Chapter 6 ◆ No, There Must Be Something Else... Nah, It's Hopeless

Kazuma-nii had opened a diner along one of the main streets in the Royal Capital. I'd gotten word of that a while back.

If there was anyone I could rely on, it was him—he'd know just what to do and give me some solid advice.

That's why I'd come all this way, fleeing straight to him.

I'd hung back a short distance to watch the place, waiting out the lunch rush until the sign flipped to closed before slipping inside.

"Kazuma-nii."

I'd called out to him with a smile... but...

"Yes, this is Kazuma."

It wasn't the confident grin I'd always known. His expression was gentle, like he was a completely different man from the big brother figure I'd looked up to.

"Um... Nii-san."

Even so, with no one else to turn to, I laid it all out for him—my whole sorry situation.

"Ahh... this is rough. And I owe you one, so I'd love to help somehow. But... sorry, kid. There's nothing I can do."

Kazuma-nii had laid out a feast on the table—platters of food and plenty of booze to go with it.

I'd been so sure he'd have my back, and that's why I'd run to him.

Shizuko-san and the others—my wives—they scared me.

I'd tricked them and gone off to fight Mamon, so they'd be furious, no doubt about it.

That's why I'd figured I'd ask Kazuma-nii to step in and smooth things over... but nope.

I knew it deep down... I knew, but...

"Kazuma-nii..."

He didn't seem like much help right now.

As I stared at him with eyes that were about to brim over, he finally broke the heavy silence.

"...No helping it, then. Let me teach you the ultimate lifesaver."

Kazuma-nii spread his arms wide and slapped his palms to the floor—that was a full dogeza.

"Dogeza?!"

"This is the final weapon: the dogeza! Once you're down there, don't budge no matter what they throw at you! Ride out the storm, and it'll pass!"

Even with that handsome face flashing me a thumbs-up...

My eyes met Mary-san's—Kazuma-nii's wife.

"It's been a while... Mary-san."

"I think you should just stay right there and cry it out, Ceres-san. Kazuma, keep comforting him like that for another five hours or so."

"Uh, Mary-san? What do you—"

I had no clue what she meant, so I just gawked at her, but she strode right out the door and flipped the sign back to open.

"The Hero Ceres—who felled even Mamon himself—is here! Order two entrées and a drink right now, and we'll seat you close by—!"

And just like that, Mary-san was out there hawking customers.

Word had spread this far already? That was fast.

They were using me as bait.

No way... but sure enough, people started swarming in like flies to honey.

The place filled up quick—getting out now would be a nightmare.

"Sales have been in the gutter lately. Kazuma's lending you out, so stick around a bit."

"Got it..."

Still, Mary-san. She'd always said she could only cook, but damn, she was top-tier at it. She was handling orders, serving, and prepping for over thirty customers all on her own.

Come to think of it... cooking...

"Tastier than Kazuma-nii's..."

"Hah hah, yeah. 'The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean.' I'm the owner on paper, sure, but Mary's the one training me."

He wasn't bitter about getting outdone on flavor. ...As expected from my big bro—the guy I truly admired.

"You're amazing, Kazuma-nii."

"Nah, I'm just doing my best. In the Capital, even Mary's just another cook in the pack. Me? I'm barely a rookie."

"Even so, pushing that hard is impressive."

"You've got me beat, though. You're the Hero who took down Mamon."

Hearing that praise from him made something warm and itchy twist in my chest.

"Thanks."

"Look, sorry to ask, but could you sign this signboard for me?"

As he said it, Mary-san hauled over a big wooden plank.

What the hell?

"Something special about that board?"

"Write 'Ceres the Hero's Favorite Spot' on it! Please, I'm begging you! In return, drinks and meals on the house anytime!"

"Kazuma-nii... you sure that's okay as a chef?"

Back in the village, he'd been a total food nerd, always battling it out on taste alone...

"I get it now, after moving to the Capital. There's always someone better. Skill alone won't cut it here. ...C'mon, help me out."

"Alright. I'll do it."

Living off your cooking chops is tough, huh. It's like heading up from the sticks to the big city and opening shop—obvious in hindsight.

Kazuma-nii's face lit up with a grin at my answer.

"Yes! Mary, we're saved! If it's the Hero Ceres's go-to joint, adventurers will flock here for grub. Hey, got any gear from the Mamon hunt? Something we could display!"

Mamon's corpse would be a hassle, and that hammer's no looker either.

This'll have to do.

"Here, Kazuma-nii."

"This?"

"Wore it during the Mamon takedown. But I don't splurge on gear, so it's cheap stuff."

"Bless you...! Mary, grab a case—we're displaying this. And starting today, the shop's 'Ceres Pavilion,' with 'Hero's Tavern' underneath."

No point leaning on Kazuma-nii any further.

"Right, then. See you, Kazuma-nii, Mary-san."

I slipped out of his place.

◆◆◆

I headed straight back to our home in the Capital.

"I'm really sorry."

The second I stepped into the room, I dropped into dogeza before Shizuko-san and the others.

"Oh, Ceres-kun. I'm not mad at all."

"Ceres, you don't have to go straight to groveling like that."

"Yeah... Ceres-san."

"Ceres-chan, we're really not angry."

Even as they said it, their faces were all twisted up in complicated ways.

I lifted my head slow from the bow...

