Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside - Volume 12 - Chapter 4.1

Chapter 4

The Demon Lord’s Daughter

The following day, I was walking around Zoltan with Habotan again.

“The one-year anniversary of Sirs Red and Rit reuniting is wonderful.”

“Thanks. Sorry for dragging you along with me.”

“Not at all! This one was uneasy alone, so it was a pleasure.”

I was out with Habotan today to look for an idea for Red & Rit’s Apothecary’s one-year anniversary and a present for Rit. Of course, that was just an excuse; the real goal was to keep an eye on Habotan…but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t struggling to find something, so hoped accompanying Habotan in her mission would lead me to a flash of inspiration. I particularly wanted to figure out what to get Rit for her present.

“I’m here to get some ideas for presents, so I won’t really be able to help out that much. I can still mediate if any sort of issues pop up though, so go ahead and do the best you can on your own.”

“Yes, sir!” Habotan chirped back.

The energy in her response reminded me of my subordinates from when I was a knight.

“Where are you going today?”

“Last night, Sir Payen, the metalworker, told me that there was a ship coming in to port today.”

“Ohh?”

“Apparently, there is a manor being built in central Zoltan, and a large amount of lumber and marble is being brought in for it.”

“I see.”

I’d been a bit worried after yesterday, but from the sound of it, she’d managed to get some proper leads.

“Not bad. Look at you.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

It looked like chatting up the locals with Ruti last night had given her some confidence, because Habotan looked more composed than she had before.

…Though it was times like these when you had to be most careful.

“What’s with this pipsqueak?!”

We’d found ourselves in a tavern in the harbor district that was popular with sailors, and a man with a stubbly beard had just growled at Habotan. She looked perplexed, and I thought he might have scared her, but instead she just seemed to brush it off, which made the sailor even more annoyed.

“Talk about bad luck,” I muttered.

About thirty minutes after she’d started talking to people, the sailor had suddenly erupted at Habotan when she approached him. Her opening ice-breaker hadn’t even been that bad.

“He just doesn’t like kids.”

Everyone had a different perspective. I happened to like kids, but there were many people who didn’t, and some, like this sailor, seemed to hate them wholesale.

The man’s companions seemed unimpressed with his attitude, but not enough to defend Habotan, either. So how would she react?

If she glanced in my direction looking for help, then I’d step in, but until she did, I figured it’d be better to let her try to handle it.

“I’m here to drink, not to look at some brat’s stupid face.”

“Very well,” Habotan said, then covered her face with both hands. “Now you shan’t see it.”

The other sailors burst out laughing at the adorable comeback, but the hostile man’s drunken face turned redder, and he flashed his blackened, cavity-pocked teeth in a menacing scowl.

“You makin’ fun of me, you little shit?!”

His blessing level wasn’t that high, but he was used to brawling. Even though he was dealing with a kid, he clenched his fists tightly and started to swing down with a heavy punch. He didn’t seem to care at all that it might actually kill her.

Habotan stood there unmoving, still covering her face.

“Sorry, thanks!” I grabbed a bottle of wine from a nearby table and threw it at the sailor’s feet.

“Woah!”

Stepping on the bottle, he fell to the ground with a loud crash. All the sailors around him burst into loud laughter at the comical sight.

“S-s-son of a bitch!”

Standing up, he glared at the laughing sailors with bloodshot eyes.

“Which of you bastards did that?! I’ll murder the lot of ya!”

“Eh? We’re sick of watching you treat people like shit!”

Just like that, the sailors got up and started brawling. The other patrons started cheering, while the barkeep scrunched up his face in annoyance and started clearing the counter of things that might get knocked off.

Brawls were just part and parcel for a tavern in the harbor district.

“Sorry about that. Get yourself another drink,” I said, putting a silver coin down on the table from which I’d borrowed the wine bottle.

“Don’t worry about it, we got a good show for it. Thanks for the laughs.”

The guest at the table raised a glass to me.

Some other sailors had moved away from the counter, so Habotan wouldn’t get caught up in the brawl. I could see her talking to them, and it looked like she was learning something of interest.

Even with a fight going on right beside her, she looked unperturbed.

That was a ninja for you.

