There is No Escaping the Hero
Chapter 11: Despair is Hope
“Here too?”
“Hmm.”
A desolate settlement with absolutely no sign of life. There were buildings dotted around, but there was no sign of people living in them.
Getting off the carriage, Soare also looked around, her expression clouding over.
Because she had an idea of the reason for this.
“No one’s been here for at least a month.”
“You can tell?”
“I used to be a burglar too, you know.”
“Don’t say it like it’s work experience!”
“Hehe.”
She directed her anger at the oddly triumphant Solo, but it lacked her usual fiery snap. That was to be expected. It was a settlement where dozens of people must have lived.
In other words, dozens of lives were—
“However, it is strange.”
“Yeah. It was the same last time, but there’s no sign of it being ravaged.”
“…Ah.”
Schutz and Solo had noticed, but there was another anomaly. If this was due to a monster attack, the fact that the buildings were almost unscathed raised a question mark.
Considering the structure of the Demonic Tree Oak, it was certainly more efficient to take them to the nest they constructed unscathed and butcher them there, rather than scattering their lives pointlessly here.
Yes, the current situation was efficient for raising the tree.
But the flock they encountered last time couldn’t be said to have exercised such self-control effectively. They took the defenseless, but killed those who ran or resisted on the spot.
Their nature should have been closer to beasts.
『If the last encounter was babies, are they brats this time?』
(Maybe. Looks troublesome.)
Whether they created a bloodless and defenseless situation, or forcibly made it so using something like hypnosis magic, was unknown.
However, no matter how it turned out, it was transparent at this point that the opponent was using their head.
“There is a slightly larger town ahead. Let us head there.”
“Yes… I will definitely avenge them.”
“Splendid, Soare-sama.”
『Partner, aren’t you going to vow revenge?』
(I’ll decide after seeing the opponent. If I think I can win, I’ll do it, and—)
『If you think you’ll lose?』
(Then I’ll run, obviously.)
『Heeheehee, as expected of Partner.』
(Hehehe, not really.)
Perhaps the frivolous man and sword were big shots in a sense, no matter the situation. Once you’re dead, it’s over; the opponent just happened to be monsters.
So, he didn’t possess the innocence to be heartbroken over the deaths of strangers at this point.
“…”
“Strangers” was the key point, tentatively.
***
There was no sign of people in the town further ahead either.
However,
“There are traces of battle here.”
“Then it is likely not hypnosis or the like. The previous settlement had no fighting force, while this one did. That is the difference.”
“Burn marks… looks like there are at least monsters that manipulate fire magic.”
Seeing the burnt-down houses and the charred bodies of people, Soare averted her eyes slightly. Life in the royal palace, and her mother’s family, the Azul, being a prestigious one, meant she had hardly seen the scenery of the common people. Her tolerance in that area was far lower than Solo’s.
“Pops. This is bad. It’s flattened.”
“Hmm. With what kind of force must one strike for this to happen?”
At the place Solo called out to, there was the corpse of a small ogre, a goblin. Its face was flattened, crushed by something thick with tremendous force.
“Like Pops’ huge iron fist?”
“No, there is no sign of magical power. In other words… unless it was monster infighting—”
“You mean a human did it? Unbelievable… hmm?”
“Goodness, I have been a knight for a long time, but I have never seen this.”
“…”
『What’s up, Partner?』
(No, it’s amazing, but I feel a sense of déjà vu… or rather, I’m not that surprised.)
『Eh, even I’m taken aback by this. If it’s a human.』
(Well, that’s true.)
Solo tilted his head, groaning. No, well, the world is wide, so it’s not impossible. In the first place, she wouldn’t be in such a remote town.
Gutter rats like them couldn’t survive unless it was a reasonably prosperous place with lots of people.
They wouldn’t make a place like this their base.
(Well, if there’s a chance… maybe the result of skipping town?)
『Let’s skip town too~.』
(After seeing the enemy.)
『Che.』
The mystery only deepened, but anyway, they looked around the town. Schutz suggested that he wait in the carriage out of concern for Soare, but she stubbornly refused to nod.
It seemed she wasn’t just a hothouse flower.
Just then,
“…Hmm?”
Solo’s keen ears caught something.
“Pops.”
“Mm, what is it?”
“Something’s there. Over there. Ah, no, nothing!”
He pointed in the direction of the sound with a smug face, but hearing the subsequent sound, Solo wavered and retracted his statement in seconds. Because there was a loud noise.
“There is something!”
“There isn’t, and no battle is happening!”
“Understood!”
“Listen to me!”
Ignoring Solo’s clumsy attempt to cover it up, Schutz ran off, and Solo chased after him with a sigh, thinking I messed up.
Seeing that figure,
“…Impossible. Elder Sister.”
Absolutely not, Soare thought.
She also chased after them.
Their destination was the only church in town dedicated to the Goddess, with a dazzling cross piercing the large sky.
***
“Pops, you’re slow.”
