The Country of Ludonia
Officially recognized as the Hero by His Majesty the King and with our journey preparations complete, we traveled by carriage along the route Solon had proposed.
“There’s no need to take dangerous paths. We should make things as easy as possible. Hardship will come to us on its own soon enough.”
With those words, Solon pointed to the path he had already examined on the map.
Our first destination was the northern Country of Ludonia. The Country of Ludonia had been fending off invasions from the Demon King’s army within its borders, successfully defending itself time and again. It certainly seemed like a country where we wouldn’t have to worry much about attacks from monsters or demons.
Leon, however, was dissatisfied.
“As the Hero’s party, we should be slaying monsters, aiding the people, and building our reputation as we advance.”
But I wasn’t confident we could pull that off so smoothly.
Maria smiled softly.
“No matter which path we choose, the grace of the gods shall guide Ares’s journey.”
Unfortunately, I knew firsthand that Maria’s so-called “grace of the gods” wasn’t exactly reliable. It was best to proceed with caution.
The journey went smoothly. Just as Solon predicted, we encountered no monsters and avoided any demon ambushes. However, the atmosphere inside the carriage wasn’t exactly pleasant.
“Listen up—there’s no need to foolishly announce ourselves as the ‘Hero’s party.’ If anyone asks, just say we’re adventurers. We have no idea where the demons might be lying in wait. Always assume there are human traitors working for them. History is full of humans who switched sides during past wars against the Demon King.
And even if that weren’t the case, the Country of Ludonia is a kingdom with a rivalry against ours. There might be people here who hold a grudge against The Kingdom’s Hero. We’re trying to defeat the Demon King, for crying out loud! But humans prioritize emotions over logic.”
Solon repeatedly drilled this warning into everyone.
“Solon, how do you expect to save the world if you don’t trust people? Yes, there have been human traitors in the past. But that’s no reason to distrust everyone! To defeat the Demon King, we’ll need the cooperation and aid of the people we meet along the way. History has proven that much!”
Leon shook his head lightly, dismissing Solon’s words.
Indeed, the heroic tales of past Heroes often spoke of nameless allies aiding them in their battles. Leon’s argument had some merit.
“Leon, please don’t say such heartless things. Solon has lived a life of hardship where he could trust no one but his own parents. The simple choice of ‘trusting others’ never existed for him—a man with no friends… no, a man who was always alone. Your words are far too cruel…”
Maria lowered her eyes and spoke sadly.
…Honestly, what you’re saying sounds way crueler to me.
“R-really? I’m sorry, Solon. I’ve been spouting nonsense without knowing anything about you…”
Leon, taking Maria’s words at face value, promptly apologized.
“You idiots—!”
Solon trembled with anger.
As for me, I kept driving the carriage while peeking at the commotion inside.
There was no one else to do it. Solon and Maria had almost no experience riding horses, and while Leon probably could have handled it, he never volunteered—likely because he considered driving a task for lower-status people
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As we continued our journey, the same pointless cycle repeated—Solon would discuss future plans, Leon would argue, Maria would stir the pot—until we arrived in the Country of Ludonia without resolution.
In the end, since I backed Solon’s opinion, we decided to present ourselves as adventurers.
We must never underestimate the demons. They could appear anywhere—inside the Rozolof Great Forest, in those mountains… I couldn’t afford to die before defeating the Demon King.
Fortunately, the Country of Ludonia was actively recruiting adventurers to fight monsters, so no one questioned our claim. We entered the city without trouble.
“We lack real combat experience.”
Solon brought this up as we finally enjoyed a proper meal at the inn’s dining hall.
Aged wooden tables held cups of water, bread, and various dishes. The four of us sat around one, but Leon and Maria stood out so much that they drew stares. Not that the other three seemed to care—they ate with the composure of nobles feasting on royal cuisine.
“Combat experience? We’ll have plenty of chances for that. We may have been outmatched by that demon in the Rozolof Great Forest, but if we fight calmly, we won’t lose so easily. Between my swordsmanship, your magic, Maria’s healing, and Ares’s courage, we can handle most threats.”
Leon, as usual, countered Solon. But he wasn’t entirely wrong. True to his title of Sword Saint, Leon was incredibly strong—it was hard to imagine him losing in a sword fight. The same went for Solon and Maria.
“Don’t confuse courage with recklessness, Leon. You only get one life. No amount of caution is too much. No matter how strong you are, if Maria falls, we lose our healing. Wounds pile up until they become fatal. If I die, we lose our magic defense. Then, no matter how strong you are in close combat, you’re done for if enemies keep their distance. And without you, we lose our front-line fighter. Ares alone isn’t enough. We need to work together as a unit—understand that much!”
Solon lectured, pressing a finger to his forehead as if to say, Use your brain.
“With the grace of the gods upon me, I doubt I’ll fall before any of you.”
Maria sipped her water, her words dripping with sarcasm. She looked down on Solon and rarely took his advice at face value.
“That’s not what I meant!”
Solon’s points were valid, but he lacked composure and often let his emotions take over. Maybe it was because he wasn’t used to conversation—a side effect of neglecting social interactions for too long.
“Listen for a second.”
Before things escalated, I stepped in.
“You all make good points. Leon’s right—individually, you’re all strong. Maria’s right—the gods’ protection might help. But Solon’s idea of practicing teamwork isn’t bad either.”
“If you say so, then fine.”
Leon backed down immediately.
“Very well. If my dear Hero insists.”
Maria smiled sweetly—too sweetly.
“Hmph. See? Ares understands me best. I knew he’d agree. The bond between him and me is something you two can’t match.”
Solon smirked triumphantly. Instantly, Leon and Maria’s moods soured, and I had to scramble to smooth things over.
Solon’s ideas were invaluable, but his insistence on emphasizing his closeness to me constantly caused friction with the other two. As a result, even when he made good suggestions, Leon and Maria often resisted.
This is tricky.
Still, we accepted Solon’s proposal and decided to gain combat experience as adventurers in the Country of Ludonia.
According to Solon:
“The Country of Ludonia is relatively safe, though not as much as The Kingdom. The capital is secure, but monsters roam freely in its territories—even though they’re holding off the Demon King’s army at the border. But since the numbers aren’t too high, it’s perfect for us to train.”
That’s what he said.
TLNOTE:
Because of that volume 1 and 2 fan translation in this site will be removed in the near future
otherwise check the internet archive
As usual, please consider reading other novels written by Daken sensei listed below :
- Monster Meat Led Me to the Throne
- The Wicked Princess and 12 Eyes – The Strongest Squires and the Legendary Evil Woman, the Second Time in Her Life
- The Castle of Canaan ~ The Lost Kingdom’s Princess, the World’s Hidden Treasure, and the Grand Adventure of the Mightiest Band of Thieves Versus an Empire ~
- The Suspects of Necromancy
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
- The Last Magic (translated by my friend narwhal)
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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