Chapter 28

Chapter 28
## Chapter 28: Merely a Fluke

“The Savior, Hillun Kagil, has made his return!”

The news of Hillun Kagil’s arrival sent a shockwave through the streets of Hortonwork. Whether his homecoming was a blessing or an omen of disaster remained to be seen, but its significance was undeniable. While the local governor and the commoners scrambled to the gates to discover the fate of his mission, the hero gave them no audience, vanishing instantly into the glow of a teleportation array.

He had completely disregarded Granada, who had descended the peaks under the Demon King’s instructions to muster a fresh battalion of soldiers for hire. Consequently, Granada found himself stumbling into a reunion he never anticipated.

“…What in the world are you people doing here?”

It was a total accident. In the dim light of the mercenary guild’s tavern, he spotted several recognizable faces amidst the drinking and rowdy celebration.

“C-Captain?”

“You’re… you’re still breathing?”

“Don’t move.”

Granada’s gaze locked onto them. Those who were halfway out of their chairs froze, plastering forced smiles on their faces as they slowly sank back into their seats.

“Do I need to break your bones one by one to get an explanation? Or are you going to sit still?”

“Haha…”

“L-Look, when that avalanche hit, we figured if we acted like we were buried, we could slip away… we wouldn’t have been much use up there anyway… survival is the priority, right?”

“I did find it strange that an entire squad disappeared in a single snowslide…”

They hadn’t perished; they had simply deserted.

“And despite running away, you actually had the gall to come back here and try to claim your wages?”

Worthless curs.

Having already felt the sting of a hero’s betrayal, Granada was in no mood for more. To him, this was no different—his own subordinates turning their backs and abandoning their commander.

“Captain! We don’t have your strength, we had to look out for ourselves!”

“The Erjest Mountains were a death trap for men like us from the start.”

In truth, the Red Hawk Mercenary Corps wasn’t incompetent. Though they only numbered about twenty, every member was at least a mid-tier combatant. If they weren’t, Berge never would have paid the premium to hire them.

As Granada’s expression soured, a woman seated at the table with the deserters spoke up.

“Are you the leader of the Red Hawk Mercenary Corps?”

“Did I somehow recruit a new member without being informed?”

Even as he retorted, it was obvious she didn’t belong. Her attire was far too refined for a sellsword—she looked more like a knight of high standing.

“It is a pleasure. I am the hero Kaede. And you must be the renowned elf, Granada.”

Her vibrant blonde hair framed eyes like emeralds, and her presence was commanding. Beyond her undeniable beauty, she radiated an aura of significant power.

“A hero…?”

“That’s right, Boss. This lady hero here bought us a massive spread just so she could ask a few questions.”

“Join us for a drink, Captain!”

The mercenaries tried to steer the conversation away from their cowardice, but a single look from Granada silenced them. He shifted his attention back to the woman, his voice slightly more composed.

“Why is a hero loitering in Hortonwork?”

“I came to participate in the hero’s quest.”

“Then you…”

“I am aware. I arrived too late.”

Kaede gave a small, regretful shake of her head.

“Certain complications prevented me from arriving on schedule. However, I held out hope that there might still be a role for me, so I traveled all this way.”

By the time she reached the town, Wharton and several others from the party had already come back down. The mission was effectively over. She felt a twinge of remorse, yet she had seen one remaining possibility.

“Hillun the Hero was still up on the heights. I didn’t want to rush up there without intelligence, so I was consulting with these gentlemen.”

“Right, we were part of the quest before we headed back, remember?”

“You retreated before the fight even started.”

“Ahem.”

Bark let out a strained cough.

“If you were looking for insight into the mission, you’ve been talking to the wrong people,” Granada said bluntly. “These are my men, but I’m ashamed to say they ran before they ever saw a real blade.”

“I suspected as much. Their information was remarkably vague.”

The mercenaries winced.

“But I believe my fortune has changed,” she continued.

“And why is that?”

“Because I have encountered you, Granada.”

“That isn’t good luck. It’s quite the opposite.”

“Excuse me?”

“I stayed by Hillun Kagil’s side until the very end. Why do you think I’m standing here now?”

“…It can’t be.”

Her features went rigid.

“It can. The quest was a failure. Hillun Kagil and the rest have officially retreated.”

“That is impossible…”

“Hillun took a teleportation gate to another region immediately. An official bulletin will be released soon. We failed; we didn’t even lay eyes on the Demon King’s Tower.”

“…Would you be willing to tell me exactly what happened?”

“Well… my information isn’t free…”

“Whatever the cost! I will pay it!”

