Ord Zenbel, the Abyss Priest who had been tracking me, proposed that we cooperate to eliminate the heroes.
Is it a proposal with no reason to refuse?
He probably thinks so. In their eyes, I must be a criminal on the run after failing to massacre the hero's party from within.
Of course, that was just a misunderstanding stemming from false accusations.
...Ah, maybe it's hard to say it's 100% a misunderstanding?
Unlike the rumors spread among the public, I never tried to ambush the hero party members, but I did think that killing them would be the best option if the opportunity arose.
Once one hero dies, the remaining ones would have to fill his place, which would ultimately increase the burden on Friede and me, but...
'That would still be better.'
Even considering that, it would be better if Gunther and Heid disappeared.
They had excessively malicious personalities and ambitions to be left alone for the sake of being a necessary evil.
At least that's how they were described in the novel. Although it was an explanation heavily influenced by the personal grudges of the possessor in the original novel.
Well, for such reasons, if the Abyss Priests' goal was really to kill Heid and Gunther, there was no reason I couldn't cheer them on.
Actively cooperating and participating in this was a slightly different matter though.
Why, you ask?
Because these are Abyss Priests after all.
If Gunther and Heid are hypocritical bastards on the surface, these guys are 100% pure villains who don't even bother with hypocrisy.
You're telling me to trust such guys?
Well, I'd rather trust a school classmate who contacts me after ten years asking to cosign a loan.
It was obvious without even looking. They might pretend to be trustworthy collaborators when they need me, but once I'm no longer needed, they wouldn't hesitate to stab me in the back.
These guys growl at each other even among fellow Abyss Priests, so how would they treat an outsider like me?
That's why, while nodding as if agreeing to the proposal, I added the condition that we would need evidence to trust each other.
* * *
Hearing my words, Ord let out a faint sigh while twisting the corner of his mouth as if annoyed. His attitude seemed to say, if you're agreeing then just agree, why add conditions?
"A token of trust? Is such a thing necessary? I think it's already enough that our intentions align."
"That's not nearly enough."
We can trust each other because our goals are the same? Only fools would fall for such words. What do you take me for?
"Whether what you're extending to me is really a helping hand, or a leash disguised as a hand... I honestly can't tell."
In reality, it was rather the opposite. The fact that our goals align means I can use the other party to achieve my goals.
"So help me be certain. So that I can gain confidence that it's okay to trust you. It's not a difficult thing, is it?"
"...You're very suspicious. Excessively so."
"That's why I'm still alive."
If I had lived thinking this world was full of faith, hope, and love, I would have died long ago, or ended up in a state where I'd be begging to be killed.
Suspicion was a virtue. At least in this dangerous and barbaric world.
"Tch. You just don't give in, do you?"
Ord clicked his tongue softly, showing his displeasure.
It was the kind of attitude someone with a guilty conscience would show when hit right on the mark. Or maybe he just had a bad personality and disliked backtalk.
"If you're dissatisfied—"
"...Fine. If you need such a thing, I'll provide it as much as you want. Though I don't know what I should give to convince a woman as suspicious as you."
"It's not difficult. You just need to properly answer a few questions."
"Haah..."
Ord nodded while letting out a deep sigh. His reaction showed that he found my attitude quite unsatisfactory, but he would at least listen for now.
Hmm... Are the current Abyss Priests so lacking in manpower?
To the extent that they need to somehow recruit a woman who openly expresses suspicion and maintains an uncooperative attitude. A woman whose known combat ability is at most at the level of a kingdom knight?
...That can't be. If the Reversal Society was such a weak organization, they wouldn't have even thought of messing with heroes in the first place.
But then, why are they taking such a submissive attitude? From their perspective, why is my cooperation, which is merely at the level of a kingdom knight, so important?
Really, the more I thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.
...Well, it's not too late to worry about the reasons later. For now, let's ask the things I wanted to ask right away.
"You said you're going to kill the heroes... especially Heid, right?"
"That's right. We'll need to eliminate Gunther as well, but he's next. We need to deal with Heid first."
"Why?"
First question. Why are they trying to kill the heroes?
"What's the reason for targeting him? You guys have been living quietly for the past few years. But now you're suddenly trying to kill Heid. I'm very curious about your motive."
No, to be precise, why did you decide to kill the heroes 'now'? That was my first question.
"The reason… hmm."
Ord tilted his head and pondered for a moment, then as if a good answer had occurred to him, he shrugged his shoulders lightly and opened his mouth.
