The Rising of the Scythe Hero

Before setting out, I decided to check on something that had been gnawing at my poor mind for quite a while.

"He's here, isn't he?" In front of me stood a massive door, seemingly locked with a simple bar but, in truth, also sealed with something like a spell-lock.

"Yes," Mirelia, who was accompanying me, nodded, her expression shifting slightly. "Sometimes we have to let him out for walks, but most of the time he's under arrest and constant supervision." To confirm her words, two armed men stood guard on either side of the door, stepping aside at Mirelia's command.

"Let him out for walks, huh…"

"As much as I'd like to – I can't keep him locked up forever. As king, he still has duties that no one has relieved him of."

"I see." Nodding, I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Huh? The Scythe Hero? What are you doing here… Mirelia?" Seeing me, the king of Melromarc showed irritated surprise, but then, when the queen appeared behind me, Altcray's voice suddenly grew quieter.

"We came here on business… Altcray." The look the woman gave her husband was anything but warm or loving. The emotions radiating from Mirelia were… mixed. But they clearly weren't flowing in any single direction — neither loyal nor outright negative. "You must tell the Scythe Hero the method of enhancing the Legendary Staff."

"What? That's… Absolutely not!" At first startled, Altcray quickly realized the meaning of her words and slammed his fist down hard on the table before him. "If he learns it, then the Shield will learn it too! No! Never! Under no circumstances! You'll get nothing from me!"

"You dare defy my order?" In stark contrast to Altcray's shouting, Mirelia's voice was strikingly calm. Yet that calm felt far darker and more oppressive than the king's rage. I even heard her fan creak in her hand.

"I won't do anything that could make the Shield stronger!"

To see the man once called the Wise King, a hero of war, and the reigning monarch of one of the strongest nations, now spitting like some half-mad drunkard in a tavern — the sight stirred nothing but pity.

Mirelia told me why her husband had become like this. Narrow-minded, shortsighted, foolish… A man unwilling to even try to think about what was happening or assess the situation. At this point, Altcray Melromarc was nothing more than a deranged old man who had lost his clarity of mind.

But I couldn't bring myself to feel irritated by his actions. Because, in a way… he was like me. Or I was like him, if you looked at it from the perspective of a lifetime.

Altcray had spent his youth as a hero who, without exaggeration, had single-handedly decided the outcome of a great war. With the sharpness of his mind and his genius as a tactician, he had managed to pull Melromarc out of the most desperate circumstances during the war against the united forces of the demi-human nations. He had even become a true Hero, chosen by the Legendary Staff.

Victory after victory, climbing the ladder from the very bottom, he heard nothing but praise and encouragement. And those words couldn't even be called flattery — they were the truth, because he really was accomplishing the impossible.

And with all that in mind, the single blow he suffered hit him all the harder, becoming truly "fatal."

Altcray Melromarc, the brilliant strategist, the Wise King, and the Hero of the Staff… had failed to protect the only person close to him. In that war, he lost his sister.

I don't know whether it was some brilliant plan by the demi-humans, or simply their desperate desire to wound the enemy they couldn't defeat outright, but… somehow, one day, a small elite unit managed to infiltrate the castle and kidnap Lucia — Altcray's sister and the only family he had.

That event changed the king of Melromarc. According to Mirelia, from that moment on, he withered, aged, and lost the sharpness of his mind in record time, no longer resembling the man he once was.

That's why I couldn't really be angry with him. But that was it. Beyond a touch of pity, I felt nothing for this man. And that pity would by no means stop me from getting what I wanted.

"In that case, you leave me no choice, Altcray," Mirelia, meanwhile, closed her eyes, as if making a decision of great importance to herself right then and there…

"You wouldn't dare…" Her husband's eyes widened in shock, lasting several seconds before narrowing into a furious glare directed at me. "You! This is all your fault! So you have a brainwashing Weapon too! Cursed demon, what have you done to my wife?!"

"Seize hi—"

"Hold on," I cut Mirelia off mid-word and smiled at the old man before me. "Actually, he's…" Stepping around the queen, I deliberately and slowly closed the door, cutting us off from unnecessary eyes and ears. "…in a way, right."

"What?"

"I knew it! I knew you were both demons!"

"That's where you missed the mark." Shaking my head, I calmly walked toward the king. "Between the two of us — me and the Shield Hero — only one of us is a demon."

"W-what?"

"Nott-sama?" There were faint notes of concern in the queen's eyes, clearly showing that she didn't actually wish for her unlucky husband to die.

"I trust you, Mirelia." This was, I think, the first time I had addressed her so informally. And the queen reacted to it, her eyes widening slightly. "And now I'll show you something — something that will demonstrate just how much I trust you."

"Don't you dare, filthy demon! Don't come near me! I—"

"Stay still." A burning sensation flared in my eyes, still unused to this strange power.

And the king froze, his furious shout cut off mid-scream. Thought still flickered in his gaze, along with raw shock at what was happening, but he could no longer move.

"What is… this?"