He chased after him but immediately overtook him, and Solo arrived near the church with an indescribable expression. He had thought recently that despite his appearance, Schutz was getting on in years; his movements within combat range were agile, but he was quite sluggish over any distance.
(The sound is getting a little quieter. But inside… there are kids screaming too.)
For an instant, the girl who had overlapped with him just a little crossed his mind.
Her burned-off hand.
“Tch.”
Not like him.
Solo entered the church without checking. He could hear the sound, and he had a vague idea of the location. It wasn’t a very big church to begin with.
The destination was immediate.
“…Tch.”
He saw the backs of monsters. Their numbers were few. But he could see human figures in the back. A church sister and children frozen in fear.
Solo ran without checking.
『Hey, Partner!』
Without listening to Toro’s restraint, he drew his sword,
“Gi!?”
And beheaded the hideous goblin.
At the same time—
“Get crushed.”
A human-sized cross, while crushing the flying head of the goblin,
“…Huh?”
『Ouch.』
Also hit Solo incidentally.
“…Ah?”
Blown away, smashing through the thick door of the church,
“Solo!?”
“Ehh!?”
The unconscious, dying Solo flew in front of Schutz and Soare.
Byoooon.
He looked exactly like a bolt from a human ballista.
***
Solo opened his eyes feeling warmth on the back of his neck.
In his dim vision, he could see the outline of someone like a sister devoutly believing in the Goddess. Unfortunately, Solo himself had lived a life far removed from religion, but he liked the sister’s outfit. Kinda strangely erotic, something had sprouted in his childhood mind.
Or rather, this sensation on the back of his head,
(This soft yet muscular, rather than squishy, it’s a firm sensation…)
Solo remembered it.
“Awake?”
On the thick thighs of an acquaintance.
“…Weiss?”
“Yeah. Good job noticing.”
The one dressed as a sister was, as per his déjà vu, a person Solo knew. Also raised in the gutter, her life shouldn’t have been one where she wore that by mistake.
So naturally,
“I see… it must have been tough.”
Solo arrived at a conclusion.
“Ah? What is?”
“That’s a costume, right? Cosplay. For reference, how much for one—”
“Die.”
Hit with monstrous strength,
“—Ruaaaah!?”
Solo flew through the air while spinning. The previous one was an unfortunate accident, but regarding this one, it could only be said that he reaped what he sowed.
Watching the figure of their foolish companion,
“Hey Schutz. Can we leave that behind?”
“U-Uumu.”
His travel companions watched with indescribable expressions.
A little later,
“Ha!? I feel like I was dreaming!”
Solo, rising again.
“Yo.”
“Weiss, you… were sold off. By the way, how mu—”
“You never learn, do you, you bastard.”
“Eep, no violence!”
Reflexively jumping back and immediately preparing to flee, as expected of a thief. However, the woman in the sister outfit, Weiss, just looked exasperated and didn’t chase him.
She just took out a cigarette from her bosom,
“Solo. Gimme a light.”
“…It’s cosplay after all. In what world is there a sister puffing on a cigarette? What happened to the teachings, the teachings.”
“Right here.”
Answering while nonchalantly crossing her legs, she was the very image of a thug. And such a Weiss was the inseparable friend from the gutter Solo knew.
Solo hurriedly lit it with magic,
“Phew, tasty.”
Weiss exhaled purple smoke and smiled blissfully. Even her smile looking like a thug’s meant she was just that kind of creature.
Her physique was also muscular; her height and weight easily exceeded Solo’s. Her thighs were so thick he thought they might be the thickest in the world.
Her biceps and shoulders were amazing too—
Well, her physique was amazing, but her sharp golden gaze and dull blonde hair amplified the thug vibe.
“Still can’t use magic, huh.”
“Too much of a hassle.”
“Searching for a light is more of a hassle… or rather, are you really a sister?”
“I explained everything to the old man there just now, so ask him. I’m busy with my cigarette.”
She doesn’t explain the same thing twice. Because it’s a hassle.
That part hadn’t changed either. Setting aside the mismatch between her appearance and job, she was exactly as he remembered, except for the fact that she had grown bigger in various ways than before, no matter how you looked at it.
“She possessed a Holy Seal issued by the Holy Church Headquarters. She is undoubtedly a real sister. Upon asking her affiliation, a person I know is her master, so that also served as proof.”
“Hee, what a strange coincidence. Or rather, is the Headquarters different from others?”
“Umu. At the Headquarters, one learns directly from the priests or pastors belonging there, and only those recognized by them become monks belonging to the Headquarters. Conversely, whether pastors or monks in local churches like this, they are not formally pastors or monks, but rather cooperators cooperating with the operation of the Headquarters, so to speak.”
“None of us know that.”
“Well, it is common for systems and reality not to mesh. In the world, pastors of churches rooted in these regions are more adored than the distant Headquarters too.”
“Whoaa.”
Solo was surprised to learn the internal affairs of the church.
“Actually, we were also thinking of going to the Holy Church Headquarters for a bit.”
“Ehh!? I’m not really interested in religion.”
“Solo, do not voice such things. Goddess-sama is watching at any time. Spend your days with that spirit.”
