Quit The Hero Party

EP.2 What the heck, give it back to me (1)

Raniel, do you remember what I said back then?

Our village got trampled by the Demon Lord’s Army, and you and I were the only ones who survived. We promised back then, right? To wreck the Demon Lord’s Army, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Demon Lord, and everything in between.

You had a knack for magic.

You received great training under a skilled Master and were even slated for a good position. But still, I’m gonna ask shamelessly.

I’m putting together a Hero party.

I’ve found two trustworthy companions.

A healer and a scout-cum-arbalist.

Now all that’s left is a Mage…

But no matter what I do, I can’t find a Mage. You know how it is. Most Mages are efficiency seekers. They don’t want to participate in some ridiculous plan to hunt the Demon Lord.

So, here’s the thing.

Would you join my party? Let’s take down the Demon Lord. Let’s achieve something that no one can ignore. I want our village to be recorded not as just “the village destroyed by the Demon Lord” but as “the village of the Hero who defeated the Demon Lord!”

I’m asking you, Raniel!

Please join my party!

“…”

Tap, tap.

Sitting alone in front of a crackling campfire, old memories started flooding back. Not really the pleasant kind.

“…Taking down the Demon Lord is insane.”

I sighed and threw some firewood onto the flames.

It had been three days since I left the Hero party.

I was on my way back to the Royal Capital. Since where I had been staying was at the front lines, the distance to the capital was quite far, so I was making my way home with camp stops in between.

Well, I could use the lodging facilities prepared for Heroes or soldiers if I wanted, but… I wasn’t really keen on that.

Besides, this way felt more familiar.

Every time that jerk Kyle was busy having fun with Sara and Remia, I was out here managing a campfire.

Thinking about it made me suddenly frustrated.

I should’ve shot fireballs at the tent instead of just sitting around the campfire. I regretted it all over again.

“Damn it.”

Muttering curses, I leaned my head back.

The stars twinkled in the pitch-black night sky. As I tried to gauge the flow of time, it seemed like it wasn’t too far to the Royal Capital.

I should arrive in about two days.

And in two days, I would meet my Master.

“…”

The thought of meeting my Master made my mouth taste bitter.

I left confidently, vowing to take the Demon Lord’s head, and look where I am now. Instead of beheading the Demon Lord, I ended up being kicked out of the Hero party.

I couldn’t show my face to my Master.

“Ugh.”

I’d probably have to kneel and bow my head first.

If I play my cards right, a few Thunderbolts might end it all. Lost in such futile thoughts, I closed my eyes.

Tap, tap.

Beneath the black night sky.

Only the sound of the campfire quietly filled the air.

—

2.

On my way to the Royal Capital, night fell, and I stopped by a nearby city for a moment. I needed to replenish my camping supplies.

So, I stepped into a small city nearby.

The night city of Kadinak.

This place was somewhere I had visited once before.

As the name implies, Kadinak was famous for its nightlife. The reason I had come to this city before was precisely because of its nightlife.

…Saying it made it sound like I had come here to enjoy the nightlife, but that wasn’t the case. I came with Sara and Remia, so enjoying anything was out of the question.

In fact, we had come to tear the place apart.

Concealed within the nightlife of Kadinak was a Succubus Queen, and we had visited the night city to hunt that demon.

“That was something else…”

I sighed as I recalled that time.

– Sara, shoot her! I can’t go back until I shove an arrow up that fox’s eye who’s flirting with Kyle. No chance I’m going back.

– I agree. Remia. Tonight is going to drag on.

– Seriously, could you at least tone it down, you crazy girls?

– Raniel, keep your mouth shut and cast your magic from the back. Don’t you know when to chime in? You really are a clueless guy.

– Tsk. Clueless, huh?

…When I think back, it was chaos from the start.

I glanced at a corner of the city. The spot where Sara and Remia had gone wild. Over two or three years had passed, but the aftermath of that fight lingered a bit.

– Ugh, aaaaah! Heroes! Please, outside the city…!

Suddenly, the face of the Lord who had been screaming flashed before my eyes.

‘I’m really sorry about that back then…’

I mentally sent my apologies as I pressed my robe down and stepped further into the city.

“Tonight, specially invited dancers…”

“For travelers, the cost of drinks…”

“An opportunity that doesn’t come every day…”

As expected of a night city, Kadinak was bustling. Listening to the voices of merchants calling out from everywhere, I settled myself in a tavern a little away from the pleasure district.

“Here.”

“Ah, did you call?”

“Can you fetch these items for me? I’ll pay for the errand.”

“Hmm. They’re easily obtainable nearby. Do you need anything else?”

“Barley beer and chicken soup should be good enough.”

“Five silver coins, including the errand fee.”

I handed the tavern owner five silver coins.

Sipping the beer he brought first, I relaxed my shoulders. It definitely felt more comfortable traveling alone.

