Quit The Hero Party

EP.105 The Runaway of the Group Project (2)

The early summer sunlight was more hot than warm. Belnoa frowned under the dazzling rays of sunshine. It wasn’t that he felt bad.

He was just not used to it.

He had lived his entire life in the back alleys. Stepping into the light… it had been less than two years. It was a sufficient amount of time, but Belnoa was still not accustomed to such sunlight.

The fact that he received evaluations of being sharp-featured and always looking angry was, in reality, nothing much.

“It’s blinding.”

He merely squinted due to the glare. That was simply a misunderstanding from those around him. Belnoa let out a short sigh.

“It should be about time.”

With a furrowed brow, Belnoa tilted his head back. The bench’s backrest lightly caught his neck.

The plaza of the Royal Capital.

Belnoa was sitting on a bench in the bustling plaza, waiting for someone he was supposed to meet.

Scritch.

As he lay back with his eyes closed, suddenly a shadow loomed over him. Upon opening his eyes, he was greeted by flowing white hair that tickled his face.

“You’re frowning again.”

“You’re late.”

“But the smell of freshly baked bread was just too good! Here, Belnoa, I bought one for you.”

She promptly shoved a piece of bread into her mouth. Belnoa chuckled, moving his jaw. It was bread torn into pieces to fit in one bite.

“It is hot today, right?”

The girl arranged the hem of her pure white dress as she sat next to Belnoa. When she shook her head lightly, her white hair fluttered in the wind.

White hair.

Round eyes and sparkling green irises.

Among the many passersby, she certainly stood out. Sitting beside Belnoa, whose expression was gloomy and tired, the girl’s features seemed even more emphasized.

Belnoa called out her name.

“You came? Chloe.”

“Yep. Why do you look so gloomy?”

Chloe.

A girl raised in the slums, growing up alongside Belnoa.

“Gloomy? The weather is just too bright.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? Belnoa, since you tend to be a bit dreary, you shouldn’t walk around with a frown.”

She tugged at the corners of Belnoa’s mouth.

“Ow!”

“It hurts because you’re using muscles you don’t normally use. You should smile a bit more often.”

Belnoa rubbed his sore lips and asked.

“So, where are we going today?”

“There’s a shop I saw on the way here. Let’s hurry! You said you can’t stay long today, right?”

“That’s true.”

“Then let’s go already.”

Chloe grabbed Belnoa’s wrist and pulled him along. Belnoa stood up from the bench, half being dragged along.

“Hm, hmm.”

Humming, Chloe walked ahead. Following her, Belnoa checked the time. There was still some time before their group project meeting was set to begin.

They usually didn’t schedule things so tightly, but…

“Since Chloe is busy.”

It was different from when he had no time before.

Now, Chloe was busier than he was. Coordinating schedules had become a tedious task, making these rare meetings precious for Belnoa.

“So, I packed the schedule a bit tightly.”

They used to hang out every day.

While thinking this, Belnoa followed behind Chloe. She turned back slightly with a serious look.

“This is bad, Belnoa.”

“Why?”

“There are three shops I want to visit, but what if we don’t have enough time? We need to pick one…”

Belnoa smirked and replied.

“Just hurry up and let’s go. We can decide on the way.”

Anyway, everything was still unfamiliar.

Rummaging through the slums, digging through trash, and thinking about where to sleep every day felt like just last night… now he was worrying about such peaceful topics.

The warm sunlight as well as these peaceful worries were still things Belnoa had not grown accustomed to.

—

“It seems you used the Resistance Stone well.”

“Yes, thank you again this time.”

I sipped my tea and slightly nodded.

Honestly, being able to obtain a middle-grade Resistance Stone was just lucky.

“If I were to ascend to be the next Master of the Tower, it wouldn’t be like this…”

A middle-grade Resistance Stone was not something easily obtained. Few places handled them. You could probably only find them at a tower with a certain rank.

“Thanks to that, the project seems to be progressing smoothly.”

