The Strongest in the World Doesn’t Want To Do Anything

1 – Victory Report

“Adeus!”

The ground, drenched in ceaseless rain, had turned into a mosaic of mud, littered with the bodies of humans and demons.

A peculiar mix of the stench of blood and filth lingered in the air, encircling the noses of the few who remained alive.

In the hellish landscape, a colossal man gripped the neck of a Greater Demon.

This man, with a robust muscular build and long red hair flowing from his head, was Wolfgang.

He was the leader of the regiment and the inheritor of divine power.

As the Greater Demon struggled to break free from his grasp, Wolfgang’s fist relentlessly pounded its face.

While subduing the adversary with his bare hands, Wolfgang continued calling out someone’s name.

“Adeus! Are you still there?”

The demon, with a swollen face from the violence, managed to speak with effort.

“Pff… A weakling like you with this much strength… What’s the point of playing hero…”

Crack!

Crimson blood sprayed into the air.

The lower jaw of the demon that had been speaking moments ago was torn off and clenched in Wolfgang’s hand.

The agony of having one’s jaw ripped off sobered even the “Demon King”; there seemed to be no escape from it.

Amidst emitting quite an appalling scream, the demon succumbed, slipping into unconsciousness.

“Don’t die. The hero has to deliver the finishing blow. Adeus!!”

Only heroes wielding the holy sword could vanquish powerful demons with magic.

Of course, killing demons without the holy sword wasn’t an issue.

However, fellows like Greater Demons would simply resurrect after death.

Not knowing when or where they would reappear in what form, Wolfgang reluctantly prepared to start tracking from scratch.

With the prospect of going through that ordeal again, Wolfgang, momentarily dizzy, slapped the demon’s cheek, hoping for its revival.

Slap, slap.

With each contact of the palm against the cheek, crimson blood spurted out.

Seemed futile.

“Damn it… Hey! Adeus!!”

Looking at the fallen devil, Wolfgang shouted urgently.

“I apologize for making you wait, boss.”

A blond young man, wearing armor scratched and covered in blood, rushed in with a large holy sword strapped to his waist, gasping for breath.

It was the hero Adeus.

“Hurry! Kill this bastard!”

After catching his breath for a moment, the hero drew his greatsword and focused his mind, swiftly swinging it towards the devil’s head.

Spraying black blood, the head with large horns fell to the ground and rolled in a puddle of mud.

The two men looked at the devil’s head, panting heavily.

After about a minute with nothing happening, they breathed a sigh of relief and slumped down on the ground.

They had finally succeeded in subjugating the “Demon King.”

“That was close.”

“I’m sorry for being late.”

“No, I was too much. There was no need to tear off his chin strap.”

“No, it’s because I am lacking in skill. If I were as strong as you, boss, the war would have ended sooner. That time too…”

“Oh, that again?”

Wolfgang stood up and brushed off the mud on his buttocks with his hand.

Because the floor was rough, it didn’t come off cleanly, and there were remnants on his hand.

He continued talking, placing his hand on Adeus’ shoulder.

The hero’s face slightly twisted.

“That’s all in the past. The war is over.”

“But…”

“You’ve worked hard, Adeus. There’s no need to say anything more.”

“Thank you… for your hard work.”

“Yeah… Let’s clean up now. Gather the survivors and evaluate the injured and deceased.”

“Yes.”

Leaving instructions for Adeus, Wolfgang remained alone, gazing at the mound of human and demon corpses, lost in brief contemplation.

4472 days.

The time it took for humanity to regain peace after the sudden appearance of demons.

The war against the demons, who could have annihilated humanity, finally came to an end today as the hero’s sword completely obliterated the devil.

As much as he had longed for this victory, Wolfgang felt nothing but emptiness for some reason.

The countless battles he had fought flashed through his mind.

“Dominic…”

The sacrifices of numerous comrades.

Recalling their faces and names was not easy.

Perhaps that’s why, at some point, Wolfgang began to commemorate them, using Dominic’s name as a representative.

It felt like a narrow-minded approach, but even so, honoring their sacrifices in this way brought comfort to his heart.

As the brief contemplation ended, he pulled a lavishly adorned pistol from his pocket and loaded a flare.

Stretching his arm towards the sky, he pulled the trigger, and with a loud bang, blue smoke spread through the air.

It was a signal of victory.

After a while, Adeus returned, rallying the soldiers, and tied the mud-soaked head of the giant demon securely to his body with a strap.

Looking at the demon’s head hanging behind him, Wolfgang asked.

“To celebrate the victory, how about a rice soup party?”

“Again… What are you talking about?”

The warrior responded with a tired expression, mixed with a hint of irritation.

“Why bother carrying that around? It’s enough for several servings.”

Wolfgang’s gaze continued to linger on the demon’s head.

“We’re going to display it in the square. Isn’t that better than boiling it for the nation?”

With the signal flare Wolfgang had shot earlier, everyone in the kingdom would have received news of the victory.

Wolfgang thought that was sufficient, but Adeus had a different idea.

He wanted to personally show the proof of victory to those who had lost their homes and families due to the demons.

Was there a more effective and certain way than displaying the enemy leader’s head in the square?

