TFHITS Chapter 244

I felt my face heat up.

From the looks of it, the party members were about to start teasing me, so I hurriedly changed the subject.

“Cough. Anyway, thank you for understanding. Let’s talk in more detail another time.”

-Haha. Looks like you’re about to cut the connection. I suppose explaining things one by one to every hero would take quite a while.

“Yes, well. That’s true. You were generous and open-minded enough to accept it right away, Mr. Betik, but some people might get angry or even curse us.”

-In that case, I will help you a bit.

Our eyes widened.

Offense asked,

“You said you would help?”

-Yes. Please call the next hero someone who was born in my world. Was it Mr. Bion over there? I would like you to call me in for that connection as well.

“Ah. Don’t tell me.”

-It will be easier for my words to carry weight with a friend whose homeland is my world, wouldn’t it? Just like how I understood your confession right away.

He wore a look I had seen many times before.

A slightly mischievous expression, the kind I often made when a good plan came to mind.

-You should make use of connections this time too.

We fell silent for a moment.

Neril glanced at me, then whispered near my ear.

“Are heroes just naturally good at scheming?”

A week passed.

Betik stayed only long enough to observe while explaining things to the heroes born in his world, then left without looking back.

He said he needed to think about how to manage a world without demon kings or heroes.

But there was nothing to regret.

I kept following Betik’s idea… the so-called ‘use your connections’ method.

And it worked.

We managed to convey all the secrets to every last hero without major trouble.

Of course, there were times when some got angry or hurled insults.

There was even one guy who complained that he had suffered all alone and demanded that a demon king be allowed to descend again.

Naturally, I answered him like this.

“Which world are you from?”

-Hah! You were speaking politely until just now, why the sudden casual tone…?

“Which world? I’m thinking of paying a visit.”

-……Why would you come?

“You seem a bit worked up, so I figured I would calm you down. Physically.”

That hero also knew my fame had surpassed 560 million.

He broke out in a cold sweat and said,

-Did I say something wrong?

“…….”

-I’m sorry. I spoke rashly.

“As long as you know.”

When things really wouldn’t work, a light hint of a threat was enough to wrap it up.

Three days of after-party celebrations.

And a week spent passing on the secrets to the heroes.

With all of that finished, it started to feel like it was time to head back.

I gathered the party members and said,

“Let’s head back to the world.”

Neril’s eyes immediately lit up.

She must have remembered what I had said about getting married as soon as we wrapped things up here.

Thinking no one else would know, I was about to speak...

when Xenia said,

“So you’re finally becoming husband and wife.”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“Neril’s been bragging about it nonstop.”

“…….”

I stared straight at Neril.

Given her usual personality, it was hard to imagine her getting excited or bragging about anything.

She avoided my gaze for a long while before speaking.

“So what.”

“No, it’s fine. Anyway, let’s hold the ceremony at the starting point like we originally planned. Adwin, call over all the heroes and champions in the underworld.”

Adwin tilted his head.

“Is that possible?”

“Hm?”

“The expiration on the Branch of Corruption has already passed, hasn’t it?”

“Ah. Neril...”

Before I could finish, Neril handed over a spare branch with lightning speed.

In her eyes burned the determination that no one would interfere with her wedding.

Offense chuckled and said,

“Speaking of the Branch of Corruption, there’s something I have been wondering.”

“Hm?”

“One of the original rules was ‘to turn fame into power, you must give up something precious,’ right? We have been using the Branch of Corruption to get around that.”

“…….”

“But you gave up something precious without breaking the branch.”

He asked cautiously,

“This might be an ominous question, but… can you really retire?”

Bion answered instead.

“If you look at it that way, Mr. Impelium and Serad gave up their wish to marry and build a family, didn’t they? But as you can see, they are living just fine.”

“Ah. True.”

“That rule was a bluff meant to test the resolve of heroes. It’s true that you won’t be granted power unless you give something up, but what you give up isn’t actually taken away. There’s no way Mr. Mide would have made such a heartless system.”

Everyone looked relieved.

For me, it was more than just relief.

‘Wow. My back’s soaked.’

Once I relaxed, I said to Offense,

“Don’t say such terrifying things. I already retired a long time ago.”

“Right. You really lack consideration.”

“Already taking good care of your husband, I see.”

We stopped the topic there.

It wasn’t something to chatter about on such a good day.

I repeated what I had said earlier in my heart.

‘Yeah. I’m already retired.’

Right?

***

The wedding was held in grand fashion.

‘That reminds me.’

I recalled when Neril met the lord of Hasphil.

I couldn’t attend due to my situation, so I heard about it later. Apparently, when she asked for mother’s release, the lord practically dropped to his knees and said,

“Please take her with you. I can no longer handle the great hero’s mother.”

He sounded so sincere that even Neril replied politely.

“Yes. Please don’t trouble yourself any longer, my lord. I will take care of Mother.”

“Mother?”

“You must have misheard.”

“Ah… yes. Of course.”

In any case, Neril safely brought mother out, reunited with me, and flew straight to the starting point.

Mother worried that there wouldn’t be many guests at the wedding, but that fear was unfounded.

It was a shame we couldn’t invite the people of Hasphil, including Uncle Ben, but their places were filled by heroes and champions from across the ages.

The moment Grade appeared at the wedding venue, meaning the starting point, he immediately looked for Lisel.