“It’s a bit surprising to use such a stone for a project, but… well.”

The Master of the Black Tower, Yetual.

I looked at him sitting opposite me.

“He seems to be visiting more frequently lately.”

Though he’s Belnoa’s mentor and I am a professor at Apuria, it still seemed a bit odd.

I was a professor at Apuria.

And Yetual was the Master of the Black Tower.

The social standings between us were as different as heaven and earth. No matter how prestigious Apuria might be, it couldn’t compare to a Master of the Tower.

“You’re doing a lot for me.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly struck by a thought, I asked.

“Like with the last circuit records and this private meeting. When I think about it, you are very considerate.”

This was indeed the case.

The Yetual I faced back when I was Raniel and the one I faced now as Rania were very different.

“He used to seem like a rather shady old man.”

As I sat before him… I started to wonder if the Yetual I knew was truly the same.

“Well, it’s not quite right to say I’m being considerate. It’s more accurate to say I’m making connections.”

Yetual replied while stroking his chin.

“Connections…?”

“Like most Masters of the Tower, when you’re in a high position, the only thing that grows is the ability to judge people, wouldn’t you agree? I’m no different.”

He pointed at me.

More accurately, at the stock of spells I had.

“I was outplayed by the Ashen Mage, but I have also researched the engravings of circuits for a long time.”

“…”

“The Black Tower has always researched the engraving of circuits, starting from its inception and through many generations. Though the Black Tower may not have directly reaped rewards, the research records don’t just disappear.”

Yetual pointed at his own eyes.

“As a result, I have seen things. Things that other Masters of the Tower could not.”

He shrugged.

“When I first saw you at the entrance ceremony, it’s a funny story, but I saw your true potential.”

“…True potential?”

“Yes. Other Masters of the Tower would only mutter that your mana is weak or that your control is lacking, but… I could see.”

What was it that he saw?

I didn’t need to ask. Yetual continued with a chuckle.

“This office is engraved with 120 circuits.”

“Isn’t it 128?”

“…It’s over 120. Anyway, this office is the masterpiece of the Black Tower. It was our pride. But… when I look at you, even this office seems trivial.”

He shook his head.

“I can’t read the circuits stocked in your body. I can only speculate that you carry an overwhelming number of circuits.”

“…”

“A professor at Apuria, a wizard whose name isn’t even widely known… witnessing someone walking around with that amount of circuits can make one think.”

Yetual laughed bitterly.

“To put it bluntly, you’d have to think about wanting to draw you into the Black Tower no matter what it takes.”

“…I have no intentions of aligning with any specific tower.”

“And that’s why I’m telling you this.”

Watching Yetual banter, I sighed inwardly.

“…I hadn’t thought of that.”

The only people who could recognize the circuits stored in my body were few. At most, Ganikalt, Gletus… and Skebal.

“So, it seems like you have given it no thought.”

It was unexpected that someone would notice such a thing.

If he had recognized it, then it made sense that his reactions were understandable. After all, a Master of the Black Tower who researched circuit engravings would know the significance it held.

“Now do you see why I’m making connections?”

“To some degree, yes.”

“Exactly. Also, I have another child who will be enrolling at Apuria soon, so having you catch their eye wouldn’t be a bad plan.”

…A new student?

“Now that you mention it…”

I recalled a conversation from a drinking session I had with Kalt a while ago. It distinctly related to the Master of the Black Tower.

“Oh, did you hear that a new Hero has been born, senpai? I think the news even reached the battlefield.”

“I heard that news, but only that someone came out.”

“That’s a little strange. I thought you’d be the first to know, but… did I miss the timing?”

A Hero born periodically.

The number of Heroes is always fixed at ‘four’. Even during our party’s exploits, there were still consistent replacements for the Heroes.

“At most, it would be one to two years.”

Our party was just unusually exceptional; generally, Heroes could only last a year or two on the battlefield. That’s why Kyl was typically representative of Heroes.