The desperation in her eyes made it difficult for Granada to simply walk away.

—

“…I cannot believe it.”

Throughout Granada’s retelling, Kaede’s mind fought against every word.

“The Demon King’s Tower isn’t at the peak? That has never been the case in history.”

“It hasn’t happened before—but can you guarantee it never will? I am the living evidence.”

“……”

This was the danger of assumptions. When the fundamental truths of the world are upended, the impact is devastating. It proved Berge was a strategist of genius for disregarding the established rules of the Demon Kings and rewriting the script entirely.

“Regardless, we found a whole lot of nothing, and the mission is dead. My advice? Forget being a hero for a while and find a new hobby.”

“…I suppose you are correct.”

She couldn’t rewrite the past.

“It was a privilege to meet the legendary Granada.”

“What’s your next move?”

“For a hero, there is only one road…”

“Welcome!”

The tavern door swung open for new customers—figures in heavy cloaks that obscured their forms, looking like standard-issue mercenaries.

Except…

*They’re high-level…*

Their presence stood out immediately, drawing Granada’s focus.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Just a bit of food stuck in my throat.”

Kaede leaned over, letting out a soft cough. Despite the act, her complexion didn’t change.

“Anyway…”

She cleared her throat once more.

“I’ll head to the hero’s guild to see if there is any work.”

“There won’t be anything of this scale for a long time.”

Typical hero contracts involved clearing a few floors, not a full-scale assault on a Demon King. Missions of this magnitude only cropped up when the stakes were absolute—like when a royal heir is abducted.

“It can’t be helped. Oh, I’ll settle the tab as promised. Please, enjoy yourselves.”

Kaede tossed several silver coins onto the table and departed.

*A classic novice,* Granada thought.

Talent without the resolve to temper it. They leaned too heavily on their natural gifts, hunted for reputation, and usually ended up in a heap of trouble.

“Stay put.”

“Ahaha…”

“We actually have things to do…”

Bark and his crew, who had tried to sneak out behind her, were forced back into their chairs by Granada’s command.

“Why did you desert?”

“W-We didn’t want to die?”

“…Be straight with me—the mountain was too much for you, wasn’t it?”

Sellswords lived on their names and reliability. They had their own brand of honor, but very few were willing to commit suicide for it. Granada didn’t judge them too harshly for wanting to live. Erjest was a monster; if they had stayed, they would likely be frozen corpses by now.

The only one who might have actually made it… was their leader, Bark.

“Fine, let’s say your excuses hold water. But that isn’t why I’m annoyed.”

“Eh?”

“You spineless cowards. You were actually plotting behind my back to abandon me, your own captain?”

“That part…?” Bark fumbled for words. “Do you think I have a spare life? Aside from the Demon King, who in their right mind thinks Erjest isn’t a death trap?”

Even Hillun had been pushed to his limits—if he had stayed any longer, fatigue would have finished him.

“But Captain, you…”

“Quiet.”

Granada cut Bark off, his eyes shifting toward the back of the room. The suspicious individuals who had been lingering in the corner stood up, radiating a subtle but sharp hostility. They hadn’t been mercenaries from the start.

*Are they after Kaede?*

It looked incredibly shady. She had looked like a cornered animal when they walked in.

*What did she get herself into?*

Some heroes were arrogant and invited trouble wherever they went. But Kaede hadn’t given off that vibe.

*Not my problem.*

He was here on orders to rebuild a unit using his new reputation. He had a mountain of logistics to handle—no time for side quests.

*“We have located the target. Hortonwork south plaza, approximately 500 meters west. She just exited the ‘Orc’s Dance.’ Close in immediately.”*

It was a faint murmur, protected by a specialized sound-muffling field. But it wasn’t enough to escape the sensitive ears of an elf.

*Her Highness?*

That title meant royalty.

*…A princess?*

It wasn’t unheard of for blue-bloods to take up the mantle of a hero, but it was rare. Usually, their status as a royal took precedence over their duties as a savior. Unless they reached the pinnacle of fame, their political value was simply too high. For a princess to be wandering alone as a hero… she should have been surrounded by a legion of protectors. In fact, her family likely would have forbidden it entirely.

*I can’t just ignore this.*

Curiosity won the battle against logic. Granada stood up.

“H-Hey? Where are you going?”

“I’ll be back. If you run while I’m gone, the consequences will be unpleasant.”

Leaving the stuttering Bark behind, he stepped out into the street. The targets had already vanished into the crowd.

*That won’t stop me.*

Granada closed his eyes, focusing his elven hearing to filter out the city’s noise. More communications were coming through. He tracked the sound of disciplined, rhythmic footsteps.