"It's the same as yours. The reason we're trying to slaughter the current heroes, that motive can be seen as identical to your reason for targeting the heroes. Does that answer your question?"
"How could it?"
Our motives are the same? Say something that makes sense if you want me to believe you. Do you even know my motives?
"Don't dodge the question like that and explain properly. If you really want to bring me in, you should show sincerity to my questions as well."
The same reason as me? What, did Heid say he wants to fuck you too?
"...Was my explanation insufficient? Alright then. If you want, I'll tell you everything."
Had he finally decided to explain properly? I let out a faint snicker. Thinking how difficult it was to get one answer.
And.
"The current heroes. They are beings not even worthy of being called heroes. You know that too, don't you?"
Ord stepped forward and suddenly began a long speech. Saying that the current heroes are not heroes but hero assistants.
"I know better than you. So what?"
"A hero is humanity's vanguard and champion who has received the goddess's blessing to destroy the head of the demon folk. But are the current heroes like that?"
Of course not. Except for Friede, they're all just trash busy looking after their own interests.
Not just Gunther and Heid, but even Atli, the hero of the East, was far from being a hero. Though from the perspective of the Easterners, he might be seen as a hero.
"When was the last time a Demon Lord was subjugated? Ten years ago? Twenty years? It's been four hundred years! For a full four hundred years, not a single hero has reached the Demon Lord! No, they probably didn't even think of reaching them!"
Ord's voice rose as he became more agitated.
Actually, he wasn't wrong. The last officially recorded Demon Lord subjugation was exactly from that time.
So what have the heroes since then been doing?
Some heroes died during the exploration of abyss dungeons, some reached the Demon Lord's territory but died in battle without being able to kill the Demon Lord.
Honorable but weak failures.
Of course, that doesn't mean their achievements can be belittled. At least the heroes of that time, even if they failed due to lack of strength, didn't abandon their responsibilities.
But as time passed, the situation changed.
Four hundred years ago. After Blood Wolf King Gard was subjugated, the Demon Lords began to maintain silence as if they had given up their ambitions towards the surface.
They did send demon armies through deep dungeons, but it was to an extent that could be sufficiently blocked by each country's knightly orders alone.
The threat of the Demon Lords was forgotten. Not just by the royal families and nobles of each country, but even by the heroes themselves.
So naturally, the role of heroes also had to change greatly from before.
"With the excuse that the Demon Lords are quiet, that the knights' strength alone is enough to block the entrance to the deep dungeons! Those self-proclaimed 'heroes' have shirked their responsibilities and cunningly enjoyed only their own benefits!"
The current heroes were not suicide squads aiming for the Demon Lord's neck, but just national forces that could become stronger faster than anyone else.
Dispatching heroes and their party members who have received the blessing of growth to deep dungeons to make them grow, then presenting them as the core national defense force of each country.
That was how the current kingdoms were using the existence called heroes.
The heroes themselves were also generally uninterested in Demon Lord subjugation that might endanger their lives, and only sought fame, power, and benefits as national forces.
Ord's long speech was accurately pointing out this part.
"Can such things be called heroes? Neither helping the weak out of goodwill, nor sincerely aiming for the Demon Lord's neck. Just vermin coveting only power, wealth, women, and ambition!"
Ord shouted while clenching his fist. As if captivated by his own words. I thought he might have been successful as a public speaker rather than an Abyss Priest.
"That's why we're trying to destroy them. To strip those unqualified heroes of their privileges, to give an opportunity to prove their worth to those who are truly worthy!"
Killing unqualified heroes to give those who are qualified a chance to become heroes. Ord explained that this was his - the Reversal Society's purpose.
"Ha."
I laughed while twisting the corner of my mouth crookedly. I couldn't help but laugh because it was all nonsense from start to finish.
"Stop talking nonsense and tell me the real reason. Since when have you guys been living with such admirable thoughts?"
It was really ridiculous. A qualification examination for heroes, what kind of nonsense is an Abyss Priest spouting?
It seems he mistakenly thought that I had targeted the hero party with such thoughts, and is now reciting this nonsense on the spot to evoke a sense of kinship...
'This is really absurd.'
Even mistakes have limits.
I don't know how they came to such a misunderstanding, but it seems these guys are considering me as some kind of anti-hero who voluntarily took on the role of a villain to judge the corrupted heroes.
These crazy bastards.