12 days after Aleid’s detox.

“Good grief, Frick and Kühel are quite the problem. To play such a malicious prank on a fellow party member… Father says he will deal with them strictly, so rest easy, Seti.”

As the leader of the party, Aleid clearly believes firm action is only natural.

In his hand was a letter sent from the castle—from the King of Silverion.

“I’m really counting on His Majesty’s judgment. Those two can do their jobs properly, but their personalities are… strong, or rather just plain bad…”

When I said that with an exasperated gesture, Aleid smiled awkwardly.

“Haha, that’s true. But maybe it was a little harsh on them.”

By the way, it’s been two days since the two of them were taken away.

Kühel tearfully begged not to be separated from Aleid and showed remorse—I really hope that wasn’t just an act in the moment.

And as for Frick, he didn’t want to be separated from me, so he tried to bribe the knight who came to arrest him using other hidden footage crystals he had of me.

Naturally, additional charges.

They conducted a full body search and thoroughly checked all his belongings on the spot.

And apparently, later on, his home in the royal capital was also searched.

“You’re too kind, Aleid. I’m the victim here, so I can’t feel even a tiny bit sorry for them.”

“What they did was… well, yeah, I was shocked when I heard about it. And the details were… honestly, pretty bad.”

He’s trying to soften it for my sake, but as the party leader and a prince, he definitely knows exactly what those two did.

…Aleid might be a bit too kind.

Seeing how Kühel acted as she was taken away, he’s probably feeling some sympathy, but what they did was entirely their own fault.

There’s no room for pity.

“You’ve gotta clearly separate what’s right and what’s wrong, okay? Sure, there are plenty of cases where that line is blurry, but this one is 100% clear.”

“Yeah… you’re right. I need to be more resolute.”

Being kind is a good thing.

It’s much better than being violent or arrogant.

But this kind of kindness can be troublesome in its own way.

Especially now that he bears the responsibility of being the Hero chosen by divine oracle, if he takes things too heavily, it could lead to problems in a different way when it really matters.

‘I definitely have to keep what he did to me a secret… even if it was because of the poison, if he ever found out he took my virginity, he’d probably cut off his own head out of guilt.’

By the way, Aleid and I are currently riding in a carriage together.

After seeing Kühel and Frick off as they were taken to the capital, we left Minx and are now relocating to a town near the front lines where the Demon King’s army is clashing with human forces.

Usually, rear-line members with lower stamina take turns riding in the carriage, but today, since Aleid is still recovering, I’m accompanying him so he doesn’t overexert himself.

“By the way, how are the other battlefields looking right now? Did His Majesty mention anything about the situation?”

“Yeah, he wrote a little about that too.”

When you hear “Hero party”, you might imagine a journey like in an RPG, but in reality, we’re not the only ones fighting the Demon King’s army.

At the front lines where the Demon King’s territory and human territory collide, the kingdom’s army, led by high-ranking officers, is properly engaged in battle.

And smaller squads move around as mobile units, filling the gaps between larger divisions and maintaining the front lines.

On the surface, our Hero party is treated as one of those mobile units.

Until we reach a point close to the Demon King’s castle, we’re trying not to stand out too much to avoid drawing attention, but the battlefields we go to are generally along the shortest route to the Demon King’s stronghold.

“First, General Hegar seems to be slightly on the defensive. Their forces had been advancing well, but the enemy targeted their accumulated fatigue.”

General Hegar is a baron and not yet 30—quite young for a general.

He’s said to have some youthful inexperience, but overall, he’s considered a stable commander by the knights and soldiers who have served under him.

“Next, General Randlus has reclaimed two ruined towns. But since then, it’s been a standoff, and they can’t let their guard down. Still, pushing further might distort the front lines, so it’ll probably stay like this for a while.”

He’s from the prestigious Breilweld ducal family, a stout man nearing 40.

I once saw him briefly and remember thinking—rather rudely—how he even fits into armor with that belly.

But he’s actually one of the top three commanders in the kingdom, with the most achievements over the past 20 years.

Appearances really can be deceiving.

“And lastly, General Thermel—he lost an entire battalion but managed to capture a fortress. It might be good news, but it still hurts knowing so many lives were lost.”

Yeah, Aleid really is a good prince.

The fact that he mourns the dead makes him a good leader in the eyes of soldiers risking their lives.

But on the flip side, it also means he’s constantly wearing down his own heart over those deaths.

“…<Brave Heart>.”

Glow

“S-Seti??”

“Feeling a bit better? Sure, casualties are sad, but those soldiers chose to fight knowing the risks. Instead of hanging your head, you need to stand tall so they can have hope, Hero-sama☆”

I cast a spell that eases anxiety, fear, and mental strain.

From my past life, I understand how dangerous stress can be.

I want Aleid to be strong, but personality isn’t something you can just change easily.

Fortunately, in this world, magic can reduce that stress.

So instead of lecturing, this works better.

“…Thank you! Having you here really gives me strength.”

Ugh, that smile is blinding!!

Don’t casually show that slightly flushed, sincere, and charming prince smile to people.

If it were one of the girls crushing on him instead of me, they’d fall even deeper.

“You’re welcome. If you’re struggling, just tell me. I’ll fix what I can with magic.”

Man… it’s hard to believe this gentle, slightly boyish prince turned into a violent monster that day.

Even I, the victim, can’t believe they’re the same person.

“What’s wrong, Seti? Is there something on my face?”

“Oh, no, I was just checking your expression. If you still looked troubled, I was thinking of casting another spell.”

Yeah… better not think about it.

Honestly, it’s easier to just treat it like he was a completely different person.

Just remembering it makes things feel a bit off down there.

It wouldn't be great to get worked up on the way to a battlefield.