Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

72 – The Harsh Reality, the Far Away Dream

On the way back from the day I met Lem, after listening to Lem’s complaint, my brother said he would create an opportunity to listen to my words.

I was reminded of what Lem said, that my brother seemed to be worried about me.

At that time, I had misunderstood.

That he might just agree to my request.

There was no way he would do such a thing.

The next night. In other words, before I visited Lem.

I was in my brother’s room. The room where my brother is staying.

Everyone, except me, was already there.

「Eh…? Everyone is here as well.」

「Since this conversation would affect everyone, right?」

What I was worried about, my brother had seen through it all. Well, it’s not like I tried to hide it.

…Even though he would get our approval for the Dungeon Clear only after he’d done it, but this time, he called everyone. If the intelligence that leads a person to his own desired outcome is considered smart, then he is definitely smart. I can also call him cunning, but he’s certainly smart.

The Thief Leila, the Holy Paladin Mark, and Ruri who is both a Fairy and a Wizard.

And also, my older brother and me.

「You have something you’re worried about, right? Let’s hear about it.」

I was the stupid one for having even a little bit of expectation for my older brother.

Lem…this person is certainly not a bad guy, but his personality is bad.

Everyone’s eyes are focused on me. It’s hard to say it, but I don’t want to stay silent.

「I think Leila and Philip already knew about this, but originally…I liked a different way of fighting and also as everyone knows, my original personality is like this.」

After leaving the Training Institution, Leila and I formed a party with three other people.

However, we were completely unpopular during the first year and the other three people ended up transferring to another party.

At that time, Philip, whose party was dissolved at the same time, appeared in front of us along with the other remaining person, Ruri.

My brother and I realized that it’s not enough just to be strong.

Still, I tried to stick to the way I admired, but I got persuaded by him.

He said that I can do what I want to do after becoming popular. However, first of all, it’s necessary to get acknowledged by the public.

As a result, the Thief Princess to go with the Silver Prince, the Older Brother Who Protects The Prince, the Knight Who Protects The Prince, and the Fairy Who Took A Liking to the Prince’s Older Brother and Accompanies Them, the five-member group gained popularity.

Even though I did not change, the evaluation changed drastically just by changing the way it was shown.

「You once said that I can do what I want to do after I’ve become popular. We’re in the Top 100. I think that we can say that we have become a popular party.」

「So? You want to change your character now? I can’t say that it would be a wise choice.」

I knew you’d say that. That’s why I stayed silent. I stayed silent and worried over this.

「Aren’t Humans a being that wants to be liked by other people? You’ve acquired a charming mask after going through great pains, why do you want to throw it away? It’s much easier to live like this, compared to that time when nobody recognized us, when we had no presence at all.」

Ruri, who was on top of Philip’s shoulder, said that with a strange tone.

It might be easy to live like this, but it’s suffocating.

I want to be recognized, I want to be liked, I want to be respected. I don’t think that those motives are impure and I think it’s okay for people to have those as their goal.

However, there are also some people that want to become a person that they themselves would like, not a person that other people would like.

「Hmm, I’m always on your side but…since I know about the old days…」

Leila, who knows the frustrations of being unpopular, probably doesn’t want to go back to that time. I can understand that feeling.

It’s stable now. No, it’s not stable for the better. I get that our popularity is rising rapidly. The number of video views is increasing and our name recognition has also increased. After all, it’s great to be in the Top 100.

For example, even magazines that feature Adventurers often do the minimum introductions for the Top 100.

If we don’t have the opportunity to be seen by people, we can’t even get people to know about our strength.

「I will follow everyone’s decision.」

Mark is neutral.

The Holy Paladin is a Job that has an unpopular magic called White Magic, not only that, it is also inferior to Paladin in endurance. Therefore, our popularity will definitely drop by one rank.

A lot of people think that it’s better to have a Paladin.

That’s why he’s grateful to Philip for picking him up. Still, I don’t understand why he didn’t take my brother’s side, is it because he’s also thinking about something, or is it just his personality?

「I’m also considering changing the way we’re selling it, but not now. The viewers are attached to the Prince character.」

「…Then, when will it be? No, you don’t even have to say it. You’ll probably say「When you reach the age when it’s tough to sell the prince character」, right? Around my late twenties? Do I have to wear the prince mask for the next ten years? You’d probably plan to make me do that.」

「No, you’re wrong. You’re the one who decides in the end. However, the flower of the Party is the Hero. Especially you, in this party. The Hero who was sold with rose-like beauty suddenly becoming a wildflower. What would the viewers think if they saw that? How many people do you think will continue to love you? It’s not just you who will receive the consequences, but all of us.」

Yeah, that’s why I kept it inside. I couldn’t say it.

I gathered my courage to say this since he said that he would listen to me.

However, this guy called me here to make me give up, to manage me from now on.

「If, if Nicola, really wants this to happen…」

Leila will be on my side, but that’s for the sake of me, who is her friend, and I don’t want that.

「Don’t spoil her, Leila. Nico, you still haven’t abandoned that childlike naivety of yours. This is a job, this is business. We are the merchandise. You also understand that marketability is important, right? You like a Hero that fights in an unrefined way without giving up against any predicament, right? That’s no longer popular. It doesn’t match with the times. What’s popular now is smart and cool Clears. Isn’t it the same for the Fenix party that is the number one most popular among the young people?」

Until recently, Fenix had defeated Floor Bosses with a single blow. His consistent style had received great popularity.

「Look at what happened to Lem, the one you admired? He got kicked out. Silently devoting himself to his work? No matter what time, his eyes are always passionate? That’s ridiculous. In the end, he got kicked out because he wasn’t popular. It doesn’t matter how hard he tried. How eye-catching, how many people’s hearts you can grasp. That’s what matters.」

「…Don’t make fun of that person.」

「That person? You’re saying it as if you’re acquaintances with him. Anyway. It’s time to grow up. The Hero you’re aiming for won’t generate any money.」

Those sentences somehow made me really sad.

I realized that there was an insurmountable gap between my older brother and me.

「I…I didn’t become an Adventurer…because I wanted money.」

「But you can’t live without money. You’re the one who chose this as your job. The results are finally showing. Stop acting like a child.」

「Wait, stupid Phil! You’re saying too much-」

I can’t stop my tears from flowing.

「…Don’t cry.」

「That’s it!」

I ran out of the room.

I don’t want to go back to my room since we’re in the same inn. I don’t want them to find me.

Brother is good at finding me.

I need a place where he can never find me.

What came to my mind was Lem’s inn.