Chapter 6: A Midsummer Adventure
The exams were over, and as I stared at the grade rankings posted on the academy bulletin board, my eyes were probably brimming with the same hollow despair as a Tibetan sand fox…
---
Elementary Division Comprehensive Results Announcement
Super Outstanding: Nord Villance
Excellent: Elise Magdalia
Honors: Glen Enjo
…
…
…
Poor: Kain Soap
How did it come to this?
I’d aimed for a perfectly average score—neither too low nor too high—but thanks to Kain’s screw-ups and Elise’s misunderstandings, my spring semester grades were a total mess.
“WOOOOH────! Me getting honors is a miracle────! Ohh, being right below Nord-sama and Elise-sama is just too hot────!”
While I clutched my head and slumped in despair, Glen was shouting like an overly passionate ex-pro tennis player, so intense it felt like my brain was melting.
“Oh… Even achieving the once-in-a-century title of Super Outstanding, Nord-sama isn’t satisfied in the slightest. What an embodiment of ambition!”
No, it’s because you and Kain won’t pair up like I planned, and now my head hurts so bad it’s painful…
Elise, who’d been diligently coming to my room to take care of me—so much that classmates teased, “Why not just call her your live-in wife already?”—blushed and smiled shyly, once again misinterpreting everything.
At the very least, I thought it was impressive how Elise, always clinging to me, managed to study enough to pull this off without me noticing…
“Hmph, don’t underestimate me. My true potential lies far beyond this! Someday, I’ll show you all my real strength!”
“Yes!”
The correction force kicked in, and I ended up striking a pose with my hands on my hips, boasting to everyone around… Yet Elise listened intently, nodding in genuine admiration.
What an honest girl!
Wait!? I caught myself nearly falling for her.
Could it be Elise is trying to inflate my ego so I’ll self-destruct!?
I almost got fooled by that angelic smile. But in my past life, I’d seen through every flirty girl’s tricks—since when had I deluded myself into thinking they liked me?
There’s no way a beauty like Elise would genuinely fall for me without some ulterior motive.
“You lot────! Don’t go home for summer break and get too carried away! Especially those trained at the Hero Academy—never forget you wield power beyond compare!”
As we made a ruckus in front of the bulletin board, Doan barked out some teacherly advice for the summer break.
You too, buddy!
I glared at Doan, and he shivered with a “brrr”, deliberately avoiding my gaze. Then he started pressuring the other students—except me and Elise—to hurry to the auditorium.
The students gathered in the auditorium, and Lilian struck a pose like a statue of Dr. Clark, pointing dramatically as she declared,
“He who conquers summer shall become a hero! That is all.”
It was the kind of speech that made me want to shove her into a Hot Limit suit…
She wrapped it up suspiciously fast—probably had a ball or tea party lined up afterward.
The closing ceremony ended without a hitch, and I was supposed to ease into summer break, but then an incident occurred.
“I’m heading back to the Villance estate.”
“Yes.”
As I prepared to pack in my room, Elise stood beside me, hands clasped at her chest, her face clouded with unease. Then, after changing from her uniform into her maid outfit, she stood there holding a single travel bag.
“Oh, sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I’ll give you money. Hurry back to the earl’s house and be a good daughter.”
I tried handing her a sack with ten thousand gold coins, but she shook her head vigorously.
“Hmph, saying it’s not enough, huh… Greedy little thing. How about twenty thousand then?”
“No! It’s not about money!”
“Then jewels? Accessories? Wait here—I’ll buy you something at a shop along the way.”
She shook her head even harder.
“I want to go with Nord-sama.”
“What, that’s all?”
Wait!? What are you saying, Elise?
— [Elise’s Perspective]
Ohh! This is my second time going to Nord-sama’s estate…
Unlike back then, I’m now practically owned by Nord-sama.
I’ve prepared myself with what they call “battle underwear”—something Rin taught me about, the kind that “slays virgins”—so I’m ready whenever Nord-sama desires me. Yet he doesn’t ravish me; though he occasionally speaks harshly, his demeanor is that of a perfect gentleman toward a lady.
Nord-sama acts so wickedly, as if he committed some grave sin in the past… I can’t possibly fathom the weight of what he carries, but I’ve started to wonder if I could stand by his side, learn even a little of his sins, and bear them with him.
It must be painful, yet he never utters a word about it… It’s because the distance between us is still so great.
I want to know more about Nord-sama.
To melt into one with him…
—[Nord’s Perspective]
“Why are you both sitting here?”