It was afternoon by the time we left the tavern. Walking beside me, Habotan ate a meat skewer the sailors had bought for her back at the bar.

“Ah, did you want some, Sir Red?”

“I’m fine, I ate back at the tavern.”

“Really?”

I’d undersold my hunger as a matter of pride, but I probably should’ve had a proper meal, too. A bit of wine and cheese wasn’t enough for a proper lunch.

She bit into the skewer again with gusto.

“Sorry about earlier.”

“Hm?” She looked up with a mouthful of food. “What about?”

“You could’ve dealt with an opponent of his level without any issue, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I knew that, but still couldn’t help but get involved. I thought you weren’t going to dodge.”

Habotan had been covering her face with both hands at the time, so I’d thought she hadn’t been able to see it.

“It is fine. This one would not die from a punch like that.”

“…So that was what you were thinking?” I said, frowning slightly.

“Is that a problem?”

“No, that’s certainly one way of looking at it.”

If you’re up against someone who can’t cause you any trouble, then just endure it. That way, you won’t cause any unnecessary disturbances or provoke them further. It wasn’t necessarily wrong to think like that when gathering information.

But…

“It’s just a me problem,” I said.

“Sir Red?”

“I didn’t want to see you getting hit.”

That was why I’d intervened.

“I-is that so…?”

She looked a little surprised, then fell silent.

This is a bit awkward…

“Ah, Habotan,” I said, raising my voice slightly. “It looks like some sailors are running a shop over there.”

I pointed to where a group of sailors was sitting in front of tables full of merchandise, calling out to passersby.

“A sailors’ shop?”

“Yeah, they buy things in one port and sell them in another. It’s a side gig for sailors. Do they not do that sort of thing in the Jade Kingdom?”

“I couldn’t say. I don’t really know much about ships.”

From what I read, ninjas trained in the mountains, so I guess they didn’t go to the ports that much.

“Want to go see?”

“Yes, sir.”

Getting closer, the sailors immediately started calling out to us.

“Hey, there, why not get something for your daughter? I’ve got a cute li’l pendant for sale!”

Daughter, huh…?

That was even harder to square than sister.

“Just kidding.” The sailor laughed it off. He obviously didn’t think much about what he said when he called out to customers.

“That would not suit this one.”

“Really? I think it would…but I guess the design might be a bit too childish. What about that one?” I pointed to a silver pendant with red jewel in the center. It looked like a ruby, but it was just a red spinel; cheaper than a ruby, but beautiful enough to be mistaken for one.

“Something so fair would not suit this one, either.”

It didn’t sound like she was just being humble—she really believed it.

“I think it’d look nice on you, though.”

“This one would be better.”

“Hm? Which one?”

She was looking at a pendant at the edge of the display. It had a black jewel set in the center of what looked like thorns.

…Looking closer, I saw a red eye floating in the jewel.

“Hey, this is cursed!” I shouted at the sailor, who recoiled in fear.

He was selling it even though he knew it was cursed?! What was wrong with him?!

“I have to. I bought it at such a high price…”

“What made you think that was a good idea? Just look at it!” I fired back in exasperation.

“How much is it?”

““You wanna buy it?!”” the sailor and I both shouted in surprise.

“You did hear me say it’s cursed, right?” I said. “We’d have to analyze it to know more, but it’s bound to have some sort of malicious effect.”

“You have quite the discerning eye, missy! For you, I’d be willing to take thirty percent off!”

“You just got caught trying to sell cursed goods, and you’re still trying to foist it on her?!”

“A man’s gotta make a living!”

As I argued back and forth with the sailor, Habotan took the pendant and put it on without any hesitation.

“I am strong against curses,” she said with a smile.

Ah, she probably has a blessing that can use cursed power.

“All right, it’s all yours now, missy!”

The sailor sounded ecstatic as he took Habotan’s money. I guess, if she was fine with it being cursed, then there was nothing else for me to say.

“A pendant, huh?”

Should I get necklace for Rit’s present? No, I gave her one before already.

“What sort of gifts do women in the Jade Kingdom like?”

“Uh, ummm, this one is not especially versed in such things.”

Right, since she was a ninja and still just a child. With all her training, she probably didn’t know much about that sort of stuff.

