Volume 1 Chapter 1 (2/2)

Helgena disinterestedly looks over a letter.

「According to the report, the hero party are planning to exterminate the demon king with a surprise attack, conquer the Diurnal Kingdom, and seal away dark magic - is what it says. The hero, Flint Savaela, is a 17 year old male light mage. The remaining four people were left over hero candidates in the deciding match, all light mages. The four are also all female, age 15, 18, 23, and 28.」

Avant leaked out an astonished sigh.

「What's with this party. Why are they all mages? They should've included at least one soldier right. Even if you use magic, if you don't completely overpower them, you'll lose. If it was me, with only the hero as the mage, I would've made the rest general cla.s.s soldiers instead.」

Moreover, everyone other than the hero is female. - is it a harem?

So absurd.

Avant continued,

「I'm more surprised by this so called 'surprise attack.' Are you sure our troops didn't mishear them? Is the hero actually even strong? You didn't misread did you Helgena.」

「Among light mages, he's exalted as the strongest of them all. Also excelling at swordsmans.h.i.+p, he received the t.i.tle of being the army's commander.」

「Did they think I could be killed by a commander cla.s.s personnel…」

— It's unpleasant.

Avant listlessly gazed to the west - in the direction of the Athena Empire.

— If the 「Hero」actually makes it here, I'm definitely going to hara.s.s him.

After swearing in his heart, he returned his gaze to Helgena.

「It'll be annoying if this 「Hero party」wounds our soldiers. During their journey, I forbid any of our troops from interfering with them. Let them come to the castle unharmed.」

「What… ? 」

Helgena furrowed his eyebrows. Avant continued without noticing it at all.

「Moreover, before they arrive at the castle, call off all the guards. Even the royal guards for the throne room, before the hero party arrives, call them off as well.」

Helgena swift stood up while extremely perplexed.

「Please wait! That's too excessive, we're going to be beyond defenseless! I can't allow for your majesty to get injured, even by chance! 」

Avant returned a suspicious gaze and then reluctantly complied.

「Fine, I will permit at most two guards to be with me.」

「I won't allow it! You must have at least five of the royal guards with you, please issue the command! 」

「– Quiet. Just who do you think I am.」

His crimson red eyes, burned with irritation. Receiving the glare, Helgena lost his words and turned pale.

Diurnal Empire's king, Avant - called the jet black magician, he was the general of the Diurnal royal army.

Trained in swordsmans.h.i.+p as a child, his strength had no equal. Even now, there was none that rivaled him in martial arts, and even in magic he was peerless.

At the inaugurations - silencing the conceited mages, his technique was very simple.

If they won't listen, they'll be killed - was all he threatened them with.

No matter how defiant the mages can be, in the face of a death sentence from the king, they immediately became docile.

To a certain extent, Avant was truly a 「Demon King, 」reigning over the entirety of the Diurnal Empire.

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