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We arrived at the castle’s front.

I could see Gilmars there. And two other people… A man and… a woman who resembled Karuna. These two were likely the people, Gilmars wanted us to meet.

Still, I wonder who they really are?
Maybe they are his party members… Though they like aren’t, right? I haven’t seen those two at the hero proclamation.

“I’m sorry for calling you so suddenly… your Majesty.”
“No… I don’t mind. You played a big role in this war, Gilmars.”

During their exchange, Tuhl gazed intently at the two others.

“Moreover, what about them?”
“These fellows… I mean, these people are…”

When Gilmars spoke that far, Tuhl, who likely had been looking at their status screens, raised his voice in a surprised “Woah…”.

“Hm? Is something wrong, Tuhl?”
“N-no, Father… Those two who accompanied Mr. Gilmars… Both their first and last names… they are the same as the names of the previous hero and the woman from the Mephilad lineage, who became the demon god’s sacrifice.”
“What did you just say?”

This time, it wasn’t just the king who ended up in shock, Mika, I and the other three people here were also surprised.

Wait, according to our guess… Mephistophales should have been the previous hero, but he turned out being Mr. Mitsuo, so… I didn’t think, that the previous hero was actually still alive. Or rather, I forgot about it.

Still, they were definitely among the people I brought back to life. Come to think of it, those two were some of the very few people, who hadn’t died due to Armageddon. I didn’t expect that.

“Come on, Herrell… you say something, too.”
“Ah… I am called… Herrell Bensahar. Until recently, I served the demon god… as one of the demon’s leaders.” The man called Herrell, who was likely the former hero, started to speak.
“Wha… What!?”

Hearing it from the man himself had quite the impact.

“So, there were two of them?” the king murmured in a small voice.

…The former hero had been acting as part of the demons’ leadership… that’s what he said. My own guess wasn’t that far off, after all.

“What… do you mean by that?” the archbishop gave voice to what everyone was likely thinking.

The man answered that question. His story was way too grand. Because it differed quite a lot from the hero’s tale that we knew. While he was talking, I secretly created a lie detector and tried to use it, but it looked like his story was completely true. Seriously.

“…and now, here I stand, after being brought back to life… by the power of the current hero.”
“I see… huh?” the king was also doubtful.

However, due to Tuhl having found the “Brave” title on his status screen, and me further reporting the results from my lie detector to the king, he started to believe the tale.

“Then… What do you want to do, former hero?” the king asked, a bit harshly.

Herrell reacted to that with a firm tone and look, maybe because he had been prepared for it. At the same time, he slowly prostrated himself on the ground.

“About that… with what I did, I betrayed the country, so you naturally won’t forgive me… Due to my betrayal, no holder of “Brave” has been born in 300 years, too. Because of that, I am prepared to accept any kind of punishment, current king of Mephilad. However…” he raised his face from the ground and looked up at the king. “The… the one I love was brought back to life together with me… After 300 years have passed, I could reunite with her… Please, won’t you give me the mercy of just a few days? I beg you, please…”

Once more, the former hero lowered his head and pressed his forehead to the ground.

300 years…

I wonder, how would I feel, if I couldn’t see the one I love for 300 years? Surely, that would be no different from unbearable suffering. Supposing I was in Herrell’s… I mean, Mr. Herrell’s situation, I believe I’d even destroy the stars, if it gave me the means to bring my lover back to life.

“Ah… p-please…!” Elle said… is it alright if I call her that?

She prostrated herself next to the former hero.

She should have originally been a princess. From the start, I thought that the Mephilad royal family was rather humble, but that she’d go as far as prostrate herself?

Then, the king, who’d been merely looking at them motionlessly, opened his mouth and turned to Elle.

“…Elle, no, Princess Elle. Please raise your head. One of the royal family… shouldn’t lower her head that easily.”

Look who’s talking, even though you did nothing but thoroughly plead to me! I thought secretly.

“Y-yes…” she did as he had said and looked up to him.

Her face was clearly wet from crying. I had seen tons of crying faces today.

“Then, former hero, Herrell… Raise your head.”
“Y-Yes!” the former hero looked up.

He had pressed his forehead too strongly to the ground, so it had turned red.

“That’s right… As for how to deal with you… It will be decided on a later day, when we also judge the man called Mephistophales.”

The king looked at the former hero with a sharp gaze. It seemed like Mr. Herrell swallowed his saliva, and I thought that I also heard a gulping sound.
Those eyes would make even me shiver, wouldn’t they?

“Mephisto… phales is also there?” cautiously, the man called Herrell asked the king.
“Indeed. He is a former human, that’s what I heard from him in the jail. Is that accurate?”
“Yes, your Majesty. He told me on several occasions, that he used to be human.”
“I see.”

The king stroked his beard and seemed to be thinking about something for a few seconds in silence, before he glared at Herrell and started talking again.

“In any case… Herrell, until we decide, how to deal with you, you can freely move in the castle.”
“R-really, your Majesty…?!”
“Yes, however, we will limit your actions with a magic item…”

“Princess Elle, what will you do?” He asked, turning to Elle this time. “You aren’t a criminal. If you want to, you can stay in this country without any issues.”
“I… I…” Elle shot a glance in the former hero’s direction and nestled close to his shoulder. “I… I will go, wherever he is.”
“Is that so… Understood,” the king nodded at them.

This time, he turned to Gilmars.

“Thank you for your hard work, Gilmars.”
“Oh, no…”

Gilmars bowed to the king.

Then he addressed Mika and me.

“Alim and Mika… Thank you for your hard work, too. There are various things I’d like to tell you, but… today likely exhausted you. You can return to your own home. I’m sorry, but I cannot accommodate you today.”
“No… that’s alright, your Majesty!
“Do so, then.”

The smiling king and the former hero’s group each said a few words to us… The king then turned around, making his mantle flutter, and walked towards the castle.

Only Mika, Gilmars, and I remained.

“Hey… Alim,” he started.
“Yes?”
“Erm… thanks. For bringing me… and my dear friends back to life.”
“No, I just did what I could, Mr. Gilmars!”
“There’s probably way too many things that you can do.”
“Huh! That’s also true, I guess?”

Gilmars turned around.

“I also have some things I’d like to tell you, Alim, Mika, but… you should get some rest, after all. Another time.”
“Yes, some other time.”

After he said that, he left, while giving us a backwards wave.

“Now… Mika, shall we go home?”
“Yeah.”

Mika and I went home.

TL notes:
I guess the biggest issue with Herrell/Lucifeyr is that we never saw him do anything harmful (except for preventing new holders of “Brave” being born, though can you really fault someone for not dying?). Even during the war, he showed up and was promptly defeated by Gilmars without causing any damage (at least none that was mentioned). The king will likely have to hand out a harsh punishment, due to Herrell being part of the enemy (and a leader at that) who tried to wipe out his country, which will feel unfair to the reader, who never sees him acting as a bad guy.