69novels Chapter Volume 9 1: The Hero's Return
Chapter Volume 9 1: The Hero's Return
"We're finally back."
It had been a few days since they left the Grabalt forest.
The woman with the only black hair in the world muttered as she felt the hardness of the saddle under her waist.
Sweat was beading on her forehead due to fatigue from the long trip and the forced march that had made it impossible for her to take a bath. Gently wiping the sticky bangs with her fingers, the black eyes that were the same color as her hair appeared under it.
It was Mariabelle, the proof of a hero summoned from another world and a being who had inherited the hero's blood.
She was the second hero, having a hero who was summoned from another world and saved this world and a half-elf woman whose mana rivaled that of the Demon King as her parents.
She wore a blue-toned armor and had her father's black hair tied in a ponytail, giving her a lively impression, but her expression was slightly stiff.
It was only natural.
The monster that should have been defeated―― an abominable existence...... the slime that had defeated her mother but also laid waste to the place that could be called her home.
It lived and even built a kind of 'castle' deep in the Grabalt forest.
In order to attack that castle, to destroy the slime this time―― Mariabelle returned to Fonteau.
......She finally relaxed her tense shoulders when she saw the endless blue sky, the white clouds that seemed to shine brightly, and the royal capital of Fonteau, the magic kingdom, her home beyond the fresh blue landscape.
The clear sky was calm as if it did not care a bit about the situation of the human race, and the black-haired woman swallowed hard the feeling that the scene she had seen just a few days ago must have been a dream.
"Yes. Maria, are you okay? Aren't you tired?"CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m
"I'm fine, onee-sama. I should say that to you, onee-sama... you weren't so good at riding, right?"
"I wouldn't say so. Besides, we've traveled together and gained a lot of experience...... even with horses."
Saying so, the silver-haired woman lined up her horse next to the dark-haired woman with a slightly dangerous movement.
Meltia inherited the vast mana of her mother.
Unlike Mariabelle, who had inherited their father's blood, the silver-haired woman had inherited their mother's blood.
Her white skin and waist-length silver hair make her look innocent and fragile, and her limbs were wrapped in a thick green-toned mage's clothing.
Her height was a head shorter than that of Mariabelle, who was tall for a woman, and her soft features give her a somewhat childish air.
......But there was one point.
Her breasts, which should be considered a symbol of womanhood and motherhood, were so large and full that they look like two large fruits stuffed under her clothes, and they protrude forward.
Compared to her short girlish stature, she had grown to a height that was inappropriate for her age, and her overly large breasts, a source of concern for Meltia herself, sway boldly when the horse she was riding moved, as though it was strongly claiming that Meltia was the "older sister".
On her back was a wooden staff with a large jeweled tip that was about her own height.
Just as Mariabelle wore her father's equipment blessed by the Goddess, Meltia wore her mother's equipment, who fought beside the hero.
A hero and a mage.
Not only do they have black hair and silver hair, but their fighting styles were the exact opposite, but both sisters look ahead.
Their eyes were looking ahead to their home country, Fonteau, which was once overrun by monsters and was now being rebuilt.
Although the high walls of the royal capital prevented them from seeing inside, the sound of construction echoed in the distance, and they could feel the vitality of the city.
Clear skies, clean air, and their home country's liveliness they could feel far into the distance.
A new threat had emerged in Grabalt―― the slime built a castle, as peace diminished its malice.
At the sight of a threat building up its strength again, so far from the peace that one could almost forget such a reality...... Mariabelle unknowingly relaxed her stiffened body.
Her shoulders weren't tense, her breathing was less forceful, and her face was stern.
A brown-haired girl, as petite as she was, who was riding behind the sisters on a horse, noticed it.
"You look a little tired. Do you want to take a break before returning to Fonteau?"
Kara, who had stopped her horse a little behind Mariabelle and the others, said.
A girl-like woman with waist-length chestnut hair, a white robe, and black-rimmed glasses that give her a smart look.
She was not much taller than Meltia, who was short, and her beauty left a somewhat childlike impression.
And the most feminine on her limbs, which lack fleshiness―― her breasts, it's a size which was barely discernible from her clothing, give the impression of a young girl, coupled with her beauty that retained a childlike appearance.
......In fact, she was older than Mariabelle and Meltia.
However, she was not so concerned about her own appearance―― she was not concerned about the physical difference between her and Meltia. She moved her horse, which was more stable than Meltia's, closer to Mariabelle and looked into her face.
"You seem to be on edge about something for a long time now since we got here. You might want to take a little break......."
"No."
Mariabelle responded to Kara's words of concern with a smile and shook her head.
"Everyone is going through a difficult time right now. I can't take a break."
"You are as stubborn as ever. I'm going to need a break soon though."
The one who said that in a languid voice was behind Kara.
Fenelieka, a beautiful woman with a hair as red as a burning red lotus and a luxurious dress that seemed unsuitable for travel.
