The Hero’s Mentor is a Demon (King) Witch

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After the Normans’ raid on Asydia.

Lucius, Rosmas, and I suddenly became stars.

The Witch of Salvation!

The Knight of Salvation!

The Elf of Salvation!

Though the title of “Salvation” felt somewhat awkward, our deeds were indeed a salvation for the citizens of Normans.

Naturally, many wanted to meet us, and of course, many also sought to use us.

It’s a familiar situation.

Moreover, aside from the valuable magic stones I’d secretly stashed away, I had given away all the remaining ones, so wasn’t the image perfect for being taken advantage of?

A party that has no greed for wealth yet genuinely saves people to the point of suspicion.

“This is just a hero party without the Holy Sword!”

We’d merely cleared one crisis in Normans, yet they treated us like a full-fledged hero party.

In other words…

“They think we’re chumps.”

I reminded Lucius and Rosmas of our predicament.

“Calling us a hero party means they plan to use us. Huh? Can’t the hero do this? Isn’t rescuing us a given? Is it okay for the hero to ask for a reward after saving people?”

“…Just listening to that is horrifying.”

Rosmas trembled in disgust.

“You both must have already experienced it. You want to take a short break, but you guys have your own work, yet they keep bothering you.”

“Yes. That’s—”

“Did that happen…?”

Lucius looked shocked.

“I asked for help, got it, did what I was supposed to, and moved on… Is what Master mentioned, the ‘chump’ thing, referring to this?”

“Did you get paid?”

“A refreshing drink…”

“Chump.”

I tapped Lucius’s head with my staff.

“I hereby appoint you as the chump of the hero party, not its leader.”

It’s foreshadowing.

You’re going to be used by me.

If someday you shout, ‘Did you use me!!’ I’ll just have to point out that I called you a chump from Normans.

“Then Chump Lucius, our situation has worsened compared to when we repelled the Sand Worms. What should we do now?”

“…Avoid those who want to use us and trace the clues of Asydia?”

“Correct. I’ll promote you to a smart chump.”

From a truly innocent, oblivious chump, he had at least learned to get rid of the obvious.

“Now for a question. How should we move to trace Asydia’s trail?”

“We might find clues about someone named Malpas, and the Purcas who faced the Bearnes hero?”

“Rosmas, I’ll give you 70 points.”

70 out of 100.

Though a high score, it was likely not satisfactory for an elf like Rosmas.

“…Why?”

Look, the cat ready to pounce over the missing 30 points.

Before Lucius, she’s sharpening her voice just because she got 70 points.

Cute, but losing 30 points was still a loss.

“Asydia are meticulous. Since this operation failed, they’ll surely cut ties with Malpas and Purcas.”

“Cut ties?”

“It means severing the handshake. They’ll erase the traces.”

“That means making any investigation into Malpas and Purcas pointless!”

“Lucius, 80 points.”

There’s a way to make up those 20 points.

Both won’t get there, so it’s faster if I just explain.

“If I were Asydia, I’d set a trap. I’d approach the hero party looking for information on Malpas and Purcas and say this.”

I cleared my throat, grabbing Rosmas.

“Hero! They’ve kidnapped my little sister! It was definitely something like Kas…! Please save my sister!!”

“…Even a small hint could be real or a trap, so we’ll still investigate.”

“Right. By the time you notice it’s a trap, it’ll be too late. They might rush some monsters to crush you in a dungeon or block the cave entrance.”

There have been many a hero party that handled it this way.

They even utilized the names of defeated or dead soldiers to take down the enemy.

What an efficient and wicked tactic!

“So, Lucius, we need to approach differently. We’ll chase down traces that they can’t possibly erase. There are physical and magical methods. What do you think?”

“…Tracking the Sand Worm?”

“100 points, Rosmas.”

Rosmas’s face lit up.

“Specifically, how do you plan to track the Sand Worms?”

“We’ll backtrack the tunnels made by the Sand Worms. They didn’t just suddenly appear in the ground; there must be a start point somewhere.”

“Exactly. Rosmas, you’ll go to the Adventurer Guild later and tell them yourself.”

“Me?”

“Of course you should. It’s your suggested investigation method.”

“…….”

Rosmas blinked as if taken aback.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. If the Witch thought of it, then if I say it like my own idea, it feels a bit underhanded….”

“How’s that possible? Do you know? It might be something I wasn’t aware of, and if you say it, I might be pretending to be knowledgeable.”

“Master wouldn’t be that type.”

“No, Lucius. Someone in my position often pretends to be smarter than they really are. It’s common for party members to speak about things as if they were knowledge I had.”

“…….”

They fell into silence.

Maybe they realized something or were suspecting me.

