Side: Yuki
"But Danna-sama, we still haven't completely wrapped up our business regarding Rankus or the demon race yet. Furthermore, we are scheduled to lift the suspension on our trade distribution network following this incident, as well as handle the installation of gates in the other countries. What should we do about those tasks?"
Hearing Rurua lay it all out forces me to re-evaluate our situation.
That useless goddess really needed to pick her timing better... There was simply too much to do.
But well, if you think about it, this is actually the cleanest breaking point.
If we lift the trade suspension and start diving into the gate installations across the other nations now, the issue regarding the new continent will inevitably be pushed to the back burner. That's why this exact timing—where we can finally catch our breath after defeating the Demon King—is actually perfect in a sense.
"You're right... Though it's not really my place to just declare it officially, I think we've reached a point where our diplomatic relations can be safely handled by our subordinates."
"I see. It's true that the gate installation is a task we can simply leave to our staff, and lifting the trade suspension is essentially just a matter of sending out a notice and restarting the gates from our end. So you're saying that finally entrusting these responsibilities to our subordinates is an excellent way to foster their growth?"
"Exactly. It's just as Eris says. All of you have been teaching your subordinates how to handle your respective duties while doing your own work, right? Since the timing is ideal, why don't we frame this as a long-term vacation for ourselves and let them step up to the plate as a test run for the next leader selection process? We can set a trial period of about a week."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Even after the voting process is complete, having someone step into an executive role for the very first time involves a lot of tedious hands-on teaching. If we have the candidates temporarily assume the responsibilities of the leadership role for a brief period beforehand, the citizens can use that performance to evaluate them and make an informed decision when casting their votes, right?"
"Yep."
The wives who currently hold chief executive positions nod in agreement, immediately reaching out to their respective staff members as if they've just hit upon a brilliant plan. Once Rurua finishes sorting out Weed's administrative adjustments, Sheila speaks up next.
"Fostering the future administration of Weed is fine, but what shall we do about Rankus and the remnants of the Demon King's army?"
"We don't need to worry about Rankus anymore."
"Eh?"
"You all received the report, right? That Taiki-kun successfully brought down the royal capital of Rankus."
"Yes."
"Beyond this point, it's Taiki-kun's problem to solve. It's not a matter we should carelessly interfere with. There are still various details to iron out regarding their expressions of gratitude toward Gartz and us, but that's just a matter of us being there to receive it when the time comes. We can move whenever we want, and there's practically zero concern regarding actual warfare. I am a bit curious about that idiot princess who managed to flee, but we can't just go hunting her down on our own whim either."
"That's true..."
"Besides, Kiyu and Coville have already departed for Weed, so the defenses of Weed itself are going to become even more airtight."
As it turns out, the Rankus crisis was pretty much completely resolved the moment we handled the defensive counteroffensive and successfully captured the royal capital alongside Taiki-kun.
If Taiki-kun explicitly requests our aid in his official capacity as a Hero, we'll have to provide some surface-level assistance for appearance's sake, but a guy who handles internal affairs with that level of cheat-tier efficiency isn't going to ask for help over something like this.
Up until now, he has desperately managed the affairs of Rankus all by himself without a single ally, secured our cooperation, and flawlessly locked those idiotic royals out of the country. Any further intervention on our part can wait until Taiki-kun personally asks for it. I mean, my fundamental stance is to leave troublesome matters to other people anyway!!
"Which brings us to the final remaining issue: the remnants of the Demon King's army."
"Indeed. What exactly is their current situation?"
"As a matter of fact, the messengers haven't actually reached the Roumel invasion force yet."
"Well... Only a few days have passed since the Demon King's Castle fell, after all. Even if a messenger had been dispatched ahead of time, it would naturally take around another week or so for them to arrive."
"Exactly. Even for a military force utilizing fast horses, compressing a month-long journey down to a quarter of its time is the absolute limit, so this timeline is still within expectations."
"We made a slight miscalculation there, didn't we? When you launched your raid on the Demon King's Castle, Onii-san, you completely wiped out all the wyverns and airborne assets that could have been used for long-distance aerial messaging, right?"
"Yeah, because if they had managed to summon reinforcements before the Allied Army even arrived, it would have seriously jeopardized our operational strategy. But wait, a messenger was sent out before the Allied Army launched its assault on the castle, right?"
"Yes, we explicitly confirmed that Dekira's doppelganger issued an order for them to return immediately to reinforce the castle."
"Since Eris confirmed that, it's just a matter of time. However, having faced the Heroes of Roumel, nearly two hundred thousand of their troops have been completely scattered, leaving the invasion force's morale thoroughly crushed. Even if the remaining one hundred thousand soldiers choose to stay entirely hostile, the Allied Army at the Demon King's Castle stands at around ten thousand, the demon factions aligned with Liliana number roughly thirty thousand, and our monster forces hover around ten thousand. Furthermore, our covert monster detachment from the siege has been reinforced to twelve hundred units. The enemy's fatigue must be at an absolute peak by now, so stepping in ourselves should strictly be our absolute last resort."
"If anything, under normal circumstances like these, one would expect them to simply surrender."
"Right. And in the unlikely event that they actually try to launch an attack, if things get dangerous, we can just head out ourselves and suppress the entire situation in a single day."
