Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

105 – Lem, Mr. Popular

「Whoa…this is…I knew my eye’s weren’t playing tricks on me.」

The world’s 3rd ranked Hero is touching me all over.

「Uhm…? …Long time no see, Hervor.」

「Call me Herv. I told you that last time, Lem. But yeah, it’s been a long time. Still…I didn’t ask you last time, but you’ve trained a lot, huh? I don’t see a lot of Black Sorcerers that look like…you.」

「Uhm…sigh, thanks. I’m getting kinda ticklish and uh…people are starting to stare so…uhm…」

「The only thing I don’t like about you is your strangely reserved manner of speaking. Everything should be appropriate. I don’t want you to act like a big-mouthed fish, but I also think it’s boring to be strong yet too humble. You should behave accordingly.」

She smacks me in the small of my back, hard.

「…Thank you very much. I’ll be more careful.」

The Hero of the Cursed Sword Hervo-…Herv is twenty eight this year.

Fenix is 4th ranked but is twenty-years-old so you might get the wrong idea, but that’s actually really young.

In this industry, there are active Heroes who are even older than Aerial, who is forty-two-years-old this year.

Within the top ten parties, the only people in their twenties are Herv and Fenix, which should tell you just how amazing they are.

Furthermore, Fenix has been 4th rank for two years, but she entered the top ten when she was eighteen, and stayed in there ever since. And now she’s 3rd rank.

A well-toned body with healthy tanned skin. Her hair is gray and is surprisingly well groomed. Most people might know this, but she doesn’t do it herself. It’s well known that her party members are in charge of taking care of this troublesome Herv.

Her pale blue-gray eyes are full of life, and you can tell from her appearance that she is not an average person.

「Big sis! You-you shouldn’t go around touching a man like that!」

A female Martial Artist from the same party grabbed onto Herv’s waist and pulled her away from me.

「I don’t care if it’s a man or woman. I like strong people.」

「I-I’m strong too!」

「I know.」

Herv says as she pats her on the head, causing the woman to melt and lose all strength.

It’s also well known that the 3rd rank party is all female.

「Whoa, you say some cool things, Herv. I think the same way, strength is what’s important!」

I don’t recognize the boy who stepped in front of me.

I don’t recognize the little girl trailing behind him either.

「Nice to meet ya, Lem. I’m Wraith. I’m the one who asked the old man to call you. The reason is…I want you to be mine!」

A…handsome boy of about ten years of age is asking me to be his.

「……Huh?」

How did things come to this-

◇

It all started with the message I got from Aerial.

Ordinary people use it a lot too, but to Adventurers, it is a necessity.

For Adventurers who travel all around the world, an e-Mail Address is the only fixed contact address they have.

Although you do need a Terminal and an Internet connection, it’s possible to keep in contact.

Since each person gets their own, you can continue to use it even after you were, say, kicked out of a party or had your Adventurer records erased.

Since my address has not changed, it is not strange to receive a message from a former acquaintance.

Recently, Nicola would send me messages frequently. When I was on a business trip, Milla would send me countless messages in a day.

And then there’s…well, Fenix. He doesn’t send as much as the time I left the party but he still keeps in touch sometimes.

There was a Terminal in my master’s house but because he doesn’t want to deal with people, he doesn’t have an Address. I think maybe he used to have one once, but I’m not sure…

That’s why I contact him via letters.

So, the message I got from Aerial.

He said that he was coming to the town where the Demon King Castle is and he’d like to meet up, if I was still there.

「He’s already on his way. Well, I supposed he does have to coordinate with the other parties and whatnot.」

The Demon King Castle dormitories have a Terminal placed in every apartment. They treat us a little too well.

I continue reading the message…there seems to be someone he wants to introduce me to.

It’s a great honor to be invited, so I’ll make time for it. After work.

「Who is it from?」

Milla peeked at the screen from behind me.

「Oh it’s from Aerial.」

「Oh my, from the 1st rank. He is a nice man, is he not? The commentary he gave during the tournament was also great. This time we will be enemies though.」

「Ahaha, right? It seems he’s already in town.」

「Is that so? It is said that when a famous party comes, people gather from other cities to see them. If you become a member in the raid battle of the Demon King Castle, things will get quite troublesome.」

「I’m sure it’ll have a huge economic impact.」

With just a few eye-witness reports posted online, passionate fans will come flocking in.

There were a lot of chasers like that for Fenix too. I should say, there still are.

This time, it seems an official announcement was sent, things are going to get crazy.

…Laying the groundworks to have a fund raiser or something with the incoming influx of people is probably one of Fellow’s plans.

「So, is this a dinner invite?」

「Yeah, something like that. He says that there’s someone he wants me to meet.」

「…Is that so? I wonder if it’s a woman.」

Some coldness was mixed into Milla’s words.

「No no, I…I don’t think it’s anything like that. He’s seen you with me prior to this.」

There’s no such thing as a senior introducing their sad, lonely junior to a potential lover.

「Fufufu…I do wonder when the misunderstanding will turn into reality.」

Milla gently puts her hands on my shoulders.

「Please let me know once the date has been decided. I’ll have to make dinner for one on that day.」

「Sure…Would you like to come, Milla?」

「Thank you very much. But I’ll pass.」

Milla is self-conscious about being a Vampire, and walking next to Lem, the Adventurer.

She usually disguises herself, but Aerial saw through it.

So she probably thinks that other Adventurers could do the same.

「…I don’t mind, you know? I participated in the tournament with Berith after all.」

「If you introduce me as your lover, I will go with you.」

「Ah-…」

「I’m kidding. I have my own state of affairs.」

「Is…that so?」

「Yes.」

On the day of the event, we had a conversation.

Aerial wasn’t the only one in the appointed bar. There was Herv and party, the 5th ranked party and the handsome young boy.

And now we return to the present.

「I saw the tournament. It was cool. It was amazing how you beat the Demon King Castle’s Big Four!」

「Thank you…very much. Uhm…Mr.Wraith, was it?」

The boy’s eyebrows twitched.

Both his hair and eyes were as deep blue as the sea itself. His ten-year-old face and body had the lingering remnants of childhood on them. Perhaps more blessed than the average.

Also, I can sense the tremendous potential of his Magical Energy organ.

Usually people would keep it hidden but he doesn’t seem to have plans to do anything of the sort.

「…Whoa, nice. Really nice. You show respect to even a brat like me?」

「If you’re an Adventurer, doesn’t that make us peers? You’ve stopped being a normal kid by being here, so it’s only natural.」

Age doesn’t matter in this line of work.

If you’re here as an Adventurer, it would be rude to treat you as anything but.

「I’m getting more and more interested in ya.」

「Sigh…so, about what you mentioned earlier.」

「Aren’t ya…no, aren’t you unemployed right now?」

「Correct.」

「Join my party! Did you know that I’m the Water Hero? You’re strong. So you’re qualified. Would you like to become the strongest with me?」