“Then descend already. Don’t just watch from on high.”
“Ugh!? Y-You…”
“Pu, hahahaha! Still the same, you bastard.”
“Yeah. I don’t change.”
Weiss, who was supposed to serve the Goddess, laughed loudly and then,
“Creer-Femme is shit, isn’t she.”
Boldly spat abuse at her Lord.
“Wait, you’re a sister, aren’t you? And belonging to Headquarters!”
Ignoring Soare who was surprised at that,
“So, what business does the old man have at Headquarters?”
Weiss threw a question at Schutz.
“…To smooth our journey, we need a pilgrimage pass issued by Headquarters.”
Hearing “pilgrimage pass,” Weiss smiled.
“I see. I can put in a good word for that.”
“In exchange?”
“Monster extermination.”
“Umu. Just what I wished for.”
Negotiations concluded quickly. Solo had an air of “leave it to me,” and the ignored Soare, while sulking, kept silent so as not to disrupt things.
This was growth. Being able to read the atmosphere was commendable.
Well, part of it was because the opponent was a sister.
If the opponent were Solo, she would have been snapping at him for eternity—
“So, I would like you to tell me the situation.”
“Sure. First—”
***
“H-Giiiiiiiaaaaaaaah!?”
A scream echoed at the bottom of the abyss.
Everyone shuddered, wondering if they were next. No one who left this prison ever returned. The despair echoing at the bottom of the cave was the answer.
Everyone was trembling.
That was—
“Oh Lord, please save us. Oh Lord, save us—”
Repeating the prayer over and over like delirium was the church pastor. He was a wonderful clergyman with a good demeanor, adored by the local people.
He was praying for everyone even now.
However,
“Now then, time to decide the next sacrifice.”
A hoarse voice reached the prison, and everyone, including the pastor, shut their mouths. Didn’t want to stand out. Didn’t want to catch the eye.
Choose someone other than me, they pleaded.
The prison door opened.
Appearing there, sandwiched between burly ogres, was a thin, withered small ogre. Wrinkles carved like tree rings; a figure that looked like it would blow away if you blew on it, but everyone imprisoned in the cell trembled at that old small ogre. They were terrified.
“Anyone will do but… let’s see, let’s change the taste this time and make it a candidacy system. Umu, that is good, let’s do that. Gyaggyaggya.”
Unpleasant laughter echoed.
Naturally, no one raised their hand. However, the eyes of the townspeople naturally gathered on the man they respected. Because he was a clergyman, and should be a martyr.
Gazes gathered. The pastor noticed it and,
“Ha?”
Directed a gaze that said, Are you guys sane?
“I-If I am not here, who will deliver prayers to the Lord? Are you idiots!? I should remain until the very end, believing in a miracle!”
In a hideous expression of anger, screaming while spraying spit; the gentle figure that was respected was nowhere to be found.
“Then, who do you choose? Believer of the Goddess.”
“T-This guy! He glared at me first, choose the punishment-worthy one with no faith!”
“Don’t screw—I-I wasn’t first! This guy was earlier!”
“You bastard!”
Hating each other, angry at each other; seeing that,
“Gyaggyaggya, truly ugly. The Creator God is also a sinful person. To create weak, cowardly, hideous fools… do not worry.”
The old small ogre, the boss governing this tree, laughed and signaled his intent to the ogres on both sides with his eyes.
Without saying anything,
“L-Let gooo!”
“No, nooo!”
They picked up the ones who were arguing. Like objects.
The old small ogre, the Goblin Lord, patted the pastor’s shoulder,
“Good for you.”
“Ha, haha, hahaha, hihihi.”
“But, next is you.”
“Hahi?”
“Enjoy yourself until then. Believer who sold his people. Receiving their gazes, gyagya, enjoy your final hours.”
“Shu, shushushushushuuuuuu!”
Lord, save me.
He lost the qualification to pray by selling someone with his own hands out of desire for his life.
He lost—what he clung to.
“Gyaggyaggya, truly amusing.”
No one lent a hand to the pastor who looked up at the heavens while incontinent. Respect, what he clung to—he had lost everything.
Such a disastrous scene, and the hideous people surrounding it.
The King of Ogres felt joy at that spectacle.
“Grow well, and birth stronger monsters. Even a Common Oak, even we Ogre tribe who are slighted in the Demon World… if nurtured carefully, we will become a strong power.”
He would not forget the eyes looking at him like trash that he received from the Dragon tribe, from the Corps Commander ‘Black Heavens’ Fernig who was chased from the seat of the Four Heavenly Kings.
He was a King. One corner of the Ogre Kings. Certainly, his influence in the Demon World wasn’t large. Lacking innate specs, he had always received lower treatment.
Especially small ogres—but now, he could obtain power with wisdom.
Different from the previous Demon King where power was absolute. The new Demon King gave them hope.
Power to overturn absurdity.
“My beloved Tree of Life. Grow quickly. For our great ambition.”
Screams and despair echoed.
That would become hope for them, the Ogres.
