Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

Chapter 244

244 – Surely, It Won’t End With a Mistake

I return from my Avatar to my real body.

The device capable of transferring consciousness, the Cocoon, opens and I sit upright.

I’m in a…I suppose you could call it a private room.

A vast space surrounded by pure white walls.

Since there are many participants of a race with a larger size as compared with Normals, like in our party, rooms like this are made to accommodate giant members.

It’s a waiting room unique to Magical Energy spaces.

In fact, it’s so tall that Melania would have no problems standing upright.

Her Cocoon is quite large. It seems she is using one meant for Giants since there isn’t one specifically for Half-Giants.

As I met my allies face to face in the waiting room, we praised each other as we celebrated our victory.

Josh looked embarrassed, Melania’s face was bright red, yet they still gave the impression that they were proud of themselves and happy.

It’s hard to be confident in yourself without anything to gauge yourself by.

This is why, to many people, results are important.

The first time you see the fruits of your labor, you can safely think that you weren’t wrong in your decisions.

The first time you get recognition, you feel rewarded.

Right now, that’s what the Wraith party is feeling.

While we were basking in the victory…a portion of the pure white wall slowly slides open.

「What’s that?」

Glancing at the people coming in, Wraith said with barely any interest.

「It’s the interview crew. They told us about this, dude. Don’t you remember?」

It’s new to me, but Josh doesn’t speak formally when he talks to Wraith. He’s formal when speaking with Fran, so I wonder if it has nothing to do with age?

Either way, Josh is being natural, so nothing feels off.

「Ah, right, right.」

「Man… Exposing ourselves to the world is, like, an important part of being an Adventurer.」

「You’re right, this comes with this job. Well, then let’s have our victory celebration after the interview.」

During the time we were talking, the preparations for the interview were proceeding.

The cameras, the interviewers, and, of course, the board they put behind people during interviews are set up.

It’s the same sort of partition screen they put up for the post-game interviews with sports athletes.

This time, it was lined up with the logos of all the companies that financed the All-Heaven Festival Contest.

The interviewers were a female Normal and a male Giant. As expected by something that labels itself as a fight to decide the strongest regardless of race, appropriate staff were recruited to tackle winners of any race.

Although he is actively trying to end Dungeon Clears, I thought this was a very civil way to go about this. As expected of Fellow, who wishes to abolish injustice and discrimination towards Jobs and races.

Wraith was his usual chatty self, Fran was her usual silent self, Josh was slightly nervous, and Melania seemed to be in a panic and kept getting tongue-tied.

I think I was able to reply pretty fluently.

This is partway through the interview.

「However, it became very clear from your score in the preliminaries that contestant Lem had contributed a frightening amount. Is it true that you have undergone special training?」

「Thank you very much. I wouldn’t say it’s special but…yes. I don’t neglect a single day of training.」

It’s clearly different from the norm, but if I explain it, the topic would shift to the person who taught me this training method, in other words, my master, so I avoid explaining further.

「I see! It’s all about perseverance! Amazing. Oh, speaking of which, a party made up of only Black Sorcerers made an appearance in the same venue, what do you think about them, contestant Lem?」

「…What…do I think?」

Promptly picking up on the stiffness in my voice, the female interviewer glossed over it by continuing in a cheerful voice.

「No, it’s just that they are a group of just support types, yet they passed the preliminaries, which garnered them some attention! And now contestant Lem, a Black Sorcerer, is garnering the most attention currently, I just wanted to know what your thoughts were about them…!」

I sensed no ill will from her words. It’s possible that she is genuinely curious.

They have a tale of their own. I also feel that I shouldn’t talk about things that I know.

But at the same time, it’s the truth that I am very grateful for the people like Milla and Aerial who thought highly of me when the rest of the world didn’t after I left the Fenix party.

「This is an assumption, but they are all excellent Black Sorcerers.」

I then mentioned the current state of the Black Sorcerers, the difficulties of continuing to train while working without a party, and praised their efforts in overcoming these difficulties to get to that point.

「I-I see. …So, if you were to face them, who would win?」

That question has no malice behind it, but I do think it is a little mean.

「We would.」

I declare. After a short pause, I continue.

「At that time, we were lying in wait while setting up the rain spell. Because we believed that the Carmilla party would be our final opponent. But that isn’t because we believed that party to be weak. They are very strong people, but they also made a mistake.」

「Mistake…? May I ask what it was?」

It was something very, very obvious.

「A Black Sorcerer is a support role.」

Although, that didn’t seem to be enough to properly convey what I meant.

