A Warrior Exiled by the Hero and His Lover

Looking down is my former best friend, Sain.

He looked at me in a daze.

What's with that face? Wondering why I'm here?

Sure, it may be a surprise to see the warrior you got rid of because you thought he was a liability back on the battlefield.

But after all you've done, isn't it perfectly natural for me to be angry?

"You killed Denas, with one blow... That's impossible."

“ ..................”

"Even I, the hero, could not land a single blow. I fought again and again, got hurt many times...And you.... You killed him with a single blow."

Sain staggers to his feet.

Hid sword is still in his right hand.

With his left hand, he wipes the blood dripping from the edge of his mouth.

His eyes did not reflect warmth, not how you would expect to see a former friend.

They were full of murderous intent.

"I see... Toru is part of the Manyu Brigade. I don't know how you got that power, but I'm guessing you've been interfering with my plans all this time out of spite for me taking Lisa away from you."

"......What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me! You kept messing up my plans over and over again! Were you so disappointed that I'd taken Lisa away from you? That's right, you promised to marry her! But it's too late now, Lisa's all mine!"

I could see the madness in his big, unblinking eyes.

As I look in front of me, I don't see the Sain I once knew.

No, this was his true nature.

He was always just playing the role of a kind and trustworthy leader.

Every time he spoke, there was an ugly face under his valiant mask.

Lisa and the woman who appeared to be their new companion were silent.

"Nei and Soara have told me everything. I also know that you are the bearer of the 'demonic eye of seduction'."

"You ran into those two!?"

"Yes, and they are both well, safe and sound. I have removed the curse you put on them."

"Ugh."

Sain's face twists in anger.

It's as if he wants to say, 'Why are you here?'

"I want to know something - why did you betray your childhood friends and toy with all of us?"

"Why? Do you really have to ask? I wanted it all! Money, fame, women, status! I wanted it all for myself alone!!! And i also wanted to see you cry and scream because i stole something you deeply cherish ed in this world! Hahahaha!"

Sain ran to Lisa, grabbed her by the arm and came back.

Then he put his hand around her waist to show off.

Her eyes flushed with amusement, the corners of her mouth turned up sharply.

It was as if he was waiting for me to get angry.

However, I remain expressionless.

"Hey, what's up, man? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should be crying your eyes out in front of me."

“ ............”

I looked Lisa in the face.

Her appearance hasn't changed at all, he's remained the same since the day I left.

Now I looked at myself coldly.

"Lisa, you've been brainwashed."

"Yes, but it's okay. I'm in love with Sain."

"Don't you wish to be free of that curse?"

"No, I want a hero like Sain. Not a simple traveler like you."

Sain immediately swung his sword at my neck.

Reflexively, I turned my upper body to avoid the attack and flew backwards to get away from him.

"You're going to die here, Toru! Your death will be your apology for getting in my way!"

"That's not going to happen. You are going to apologize to Nei, Soara and Lisa for the things you do. You can't kill me."

"You stupid fucker!"

Kicking hard off the ground, Sain jumped up and tried to swing his sword from above diagonally.

.....Only for Kaede, who had quickly stepped between Sein and me, to drive her fist into his face with all her might.

He flew through the air and rolled across the ground roughly.

"'How can you not understand the pain of my master! Betrayed by his best friend, deprived of his lover, deprived of his childhood friends, and yet that gentle heart is still trying to believe in you!"

"Ugh, how dare you..."

"I feel disgusted! To know that my master has been hurt by the madness of such a vile man!"

"Thank you... Kaede..."

I looked at Kaede again and she was crying.

She threw herself into my arms and hugged me.

I didn't know that. I didn't know she felt so much pain for me.

I can't help but feel a great deal of happiness.

It seems that meeting Kaede has saved my life.

"I'm glad you feel that way, but this is something I have to finish on my own."

"I understand. I couldn't help it, my body acted on it's own."

I leave Kaede and turn to Lisa.

I took the bottle out of my pocket and removed the cap.

This liquid will check if Lisa has been brainwashed.

I need to confirm this.

I poured the potion over Lisa's head.

If you have been brainwashed, you should glow light pink.

"Master. That person..."

"What's wrong?"

"That person does not have any abnormalities."

What?

I looked back at Lisa to check.

Lisa had a slight smile on her face.

But her body did not shine at all.

It's not possible, I thought she was brainwashed.

"You'll be glad to hear this. Yes, it was my own decision to leave you."

"Have you been pretending all this time that you've been brainwashed...?"

"You are unusually insightful. But in a way, you're wrong."

Lisa hits me in the abdomen with her cane and whispers to me.

"I never liked you in the first place."

There was a roar, and an intense heat followed by a shock that sent me flying.

For a moment, I didn't know what had been done to me, but I soon realized that powerful magic had been unleashed.

I was slammed to the ground on my back while covered in smoke.

Kaede's face appeared in my vision.

"Are you all right, Master!? I'm going to heal you!"

"I'm sorry."

I got up and stood my ground.

When I looked at my clothes, they were burned around my abdomen.

The damage was controlled, probably thanks to my skills and the holy armor.

What I don't believe is the power of that magic.

I'm sure Lisa has never shown magic on this level before.

"You're not dead. So your level is higher than I thought."

"Lisa, why did you attack me?"

"It's irritating that your interfering with my plans. You've done your part, and now, you're back again."

"Plan?"

Frau finally showed up.

Probably because she were helping the soldiers, she was late in reaching the citadel.

She swoops down from the sky and looks at Lisa and me in turn.

"It was unpleasant to get here and... Hmmm. That woman..."

Frau wrinkles her forehead and stares at Lisa.

He widened his eyes and shouted; "detection!"

At that moment, Lisa's body trembles.

Particles of light detach from her body, and her shape changes from under his feet.

All this time. Lisa was in disguise.

What appears now is Lisa's true form.

The light stops emitting and the real Lisa smiles.

Her appearance is almost identical.

But the wizard-like clothing had changed, and she was now clad in a black dress.

In addition, she holds a terrifying cane in her right hand.

She gave me a provocative look and licked her purple lips dismissively.

"The Demon Lord!? And it's level 800?!"

"What?"

I couldn't believe my ears at Kaede's words.

Is Lisa the Demon Lord?

This is impossible.

Sain, who had gotten up, was also stunned by Lisa's appearance.

"Lisa, why?"

"You look surprised. Yes, I am the demon lord."

She approached Sain and gently placed a finger on the edge of his chin.

"I will give you everything. I will make you a king who will rule the world. And when I do, you will go down in history as a great hero capable of taking on the Demon Lord."

"I'm the only one who can defeat the Demon King...."

"It's a historic achievement. All humans will look up to you."

"Ku... I like it. I was looking forward to that for a long time."

Sain's face is tinged with joy.

But his smile is an ugly one belonging to someone hungry with desire.

Lisa faces me again.

"I finally understood what Soara was saying about you being a traitor."

"I felt something was wrong with her. Because she smelled exactly like me."

"So I'm the man who was dating the demon king?"

"No, you are the foolish warrior whose lover was snatched away by the hero."

So it was all an act, huh?

That joyous face and attitude with which she received my ring, was it all covered with lies?

And yet, I still wondered if what she had just said wasn't a lie.

I didn't want to believe that the woman I loved so deeply had betrayed me.

"Since you're here, I'll tell you something interesting."

She smiled and then muttered.

"I was the one who murdered your parents."