“And now here we are almost a year later, and you have nothing to show for it.” A man in long drapes growls with a vein in his forehead pulsing.

The hero stood patiently waiting for the noble figure’s speech to cease.  This had been going on for the past few minutes, ever since the group arrived after the rare royal summons.

Speaking of the group, by now ninety nine percent of them have cycled through for one reason or another. It’s probably why half these nobles are so angry.

A few of the battlemages were seriously injured after one made a mistake while casting, one of the warriors decided to marry a woman he met in one of the frontier villages, and Poiy… Well, she was murder by one of her fellow party members in cold blood.

That final straw caused the hero to become extremely wary of forming a group at all. But since the search is dangerous, at minimum a healer and secondary fighter is necessary.

Those two left are Bonze, a hermit, and first-class warrior in his later years of life, and Filia, a saint of an almost-unknown church, capable of even regrowing minor appendages. None of the other churches particularly argue the decision, they are aware she is one of the most powerful healers around. It’s the same with the warriors. The hero’s recruitment requirement was beating Bonze in a one on one, and in the end nobody was capable. His background is mysterious but there was no disqualifying his skill, even the hero might not be his match during his prime.

The reduction of the party made funds much more plentiful yet despite all that the hero was still recalled to the capital by royal order.

If it’s by royal order then why are only the noble’s yammering?

True, the hero did take a large bag of gold from them when first stepping onto the public stage. But the nobles firmly stated that it was a gift to help expediate the search and subsequent destruction of the demons. So what sway do they think they have?

“If you are unable to return the funds we have allotted you, we have no choice but to place someone more trustworthy in command of your party until the task is complete. It makes sense considering the f…”

The hero didn’t remember signing any contract with them. In fact there was never even any agreement that the demons would even be eradicated. The hero only ever stated one fact during the reveal ‘I am the hero, and here is my sign of proof.’

The rest was assumed, or expected perhaps?

Nonetheless the hero felt like reminding them. “I am fighting on my terms. I am the hero on my terms. I won’t take orders from anyone, if you think your investment grants you power over me then just take it back.”

Tossing a sack of gold underhand to the man talking moments earlier the group of nobles are awestruck to find it strikingly similar to the bag they had handed over those many months ago.

A minister, stepping over to it with a small scale and a handful of weights, confirms that it is indeed the same amount.

“But you’ve been traveling now for over a year, just how are you operating without…”

“I stepped into a bank with that bag and asked for a loan citing it as reassurance. I invested that money into a variety of shops in both the capital, and around the villages we visited.” The hero explains calmly to the agape nobles who had likely helped fund the loan as well. “Money is only needed to open the doors. Once that’s done making more isn’t too difficult. Have no fear though, the loan was payed back around a year ago according to my accountant, so I really have no use for that anymore.”

The nobles seated and standing around the wide table quickly close their mouth as the King finally emits a sound. But not one they expected to hear today. A great booming laughter came from the relatively meek looking man.

“I think you’ve been had, Todd.” The king eventually sighs with a grin. “Hero, just so we are clear, I did not call you to complain like all these petty figures.”

The nobles, never before hearing such insults come from the king’s mouth, again drop their collective jaws in unison.

“I figured as much.” The hero shrugs with a glance at the bag a minister was separating back into the individual investments. Feeling a pulse of mana the hero returns the glance towards the young king. “I still thought it was a good time to return that anyway though. So, has she had another vision then?”

The king, nodding solemnly indicates it wasn’t a good vision this time.

“It came a few months ago. It’s contents were vague. All she told me was I had to recall you. And once you return, it would begin.”

The nobles around, confused about their silent mouths eventually realize the use of magic to restrict the conversation.

Moments after the realization a rumble shakes the castle walls, prompting the hero to bolt up from the plush chair and rocket towards the door to meet the sound.

‘The princess’s visions shouldn’t ever be doubted. A moment of waste could mean a nation destroyed.’ The king, now realizing he had made it in time, breathes a sigh of relief. Even incomplete, with the hero here, history won’t repeat itself quite yet.