Volume 4 Chapter 9 The Great Villain Of The World, Arrives At His Destination Ii
Heki Nei is not the main character of the Hero Army.
But he is a useful character.
He may not be as fast as Master Raikou, but he moves quickly and has a long range.
What stands out the most is his tenacity.
He can barely withstand attacks. Plus, when his health decreases, his attack power increases.
So in the game "History of Swordmaster," he was used as a wall.
The strategy was to send Heki Nei in first, then move the main characters forward from behind him.
However, there isn't much information about Heki Nei.
The profile only says, "Heki Nei lost his sister and her husband a few years later and, in despair over the decayed Aika Country, decided to join the Hero Army."
There are almost no conversation scenes with the main characters.
His personality is very serious.
When he infiltrated Toukaku using a spy, he had a bitter expression.
It must have been a tough decision for him.
In the game, he even said, "If the traitors hadn't disturbed the country, this wouldn't have happened!"
In the game, Heki Nei always looked like he had bitten into a bitter bug.
But now, it's different. He is bowing his head with a calm face.
Is Heki Nei now a soldier in Toukaku?
Does that mean the event that makes him give up on Aika Country hasn't happened yet?
Could it be that Kou Tenhou burning Toukaku is the cause...?
...There's no point in thinking about it.
Now, let's not make an enemy of Heki Nei-san.
"It's an honor to meet you, Heki Nei-sama."
I bowed to Heki Nei-san.
"The safety of the town and the peace of the people are important matters for the country. I am honored to be able to help with that. Please guide me!"
"...Kou Tenhou-dono."
"Yes?"
"I have heard rumors about you."
"Is that so?"
"I hear that Kou Tenhou-dono fought against the Jinkyo Tribe in the north and defeated their leader."
"Ah, yes. That's about right."
"...I see."
Heki Nei-san has a serious look on his face.
I wonder what's wrong? Did I say something strange?
"The Leader of Six-Person Unit wants to say this: 'A person who achieved great things in the north must be unhappy to be assigned to such a small platoon'."
The one who said that was a man training with Heki Nei-san.
He is short and chubby, in contrast to the tall Heki Nei.
He is looking at me with a slight smile.
"The Leader of Six-Person Unit has children, you see. To avoid losing his job, he is careful with his words. So, I will ask in his place."
The chubby man stared at me.
"Kou Tenhou-dono, who achieved great things in the north, must be unhappy to be given such a small platoon, right? What do you want to do from now on? What do you wish from us?"
"Yes. First, I would like to learn more about Toukaku from all of you."
I said.
"The reason is to protect the town and to check if anything strange is happening around it. I want to do what I can while asking for guidance from everyone in the 'Six-Person Unit'."
"........."
Heki Nei-san and a chubby man looked surprised.
Yeah, I get it.
A 14-year-old kid suddenly saying something so important is shocking.
But this is necessary.
"Toukaku is an important base for Aika Country. I plan to do my best to keep this town peaceful. So, I want to know what the structure of this town is like and how the people live. If you notice anything, I would like you to tell me. No matter how small it is, it's fine."
There was silence for a while.
Heki Nei-san and the man next to him were silently looking at me.
"...Kou Tenhou-dono."
Finally, it was Heki Nei-san who spoke.
"You want to know about the town's structure and how the people live? You want us to tell you anything we notice, no matter how small? Is that what you're saying?"
"That's right."
"...Could it be that you heard something from Ri Kai-dono?"
"No, I just greeted Ri Kai-sama."
"You want to know about the town, and it's not Ri Kai-dono's instruction?"
"That's correct."
"You personally want to know more about Toukaku? Why do you want to know so much..."
"Even a strong dam can collapse from a single ant hole. In peaceful times, we should pay attention to the town's situation."
"...Are you serious?"
Heki Nei-san has a serious expression.
It looks like he's trying to figure me out.
Did I say something that made him uncomfortable?
I was just curious if something strange was happening in this town.
No, that's not it.
I haven't asked the important thing.
Before asking about the town, there was something more important.
I see.
If I forgot such an important thing, it's no wonder Heki Nei-san looks suspicious.
"I'll correct myself."
I clasped my hands in front of Heki Nei-san and said,
"Before asking about the town, please tell me about the 'Six-Person Unit'."
"...!?"
Heki Nei-san and the others will be working with me from now on.
It would be rude to ask about the town without knowing about them.
That's why Heki Nei-san had a serious expression.
It's natural for him to be surprised that someone who just arrived as a superior wants to know about the town before asking about their subordinates. If it were my father or brother, they wouldn't make such a mistake.
I might have been too focused on results.
I need to pay more attention to people.
If I only seek results, I might end up like Kou Tenhou in the game world. I should reflect on this.
"I've heard your name, Heki Nei-sama. What about you... umm?"
"...Please call me Shuu."
"You're Shuu-sama, right? I look forward to working with you from now on."
"...Ah, yeah."
"If possible, could you introduce me to the others?"
"The others are out patrolling the town. I'll introduce you when they return."
"Thank you, Shuu-sama."
"Until everyone gets back, I'll show you around the town."
It was Heki Nei-san who said that.
"Kou Tenhou-dono has become the leader of our platoon. It's only natural for me, as your subordinate, to guide you."
