asked.
“…Why do you need our strength that badly?”
“I already told you. For the peace of the world.”
“Don’t joke around.”
It’s true, but since they didn’t believe me, there was nothing more I could say.
“Alright. I guess I should show you something to ease your doubts.”
I waved my hand and pulled out the Holy Sword.
A dazzling sword wrapped in light appeared in my hand.
Then, as soon as I grasped the Holy Sword, I swung it toward Elena.
“Ahhh?!”
“W-What is this all of a sudden?!”
The Holy Sword sliced through Elena’s body.
Twisting in pain, she collapsed.
At the same moment, Toruman rushed past me, grabbing the black smoke flowing from behind Elena and slammed it to the ground.
It was a Ghost Demon often used as a scout by the Demon Army.
Toruman smashed the demon’s form with his shining fist and asked me with a tired expression.
“Would it kill you to say something before acting?”
“If I did, I’d never have caught it. Do you think it’s easy to catch a formless demon? Just having a Holy Sword doesn’t mean you can slay them all.”
I almost attacked without warning again, so if I’d missed it, handling the aftermath would have been difficult.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I couldn’t handle it.
It would just be a hassle.
I met Elena’s pale gaze, who realized a demon had latched onto her, and asked.
“I just saved you from the demon’s grasp. That shows how serious I am.”
“……”
“I can solve the biggest problem you’re facing. What will you do?”
Elena and Muffin’s pupils dilated wildly.