"You see… when the Church sought to tarnish Naofumi's name as much as possible, they tried every option they could imagine. And with one of those wild stabs in the dark, they actually hit the mark — though they never realized it themselves." By that point, I was already standing directly before Altcray, staring into his eyes.

"So…"

"I do, in fact, have the ability to control the human mind… to a certain extent. The Church only missed the mark in one detail — this ability is mine alone. None of the other Heroes possess it. Do you want to know why?" I smiled as I turned to Mirelia, who stood frozen in place now without any command.

"I… am not sure I want to know that, Nott-sama…"

"Well, fine. That makes it easier. And now…" I returned my gaze to my so-called 'conversation partner.' "If you would be so kind, Your Majesty, tell me about—"

vsshh-hhh

While I was staring into the king's eyes, the surroundings suddenly, in some imperceptible instant, changed. From a spacious, richly decorated office fit to be called "royal," it shifted into a completely black, empty void.

And within it, there was only one object that could be called alive. Aside from me, of course.

flash

With a blink of white brilliance, a snow-white sphere appeared before me, floating in midair, as though made of pure light itself.

"So this is what you are — the Spirit of the Legendary Weapon." Somehow, intuitively, I knew that's what it was.

flash, flash-flash-flash

The sphere flickered like some kind of Morse code. Which, naturally, I didn't know. And apparently, neither did it.

"Alas, I don't understand you."

The sphere stopped flashing, fixing what felt like an irritated stare on me. Again, I had no idea why I decided it was glaring at me, let alone irritably — but I couldn't shake the sense that I wasn't wrong.

"You… dis…tort…ed… being." The space itself lit up in rhythm with the sphere's blinking, words echoing all around me in time with the light.

Surprisingly, for this entity — whatever its true nature was — it seemed far easier to make the very space itself speak to me, rather than hold a direct dialogue.

"With dis…tort…ed… power. You… are a mistake. You should not… exist."

"How very kind of you."

In truth, this was more or less what I had expected when I tried to meddle with the mind of a wielder of a Legendary Weapon.

"But… the wielder… unworthy… I will help. Stop… them. Prevent."

What exactly the little miracle-orb meant, I didn't understand. And I had no time to figure it out, nor to ask — because in the very next instant, I was simply hurled backward, after which I found myself once more in that same office.

"Nott-sama?"

"Hm?" Blinking, I turned to the queen.

"You… were about to force him to tell you the method of enhancement, but… suddenly stopped. Then both of you lowered your heads and closed your eyes."

"I see… Well, it's no longer necessary." Casting a glance at the unconscious old man, I turned away and headed for the door.

"What do you mean? You weren't able… to bend his mind?" Still caught between conflicting emotions from the revelations she had just witnessed, Mirelia didn't know how exactly to react.

"Not exactly. More like… it simply wasn't necessary. The Staff itself shared the information with me. Let's just say, it's none too pleased with the state its wielder is in, so it decided to cooperate."

"I see… And what about…"

"He'll forget this conversation. And that, incidentally, isn't my doing either. Honestly, it's almost disappointing…"

"What do you mean?" Mirelia asked in confusion.

"Here I went and made a decisive move, revealing myself — and it turns out none of it even mattered? Stupid magic stick…"

"Khah!" The queen stumbled, coughing, probably at the way I had just referred to a Legendary Weapon.

Stopping right at the door and turning to face the woman who mechanically followed behind me, I looked her straight in the eyes.

"But I still hope this little gesture shows exactly what I wanted to convey. Up until today, I've used this ability of mine three times. And not once was its target you, Mirelia Melromarc. That's the only thing I can tell you. Everything else — I leave entirely up to you."

The reason I revealed to this woman the existence of an ability that allowed me to control minds… well, one could say there was a reason. But was it weighty enough? Hardly.

I… simply felt like it. A stubborn urge arose within me to find out what kind of person Mirelia Melromarc really was and what was going on inside her head. Would she see me as dangerous? Would she start avoiding me? Would she remember that I had already agreed to be her ally? What decision would she make in the end?

All of these questions stirred something inside me, making me eagerly anticipate the outcome. Her inner turmoil, her emotions, her anxieties, her thoughts…

It seemed that even the resurfaced memories of my past and the partial rethinking of my own traits hadn't fully suppressed this craving of mine to toy with other people's emotions. Even if I gained nothing from it – who cares. Watching the queen's anxious, thoughtful little face was more than enough.

Heh… Seems I really am a villain after all…

…

Lucas Almel's carriage was moving along with a dozen armed escorts, among whom, at a glance, I couldn't spot anyone who looked like a Star Hero. And that's exactly what I would have continued to believe — if not for recent events.

My encounter with Fitoria had given me both food for thought and a basis for comparison. Combined with the memories from the two dragon cores, they had given me a clear understanding of how exactly Sacred Heroes felt different from Star Heroes.

Just a couple of days ago, I wouldn't have been able to determine with certainty whether someone was a wielder of a Legendary Weapon. But now… Even if he were hidden in a crowd, I would find him. The energy of Heroes blazed like a roaring fire among smoldering embers — and right now, I could see that fire with my own eyes.