"Ceres-dono, what magnificent feats you've accomplished! I've rushed here with the wholehearted congratulations of Zamark."

The King of Zamark?!

Was that why he'd shown up... and bailed me out?

There was Prime Minister Dobel, his right-hand man Ota, and even Princess Marianne.

Plus six royal guards.

We were renting a massive condo—6LDK, so the living room was huge. But even so, this crowd was pushing it.

"For His Majesty to come all this way himself..."

"What are you saying? The Honorary Pontiff and His Holiness declared to the entire world that 'Ceres-sama is the greatest in this realm.' I'd planned to grant you a title, but the rank of 'Hero' I bestowed was announced as above even the Pontiff's—for your lifetime alone, that is... So I've brought a few treasures as well, and kept my promise by delivering Marianne."

What the hell is this? No one told me.

"Uh, Shizuko-san... this?"

"Right after we talked via comms, Ceres-kun, the announcement went out. Heh heh heh, the Church moves fast as ever. His Holiness, the Honorary Pontiff, and even the Emperor are all headed this way, from what I hear."

"Ceres, you got that fief around Kohane Small Castle, right? Turns out it's way bigger than you think. Get this—they're attaching governing rights, and the proxy's collecting taxes. You're a lord now."

"For real?"

"It's true...! Ceres-san... The Church broadcast that to the whole world too."

"And Ceres-chan, they're folding in your side marriage to Cecilia-chan as well. Then that king over there hopped on it and announced your engagement to Marianne-chan domestically."

What?

"Then the Garban Emperor, Saizer, jumped in and picked you as Frey-sama's match. They even floated making you crown prince at first, but the Church's declaration that 'Ceres-sama is the greatest in this realm' shut that down quick."

"Shizuko-san, that's actually what I wanted to talk about."

The four of them lowered their eyes as I spoke.

"Ceres-kun... you have to accept it. Unless you ditch everything and become a hermit, it's impossible."

"When your name gets out there, the headaches follow. 'The Smiling Ripper'—you have no idea the grief that nickname brought me."

"Even we had to quit adventuring... go into hiding, and folks still remember. ...Best to give up..."

As she said it, Sayo-san shot a glare at the king and Marianne.

The King of Zamark looked awkward as hell, mumbling,

"Well, that covers my business here. Marianne, make sure he treats you right."

"Yes, Father."

"Then, Ceres-sama. If you'll excuse me... Let's go."

"Hey—!"

He ignored my protest and bolted like a rabbit, leaving Marianne behind.

Princess Marianne approached me with a soft smile, taking my hand in greeting. "Ceres-sama, forever after, if you please."

"Uh... Nee-san!"

I shot desperate looks at Nee-san, Sayo-san, Misaki-san, hoping for a save, but...

"It's fine, it's fine. Marianne, Cecilia, Frey—they're all acquaintances anyway, so no worries there... Ceres, you'd better steel yourself."

"Indeed... no choice now, is there?"

"The Emperor and His Holiness will be here tomorrow—hang in there."

No choice... so I just have to suck it up?

Yeah, probably no escaping this... impossible.

If only I hadn't fought Mamon... that would've been better...

◆◆◆

Man, this was exhausting.

All my hard work, and it felt like it was just tightening the noose around my neck—not my imagination, surely.

I excused myself from Shizuko-san and the others and headed out for a walk.

This is bad. I've gotta get out of the city fast. Forget Mamon—this new threat closing in was on a whole other level of terrifying.

"Dragon Wing."

They were after me, so I took to the skies, fleeing to the nearest forest.

At least this way, the city wouldn't take the hit.

The moment I touched down in the woods, a voice called out.

"Long time no see!"

Right in front of me stood the Black Dragon—who'd killed me once—and some other guy I didn't know.

The Black Dragon alone was scary enough, but the short, gentle-looking man beside him gave off the same vibe.

Pure terror now. I'd gotten stronger myself, which only made their power clearer than ever.

But beyond that, for some reason, they felt like family—familiar in a way that tugged at me.

"Black Dragon? And who's the other one..."

Before I could finish, the Black Dragon cut me off and started talking.

"The guy next to me is the Blue Dragon. He's royalty like me—a Dragon Duke. You're confused, huh? Let me spell it out: you're a Dragon Duke now, just like us."

I'd kinda sensed it from the aura.

So it wasn't a total shock—just surprising.

The real issue, though... was me.

"So what happens to me? You gonna kill me? Drag me off somewhere?"

"Nah, nah. Live free for a few centuries or millennia till you're bored—then come visit our country, the Dragon Kingdom Dragonium."

The Dragon Kingdom? I'd heard legends of some hidden dragon realm out there.

But legends, y'know? Never figured it was real.

"The Dragon Kingdom? Where the hell's that?"

"You can't get there the normal way. But dragon instincts? Those'll guide you. You'll figure it out eventually. We came here to see what kind of 'Dragon Duke' you've become."

Dragon Duke? What even is that?

"What kind?"

"Dragon royalty—Dragon Dukes. Gods, basically. But dragons don't age or die, no successors needed, so you're a Duke for life. Hah hah ha! Even among Dukes, though, scale color determines your domain of power."

Makes sense—no heirs if you don't croak. Different powers based on scale color, huh.

"So what do I do?"

"Simple. Show us your dragon form."