On the way back to the estate, inside the carriage, Elise and Marie sat pressed against me on either side.
Puni, purun♪
There’d be plenty of room if just two sat side by side, but with three, our skin was touching… My arms brushed against the bountiful assets of two beautiful girls.
“Marie needs her Onii-sama supplement, nano-ra!”
“The carriage shakes, so I thought this would be better.”
No, the only things shaking are your boobs…
Marie, with her adult body and childish heart, being clingy is understandable, but Elise pressing against me with shy hesitation never stops making me nervous.
Not that I’ll say where…
Careful not to let them notice my pants bulging, I stood cautiously and moved to the opposite seat. But Mari scampered over with a “tatta” and claimed the spot next to me again.
“Kyaa!”
Elise tried to follow suit, but just then, the carriage jolted—maybe hitting a pebble—and she stumbled toward me.
“N-Nord-sama, th-this is…”
I instinctively caught her, but ended up falling backward with her in my arms. Her motherly curves completely enveloped my swollen groin. Even through clothes, their softness was unmistakable, making me harder and my brain feel like it was melting.
“You’re fine now, right? Get off me already.”
Barely holding back drool from the sheer pleasure, I forced the words out.
It’s a secret that my lust was about to be squeezed out of me by Elise more than my words could ever manage!
“My apologies. To show Nord-sama such an indecent side of me…”
But with Elise still draped over my groin, combined with the carriage’s shaking, it felt so damn good I could’ve ascended despite us both being fully clothed!
Haa… haa…
S-So strong… That innocent face hiding such an erotic saint!
AWOOOOO!
Just one more rub, and the carriage came to a sudden halt.
What a terrifying pair of OPI… I couldn’t decide if I’d been saved or disappointed.
If she’d kept rocking against me like that, my Kilimanjaro would’ve erupted with white smoke.
Voices echoed into the carriage.
“You think you can just pass through our turf without a care? You’re gonna pay the toll, got it!?”
The reason for the stop was simple: our carriage was surrounded by a gang of bandits who looked like they’d shout “Hyahha!” while giving us a rough welcome.
I peeked out the front window of the carriage. Moran, our coachman, rushed to speak, not wanting to trouble me.
“Nord-sama! Leave this to me—”
“Moran, stay by Marie’s side. I’ll deal with these savages myself.”
Moran nodded at my words and grabbed the self-defense sword from the coachman’s seat.
“Onii-sama!”
“Nord-sama!”
To the worried pair, I said, “No matter what happens, don’t leave the carriage. Keep low,” before stepping outside.
“Since when did this highway become your turf? News to me.”
“Starting today! Sorry to interrupt your fun, noble boy, but leave those two beauties and all your stuff, then scram. Do that, and we’ll let you live.”
I could see Elise and Marie peeking cautiously out the window.
“Huh? Where’d those weird people go?”
“Yes… What’s going on?”
Suddenly, the bandits vanished from Elise and Mari’s view. The two looked around, bewildered, unsure what had happened.
“Funny thing to say when you’re already not here…”
“What kinda nonsense—!?”
“Figured it out yet?”
As the bandits drew their crude swords to attack me, they started slamming their heads and feet into nothing.
From their side, they could see me, but to them, everything else looked like the unchanged scenery.
The sin of trying to take my family is a heavy one.
With my dark magic [Severance Boundary], I sealed a hundred bandits inside.
“It’s… cramped────!!”
“Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it soon. Stay in there for about a century, and the spell will wear off.”
“That’s a death sentence!”
“What about food!?”
“You’ve got each other, don’t you…?”
[Severance Boundary] can handle a hundred people, no problem!
“Onii-sama, where’d those dumb-looking guys go?”
“Nord-sama, where are the people who attacked us…?”
“No big deal. That was just an illusion I made. As students of the Hero Academy, we need to be prepared at all times. It’s a lesson to stay sharp… Haha!”
By the way, I’d nearly had my essence drained by Elise…
I couldn’t bear letting Marie—let alone Elise—keep watching those human trash, so I brushed it off vaguely.
It’s just a greater evil swallowing petty crooks, after all.
As our carriage entered the Villance dukedom, the mood flipped entirely.
“Moran, I told you I don’t need a welcome, didn’t I?”
“My apologies, Nord-sama… The people wanted to celebrate your excellent performance at the Hero Academy…”
The roadside was packed tight with cheering citizens.
There was no need for them to go out of their way, and I wanted them to rest, so I tried addressing them.
“Listen up, you fools! Instead of wasting time welcoming me, work like carriage horses! Pay more taxes to the Villance family! Got it? Then disband this pointless gathering now!”