“Oh, but people tend to enjoy combs and the like.”

“Right, so something useful but fashionable.”

Rit’s beautiful hair came to mind. I didn’t like the expectant look on the sailor’s face, but there was a nice comb made from a sea drake’s horn among his goods.

…Looking at the price, he’d probably mistaken it for one made from whale bone.

“I’ll take this.”

“Hehe, thank you kindly!”

I felt a little bit bad, but that was just business.

“How ’bout this to go with the comb?” he said, showing me a small jar. He opened the lid, and it let out a pleasant smell. “It’s fragrant oil for putting in your hair. I’m sure the wife’ll love it.”

“Hmm, it is a nice scent… But sorry, I can’t give her something to put in her hair without knowing what’s in it.”

“If you say that, then you won’t be able to get her anything.”

“I’m an apothecary. I can make it myself to give her,” I told him, taking the comb I’d bought.

Evening had fallen, and we’d finished visiting all the noteworthy taverns.

“This one failed to discover anything…” Habotan said, her shoulders slumped dejectedly.

It made sense. After all, Ruti came to Zoltan without anyone knowing, so there was no way a sailor who was just passing through would know anything.

“Even so, it looks like you found out a fair bit about Ruti the Hero before coming here. I’m surprised how much information on her made it over the Wall at the End of the World.”

When she’d been talking to people, well-known stories of Ruti’s adventures had often come up, but Habotan had never looked surprised.

“I heard much from Lady Torahime. Ruti the Hero truly is an incredible person.”

Habotan’s eyes shined in awe.

Torahime, huh…

“I was thinking of going to visit Lady Torahime after this. Do you want to come?”

“A visit? It is possible to see her?”

“Ah, right, I didn’t tell you about visitations, did I?”

It was just common sense to me, so I hadn’t thought to mention something that important.

“Sorry.”

“Not at all! This one would like to go and visit Lady Torahime!”

“All right, then let’s go now, before it gets too late.”

Just then…

“So this is where you were!!!”

We heard an angry shout.

Turning around, we saw the child-hating sailor from earlier glaring at us, shoulders heaving.

“You threw that bottle at me, you bastard! I’ll get you for that!”

“You’re still bent out of shape over that?”

Talk about a petty guy.

“After a bar fight, don’t people normally just drown their sorrows in beer?”

“Shut up!!!”

It was a pain in the ass, and we could’ve just run away, but a guy this tenacious would probably look for us all over Zoltan and end up at our shop.

I guess there’s nothing else to do but face him…

“Sir Red, please let this one take care of him,” Habotan said, standing in front of me.

“No, he’s after me this time, so I’ll do it.”

“All the more reason. Please allow this one to repay you for your help earlier in the tavern!”

“Hrmm… Sure.”

She might be a child, but Habotan was still a warrior filled with a sense of duty. It made sense she might not want to be in someone’s debt.

“Hehe, perfect. I was wanting to beat the shit outta that kid, too.”

“He’s a dangerous one.”

Considering what sort of trouble he might cause in the future, it might be better to put him out of commission here and now.

“Habotan, I know he’s a bad guy, but still, don’t kill him.”

“Understood, sir!”

She’d started to reach for a shuriken, but I nipped that in the bud.

She’s pretty dangerous herself.

“Can you fight barehanded?”

“Of course! You needn’t trouble yourself!”

Habotan assumed an unusual fighting stance. Her hand wasn’t clenched into a fist, but it wasn’t exactly open either. Her fingers were bent like claws pointing at the opponent, and her legs were straight, raising her center of gravity.

Was that some sort of Jade-Kingdom-style martial art?

“I’m gonna teach ya to leave us adults the hell alone!”

The sailor raised his fist and charged in, showing no caution toward her stance. Even with the large sailor charging at her, Habotan didn’t move—until the moment he got within range, when she swung her right hand down.

“Woah?!”

Latching onto his body with her fingers, she threw him to the ground.

It was a move even I couldn’t have copied. She must’ve really trained her fingers.

“Hah!”

The sailor’s back hit the ground hard, and as he writhed in agony, Habotan slammed her hand into his face. There was a loud cracking sound, and her fingers sank into his cheek. It was a powerful blow.

