The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned

Chapter 28 - The Sealing Festival [Interlude]

“Aw… are you already leaving?”

“Can’t we play a bit longer?”

Children whined, clinging to Iris\'s trouser leg, begging for more playtime.

Iris smiled gently and soothed them.

“It’s okay. I’ll come back to play with you again next time.”

“…Really?”

“When? Exactly when will you come?”

“I want to play more with you, sister!”

The children were clearly reluctant to let go, their disappointment evident.

Father Antonio stepped forward to address the situation.

“Now, now, that’s enough. The Saint is in a difficult position, don’t you think?”

“But…!”

Despite Father Antonio’s words, the children didn’t back down easily.

Just as the old priest’s expression began to grow stern.

“Please, don’t be too harsh on them, Father.”

“…Spoiling them too much will only lead to bad habits.”

“Even so.”

Iris kept her gentle smile as she patted the children\'s heads.

“Oh, by the way, isn’t the ‘Sealing Festival’ coming up soon?”

The Sealing Festival.

It was a celebration to commemorate the day when the Five Great Heroes sealed away the Demon God.

It was one of the few days when the usually rigorous training and lectures were paused, allowing the cadets to relax and enjoy themselves.

The anticipation for this ‘Sealing Festival’ wasn’t limited to the cadets alone.

Even the Hero Academy, which usually strictly prohibited outsiders from entering, allowed the families and acquaintances of cadets to visit during this time.

As a result, both the academy and Valhalla City became bustling and lively.

“I was thinking of inviting the children for that day. What do you think?”

“…The children, you say?”

“Of course, you too, Father.”

“That is….”

Father Antonio seemed taken aback by the unexpected suggestion.

“Wow!”

“Really? Can we really go?”

“I want to see the academy!”

The children jumped and cheered in excitement at the invitation to the Sealing Festival.

“…Won’t this cause trouble for you, Saint?”

Father Antonio whispered so the children couldn’t hear.

If the children caused any trouble during the festival, it would undoubtedly tarnish Iris’s reputation.

Even if they didn’t cause trouble, there would still be plenty of people who wouldn’t take kindly to seeing orphans roaming the academy.

After all, even though this was a ‘neutral zone’ where no class or status was supposed to matter due to an agreement between the three nations…

People’s ingrained prejudices don’t change that easily.

In this continent plagued by demons and monsters, orphans were seen as weaker than the stray beasts on the streets, and humans instinctively despised the weak.

“It’s alright.”

But even so.

Not every human turned their back on the weak.

“If anyone has an issue with me inviting the children, I won’t hesitate to use the authority of the ‘Saint’ to make sure they’re not forgiven.”

“Lady Iris….”

Father Antonio’s eyes reddened as he looked at Iris.

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I’m actually more sorry for not inviting you sooner.”

“Haha, not at all.”

Father Antonio shook his head with a warm smile.

“So, we can really see the academy?”

“Yes!”

“I love you, sister!”

The children were already overjoyed, running around the yard, kicking up dust at the thought of attending the Sealing Festival.

“You rascals! What are you doing making such a mess? Get inside now!”

“Ugh.”

“Anyone who doesn’t go in right now will be left behind for the festival!”

“S-Sorry!”

“Let’s go inside quickly!”

At Father Antonio’s stern voice, the children hurriedly rushed back into the orphanage.

“The Sealing Festival is in two weeks, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Haha. Then I’ll see you then, Saint. Please take care on your way back.”

Father Antonio made the sign of the cross and bowed courteously.

“Oh, and… your name is Dale, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Please take good care of the Saint from now on.”

Father Antonio patted my shoulder with a meaningful smile.

“Yes, I will.”

“Haha. You must do well. Although she may seem gentle on the outside, she has quite a fierce side….”

“Oh, Father Antonio!”

Iris stomped her foot in a flustered expression.

The old priest’s clear laughter echoed through the orphanage yard.

“By the way, the timing is quite fortunate.”

“Hmm? What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, recently the security in the Ant’s Hill has improved a bit. It’s a good time to take the children out.”

“Did something happen?”

“Well… I’m not exactly sure what’s going on.”

Father Antonio shook his head slightly.

“However, I’ve heard that the ‘black-robed freaks’ who were wandering around the Ant’s Hill have all disappeared for some reason.”

“Black-robed freaks?”

“Yes. They seemed to be part of some criminal organization… there were rumors that they were quite dangerous.”

Black-robed freaks.

As soon as I heard that, images of the Demon Cult’s demons flashed through my mind.

“When did they disappear?”

“Hm? Well… it wasn’t too long ago. I heard they suddenly vanished a few days ago.”

A few days ago, right when I destroyed the Demon Cult’s hideout.

‘The timing matches perfectly.’

The ‘black-robed freaks’ Father Antonio mentioned were undoubtedly Archbishop Astaroth’s subordinates.

“That’s really fortunate news. The streets were already dangerous enough, so with a criminal organization of over a hundred people around, the children’s safety would have been in jeopardy.”

“…What?”

Wait a minute.

Over a hundred people?

“You’re saying there were over a hundred black-robed freaks?”

“Well… I’m not sure of the exact numbers since I only heard rumors, but I’ve heard that it’s a large organization with at least a hundred members.”

“……”

The number of demons I dealt with in the hideout that day was around thirty.

The fact that only thirty of Astaroth’s subordinates were left at that hideout meant one thing.