“Lisel. When are you coming to the underworld?”

“Mr. Grade. Are you telling me to die?”

“That’s… right?”

“Oh dear. Please wait patiently. I’m not even a complete human yet.”

“Ahem.”

I was chuckling as I looked that way when Lepia’s voice reached me.

“Back then at the inn, I thought that drinking party would be our last gathering. I never imagined I would be invited to a wedding.”

“Miss Lepia.”

“There probably hasn’t been a wedding in history with guests this splendid. A ceremony celebrated by heroes and champions from every era.”

“Thank you for coming all this way when you must be busy…”

“Hehe. That’s not a phrase that really suits someone from the underworld. Anyway, where are your mother and Neril? I should greet them.”

I pointed to one side.

Mother was already showing off her affection for her future daughter-in-law to the fullest.

Even though the ceremony hadn’t started yet, she seemed to already think of Neril as family, speaking far more comfortably than before.

“Just look at my baby’s smooth skin.”

“Ah, no, what are you saying…”

“I knew you two would end up together ever since the first time I met you in prison.”

“Thank you so much for thinking so kindly of us.”

“Oh, right. Come to think of it, I don’t even know your age yet.”

“……”

“It’s a bit funny to ask on the wedding day, but how old are you now?”

“I’m twenty-four.”

“Oh my, still so young.”

You subtracted two hundred in your head, didn’t you.

After that, I went around exchanging greetings with Grade, Leon, heroes from the past, and my precious party members.

Before long, it was almost time.

I was about to move when my face suddenly turned pale.

I had realized I had forgotten something truly important.

I hurriedly whispered to Serein beside me.

“Serein.”

“Yes?”

“Do you happen to have a ring?”

“……”

“You always carry gold coins and jewels in your pack. You need to stroke them once before sleeping to get a good night’s rest.”

“That’s not true. I just hug them while I sleep.”

“Anyway, please.”

She pressed a hand to her forehead.

“I heard this while Neril was bragging nonstop, but you didn’t give her a ring when you proposed, did you?”

“Yeah. I said I would give it properly later, but everything moved so fast.”

“Well, I get it since Neril basically grabbed you by the collar and dragged you here. Still, even someone like you has a partner, so why am I single for life…”

“……”

“Forget about that. Here.”

Serein handed me a ring set with a brightly shining gem.

Even to someone like me, who has no particular talent for emotions, it was obviously an exceptionally high-quality piece.

I widened my eyes.

“No, I can’t accept something this precious.”

“Didn’t you already put it in your pocket?”

“Thank you so much. I owe you big time.”

“It’s nothing. Just pay me thirty gold coins.”

“……”

And so the wedding proceeded.

A ceremony carried out suddenly, without even a rehearsal.

But thanks to Offense, who surprisingly guided things as smoothly as flowing water, every step went off without a hitch.

I looked at Neril, dressed so beautifully that I honestly wondered where she had found the outfit.

Unlike her usual self, she couldn’t quite meet my eyes and lowered her head slightly.

That was when Offense spoke.

“Alright. Next, we will have the vows.”

“Wait.”

I took the ring out of my pocket and spoke.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I want to do this part myself.”

“Ah. Um. Sure… no, go ahead.”

“Neril.”

Neril’s eyes trembled.

“You got it in a hurry from Serein, didn’t you?”

“Just pretend you have been fooled into thinking, ‘Ah, he must have worked hard to find it on his own even while busy.’”

“I have been with you too long to be fooled that easily.”

“I’m sorry. For rushing something this important.”

“If you say that, then I’m the one who dragged you into an important wedding in a hurry. I’m just happy you didn’t forget and remembered.”

Smiling, she held out her hand.

As I slid the ring onto her ring finger, I said,

“Let’s get married.”

“Yes.”

Without either of us leading, we pressed our lips together.

At the same time, thunderous applause erupted from the heroes, champions, party members, and my mother.

Offense chuckled and muttered,

“Well, looks like there was no need for a ceremony from the start.”

After everything concluded, there was the reception.

Tap.

A screen window appeared.

-Khkh. Congratulations, Mr. Mide, Neril.

“You’re crying because you’re happy, right? Not because you are sad?”

-No. I told you I had already given up on Mr. Mide. Waaah.

“Good grief.”

Unfortunately, Bion couldn’t attend our wedding.

For her to descend into the world, she would first have to restore a physical body.

Instead, she used the Eye of Omniscience to watch the wedding.

Live.

Likewise, since I was also looking at the world’s bosom through the Eye of Omniscience, this conversation was happening in real time.

Trail’s face popped into the screen window.

-Hey. Congratulations.

“You were watching too?”

-Of course. It’s my friend’s wedding. Sorry I couldn’t come in person.

“Yeah. You could have come if you wanted to.”

-It would have been awkward to come alone.

I realized he wasn’t referring only to Bion.

So I chuckled and asked,

“What about Idria?”

-She is playing happily with her kids. She said not to call her until it’s time to pour in the next batch of negative energy.

“Figures she wouldn’t show her face.”

-It would be more troublesome if she did. That place is packed with heroes.

After finishing greetings with Trail as well, the reception clearly began to wind down.

That was when it happened.

As if they had all agreed beforehand, the party members approached me.

They looked like they had something to say, so Neril tilted her head and asked,

“What is it? Something going on?”

Offense answered on their behalf.

“It’s about time we left.”