My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 241

As Seri stepped onto the terrace, cheers echoed from deep within the building.

The exhibition had ended a month ago, and a week prior, an official announcement had spread throughout the nation, stating that all the demons attacking the empire had been dealt with.

Thanks to that, many people felt relieved and praised Seri, believing that the Emperor’s sound judgement had led to victory in the war.

It was hard to believe that Seri hadn’t caught wind of such talk; she likely intended to reveal the true reason behind the empire’s victory to its citizens.

“Everyone, prepare to go out.”

“Ugh! Why do I have to do this when I’m not even a noble?!”

“Well, let’s not think of it so negatively. It’s for our sake, after all.”

“If you’re with the heroes, the other races will be treated differently. No one would dare lay a finger on us. Plus, the image of three heroes from humanity, the Beastman, and the Elf tribe living in harmony is likely to have a positive influence.”

In the end, we might witness a scene where the empire lives in harmony with the other races instead of shunning them. I found my heart racing at the thought of actually seeing the spectacle I had witnessed in the game.

“Have you been well, citizens of the empire? I am Emperor Seri Aiter Pretéum.”

Her tone was different from her previous speeches. The time when Seri had struggled to adapt to her position and spoke formally was now gone. Only the dignified and confident Emperor remained.

“Today, I have gathered you to introduce the true heroes of this war.”

As her voice spread out through amplification magic, the people began to buzz with excitement.

“Silence!”

At Seri’s gesture of placing her finger to her lips, the citizens fell silent almost simultaneously. In that quiet atmosphere, her voice resumed.

“You all remember the Demon War that erupted a few hundred years ago, not long after the foundation of our empire. Back then, just like now, the empire faced a great crisis. The demon tribes slaughtered countless people, destroyed buildings, and consumed our territories with their dark magic.”

Her tone remained calm as she continued.

“And just when the empire’s prosperity was on the brink of disaster, the heroes made their appearance. You know their names well.”

She paused thoughtfully, savoring the names of the first heroes before continuing.

“Irene, Brelried, Richard Crystal.”

She leisurely recited each name, recalling the inscriptions she had seen when they sought the All-Cutting Sword.

“I believe even those ignorant of our history know of these heroes. Because of them, our empire has maintained its prosperity, escaping from the demons’ threats.”

Even citizens unfamiliar with history knew the names of the heroes. This alone highlighted the heroes’ incredible status.

“And this time in the war, we also received their assistance. Without their help, we might still be battling; perhaps even now, the very land of Pretéum could have been overrun by the demons, forcing us to flee to the edge of the continent.”

The terrace grew lively at the mention of receiving help from the heroes. The citizens recognized it: the heroes had appeared once again.

“With their strength, we were able to escape the demons’ threat in less than a week. I gathered you here to honor them.”

Seri stopped speaking. She tilted her head slightly, as if gauging the citizens’ reactions.

“Surely… everyone is curious about what they, no, the heroes did on the battlefield.”

As she snapped her fingers, wizards began to activate surveillance magic.

“See for yourselves. Witness the greatness of the heroes.”

Images began to appear from every angle.

Iris against Peremus.
Tina with Lichen and Miles.
Maria against Ecabel.

As footage of them taking down a commanding demon single-handedly played, it was as if time had stopped; not a sound could be heard.

The sight of the entranced citizens, captivated by the display, almost made me chuckle.

“They have returned. To bring this war to an end.”

“Wowaaaaa!!”

Once one person cheered, the shout rippled through the crowd like a wave. Seri’s voice, amplified through the magic, became faint beneath the overwhelming applause.

“The heroes are our hope. Can you give them a warm round of applause?”

“Of course!”

An incredible thunderous applause erupted from below the terrace, loud enough to shake the skies.

Seemingly moved, Seri turned to us with a smile, beckoning us with an outstretched hand.

“Are you ready?”

At my question, the heroes tensed up, their shoulders trembling. Their flustered demeanor was rather cute. I gave their shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

“There’s no need to be so nervous. What you’ve done is worth celebrating. Walk proudly and show your faces to the citizens.”

“I’m not sure if this is truly right…”

“Have I ever led you in the wrong direction, even once?”

“No, you haven’t.”

“One hundred percent right.”

The three heroes answered simultaneously. If even one of them harbored doubts, their responses would have varied. But their unified answer spoke volumes of their trust in my leadership.

“Good. If you think so, then trust me once again on this.”

With resolve apparent, Tina stepped forward, rotating her shoulders like someone ready for a sparring match.

“Alright! Let’s get this party started!”

“Since you’ve said it like that, I’ll gladly follow.”

Seeing Tina, Iris also walked ahead.

“I can’t help it. I’ll be back soon.”

Maria, while feigning annoyance, flashed a smile and followed the other two.