No big deal.

"Got it... 'Draconize.' This work?"

I transformed into my dragon form.

Why? It had to be my imagination, but the Black Dragon's eyes shifted to something like pity as he took in my shape.

No, that tearful look on his face wasn't my imagination.

"Yellow Dragon, huh... Poor thing—your life... er, dragon life from here on out is just gonna be one dull stretch after another..."

"Ahh... Yellow Dragon, of all things. Already bored enough as it is... I feel for you."

Even the Blue Dragon...

"What? Is there something wrong with it? Do people hate Yellow Dragons or something?"

"No. It's the opposite—Yellow Dragons have it too good. Since you were born from me, I had to seal your power to bestow blessings on others. Yours would just corrupt them. But the rest of your strength? Untouchable. Even the evil gods, the goddesses, and Bauer-sama herself can't lay a finger on you. Of course, neither can we."

"You're joking, right?"

The moment I said it, flames began gathering in the Black Dragon's hand.

"Dragon Annihilation Flame Fang—!"

The blaze in his palm twisted into a massive fiery tornado. He unleashed the colossal vortex straight at me.

"Black Dragon, you really are gonna kill me—!"

"Ceres-kun, the Black Dragon can't kill you. See?"

Just as the Blue Dragon said, the tornado fizzled out before it could hit—swallowed by another vortex that whipped up out of nowhere.

"Huh?! No way... What just happened?"

"The dragon that bends all fortune to its will and is beloved by every existence. That's the Yellow Dragon—you, Ceres. Get it now? That was a full-force strike meant to end you, and some freak natural phenomenon wiped it clean. You'll probably end up dragging through endless, soul-crushingly boring centuries... Well, good luck with that."

To me, though, the Black Dragon's words sounded like nothing but a blessing.

Fortune on my side? That meant the best life possible, didn't it?

"Black Dragon, you're forgetting the 'Dragon Edicts.' Let me explain them."

The Blue Dragon shot the Black Dragon a look of exasperation before laying out the rules.

Dragons Dukes must never clash, no matter what. With our immense power, a fight between us could ravage the world and wipe out countless innocents in the crossfire.

Never do anything that could destroy the world. A Dragon Duke could pull it off if they tried, but that'd just trash the very world we live in.

Cherish all dragons. As the pinnacle of draconic kind, it's a given.

"Those three. Absolute musts—stick to 'em, okay? Most folks wouldn't even think about breaking them anyway. The fallout if you do... well, let's just say it's not pretty."

"What happens if you don't?"

"Who knows? No one's ever broken them, so..."

The Blue Dragon smiled gently as he spoke, but his eyes weren't smiling at all.

Break those, and the other Dragon Dukes would probably step in. Worst case, it'd mean death.

To the end, the Black Dragon and Blue Dragon gazed at me with those pitying eyes before they left.

◆◆◆

I couldn't make heads or tails of what the Black Dragon and Blue Dragon had said.

But that bit about fortune being on my side? That stuck with me, so I decided to test it at a casino.

If luck really had my back, roulette would be the way to go.

Straight-up one-in-thirty-seven odds on a single number.

First bet: one gold coin on zero.

"Impressive—a single-number bet?"

Maybe folks didn't go for zero much, because the dealer piped up.

"Yeah, well."

"Worth the Hero's reputation—you must have luck on your side too... And it's zero."

One gold coin turned into thirty-six.

"Alright, all in on zero again."

"No way it'll hit twice..."

The dealer was clearly rattled as he spun the wheel.

"Wha—... Zero again."

No wonder his face drained of color... I'd just walked off with twelve hundred ninety-six gold coins in two spins flat.

That proved my luck was real.

I'd planned to cash out right there—but...

"Ceres-sama, calling it quits already? If you'd like, why not go head-to-head with me?"

The previous dealer had stepped aside for a new one.

A real knockout—gorgeous, even.

But young. Probably mid-teens. Not my type.

"I could, but I'll be putting the full twelve hundred ninety-six gold coins on zero. That cool with you?"

"Fine by me."

(Idiot. This table's got a little secret only veteran dealers know about—for times like this... You're done. No way you beat me.)

"Alright then. Let's do it."

I slid the twelve hundred ninety-six gold coins onto zero.

"That all?"

"Yeah."

The wheel spun, did some weird jiggle... and landed on zero.

"No... No, this can't—"

The dealer's face went sheet-white.

That made it forty-six thousand six hundred fifty-six gold coins.

"Think that's enough?"

Pushing my luck on a sure thing felt kinda sleazy at this point.

"Wait! We can't stop here. One more round—please!"

"Same terms? Fine, but can you cover it? That's one million six hundred seventy-nine thousand six hundred sixteen gold coins—sixteen billion seven hundred ninety-six million one hundred sixty thousand en... More than this whole place is worth."

"That's..."

Her face paled further, hands trembling.

No surprise—a vet like her probably hadn't seen stakes this high.

"No need to check with the boss?"

"I'll... I'll get approval! Just wait!"

With that, she bolted to the back.

I'd only just noticed the crowd packing in around us. They'd been holding their breath, not wanting to jinx the big showdown.

But with the game on pause and the dealer gone...