Eek!?
Converted into Nord-speak, my attempt to speak turned into treating them like nuisances and goading them to work harder.
W-What do I do…?
If they got mad and attacked us…
Unlike the bandits, these people came to welcome me…
“WOOOOOH────────────!!”
“Nord-sama spoke to us directly!”
“Past lords saw us as slaves—no, less than worms—and never once spoke to us!”
Huh?
“And he even encouraged us to keep going…”
“Sorry for Wald-sama, but I wish Nord-sama would take over soon~”
“Shh, keep your voice down!”
In the end, we returned to the estate like marathon runners, greeted by citizens lining the road, waving flags like spectators cheering us on.
“Ohh, it’s like Nord-sama and I just had a wedding ceremony!”
Elise pressed a hand to her cheek, beaming with joy, but I pretended not to hear.
I’d somehow become more popular than my father, the current head Wald, which put me in a bind. The moment we arrived at the estate, Wald summoned me and gave me orders.
“Nord, collect taxes from Metamin Village in my place!”
I recalled Nord’s misdeeds and their consequences…
In Becoming a Hero, one of Nord’s clearest acts of villainy was depicted in Metamin Village.
---
—[Flashback]
“So your village is the only one behind on taxes—when are you gonna pay up!?”
Nord lounged arrogantly in the village chief’s shabby tent, legs crossed, kicking over the table in front of him.
A wooden cup of herbal tea—the chief’s best attempt at hospitality despite losing everything—rolled off, splashing hot water onto the chief. He endured the heat, never breaking his prostrate bow.
“Father!”
“Stay back.”
The chief’s young daughter rushed over, worried about his burns, but he stopped her, entrusting her to his wife.
“Nord-sama, please forgive us… The recent flood broke the levees, submerging our fields and reserves. We’re struggling just to survive…”
Nord tilted his thumb sideways, drawing a line across his throat.
“Huh? Don’t give me that crap! We lords risk our lives daily to protect you peasants from demons. Taxes are the price. If you can’t pay, you don’t deserve to live!”
“Of course, we understand. But in this state, taxes are…”
“Then how about I exercise my right of prima nocta? How old’s your daughter?”
Nord licked his lips as he asked, and the chief, realizing his intent, pressed his forehead harder into the ground, pleading.
“Please, anything but that!”
“What, you got a problem? I’m saying I’ll grace a mere village girl with my seed. You should be grateful!!”
Nord kicked the mother aside, grabbed the arm of the girl—barely in her early teens—and dragged her into a prepared tent.
───N-Noooo──────!
Only the girl’s screams echoed from the tent.
“This place is done.”
As Nord’s entourage of nobles and lackeys finished buckling their belts, Nord raised a hand, black flames flickering, ready to erase the evidence—when…
“NORDOOOO────!”
Kain suddenly charged in with the holy sword…
But unable to unleash its power, Kain lost to Nord. In the next scene, a red backdrop with black trees and something human-like hanging from them appeared like a paper cutout—a trauma etched into my memory.
Sigh…
Going to the village weighed heavily on me.
Even in my past life as a corporate slave, heading to work was tough, but the thought that my good deeds might be twisted into something vile by the correction force made my legs feel leaden.
Generations of punishing disobedient towns and villages being the role of the Villance heir was just too harsh… If it’d turn into a game-like scenario, I’d rather stay at the academy.
Despite my heavy heart, the carriage didn’t stop, arriving at the outskirts of Metamin Village.
Huh?
Far from flood-ravaged ruin, the village fields were blanketed in vibrant green vegetables and golden wheat—a truly fertile land.
Why was this poor hamlet now thriving?
The Draken River showed no signs of flooding…
And then…
───Nord-sama~!
───It’s the young lord’s carriage────!
───Thank you so much~!
Farmers paused their work, waving at my carriage adorned with the black wolf crest.
Did I… do something?
Maybe they’re welcoming me en masse to lower my guard, planning to slip poison into my food or drink and stab me when I’m writhing in pain.
Danger is dangerous.
Like with Elise, I nearly got fooled again.
The carriage stopped in front of the village chief’s house.
In the game, they lived in a ragged tent like refugees, but what I saw now was completely different.
Though plain compared to a noble’s mansion, it was a two-story stone-and-mortar home, way bigger than my real-world family house…
The villagers eventually abandoned their farmwork, following the carriage and surrounding me and it along with those who emerged from the house.
They didn’t seem to hold torches or blades, but given the Villance heirs’ and Nord’s history of atrocities, it was too early to relax.
