The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned

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Chapter 254: Summit Meeting (1)

The second floor of the party house.

A chilling atmosphere, like a winter night, had settled inside the lounge.

“Ugh.”

Lanez, sitting beside me with her arms wrapped around herself, glared fiercely at Camellia.

Her gaze was filled with murderous intent, exuding an aura as sharp as frost.

Fortunately, she seemed to be exercising some degree of restraint(?), as the worst-case scenario—her launching a full-on attack against Camellia—was not unfolding.

“Hm. So the rumors about you being involved with multiple women were true.”

Camellia turned slightly toward Lanez, wearing her signature languid smile.

“The more fragrant the flower, the more bees it attracts. Quite fitting for a man who has caught my eye.”

“……”

I let out a quiet sigh as I looked at Camellia.

“I believe I already gave you my answer back then.”

“Hmph. I remember.”

She shrugged as she replied.

For a brief moment, a flicker of bitterness passed through her eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

Soon, she returned to her usual haughty expression, glancing around.

“By the way, is it customary to receive guests without offering them anything to drink?”

“…You're an uninvited guest.”

“Hmph. And yet, despite my esteemed presence gracing this cramped little room, you still refuse to serve me anything?”

“…Fine. Please wait a moment.”

I let out a sigh, got up from my seat, and searched through the cupboard.

I pulled out some instant coffee from the Republic—something I had stocked up on for breaks.

“D-Dale….”

Lanez followed behind me and pulled out a small vial filled with a mysterious liquid from her pocket.

“S-Should I secretly slip this in?”

“……”

What even is that?

“Uh, it’s… a sleeping potion.”

“…Why do you have something like that?”

“I-I was planning to… use it on you later….”

“……”

Right.

Thanks for your honesty, Lanez.

“For now, let’s just pour this down the drain….”

“N-No, wait!”

I forcibly took the sleeping potion from her and poured it into the sink.

“It wouldn’t have worked anyway.”

A sleeping drug wouldn't affect a hero who had reached the domain of the demigods.

“T-Then maybe something that makes her feel good… Ah. N-No, that wouldn’t be a good idea either.”

“…Wait.”

Where does she keep getting these things?

“Lanez, she’s the Empress of the Empire. I understand how you feel, but you absolutely cannot cause a scene.”

“Ugh… O-Okay.”

She bit her lip and nodded reluctantly.

Leaving her behind, I poured the instant coffee and handed it to Empress Camellia.

It was cheap coffee, unlikely to suit the refined taste of someone who only drank the highest-quality brews.

“…Thank you.”

Camellia took a small sip and smiled faintly.

“By the way, is it really alright for Your Majesty to be wandering around without any guards?”

“Haha. Who would dare to act as my guard?”

“……”

She wasn’t wrong.

“You mentioned earlier that you came because of the summit meeting….”

“Well, the real reason is that I simply wanted to see you again.”

“……”

Come on, Your Majesty.

If you keep this up, I won’t be able to hold Lanez back.

“Fufu. Just a joke.”

She sipped her coffee leisurely, enjoying my reaction.

“Haa. So, what exactly is this summit meeting about?”

“It is a gathering of the top five ranked heroes—those commonly referred to as ‘Masters.’”

“…Masters?”

The Masters.

A title granted to the top five ranked heroes of the Three Nations.

The current members were as follows:

1st place – ‘Empress’ Camellia Padsha.

2nd place – ‘Pope’ Marianne.

3rd place – ‘Thunder God’ Lionel Ryu.

4th place – ‘Holy Kingdom’s Sword’ Johan Basilio.

5th place – ‘Falling Blossom Blade’ Khalid Han.

One couldn’t earn the title of Master by strength alone.

Only those who wielded power significant enough to influence an entire nation were qualified.

‘Empress Camellia represents the Empire, Marianne and Johan Basilio are from the Holy Kingdom, Lionel Ryu represents the Republic… and.’

The fifth-ranked, Khalid Han, was said to be the leader of the continent’s largest mercenary group.

‘Yeah, that’s definitely a meeting worthy of the name “summit.”’

It was a gathering of the most powerful figures on the continent.

“And this meeting is happening here?”

“The Hero Academy is centrally located on the continent, making it the most convenient place to gather. Besides, one of the Masters is the Academy’s headmaster.”

“…That’s true.”

The Masters were gathering at the Hero Academy, huh?

Something similar had happened in my previous life as well.

“What’s the reason for this meeting?”

“It’s classified information… but I suppose you’ll need to know regardless.”

Camellia shrugged before continuing.

“The reason the Masters are gathering is to form the ‘Three Nations Alliance.’”

“…Ah.”

The Three Nations Alliance.

In my past life, it was only formed after the large-scale invasion of the demons.

‘The future has changed.’

With Camellia’s assassination plan failing, the timing of the alliance’s formation had significantly advanced.

