The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned
Chapter 289

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 289: Demon God Dale (6)

[Now—You are the Demon God.]

Central Plaza, Hero Academy.

The voice of the Archbishop of Destruction echoed quietly through the plaza, where hundreds of cadets had gathered.

“What… what the hell?”

“Isn’t that… him? That fourth-year bottom-ranker…”

“That delinquent whose skills are said to rival Yuren’s, but deliberately causes trouble to stay at the bottom?”

“I-I’ve seen him before!”

The cadets murmured, their gazes all turning in one direction.

At the center of their attention stood a single cadet with dark gray hair.

He was known within the school by the rather disgraceful title of the "Bottom-Rank Hero."

“…Damn it.”

He bit his lip, feeling the intense stares on him.

On the broadcast, an image of him and Amon played.

It wasn’t hard to guess who had orchestrated this mess.

‘I’ll help you—so you’ll want to end this world.’

“Ha.”

So this was that method?

He scowled fiercely, recalling the voice of the Leader of Order of Eternity.

“Eek…!”

“E-Everyone, back up!”

“Hey, don’t overreact. Do you really think that’s real? How could a cadet become a Demon God, not even a Master?”

“Still… you never know…”

“Yeah! And haven’t you heard the rumors about Senior Dale? He gets disciplinary action like it’s his daily routine…”

“W-What if he really made a deal with a demon?!”

The shocking video + his notoriously low reputation were creating a perfect storm, causing increasing chaos among the cadets.

As they nervously backed away, Dale clutched his head.

‘Who would’ve thought my academic standing would snowball like this…’

Had it been Yuren in the video instead of him, the cadets’ reactions would have been completely different.

After all, Yuren had been the top cadet since the day he entered the Hero Academy.

Considering how a person’s reputation could swing drastically based on the overall evaluation rankings, the wary reactions now could only be blamed on his own standing.

‘And it’s not even like I’m at the bottom because I lack ability.’

If one were to objectively assess his reputation within the academy:

Based on classroom performance and testimonies, most agreed that his skills were on par with Yuren, the top cadet.

Yet he had intentionally stirred up trouble like a troll, receiving every kind of disciplinary measure and thus maintaining the bottom rank on purpose.

Rumors were widespread that he casually took leaves and outings during punishment periods and was always seen outside the academy.

Of course, the reason for all those outings was his secret missions as a Special Task Cadet—but the regular students had no way of knowing he held such an unprecedented role in school history.

In other words, if you put all those rumors together, the cadet named Dale Han—

Would seem hella suspicious.

So suspicious, in fact, that even the Empress had shown interest in him.

Just imagine how the other cadets must feel.

And on top of that—

“Come to think of it, wasn’t it… Lanez? That graduate who was called the ‘Witch’?”

The final nail in the coffin of the situation’s chaos was the rumor about Lanez.

“Ah, the daughter of the Archbishop of Frost?”

“Y-Yeah! I heard Dale Han used to be really close to that witch…”

“Dude, it wasn’t just ‘close.’ I heard she still visits his room every day even after graduating.”

“No way. F-For real?”

“A friend of mine says they saw it themselves.”

“Whoa… then…”

“He really is… the Demon God…?”

The doubt spreading among the cadets was rapidly becoming conviction.

“D-Dale… this is…”

“…Dale, maybe we should leave this place for now.”

“The mood’s turning ugly.”

The party members’ faces stiffened as the situation worsened before their eyes.

They couldn’t stop the video mid-broadcast, and even if they could, the damage was already done.

Just as his party members said, staying there would only make things worse.

“…Let’s go.”

Dale nodded and left with his party for their party house.

* * *

“B-Brother…! W-What the hell is going on?!”

As soon as we got back, Berald, pale-faced, asked in a trembling voice.

“…It seems the Leader of Eternity meddled with the victory celebration footage.”

“How… how could the Leader even mess with a victory video…?”

“I don’t know.”

Right now, figuring out how the Eternal Cultist had tampered with the footage wasn’t the priority.

What mattered more was how to handle the explosion—no, the detonation—that had already gone off.

‘How the hell do I clean this up?’

It almost felt like a full-scale invasion by the Eternal Cult would’ve been easier to deal with than this.

“M-Mm… sorry, D-Dale…”

Lanez, her face ghostly white, spoke up with a trembling voice.

“B-Because of me… it’s all because of me…!”

“It’s not your fault, Lanez.”

“Th-That’s a lie! Didn’t you hear what the cadets were whispering?!”

The final blow to the chaos had come from the rumor that I was close to the “witch.”

“It’s my fault… if I hadn’t existed…”

She clutched her hair in self-loathing, curling up.

Being with party members who accepted and acknowledged her, she had almost forgotten.

But the world still saw her only as a witch.