I entered the chief’s house, hand on my sword hilt, staying vigilant. The interior wasn’t lavish like a noble’s, but it was furnished decently, with paintings and vases on display.
As I took a seat, the chief explained, just like in Becoming a Hero.
“Thanks to Nord-sama stopping by and deepening the riverbed, our village—no, all the nearby villages—have been flood-free.”
“Stopping by” is an understatement—I vaguely recall training by splitting rapids in half with Galianus…
“Then explain why you lagged on taxes if you’ve got an excuse!”
“Yes, hearing Nord-sama would return, we wanted to pay our taxes and express our gratitude.”
So, a surprise, huh?
I ended up receiving a feast of food and song. No poison in the meal—it was just genuinely delicious.
They begged me to stay at the chief’s house, so I kept two swords by the bed and slipped mithril rings on four fingers of both hands.
Like brass knuckles, ready to punch full force anytime.
Plus, sleeping in [Magic Combat Armor] instead of pajamas would keep me safe even if enemies attacked in numbers beyond expectation.
As I dozed, I sensed multiple presences beyond the door.
“Heh heh heh… Too obvious—it’s laughable.”
Looks like they’re planning a nighttime ambush.
To lure out these shameless fools, I feigned sleep. The door’s lock clicked open, and several figures crept in quietly—only to start snuggling up beside my bed.
Eh!?
“Um… What kind of girl does Nord-sama like?”
A whisper tickled my ear, oddly sensual.
I threw off the covers and leapt up, even more shocked.
Don’t mix these up!
“I’ll let village girls sneaking in at night slide, but stop mixing in married women!”
Among them were a few milf-types, including the chief’s wife…
“We’d heard Nord-sama is a ferocious, insatiable lover…”
Sigh… The game’s rumors had spread here too.
As I tried calming the village girls and their “extras,” my eyes met someone casually sitting on my bed in a girly pose.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Eri! ♡”
“Don’t play dumb!”
“Did I get caught?”
“Of course I’d notice right away!”
Hey, you! Elise! Stop sneaking in with the village girls!
“Wow! Even in disguise, Nord-sama recognized me right away—I’m so happy!”
“…”
Was she naive, pure, or a schemer? I couldn’t figure out what Elise was thinking…
I half-forced the village girls to leave, but stunned by Elise’s relentless pushiness, I gave in.
“I’m tired… Do whatever you want.”
“Thank you, Nord-sama!”
Elise flashed me a gentle smile mixed with joy, evident in her bouncy tone. That smile alone proved why she was the top saint candidate. But knowing she might be plotting with Kain to kill me behind it, I couldn’t let my guard down.
Even if Nord had tamed her, she’d stabbed his heart repeatedly with that fallen, dark expression in the game…
Unlike that madness-filled Elise, the one before me now seemed like an angel descended to earth.
The villagers offered me Metamin’s fruit wine, but I refused out of caution—except when the chief’s daughter offered it. Given Nord’s game atrocities, I felt too guilty to decline, and ended up drinking more than I intended.
Slightly tipsy after the feast, I entered the prepared room, unsure if I was dreaming or awake. I fought to stay up before Elise—no way I’d let her outlast me!
My head bobbed like a drinking bird, eyelids shutting like a store’s closing shutters.
My consciousness flickered, and suddenly I was punishing a defiant Kain, who lay sprawled on the ground.
“Heh heh heh… Haa, haa… Kain, it pains me to admit it, but I’ll praise you. To corner me this far! But you’ll never beat me!”
I boasted grandly to Kain, masking my exhaustion with bravado, barely able to stand.
Once I confirmed Kain had passed out, a wave of depletion hit, and I collapsed too. Rolling onto my back with effort, Elise rushed over.
As expected of Nord’s enslaved pet.
Ignoring Kain to tend to me, huh? But then she straddled me and accused,
“You forced yourself on me and made me bear your child…”
Big tears fell from Elise onto my cheeks.
My right arm was gone from the elbow down, my left exposing bone at the wound—I couldn’t even grasp a knife or potion. My right leg felt off, possibly missing…
Even Elise’s frail, light weight felt crushing.
Oh, I’d seen this somewhere.
Which ending was this?
I vaguely recalled Nord impregnating Elise, then brutally forcing an abortion with gut punches—something so inhumane it fueled my hatred for him.
“Goodbye, Nord… If you’d had even a shred of humanity, I…”
Elise swung down a gleaming blade, gripping the handle reverse-handed with both hands, loaded with murderous intent.