“Just raise your arms high. Let the citizens cheer for you properly.”

The three lined up at the edge of the terrace, beside Seri.

“Heroes!!”

As they raised their arms in response to my request, the cheers erupted like a flood from below.

Having witnessed them in action through the footage, the citizens now had no choice but to believe.

Though I couldn’t see it, those among the citizens who could perceive mana would surely admire the power of these women.

Seeing is believing; nothing could inspire trust quite like witnessing with one’s own eyes.

“These are Tina from humanity, Iris from the Beastman tribe, and Maria from the Elf tribe. Just as you remember the first heroes, remember these names. Their journey begins now, so stay tuned to see what they achieve. You won’t regret it.”

Even as Seri spoke, the citizens’ cheers didn’t wane.

Indeed, heroes belong in the spotlight. Living amidst the applause of others and enjoying rights denied to many seems to be their greatest happiness.

Of course, it’s not my place to dictate their standards of happiness. I have no intention of meddling.

But I do hope they get to experience and enjoy life to the fullest.

So that even after everything is over and I’m gone, they can still find their happiness.

My thoughts shifted the moment I heard about the possibility of returning to that other world from Yggdrasil.

Initially, my focus was on how to settle in this world, but now I found myself pondering whether to remain here or return to that other world.

If the heroes successfully slay the Demon King, this world will likely remain peaceful until my end; still, I wasn’t so sure if that was the correct path.

“… Am I thinking too far ahead?”

After all, I haven’t even toppled the Demon King yet.

I chuckled wryly, placing my hand on my side.

Listening to the voices of the citizens extolling the heroes, Seri’s speech came to an end.

*

“How was it?”

“It was amazing.”

Though the heroes were trying to play it cool, I could tell they were satisfied. They must have enjoyed basking in the world’s praises, so it wouldn’t be entirely bad.

Although it did slightly deflate the moment Tina exclaimed, “Wow! It’s like the world is welcoming me!” near the end.

“Are you planning to go hunt the Demon King? When are you going to head out?”

“We should go as soon as possible, but there’s no rush.”

With four commanders down, there shouldn’t be any demons left that the heroes couldn’t handle, besides the Demon King.

Even if given time, there wouldn’t be any demons left that could grow to commander-level strength. If they were so abundant, the Human World would have fallen long ago.

“Besides, the demon energy hasn’t been fully purified yet.”

“Ah… It seems Orient has been doing a great job, as Pauce mentioned. They say a lot of demon energy has been cleared from the empire within a month. Glair the Grand Duke believes it shouldn’t be an issue to reclaim the original territory in a few months.”

“That’s good to hear.”

It was a relief to have someone like Orient, who held a degree of the World Tree’s influence, handling matters. While we could purge demonic energy with Grand Anti-Demon Magic, it would require vast resources and time.

“So what do you plan to do before heading into the Demon World?”

“I’m not telling!”

Tina interjected loudly between Seri and me. I pushed her face away, saying, “Don’t butt in.” She pouted but backed off.

“Stupid Tina.”

“I’m not stupid!”

“Anyway, you don’t need to feel jealous about those things since Master is going to marry me anyway.”

“Why are you marrying Maria? You’re supposed to marry me!”

“… Is it marriage?”

Seri’s expression changed upon hearing the chatter between Tina and Maria. The cheerful smile she donned moments ago vanished, replaced by a serious gaze firmly directed at me.

“… No.”

“What do you mean ‘no’?! Master, you promised us!”

“Surely Master wouldn’t lie to us?!”

“Well, that’s not quite true.”

I never made any promises regarding marriage! When did an engagement happen?

“So it was true.”

Which side do I even play along with?

“Anyway, I’ll let you know before heading to the Demon World. Until then, I just want to relax without thinking too much.”

“Letting us know… you mean about the marriage?”

What is she even interpreting? She must have something off in her head.

It’s contextually clear I’m referring to the date we head to the Demon World.

“Competing against heroes sounds tough, but I’ll give it my all.”

…What?

An uneasy feeling crept up on me.

“Anyway, thanks for today! Next time I come here, I’ll bring news of the defeated Demon King.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it, Praus.”

I turned away from Seri’s strange smile.

“Should we settle this with a spar?”

Who decides marriage through a spar?!

I couldn’t help but chuckle at Tina’s utterly nonsensical statement.

“Sounds good!”

Maria’s readiness to accept it also amazed me. Is this really what heroes are like?

I could easily guess what the citizens would think if they saw this. I genuinely worried about how long they could maintain that image of being ‘heroes.’

“Can you both just stop talking?”

As I left the room, I gave each Tina and Maria a light smack to the head.

“Dummies.”

Iris followed me, still giggling.

Even as they exited the Imperial Palace, the two blamed each other for my actions.

They were remarkable in multiple ways.