Althea covered her head with her cloak.
She completely hid her face and the only skin she shows her wrinkled hands.
「That’s nostalgic」
「What is?」
「You looked like this when I first me you」
「You speak about me in the future huh. I see. I would be able to live long with this」
Althea looked at Eleanor. She said those words as if she was asking a question.
『You should eat some men. The actual reason why I taught Rodotos that technique is to strengthen his life force』
I told Althea what Eleanor said.
「Why did Rodotos do that?」
『A woman as wise as you asks that?』
「I might have a faint wish that you might be a good person」
『You expect that from me in this era?』
「Does that mean I can expect it from you now?」
『Nope? Hikari is around after all; the reason I must show what a real Demon Sword is』
Althea and Eleanor had a meaningful conversation.
Well, it doesn’t have that much of deep meaning though.
Eleanor is probably just speaking about how she gave that technique to Rodotos, so she could see more of his despair and suffering for having a single ray of hope.
And Eleanor also said that she’s even more evil since Hikari’s around, but no matter how you look at it, she’s doting on her.
Eleanor is definitely more amicable right now.
While I was letting the two, Eleanor and Althea, talk through me, I felt that a dark power approaching.
At first, it was wandering over here and there, but after it got closer to a certain distance, it went straight towards us.
「He found us」
「Rodotos……」
Althea let out a voice of pity.
「Please……please release him from everything」
「Leave it to me……what do I need to do?」
I asked Eleanor while nodding.
『Slash him using me. It will be the end of him as long as the last of my powers remaining in Rodotos is removed』
「I got it」
I unsheathed Eleanor and took a stance.
I could see Rodotos already. He looked very ominous and ghostly.
The aura he releases turns the grasses in the forest wilt as he passed through them.
An existence that was once a hero, turning into something that would only spread calamity and misfortune.
「Let’s go」
『Umu』
I made a stance with Eleanor and charged.
There was Eleanor’s shadow on the right hand of Rodotos who suddenly increased his speed.
We intersectedーーwith a flash,
I chopped Rodotos in half together with Eleanor’s shadow.
*Heartbeats!*
The next instant, I could feel powers flowing into me. It’s Eleanor’s powers.
I took in every remaining power from Rodotos that I just chopped into two and Eleanor became slightly stronger.
And, I was now sure. It was really the end for him.
Rodotos who turned into an evil ghost calmed down. He became a simple ghost just like the ghost maid Tanya.
This is the real Rodotos huh. He looks peaceful now.
「Forgive me, Althea. I troubled you until the end」
「……did you fulfill your wish?」
「It was a great life」
「I see, thank goodness」
「Thank you……」
Rodotos left the most peaceful voice I’ve heard and disappeared.
「Goodbye, Rodotos. You are a hero……the Hero, Rodotos」
Althea saw off the disappearing Rodotos.
After finding Althea, Mercouri’s form as a power is finally made.
We would strengthen our army with Troize as our base, cooperate with Calamba, Siracuza, Aegina, and Comotoria, finally starting the rebellion against the empire.
After losing the founding hero, Emperor Rodotos, the Empire was in chaos.
Adding to that the lack of a successor, the Empire was quickly divided, then defeated one by one by the five powers, being swallowed one after the other.
While that happened, I fought in the front lines as a pawn following Althea’s orders, and waited for the “time”.
The time of the final fight against Demon King Eleanor who seemingly disappeared from the Empire.