“Stop! You didn’t want my child either! I fulfilled your wish—guh! Guh! Guh!”
Her strike, laced with resentment, pierced my heart. The pain was so intense my senses numbed, yet my body screamed on its own.
I’d die soon anyway, yet Elise stabbed my heart repeatedly.
“Goodbye, Nord. I’ll live on, hating you forever.”
“Eliseeeee… I don’t wanna dieeeee…”
I reached for her with my last strength, but couldn’t touch her. Her final thrust ended me, and my consciousness faded again.
Gasp!?
Huh? Rain?
No, wait.
Killed by Elise in the dream, I woke to find the culprit peering into my face—her tears, not rain, falling on me.
Straddling me on all fours, Elise cried as she pleaded,
“I’d never kill Nord-sama. If anything happened to you, I’d follow you in death!”
Had she heard all my sleep-talking?
Her clear eyes reflected me, so pure they seemed incapable of lies.
I didn’t know how much of my muttering she’d caught, but the nightmare’s contents had clearly reached her…
“Don’t kill me off on your own, and live your own life. If you martyred yourself, I couldn’t die in peace even of old age!”
Wanting to avoid being swayed, I tossed out a flippant remark, then tried confessing the truth.
“After all, I’m—by Elise, kil—kil—”
“Kil-kil? Oh, you don’t want me rolling you around! Don’t worry, I won’t step out in front of you—I’ll stay by your side forever!”
Elise giggled, planning to keep serving as a devoted maid, but the correction force blocked me from revealing the truth.
“If you tell anyone about my pathetic side, you’re fired. Forget it when you sleep.”
“Yes! I’ll forget right away. Good night, Nord-sama.”
“Yeah.”
Elise planted a goodnight kiss—like Meina used to when I was little—then moved to the bed beside mine.
Damn it! Everything she does is so unfair.
Determined not to be swayed further, I turned my back to her, lost in thought.
From what I knew, Elise liked strong men. In Becoming a Hero, she was drawn to Kain’s resilience, rising no matter how many times Nord beat him down.
Yet the more I blustered in Nord-speak, the more her eyes seemed to adore me. Now that I’d become Nord, she looked at the weak-willed Kain with contempt, like he was filth or a cockroach, and despised him.
I’d shown her my weakness, tormented by nightmares. Surely she’d leave me someday!
It was a plan so perfect, not a drop of water would spill from a paper cup while drifting full-throttle down Akina Mountain…
Morning came, and as predicted, Elise wasn’t in the bed next to mine.
So, she’d seen through everything and left me…
Yes!
Now I could enjoy a carefree isekai slow life without death flags! I clenched my fist in triumph—when…
Wha!?
“Auun… Nord-sama… Good morning…”
A voice came from the opposite side of where Elise had slept.
Since when had I deluded myself into thinking she was in the other bed?
Elise was lying beside me in my bed, snuggled up. And in a sheer negligee, wearing nothing but panties—an utterly shameless sight…
—[Elise’s Perspective]
To think Nord-sama was harboring such deep darkness… His heart, frozen shut to me like ice…
Even if it’s just a little at a time, I have no intention of leaving Nord-sama’s side until that ice melts and he turns to me.
Right now, I don’t need status, honor, or money. I only want to be by Nord-sama’s side.
But seeing how wary he is of me, it’s almost like we were lovers in a past life, torn apart by a tragic end after a grand romance…
Oh… If that’s the case, I’d wish for a happy marriage with Nord-sama in this life. Maybe I’ve been reading too many of those novels.
Even the sound of Nord-sama’s sleeping breaths brings me peace.
I remembered how, as a child, I could sleep soundly when my mother stroked my hair. So, I sat by Nord-sama’s bed as he slept, running my hand over him clad in his [Magic Combat Armor].
And what do you know!
The [Magic Combat Armor] peeled away in an instant, leaving Nord-sama in just his sleepwear.
Touching him gently, I couldn’t help but feel my heart race at his sturdy chest.
Someday, I want to be held against Nord-sama’s chest and bury my face in it.
With that thought, I pressed my face right against his chest. Thump, thump—his heartbeat transmitted to me, making my own pulse quicken.
Right now, I might be able to feel even more of Nord-sama.
Thinking that, I brushed the bangs covering my eyes behind my ear and gazed intently at Nord-sama’s beautiful sleeping face, which I’d always admired.
“You don’t need to fear me. I’m Nord-sama’s loyal pet…”
The more I looked, the more I fell for him.
Maybe my kiss could wake Nord-sama up.
