Shadow Fang had been left abandoned in the ruins for a long time.
Although the blade that was made of special materials showed no signs of rust, the handle was a different story.
The leather had rotted away and was tattered and frayed, with dust clogging every crevice.
The marks left by time were unmistakable.
“Now it’s finally looking presentable.”
I removed the damaged leather and replaced it with a new grip.
As a thief, my handiwork wasn’t too bad.
By the time I finished, the magic sword looked as clean as if it had just been crafted in a workshop.
The weighty sensation it conveyed when held in my hand.
Like a fine sword, its weight distribution was exquisite, making it feel surprisingly light when swung.
When I channeled mana into it, a dark aura rose and enveloped the blade.
It lived up to its nickname, the “Pitch-Black Magic Sword”.
“That guy… he’s completely entranced by that magic sword!”
I turned to see Fran standing there.
She must have come in from behind the counter.
She was holding a wooden staff that chattered in a middle-aged man’s voice as she stared intently at me.
“What about the shop?”
“I’m done for the day.”
“It’s still midday. That’s pretty early.”
“The right customers will come at the right time anyway.”
Fran was a magic toolmaker.
Most of what she sold were her own creations, but she also displayed some imported items.
Occasionally, she took on repair jobs and other various requests.
Her skills were undeniably the best in the city of Alto.
She was a master whose work wouldn’t be out of place anywhere.
“You should live a little more diligently. You’re probably the only shop owner who bullies customers.”
“Says the unemployed one. If you have time to fiddle with swords, why not pay off your debt?”
“That’s what I’m preparing to do, isn’t it?”
I sheathed Shadow Fang.
“The Black Magic Sword, huh? It gives off an extraordinary aura. I can see why it’s so captivating.”
The ruby crystal embedded in the head of the staff.
Levasthan’s Eye emitted a faint glow.
“It’s not as dangerous as it looks. I’m not entranced or anything.”
“That’s what they all say. ‘I’ll be fine’. But in the end, their souls get devoured, and they meet a miserable end.”
“You really don’t trust people, do you? For a worn-out staff.”
“What!? You dare insult me? Apologize right now!”
Levasthan’s crystal flashed furiously as it shouted loudly.
“Why do you even carry something like this around?”
The cheeky staff was one thing, but the most baffling was Fran’s taste.
Levasthan must have caused her plenty of trouble.
Even after losing her chance to become a hero, she always carried it around.
“It’s fun. Plus, it’s convenient having it deal with people for me.”
“You treat me like some unwanted guest.”
“That’s right. Did you think otherwise?”
“Tch…”
This girl really has no filter.
In stories, childhood friends were usually sweet and lovable heroines.
But there’s no way to expect anything like that from her.
Fran sighed.
“I get that you’re excited to have free time, but idling around isn’t good. You should take on some adventurer work in between.”
A lazy bum.
From the outside, it looked like I wasn’t earning any money and was just lazing around.
It was only natural that Fran saw me as pathetic.
“I have a mountain of things to do. I don’t have the luxury to do anything else.”
“You don’t seem particularly busy. What are you planning to do?”
“Well…”
To interfere with Claria’s path.
…Saying that outright felt a bit petty.
There had to be a more elegant way to phrase it.
After thinking of a suitable response, I answered.
“The party Claria is in won’t function properly. I plan to act independently and fill the void left by the hero’s party.”
It was a sacrifice for the greater good, but it was different from before.
I wasn’t doing this to dedicate myself to others; I was doing it because I wanted to.
I was paying back the karma that had been dealt to me.
In a way, it could be said that all the hardships and efforts I had endured were finally bearing fruit.
Naturally, I would also be contributing to the peace of my homeland, so it was a win-win situation.
“A petty thief trying to act all high and mighty!”
Levasthan, as usual, was quick to criticize.
“What’s bothering you now?”
“Do you even know how to handle a sword? You managed to get your hands on a magic sword, but if you keep doing things that don’t suit you, you’ll end up dead.”
“I have some skill with a sword. I’ve already taken down bandits with it.”
“Even so, you won’t be able to beat that brat Louis or whatever his name is.”
That hit a nerve.
He was right.
Since I had fallen out with Claria, there might come a time when I’d have to compete with Louis.
Beating him while he was a natural-born swordsman wouldn’t be easy.
“That might be true for now. But a thief has to be good at everything to survive. I’ll surpass him soon enough.”
“I’ll give you credit for your ambition! But it’s always these overconfident types who meet a miserable end.”
“Are you trying to worry about me or mock me?”
“Both, you idiot!”
As expected of a staff with no filter, Levasthan hurled insults at me.
If it had a mouth, I’d have shut it by now.
But since it was just a staff, I held back.
“By the way, I heard something about the hero’s party from a customer.”
Fran suddenly chimed in.
“What did you hear?”
“Something about the hero party obtaining a relic in a dungeon in the eastern region. I don’t know the details, though.”
