The beast tamer exiled from the hero’s party and the cat eared girl from the strongest race meet

Chapter 266 Next Generation

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

I was guided to the king's private chamber by Lady Sarya.

This room seems to be the king's completely private space.

A room where the king can relax...

And, it can be said to be an excellent place for discussions that should not be overheard by anyone else.

"Well then, I'll excuse myself."

After guiding me, Lady Sarya left the room.

Only the king and I remained... a bit awkward.

Or rather, tense.

On this continent, or rather, in this world, there is only one human country.

Rollreeze.

That is the name of this country, the only human country.

But, it's not that other countries have perished or humanity is on the brink.

In the past, countless countries existed.

There were countries on all five continents, and their number exceeded ten.

Some formed friendships and developed together...

While others engaged in wars, repeating muddy conflicts.

The catalyst that changed the way the world worked was... the Demon King.

How did the Demon King appear?

What is their purpose?

There are still parts that have not been elucidated...

The world underwent a radical transformation with the appearance of the Demon King.

The Demon King's power was overwhelmingly strong...

And the threat of the demons and monsters under their command couldn't be ignored.

Countries fell one after another.

Furthermore, the western continent was completely occupied, and the northern continent became lawless...

When the number was halved, humanity finally realized.

This is no time to be fighting among ourselves.

We must join forces or face destruction...

And so, humanity united as one to confront the Demon King.

The conflict continued, the war reached a deadlock...

And it continues to this day.

In this way, humanity became one.

All countries were integrated.

The king standing before me bears the weight of such a country.

It would be strange not to feel nervous.

We've spoken together before, but even with that experience, it's not something you get used to...

"Thank you for coming. Was it not an inconvenience?"

"No, not at all..."

"You don't have to be so formal. This is an unofficial setting. However... the content of our discussion will be heavy and demanding."

I didn't want to hear the latter part of the conversation...

What could it possibly be about?

Well, I have a vague idea.

Probably something related to Arios... the Hero.

"First of all... I must apologize. I am truly sorry."

"Eh!?"

The king bowed his head.

An unprecedented event.

The king, who holds everything together, bowing his head to an adventurer...

"What, what's happening? Please, raise your head."

"Arios planned something foolish, exposing you and your comrades to danger. It was my decision to give Arios freedom. I had assigned a knight to keep an eye on him, but I never expected something like that. I wished he would wake up for the sake of humanity's future... No, I'm sorry. That's just an excuse."

"No, I don't think it's the king's fault. It's Arios who was at fault, not the others."

"...I'm sorry. I'm making you say that."

"It's not like that..."

"Understood. Let me rely on your kindness this time."

I really don't mind, though.

To counter the Demon King, I had given Arios a certain degree of freedom.

It's not an unfamiliar story.

I had properly assigned a knight to keep an eye on him...

The rest is already Arios's responsibility.

"However, I want to make amends. Not with a reward like when I helped Sarya, but with something tangible as an apology. It might be difficult for this to be considered an apology, but... even so, I want to do the minimum. What do you wish for?"

"Um... even if you ask me suddenly..."

I can't think of anything off the top of my head.

"...Can we talk about it another time? If something comes to mind, then..."

"Understood. If that's what you say, then let's do that."

"Is the conversation over... or not?"

"Hmm. You catch on quickly, don't you?"

"If it's just the current conversation, we could talk about it openly in front of everyone. The main issue... must be something that can't be discussed casually in public. Something that should be kept as secret as possible. Is that right?"

"Your mind is truly sharp... As expected."

When a king called the Wise King says that, it's a bit embarrassing.

"To put it bluntly... would you become the next generation's hero?"

"Huh?"

I didn't expect... it to come to this.

Truly, that was unexpected, and for a moment, I'm confused.

"Me... a hero?"

"Arios's qualification as a hero has been revoked. He messed up that much. Also, still under investigation, but various other heinous acts are coming to light. The same goes for his comrades. My judgment was too lenient. I watched to see if he had the power to counter the Demon King, but... instead of doing that, he should have been imprisoned immediately."

"Where is Arios now?"

"In the dungeon. His comrades are imprisoned similarly."

"And the punishment?"

"Execution."

The king answered without hesitation.

With such a resolute attitude, I find myself surprised.

"Execution... that's quite harsh."

"He committed that much. Depending on the investigation results, even execution might seem lenient."

"I see."

I don't feel sadness.

Arios hurt my comrades.

It's unforgivable.

However...

I still felt sympathy.

Even though he did all that...

Even so, we were in a party for a while.

He was a comrade... that's why.

"However, there are no plans to make this public."

"Meaning?"

"Arios's foolish deeds are already known to the people, and his reputation has plummeted... but what if we execute a hero? You should understand."

"It would cause anxiety and unrest."

If it were to be revealed that the only hero capable of opposing the Demon Lord has been executed, it would likely lead to great confusion.

Most people would probably wonder, 'What will happen when the Demon Lord awakens?'

To give an analogy, it's like abandoning the reinforcement work on a river midway.

We don't know when a heavy rain might fall, and the river could break its banks.

Living with that uncertainty, it is not likely to be well-received.

"Therefore, let's say that Arios has fallen ill. At the right time, we'll announce his death due to illness. In return, we'll announce the emergence of the next generation hero."

"I see... Well, in that case."

"And... I would like you to take on the role of that hero. You have the power for it. Moreover, you possess the courage befitting the name of a hero. Will you do it for me?"

"I... "

TL Note- Will Rain become a hero or not? Give your answers down below.

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