I Became the Hero Who Banished the Protagonist chapter 148

148. For Whom Did They Draw Their Swords? (1)

“Do you both vow to love each other until your hair turns gray?”

At the phrase “until your hair turns gray,” Georg, who had been holding the bride’s hand, twitched his expression. Scattered laughter erupted from the guest seats. Oh, right. These people must be hearing this phrase for the first time. Ambitiously rehearsing the speech I had prepared, I groaned inwardly. Putting aside the reactions, I first turned my head to Georg to hear his answer.

“Yes, I vow.”

Georg answered, and the bride on the opposite side smiled and nodded. I turned my eyes to the bride, Camilla, and waited for her response. Camilla, who was happily smiling while looking into Georg’s eyes, looked more beautiful today than anyone else. The veil pulled back fluttered along with her blonde hair.

“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Agnes stared at me intently, her expression seemingly asking for something more. I looked into the queen’s eyes and opened my mouth.

“You look beautiful today as well.”

“Flattery, but thank you.”

Agnes gently embraced the bouquet as she responded. The queen’s smile was like another flower in bloom.

“[…Cunning, truly cunning. I’ve never seen such a sly fox before, Elroy.]”

I heard the disgruntled voice of the holy sword in my head. Calling me a fox was a bit much.

“[Can’t you see the swaying tail behind you, Elroy? You’re so dull. It would be good for you to be more vigilant, so you don’t get eaten.]”

Since the holy sword’s words were not audible to anyone else, the queen approached me without hesitation and casually linked her arm with mine. The holy sword got angry again, and I heard it shout. I gently pulled Agnes’s arm. She flinched, looking surprised but her facial expression remained calm.

“Come on, let’s go eat something. It seems that the cooks who are as skilled as the palace’s chefs prepared today’s dishes. It smells delicious.”

Agnes led me to the end of the table. Discreetly, the queen glanced at the guests while adding small portions of food to her plate.

“I really just wanted to attend normally, but doing that would have turned it into a royal event. It was more annoying than I thought to leave behind my escorts and subjects.”

Agnes, who had taken a bite of a canapé topped with cheese, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and ham, chewed and nodded her head in appreciation. Even amidst the chaos, her table manners were perfect.

“I also wanted to check on your condition.”

“Thanks to Your Majesty’s grace, I am doing well.”

“If you ever find yourself not doing well, don’t blame me. My grace was not enough to protect you completely. Isn’t that right?”

Her words struck a chord. I awkwardly smiled and took a bite of a sandwich.

“I just wish you were doing well. Even if it’s not because of my grace, I just hope you live a happy life being yourself.”

Agnes picked up a champagne glass. I received the glass she offered, and Agnes lightly clinked her glass against mine before drinking.

“From what I’ve seen of you, it seems difficult to achieve that.”

“…I’ll try my best.”

“If I could make everything happen with just my command, I would have ordered you to live happily.”

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Her words were soaked in alcohol. I drank champagne with the queen. As we ate various dishes prepared for the wedding banquet, we chatted about different topics: the recovery status of other regions, the queen’s improved swordsmanship. Our conversations flowed, emotions seeped in—pity, guilt, regret. The more we talked, the more our emotions became muddled.

“I find myself indulging in the luxurious thought of wanting this moment to last forever.”

“It’s not luxury if everyone wishes for the same thing.”

Looking at Georg and Camilla, I said that, and Agnes comforted me.

“I wish the seventh calamity wouldn’t come, as if nothing happened.”

“Everyone would wish for that, Elroy. At least for now, no one knows where it is or what kind of calamity it is.”

The calamities grew stronger with each one. We don’t know how or when the seventh calamity will strike. Unable to let my guard down, I clutched the hilt of the holy sword.

“Watching their happiness seems to be my own happiness.”

I looked at the people at the wedding, and Agnes looked at me.

“Then I should tell you something too.”

Her voice had a slight hint of hesitation, unlike her usual self. I turned my head towards Agnes. The smile she wore was different from the ones she had shown before. It was closer to a smile of Agnes as an individual, rather than a queen.

“I think that watching over your happiness could be my happiness too.”

Agnes turned her body towards me. She held my hand and hesitated for a while before slowly tilting her head and letting go.

“I can’t stay long today. I’ll be going back.”

It seemed that knights who had secretly followed their queen were approaching. Agnes must have noticed their presence long before.

“I’ll see you soon in Burma, Iloi. Take care until then.”

Agnes went to greet Georg and Camilla again before getting into her carriage and leaving the wedding venue. I was left alone at the edge of the banquet and gulped down champagne. I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of people laughing and chatting.

—

“It’s a disaster, mercenary.”

I thought I had finally reached it, but I couldn’t. No, I never could have in the first place. The root of the worshipers of the evil god was located in a place that was simply unreachable.

“Just as there are shadows where there is light, we are eternal. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

Black fog. The root that I met by following the tail of the evil god’s worshipers looked like that. The fog swirled around and entered the body of a seated person. He writhed in pain, then distorted his face grotesquely and spoke with the voice of the black fog.

“Open your heart and face the darkness.”