"Nice to meet you, Heki Nei-sama."
"Kou Tenhou-dono."
"Yes?"
"Your way of speaking is incorrect. I am your subordinate. Please, call me by my name."
"I can't just call an elder by their name."
"With all due respect, you are misunderstanding the etiquette."
Heki Nei-san looked straight at me.
"Words represent a person's position. If you humble yourself before me, your subordinates will be confused. It will also hinder leadership. Please, just call me 'Heki Nei'."
He was a serious person.
Well, the game character Heki Nei was also very serious.
It seems the real Heki Nei-san has the same personality.
"Heki Nei-sama values etiquette, doesn't he? As expected."
I returned the courtesy to Heki Nei-san.
"I can't just call someone like you by their name. Please allow me to call you 'Platoon Leader.'."
"...Understood. Let's compromise."
Heki Nei-san said that and looked away.
Then, he took out a map of the town and said,
"I will show you the areas our unit usually patrols. Please follow along while looking at the map."
"Each unit has its own assigned area, right?"
"Yes. We are in charge of the small southeast gate and its surroundings. I will explain more as we walk, but... there is one thing I need to warn you about."
"What is it?"
"While we are moving, if other units say anything, please don't pay attention to them."
Heki Nei-san said this in a calm tone.
"The reason will be explained when we return. Is that okay?"
"Understood. There's a saying, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do,' after all."
"Kou Tenhou-dono, you..."
"Huh?"
"Never mind. Shall we go?"
So, I headed out with Heki Nei-san to patrol our assigned area.
──That evening──
"Heki Nei, how was the young master of the Kou family?"
"He was a calm person. Too calm, in fact."
Back at the office, Heki Nei answered Shuu's question.
The tour with Kou Tenhou was finished.
He had just sent him and his male attendant to their lodging.
Kou Tenhou's lodging was near the center of town.
It was probably arranged by Prince Ryougen.
There, his companions and horses were waiting.
They also greeted Heki Nei politely.
Of course, Kou Tenhou himself did too.
"Kou Tenhou-dono also said, 'I look forward to working with you,' and greeted me again."
"He doesn't seem like a bad person."
"Yeah. He even asked about my family. It seems he genuinely wants to know about his subordinates."
"About Heki's family? That's..."
"Of course, I told him. He looked really sorry."
Heki's family has already passed away.
His parents a long time ago. His beloved sister and her husband a few years back.
"He looked so pained, as if it was his own loss. He seemed like good people, you know."
"I also share Heki's opinion."
"But, doubts remain."
"Isn't it strange that Ryougen-kun's favorite is sent all the way to Toukaku?"
"Exactly."
Heki and Shuu nodded at each other.
"It might be that His Royal Highness the King's younger brother is trying to investigate this Toukaku."
"But, Kou-dono is still just a 14-year-old child, right?"
"Age doesn't matter for those with talent."
Heki shook his head.
"My niece is younger than Kou Tenhou-dono, but she is smart enough to recite military texts. You could call her a talented woman."
"Here comes the bragging about Heki's niece. That girl is special, after all."
"There are young and talented people, that's the point."
"Don't underestimate Kou-dono, is that what you're saying? So, what's the plan?"
"We wait. It's not wise to act now."
"If we just sit here, Ri Kai might get the upper hand."
"I want to assess the person called Kou Tenhou."
In the dark room, Heki whispered,
"Kou Tenhou's true intentions... I want to find that out first. 'Do not create a bug within the lion's body.' Only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you win a hundred battles'──that's a line from a military book my niece likes."
"Understood. Then, I will become Kou Tenhou-dono's assistant."
Shuu put his hands in his pockets, looking serious.
"If it comes down to it, I will remove any obstacles. After that, Heki Nei can just cut me off. 'I knew nothing. All of this is Shuu's fault.' That should settle things."
"...Shuu Tei."
"Hey, no stopping me, okay? I owe Heki Nei and brother-in-law a debt. I used to call myself a hero. I can't miss the chance to repay that debt."
"I understand. But that's a last resort. If possible..."
"You want to trust Kou-dono, right? Honestly, Heki Nei really likes people."
Saying that, Shuu smiled.
"Heki Nei seems to have taken a liking to Kou-dono, huh? It's written all over your face."
"Personal feelings shouldn't be a problem. Shuu Tei."
Heki-nei took a map out of his pocket.
It was a simple one.
In the center was the town of Toukaku.
The circles and lines around it represented forests and mountainous areas.
At the bottom of the map, there were some characters written.
For now, only Heki Nei and Shuu knew their meaning.
"His Royal Highness the King's younger brother... and I don't want to make Kou Tenhou-dono an enemy. But..."
Aika Country has pus building up underground.
It's just a small amount of pus that the high officials of the country don't notice.
However, there are commoners who touch it and ruin their lives.
There are also officials and soldiers who pretend not to notice the sacrifices of the people and that pus.
"I'll leave Kou Tenhou to you Shuu Tei. Help him as an assistant. But make sure to report everything you notice."
"Understood, Heki Nei."
"If possible, I wanted to meet Kou Tenhou after everything was over."
Heki Nei looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
"If that were the case, I might have been able to become friends with that person."
And with that, Heki Nei muttered to himself.
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