Chapter 77 - Two Heroes!

?Advice: It’s said that repeating the mistake of a day becomes a fault. Although you did use violence against the princess in the 6th Playthrough, you didn’t abandon her, did you? And what will you do about the golem you ordered at the Magic Kingdom?

Every point made by Miss Trainee was extremely acute and I couldn’t think up any words to retort with.

“Nng… Right. There mustn’t be mistakes.”

I couldn’t mistake the process if I wanted to reenact the triple-A grade in the 6th Playthrough, but if I were to meet the Demon King like this, it was possible that my report card would turn out differently. That was the one thing I had to avoid.

“Baekgu, turn around.”

“Quuu-!”

I changed courses in the midst of flying to the middle continent in high spirits.

Once again I returned to the summit of Snowy Mountain M and there I saw Classmate A, who was frozen solid while thoughtlessly disclosing the secrets of a woman. Dropped next to him was Holy Sword 3, whose contract was released due to his death. I first collected the sword.

(Pleased to make your acquaintance, Sir Hero! Do not be surprised, as my voice is coming from the sword. I am a noble Elemental residing in the Holy Sword. In ancient times, I was a righteous Hero who stood up against the Demon King.)

Her self-introduction was very much grandiose, even though she was no more than a Hero who was defeated before even glimpsing Demon King Pedonar’s face. For some reason, though, the way she spoke bothered me, and after pondering on it for several seconds, I realized that Holy Sword 3’s manner of speech had become haughtier compared to the 6th Playthrough.

(I am utterly disappointed that my previous contractor committed the vulgar act of revealing the secrets of a woman. I hope that you will not…)

Hero injected the power of Dark Energy(Z) into wild Holy Sword.

(Kyaaah~?!)

It was amazingly effective!

(I was wrong. Please forgive me, Sir Hero, no—Master. I’ll be obedient so please don’t hurt me like just now, sob-sob!)n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

And thus Holy Sword 3 turned servile right away. Still, didn’t she have too little grit for a former Hero?

?Example: You can think of what you did like having put a person into a front load washing machine mixed with synthetic detergent and poop~

‘That can’t be helped then!’

I would’ve also gone mad if I went through the same thing.

?Warning: Cadet Kang Han Soo! It’s not good to put yourself down like that. You’ve already been living 7 years in a body mixed with Divinity and Dark Energy, haven’t you?

‘… Come to think of it, yeah?’

Although it was thanks to Black-Box’s effect of being immune to chaos, I decided to chalk it up to me being great for now.

Afterward, I collected Holy Sword 3 which had turned docile. I did consider briefly whether to resurrect Classmate A, who had frozen to death while provoking his lover in his previous life, but as no other Hero had appeared in the 6th Playthrough, I decisively chose to exclude this variable. As for what to do next?

“Baekgu. Find the princess.”

“Quu!”

It wasn’t hard searching for her from above in the sky; I spotted one woman among the pure-white snow-covered ground. The Ice Princess, who had solved her power from going out of control, was desolately trudging down the mountain, heading for the closest village as I had expected.

?Curious: Cadet Kang Han Soo. How did you know the princess would be going down this way?

‘You curious, Miss Trainee Teacher?’

?Affirmative: Yes! I’m honestly curious!

It was extremely simple. In my 1st Playthrough, the village where I had ignored the dissuasion of my former companions and disposed of the Ice Princess was precisely over in this direction.

From that day onwards, my relationship with those companions who had imperfections such as going out of control turned extremely bad, but I didn’t feel regret as I had gotten rid of a serial killer and saved the village. Even now, I couldn’t understand why I had to be criticized for this righteous deed that was only proper. But in any case…

Thump!

I had Baekgu land beside the Ice Princess in question.

“Sir Hero?!”

Even as she was suddenly taken aback, the Ice Princess turned a gaze that was eagerly expecting up at me. Giving two pats on Baekgu’s head in an instruction for him to lower it, I spoke.

“Get on quickly before I change my mind.”

“Okay!”

The Ice Princess seemed about to go mad from gratitude and she even showed signs of trying to secretly cuddle up to me, like a young lady heads over heels for an older man driving the latest sports car. She attempted to stick my arm between her cleavage.

“Hey. The smell’s gonna stick to my clothes so stay away.”

“I’m sorry…”

Keeping someone in suspense and then entertaining their request. This had to be the training method spoken by Classmate A, but I hadn’t wanted to intentionally take the trouble of using such a petty method. It was similar to what the teaching staff did to me using a graduation certificate as pretext, after all.

We headed for the Magic Kingdom from Snowy Mountain M.

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*

Although there was a momentary panic at the abrupt appearance of a white dragon above the Magic Kingdom’s royal palace, I was able to smoothly get through the matter.

The king came out to give a greeting in person.

“Sir Hero always gives me a surprise. Taming a dragon of all things…”

“It’s nothing much.”

