CHAPTER 5
Sigh… One mountain after another.
“Get up.”
“Huh…?”
Luna looked up at me with wide, round eyes.
I deliberately hardened my expression even more.
“If I trip over those skinny thighs of yours and fall, could you take responsibility?”
“I-I’m sorry! T-then what should I do? Should I lie down?”
“Put on some weight first.”
“Yes! I’ll fatten up right awa—Wait, what?”
“Move.”
“Ah… yes.”
Luna awkwardly stood up and stepped away from the carriage door, glancing repeatedly at the butler as if unsure what to do.
But the butler seemed equally flustered. He simply gave Luna a look, silently telling her to handle it herself.
Pretending I hadn’t noticed anything, I boarded the carriage.
Shortly after Luna followed me in, the carriage began to move slowly.
Time to organize my thoughts.
- It’s been five years since I, the former Hero, died.
- The Demon King will not reappear.
- Therefore, the antagonist in Part 2 is likely to be human.
- I must find the main character—the Saintess—as soon as possible.
- The Saintess probably has companions.
Thinking this far, I rested my chin in my hand.
I still don’t have enough information.
No matter what, there’s only one goal: to finish Part 2 in the shortest possible time.
“Master.”
At that moment, Luna offered me something from an elegant case.
A premium smoking pipe made of obsidian.
“This is the finest tobacco from Mount Persona. I’m sure you’ll like it.”
“…”
So…
I was a heavy smoker.
I had never smoked in my previous life, nor since entering this novel.
No one, not even my companions, smoked around me.
That was because one of them had childhood asthma.
“I don’t feel like it. Put it away.”
“Yes, Master.”
The carriage entered the Imperial Palace.
This place has changed a lot too…
Well, it made sense. A lot of buildings were destroyed during the demon beast attacks, so they had to rebuild.
Still, not everything was completely gone. As I looked around, memories began flooding back.
Running out of the palace with Leonhart and downing beer together.
Getting lost with Owen in the maze garden all day.
Blowing up a tower while trying to make a magical item with Ruspel.
The tower’s still there?
When we left with the subjugation party, the roof had been blown off. But now it looked perfectly fine.
Why did they leave it as is?
All the other buildings had been rebuilt in grand Gothic style, but that tower remained the same—plain red brick.
It’s really itching now…
As someone who studied architecture, seeing a structure that didn’t match the surrounding aesthetic made my fingers itch. I wanted to redraw the blueprint from scratch.
Can’t let my skills get rusty…
I cracked my knuckles and chuckled softly.
In Part 1, whenever I had spare time, I used to sketch designs on napkins or draw patterns in the dirt.
Because I thought I’d return soon.
But now I’ve been thrown into Part 2. Damn it.
The carriage came to a halt. Luna hurriedly got out and held out her hand.
“Master, shall we disembark?”
“Wait here.”
“Eh? Ah, yes. Take care, Master.”
Leaving Luna behind, I made my way to the conference room.
The building’s exterior had changed, but the internal layout was the same. It wasn’t hard to find my way.
As soon as I entered, the noise disappeared.
People who had already gathered looked up at me in surprise.
“Gasp! Isn’t that Duke Ybrante?!”
“Ohh, indeed. When was the last time the Duke attended a meeting? It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?”
“She stopped coming to the palace five years ago. I heard her health was failing?”
“Looks like she’s recovered. Still as beautiful as ever. The nickname ‘Ice Rose’ suits her well, doesn’t it?”
“Hmm, I think a venomous snake would suit her better.”
“Ahem! Best to watch your words. There are many ears listening.”
Some were friendly, some wary, and others subtly mocking.
The room buzzed with chatter about me. It was enough to make my ears itch.
I stood by the window at the edge of the room. I didn’t have the confidence to wade through the nobles and take a central seat.
Soon, the door opened, and a tall man entered.
Leonhart?
My first companion, and the empire’s third prince—Leonhart Genetic Philio.
Why is he so tall now?
Back then, Leonhart had the kind of looks that suited the nickname “Leona” more than his real name.
But now…
Who would believe he was once a sickly, frail boy? Men really do change with age, huh.
Leonhart had transformed into a perfect man.
Even dressed in a formal suit, it was clear his body was packed with muscle.
His entire aura had changed.
Just by standing still, he radiated a refined intensity.
Like a master-forged blade tempered thousands of times in molten steel.
Wait, how is he even better looking now?
Jet-black eyes and hair, like the clearest, darkest part of the night sky.
Flawless pale skin and a nose with the perfect height and angle.
He had always been striking, but now, with added masculine allure, he was breathtaking.
I felt a sudden wave of emotion.
I didn’t raise him, but still… he turned out so well.
Pleased, I looked around as if to say, “Isn’t our boy just amazing?”
…?
But something was off. The nobles weren’t admiring his appearance—they looked intimidated.
A sharp tension filled the room.
Well… I’m seeing him for the first time in years, but they must’ve seen him often by now.
The nobles all bowed deeply.
“We greet the third light of Philio, His Highness the Prince.”
Six years ago, he was just the overlooked third prince… Wow, the guy really made it big.
Leonhart’s gaze swept indifferently over the nobles—then stopped on me.
Ack!
I quickly lowered the hand I’d half-raised to greet him.
I almost waved out of sheer excitement.
No matter how much Leonhart had changed, to me, he was still my small, lovable friend.
Well… maybe not small anymore. He looked about 190cm now.
But why does he look so annoyed?
Far from smiling, his face was expressionless, tinged with faint irritation.
Why such a cold expression?
Come on, smile, Leona. You’re even prettier when you smile.
Leonhart looked away.
“The meeting will now begin.”
His voice got nice too.
A low, rich tone that made my ears perk up.
Though it had a harsh, emotionless edge—probably because he was in a bad mood.
Still, the fact that Leonhart had grown so much filled me with pride.
I wondered how much my other companions had changed. I hoped I’d get to see them again one day.
“We will now discuss the creation of a golden statue of Hero Adela Helsingten in the Grand Plaza. The documents being handed out cover the overall plan.”
The attendant distributed papers to the nobles.
They detailed the budget, timeline, and even a rule stating that the project would only proceed with unanimous approval.
After allowing a moment for review, Leonhart spoke again.
“We will now begin the vote. If you oppose, raise your hand.”
Huh? Wasn’t this supposed to be a meeting? Aren’t we supposed to debate the pros and cons?
And… isn’t this vote way too transparent?
I looked around at the nobles. Surely someone would object…
What the—?!
Not a single person raised their hand.
Why isn’t anyone objecting? The budget is insane! They’re planning to embed diamonds into the eyes and sculpt the lips from rubies! Are they really going to pass this madness?! This is a total waste of manpower and taxpayer money!
If I stayed silent, they’d actually go ahead and build a jewel-encrusted statue—six times larger than life—of me, the former Hero.
Horrifying!
“There are no objections. Then this proposal will pass unanimously—”
“I object.”
