Will I End Up As a Hero or a Demon King (WN)

Chapter 245

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Chapter 245 – Reunion

I took a deep breath of the cold air and gazed down at the town below, which was just beginning to light up.

There were times when I died, nearly died, and even killed others.

It was a turbulent journey, and I felt death very close, but I made it back safely.

I landed on the roof of the Hunter’s Guild, opened the front door, and saw a familiar sight.

“…Huh?”

“Ah!”

“Eh?”

“Ah!”

“I’m back.”

Embarrassed by my early return, I scratched my head and spoke. The familiar faces opened their mouths as if to continue.

“Loki! You’re back!”

“You look amazing!”

“Th-that’s… cool…”

“It hasn’t even been a year, but you look like you’ve gotten a lot stronger.”

“Ah, I knew it. You’re already out of my league.”

It must be time to exchange money.

The Hunter Guild was bustling with activity. The three of them—Zink-kun, May-chan, and Potta-kun—along with the other party, such as Alba-san and Mizuru-san, were there.

“Ara, you’re back sooner than I expected,”

Amanda-san said teasingly from her spot at the reception desk, her words carrying a hint of sarcasm.

I thought it would take a few years, so this was a pleasant surprise for me as well, but it was indeed true.

“Hahaha… There were various things, but I met the conditions to return, so I came back.”

“So, did you learn a magic spell that allows you to teleport?”

Zink-kun asked.

I remember saying something like that when I confessed that I was from another world.

For a moment, I wondered how to answer.

“Yes, I learned it. That’s why I came back.”

I answered honestly.

For some reason, I didn’t want to lie to these kids.

I knew it would be better to keep it a secret for my own sake, but I decided to be honest with them, even if it meant taking a risk.

Of course, the room became noisy.

But, in a way, it was good that we were in a small town like Bezart.

“Th-that’s amazing. You don’t have to walk to the hunting grounds every day?”

“So, the communal bath is only a moment away?”

“It’s not that simple. Even if it’s Malta, it’s still only a moment away, right?”

“Oh, you can make big purchases anytime you want! I’m so jealous…”

Somehow, the world seemed very small and ordinary.

That’s true, though.

But it feels a little different somehow.

Well, since I can’t do long-distance group travel yet, I would never say that Malta is easy.

The barrage of questions didn’t seem like it was going to stop anytime soon, so I decided to leave it for later and head back to Amanda-san’s.

I checked if Yagov-san was available and found out that he was in his usual room. The two of us headed there.

I didn’t ask Amanda-san if she was busy with reception work at that moment.

“Long time no see, Yagov-san.”

“I’m surprised. I heard you were growing rapidly in Malta. Have you been traveling all over Lagreath? …No, those equipment materials aren’t from Lagreath.”

As expected of Yagov-san.

He seems to know Orlando-san, so he must have gathered a lot of information from Malta.

He’s sharp as always…

“This material is from the B-rank hunting ground, Entonia Fire Rock Cave, in Waltz. I’ve been around Lagreath and the neighboring Waltz Kingdom.”

“You did that in about half a year after leaving here? It seems the rumors about you obtaining a unique means of transportation are true.”

“That’s one reason I was able to return so quickly. Did you hear about it from other guild masters as well?”

“I had the opportunity to visit the royal capital once, and that’s when I heard about it. But I hear you’re flying around freely, with no intention of hiding. Are you aware that you’re the talk of the town?”

“A-ah… ahaha…”

Since I’m not trying to hide it, the more unusual I am, the more rumors will spread.

There’s a possibility it will cause more trouble, but I’ll ask anyway.

“As you know, I obtained a means of transportation that allows me to travel between dimensions.”

“Huh? W-what are you talking about? You’re not talking about flying…?”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m tired of hiding it because it’s inefficient. I know I’ll start using it openly soon, but I’d appreciate it if you could keep it a secret for now.”

“…Don’t worry. I won’t spread it around unnecessarily.”

“Mizuru is scary when he’s drunk, but I’ll warn those kids later. Their mouths could cause trouble for Loki-kun.”

“That’s helpful. Here, take this.”

I handed them a few pieces of scrap paper.

They were product ideas that I had jotted down during my travels. I hadn’t considered whether they were feasible.

There were more than ten ideas, including button-down shirts, a simple shower head combined with a water dispensing magic tool, and fluffy sheep fur earmuffs with hangers and a hanger rack. If any of these ideas could be realized, that would be a bonus.

I hope someone will take these vague ideas and work toward making them a reality.

While checking the status of the product ideas I’d handed out earlier, the conversation settled down.

“Have you decided where you’re going to live?”

The question I knew someone would inevitably ask came out of Amanda-san’s mouth right away.

So I gave her the answer I’d prepared in advance.

“It’s just about to start. I can’t say for sure yet, but we might end up as distant neighbors.”

Amanda-san and Yagov-san both scratched their heads at this response. For once, they couldn’t come up with an answer, so they thought about it for a while.

Then, everyone who had been waiting for me took me away and brought me to the banquet hall from the other day.

Some people were already drinking, but upon closer inspection, I saw that they were hunters I had seen before. The party started as soon as we arrived.

For hunters from Bezart who only know a small world, adventure stories told by people they know are apparently good conversation starters over drinks.

Right after leaving Bezart, I almost died at the B-rank hunting ground, Devour’s Great Hole, in Malta.

I visited the capital city, which was divided by numerous massive walls, and I met an incredible court mage of the country.

To the north, there were many familiar upper-class goblin subspecies, and deep in the forest was an area boss that preyed on the B-rank monsters living in the area. It was basically a pet.

To the east lies the Kingdom of Waltz, where mercenaries—a job similar to hunters—exist. There are also hunting grounds filled with fire-related monsters in a place where only incorporeal monsters roam.

After sharing about the past six months, including participating in a 50-person raid battle while keeping specific details under wraps, everyone’s eyes sparkled like a child’s.

Perhaps it might unintentionally stir everyone up.

Such thoughts flashed through my mind, but I still wanted to convey the vastness of the world and the vastness of what was still to be discovered.

Then—

“This is the country we live in.”

With that, I pulled out a map that I had purchased from the commercial guild in the capital city of Falmenta.

It was about A3 size—perfectly balanced for ease of viewing and portability.

“Wow… Do they sell something like this in the royal capital?”

“Bezart looks so small!”

“Huh? Where’s Bezart?”

The children were simply amazed, but the adults were different.

They had the same expression they always had, mixed with a sense of wonder.

“It’s strange… Something that vaguely existed in my mind is now right in front of me.”

“Ah, well, I didn’t know about such a wide area… This is Rocker, and there’s a river here, so this must be Lulub, right?”

“That’s correct.”

This map is for merchants, so it only shows towns and major roads.

However, based on what was just said, I realized that it might be a good idea to have a “map for hunters” that also includes hunting grounds and ranks.

“The Hunter’s Guild doesn’t have one yet, so I plan to donate this map to them. I’ll ask them to post it near the request board so that anyone can see it at any time.”

People will have different opinions about this map.

However, I believe it’s better to be informed and make decisions based on that knowledge than to remain ignorant.

(I hope it serves as a positive stimulus…)

As I compared my earlier remarks with the map, I observed everyone engaging in a lively discussion while taking a sip of their drink.

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