I replied honestly.

All you had to do was hold one by the throat and wipe its memories.

“Haha! And you are modest to boot. You have come in good time, Sir Hero. The golem you ordered has been completed recen… What?! You are—could you be…!”

The king was astonished at the sight of the Ice Princess beside me. She too recognized him.

“Royal Father… it is a relief to see you in good health.”

“Ooh! My daughter…!”

And thus it became the sudden reunion between father and daughter. I had wondered as to which country’s precious princess she was, but it turned out to be the Magic Kingdom.

On careful thought regarding the order of past events, the timing was just right as well. After the king passed away at the end of his illness and his brother ascended the throne, the line of supplies being sent to his niece living on Snowy Mountain M was cut off. The Ice Princess, who couldn’t let herself starve to death, must have come down from the mountain and then lost herself in the village. I had eliminated her in the 1st Playthrough but still, I thought it was a wonder that she endured over a year, completely cut off from supplies.

“… Not bad.”

What had to be acknowledged, had to be acknowledged; she was a princess with quite the fine tenacity.

“Divine Sir Hero! To think that not only did you treat my incurable disease, you also even saved the life of my daughter whom I had half given up on… I do not know how I should repay this favor.”

Following his moving moment of reunion with the Ice Princess, the king repeatedly bowed his head to me with swollen eyes, to which I responded with a magnanimous smile.

“Don’t be concerned over it, Your Majesty.”

Whatever reward I asked for, all of it would be no more than antiques compared to the modern products of Earth. I also refused to be presented with the princess, since I was going to date a refined lady from my home planet!

The Ice Princess, who was looking like a beggar, took her leave, practically dragged out by the maids in waiting in order to maintain the dignity of royalty, while I headed for the Magicians’ workshop together with the king.

“Welcome, great Hero!”

“Greetings, divine Sir Hero!”

The Palace Magicians who had been converted by the power of my Divinity or Dark Energy gave their greetings. Although their individual ability amounted to a single toe of the Sage, a miracle could still be brought about those toes came together—like just now.

?Race: Arch-Golem

?Level: 930

?Job: Shrine Maiden(Beauty→Physical Strength↑)

?Skills: Physical Strength(A) Indestructible Body(A) Massacre(B) Glamor(B) Reconstruction(B)…

?Condition: Socket, Standby

It was of superior standard as compared to what the Sage and that muppet made in the 6th Playthrough. Now, if I infused Divinity here, it would become an unparalleled creation with the addition of the cheat key called “normal attack immunity”.

“Please wait a moment, Sir Hero. Bring that over.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

An attendant brought over a jewelry box at the king’s prompt.

I could tell it was something exceptionally valuable at first glance. Most treasures couldn’t make a single eyebrow of mine budge, but even I couldn’t help changing my expression this time.

“This is…?”

And that was because I had sensed a familiar energy.

“I had a golem produced to repay you for saving my life. From using a dragon’s heart to an Elf King’s Tear… although many truly extraordinary materials were required in the making, it was all possible by the authority of the kingdom. However, saving my dear daughter was difficult with the nation’s power. This is my expression of gratitude for that.”

It was apparently a national treasure passed down from the days of when the Magic Kingdom was an empire.

“Holy… Thank you.”

Praise be to the king for his magnanimity, even handing over an ancient treasure for the sake of his daughter!

The king spoke as he opened the jewelry box.

“The beautiful Archmage who aided the First Hero of legend was my ancestor. But it is said that as she refused to be the member of a harem, my ancestor gave up on marriage and received this as a farewell gift.”

“Hooh…?”

Inside the box was a violet jade. As a gemstone, it somewhat lacked exterior beauty, but I was able to immediately recognize this stone’s true value.

Suddenly, the sounds of a wicked inner voice rang inside my mind.

(I want to kill that indecent Saintess and princess!)

(Look at me only! Ignore those stupid women around you!)

(Why don’t you realize my sincerity?)

(Love is like magic. Goodbye.)

Was this the voice of the ancestor whom the Magic Kingdom’s king had mentioned? It depicted the transition from hot love to cold hatred, just like whimsical magic.

??(C)→??(B)

Though I didn’t give a squat so long as my Skill rank rose!

?Type: Skill

?Name: ??

?Rank: C

?A: ??? ?????

?B: Ruin target.

?C: Induce oblivion in target.

?D: Will not fall into chaos.

?E: Cannot be destroyed.

?F: Will not forget.

The reason why the country with the most advancements in magic in the world of Fantasia, which even had the past achievement of unifying the northern continent, had been reduced to its current miserable state… was none other than this national treasure. Its royals ended up walking the “path of ruin” under the influence of this gemstone. The king’s incurable disease, the Ice Princess’ uncontrollable power, the princes’ dull-wittedness… that ancestor had caused trouble for her descendants.