*Found you.*

He grabbed a cheap mask from a roadside stall. He layered a minor perception-altering spell over it—nothing as complex as a full transformation, but enough to stay anonymous. His gut told him: don’t get involved in this using your real face.

He moved past the plaza, down the main street, and toward the back alleys where the groups were converging. He could hear the faint ring of steel and the sounds of a struggle.

In a shadowed, narrow alleyway that smelled of neglect and damp earth, a group of men in the same garb he’d seen earlier had surrounded Kaede.

“Identify yourselves.”

*Shing—*

A man acting as a guard spotted Granada and drew his weapon. The steel was of exquisite quality, gleaming with a pure white light. Granada raised his hands and walked forward slowly.

“Heard some noise, thought I’d check it out.”

“While wearing a mask like that?”

“Just a precaution. You lot look suspicious. And that blade? That’s not a mercenary’s weapon.”

“Get lost.” The man snarled. “This doesn’t concern you. Walk away and forget what you saw. Or…”

“Or what?” Granada smirked, noticing the man’s posture stiffen. “Are you going to murder an innocent witness?”

“We aren’t what you think. This is your final warning—leave. No further mercy will be shown.”

In an instant, dozens of blades were unsheathed. The air grew heavy with a killing intent so sharp it felt like needles against the skin.

“I’d love to leave,” Granada’s mouth curved into a grin. “But my employer has a significant interest in this matter.”

“Your employer?”

“That woman.” He gestured toward Kaede. “The princess, right?”

“Die.”

A flash of light erupted.

*Slash—*

A lock of Granada’s hair was severed. Before the strands even touched the dirt, the sword was humming toward him again.

*Clang—*

Granada’s blade, drawn in a blur, vibrated with the impact. He had blocked it, but the weight of the blow was immense. The sheer force sent him stumbling back, and he grit his teeth at the unexpected power of the strike.

*This guy is no joke!*

Unlike the others, this man was masking his true strength, slipping past Granada’s initial assessment. Granada fully drew his weapon, his aura-infused blade shattering into hundreds of glowing fragments that swirled like autumn leaves.

“Trivial parlor tricks.”

The man swung his sword in a wide arc. A wave of spatial distortion tore through the air, shredding the glowing leaves and appearing instantly in front of Granada’s face.

*Clang—*

The strike broke through his defense, throwing him back ten meters. Before he could recover, a massive overhead swing came crashing down. Granada’s boots dug furrows into the ground as he braced himself. A secondary shockwave rattled his ribs.

*Dammit.*

A thin trail of blood escaped his lips. The initial surprise had put him on the defensive.

*Should I go all out?*

If he did, he’d reveal his identity. Elven magic was distinct and easily traced back to him. If word got out that Granada was involved, Berge’s intricate plans would be jeopardized. His best move was to retreat.

But could he? He was facing an elite combatant with a small army at his back. Turning his back now would be suicide.

*Fine. I’ll just have to kill everyone.*

Granada’s eyes turned cold and murderous. Survival came before the mission. He could apologize to the Demon King later—but he couldn’t do that if he was a corpse. If there were no survivors, there were no witnesses. He would slaughter them all and use the spirits to wipe any trace of the battle from the earth.

At that exact moment—

*Thwack—*

“…?”

The warrior who had been pinning Granada down suddenly coughed up blood and was sent flying. A pillar of black fire erupted, cutting the man off from his subordinates. The mercenaries caught in the blaze screamed in agony as the dark flames consumed them.

“I figured you were running late for a reason.”

The voice drifted down from above. Everyone looked up. Slowly, almost lazily, a figure descended from the sky.

“Wasting time in a gutter like this.”

“…Wasting time? Do you not see the state I’m in?”

“A little spit will fix those scratches. Stop being dramatic.”

“I didn’t realize your saliva was a holy elixir.”

“Do you want to die?”

“Actually, yes. I’ll shut up now.”

It was a total bluff. Granada let out a dry, relieved laugh. Berge’s cold gaze swept over the remaining men.

“Who is this trash bothering my servant?”

“Subordinate, not servant. It sounds much better.”

“I have the contract right here.”

“No, you don’t!”

“Ah, that’s right—I ripped it up. But the intent remained.”

“…Why are you even here?”

“I didn’t come to rescue you. I didn’t think you’d be pathetic enough to need it.”

“…I never asked for help.”

“It’s just a coincidence.”

“A coincidence?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you honestly expect me to believe that?”

“Believe whatever you want.”