Seeing her fight, I still couldn’t figure out what her blessing was. It didn’t seem to be Martial Artist, but it had to be something that let her fight barehanded, right?

“Do you still wish to continue?” Habotan asked.

Was she stronger barehanded than with a sword?

“I-I’ll ’ill ’ou.”

He was still champing at the bit…but was it just me, or was there something strange about the way he was acting?

“Habotan, watch out!” I shouted.

I hadn’t noticed the talisman clenched in his left fist.

“Dieee!!!”

That was a Fire Arrow! The talisman was a consumable magic item that let anyone use the magic sealed within it.

“Crap! He’s using magic in a street fight?!”

I’d underestimated how vicious he was! Using offensive magic in the middle of town was a serious crime. If the guards caught him, that was a definite prison sentence.

I never thought he’d go so far in a fight like this!

“Habotan!”

The flames enveloped her, and I started to run over in a panic.

“You need not worry,” Habotan called out from within the flames. Her voice was no different from usual. “Hah!” With a shout, she dispersed the flames.

“Uh, wha?!”

There wasn’t a single burn mark on Habotan’s clothes or even Habotan herself. Habotan swung her right hand down again at the sailor.

“Gaaah!!!”

There were five clear imprints of her fingers in his chest.

The sailor’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he fainted.

The sun had set, and the light from house lamps spilled out into the darkness as we made our way to the hospital in central Zoltan. It had gotten late by the time we’d handed over the sailor to the guards.

I wondered whether we’d still be allowed to visit.

“Big Brother.”

“Ruti?!”

A familiar voice stopped me in my tracks as we entered the hospital.

“Why are you here?”

“I thought you’d come, though you are a little later than expected.”

“Ahh, we got mixed up with a rowdy sailor. He even resorted to magic, so we turned him over to the guards.”

“What a disaster.”

Ruti gave me a reassuring pat on the head.

It was a little embarrassing, but stopping her would make her sad, and seeing as it didn’t really bother me, I just went along with it.

“I arranged for us to visit Lady Torahime.”

“That’s just like you, Ruti, taking care of everything.”

She shifted her gaze to Habotan standing behind me.

“Lady Torahime’s condition is improving, and it looks like she’ll be discharged the day after tomorrow.”

“Oh! Ohh!” Joy filled Habotan’s face. “Thank you very much. Let us go to meet her at once!”

“Sure, let’s go.”

If we spent any more time talking here, Habotan was so excited she might just run off on her own.

We quickly headed to Torahime’s room.

“Oh, Habotan. And Sir Ruti and Sir Red as well. This is a welcome surprise.”

“Lady Torahime!”

Habotan ran over to Torahime’s side and smiled happily when her master touched her. There was no sign of the terrible state she’d been in when we first found her; the luster had returned to her skin, and her emaciated figure had filled back out.

Even for someone who’d been healed by Ruti’s Healing Hands, to recover this much in just a few days was impressive.

“You seem well.”

“Indeed. It seems the Zoltan air is agreeable to me,” Torahime said with an amicable smile.

“Habotan, have you discovered the location of Ruti the Hero?”

“A-apologies, milady! There are no leads as of yet…”

“I see. Then continue your search as you are.”

“Y-yes, milady!”

Torahime had spoken gently, not wanting to pressure Habotan.

“Habotan has not caused you any trouble, has she?”

“Not at all. In fact, I was assaulted by a hoodlum earlier, and she defeated him and handed him over to the guards.”

“Ohh?” Torahime said with a look of surprise. “Regardless, she is still inexperienced. I expect she may yet cause you some trouble, but I pray you, kindly continue to look after her.”

She sounded more like Habotan’s parent than her master.

Ahh… Has she already achieved her goal?

“Might we speak in private, milady?”

“With me? Very well,” Torahime replied with a small nod. “Habotan, would you step outside for a moment?”

“Hm? Y-yes, milady… Understood.”

Habotan left the room.

“Now then…”

Torahime fixed her gaze on us.

Where to start…?

“Lady Torahime, forgive my abrupt question, but you are not a princess of the Jade Kingdom, are you? You aren’t even human.”

She let out a short sigh.

“The princess is actually Habotan, isn’t she?”