To convey at least that it’s not the latter, I must prove I’m not a fool pretending to be clever.

“We’re going to chase Asydia using magical methods.”

“Magical methods?”

“Yeah. I’ve got a few things to consider.”

I pulled out the map of Normans.

“Remember how a dimensional door opened to the north of the lake?”

“Yes. It’s closed now….”

“We’ll track it backward.”

“…Is that possible?”

“Yep.”

If it’s about the Demon King level, they can observe the opposite side of a destroyed dimensional door without issue.

“We don’t have a sorceress on our team, so it’s a bit uncertain, but any capable magic user can do this.”

As Rosmas pointed out, tunnels have both an end and a beginning.

Just as physical tracking uncovers the tunnel’s end, a magic circle can investigate the traces to backtrack where the enemy opened the dimensional door.

Usually, before a large army steps through the portal, it’s at the enemy’s stronghold.

Beyond the portal is practically enemy territory—marching 50 km only to collapse from exhaustion before crossing the portal holds little meaning.

500 years ago, the Demon King’s army gained significant enjoyment from using this backtracking method.

They’d reverse the dimensional door used in an ambush attack to counterattack.

Or purposely make the enemy cross to where they’d frozen lakes in the northern snowfields.

Or shut the dimensional door right when they’re halfway through.

Spatial magic isn’t exactly my specialty, but it’s still something I can say I’m not embarrassed about.

“We’ll prepare thoroughly and cross the dimensional door. Tomorrow.”

“…Tomorrow?”

“Yes. That way, those searching for us or aiming for us won’t be caught off guard. If there are truly those who genuinely want our help….”

I pointed at the bulletin board in the plaza.

“Have them request at the Adventurer Guild. If it’s related to Asydia or if our strength is absolutely needed, we’ll go.”

*

While Rosmas went to the Adventurer Guild.

I avoided the eyes of others and headed to a clothing store to gather supplies needed for the journey.

“Hello, Witch of Salvation.”

“I’m here to buy clothes.”

The clothes shop not too far from the Adventurers Guild managed to survive the Sand Worm’s attack, which was unfortunate luck.

“I’ve got the designs prepped, so please reform it into these designs.”

“Ooh…”

I handed over the sketch I had prepared to Kosupako.

Kosupako stared at the drawing and tilted his head as he looked me up and down.

“Hmm….”

“What’s wrong?”

“Witch, could it be…?”

“Oh, you figured it out right away?”

Truly someone in the clothing industry.

“It’s variable, so the size might differ a bit. It can grow or shrink depending on the amount of mana.”

“Hmm…. How about we adjust it this way?”

Kosupako took out a booklet.

It was filled with drawings that seemed to be Kosupako practicing designs, and I picked an appropriate design from it.

“Let’s go with this.”

“Alright. But, first….”

“This is fine to sell. Just keep it quiet that it’s my idea.”

“…Is that okay?”

“Yes. But if I’m asking, can you make a couple of extra pieces? So I can immediately take them as soon as I arrive.”

“Oh, that’s no problem at all.”

Seems Kosupako had heard about the awkward situation I faced.

It would indeed be strange if he hadn’t.

“Witch, you were like a complete goddess of flames.”

“Isn’t that blasphemy?”

“If praising the one who protected Normans is blasphemy, then I’ll follow the Witch’s Church.”

“What does that even mean, sigh.”

Kosupako chuckled and went inside.

“Sorry, Lucius. You also wanted to get new clothes… Why do you look like that?”

“Nothing at all.”

Lucius’s expression was extremely calm.

It was even a bit cold, making me feel awkward for no reason.

Did I do something wrong?

Is it because I didn’t show him the design?

“Got a preliminary sketch, want to see it?”

“Um… Master?”

“What?”

“W-what’s that?”

“Clothes.”

I brought the sketch I had from Kosupako and showed it to Lucius.

“Covering appropriately, it’s an outfit to avoid annoying the priests of the Moon Goddess.”

“…….”

A loose knit that sufficiently covers the chest and underarms.

A red tie coming down the middle.

And a robe of a sorcerer for emergencies.

“What do you think? I shouldn’t get caught by the priests of the Moon Goddess, right?”

“…What about the bottom?”

“Oh, this?”

I pointed out the hem of the knit that barely brushed my thighs.

“This below is shorts. It’s a little short, but….”

“No, I’m talking about the thing on your legs. What on earth is that?”

“Oh, this?”

I thought about the spiderwebs filling the abandoned dungeon when we tackled Shax’s dungeon.

“Fishnet.”

I’m wearing all this, so surely the Moon Goddess’s priestess won’t get picky about the exposure, will she?