「R-right. That’s…uh, certainly not wrong. However, they accompanied that with what is known as a Second Job that they polished and passed the preliminaries…」

「On an individual basis, there is nothing wrong with that method. In fact, even I am polishing my sword skills. However…uhm, I don’t mean to use myself as an example, but…」

「No, no, please go on.」

She said, genuinely curious.

「I started fighting with a sword during a certain Tag Tournament-」

「Where you participated alongside the Silver Sands Strong Arm Miss Berith, yes? She appeared later on in the Demon King Castle Raid Battle.」

This isn’t so much a confirmation as it is more of an explanation for the sake of those watching this. I give a small nod and continue talking.

「There is one thing that has stuck with me since that time. During the investigation of the Original Dungeon and this All-Heaven Festival Contest as well.」

「And that is?」

「To not misunderstand.」

「Misunderstand…?」

「Yes. That we Black Sorcerers are a support Job. Our main role is the support our allies, and to have the adequate ability in service of that. Working hard to hone abilities besides that is not wrong. It is a wonderful thing to be able to broaden your options and I think it’s a wonderful direction to strive in. But…those in combat Jobs are also working hard.」

The interviewer doesn’t seem to have really gotten it yet.

Wraith was smiling happily.

「When we train with the sword, first-class combat Job Adventurers are also continuing their training. As for combat technique, we will surely never be able to catch up in neither Aptitude or amount of effort they put in in our lifetime.」

We also have our Black Magic to train. It’s absolutely impossible to train our martial arts as much as the combat types do.

「I…I see…?」

「So if we want to be Adventurers, we have to find allies who will fight for us. Even if they are a Black Sorcerer who can use a sword or a Black Sorcerer who can handle a bow, it doesn’t change the fact that we are a support role. Only when we have main attackers to support does our true worth shine.」

「…」

I could see the interviewer’s body shaking.

「There may be many scenes of me, a Black Sorcerer, confronting foes alone. But I believe that I can only effectively do so because I have strong allies.」

Impatient enemies who try to finish me off first but then my allies come running in.

Cautious enemies who are wary of being on the receiving end of my Black Magic in addition to the powerful party members.

Even if I get locked into a temporary one-on-one battle, my foe has the mindset of either one of the two enemies stated previously.

And if they don’t, I have allies who will come to my aid.

I can fight because I have such strong allies.

My skill with the blade is far from top-notch, but it becomes effective.

「I think I know just how difficult it is in an Adventurer industry where Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers are treated coldly. If we could easily find allies, we wouldn’t struggle. They must have put together this party as a result of their worries. I did say that this formation is mistaken, but I do not think that this attempt was meaningless.」

「Because the usefulness of Black Sorcerers was proven by this battle or the points acquired in the preliminaries, yes?」

The interviewer exclaimed happily as if she had just solved a difficult puzzle.

I also naturally smile back.

There wasn’t the slightest color of doubt in her eyes anymore.

Failure is inevitable in life. There isn’t anyone who is free from mistakes.

But making a mistake isn’t the end of the world.

What do you do or what can you do after making a mistake?

Can our attempt be turned into something meaningful?

That’s where it matters.

「Seeing their success would surely make Adventurers think. They can start imagining. What if we were to add a Black Sorcerer that could fight? They might think the following if they saw our Josh in action. How would our party change if we had a White Sorcerer who could fight?」

Everyone’s opinions won’t suddenly change.

But it’s all fine if it changes little by little.

The Aerial party that got to 1st rank with a White Sorcerer, the Fenix party that got to 4th rank while employing a Black Sorcerer, and the Ellie party that has two White Sorcerers and two Black Sorcerers that is within the top 100 parties.

There are those who continue to this day not being bound by common sense. There are even those that are affected by them.

Just like that, there will be an ever-so-slight increase in people who hold a different perception.

I’m sure their struggle has contributed enough to that.

「This time, we didn’t run into them. Still, the results of their daily hard work have shown today just how big a role support Jobs plays. That…is what I think of them.」

「…! I see! I see!! In that case, you just might be the same, contestant Lem! A shining ray of hope for all Black Sorcerers!」

For a moment, I was dumbfounded.

I looked to my allies and they were nodding, smiling, and laughing in agreement with the interviewer.

I think back to what I said.

I suddenly get really embarrassed, scratch my cheek and give a lame smile.

「Ah…well…if…if that is what you think, then I…I am extremely happy.」

After that, the interview finished without a hitch.

The deeply inspired interviewer asked for a handshake, then we started packing our things to head home.

Visitors arrived as soon as the interview crew left.

「Black Sorcerer Lem, just now, you-」

「Lord Lem…!!!」

「Ngyaaah…!!」