Anyway, it wasn’t a particularly special event for a Hero to die and a new one to be born.

“So I didn’t pay much attention.”

With such apathetic responses, Kalt recalled with excitement.

“But this time, the new Hero is a bit different.”

“How different?”

“This time, they aren’t a knight.”

“What do you mean?”

“No, they are a wizard.”

“…What?”

“This new Hero flows with starlight.”

That was to say.

“Yes, this Hero is a mage.”

A mage blessed by the stars.

Recalling that, I glanced at Yetual, as he was the one chosen to mentor that Hero.

“You seem intrigued.”

“…You are already mentoring Belnoa.”

“That child may be my representative disciple. However, the child I’m teaching at the Tower is more of a guardian than a disciple.”

As Yetual implied he couldn’t provide exact details about this child, he spoke in a roundabout manner.

“Anyway, that child is in a tough situation for me to teach. Only a mage who can handle the Balance ‘perfectly’ can teach her.”

“…Is that so?”

A mage with the flow of starlight.

Considering that the identity was the Hero… Yetual’s words made some sense.

“If the mana itself is starlight, then the terms of the deal will be frighteningly difficult.”

It was clear that one couldn’t trade with the stars through conventional methods. The spell manifestation process would also be extraordinarily complex.

“Other than saying that she would enroll next year, I can’t really reveal more information… so I can only ask you to look after her.”

I nodded lightly.

“She will enroll next year, huh?”

I guess I was somewhat curious.

It was the first time a child with magical talent would become a Hero.

“A Hero gains a weapon associated with the stars.”

The types vary among Heroes.

Normally, they would receive the holy sword as the basic form, although it sometimes appeared in the form of spears or blunt weapons.

However, having mana itself flow as starlight was something unprecedented.

“No, perhaps not the first?”

I felt as though I’d seen something similar in the historical records of the Ancient Kingdom.

Even if it was a dusty book buried in the forbidden section of the Ashen Tower, it was still not completely inaccurate.

“The First Saint.”

There was a phrase indicating that all the magic she unleashed was imbued with starlight. Up until now, I thought it was merely a peak expression, but…

“There might be a possibility.”

Of course, I couldn’t be fully certain. The records about the First Saint were mostly erased, and the books in the forbidden section were just tattered.

“Putting that aside.”

I gathered my thoughts and lifted my head.

Before me sat the Master of the Black Tower, sipping tea. Although I couldn’t show that I was aware, I thought it was best to give him a warning.

“I’ve heard that your disciple has quite a peculiar constitution.”

“…Peculiar, indeed.”

“Then, it would be wise to be cautious.”

I looked at him and added.

“Wizards with unique constitutions tend to be targeted often.”

The fact that their mana flows as starlight.

One thought came to mind after hearing that. A very irreverent and terrifying thought, but I couldn’t help but entertain that possibility.

Wizards with unique constitutions.

They always became prime materials.

For those who make a profession out of betrayal, there’s nothing more delectable than that as material.

In response to my warning, the Master of the Black Tower nodded slowly.

“…I will be cautious.”

—

“I found it.”

She smiled.

“Finally found it.”

Her smile is peculiar. Though she grins ear to ear, her eyes are filled with terror.

“Y-you’re talking about that?”

She questions herself. Then, her mouth moves on its own, forming an answer.

“Yes.”

In a bizarre situation, she asks herself and answers herself. However, upon closely observing her neck, it’s not that strange after all.

Implanted in her neck is a parasite.

The tentacles of the parasite control her mouth without her consent. They manipulate her body.

“Succubus Queen, Refe.”

The one who controls the parasite gives a command.

“Catch that.”

Her host responds in a terrified voice.

“Y-yes, understood.”

With trembling words, Refe uttered the name of her master.

“Gletus.”

The Betrayer, Gletus.

Shadows undulated from deep within the alleyway. Within the swaying shadows, dark red eyes glinted.

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