“Ahh.”

The taste of the beer sliding down my throat was heavenly.

As I gulped down the beer for a while, the atmosphere around me grew noisy. I turned my gaze to see a single woman walking through the street with dozens of men trailing behind her.

What the heck is that.

I asked the tavern owner who was busy washing a glass.

“Owner, what’s that?”

“Oh, she’s a famous woman around here.”

“Famous?”

“She’s known for her beauty. People say she has a captivating charm. I haven’t seen her myself, so I can’t say for sure, but that’s what they say.”

“Hmm.”

She must be quite pretty.

Not that I was particularly interested, so I continued to sip my soup. But something felt familiar. I thought I’d seen a woman like that bustling around with men before.

Ah, right.

The Succubus Queen acted just like that.

Spreading her allure everywhere and picking the best men to suck the energy out of…

“…”

No way.

She wouldn’t come back here again, would she?

If she were bold enough to return after getting trounced last time, she wouldn’t be a Succubus Queen; she’d be a crazy woman obsessed with men.

Hmm…

Judging by how she flirted with Kyle in front of Sara and Remia, she must be that kind of crazy woman.

I subtly shifted my gaze.

I watched the woman leading the men away. Deep red hair. Sharp eyes. And a uniquely styled adventurer’s outfit.

That face looked somewhat familiar.

I narrowed my eyes and scrutinized her face once more.

Though she was a bit different from the Succubus Queen in my memories, the flicker of magic in her eyes was unmistakably from the Succubus Queen.

“That crazy bitch.”

Why is she here, damn it.

“I’m losing my mind here…”

“Hmm? What’s wrong, customer?”

“Hey, tavern owner. Can I use the lodging facilities here?”

“Uh? Oh, yes. That’s possible.”

“I’ll stay for tonight.”

Looks like tonight is going to be a long one.

—

The Nightmare Demon, Succubus.

Who are they?

To be honest, even among demons, Succubi aren’t the most harmful. They do leech off a man’s energy, but most of them are easily satisfied and leave without causing much trouble.

‘Besides, the damage they cause isn’t really significant.’

The damage caused by Succubi is pretty much just the men who feel tired for a day or two and then return to normal life.

To put it mildly, Succubi are that kind of species.

Not particularly harmful, but troublesome enough to hunt down. Because of that, most Succubi don’t get attacked by humans unless they intrude into a sacred space.

However, there are always exceptions.

The Succubus Queen Refe was one such exceptional case.

She doesn’t get satisfied. She sucks energy until men are nothing but husks.

More harmful than harmless, this bat spawn.

I had my reasons to hunt her down.

‘I have things to take back.’

I held my breath and trailed behind Refe.

“This way.”

Leading a group of enchanted men, Refe headed toward a shabby building. I watched her and, pulling out from the alley, grabbed one man by the nape.

“Ugh!”

“Shut it.”

I surged his mana back at him, knocking him out cold. Maybe because everyone was under her spell, even though I was being quite obvious, no one turned their eyes in my direction.

I slipped into the space the man had vacated and approached her from behind.

“Hmm, hmm.”

Unaware that I had mixed in with the crowd, Refe hummed as she fidgeted with the door. She seemed to have cast various spells on the door as well.

Click.

One by one, the spells began to unravel.

I held my breath and waited for her to open the door. I timed my exit in my head with my eyes half open, calculating when to jump out.

“Alright! Everyone in…”

Now.

Thud.

The moment she opened the door, I leaped forward, brushing past the crowd. As I jumped out, I released the series of spells I had prepped (Stock). Mana surged through me, amplifying my physical abilities dramatically.

Boom!

One step.

The cobblestones I landed on cracked, sending debris flying.

“Huh?”

Two steps.

I reached out. Grabbing the startled Succubus by the nape, I shoved her inside the building.

Multi-Casting.

Magic Boost.

Basic spells accelerated my mana.

Feeling the flow of magic, I released each spell I had stacked into every finger gripping Refe’s neck.

—

Anti-Spell.

Anti-Shield.

—

The spells etched into my thumbs and index fingers activated simultaneously. The first spell broke her polymorph while the second shattered the blue mana barrier she had wrapped around herself.

Crunch!

“Ugh…!”

As the polymorph unraveled and her bat wings sprouted, they pushed me away. But before that could happen, the remaining three spells lit up.

Weakness.

Intermediate Restriction.

Smite.

Chains shot forth from the air, constraining Refe. Weakened, she couldn’t resist, and a force collided with her torso as she was bound.

“Cough!”

Refe dropped to her knees, gagging.

Ignoring her on the floor, I grabbed a chair that had been sitting in the corner and pulled it in front of her.

“I’ve got you now, Succubus Queen Refe.”

I sat on the chair, leaning forward slightly.

With my hands clasped under my chin, I opened my mouth.

“Long time no see.”

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