I Became a Burden to the Conscienceless Party

Even if Esmeralda’s corpse is used, a holy relic cannot be made.
Esmeralda was at a loss for words at Jim’s matter-of-fact tone.
How does Jim know this? Information from the Demon King’s Army? Or knowledge related to his characteristic?
But Esmeralda shook her head.

“…There have been precedents, haven’t there?”

Throughout history, there have been heroes other than her. When the world judges that a hero is needed, a hero appears.
But did they all fully achieve their purpose? Not so.
The reason Esmeralda feels a threat to her life in the first place is because the title of hero is not unique.
If she dies, the holy sword will find a new hero.
There can only be one hero per era, but that also means there must always be one.
More than a few heroes have been killed in the process. The final moments of such heroes in history have been recorded in detail.

“In the past, the Flame Spirit Order created a holy relic from a hero’s corpse.”

That’s something that has already happened.
But Jim answered firmly even to the hero’s words.

“Do you really think that whatever was made that way is a true holy relic? Don’t you know what actually happened to the Flame Spirit Order? They were exiled and eventually perished.”
“…”
“Of course, if they grind you up to make something, a useful item might come out. After all, the hero is a being whose potential has been maximized by the gods imbuing their powers.”

What Jim was trying to say was simple.
Even if you grind up a hero, it’s impossible to create a holy relic that can recreate miracles. You just make a crude object that looks like a miracle.
Like the sarira that comes from the corpse of a high-ranking priest.
It’s just an object imbued with special power, but it can’t become a miracle.
And the evidence for this…

[Note: He has seen what the Flame Spirit Order created in the Demon King’s Army.]

It seemed so clear.
An assumption that turned from doubt to certainty. Esmeralda swallowed dryly and then let out a deep sigh.

“Mr. Jim. I’m going to say something crazy now, but can you answer seriously without taking offense?”
“Talking is easy enough.”
“If Irina finds out that what she made by grinding me up is not a recreation of a miracle, but just a crude toy, do you think she can endure it?”

But the first thought that came to Esmeralda upon realizing this was none other than concern for Irina.
She doesn’t want to die.
However, if she fails, if she can’t subjugate the Demon King and returns as a mere cold corpse, she wants her wishes to be fulfilled even if it means using that corpse.
Whether it’s Irina or Milia.
She wants her wishes to be fulfilled even in a world she has left.
After all, it’s a life-risking endeavor.
No matter how it ends, if it can ultimately achieve the goal, that’s not bad either.

“Well. There’s nothing more dangerous than being certain about something that hasn’t happened yet. But if the result obtained by sacrificing a friend is like that…”

Jim smiled bitterly.
Because he knew the intention behind Esmeralda’s question.
She’s worrying about her comrade more than her own life right now.
Even a sucker isn’t this bad.
Yes, that’s why she could have been chosen as the hero.

“Then I guess we should stop her, right?”
“Do you think you can persuade her?”
“Honestly, if she’s in a situation where she’s going to grind me up, I don’t think words will get through? I’ll educate her with my fists.”

Esmeralda grinned and clenched her fist.
Right now, she doesn’t have the holy sword.
Well, if Irina had any sense, she wouldn’t have left the holy sword nearby.
In the end, this means that the only means Esmeralda has to deal with Irina right now is her fists.
Even with just that, the outcome of the fight was uncertain, but…
Esmeralda didn’t hesitate.

“Mr. Jim, then can you cause a commotion and draw people’s attention as I said at first?”
“Ah, so the conclusion was the same after all.”
“That’s right.”
“But Hero. What happens if I refuse?”
“That’s for you to worry about. I’m going to start by demolishing this wall right now.”

Bang!
Esmeralda swung her clenched fist towards the wall.
The wall was cleanly pierced with a loud noise.
The surrounding area starts to get noisy due to the commotion caused.

“Oh my…”

Tremendous initiative.
Jim sighed, thinking of the disappeared Esmeralda for a while, and then looked around and said.