"Whoa! The Hero's got fortune itself in his corner? Sky's the limit with plays like that—"

"But can they even pay out forty-six thousand gold? Lose this, and the casino's on the hook for six hundred eighty thousand. Nobles and royals couldn't cough that up."

Hecklers chimed in from every direction.

◆◆◆

"S-Sorry, boss—what do we do?!"

"You... Don't screw with me. We don't have forty-six thousand gold in the house. Did you rig the device?"

"I did! And it still flopped!!"

"Ain't the time for 'what do we do'! That's Ceres-sama out there—the guy above even the Pontiff now. Our guards? Useless. Hell, our noble backers? All dead weight... What the hell are we gonna—"

"This is impossible—it's gotta be cheating!"

"But if we can't prove it, it ain't cheating. And if we dig, our own scam comes out..."

"So what now?!"

"No choice. Hey—"

"Right."

A sharp pain cracked the back of my skull, and my vision faded to black.

"Oi—get the slave trader here now. And haul twelve hundred ninety-six gold from the safe, pronto."

"Yes, sir."

Slave... That word echoed in my dimming mind as consciousness slipped away.

◆◆◆

As I waited, a sharp-eyed man who looked the gentleman type showed up.

"What happened to the dealer?"

"Ceres-sama, my deepest apologies... I'm Gordon, owner of this casino."

"Yeah. Even with no-limit tables, you can't swing more than this, right?"

"Indeed... We cannot. As for this mess, it was all her doing, on her own... So please... take her."

The dealer girl from before lay there gagged with a bit, hands and feet bound.

"What's this?"

As I eyed it suspiciously, the owner flashed a smile and handed over a pouch of gold.

It felt way too light, even for what I'd won so far.

"Here—first off?"

"This?"

"Yes, twelve hundred ninety-six gold coins..."

"Hold up! My current winnings are forty-six thousand six hundred fifty-six."

"I understand it's frustrating... But per house rules, bets over a thousand gold require owner approval."

"No one mentioned that rule. That's on you guys, isn't it?"

"No—it's her fault. So we'll settle with her prior winnings... and her, for the unauthorized play. We've demoted her to slave status and drawn up the papers. Please accept. For the slave crest, any Capital slave trader will etch it free of charge, since we've prepaid."

Dumping all the blame on her, huh?

"Hey..."

"If this won't do... we'll scrape the money together, but as for her... we'll handle disposal ourselves."

His grin turned sleazy.

"Disposal," my ass. If I kicked up a fuss, who knew what they'd do to her—a straight-up threat.

"Pretty shady deal, don't you think? Feels like you're just lopping off a lizard's tail."

"That's the law."

And he thought that made him the winner? What an idiot.

"Law, huh? Easy fix, then. I'm the Hero—treated on par with the Champion Hero. That invokes the 'Champion Hero Protection Act.' No need to follow laws like that. Not that I think it exists? Should I summon Pontiff Romaris? Or wait for Zamark IV tomorrow to sort out who's right?"

He clearly hadn't expected me to drop the Pontiff or royals.

The owner's face went ashen, hands shaking.

"B-But... neither I nor this casino has the means to pay."

Yeah, figured as much.

If they'd just let me walk clean, none of this would've blown up.

"Fine... then no point demanding what you don't have. Guess I'll just take the casino instead."

"You can't—"

Casinos seized assets on losses, no questions asked.

Reducing it was me being nice.

"Probably won't cover it all, but it'll do. Want me to sic the guards on you? Make it even simpler..."

I fixed him with a glare.

That alone turned his face green.

No way a normie like him would square up against me.

"Understood... The casino is yours."

He'd finally caved.

If he hadn't spouted such stupidity, it wouldn't have come to this.

Eh... no real use for it anyway.

"Feels wrong to confiscate the whole thing, so nah—I'll pass. In exchange, just hand over half the profits from here on out."

"That's... acceptable?"

"Yeah, sure."

Relief washed over his face at that.

I'd only meant it as a lark to test my skills anyway.

◆◆◆

So this was really fortune favoring me?

"I am Ceres-sama's slave, so I shall serve you for the rest of my life."

The dealer girl had turned full stalker on me with those words.

I'd rushed to the slave trader to revoke the papers, but somehow she was always there, watching.

The casino too—I'd lashed out in the heat of the moment... but thinking it over, fleecing them with unbeatable odds was harsh. I'd tried giving back the profit-share rights—but...

"What are you talking about? Having the Hero as our backer? We'd kill for that—it's a godsend... Nobles don't scare us anymore."

The owner flat-out refused to take them back.

I'd figured half was too steep myself.

"With you as patron? Half's a bargain... After all the bloodsucking we've endured..."

He beamed as he said it, but his eyes screamed "No take-backs."

Useless... Where was the "fortune" in any of this?

Sure, I'd cleaned up at gambling.

Got a steady income stream, and a beautiful dealer head over heels.

But none of it lined up with what I actually wanted.

From the outside, yeah, it looked like a win. But to me? A rotten ending.

"Dragon Wing."

For now, I just flew the hell out of there.

◆◆◆

When I got home, voices arguing from inside drifted out.

That was Zect and the others.

Why were Zect and crew here?

I masked my presence and slipped in quietly to eavesdrop.

"So, Mom. We need Ceres on our side!"

"Hee hee... I'm over the moon right now, you know? Still in the honeymoon phase? You gonna shatter your mother's bliss, son? You wouldn't do something so unfilial, right?"