“Yes. I judged it safer to make the enemy believe that I was their target.”

“And you had us protect Habotan for you.”

“You have my deepest apologies for the deception. There was no time to gain your trust if I revealed my identity first… However, I have not come here to hurt anyone. There was simply no other place that possessed strength enough to protect the princess.”

Torahime the demon looked at Ruti.

“Hero Ruti, I beg you, please protect Habotan.”

“Was it when I saved you that you realized?”

“Yes, when you used Healing Hands to heal me. From the information gathered by the demon lord’s armies, I knew that the Hero was in Zoltan, and in that moment I knew you were the true Hero.” Torahime sat up straight and bowed formally. “My apologies for taking advantage of your good intentions. I am ashamed that I cannot properly repay you for all you have done for us.”

“Don’t worry about it. What’s your real name?”

“My name is Altra. I was formerly the heavenly king of water of the demon lord’s armies.”

One of the heavenly kings?!

“I’m surprised to find such a major figure here.”

“When I was defeated by Escarlata, I was stripped of my rank and am no longer even a member of the demon lord’s armies.”

The masked Esta had risen to fame after grievously wounding Altra in battle and forcing him to retreat.

“The defeat of the four heavenly kings has brought the princess to the Hero. I suppose this, too, is fate.” Altra smiled Torahime’s gentle smile.

“Who is this princess? Why would the highest commanders of the demon lord’s armies give up their lives to protect her?” Ruti asked.

Altra was silent for a moment, then rose from the hospital bed.

“You are aware that the current Demon Lord Taraxon is not the rightful Demon Lord chosen by Lord Demis, are you not?”

“Yes.”

“The rightful Raging Demon Lord, Lord Satan, was overthrown by Taraxon, who stole the power of the demon lord and currently leads his armies.”

“What does this have to do with Habotan?”

“…Habotan is a demon princess, the daughter of the demon lord.”

“The demon lord’s daughter…?!” I gasped.

“The Jade Kingdom and the demon lord’s armies have been at war with intermittent periods of ceasefire for many long years. As such, the Jade Kingdom is the human land with the strongest diplomatic relations with the demon lord’s armies. There is enmity between the two, but also an odd sort of cooperation. To borrow a Jade Kingdom turn of phrase, ‘It has been a battle conducted with honor.’”

“So the Jade Kingdom helped Habotan get away from the pursuers sent after her by the demon lord?”

“If the princess can be made safe, the upper-tier demons will leave the demon lord’s army. And if she grows stronger, the power of the Raging Demon Lord will return to its rightful lineage, weakening the demon lord’s ability to force intermediate- and lower-tier demons to do his bidding. Our hopes of bringing peace to the dark continent lie with the princess.”

This was a story far beyond what I had been expecting. Habotan truly was a hope to save the world.

No matter how well the battle against the demon lord’s armies was going, with Avalon’s shipbuilding technology, we would never manage the defeat of Demon Lord Taraxon. But here was someone who could.

“I understand the absurdity of asking the Hero to protect the future demon lord, but even so, I beg you! Hero Ruti, please protect our only hope of saving the world!”

There was a loud thud as Altra’s forehead pressed against the floor.

“Please! Protect your fate and all of ours!”

It was an incredible scene.

One of the highest commanders of the demon lord’s armies was pleading with Ruti to protect the future demon lord.

I’d never imagined the Hero’s fate would catch up to us like this…

“Big Brother…”

Ruti looked at me.

She wanted my opinion on what to do.

But…

“This is something for you to decide, Ruti. Whatever your answer, I’ll respect it.”

Ruti closed her eyes for a moment, and it looked like she’d made up her mind.

“…I understand. Thank you, Big Brother.”

She looked straight at Altra.

“Ruti the Hero doesn’t exist anymore. So the Hero can’t save Habotan.”

“…”

“I want to protect Habotan because we’re friends. We’ve only just started getting to know each other, so I hardly know anything about her, but I want to know more about her. That’s why I want to protect her.”

Ruti’s voice was strong and unwavering.

“My being here isn’t fate. I’m here because I chose to be here.”

“Thank you…!”

Tears ran down Altra’s face.

It really was an unbelievable sight.