My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 44

The story of the demons causing chaos in the Pretéum Empire spread surprisingly quickly.

Even in Secul, which is quite far from the capital, notices were posted.

[S-Class Adventurer Inkuro and retired S-Class Adventurer Ella Todiah’s failure to subdue the demon lord.]

I had already heard about Habito’s survival from Ariel, but I couldn’t hide my disappointment.

Opportunities to fight demon lord-class demons under Grand Anti-Demon Magic are rarer than expected.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I had missed a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

I’m sure when we next meet, it will be in perfect condition to settle the score.

By then, there would need to be not just two S-Class Adventurers, but six involved.

They’re beings that grow stronger almost daily.

If this were a game, the demon lord’s power wouldn’t be so fluid, I thought, inwardly lamenting.

Anyway, aside from that, the training of the heroes was progressing steadily.

About a week after Habito visited the Pretéum, Tina and Iris had mastered the full set of the Phantom Sword Technique.

Their shortcomings were still noticeable, but perhaps thanks to Pasma’s continuous guidance, they quickly managed to correct their postures.

As for Maria, she was approaching the third tier. Especially with wind magic, it seemed she had broken through the third tier, probably because Ariel was with her.

Their improvements were befitting of heroes.

For a while, I planned to watch over their progress in skill.

There were only about ten years left until the Demon War. My job was to ensure they grew as much as possible in that time.

However, even if it was growth, there was little I could do.

I could only occasionally offer them advice.

Although they had grown up without a teacher in the game, now they had two optimal teachers.

Yet…

“Why am I your teacher? I mean, I can understand calling Pasma or Ariel a teacher, but why me?”

I couldn’t figure out why they were lumping me in with them as a teacher.

“Because you’re our teacher!”

Tina replied, in a typical dim-witted fashion.

“Thanks to your groundbreaking ideas that break the mold of a teacher, I was able to understand how to proceed with the Phantom Sword Technique. Without your advice, I would have been hopelessly lost for months!”

The Phantom Sword Technique is a multifaceted form of swordsmanship.

This can also mean it could be regarded as having no fixed form.

While a form exists, it’s a sword technique that can be modified to suit one’s style at any time, making it difficult to learn if one’s mind is trapped by rigid concepts.

I simply recalled the skills and movements described in the game and conveyed a few adjustments aligned more with counter-attacks.

“I’m the same. Who would have thought that the amount of mana absorbed would change based on breathing techniques?”

With deep breathing, one could circulate mana circuits for a long time, significantly boosting absorption efficiency.

I thought it was a ridiculous notion—after all, it wasn’t singing or anything—but for magicians, such training was unparalleled.

“Ariel was also surprised by this, saying it was unknown to her. Even she didn’t know it.”

The Spirit King had lived long enough that she probably never faced mana depletion.

“Indeed, being strong offers a different perspective, right?”

“…”

No, I’m weak.

The only reason I was able to defeat Urka was because of Pasma’s strength, and the Phantom Storm was a technique that could only be executed because of Aura’s support.

While I thought the performance was undoubtedly impressive, without the artifacts, I was ultimately just a weak human who couldn’t do anything.

Moreover, when they eventually grow strong as true heroes, I planned to pass all the artifacts I had collected to them.

I didn’t want to be a protagonist who falters against demons; I intended to keep only a few artifacts for my own protection.

“Regardless, thanks to you, mana recovery has sped up dramatically, allowing me to draw mana to the limit. How could I not call you a teacher?”

Right, what should I say to these children who are growing well?

Eventually, when they realize I’m weak, they will disdainfully leave on their own.

Calling me a teacher is just a fleeting moment.

Honestly, I don’t feel particularly lonely about it.

After all, it’s a miracle just to form a relationship with heroes as a commoner with nothing.

Just as I was about to head home to prepare dinner while watching the heroes train…

Ariel suddenly grabbed my shoulder.

“Praus.”

“What is it?”

“You sensed it too, right? Is it because you have so much mana that you can detect things further away like I can?”

…What? I was just planning to go home.

“The village seems to be in commotion. It feels like something has happened.”

Seriously? It hadn’t been many days since I returned home.

The demon lord-class appearing in the capital just a few days ago, and the heroes deserved some time to grow.

I sighed and turned my head in the direction Ariel was looking.

Sure enough, I thought I could hear something.

…Actually, I completely didn’t hear anything at all.

What the hell was she hearing? How many meters does she think we’re apart?

“There’s a carriage. It belongs to someone quite powerful. What do you think?”

She even claimed she could see it? I couldn’t see anything.

No matter how hard I squinted, I was still human. I didn’t possess the ability to see through solid objects.

“…Don’t mind it.”

“What do you mean don’t mind it? Are you planning to be lazy about being prepared, you weakling—”

Ariel suddenly stopped speaking.

“Um. I suppose it’s not necessary to worry.”

Had she noticed something? She suddenly tapped my arm.

“Praus, if you knew that a noble had come to the village, you could at least have told me!”

What is she saying?

I sneaked a glance at her expression. She didn’t seem to be lying.

If that’s true, then why would a noble come to this village?

Secul is close to the Pretéum, but it’s a rather unremarkable village for nobles to visit.

What if they caught wind of the heroes’ identities?

No, that shouldn’t be the case.

Only Ariel, Pasma, and I knew that they were heroes.

While they had indeed awakened and grown stronger, to recognize them as heroes, one would need to remember the aura of the first heroes.