Shizuko-san and Zect's voices carried, locked in a heated back-and-forth.

Were Zect and the others trying to drag me back into the party?

She had a point, though. Newlywed life? No way I'd ditch that for Zect's pleas, even if he begged.

"Mom, please—give Ceres back to us!"

Lida and Nee-san were at it too, words flying fast and furious.

"Don't talk about Ceres like he's some object you can just hand over? You kicked him out, remember? We're done—Lida and I cut ties ages ago. Handle your own mess. We're finally enjoying ourselves here—don't ruin it—!"

Whoa—she'd yelled. Full volume.

"Mom, that's harsh! At least hear us out! We can't make it without Ceres!"

"Then explain how to make a sunny-side-up egg."

"I..."

"Can't, huh? So if you snag Ceres back, you're planning to dump all the chores on him again? No growth at all? Being a Sword Saint doesn't excuse you from basic life skills—learn to cook or clean, for god's sake. And Ceres? He's my husband now. Why the hell should he go adventuring with you lot at this point?"

"It's your fault I can't cook—you never taught me! I'm not the bad guy here!"

"Adventurers pick that stuff up on the road if they have to... You just leeched off Ceres and never bothered. That's it, right?"

"...Yeah, but..."

"And you spent all that time cozying up to Zect anyway? Kinda late to complain now."

"I..."

Nee-san's logic was airtight, no denying it.

"Mom, please—give Ceres back!"

"Oh dear, Maria-chan. Ceres-chan's our husband now, you know? What are you even asking for? You're not his girlfriend or party member anymore—you've got no right to say that... I'm happy right now... If you mess with it, I won't forgive you, Maria-chan... Even blood ties have their limits."

Now it was Maria and Misaki-san.

"That's not...! But Mom, aren't you being cruel? You knew I had a crush on Ceres back then, right? That he was my first love? Marrying your daughter's first crush? That's messed up! Especially when he's basically the same age as me!"

"If you'd actually dated him as his girlfriend, I'd get it! But you picked Zect over Ceres-chan in the end, didn't you?"

"That's true, but... Ceres is essential for our adventures!"

"Listen, you're not the Hero's party anymore—pick fights you can handle yourselves. And with your Saintess class? Quit adventuring and work at a clinic. Or S-rank means you can hunt ogres solo, yeah? Ceres-chan's my husband—time to stand on your own two feet for real."

"Mom..."

"Mel... You're the worst. You used to get along so well with Ceres-san, and look what you did to him? You chose him? No—Zect. What's the point of coming here?"

Over here, Mel and Sayo-san.

"Mom. I was dating Ceres, you know? We were lovers. He even gave me an engagement necklace."

"And you treated the guy who gave you that like dead weight? I heard from Shizuko via—when you booted him from the party, you ditched it for Zect's necklace? The others, fine whatever—but Mel, you dumped Ceres-san yourself. That's where it ended."

"That's not true—I love Ceres! If he'd forgive me, I'd even go all the way with him this time."

"Think about other people's feelings for once. Zect's, Ceres-san's... You're adults now."

"But—"

Unable to sway Shizuko-san, Zect switched targets, cornering Marianne-san instead.

"What are you even saying, Zect-dono? This is absurd. You're no longer the Hero! Why on earth would Ceres-sama need to tag along with you? His rank's already above the king's. And I am a princess, you know. Why isn't a mere commoner like you on your knees before me? How rude!"

Zect dropped to one knee, face twisted in frustration, and Maria and the others scrambled to join him.

"Sure, we're done as the Hero's party—the demon king hunt's over. But we still need Ceres as a comrade. As an adventurer to keep us sharp, a friend we can trust... He's the only one we'd trust at our backs!"

"Under the name of Zamark's First Princess, then: why are you lot trying to drag my fiancé around like some pack mule? His Holiness and the Emperor arrive tomorrow. Zect, you've been relieved of demon king duty—you're free to roam as an adventurer. You don't need Ceres-sama anymore..."

The demon king quest was wrapped... S-ranks like them could live wild and free now.

"He's an essential comrade... Please, give him back."

"""Please, give him back."""

Maybe adventuring wasn't panning out for them.

"Sigh... Very well, 'commoner'? Ceres-sama's about to marry me and become consort. The Empire's eyeing the same for him. Holy Nation Gandal? No successor named, so a former Saintess as wife... But setting that aside, Ceres-sama's already 'the greatest in the world'—officially declared. Understand? You might not get it, but this is about him wedding key figures from each nation—uniting the three realms down the line."

Marianne-san was pissed—royally so.

"No way..."

Zect's face fell, and the three mirrored him.

"Yes—Ceres-sama will never return to you."

This was bad... Total bloodbath brewing?

"""Ceres—!"""

Crap—I'd let my guard slip, presence leaking despite the cloak.

"Long time... Zect."

I scratched my head, offering a awkward wave to the group.

Up close after all this time, they looked worn down—thinner, somehow.

"Uh... Ceres... You wouldn't ditch me, right...?"

"Look, Zect—you're not the Hero anymore. You're free now... You don't need me hanging around, do you?"

"No way—I need you!"

"Yeah... This time, I'll treat you right."

"Uh... Sorry about before."

Free at last, and they were still clinging this hard? Why?

