第１３６掘：オマケの進軍開始 (Part2)
"Right, right. So, Ria-san’s armor will be a dress armor. Base color is black, got it. Leave it to me, I’ll have it done in three days."
"Well, don't push yourself too hard."
Narjia-san has a tendency to overdo things.
"It’s fine! I’ll pour every second of the next three days into Ria-san’s custom equipment!!"
Is she trying to shift the world's power balance? Not that Weed itself hasn't already shattered that balance. Honestly, the fact that my wives alone could conquer the Demon Lord's castle with ease is proof enough of that.
"Come to think of it, what exactly is Ria’s Hero power?"
"True, we hadn't asked about that yet."
"……It’s important to know the strength of one's allies."
Oh, Kaya’s back before I even noticed. For all her talk, she’s clearly worried about Ria.
"Um, I’m sorry. I haven't heard the details from Lilishe-sama yet."
"Fufufu, I thought you might say that."
Lilishe appears the moment Ria looks troubled.
"Hey, you could have told us that yesterday."
"I was so full I forgot."
This girl is hopeless. She’s not quite as bad as Luna, but she’s definitely a partial "useless goddess." She’s the type who can do a lot, but lacks the focus to handle the fine details.
"Well, well, at least we made it in time before departure."
She sounds like a grandmother. Anyway, here is the summary of the Hero’s skills.
**Hero of Love Skill Effects:**
* If the lover or husband is alive, stats are doubled.
* If both parties possess specific items like rings, stats are multiplied by five.
* Family members also receive a blessing, increasing their stats by 1.5 times.
* However, if the Hero’s mental state deteriorates, the blessings vanish (e.g., the death of a lover or husband removes the blessing; the loss of family halves it, etc.).
* The Hero herself is immune to status ailments.
"And that’s the gist of it. It’s an extraordinary ability, but..."
"It’s impossible. This isn't a power that any country or organization can manage."
"……Yes. Every Hero of Love in the past was neutralized when their families were taken hostage or their lovers were murdered."
The cost is far too high for such high-performance power. Seriously, we have to keep the fact that Ria is a Hero a secret.
"Just be careful, because being cheated on will also lower the blessing. Though, I don't think Yuki-san has to worry about that."
True, I’m surrounded by wives, so that’s not happening.
"Wow, it’s true. My stats have increased by 1.5 times."
"It seems she thinks of us as family, too."
"Of course. Riel and Tori are precious family to me as well."
" "Thank you." "
The three of them embrace tightly. I checked with the wives who were working, and it seems everyone living in this inn is receiving the blessing. The Hero’s power is incredible.
"……Say, my stats have increased as well……"
"Isn't that fine? Even if a Demon Lord receives a Hero’s blessing."
Deryu looks conflicted, but Seraria just laughs and tells her not to worry about it. Well, a Demon Lord receiving a blessing from a Hero is certainly something to think about. Incidentally, Ria already knows that Deryu is a Demon Lord.
"Deryu-san, are your stats increasing properly?"
"Yes, they are. But, I don't know... is this really okay?"
"It’s fine!! Deryu-san is my family, too!!"
"I, see. Thank you. Ria, you are family to me, even before being a Hero!!"
Yeah, I think she’s a fine Hero in terms of character, too. Still, a Hero and a Demon Lord hugging is a pretty abnormal situation, at least on paper.
"Alright, everyone. If Ria’s abilities become known, it will put us at a huge disadvantage. For the safety of our family, please keep this a secret."
" " "Understood." " "
" " "We will never speak of it." " "
The allied forces began their movement today, but it feels like they’ve become an afterthought to us...
***
*Author's Note:*
Some of you commented that some of my wives are feeling a bit like "background characters," so let me explain the situation.
Simply put, they aren't appearing right now because their fields of expertise are different. They are still present in the conversations, so I don't think they’ll be forgotten. To Yuki, they are his "pieces" on the board, though he treats them very preciously.
Elju has been revived in this chapter, and I’m writing this with the intention that you can enjoy re-reading previous chapters. I don't know how other novels do it, but I plan by gathering my "hand" of cards first and deciding when to play them.
**A simple classification:**
* **Seraria, Elju, Rurua, Shera:** Since they are princesses and rulers, they will shine when the story involves dealing with other nations.
* **Ria, Deryu:** As the Hero and Demon Lord, they are specialized combat forces with unique positions. They are the leads when a powerful individual enemy appears.
* **Labyris:** Capable of acting as a proxy for Yuki by peeking into memories. She is the lead if Yuki is incapacitated. Otherwise, she acts as support.
* **Aslin, Firia:** These two are the leads in everyday life. They have their uses, but their stage is daily life, not the battlefield.
* **Eris, Milly, Ratz:** These members are the leads in domestic affairs, such as economics and organization. They’ve had their moments, and I think they’ve been active enough.
* **Tori, Riel, Kaya:** I think these three are the ones who feel the most like "background characters." While they hold general-level ranks, they are in less visible departments like the police. However, their time to shine will come after the war. There are still many problems to solve. Tori and Riel will likely take the lead regarding dungeon-related matters, as they are adventurers. Kaya will be important when it comes to building connections with the villages. Tori, Riel, and Kaya are planned to be the leads when dealing with the general public.
I realized myself that I introduced too many characters from the start, but having convenient talent appear in every chapter is too much of a cliché, so I went with this method of gathering all my cards from the beginning.
See you next time!