Fenelieka's beauty was almost inhuman―― well-defined eyes and nose, taller than Mariabelle, and her breasts were almost as large as Meltia's.
She had a narrow waist and large buttocks that changed their shape obscenely even over her dress, caught between her own weight and the saddle of the horse.
Her entire body and everything about her was as though she could captivate a man―― and that's just as well, Fenelieka was created by a being defeated by the previous hero, to entrap human men......
A succubus, a monster.
Normally, Kara and Mariabelle would be in a position to fight against her as an enemy of mankind, but the Black Ooze's uproar had changed the slimes to recognize humans, monsters, and all other living beings as "food", and the succubi were attacked as nurseries and supply of mana.
If so, the women made a force by bringing together monsters that had the will to resist and cooperated with Mariabelle in defeating the Black Ooze―― and even now the humans and monsters were working together.
She wore an atmosphere able to seduce men even with her little gestures. She let Kara steer the horse while she herself rested gracefully behind her, sitting cross-legged.
The dress with a deep slit on the left side opened slightly as Fenelieka crossed her legs, exposing her beautiful legs, which would normally be hidden underneath.
The stockings of the same color hanging from the black garter emphasized her pure white thighs, and even the black fabric hidden deep within them was revealed, albeit only slightly.
Fenelieka, in such a daring outfit, crossed her arms under her breasts, which were as big as Meltia's, to show off the size of her bosom even more.
She couldn't ride a horse, so Kara grudgingly gave her a ride.
Meltia let out a sigh as her eyes sharpened at the somewhat pompous attitude.
"Jeez, you're resting again......"
"We've been traveling for the past few days. No matter how strong one is, one would get tired."
Fenelieka's words stunned Meltia, and then Mariabelle smiled.
She could feel that she was worried about her.
"Fufu. Thank you, Fenel-san. For worrying about me."
"It's true. The only one who can fight against that slime is the hero. If you don't take care of yourself, we will all be wiped out."
"Uu..."
Meltia, who was only concerned about the immediate danger, swallowed her next words at those words, and Fenelieka turned her meaningful gaze on the sister princess in such a state.
Rather, it was a look of ridicule toward the older sister who was only focused on the crisis and did not care about her younger sister.
――I noticed Mariabelle's turmoil, and you, her sister, failed to notice her situation......
When she looked at her like that, Meltia's resistance faded and she removed her gaze with a pout of her lips, and Fenelieka's smile deepened as she was amused by the situation.
Kara smiled wryly as she caught the mood, even though she could not see her back.
"Don't you ever get tired of it? Making fun of Meltia-sama every day."
"Not at all? Because she always reacts in an interesting way. It's funny."
"It's not funny...... because you always make fun of me like that, I......"
"Now, now, onee-sama. Were are already within sight of the watchtower, so quarreling is......"
When Mariabelle implied that the guards could see them, Meltia, who had lost it due to anger, pursed her lips cutely and turned her face away again, saying, "Uu".
Meltia's shoulders shook as she stifled her voice, but for Fenelieka, that reaction was predictable and amusing.
The horse that Kara and the others were riding moved uneasily at the vibration, but Kara deftly pulled on the reins to slow it down.
"Well, the world may be important to you, but you have to take care of yourself just as much, right......?"
Having said that much, Leticia turned her attention to the knights and nobles who were listening to the report.
"As you've heard. Now we will go on the offensive against the slime―― get ready for it. Gather the commanders of the Knights, the commanders of the main units, and the ministers who can calculate the necessary funds to carry out the battle.
"I-I understand!"
"Right away! Ah, go to Lin Village! Call the captains who were in patrols..."
Leticia gave the order, and the nobles and knights began to scurry about as though they had just poked a hornet's nest.
After a few seconds of pause, Mariabelle and the others stood up.
"Please let us also go to that meeting."
"Of course. Give us a detailed explanation again――."
However, Leticia cut off her words there and removed her gaze from Mariabelle and the others, and turned her gaze to the knights and nobles who were beginning to move hurriedly.
At the same time, Mariabelle also looked around.
"As you can see, it will take some time to hold the meeting. Until then, you should rest your body."
"No, then I'll patrol on behalf of the busy people......."
"No...... I know you are in a hurry. We know that you have a heavy burden on your shoulders, and we know that we can't take your place."
There was sadness on Leticia's face as she spoke.
Sadness at having to send her daughter to war and sadness at her position as queen, which did not allow her to move around easily.
Therefore, Leticia turned to Mariabelle, not as a queen, but as a mother.
For a girl who was just over 20 years old, trying desperately to fulfill the duties of a hero, trying to be strong.
"But for now, you must rest. If I must force you to fight, at least let me make sure you go to the battlefield in perfect condition―― please, Maria."
"............Yes."
She remembered what Fenelieka said earlier when they could see the royal capital.
That she's been worrying about something for a long time.
That was right.