"I'd just be in the way. Four S-ranks? You can rake in gold no problem... No demon king means no endless road. Need a maid? Hire one. Then you and your beloveds can hole up happy together."

Logically? No hurdles left.

Just smooth sailing to a blissful future ahead.

No need to drag me into it.

Zect started gnawing his nails out of nowhere, color draining from his face.

"We're done for..."

The dragon and Mamon fights had scarred them deep—the three couldn't fight straight anymore.

Ah. That explained it.

"Hey, Zect—you love those three, yeah? Man up and support 'em, then! You can still swing a sword! Look at Orcman—ten wives, a swarm of kids, all on his dime. Adventurer rank? Miles below yours."

"No, Ceres—I..."

"Forget me already. Nothing's blocking your harem dreams now."

"But I'm not the Hero anymore—can't have multiple wives."

"You're wrong, Zect—study up. 'Any who join a Hero's party once' can. Proof? That temp baggage boy from our old crew, Orcman? Multiple wives. Me, a Magic Swordsman? Wed four before Hero status. You're golden. If not, I'll fix it."

Living the harem life—that was your dream, right?

So why the hesitation now that it's in reach?

"No... I mean..."

His expression clouded over. Why no joy?

"Isn't that great? Finally crossing that line you've waited for. Ditch the virgin tag quick—knock 'em up like Orcman, kids galore."

"Stop! Ceres, you're missing it—I don't love those three. You're not coming back... And they're dead weight now."

You don't... what?

"Zect... What the hell are you saying?"

"If I can't have you, they're useless. Kept 'em around out of pity this long, but as party members? Nah. So, Ceres—your problem now. Ditch 'em and—ow!"

Idiot. Shizuko-san's right there—whacked him upside the head.

"My upbringing must've gone wrong. Zect, you were about to bolt, weren't you?"

"Mom... I... Run—!"

"Sorry, Zect. Can't outrun me."

I circled behind, blocking the door.

"Listen, Ceres—the one they love? It's you, not me!"

"You're pushing it, Zect... Don't lie like that! You chased me out for that harem, remember? Now you four can frolic guilt-free—cut the crap!"

"It's true! Don't believe me? Ask 'em!"

"The three of you—Zect's full of it, right...?"

"""..."""

Why were Lida, Maria, and Mel just... silent?

"See? No one's denying it."

"Zect... Enough."

"I need you, Ceres. Lover would be ideal, but father-in-law works... Can I stick around? Please?"

Lida... You're joking, right?

"I'd prefer boyfriend, but if not, Papa's fine—just let me stay close... Hero multi-wife rules cover blood ties, so mother-daughter should be okay."

Maria was Zect's endgame, wasn't she? Soulmates?

"Ceres... Sorry for the awful stuff I said... I get it now—true love... Can't we...?"

Mel... No way. You were into Zect.

Why this now?

"Lida... Wanna talk? Think you can compete with your mom?"

"Oh my, Maria-chan... I've been awfully nice to you, but looks like punishment's in order..."

"Hey... Mel, you wanna cry? Say 'sorry' now, and I'll forgive you..."

No choice but to let it ride.

No wonder Haruka-san, Misaki-san, and Sayo-san were fuming.

Thought they were tangled up naked with Zect... Turns out they pine for their moms' husband.

And yeah, I'd seen 'em getting frisky with Zect—buck naked.

Hearing this now? Awkward as hell.

Total chaos.

"Ceres-sama... Best steer clear—this'll get messy."

Yeah, no kidding—major fallout incoming.

Marianne-san tugged my sleeve as she said it.

To avoid the blast radius, I ducked into the next room with her.

Some "Yellow Dragon bends all fortune to its will"... Liars.

I cursed the Black Dragon in my head.

◆◆◆

Even one room over, the crashes and shouts boomed through clear as day.

Poor Zect and crew.

"Leave it to Shizuko-san and the rest—they'll handle it. When it comes to people, they're flawless: negotiation to fisticuffs. Now, if you wouldn't mind... some tea?"

Marianne-san hit me with a beaming smile, angling for a cup.

I brewed it without a word.

"Ahh—so delicious."

She savored it with utter delight, face lighting up.

Up close like this, Marianne-san really was stunning.

But... a princess. I'd glimpsed her from afar plenty, but never chatted.

"..."

"Ahh, so good. Ceres-sama, is something the matter?"

"Nah... Nothing."

Still, with all the yelling and bangs leaking through, how was she so chill, sipping away?

Princess perks, I guess.

Who knows how much time passed... Eventually, the noise died down.

"Looks like it's over. Shall we?"

Marianne-san grabbed my hand, pulling me along.

◆◆◆

Back in the room, Zect stood there dazed, cheeks swollen red from slaps.

"Hah... hah... Zect, you're the spitting image of Sector—selfish to the core, no thought for the girls. Enough. I'm ashamed you're my son. Live free now! But in exchange, we're cutting ties—fine by you?"

"Yeah... Fine. Don't need these burdens anymore... I've tried my best till now, looked after 'em proper... Forgive me already."

"You still saying that crap?"

Haruka-san, Misaki-san, and Sayo-san squared off with their daughters too.

"Hold up. ...Lida, you okay with this?"

"I don't wanna fight anymore... Not about Zect... Just done."

"Maria-chan, you too?"

