The World After Leaving the Hero’s Party

“So, um… who will we be paired with this time?” she asked cautiously.

“Not sure.”

It didn’t really matter who.

Whoever it was, they’d probably be a troll.

“At least… it won’t be with that guy from earlier, right?”

Lucille, tense and wary, asked me in a tentative voice. I nodded. I’d heard he was taking the afternoon off.

We exchanged a few light remarks as we headed back to the Adventurers’ Guild. As soon as we arrived—

“Crystal collection in Triven Cave…? Participants are… Case Wisthea? But where’s Triven Cave…”

Lucille tilted her head, looking confused—until she suddenly froze.

It was because of a voice that chimed in from behind us.

“Oh! So you know Triven Cave! It’s the cave discovered three hundred years ago by the A-rank adventurer Electra. The first floor is inhabited by Giant Bats and Giant Rats. Although it’s not that large, it has crystals that can greatly enhance magic power. There are three types of crystals in that cave, specifically classified for boosting magic power and holy power…”

As an overwhelming stream of information came pouring in, Lucille turned to me with a face on the verge of tears.

“U-um… is that Case Wisthea…?”

I pushed my glasses up and nodded toward the priestess, who continued her relentless explanation.

Yep, that’s her.

The grand finale of the external training session was with a bard.

Of course, not just any ordinary bard.

“Uwooooh! The evil within me is escaping! Aaaaaah!! Kill, kill, kill! Crush everything that rises in my loose fury! Uwooooh!”

As the bard frantically plucked his lute, the pig-headed monster we were fighting writhed in pain, before finally collapsing under Lucille’s magic.

With his messy hair, spiked black leather clothes, white scales tattooed here and there, and the word “kill” engraved in Draconian across his forehead, the horned Draconian bard flashed a grin.

“Yeah. Peace.”

“P-Peace.”

This bard, who had been possessed only moments ago, head-banging and shrieking while madly strumming his lute, was now calmly signing off with a “peace.”

Lucille, clearly not on the same musical wavelength, managed to awkwardly nod in agreement, her face stiff as she struggled to keep up.

Then she looked at me with an expression of utter betrayal.

Considering her relief when she’d heard the last companion was a bard, her reaction was understandable.

After all, her idea of a bard was… well, not that.

But a bard’s role isn’t only about relieving stress.

There are offensive bards too, who play dissonant music to inflict debuffs on enemies.

Of course, I could do that too.

It’s just that it doesn’t count toward achievements and, well, I have plenty of memories of people grabbing me by the collar after I used that skill, so it’s one I don’t use often.

“Alright, we’re done here. Let’s head back.”

“Man, Sage, it’s been a while since we’ve teamed up, and your tanking skills are as solid as ever!”

“This was nothing. Thanks for the hard work, Dreg.”

“Let’s go again next time?”

Before I could reply, Lucille grabbed the hem of my robe.

A firm shake of her head.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her tearful expression.

“We’ll think about it. Alright, let’s gather up our loot.”

After gathering the requested items, we returned straight to the Adventurers’ Guild.

The report was filed, and with that, today’s extended lesson came to an end.

“How was it today?” I asked.

“Well… I feel like I grew… a lot…”

An understandable response.

All the people we’d teamed up with today were… quite eccentric, to say the least.

There was Wilkes, who stirred up monsters mid-quest with his incessant chattering; Case, who lost track of a flock of bats while explaining things in the supposedly quiet cave; and Dreg, the bard whose debuffs tormented not just the enemies but his own teammates as well.

Each and every one of them was a world-class troll.

I smiled at Lucille, who had managed to express that sentiment rather elegantly.

“You see, Princess, that’s why I’ve always said you’re one of the best people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.”

“Ha… I have to wonder, what kinds of people have you met…? And how are you still so sane… It’s honestly impressive.”

“Haha.”

“And… to still be friendly with them… I can’t even imagine how bad it was with… those people…”

“The ‘those people’ you’re talking about must be the Hero’s Party.”

I simply smiled in response, and Lucille refrained from asking any further.

“From a young age, I was told that physical strength alone is paper-thin if your mentality breaks, so I trained my mental endurance diligently.”

“Oh.”

“By the way, external lessons aren’t over just yet.”

“Y-You mean… there’s more?!”

“Yes. This will be beneficial for your growth as well, Princess, so I hope you’ll join me.”

“Okaaay…”

At the mention of “lesson,” Lucille nodded weakly.

We chatted idly as we arrived at the royal palace, which was abuzz with activity.

When I asked a knight leading the scene, he explained that the Hero and General Leoden had come to oversee the transport of supplies bound for the frontlines.

This had caused some disruption in the castle’s defenses and security checks, and he asked for our understanding, to which I nodded in agreement.

At the mention of Claire’s name, Lucille flinched slightly, but there wasn’t much cause for concern.

“Um… Master, since the Hero is here…”

Lucille, clearly nervous about the possibility of Claire approaching us again as she had last time, clutched my sleeve tightly.

“It’s fine.”

“Even so… Ah! How about spending the night with me today? I practiced card games, so we could play late… that way, it’ll be hard for the Hero to get to you…”

As if struck by sudden inspiration, Lucille’s eyes sparkled as she tugged on my sleeve.

Hmm. Staying up late for a card game isn’t a bad idea for someone as invested in it as I am, but today might not be the best time.

With the guards and command in disarray, an event was bound to take place tonight.

“Princess, you must be tired. Get some rest. You did well today… Let’s continue the lesson tomorrow afternoon.”

Lucille, who had looked downcast at the prospect of skipping our card game, brightened instantly at the mention of a regular lesson tomorrow.

By then, the maids who’d discreetly tailed us all day had returned, now dressed in their formal uniforms.

Under the escort of her attendants, Lucille gave me a small nod and headed toward the Palace.

Once she’d walked a fair distance away, I surveyed the area and activated the Hawk Eye skill—a skill used by archers. In the distance, I spotted a figure in a black robe moving toward the Palace.

As I thought, tonight is the night.

Alright, time to go.

To intercept the assassination attempt on the Queen, part of the “Pale Moon” event.