My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's

Right now, the Demon King's Castle — our final objective — loomed so close it couldn't fit entirely into our field of view. Since the battle with Blythe, nothing had interfered.

Lattice Nail stopped me when I tried to head for the castle's secret passage mentioned in Master’s information and instead boldly led us straight to the castle’s front gate, yet no one tried to stop us. More than that...

"W-welcome back!! Lady Lattice Nail!!"

"La-la-la, Lady Lattice Nail!? Welcome back!!!"

Soldiers on the road and castle staff bowed low to Lattice Nail. The guards protecting the castle surely couldn’t be unaware that Blythe, ranked eighth, had been defeated in the castle town barely a stone's throw away. And even now Lattice Nail was taking actions tantamount to treason against the Demon King, but their caution was inexplicably directed at the countless pranks Lattice Nail had pulled before. Even when the heroes — including me — drew their gaze, there was no wariness. Nobody asked Lattice Nail about us. Why was that?

"...Hey, you did something, didn't you?"

"Hm? What is it, Akira-kun?"

It was natural to assume Lattice Nail had done something. In other words, even after learning our true identities, they still feared Lattice Nail’s mischief more. Their looks remained terrified until Lattice Nail disappeared from sight.

The heroes were bewildered by the difference in how the Krul gate guards had treated us. Whether the notice had simply not reached the gate guards, or had been intentionally withheld, nobody knew.

"No reinforcements came between when we beat Blythe and when we arrived here. Not even any of the monsters you sent came back. We came in a straight line from where we met the enemy to the castle. Doesn't the castle's soldier response to us — who beat one of the Ten Demon Lords — seem odd? The gatekeeper's reaction was the natural one, so it's only logical to think you sent some sort of notice."

The four of us walked in a row along the cobblestones. I had no objections when the hero proposed conserving our stamina since nobody could stop us now. Was this really okay? We were almost at the Demon King's castle gate and no one could or would stop us. They didn't even shift into alert. Everyone just looked scared and hurried away. It's convenient the trouble fled on its own, but it left a sour feeling.

"Well, yeah. You could feel it from talking, right? That No.7's Master is a highly capable Demon Clan member who, despite having little magical power, once rose to become a close aide to the next Demon King, Saran Hermes, inside this very castle. He still has a few supporters in the Demon King's Castle. Using those connections I requested an audience with the Demon King. The castle soldiers must have been notified of that. Blythe and the gatekeepers were probably used as litmus tests to gauge our strength!"

Amaryllis had told me that while I was off the ship, Lattice Nail had disappeared a few times. Maybe they'd asked for that during those walks. I assumed Lattice Nail was bored and taking walks instead of doing daily girls' gatherings with Amaryllis and Amelia.

I couldn't help narrowing my eyes at how casually Lattice Nail said it. I, too, have been bad at reporting, communicating, and consulting, and have been trying to change, but this guy doesn't even think it's wrong, so there's no hope for improvement. It's less trust and more understanding — they know I'll handle things no matter what. In fact, I had taken out both the gatekeeper and Blythe Otto.

"You should've said that earlier."

"Well, all we gleaned from him was Akira-kun's improvisation and a few cards in hand, right?"

So Blythe had been held back when I fought him. My desire to fight him seriously only grew. I wonder what he'd be like in full berserk.

"No, I mean—people need mental prep. Poor hero got rattled by the gatekeeper's killing intent and freaked out. A guy who gets scared of a mere soldier can't handle one of the Ten Demon Lords."

"Huh!? I—I'm not scared!!"