“Ah, it seems everyone is a light sleeper. I didn’t expect them to come this quickly.”

Before they knew it, holy knights and priests had gathered around the surrounded building.
The sight of clergy holding torches in one hand and their respective weapons in the other was a terrifying scene for Jim, the demon spy.
But…

“Then let’s take this opportunity to hear how you all have lived.”

For the non-demon ‘him’.
They’re not objects to be feared, but objects to be known.
Of course, Jim invited with a smile, but the gathered forces seemed to think differently. People approaching with weapons gripped in their hands.
Jim swept them with a cold gaze once, and then asked in a matching voice.

“Ah, you don’t like that? Hmm, then how about this topic?”

The world is in utter chaos with greed, anger, and delusion exceeding limits.

“The human who pulled down the Celestial God and the Demon King who cooperated with him. Which do you think is more at fault?”

It is lamentable that ignorance is covering your eyes.

“To my eyes, there still seems to be no difference between them.”

Blue Blood
Six Realms Manifestation – Heavenly Realm
[Realm of the Six Desires: Four Heavenly Kings]

Esmeralda was advancing in the opposite direction of the commotion with confident steps, but no one recognized her presence.
The invisibility technique she had stolen and learned from Tina. It was a survival method of thieves… no, archaeologists.
By now, Jim should be drawing people’s attention.

‘It would be nice if he could hold out for long, but it’s probably too much to ask.’

Fortunately, Esmeralda seemed to know where Irina was.
There was a place that was unusually bright despite the dark night.
Yes, she had just been thinking it was strange that the person herself wasn’t visible when she was thinking of grinding her up.
It seems some preparation is needed for what she’s going to do to her.
Esmeralda headed towards the place where the light was visible with that intuition.
When she went to the place where the ritual was being prepared.
There were forces of a completely different level from those who had rushed ahead earlier.

“Enter. The Saint is waiting.”
“Ha…! You know I’m going to punch your boss in the jaw, right?”
“The Saint grew up too quickly. It’s the fault of us incompetent ones.”

They didn’t block the way.
Not only did they just make way, but they were also skilled enough to easily see through the invisibility technique learned from Tina.

“We weren’t as smart as the Saint, and we were fools who didn’t know how to take responsibility or even how to take the initiative to be tainted by evil.”
“So you want the wise hero to scold her instead?”
“No, we thought that even if it’s foolish, words from a friend might have meaning.”
“Who are you calling foolish?!”

While saying that, Esmeralda quickly scanned the faces of the holy knights who had made way.

[Total Estimate: Lv. 452]
[Total Estimate: Lv. 502]
[Total Estimate: Lv. 494]
[Total Estimate: Lv. 727]

All of them were strong individuals who easily surpassed her. Yes, this is why Esmeralda had no choice but to leave Irina alone even while knowing her inner thoughts.
Even now, after growing stronger by overcoming all sorts of adversities, even in the current situation where the Celestial Order has barely regained its authority after collapse.
She was still far too weak.
But because she was the hero. She decided not to be intimidated by such things.

“Then we’ll go this far. We hope for a good result.”
“Alright. Look forward to it. I’ll bring that fool back in a proper saintly manner.”

After all, she firmly believed that she would eventually become the strongest.
When she reached the place where the ritual was being performed like that.
Esmeralda discovered Irina kneeling and praying in the middle of a pure white light.

“You’ve come, Hero.”
“Yes, I’m here, Irina.”

That appearance looked quite relaxed.
And there was a reason to be relaxed.

[Total Estimate: Lv. 432]

The total estimate had noticeably increased since the last time she saw her.
Esmeralda realized that Irina had been conducting some kind of ritual here to increase her power.

“I guess you need to be stronger than me to grind me up?”
“Mm, as expected of the Hero.”

Irina nodded with a broad smile. She was truly crazy.
Watching that scene, Esmeralda sighed deeply and said.