As expected.
They had mentioned heading north in the grasslands, but it seemed they had actually gone east.
Claria must have convinced them.
She wouldn’t have wanted to miss the chance to obtain a rare magical tool.
“Those bastards…”
I muttered under my breath, filled with anger.
They didn’t listen to me when I said the same thing.
They were truly the kind of people I didn’t want to associate with.
***
The reason I had planned to head to the eastern region was because of an event that was supposed to happen around this time.
The relic and magical tool were just a bonus.
The main incident occurred in a place called Fog Village.
Through this opportunity, I could build my reputation and, at the same time, obtain an item that would be of great help in my adventures.
For that reason, I headed straight there.
“As the rumors say, the fog is quite thick. Is it always like this here?”
“Yes. It wasn’t this severe before, but… it has gotten much worse lately.”
The village chief answered my question in a worried tone while looking beyond the fog.
“I heard that on days like this, victims appear.”
“Yes, we’ve already warned the villagers to avoid going outside. Please be careful as well, Sir Theo.”
Looking around, the visibility was less than 100 meters.
No wonder it earned the nickname Fog Village.
“Could you tell me more about the situation?”
I asked formally, even though I already knew the details.
The village chief nodded quietly.
“It started about half a year ago. On days when the fog was thick, people began to report seeing illusions, one by one.”
If you wandered outside alone, you would hear voices from somewhere.
Following the sound, you would suddenly find yourself in a different place, where you would witness something horrifying, the chief explained.
“Is it different from a mirage?”
“It’s not like that. Most people see things related to their own memories.”
It’s closer to a nightmare.
The difference is that it happens suddenly, even when you’re fully awake.
The villagers had no choice but to suffer from the hallucinations and voices.
“A few mages tried to intervene, but it was no use. They just ended up falling victim to the illusions.”
The village chief shook his head as if troubled.
The incidents mostly occurred at night when everyone was asleep.
There were no deaths or injuries, which made it awkward to ask for outside help.
However, more and more people were complaining of mental distress.
It must have been a headache for the chief.
“I’ll try to solve it.”
At my words, the chief’s face brightened.
“Do you have any idea what might be causing this, Sir Theo?”
“Well, I might have some clues, but I’ll need to observe the situation for a few days.”
“You were once a hero… Ahem, my apologies. We’re just grateful that someone of your caliber is offering to help.”
The chief gave an awkward smile.
He must have thought I would be sensitive about no longer being a hero.
“Don’t worry about it. I joined the hero’s party because I wanted to. Most of what’s written in the papers is exaggerated.”
“Oh… I see!”
I wanted to add that it was a cowardly provocation, but I decided to let it go.
After all, once the incident was resolved, they would see me in a new light.
Coming to this village was partly intentional for that reason.
In other words, it was about image-making.
A hero isn’t just someone who’s strong.
Consistent good deeds are equally important.
Defeating the Demon King is merely the final goal that caps off the journey.
For me, though, I needed to first restore my tarnished reputation.
***
I had told them I would investigate, but in reality, I didn’t do much.
I took walks around the village.
I chatted with the villagers.
That was pretty much all I had done over the past few days.
It wasn’t about wasting time.
I was simply waiting for the right moment.
The day the incident would occur was already set.
I had come with plenty of time to spare, partly to hide the fact that I was a regressor.
There was nothing good about Claria finding out about this.
If I had arrived exactly on the predicted date, it would have seemed suspicious.
Unless, like her, I knew the future.
“Theo…? What are you doing here?”
Louis was the first to spot me.
While I was casually strolling around during the day, our eyes met as he was talking to the village chief.
“It seemed like the villagers were in trouble. I’m staying here to help.”
Behind him were Claria and Farne.
Both looked surprised, but Claria seemed to be putting on an act.
She must have expected me to be here.
“You said you quit being a hero. What gives you the right to help others now?”
“And you? You said you were heading north, but then you turned east. You went on about intuition and all that, but now that I think about it, I was right, wasn’t I?”
“You bastard…”
Louis scowled fiercely.
He growled but couldn’t refute me.
It was natural he couldn’t respond.
That guy had too much pride.
He’d never admit I was right, even if it killed him.
His expression was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
“Anyway, now that we’re here, you can step aside.”
Louis insisted stubbornly, but if he were the type to back down easily, he wouldn’t have come here in the first place.
I ignored him and turned my gaze toward Claria.
That damn woman. She shows up right on the day to reap the rewards.
It was typical of her, hating to lose out on anything.
The process of connecting and empathizing with the villagers was essential, yet she planned to solve the incident in a single day and take all the rewards.
Well, she had her own way of doing things, so I let it slide.
However.
“Why should I listen to you? Let’s each do our own thing.”
I matched their rudeness with my own.
Outwardly, it was directed at Louis, but inwardly, it was a declaration of war aimed at Claria.
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