I'm Not the Heroine-Chapter 64

This is a dragon's mansion.

It was an overwhelming feeling, but different from the imperial palace where I once met the emperor.

It wasn’t about sheer size or the duke’s imposing presence.

There was an air of discipline; even a single piece of artwork in the corridor was spotless, maintaining an immaculate appearance.

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It was as if everything in the mansion was frozen in time.

Perfect silence.

This was the Stormblast mansion.

"This way."

The hero party was given individual rooms to settle in within the mansion.

[In the evening, there will be a banquet in your honor. Rest until then.]

The Stormblast family had organized a banquet to welcome the hero party.

At the same time, this was Lafiré's chance to fulfill Yggdrasil’s mission, while the other party members used the time to retrieve her.

"······."

Aswell quietly ran his fingers over a precious pair of gloves, closing his eyes.

"The opponent is a dragon."

They wouldn’t be risking their lives as they did against the demon tribe.

Even though she had been taken away, he was still a duke of the empire.

And, of course, even if they did risk their lives in battle, there was no guarantee they could win.

But...

"If it means I can save Louie, I don’t care what I have to do."

Back in Lacre, Mercadia held power that rivaled the Stormblast duke.

Even though they had won with her help back then, the experience of that battle had seeped into him.

The talent, duty, and fate of a hero meant that even the slightest experience honed his instincts and skills.

"By now, everyone else should be preparing."

The plan was simple.

When the banquet started—more precisely, when Lafiré brought up Yggdrasil’s proposal—the others would spring into action.

The main goal was to locate her somewhere in the mansion.

They hadn’t planned for how to escape with her or erase their presence completely afterward.

They didn’t consider the consequences, rumors, or fallout from disturbing the duke’s estate.

"The only objective is to rescue Louie."

Truthfully, it was a reckless plan.

Against a dragon, it was even more of a poor strategy.

But they all missed her so much.

They longed to see her, even if it was just to say goodbye, and that longing was shared by everyone in the party.

Aswell, however, harbored an even greater desire.

"I want to keep her by my side."

Simply seeing her once and saying goodbye wouldn’t be enough to satisfy the burning emotions inside Niavella.

He wanted to spend time with her and, somehow, reveal his feelings.

Because of that, Aswell was more resolute in his intent than any of the other party members.

"Sir Hero, I’ve brought attire for the banquet."

A short while later, a butler and several maids arrived, carrying various formal suits.

Normally, he would have smiled warmly and thanked them, but Aswell had no such composure now.

He was too busy grieving and seething at the thought of her, left lonely somewhere in this vast place.

Time seemed to pass in a blur, and before he realized it, he was dressed, and evening had come.

"Sir Hero, I will escort you to the banquet hall."

"...Yes."

Following the butler’s guidance, Aswell slowly left his room.

* * *

The banquet was held beneath a chandelier crafted from pure snow crystals.

The white tables, navy curtains, and dark candles harmonized to create Stormblast’s distinctive ambiance.

Nobles from nearby territories and key figures from within the duchy filled the tables.

"The Duke of Stormblast is entering."

At the butler’s announcement, everyone turned in one direction.

A solemn man wearing a coat lined with black fur raised a glass from the platform.

"Everyone, raise your glasses."

Everyone in the banquet hall, including the hero party, raised their glasses.

Niabella, unaccustomed to such formal settings, hurriedly lifted her glass with Serelin’s help.

"A toast to the hero party, who tirelessly work for the empire and the world."

As the duke finished his words, everyone lightly clinked their glasses.

"Sir Hero, thank you for coming to Stormblast. The people of this territory are incredibly thrilled by your presence..."

"Sir Serelin, I heard there’s new talk in the Imperial Knights about swordsmanship..."

"Lady Aria, my wife is expecting soon. Would you be willing to bless our child?"

People flocked to speak with Aswell, Serelin, and Aria.

As for the remaining two, although some glanced at them, no one approached directly.

For Lafiré, her status as Yggdrasil’s princess made it difficult for anyone to approach her easily.

In Niabella’s case, her situation was the opposite—she had neither status nor fame, so despite being part of the hero party, no one felt they had anything in common with her.

A few wizards were present, but unfortunately, Niabella had little knowledge of magic, so conversations didn’t last long.

Not that it mattered.

They had a mission to complete.

"Duke Kunder."

"Lafiré Yggdrasil. What brings you here?"

Rustle.

"As Yggdrasil’s official envoy, I wish to negotiate terms regarding the handling of the World Tree’s branch."

