Published: September 10, 2025
※2016/11/14 Typo corrections made.
This is Satou. In games, there's a method where enemies appear in a consistent rhythm to get the player accustomed, then suddenly enemies appear off-beat to surprise them. The famous game Zombie Hazard uses this technique effectively.
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"Alright, I'll go ahead first."
"Yeah, give my regards to Hayato."
I took only Miss Karina and returned from the "otherworld" back to the labyrinth.
Arisa and the others planned to dress up in elegant outfits and join us later.
I had set up a table with a light bathing set and some snacks for them to rest properly.
"Oops, enemies!"
While we were away, a large number of doppelgangers disguised as the relay base were deployed.
Considerate as ever, they staged a scene like "a comrade severely injured and collapsed" to lure the heroes in defenseless.
"E-Enemies? Laka-san—"
“—Miss Karina, don’t let your guard down and stay alert. Unfortunately, my enemy detection shows no signs of enemies. But if Satou is here, enemies must be nearby.”
Laka advised the flustered Miss Karina.
Since it would be troublesome if the heroes encountered them, I used a "guided arrow" to take them all out at once.
The doppelgangers pretending to be corpses right in front of us dissolved into a milky white liquid after being hit by the arrows and vanished.
"—Kyaa!"
Startled, Miss Karina let out a short scream and clung to my arm.
Though she had seen it once before, seeing a person melt away along with their clothes still felt disgusting to her.
“It’s alright, Miss Karina. The enemies are gone now.”
Karina’s relieved face clung to me, which made me feel a bit dizzy.
Without Arisa and Mia—the unbreakable pair—I decided to enjoy that moment for a while.
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“Hero! The relay base has suffered heavy damage!”
“Search for survivors! There might be monsters lurking; make sure someone with a demonic detection device accompanies you!”
From beyond the plaza where the relay base stood, I heard the heroes’ voices from a place out of sight.
I pulled Miss Karina’s hand and climbed the rocky area toward where the heroes had come in.
The center of the hall was cluttered with pillar-like rocks and the charred remains of supplies, creating dark shadows that obscured vision.
“Hero! Someone is on the cliff!”
“Is that... Satou?”
A Saga Empire knight clad in black armor pointed at me and shouted, while a silver-armored woman beside him murmured my name suspiciously.
The silver-haired woman with straight hair was Lady Ringlande, the "Witch of the Heavenly Conqueror," attendant to the hero. She was also the sister of Seira, the "Divine Oracle Shrine Maiden" at my isolated island palace, and somewhat of a siscon duke’s daughter.
I waved at her and jumped down from the cliff.
Miss Karina held down her fluttering skirt and followed me.
“Why is Satou here...?”
Ringlande’s eyes were wary, her dominant hand resting on the hilt of her beloved sword.
As soon as we reached a place where normal conversation was possible, I opened my mouth to greet her politely.
“Hello, Lady Ringlande, this time—”
“Hero, over here!”
Before I could finish my words of condolence, Hero Hayato Masaki appeared with black knights.
“Satou—”
His rugged handsome face was exhausted from prolonged labyrinth exploration and repeated battles with the Demon King.
His blue armor was dented and dirtied, lacking the shining heroic aura he had before.
“Th-this is the real Hero Hayato.”
“Miss Karina, it’s fine to be happy, but don’t let your guard down.”
Having been tutored by Count Muno, a hero researcher, since childhood, Karina showed a fangirl reaction toward the hero.
Finding her endearing, I shifted my gaze back to Hero Hayato.
“Hayato-sama, long time no see.”
As I smiled and said this, our eyes met.
There was a gloom in his eyes reminiscent of a developer stuck in a death march.
Eyes filled with resentment toward the world and yearning for peaceful rest from suffering—I was too familiar with that look.
I regretted not supporting him sooner.