Just imagining it made my chest pound with excitement.
Mmm.
Closing my eyes, I slowly brought my lips to Nord-sama’s as he slept, letting them overlap. Giving my first kiss to Nord-sama sent a surge of happiness coursing through my body, making me squeal inwardly.
Unlike his icy, translucent blue eyes, kissing Nord-sama’s lips felt as sweet as honey, so hot it seemed like all my clothes might melt away.
Before Nord-sama, I might as well be naked…
Haa, haa… This could become addictive. Ohh… I shouldn’t… ♡♡♡
I greedily pressed kiss after kiss onto Nord-sama. Now, if I just [Repair] the peeled-off [Magic Combat Armor], all’s good!
Then, pretending to be half-asleep, I’ll snuggle up beside him like this!!
—[Nord’s Perspective]
I couldn’t let my guard down around Elise for a second, but thank goodness for [Magic Combat Armor]!
Just as I confirmed it hadn’t been damaged anywhere—
───A horde of monsters────!!
A scream, likely from a villager, echoed through the village.
Looking out the window, I saw a village girl surrounded by a pack of goblins, paralyzed with fear and unable to move.
“H-Hii, d-don’t come closer, don’t come closer…”
───Gigigigi, woman, woman, ravish.
“Shatter! Gallianus!”
Grabbing Gallianus from beside my pillow, I swung it from the window. The blade, linked by chains, split apart and stretched toward the goblins. Like a king cobra, Gallianus coiled around them.
“Crush them! Gallianus!”
───AGYAAAAA!!
With my command, the chains tightened, strangling the goblins wrapped in the blade. Dozens of their bodies burst into chunks, splattering green blood everywhere.
As I shook the blood off Gallianus back into my hand, the village was suddenly surrounded by a swarm of monsters appearing out of nowhere. Metamin Village, flanked by two rivers, had countless monsters on both opposite banks—there was no escape.
“What are you doing? Get inside now!”
“Th-Thank you! Who are you…?”
“I’m Nord. Can’t you tell?”
Oh, right—I was still wearing [Magic Combat Armor]… I’d stepped outside in what looked like a rival character’s suit from a Sunday morning hero show, and embarrassment hit me hard.
No way I could cosplay in front of people.
But with this many monsters, I couldn’t afford to care about that now.
Suspicion crept in—maybe someone who knew I was here had sent them—but Elise and the villagers’ safety came first.
“Elise, stay here and protect the villagers.”
“What about you, Nord-sama?”
“I’m going to hunt those monsters.”
“I’ll go with Nord-sama…”
Did she mistake my words for a final farewell? Elise grabbed my hand, reluctant to let go, but…
“Don’t get full of yourself! No matter how high your grades are, second to mine, you’d only slow me down! If you want to fight beside me, train a hundred times harder. Got it? Then hurry up and gather the fools to hide!”
“But, Nord-sama…”
“What, think I’ll lose?”
Elise shook her head vigorously, answering my question with her gesture.
“May fortune favor you.”
“Of course. Tonight, I’ll treat you and the fools to dragon steak.”
“Yes!”
Even tens of thousands of monsters wouldn’t stand a chance against me alone.
But adding the mission of protecting the villagers’ lives and their cherished land raised the difficulty exponentially.
I’d left the village men and Moran to guard them, but with these numbers, they wouldn’t hold out forever.
Well, perfect timing.
Lately, I’d been holding back my strength at the Hero Academy, and the stress was piling up.
I leapt onto the village lookout tower and activated a skill.
[Magic Eye]
A magic circle flared in my left iris, sharpening my focus like a scope, letting me see the opposite bank clearly.
“Hmph, a cat beastman, huh…”
My [Magic Eye] caught sight of a female beastman with cat-like ears leading the monsters.
I knew her.
Mao, one of the Four Heavenly Kings under Azrael, the Demon Lord of the Flanoa Continent.
“What’s this? Hmm, hmm. ‘The giant army ants will build a bridge with their swarm,’ huh?”
Reading her lips, I caught her giving those orders to the monsters.
Not bad.
It was a solid strategy to quickly deploy ground-based monsters across the river.
If I weren’t here, that is.
Giant army ants, about the size of puppies, stacked atop each other like a ladder, using their comrades as stepping stones.
Once they formed a long ladder like those used in firefighting ceremonies, they toppled over, creating a bridge of their bodies.
Goblins and kobolds—small fry—leapt onto the amber bridge and charged across.
───Hunt the humans!
The moment the first one touched our shore—
“Too bad. The toll for this river is your lives.”