Was it because she was a mother, or was it because as a queen she had contact with many people and gained experience in interpersonal relationships?
Leticia sensed a change in Mariabelle, a feeling of impatience.
Mariabelle herself was not too concerned about it―― not alarmed by the new threat that had appeared.
It was a strange feeling in the midst of that threat.
Her senses were warning her...... but it was slight.
It was not yet a real threat. So Mariabelle was not even aware of the change.
"I understand, okaa-sama. I will rest until the meeting is ready."
"Yes. This is the place you would return to, so at least rest your body and mind while you are here in the castle."
If it was a private room with no one around, she would have hugged her and gently patted her head.
At the sound of such a gentle voice, Mariabelle smiled and nodded.
After confirming that, Leticia turned her attention to the maids who were waiting at the corner of the throne room.
"Tiana. Show Mariabelle and Meltia to their rooms, also Kara and Fenelieka."
"Understood."
The maid with dark purple hair, Tiana, was called.
Mariabelle recognized her―― she was a skilled maid who also served as Leticia's bodyguard.
She had an expressionless face and a cold stare that could be described as iron-faced.
She did not lose her expression even to Mariabelle, the hero, and she felt that it was her attitude toward her work.
But she didn't think it was offensive.
At first glance, her expression and atmosphere were cold enough to be scary, but as far as Mariabelle knew, Tiana, the maid, had always maintained that attitude.
Having gained a lot of experience as a hero, Mariabelle had recently come to understand that Tiana's attitude was a sign that she was always on the lookout for her surroundings―― a sign that she was protecting her mother's safety.
(Before, I didn't know what she was thinking...)
Before her awakening as a hero―― Mariabelle was an ordinary girl in the castle.
She was the only one with black hair in the world, and she was different from other people.
Tiana, who was always on the lookout, was scary to Mariabelle.
......Her eyes were sharp and her words were minimal, even in the presence of royalty.
It was also natural for Tiana's former job...... as an assassin to not speak except for what was necessary while on the job.
But now she knew a little more.
Underneath that iron face, she was always aware of her surroundings, always vigilant, and always protecting her mother.
"Thank you."
"Yes. Mariabelle-sama, Meltia-sama, Kara-sama, Fenelieka-sama, let me show you to your room. This way."
Tiana called each name and bowed.
She had a refined yet seamless movement as a maid.
The way she walked and carried herself was so quiet that even Mariabelle, who had experience as a hero, could tell that she was not particularly sharp, which was why she seemed so different.
The atmosphere and the way she moved her body did not match. Or should she say, it didn't feel right?
......As a former assassin, Tiana had a number of secrets that she couldn't tell people.
One of them was the assassination of Leticia.
It was a time when Mariabelle had just been born and the hero had left the world.
An elf nobleman who wanted to take control of Fonteau hired Tiana to eliminate Leticia, who was getting in the way and had her assassinated.
However, Leticia defeated Tiana, and she discovered her skills, which was why she kept her by her side as a bodyguard for almost ten years.
Her dark purple hair was tied in a barette, and her hair was adorned with a pretty white prim.
She was dressed as a maid in a black one-piece dress and white apron, but from the hem of her skirt peeked leather boots that emphasized ease of movement, not unlike a maid's. Underneath the thick fabric skirt, hidden from view at the moment, were several knives.
The maid, who was hiding the knives in a gesture so natural that even Mariabelle, who had excellent senses as a hero, was unaware of it, bowed with a graceful motion as she approached.
A tuft of her hair, which had been tied up in a bundle, fell down, pulled by gravity, and when she looked up, Tiana brushed her disheveled hair with her fingers.
Her beauty was frighteningly well-organized, like that of a stern blade.
If Mariabelle and Meltia were called pretty princesses, she should be called a lifeless doll.
But she was a living person.
Her skin was warm, and her eyes were filled with energy.
Even so, even in the presence of the hero Mariabelle, her expression did not move even a little, and she was probably not even the slightest bit agitated.
Her beauty, which made it difficult to tell her emotional ups and downs, her sharp gaze, and her limbs, which have no feminine fleshiness, give her a somewhat doll-like coldness that, combined with her silence, almost misled one into thinking that Tiana was a "cold" person.
But she was also a living person.
When Mariabelle looked back into her eyes, she could see in the depths of her eyes the tender feelings she felt for the hero's daughter, and the beloved daughter of the master she served, Queen Leticia.
"Well then, allow me to show you to your room."
"Yes, thank you, Tiana-san."
And for Mariabelle and Leticia, she was one of the maids they trusted.
Mariabelle gave a soft smile to the doll-like beauty of the maid, and Tiana also gave a slight smile, albeit clumsily, and announced that she would show them to their rooms.
As she looked at Tiana, who bowed her head in reassurance, and followed her as she led the way.
"......As usual, there are a lot of troublesome people here."
"That's right. After all, we are in a castle."
Those were the words of the succubus and scientist who was not accustomed to such people.