Presently, while there are certainly issues that could be resolved much faster if we took the lead, our overarching policy is to avoid stepping in as much as possible. Consequently, from an outside perspective, it's not as though we are lacking in free time.
"What do you know? I thought things were going to be incredibly hectic, but it turns out it's not that bad after all."
"Riel, that is only because everyone has taken proper care to train their successors. Ratz, Milly, and I all have capable people who can step in to run things or manage the guild in our place. Do you have a successor, Riel?"
"Eh?! T-That's... I mean, I'm the Deputy Chief, right!?"
"Sigh, it's fine. Knowing that Riel tends to wander off on her own, I've already taken care of training your subordinates myself."
"You're the best, Tori!!"
Riel leaps at Tori, giggling happily.
It looks like her joining the adventure to the new continent won't be an issue at all.
"Still, looking back at everything, should we ultimately view this entire ordeal as having been swept along by the whims of a Hero?"
"Who can say? The one who brought the conflict to our doorstep was Rankus; I don't believe the Hero himself can be blamed as the root cause, can he?"
"Hmm, I don't really understand that sort of thing very well."
Everyone is starting to dissect and analyze the events of this entire incident.
This kind of reflection is incredibly important. What was the root cause, and why did things unfold the way they did? By thoroughly investigating these points, we can connect the pieces to prevent similar situations from arising in the future.
"But looking at the final result, because he came to us, we were successfully able to save the Demon King—or rather, Liliana-san... When you consider that, didn't Rankus playing the fool ultimately pave the way for this ideal outcome?"
Sheila points out a very sharp perspective.
She's exactly right; if that idiot princess hadn't dragged Taiki-kun along with her, word of Weed's existence never would have reached Liliana in the first place. Well, if we're going down that rabbit hole, we could also argue that Gartz cutting off their foreign aid and us introducing our trade network were contributing factors as well.
But if we're talking about who the single greatest catalyst was, it would undoubtedly be the Hero, Taiki-kun.
Compared to a passive guy like me, he's someone who actively takes initiative to forge his own path forward. He ran himself ragged trying to save Ranks from poverty and reprimand his foolish royal family, ultimately grasping the results we see today. He is entirely worthy of being called a Hero.
Not that I have any desire to follow his example, though.
"Well, the one who set this entire flow in motion was undeniably Taiki-kun. As a result, countless lives were saved. I think that alone makes him more than worthy of the title 'Hero.' Furthermore, the Allied Army brought down that monstrosity that played the role of a fake Demon King. Ares, Lowelle, Hiera, Crack, and every single soldier who participated in that castle siege are entirely heroes in their own right as well. If it weren't for that carefully orchestrated farce, our relations with the demon race would still be thoroughly hostile right now."
As I wrap up my conclusion by pointing out that everyone essentially did a fantastic job, the entire room suddenly locks their eyes onto me. Some are glaring, some look utterly exasperated, and others are wearing warm smiles.
"...What's wrong? Did I say something strange?"
As I look around at everyone's expressions, Ria steps forward, a brilliant smile washing over her face as she speaks.
"See? Just as I thought, Yuki-san really is a Hero himself."
"I am completely convinced. Just as Ria says, if we were to ask who is truly the most deserving of being called a Hero..."
"There's really no one else but you, Onii-san. No matter which way you look at it."
"You're right. I don't think a Hero greater than Yuki-san could possibly exist."
"Exactly~ If Yuki-san hadn't been here, this ideal situation never would have come to fruition in the first place."
"...Most people will never know. But we know."
"I believe Yuki-san is a true Hero. After all, you have saved so many people up until now, haven't you?"
"Onii-chan is a Hero?! Amazing!!"
"Nii-sama is a magnificent Hero!!"
"...Ara, as far as I'm concerned, you've been my Hero from the very moment we first met."
And just like that, the wives who used to be regular civilians start making a massive, excited fuss.
"Fufufu. It is true that those trapped in positions of political power can never truly become Heroes. However, I don't think it would be strange in the slightest for Danna-sama to hold that exact title, you know?" (Rurua)
"Indeed. Even from my perspective as a former Demon King, Yuki's sheer capability yields results that firmly embody—no, completely surpass—what it means to be a Hero. Consider it officially certified by a Demon King yourself: Yuki is a Hero, without a shadow of a doubt!!" (Derieu)
"She is absolutely right. More than anything, you are an emissary of a Goddess tasked with the monumental burden of saving this entire continent, and we are still only halfway through that journey. Holding the title of Hero is nothing short of natural for you!!" (Sheila)
"Speaking from my position as a maid, I too believe that Yuki-sama is an individual entirely fitting to possess the title of Hero." (Killue)
The wives from the former ruling classes chip in to throw their full weight behind the claim as well.
However, I immediately shoot down their words.
"I have absolutely zero need for a title like 'Hero'. Just take a look at Taiki-kun or the representatives of the Allied Army. No matter how you look at it, a Hero is basically just an glorified, ultimate handyman, isn't it? Please count me out."
The moment I say that, everyone bursts into laughter, fully agreeing that my description is entirely accurate.
...I mean, that's really all a Hero amounts to, right?