“Unbelievable…”

Shp! Shp!

I opened the lips of the golem which still lacked a soul and fed it the national treasure, then stuck Holy Sword 3 into the socket which was nicely open wide for insertion. With this, the final steps to complete it had been taken.

The golem which contained the soul of the past Hero opened its eyes.

?Race: Chaos Golem

?Level: 930

?Job: Hero(EXP 500%)

?Skills: Divinity(SS) Destruction(SS) Chaos(SS) Physical Strength(S) Indestructible Body(S)…

?Condition: Holy Sword, Subordination, Good

Despite looking far weaker than a super robot, its abilities alone were so high as to put an Archangel to shame. Perhaps due to the “software”, its Job had changed to “Hero” as well… I immediately proceeded to carry out the subordination contract.

“Look into my eyes. Who am I?”

“My master!”

Holy Sword 3, who had been moved at being granted a body, answered firmly. Even her expression was colorful, even though it was a golem.

“Well then…”

I released Holy Sword 3’s summon.

A Hero couldn’t possess two or more Holy Swords. That being the case, what would happen by possessing a golem that held a Holy Sword?

The result came out immediately.

?Race: Chaos Human

?Level: 999+

?Job: Hero(EXP 500%)

?Skills: Divinity(Z) Blessing(Z) Dark Energy(Z) Fabrication(SSS) Taming(SS)…

?Condition: Holy Sword, Saintess, Golem

“Golem” was added to my Condition. Although a glitch-like situation of a Hero possessing a Hero had occurred, I was greatly satisfied as it was an experiment with this as the goal, to begin with.

My preparations had ended.

“Shall we set off for real this time?”

“Sir Hero! Just a moment!”

Having washed and dressed swiftly with the help of the maids, the Ice Princess cried out anxiously as she ran over this way. Her moist skin and hair, and thin one-piece… they made for a rather good effect.

“Why?”

“At least one night…”

And thus after I helplessly deigned to use a certain ice pack for a day, I charged towards the Demon King’s castle on Baekgu’s back.

This time, not even Miss Trainee Teacher stopped me.

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I had broken in to the Demon King’s castle alone 5 times already. Having unintentionally grasped perfectly the structure of the castle, I boldly jumped down from the sky instead of going through the front gate.

Crash-!

“O Chosen Hero! I did not expect as much as a courteous knock, but is it not good manners to use the door made for entering?!”

The Demon King so reproached me upon my entering by smashing through the ceiling.

“Is that important right now?”

Chwaa-

I imitated the demeanor of the Demon King by emanating pitch-black Dark Energy which had reached the transcendental domain from all over my body.

Having realized my intent, the Demon King burst with laughter.

“Haha! Challenging me, the pinnacle of all evil, with evil! O Chosen Hero, I shall teach you clearly just how foolish it was to have abandoned the power of love and friendship to choose Dark Energy!”

“By the way, where’s Ssosia?”

“… How do you know of that child’s name? Could it be, that the two of you are in ‘that’ kind of relationship? Already, without my knowing… O Hero! What relation do you have with my daughter? Gasp! It cannot be that you two have had a child already, can it? Is it a daughter? A son?”

The Demon King rapidly fired off a series of question at me and in doing so, confirmed for me that Ssosia wasn’t here. If she was, he would have called her over and directly asked. With this, there was no variable.

“Summon—Tin Can.”

I summoned forth Golem D, which held Holy Sword 3.

?Reproach: Calling such a beautiful android as Tin Can…

‘Don’t mind the trifling name, Miss Trainee Teacher. Rather than that, how will the Demon King’s penalty apply when there are two Heroes?’

?Bewildered: I, I wonder? Because it’s also my first time coming across this…

Miss Trainee Teacher was perplexed, but there was no need to even scold her on why she didn’t know; the answer was already clear by looking at the Demon King staggering from the aftereffect of his Level dropping more.

“A Hero being a golem…?”

The Demon King was shocked at there suddenly being two Heroes, but I gave him no time to adjust. I didn’t want to make a humiliating mistake like I did in the 6th Playthrough, after all.

“Let’s go!”

“Yes, Master!”

This was no power of love and friendship—it was the power of science, analyzing the enemy’s weak points and accurately targeting them.

Purk! Purk!

“Kuugh-?!”

Holy Sword 2 and Holy Sword 3 pierced through Demon King Pedonar’s body. As the penalty wasn’t as weakened like it was in the 6th Playthrough, he was no match for me.

?Sir Hero, has your adventure been enjoyable?

‘Hm. A tiny bit…?’

?The path of a true hero is truly difficult, but you formed countless bonds with others which encouraged you who did not lose your hopes and dreams. From them you learned friendship and love, and after maturing together with them you defeated the wicked Demon King at last. Congratulations, truly!

?Shall we look at your grading now?

At last, it was time to return to Earth.