In this kingdom, the royal lineage was matrilineal.
Originally, it seemed to have been a lineage of priestesses serving the gods. They had preserved their lineage by marrying powerful men of their time and making them kings. The husbands could come from noble families within the country or royal families from other nations, but in most cases, they were required to have a noble lineage.
There was only one exception.
That was the hero.
Periodically, a demon king would appear, seeking to destroy the human world. The hero was the one to defeat the demon king. In this kingdom, they promised the position of king as a reward for the hero. By welcoming the hero, the royal family maintained their legitimacy and boasted their status as a kingdom that had saved the world.
In this way, the royal family had endured.
And 15 years ago, a demon king appeared in this world. A king who ruled a powerful race called the demonfolk, hostile to the gods revered by humans and sought to destroy their human followers.
As a result of fierce battles, half of the world had already been conquered, and this kingdom was also suffering from invasion.
It was then that the hero appeared.
It was often unknown who would become the hero beforehand, but they were usually guided by a person called the prophet. The prophet would appear from nowhere, leave a prophecy, and then disappear. Their true identity was unknown.
Four years ago, the prophet appeared in a small village within the country, foretelling the emergence of a hero.
The prophesied hero enrolled in Falm Academy, the kingdom’s hero training institution, and made a name for himself. He invited the renowned swordsman Leon, the holy woman Maria, and the sage Solon as his party members, and now they were being summoned to the royal palace.
I am the kingdom’s princess, Alexia, and I am to be the hero’s reward.
My father seems to have some dissatisfaction with the hero.
He says things like, “He is of low status,” “He’s a mediocre man,” and “I wanted Leon to be the hero.”
My mother, the queen, has entered the temple as a priestess after my grandmother’s death and is not here. The princesses of this kingdom choose their husbands as kings, have children, and then enter the temple as priestesses, devoting their lives to the country.
Swordsman Leon was the next heir of a powerful count’s family, with both talent and nobility. If the demon king hadn’t appeared, he would have likely become my companion.
When I met him before, he was aware of that fact, but after the battle in Rozorov Forest, he said, “I wasn’t the hero,” and withdrew himself. Those around, including the king, were disappointed by his decision.
As for me, it didn’t matter. Indeed, Leon was a fine person. However, in the end, my marriage would not involve my own will. So it doesn’t matter who the hero is.
I have devoted myself to academics, swordsmanship, and horsemanship since I was a child, and I have been evaluated for my talents. Still, I cannot even decide my own future. Being a princess in this kingdom is like a curse. After all, there has never been a prince born. If only I could have been born a prince, I might have had a slightly better life.
Regardless of my thoughts, the audience began, and the hero entered the throne room.
My father, the king, praised the hero’s achievements in the Rozorov Forest, bestowed a reward, and officially recognized him as the hero.
It was the birth of Hero Ares.
I was introduced to him as the reward.
“Upon defeating the demon king, you shall become Alexia’s husband and the next king of this country.”
There was a slight stir in the room. Although it was customary, some nobles disapproved of elevating someone of low status to become the king.
But even the hero was risking his life. Otherwise, who would willingly invade the demon king’s territory and attempt such a reckless adventure to defeat him? The term “hero” was merely a euphemism for an assassin targeting the demon king.
In order to increase the success rate of the assassination, the hero’s reward must be something that will motivate them as much as possible.
I too would be in trouble if the world perished.
I must do my best to encourage this hero.
I think I understand how I should behave for that purpose.
I walked over to the kneeling hero and said,
“Hero, please defeat the demon king and save the world. I will be waiting for your return.”
I may still be a 12-year-old child, but I am beautiful, and I think I understand how to act to please someone. However, while I truly want the hero to save the world, my claim of waiting for his return is a lie.
The hero was an ordinary-looking young man with chestnut-coloured hair that bounced a little and matching brown eyes. He seemed to be well-trained but was of average height and build with no distinguishing features.
He looked troubled and said in a voice only I could hear,
“Princess, I promise. I will definitely defeat the demon king.”
He smiled gently.
“But I won’t return here. So, please marry someone you love.”
Four years later, just as the hero had said, he defeated the demon king and never returned.
Another four years passed. The kingdom, which had finally regained its stability, launched a project to compile the hero’s achievements into a document in honour of the fallen hero.