[Black Arc: Limit Break]
Appearing atop the village-side embankment, I layered magic into my slash and unleashed it.
The water’s surface, covered by the amber bridge, split as monsters crossing were bisected and burned by black flames, which then leapt to others.
My slash didn’t stop there—it tore through the opposite embankment.
“Hahaha! S-rank monsters are like trash!”
I pictured African buffalo swept away in a herd while crossing a river. Most monsters were swallowed by the muddy torrent flowing to the sea, carried off like livestock.
Wyverns and griffins—flying types—barely managed to lift Mao and some ground monsters to safety.
All at once.
Nord’s specialty was wiping out enemies instantly with overwhelming magic and wickedly sharp swordplay.
Following suit…
“Crush mountains, cleave seas, pierce the sky. Feast upon it—the blacker-than-black [Wave of Darkness]!”
ZUGGYUUUU────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────N!!
A colossal jet-black beam, surpassing even a certain anime laser, erupted from me. In mere seconds, I swept it across the sky, and the monsters blanketing it evaporated one by one.
As [Wave of Darkness] devoured them, the pitch-black sky returned to its refreshing blue.
Lift and drop.
Basic tactic, right?
An old-school fighting game trick, but still effective in this world. My overflowing power could’ve razed the Ackersen Kingdom entirely, so this was the best approach.
The surviving monsters fled.
Victory! I protected the village too!
But then I slipped into Nord-speak again…
“You fools! Listen well! If you want to defeat me, ten thousand isn’t enough. Bring at least a million—and only the finest elites!”
Why’d I have to taunt them!?
This is definitely a death flag…
As I clutched my head, Elise ran to me, breathless.
“Nord-sama────────────!”
“Those measly monsters? My honed sword skills would dull from that.”
“But what about the monsters that escaped?”
“Heh heh heh… Did you think I’d let those who defy me live freely? I embedded [Tracking Factors] in them. Not even an ant will escape.”
Ignoring Elise’s concern, I pressed a hand to my forehead, peering at her through my fingers as I declared it.
Seems the battle high triggered a chuunibyou outburst. The village chief, overhearing us, gasped in awe.
“Oh… How dependable… Our judgment was spot-on. Nord-sama is truly worthy of being called the Black Hero!”
Huh? What’s this “Black Hero” thing?
I haven’t even graduated from the Hero Academy…
Plus, slapping an unneeded title on me will make Kain jealous, get me targeted by the Demon Lord’s army, and, bluntly, isn’t that bad news?
As peace returned to the village and we headed back, I spotted a shota-like figure likely ravaged by the monsters.
I poked the sprawled body with a stick.
“No response. Just a corpse, it seems.”
“I’m not dead!”
“Oh!? He’s alive…”
Right, Graham did say he boosted Kain’s stamina to undead levels or something.
“What business do you have in Villance territory? Wandering around naked like that, you’ll be mistaken for a monster and killed—I won’t care.”
“Shut up, shut up! Not only do you mistreat my Elise, but you assault village girls—you don’t belong at the Hero Academy, and you’re no good guy!”
“I leave Elise to her own devices. Her coming to my room is her choice.”
Because even if I tell her “Don’t come!” she shows up anyway. Nothing I can do about it.
“Liar!”
“Heh heh heh… Looks like you’re the one assaulting village girls more than me. Before calling me a liar, cover that pathetic thing. Your precious Elise won’t even look this way.”
“Huh!?”
I tossed him a handkerchief to cover his groin, and the perverted hero frantically hid himself.
To the groin warrior clad in thin cloth, I handed a weapon I’d picked up along the way, meddling despite myself.
“If you’re a true hero, don’t let your gear get stolen so easily. I went through the trouble of making a repli—cough cough.”
I nearly spoiled that Nord had given him a replica holy sword, so I quickly coughed to cover it up.
Revealing something this fun would be… too much of a waste.
Maybe I’m worse than Nord deep down.
Elise, who didn’t need to, stepped out of the carriage and pointed at Kain.
“Kain! I won’t forgive you for badmouthing Nord-sama! He risked his life against ten million monsters and became the Black Hero!”
Eliseeeee──────────!
The real feat was kid’s ramen-sized, but she piled it up like a maxed-out Jiro ramen…
And “Black Hero” is sticking now.
“LIES──────!”
“It’s the absolute truth.”
No, it’s a lie…
Exaggerated! Misleading!
If the BPO existed in this world, I’d be in deep trouble.
I appreciate the praise, but this Jiro-ze mess is too much…
“Come, Nord-sama, let’s head back!”