In a tone quite unlike her usual playful self, Lafiré spoke calmly.

For a moment, even the party members felt a shift in her demeanor.

"I understand. Would you like to discuss this now?"

Kunder Stormblast nodded, accepting her request.

"Yes, now."

"Come this way. Will the rest of the hero party be joining?"

"...No, I’ll go alone."

Though she deliberately separated herself from the hero party, Kunder quietly nodded.

"Everyone, enjoy the banquet."

With that, Kunder, accompanied by several attendants, escorted Lafiré out of the hall.

As soon as they left, Niabella quietly slipped out.

"Um, yes, this way...!"

The mansion was large.

Too large for anyone to search alone within a short time.

So, the party had already divided the search zones, and Niabella headed toward the third floor.

"Lady Niabella, do you need assistance?"

"What?! Oh, no, I was... just taking a short walk because I’m full!"

"I understand. Please call if you need anything."

Niabella encountered several attendants, but none of them tried to stop her suspicious behavior.

Though it was unexpectedly easy, Niabella, tense with nerves, didn’t notice.

Next, Serelin exited the hall.

She moved swiftly, examining areas of the mansion she couldn’t access alone and mentally noting each one before heading to her next zone.

"I’ll step out briefly."

"We’ll be waiting, Sir Hero!"

The next to slip out was Aswell.

While Aria kept the attention on herself, Aswell moved toward an area not assigned to Niabella or Serelin.

He stopped in the middle of the corridor and closed his eyes.

'...Niabella, Lafiré, Serelin, Kunder.'

He could sense the presence of all the powerful individuals scattered throughout the mansion.

Everyone was following the plan. Lafiré was leading Kunder in negotiations, ensuring he wouldn’t be able to leave easily.

"Louis. Louis."

He focused his mind, trying to detect a familiar presence.

It wasn’t an unknown presence.

It was a familiar feeling that had become deeply ingrained over the past six months.

A warm, subtle aura that even his hands and feet recognized.

In this vast mansion, he needed to find that presence.

After what felt like an eternity but was only a few minutes, he directed his attention toward one corner of the mansion.

The top floor of the duke’s residence, in a far corner.

"There."

She was there.

With a burst of speed, Aswell soared up and reached the floor where the room was.

A simple, unassuming door like any other.

But to Aswell, it was incredibly special.

Because she was inside.

Maybe because of its importance, his steps grew slower as he approached the door.

By the time he reached it, he was moving as slowly as a turtle.

"..."

Just one door.

He could feel her presence beyond it.

Creak...

The door slowly opened, revealing the room within.

White moonlight streamed through the open window.

At the same time, her presence, previously obscured by the door, enveloped Aswell.

She was there.

"Louis."

"Aswell."

Dressed in a simple black gown, she stood there, more beautiful than ever, waiting to meet him.

"..."

"..."

Neither of them spoke.

Aswell struggled to decide what to say, unsure if he could even open his mouth.

He wanted to ask if she was alright, how she’d been, about her health, and so on...

There were too many things he wanted to say, and it left him breathless.

And he wondered, did she feel the same?

Did she share the same feelings as he did?

She looked at him with calm, unexpressive eyes, almost expressionless.

After a short yet agonizingly long pause, Aswell finally managed to say just one thing.

"Louis, will you come back to my party?"

Of all things, this question came first.

"..."

Her hesitation was brief.

"I'm sorry."

And with that, she gave him her answer—a refusal.

From that moment, Aswell couldn’t see her face. She had tilted her head slightly, and with his height, he couldn’t read her expression.

"I can no longer be part of the party."

"...What?"

"Today, I wanted to say a proper goodbye that I couldn’t back in Lacre. So I prepared this... but you came first, Aswell."

Her quiet words pierced Aswell

's heart like icicles from Stormblast itself.

"I'm sorry, to you, and to everyone."

With that, she turned away.

She approached the window, looked back at Aswell one last time, and bowed her head.

"Thank you for all the precious memories, Hero."

Whoosh!

"Hero."

"...You."

A woman with sky-blue hair appeared and embraced Louis.

"Do not despair. This is ultimately for the good of you and Louis."

With those words, a strong wind fluttered the curtains, and two pure white wings extended from the woman’s back.

A moment later, she and Louis vanished ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) from the room as her wings swept through the air.

"...Louis."

The hero, Aswell, stood frozen in the room, unable to say or do anything, his eyes fixed on the lingering traces of her presence.