But those who remembered the heroes in the empire were all long dead.

“…It seems they’re looking for you?”

She tilted her sharp ears towards the village.

…Me? Why?

Was there any reason for nobles to seek me out?

In a time of clear class distinctions, it was rare for a noble to seek out a commoner like me.

If there was such a thing, they’d usually call for me through a knight.

Yet a noble came directly to seek someone out?

This likely meant some bothersome matters were about to arise for me.

Damn it, what kind of variable is this…?

As I was deep in thought, Ariel casually explained the situation.

“Urka is there too. Duke Tori is also here. There’s another woman; she has blue hair. Um, the villagers are hurrying out and bowing nonstop.”

I got a bad feeling about this.

“Oh, the village chief is pointing towards this hill.”

How can she see that? The trees are blocking the view!

Does the Spirit King have some divine sight or something?

“Nobles are walking this way. What will you do?”

“What can I do? There’s nothing to be done.”

“Once again, Praus. Even Pasma bows his head to nobility, but you have no intention of doing that?”

For some reason, her words struck me as “You lack manners, don’t you?”

Did she think I wanted things to go this way? Damn you, Ariel.

“Calm down your killing intent. Do you know how creepy it feels every time you look at me like that? Your mana is excessively strong, yet you’re weak without the weapon I gave you! So arrogant.”

Ariel scolded, pointing at Aura.

“But I admit that you did put out some impressive power by destroying an entire mountain with Aura?”

‘Thanks for acknowledging that.’

“How long do I have to keep listening to your clueless remarks?”

“Clueless? I was just trying to give you a compliment!”

This was just frustrating.

Just as I was looking at her with exasperation…

“Found Praus!”

“?”

Suddenly, something jumped into my arms, causing me to lose my balance and fall over onto some weeds.

Staring blankly at the sky, I noticed a pink-haired catgirl sitting on my stomach.

“…Urka.”

“Hehehe! You didn’t even react! Praus~!”

She poked my cheeks and said.

“Aren’t you almost thirty now?”

“I’m still twenty-nine!”

“Twenty-nine or thirty, it’s the same.”

“It’s not!”

Whack! Whack!

Ouch! It felt like my arm might break!

With her crushing force pressing down on me, I had no strength to push her away.

“Get off. You’re heavy.”

“I’m not heavy! Look at my abs!”

She showed off her many small scars on her white belly. While there was definitely no fat, there were also not many abs to boast about.

“I’m not interested. Get off.”

“Hey, that’s mean!”

Was Urka always this kind of character?

Her behavior was just like a child.

Even ten-year-old heroes wouldn’t act that way.

Thinking that, I glanced sideways at the three heroes.

Each of their gazes carried different meanings, but generally, they looked entertained.

“One is already overwhelming. Don’t come any closer.”

The children flinched. Were they really going to come closer?

“Don’t make me say it again.”

I looked back at Urka. She seemed indifferent to my words, only smiling.

As I forced my eyes wide open, she shivered, her ears and tail standing up. She curled up on me, peeking at me cautiously.

“D-Don’t look at me so scary…!”

“If you get down, I won’t look at you.”

“How rude! I came to visit! Why aren’t you welcoming me?”

“Do I look like someone who would welcome a visitor?”

“Yup! Praus might sound strict, but he’s a kind person who sees everyone, beastmen included, without discrimination!”

She clenched her fist and shone her eyes. Even if she thinks that, it’s troublesome.

When I relaxed my gaze, Urka obediently got off me.

“…So, what brings you here, Urka?”

I stood up and dusted off the dirt on my clothes.

“I stopped by briefly before returning to Aus. The Crown Prince Chris wanted to hear about official sparring, so I went to Pretéum.”

So that was how it happened.

If Urka had been in Pretéum, they might have caught the demon lord.

What a missed opportunity.

I heard that Stella eventually got kidnapped, though.

When I meet her in the future, she will likely become quite the troublesome individual. However, if the heroes grow well enough, they should be able to handle it.

Moreover, separating battling from the fact that Stella would become a Succubus Queen, there was a way to retrieve her.

In the game, there were actually branching paths.

When encountering Stella in the Demon War, whether one could persuade her depended on which side held greater resentment, humans or demons.

If the demons were deemed more resentful, she could be saved; otherwise, the only option would be to kill her.

It would still be a long while before that episode came around, but I planned to be prepared.

“Ah, right… also, regarding the demon lord-class demon that invaded Pretéum—”

“You’re not going to speak about the main party involved, are you, Urka?”

I interrupted her as she was about to spill out information that I hadn’t even asked about, when a mysterious woman cut in.

With blue hair and blue eyes, her well-built physique was impressive.

Although she looked like she had led a hard life, she maintained a beautiful appearance as if she were in her prime.

Wearing clothing that might have been spun from fine silk, she stood before me.

“…Princess Ella Todiah.”

As her name slipped from my lips, her blue eyes widened slightly.

“Oh my, you know of me? Lord Praus?”

She grinned, covering her mouth with her hand.

‘You were hoping to scam me for the Purification Stone, I’m just relieved!’

“Seems you’ve managed to procure it and survived.”

Oh damn, why does the nuance feel like this?

It sounds like I’m wishing for her death.

“!”

Her expression was filled with surprise. The way she looked at me with surprise had a spine-chilling grin.

“…So, you were indeed the one who sold the Purification Stone.”

That is correct, but why are you blushing?