“…”
Huh? Wait, we’re leaving him?
Elise grabbed my hand, climbed into the carriage, and, like a maid familiar with my house, said “Please” to the coachman. The carriage rolled off, leaving me stunned as Kain chased after us.
“E-Elise… Don’t leave me behind───────────────!”
Kain tripped with a thud, covered in mud. Elise didn’t spare him a glance, staring ahead, but I couldn’t help pitying him chasing the carriage in just a cloth.
—Before the Villance Dukedom’s Main Gate
“It’s not over until you’re home from the field trip.”
That phrase sprang to mind at the sight before me.
“What are you doing?”
“Meowwwn♪”
I’d let her escape on purpose, but this was so blatant I couldn’t even muster a wry smile…
Just a few hundred meters from the gate, there was Mao—the white beastman with tiger ears and a black-and-white striped tail—stuck in a wooden box like an abandoned cat, boldly declaring, “I quit the Demon Lord’s army!”
As I stared at her with half-lidded, pitying eyes, she remained carefree.
Why do people who ditch management roles keep flocking to me…?
“You’re pretending to be pitiful to get my attention, aren’t you!?”
“N-No, I’m stuck! Get me out, get me out, Nord!!”
A former Four Heavenly King of the Demon Lord’s army, trapped with the box snug around her hips.
To put it mildly, she’s an idiot…
“I deeply regret taking someone as pathetic as you seriously…”
My Room
Elise seemed unsure what to make of Mao, confused by her friendliness despite being a former Four Heavenly King.
“She’s an old friend of mine.”
“Yep, yep!”
I threw out a vague excuse to brush it off.
Not just Elise—no one in the household knew Mao’s true identity, and if they did, it’d be a huge mess.
“What? You told them how strong I am and asked for reinforcements, and they threatened to cut off your fingers?”
“Yep, yep! Nord’s strength is insane! Even he can’t beat you!”
Finger-cutting? What kind of gang is this…?
“Still, for a cat beastman, you’re pretty strong.”
“I’m not a cat! A tiger! A white tiger, no less!”
“Here, cat food!”
“Mew!?”
I tossed a silver dish with mashed white fish, and Mao caught it in her mouth with a graceful leap.
“You’re totally a cat…”
“Not a cat, nya… nom nom.”
Having barely eaten since deserting the Demon Lord’s army, Mao polished off the cat food and clasped her hands before the dish.
“Mao, you’re too naive about the world. Quitting your job over a single scolding from your boss is ridiculous! Go back and start over!”
Honestly, I wanted to lecture her endlessly about how much my past-life bosses chewed me out.
“No way. I’ll stick around until Nord takes me in.”
“Oh, come on! Everyone wanting me to take them in is insane!”
Exasperated, I shouted as Wald’s butler arrived to summon me.
“Nord-sama, the master calls for you.”
“Got it, I’ll be right there. Mao! Your fate waits until I’m back. Stay put.”
“Haaai…”
Sulking, Mao reluctantly followed the attendants to the guest room.
——.
Wald’s Study
“A massive monster attack, you say?”
“Yeah, I handled it all.”
“I see. But don’t get cocky, Nord. Protecting some backwater village doesn’t affect the Villance family in any—”
Making kids work and then saying this…
As Wald’s preachy, nitpicking sermon loomed, a sudden knock interrupted.
“Wald-sama, urgent news!”
“What? I’m disciplining my idiot son!”
“It concerns Nord-sama too!”
Wald snorted, then permitted entry. The attendant paused, bowed to us, then flung open the balcony doors, stepping aside to kneel.
“Behold! A tribute from Metamin Village!”
Beyond the attendant’s outstretched hand, an endless caravan of carriages from Metamin stretched out, their cargo being hauled into the dukedom’s treasury.
“Wha!? What’s that!? You did this!?”
“Yeah, this much… It’s breakfast—no, I could handle it fresh off a fast.”
Guh! Wald, a bundle of inferiority, gritted his teeth hard, his neurotic face twisting.
I also detained an idiot Demon Lord executive, but it’d be my life’s biggest shame, so I kept quiet.
I hadn’t planned to return home, but seeing Wald’s face made it worthwhile.
His genuine shock at the monster attack told me his real goal was likely to make me ravish village girls and burn the place down—to harden me as a ruthless lord.
So who summoned all those monsters?
“It pains me, but I can’t deny your achievement… I don’t want to see your face—stay out of my sight for a while! Go on a vacation or something!”
“I’d go even without you telling me.”
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