Along with Lucas, one of the Star Heroes was riding in the carriage.

"Huh? Take positions!" The moment I appeared directly in the carriage's path, its guards immediately raised their weapons at me.

Perhaps I was being reckless, attacking head-on instead of striking from the shadows, but… by now I had learned to roughly gauge the power level of my opponents. As for ordinary humans — like these guards — they weren't even worth discussing. But the Hero sitting inside the carriage… Let's just say the difference in strength between us wasn't all that significant.

And if I added in the method of Weapon Enhancement I'd just learned through my 'dialogue' with the Staff… then I was, in fact, just a little stronger. Although this Hero felt… strange somehow.

"Ice Field (X)."

"What the…"

The method of Staff Enhancement. It turned out to be yet another function resembling a typical game mechanic. The Hero of the Staff could invest Skill Points — gained with every new level — into the spells he already knew. Until this method had been revealed, those Skill Points hadn't even appeared in the system, remaining completely invisible.

The "X" indicated the enhancement level — in this case, ten — the maximum possible.

In an instant, hundreds of meters around us turned into a frozen field, jagged with chaotic outgrowths of icy blocks. Mirelia hadn't said it outright, but the very nature of our prior conversations made one thing clear: no one was supposed to know what had happened here.

There could be no witnesses.

"Well, well, well…" The carriage alone remained untouched, as a dark crimson wave spread out from it the moment the spell was cast, dispersing all the oncoming ice. "So this is the infamous Fifth Hero, isn't it?"

From the carriage, as if everything were perfectly natural, stepped out a blond man of fairly ordinary build. But his "ordinariness" ended with his frame, because everything else about him practically screamed aristocracy.

An arrogant, disdainful face; ornate, extravagantly rich clothing embroidered with fine gold; well-groomed, medium-length hair; rings set with what I was sure were the most expensive gems…

"So Mirelia has indeed chosen to take such a desperate step," the blond nodded. "Commendable, but foolish." His theatrical expressions probably rivaled my own, for the sorrow and regret he displayed looked almost convincing. "Did she truly believe she could catch me off guard?"

"An agreement with one of the Star Heroes doesn't exactly make your situation much better."

"Oh… You too, huh?" Once again, that feigned sadness crept onto his arrogant face. "Tell me — why do you think you even know that a Hero is among my escort?"

And… he was right. I hadn't given it much thought, assuming by default that Mirelia simply had far greater access to information and means of obtaining it. But… hadn't she herself said she was outmatched by Lucas when it came to intrigue and under-the-table games?

I frowned involuntarily.

"It's because I allowed you to know. The only thing I wasn't sure of was whether Mirelia would be willing to take the final step," now his voice carried thoughtful notes. "But she fulfilled every expectation placed upon her!" Lucas spread his arms wide.

"Alright. I've already listened to you long enough…"

"Tut-tut!" In front of the aristocrat appeared a figure dressed in… a clown costume? "You haven't heard me out! And this, by the way, is in your best interest."

"Oh… What a worn-out trope — listening to the villain's monologue about his villainous plans." With theatrical suffering, I pressed my palm to my face and rolled my eyes heavenward.

"Tell me, Scythe Hero — what do you think will happen if you kill me?"

"Well, obviously everyone will live happily ever after. Except you, of course. No hard feelings, alright?"

"Ha-ha! You're amusing. You see, I prepared for every possible outcome. The first was if Mirelia chose not to kill me. In that case, I would simply conduct successful negotiations, and nothing could save her. But the second… was in case you actually managed to defeat the Hero I hired and kill me."

"Very farsighted of you."

"Indeed," Lucas nodded, giving me a kind smile. "You see, I can admit I'm not exactly a good person. And that's why it would be quite vexing for me to lose. So I came up with a plan that would trigger if I failed to cross a certain line within the near future…"

For a brief moment, I even grew worried, thinking about Mirelia and Night still in the castle. But then I remembered that Sadeena was there as well. And Night had become even stronger — taking her down wouldn't be easy for any ordinary person.

"Whatever you're plotting — it's unlikely to work. A certain orca-girl won't let anything happen to the queen."

"Oh… You mean that fish-shaped one?" I wasn't even surprised that he knew about my connection with Sadeena. "You're right, she's quite strong — no ordinary human could beat her. Certainly not."

I didn't like where this was going…

"…but what about a Hero?" The smile on his face twisted into something truly nasty.

My eyes shifted to the clown-costumed figure still standing in front of Lucas.

"Except you hired that Hero to protect yourself."

"That much is true. Him — I hired." Lucas stepped up to the short man in the costume, patting him on the shoulder. "But you see… it just so happens that my dearest ally, the one I'm traveling to meet, is a man of great generosity!" Now I was really starting to dislike the direction this was taking. "And so he lent me a Hero as well! Can you imagine?"

"…"

"You're absolutely right, my silent friend!" Once again he spread his arms wide, now openly grinning from ear to ear. "There are, in fact, two Heroes taking part in this delightful little play!"