‘There wasn’t just one hideout.’

There must have been other hideouts besides the one I destroyed in the Ant’s Hill.

‘And yet they all disappeared without a trace after that day?’

Logically, it would make sense that they quickly withdrew before their tails were caught since their plan to cast a large-scale ritual at the Hero Academy was exposed.

‘But they wouldn’t give up so easily.’

Archbishop Astaroth had spent years on this plan.

‘He even risked the danger of infiltrating the academy himself.’

Even for an archbishop-level demon, infiltrating the Hero Academy would have been a life-threatening task.

And yet, after investing so much effort, would he really abandon the plan without hesitation just because of a slight setback?

"...Hah."

A small laugh escaped between my lips.

\'There\'s no way.\'

I had never met Astaroth before, but I knew more about demons than anyone else.

Demons who turned their backs on humanity and engraved the blessings of evil on their hearts.

There was no way they would give up so easily on something they once desired.

\'They\'ll make another move.\'

I didn\'t know what they would do, but Astaroth would definitely use a different method to obtain the \'Seven Eyes.\'

"Mr. Dale? What are you doing standing there in a daze?"

"Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a moment."

"Ah, could you be sad about parting with the children?"

"Well... something like that."

"Hehe, I knew it~."

Iris smacked her lips like a predator spotting its prey.

"Would you like to join me— I mean, us during the sealing festival? Of course, we’ll also play with the children!"

"......"

It seemed like a proposal with obvious ulterior motives, but—

"Sure."

"Yay!"

She clenched her fists and jumped up.

"No backing out later, okay?"

"Got it."

I swallowed a small laugh and nodded.

"Saint, if we don\'t leave soon, we might miss the curfew."

When I turned my head at Camilla\'s urging, I noticed the sky had already turned orange with the setting sun.

"Ugh, let\'s hurry, Mr. Dale!"

Iris urgently grabbed my arm and started pulling me along.

With my arm in Iris\'s grasp, I walked towards the school.

* * *

A warehouse shrouded in darkness.

Inside the old, mouldy warehouse, demons clad in black robes were kneeling.

A mysterious, glowing purple orb floated above them as if looking down.

[Is everyone here?]

A deep, resonant voice flowed from the purple orb.

"Y-Yes! We have withdrawn from the ant hill as you commanded!"

One of the kneeling demons prostrated himself before the purple orb and responded.

"Uh, th-this time it was the mistake of Priest Calyx, and it has nothing to do with us..."

[Silence.]

The purple orb flickered ominously.

[Answer only the questions you\'re asked.]

"I-I\'m sorry!"

The demon bowed his head in terror.

[Have all the \'nails\' been retrieved?]

"Yes, we have retrieved all the nails that were driven into the ley lines!"

[I see... Is that so.]

With a click of the tongue.

[This is troublesome.]

Ominous smoke began to pour out of the purple orb, filling the warehouse.

"Eek!"

"A-Astaroth, sir!"

"Please, just one more chance!"

The demons who were touched by the cloud of light trembled as if having seizures.

"This plan is one that you, Lord Astaroth, have meticulously prepared for years! There’s no need to abandon it just because it\'s slightly off course..."

[Abandon?]

The purple orb spun once.

[Who said anything about abandoning the plan?]

"W-What? But..."

[I have no intention of giving up on the \'Seven Eyes.\']

A chilling laugh emanated from the purple orb.

[I\'ll just change the plan to a slightly rougher method.]

Originally, the plan was to steal the \'Seven Eyes\' as discreetly as possible.

But since the plan went off course, there was no other choice.

Even if it meant taking a risk, he must step in personally.

"Uh, what do you mean by a rougher method...?"

One of the kneeling demons looked up, puzzled.

[What do you think?]

Heh heh heh.

The ominous laughter was accompanied by the violent turbulence of the purple smoke surrounding the demons.

"A-Astaroth, sir!"

"Please, have mercy!"

"Didn’t you say there was another plan?!"

The demons screamed desperately.

But despite their pitiful struggles, the violent turbulence of the purple smoke did not cease.

"Urgh! Urrgh!"

"Guh! Hng! Ngh!"

The purple smoke penetrated the bodies of the demons through their ears, noses, and mouths.

The demons writhed in agony as their eyes began to turn purple.

[Hmph.]

A low hum emanated from the purple orb as it watched.

[Since the plan has been disrupted, there\'s no need to wait until next year....]

On the contrary, moving as quickly as possible was necessary before another variable arose.

\'You never know what that guy might do.\'

The mysterious hero who destroyed the hideout.

He didn’t know who he was, but from investigating the scene of the massacre, two things were certain.

First, the hero who destroyed the hideout was alone.

Second, that one person had single-handedly slaughtered over thirty demons.

\'Definitely not just a candidate.\'

But it couldn’t be a professor either, since none of the professors had left the school that day.

\'Who could it be?\'

At first, he planned to track down the guy and make him pay for disrupting the plan.

\'But getting the Seven Eyes takes priority.\'

Punishment could come afterward.

[Hmm. When would be a good time?]

The purple orb glowed ominously.

[Ah, yes.]

A sinister laugh echoed through the warehouse.

[Come to think of it, the Sealing Festival is just around the corner.]

A festival held to commemorate the day the Demon God was sealed.

If he could get my hands on the \'Seven Eyes\' infused with the blessings of the Seven Gods on that day, there would be no more meaningful achievement.