“Have all your doubts been resolved now?”

“Ah, yes. Thank you for explaining.”

“Hehe. There’s no need for such formality between you and me, is there?”

“……”

What exactly is our relationship, anyway?

“By the way….”

As she sipped her coffee, Empress Camellia turned her gaze toward Lanez.

“You’re called Lanez, correct?”

“Ugh…!”

Like a wildcat with its tail stepped on, Lanez glared at Camellia with wary eyes.

She clung tightly to my arm as if it were her most precious treasure, grinding her teeth.

“I-If you’re thinking of taking Dale away… Even if you’re the Empress, I-I won’t stand for it!”

“Hm?”

Camellia widened her eyes in surprise and tilted her head.

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“Why would I take Dale away from you?”

“Uh…?”

It seemed like an unexpected answer.

Lanez looked at Camellia in confusion.

“B-But before… I-I heard you told Professor Elisha to break up with Dale…?”

“Ah, yes. That’s true.”

Camellia let out a bitter smile and shook her head.

“At the time, I was flustered by emotions I had never experienced before. It may sound like an excuse… but I still regret that incident.”

“Then….”

“I have no intention of taking Dale from you, so you can rest easy.”

“…Ugh.”

Lanez’s expression softened slightly—but only for a moment.

She still didn’t seem fully convinced, tightening her grip around my arm and glaring fiercely.

“D-Do you think I’ll fall for that so easily?”

Even though Lanez had grown up in a border town of the Holy Kingdom, she had heard plenty of rumors about Camellia.

Empress Camellia.

The current number one-ranked hero, said to have reached the realm of demigods.

A ruler who stood above all and was considered the most powerful sovereign in the empire’s history.

She was also infamous for being a relentless conqueror who would use any means necessary to obtain what she wanted.

“I don’t know what rumors you’ve heard about me, but I am not the shameless plunderer you imagine.”

It was true that she had obtained everything she ever desired.

But that wasn’t because she was greedy—it was simply because her abilities and authority were overwhelming enough to claim anything she wished.

“B-But….”

Lanez bit her lip and shouted.

“Dale told me before!”

“Hm? Told you what?”

“That… that Her Majesty is r-really beautiful!”

Even as a fellow woman, Camellia’s beauty was enough to leave anyone speechless.

Her platinum-blonde hair shone like melted gold, and her eyes were mesmerizing.

Even though she was dressed in ordinary casual clothes rather than a lavish gown, her noble aura was unmistakable.

And most of all…

“Ugh, uhh.”

Her tall stature, slender waist, and long limbs rivaled even Professor Elisha’s.

Compared to her, Lanez felt like nothing more than a little girl.

In short—

In strength, in power, in beauty.

There was nothing in which she could surpass Camellia.

“S-So unfair….”

Lanez anxiously chewed on her fingernails, glaring sharply.

She had felt similar emotions when facing Iris, Yurina, and Professor Elisha, but Camellia was on another level.

However—

“…What?”

The very person she was jealous of seemed utterly stunned by what she had just heard.

“Oh ho. Hmmm. Hehehe. Is that so? Dale said that?”

Camellia’s shoulders trembled slightly as she tried to suppress the corners of her lips from curling up.

But it was only for a moment.

Quickly regaining her composure, she cleared her throat.

“Ahem! And yet, despite that, you rejected my offer to be my consort?”

“Well, just because Your Majesty is beautiful doesn’t mean I want to be your consort.”

Romantic relationships aren’t built on looks alone.

“Hmph. But isn’t it hard to say they are completely unrelated?”

“That’s….”

She wasn’t wrong.

Appearance plays a bigger role in human relationships than most people think.

Even in same-gender relationships, looks matter—so in relationships between men and women, it goes without saying.

“Hehe. I want to hear it from your own lips, not from someone else.”

“…Hear what?”

“That you think I’m beautiful.”

“…….”

Camellia looked at me with sparkling eyes, her face filled with eager anticipation.

“I refuse—.”

“Come to think of it, considering how much Lionel bragged, the party house’s facilities seem rather inadequate.”

Ha.

“Don’t tell me… you’re trying to bribe me with money?”

If so, she had chosen the wrong person.

“The lounge could use a full renovation… and is that a training ground downstairs? That could use some work too.”

I would never succumb to mere money—.

“Oh, and Lionel also boasted about a hot spring in the basement, but isn’t it just a glorified bathhouse? If you want, I can build a proper hot spring next to the party house.”

I-I won’t… give in….

“Of course, it will be a mixed-gender hot spring.”

“Empress Camellia is dazzlingly beautiful.”

“Hmmm.”

Camellia closed her eyes as if savoring the words.

Her lips twitched, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

“Yes… I am… beautiful….”

For the first time ever, Camellia had an utterly dazed, lovestruck smile on her face.

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