"Mel, same for you...?"

"""..."""

Lida and the other two couldn't muster a comeback.

"Enough, Shizuko. It's not just Zect-kun's fault. My Maria-chan's in the wrong too—don't cut ties."

"No need to go that far. Just means Mel and ours weren't fated, that's all... Thanks for everything, Zect-san."

"Got it. Zect, disownment canceled. If everyone's cool, we're done—live free! But someday you'll grasp what you tossed away... And regret it. Now get out!"

Shizuko-san and the rest wrapped it up, patience frayed.

"Mom..."

"Zect..."

"Thanks for everything, Ceres... See ya."

That ego monster Zect? His back looked tiny as he slunk away.

"Zect... Let's grab drinks sometime..."

He didn't answer—just raised a limp hand in a half-wave and vanished alone.

The real headache? The three left behind...

◆◆◆

"Lida. You've been a Sword Saint so long, you can't do anything else... Aware of that? You said you wanna be Ceres's lover? As you are now? Forget him—you couldn't be anyone's. Can't even handle basic chores, right?"

"I can cook, sorta? Everything else... Eh, no."

"Lida, blackened stew and charred fish don't count as cooking—god, seriously!"

"I'll learn from now on!"

"Listen—born to a diner family, chances to pick it up everywhere. You ignored 'em all. You think you can just cram now?"

"I can too! Hero's party ate my time—that's all!"

No way in hell.

Lida's been slacking off on chores since she was a kid, always running around playing instead.

"Our little Maria-chan's no different. She can't manage a single proper household task."

"Mama... You know I'm a Saintess, so healing's my specialty, right? I can make a living off that, so who needs chores?"

"But Ceres-chan makes more than you do, doesn't he? You gonna turn him into the house-husband? Even if you beg, his cooking's at the level where it'd just turn to charcoal. That's not edible, no matter how you slice it."

"But we've been traveling from one adventure to the next—it's not like we had a choice."

"That's no excuse. Normal people pick up at least basic cooking skills while adventuring."

"Ugh..."

Yeah, Maria hates chores even more than Lida does.

"Mel, by your age, a normal girl would have the full rundown of household duties down pat. You three were in the Hero's party, so while other kids were learning chores, you were just lounging around doing nothing. If you're staying here, I'm drilling it into you proper."

"Mom... I was... I was busy with my magic training! And I had administrative work piling up—no time for that stuff."

"So you'll step up from now on? You're not planning to rope Ceres-san into the Hero's party just to dump chores on him, are you?"

"Well..."

Still, all my childhood friends hate chores and suck at them.

"Look, I don't want to come down too hard on another woman's kids. But Shizuko, Misaki, Sayo... even me—we're all ex-adventurers, and we can handle housework just fine. You girls probably never did a thing, leaving it all to Ceres, so of course you can't. Harsh as it sounds, you haven't even done basic 'bride training'... So how about it? Shizuko, Misaki, Sayo—should we keep them here and put them through the wringer?"

Nee-san's pitching the idea to Shizuko-san and the others.

Yeah, it's a problem when grown women can't handle basic chores.

"They're not my daughters, so hand it over."

Zect's gone and left, after all.

"Right... If they've quit being Saintess and don't even want to adventure anymore, we have to teach them housework. Starting tomorrow—no, right now—we're cracking down hard."

"Mel, up at five tomorrow... Mom's gonna teach you everything, nice and thorough."

The three of them went pale, pleading in unison like their lives depended on it: "Mooom (Mama)..."

"Oh? What's with the long faces? Lida, I'm acknowledging you as my daughter starting now... Do your bride training right, and once I say you're a proper woman, you can confess to Ceres again—or whatever you want. Oh, and no running to Kazuma crying. He's got a young wife now and a happy life—no room for you."

"Eh!? Dad got married too? I had no idea!"

"Yep, a real young one! So don't bother begging—it's pointless."

"But then what am I supposed to—"

"You'll just have to tough it out."

"No way..."

"Yeah... Maria-chan, I've spoiled you rotten up till now... Time to hammer it in proper. Get ready. Papa's remarried and settled down too, so this is the only place you've got... I'll make you into a real woman, at least. Give it everything you've got—fight like your life's on the line!"

"Papa too? No way... but she's young?"

"Uh-huh. And what's it to you?"

Misaki-san's eyebrow is twitching at the "young" part.

"Mel, you're especially slow on the uptake, so tomorrow it's strict—no slacking. Brace yourself!"

"Nooo... You don't mean Dad remarried too, do you?"

"Yep, spot on! So no escape for you either—get that through your head."

Mel's face has gone sheet-white.

They really hate chores that much, huh?

Yeah, all three of them are godawful at it.

They've lived for the fight as the Hero's party, and on top of that, I led the way and handled all the housework... so of course they're hopeless.

Crap, they just locked eyes with me.

"Ceres..."

I won't butt into mother-daughter business! When I married Shizuko-san and the others, I was prepared to take on their "daughters"... so looking after you is no issue. ...That said, I'd probably spoil you rotten, so I'll keep my mouth shut. We're in the Royal Capital, so jobs won't be hard to come by—if you've got something you wanna do, I'll back you up.

"Ceres... I, uh, I'd rather not be your daughter—I wanna be your wife..."

"Um, Ceres. I'll be a good wife... I swear."