“Hey.”

Smack!

“Eeek!”

Lanez shrieked as I flicked her forehead, now reddening and swollen.

“Dale…?”

“I told you—it’s not your fault.”

Even if there had been no rumors about Lanez, the situation would still have spiraled out of control.

The video released by the Leader of Eternity was that shocking.

“H-However…”

“Tsk. Are you trying to make me repeat myself?”

“……”

Lanez gently tugged at my collar, eyes brimming with tears.

“You really… won’t blame me?”

“There’s nothing to blame you for in the first place.”

“You… won’t abandon me?”

“If you try running away again like last time, I’ll drag you back even if I have to tie you up.”

“…Dale.”

In the end, Lanez couldn’t hold back and burst into tears.

“Ugh… Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale!”

Lanez buried herself in my arms, rubbing her cheeks against me as if she never intended to let go.

Her tears and snot stained my uniform shirt, but I actually liked it—no, I didn’t mind.

“It’s okay. Everything will be fine.”

I gently stroked Lanez’s head as she clung to me.

“Y-Yeah. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll do it—anything!”

Lanez sniffled as she declared her determination.

With that, the chaotic atmosphere in the room finally began to calm down.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

‘Damn.’

To be honest, the situation wasn’t looking good.

Unless the Archbishop of Illusions used some kind of illusion magic… No, even if he did, rumors would spread faster than they could manipulate the cadets’ memories.

‘By tomorrow, the entire continent will probably know.’

Some would shake their heads in disbelief, calling it absurd.

But others would believe the video wholeheartedly and show hostility.

‘If we’re being honest about whether it’s true or not… it is true that I’ve become a demon god.’

There was no easy way out of this.

“Haa.”

I sighed deeply.

Click.

Just then, Professor Elisha, who had stepped out briefly, returned to the room with a grim expression.

“Cadet Dale.”

“Yes.”

“…The Principal has summoned you. He wants you in his office immediately. Apparently… all the other Masters will be gathering as well.”

“……”

Damn it.

So the news has already reached that far.

“Dale! I’ll come with you!”

“M-Me too!”

“M-Me too, I want to go with you!”

The moment they heard I was being summoned to the Principal’s office, Yurina, Iris, and Lanez rushed over to me.

They were probably thinking they’d defend me if they went together.

“No.”

But that would only make things worse.

“I’ll go to the Principal’s office alone.”

“B-But…”

“It’s okay. I’ll try to persuade them.”

Leaving behind my lovers, who wore deeply worried expressions, I followed Professor Elisha.

* * *

We arrived at the Principal’s office.

“…I have to wait outside.”

Perhaps out of consideration for the bond we shared, Elisha seemed to have been told by Principal Lionel to wait outside.

She stood by the door, biting her lip.

“…Cadet Dale.”

“Don’t make that face.”

I playfully pinched Professor Elisha’s stiff cheek.

“……”

For a moment, she looked at the hand that pinched her cheek, then a faint smile formed on her lips.

“There’s just one thing I hope you’ll remember.”

“What’s that?”

“Even if the entire world turns against you… I will stand by your side.”

“……”

To say something like that in a situation like this…

‘I’m definitely going to scold her later.’

Feeling the crushing weight on my shoulders ease just a little, I opened the door to the Principal’s office.

Creak.

“…You’ve arrived.”

The smell of old books hit my nose the moment I stepped in.

Inside, I saw the gathered Masters.

So.

Unlike the last time, when we had a remote meeting via video, this time all the Masters were here in person.

“Have a seat.”

Pope Marianne’s voice was cold and hard, a far cry from her usual kind and gentle demeanor.

‘Sword of the Holy Nation’ Johann Basilio radiated such sharp killing intent it seemed like he might draw his blade at any moment.

Even ‘Falling Blossom Blade’ Khalid, who had always kept a bottle by his side even during war councils, was staring at me with a hardened face, not touching his drink.

“……”

Only Camellia didn’t show open hostility, instead wearing a thoughtful expression.

It was a completely different atmosphere from the last summit.

“You know why you’ve been summoned… don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Principal Lionel spoke in a heavy voice.

“So… is the content of that video true?”

“……”

I turned my head to look at Marianne.

She was glaring at me with guarded eyes.

‘The existence of the Primordial Flame… I can’t hide it.’

If they weren’t already suspicious, maybe I could’ve kept it secret.

But if Marianne starts a full-blown investigation on me, there’s no way I could hide the existence of the Primordial Flame.

‘In that case.’

If I can’t hide it, there’s only one option.

“Answer quickly. Is it true that you’ve inherited the power of the demon god?”

The hesitation was brief, and the decision was swift.

“It’s true.”

I looked around at the Masters seated in the room and spoke quietly.

“I… am the demon god.”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]