“Irina, let’s stop pretending with each other now.”
“Oh my? I thought you preferred this side.”

As Esmeralda took a stance with her fist clenched, Irina also raised her morningstar with a chilling smile.
Irina’s total estimate had already surpassed her own, but Esmeralda didn’t care much.
After all, Irina had been focusing more on support rather than combat.
Before the conversation…

“Since when did you know?”

Esmeralda asked when Irina had known about the Emerald Tablet.

“Because you were unusually cautious in front of me. And while pretending to be stupid, you kept boundaries well and handled the tug-of-war between factions well? Wasn’t it too competent to insist all of that was coincidence?”
“Haha, I tried to pass it off as good intuition, but I guess that didn’t work.”
“It’s me we’re talking about.”
“You, that’s self-importance.”

Wham!
Esmeralda caught Irina’s suddenly swung mace with one hand. Her palm tingled, but at least it should have made a statement.
The weapon that easily crushed demon heads was caught barehanded.
Any ordinary opponent would lose their fighting spirit here, but Irina seemed unfazed.
Esmeralda frowned at Irina’s expression and said.

“Irina, they say that even if you kill me and grind up my corpse, you can’t create a holy relic.”
“Hero, you don’t think I’ll believe those words, do you?”
“But isn’t it worth considering the possibility?”
“If I was going to consider such things, I wouldn’t have done this in the first place, would I?”
“Is that so?”

Whack!
Esmeralda’s kick struck Irina’s head. A counterattack for Irina’s surprise attack during the conversation.

“You’re tough.”
“It’s my specialty after all.”

But Irina easily blocked Esmeralda’s attack by spreading a barrier, as if she had expected it.

“Irina.”

Esmeralda stared at Irina with a cold expression.
Irina frowned as if Esmeralda’s emerald eyes were piercing through even her hidden inner thoughts.

“I made a mistake. That is, I overestimated the ability of these eyes.”
“That’s right. If you hadn’t overestimated it, I wouldn’t have been able to deceive you so easily, Hero.”
“You used brainwashing on yourself?”
“What’s the point in denying it now? That’s right. But I don’t quite like the word choice. Could you call it suggestion instead?”
“Well, that’s how it looks to my eyes?”
“Didn’t you just say you wouldn’t overestimate your eyes’ ability?”
“That’s right. So…”

Esmeralda reached out her hand.
A sudden attack during the conversation, just like with the kick.
Irina spread a barrier to block that hand as if it was natural, but…

‘It’s not a fist. A thrust? No, this is…’

Tsuzuzuzuk!
The fingers stuck into the barrier bent and seemed to grab the barrier itself, then tore it apart.
Esmeralda’s palm became ragged and bled.

“Now I’ll judge for myself.”

A simple display of brute force without any technique. Esmeralda’s fingers seemed broken just from tearing the barrier, but she ignored it and grabbed Irina’s collar.

“You’ve just realized that you didn’t actually want to do this, right? Just as I became the hero representing everyone, you also represented something that someone had to do, right?”
“…”
“But you wanted someone to stop you? You hoped to be made to fail?”
“No, I was just trying to give a fair chance.”
“Is that so? Then I guess I’ll have to make good use of that chance again.”

What she hadn’t seen.
What she hadn’t properly faced because she thought she had seen it.
Esmeralda reflected. Even if she could read people’s surface thoughts, she couldn’t know the pain hidden deep in their hearts.
Because she overestimated her eyes, she tried not to look properly.
Yes, now the reflection is over.
So from now on, like a sucker, as if it’s natural, without expecting any benefit, just to save someone who is suffering.
Yes, even if it’s obviously a thorny path that will be painful.

“Don’t worry anymore, Irina. The hero who will save you, even if it means beating you, has come right in front of you!”

She just walks ahead on her own initiative.
While saying that, Esmeralda threw a punch full of personal feelings at Irina’s face.

Whack!
Honestly, it felt satisfying.