"You've got so many wives already—why not make your childhood friends wives too? If you are marrying our moms anyway... wouldn't it be fun if we're all together as one big happy family...? Being daughters would just make it sad when you send me or Maria or Lida off... Besides, I was supposed to marry you in the first place—"

What the hell are Lida, Maria, and Mel even saying?

Marriage? Romance? Forget before you picked Zect—this is the worst time to bring it up. And you three—do you really even like Zect? From how things went after I left, it felt like the plan was to beat the Demon King and then all four of you shack up together.

"That's..."

All three looked awkward, staring down at the floor.

Probably, they don't really like me—not in the true sense.

They just want to stick by me so they don't have to do chores and can live easy.

That's all there is to this "I wanna be your wife" crap.

This ain't love.

"Fine, whatever. Stick around for a while, find a job you like or something. Nee-san and the others wanna teach you a bunch anyway, so study up on cooking, cleaning, all that. Straight talk: after everything, even if you confessed right now, it wouldn't move me! If those feelings are real, give it some time, then tell me. I'll think it over then."

In the end, Zect and the three of them never even did the whole romance thing, huh.

They probably don't even know what "love" really is.

But right now, their hearts are shattered.

Go through an ordeal like that, and anyone would break.

"Until the wounds in their hearts heal."

If I look after them that long, they won't give a damn about me anymore.

The day I'll ever have to give these three an answer? Yeah, that'll never come.

They all stared at me with those "say something" eyes, but I just walked out.

I flew on Dragon Wing, perching on the castle tower.

Flying through the sky feels pretty damn good, surprisingly.

Tomorrow, Emperor Saizer and Pope Romaris are coming here.

Man, village life feels so nostalgic. Back then, everything was a blast.

Now it's one person after another showing up, but it's all squabbles and incidents.

Yellow Dragon... In this mess, is luck really on my side...?

Unbelievable.

◆◆◆

A little while later, when I got back to the room, it looked like Shizuko-san and the others had wrapped things up with Maria and the girls.

"Ceres-kun, no more cooking from now on—you're banned from housework."

Shizuko-san said it all gentle-like.

Apparently, they're making the three handle everything from here on out.

They'll really be okay?

I tried teaching them a bit at first. But it was so bad I threw in the towel and just did it all myself.

Faster that way, no screw-ups.

Still, if it's bride training, they gotta do it.

Guess I'll be choking down more of that godawful stew or meat and fish turned to lumps of charcoal.

That aside, Shizuko-san and the others are dead serious, so it's gonna be rough on the three of them.

Tomorrow we've got Pope Romaris, Honorary Pope Rosman, former Saintess Cecilia, Emperor Saizer, and the ex-Sword Saint princess Frey dropping by.

Feels like shit's about to hit the fan hard.

If things keep going like this, that's Shizuko-san and the four of them plus the three makes seven—set in stone.

Tack on the three daughters and it's ten... Yeah, this place is getting cramped.

Could move to Kohane Small Castle, but I'm a villager at heart—having butlers and maids fussing over me would make it impossible to relax.

The real issue's the "Demon King." With Zect quitting as Hero, who's gonna fight?

No matter how I spin it, the arrow's pointing right at me.

No point overthinking it now. Tomorrow, tomorrow.

◆◆◆

In the Demon Country Darkrasia, at the Demon King's castle, Demon King Luciferd was stunned by the report from his subordinate.

"Mamon's dead!?"

"Yes, sire."

Ridiculous—that Mamon, of all people, dead?

Stronger than me, and he goes down... which means whoever did it can definitely take me out.

"How many...? Five thousand? Ten? No, more than that...?"

To beat Mamon, it'd take sheer numbers—overwhelming force.

"No... It was just one man."

"That's insane. Word was Hero Zect was weak..."

The only one who'd stand a chance against Mamon is the Hero.

But Zect beating him? No way.

"The one who took down Lord Mamon was a being called 'Hero Ceres.'"

Weird... "Heroes" are usually geared more for fighting other people than demons.

At least, not the type to bury Mamon solo.

If it was a Hero gathering allies for a fight, that'd make sense.

But a lone Hero? No way they're that strong.

Not even close to Mamon—hell, not even the Four Heavenly Kings or the executives.

Mamon's always been called a "bug."

A "bug" meaning something that shouldn't happen under normal rules.

Maybe the demons got their "bug" in Mamon... and now the humans have one too.

"So, how did this Ceres guy fight Mamon...?"

"Well, he flew into the sky, grabbed Lord Mamon, and carried him off—we couldn't see the rest."

"Lies. Humans don't fly. And even if one could, not even the Four Heavenly King's 'Sky Feather' could lift Mamon off the ground. Impossible for a human."

"But he breathed fire and took to the skies."

A bug... No such human exists. The humans must've glitched out too.

It's over.

No more victories for the demon side from here on.

No choice.

We'll have to concede a bit, but "ceasefire" is the only play.

Right now, demons still hold the advantage over humans.

Gotta call the truce while we're on top.

A hundred years—no, three hundred—worth of peace, and this "Hero Ceres" will be dust.

Demons live eternal; humans barely scrape sixty. No one's heard of one hitting a century.

Gotta sacrifice a little to dodge a fight with Ceres—ceasefire it is.

"Assemble the remaining Four Heavenly Kings."