Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

107 – A Gathering of the Strong 1

I was called to a tavern that specifically caters to Adventurers.

When I actually went there, it was rented out and everyone there, besides me, were participants in the raid.

Not every member of a participant’s party was here, there are a few who didn’t attend.

All the Heroes are here and I was caught by Herv when I was thinking about saying hello to Aerial.

And now, that Aerial is standing behind Wraith.

「I’m sorry about him, Lem.」

「No, it’s…it’s fine.」

「Yeah. We were just talkin’.」

「Knowing you, I bet you invited him to join your party out of the blue after just meeting him.」

「Guh…and what if I did?」

「If you did that, anyone would be baffled at your sudden invitation.」

「That’s why I told him that he can give me an answer later.」

Looking at them, I feel like they know each other very well.

Like they’ve known each other for far longer than a day or two…

「Pardon me for asking but, have you two known each other for a long time…?」

「Oho, very astute of you.」

「The old man’s a little too friendly with me, ain’t he?」

bonk

「Stop hitting me!」

Says Wraith, but I’m pretty sure he could dodge it if he wanted to. I suppose choosing not to dodge it is accepting his part of the exchange.

「He’s the son of my friend. Through that connection, we’ve met countless times since he was little.」

「Not friend. Enemy.」

「I think of him as a friend.」

「That’s ’cause you’re the winner.」

For a moment, Aerial’s expression was sad, but it soon returned to a smile.

「…He-. No, not now.」

「Hmph. Yeah, I guess so.」

Wraith agreed with a bored-looking face.

His father must have been an Adventurer.

Enemy makes you think that he’s a Monster, but Wraith is a Normal.

It’s not totally impossible that he might be a Human Monster like me, but it’s more natural to assume that he’s an Adventurer rather than consider an exception like mine.

Besides, if he was an Adventurer, it would explain the sense of deja vu I feel whenever I look at Wraith’s face.

I’ve seen his father in a Clear video before. I just can’t remember who.

「It doesn’t matter who my father is or who he knows!」

Says Wraith, but something tells me he doesn’t mean it.

As soon as his dad became the topic of discussion, he became emotional.

「Again with that…Nevermind. Anyway, Lem.」

「Yes.」

「The person I want to introduce you to was this boy. I think you’ve heard it already, but he’s been insisting on asking you to become his ally.」

「Don’t talk about me like I’m some selfish kid.」

「But you are a selfish kid.」

「…Don’t think that you’ll be No.1 forever, old man.」

「I’m always looking forward to a threat. The appearance of a rival that pushes each other to higher heights is a wonderful thing.」

「I hate that calm composure of yours.」

「I see, I see, and you’re my cute little disciple.」

Disciple…?!

「I’m not your disciple.」

「Hmm, you asked me so earnestly to train you, did you not?」

「That wasn’t training…! Those were matches…!」

「Hah hah hah, then it was a complete victory for me.」

「…I’ll have the last laugh in the end.」

「I look forward to that.」

From what I’m hearing, it sounds like he would train with Aerial sometimes even before he found out his Job.

Aerial’s a busy man so they probably didn’t have a normal master-disciple relationship. He most definitely entertained Wraith whenever he visited his friend’s house.

It is a circumstance that all Adventurers would envy.

However, that alone is frightening.

Aerial has always put all his effort into nurturing promising Adventurers.

If their timing matched, he’d train Fenix as well.

Would he train Wraith simply because he is the son of a friend? If he did, would it be something more gentle for children?

Although Aerial is known to joke around, to go so far as to call him his disciple…

If he received sword and magic training since he was a child before even confirming his Job…

Just how far does Wraith’s quick wit go-

「…What a noisy brat. Please shut him up, Aerial.」

Said the man who stood up while holding a glass.

Blond with yellow eyes. Sharp and expressionless.

The Thunderclap Hero Scathach.

「Sorry about that, mister 4th rank. Oops, my mistake…mister 5th rank. The Flame Hero party knocked you down a rank, didn’t they?」

…Wraith.

Sure, it’s not nice to call your peer a brat either, but…

「…You sure bark a lot for a brat who doesn’t know a thing about the world.」

「Can you become strong if you do?」

「You’re probably flying high having been chosen by one of the Four Great Spirit, but don’t look down on Adventurers.」

「Ah, there seems to be a misunderstanding. This Spirit is just a spectator. I don’t intend to use Spirit Magic. All I said was『Anyone who wants to see me win, follow me!』and it came. So you see, former mister 4th rank. I was always like this.」

He doesn’t intend…to use Spirit Magic?

…It’s true that the Four Great Spirits don’t often choose a contractor, and when they do, it’s for peculiar reasons.

Even the Fire Spirit signed a contract with Fenix, who was not interested in being a Hero at all at that time.

So it’s not strange for a Spirit to show interest in a Hero who doesn’t plan on borrowing it’s power at all.

For a moment, I thought the air was vibrating. But no, it was Scathach’s Magical Energy leaking out.

He’s an adult though, so he quickly calmed down.

「Aerial, are you sure about putting this brat in? We can’t win like this.」

「Hmm, your concern is reasonable, Scathach. But if you saw him in an actual fight, you’d understand.」

「You’re willing to go that far?」

「I guarantee it.」

「…I understand.」

There are four Heroes in this tavern.

Everyone except Wraith has been seen through the TV screen.

That Wraith is a possessor of strength enough to have the 1st rank guarantee his usefulness.

Thinking as the Demon King Army Chief of Staff, I am in the middle of enemy territory right now.

In my head, I’m thinking about how I can win with my allies.