As gruesome and gruesome as it was, it couldn’t be more fitting.

The face of the demon, writhing in agony in its suffering.

It was what every human desired.

Adeus paid no attention to Wolfgang’s sarcastic remark about becoming a king.

Since today would probably be their last day in such misery.

***

“Adeus and Wolfgang have arrived!!”

The central square of Tessa, the last city of humanity, was filled with a crowd gathered to celebrate the victory.

Along with the announcement of the heroes’ return by the captain of the guard, the military band began to play.

Amidst tremendous cheers, Adeus and Wolfgang led a small group of soldiers into the city.

“Dominic… You should have enjoyed this welcome too.”

Passing through the joy-stained square of victory, Wolfgang couldn’t shake thoughts of the comrades they’d sent off.

Contrastingly, Adeus reveled in the crowd’s acclaim as the very image of a victorious general.

As he raised the head of the great demon he’d brought, the crowd’s cheers grew louder.

“Hail Adeus, the spearhead of humanity!”

From Noble mtl dot com

“Hail to the true hero of Terosa, Adeus!”

“Hail to the final vanguard!”

“Where are our heroes? All we see is light!”

“Wolfgang! Adeus!”

Pushing past the fervent heat, they entered the palace, where four women awaited their arrival.

Haganess, the highest Paladin of the Order.

Chae Won-so, a Mechanist from the East.

The agile Elven assassin, Tendrial.

And Casey, the youngest commander of Terosa’s guards.

They were officers who fought alongside Adeus and Wolfgang on the battlefield, recently returned from the final battle, visibly fatigued.

Despite that, they rushed to celebrate the joy of victory with the two heroes.

“You made it, Wolfgang.”

While other officers conversed with Adeus, Haganess approached Wolfgang.

“Now that it’s all over, titles and ranks don’t matter, right?”

“Well, then what will you do about it, Boss?”

Wolfgang gently brushed her pink hair aside.

Visible on her exposed neck were scars, evidence of frequent battles, a testament to her role as a Paladin defending the frontline, shielding the soldiers from all attacks.

“…Thanks for staying alive, Haganess.”

“With the strongest person in the world by my side, how could I die?”

Haganess lightly kissed Wolfgang.

A sweet and tangy scent lingered on the tip of his lips.

Though he wanted to whisk her away to the bedroom right then, he suppressed the impulse and responded with a light chuckle.

In the midst of the oath-bound warriors releasing their tension, a maid announced the Queen’s procession with a resounding voice.

Upon hearing the sound, the boisterous warriors instantly ceased their laughter and chatter, aligning themselves in formation.

As the massive doors opened, a petite girl, adorned in an elegant, snowy-white dress and escorted by the royal guard, stepped forward.

Rosalia.

Her adorable appearance, easily mistaken for a princess, and her overflowing dignity occasionally made people forget that she was a great leader with the charisma to unite humanity against demons in the relentless battle.

As she appeared, every oath-bound warrior kneeled, bowing their heads in homage to the queen.

“Oath-bound, rise.”

Following her command, all the warriors stood up.

The queen gazed at the formation, offered a faint smile, then flicked her fingers to activate the amplification magic.

She began her speech, caressing her throat before delivering words of triumph.

“All of humanity under the protection of Terosa! From this day forth…”

The hopeful and courageous voice of the queen resonated throughout Terosa.

As the speech announcing the end of the war concluded, cheers erupted throughout the city.

Even the gathered oath-bound warriors in the palace expressed their joy in various ways.

In a situation that would usually be criticized for excessive militarism, no one raised any objections today.

For Wolfgang, who was usually filled with emptiness, the realization that the war had ended began to set in.

The queen, standing at the front of the formation, smiled broadly at Wolfgang.

“Wolfgang, you’ve truly worked hard.”

“Thank you.”

After a brief word of encouragement, Rosalia stared at Wolfgang, then slyly asked while suppressing a smile.

“…Do you have something to say?”

“…No!”

“You’re amusing! Your mouth is itching to say something. Just say it instead of pretending.”

“What…?”

“What’s with the innocence?”

“Every time we return victorious from battle, you always did this!”

“Really?”

Laughter echoed from all around at the sight of the oath-bound leader feigning ignorance.

The queen, seeming frustrated, sighed deeply and said, “Never mind.”

“Ha… Indeed. Our great Lord Wolfgang has brought us victory, so let us boast of it. I will acknowledge it just for today.”

“… Your Majesty.”

Wolfgang, with the mischief disappearing from his face, continued with a determined expression.

“All victories achieved by our legion and all armies, including the Elite Guard, stem from the exceptional judgment of our revered Queen. Therefore, all of humanity praises our Queen.”

Long live the Queen!!

Hooray!!!!

In response to Wolfgang’s earnest statement, the members of the Elite Guard began praising the Queen with applause and cheers.

The Queen smiled wryly and responded to their cheers by raising her hand.

“Enough…”

Long live the Queen!!!!!

Huzzah!!!! Long live the Queen!!!!

“Stop!! I can’t get a word in! Seriously…”

As the Queen’s displeasure echoed, the members of the Elite Guard fell silent in an instant.

“Well, thank you, Wolfgang. You mentioned ‘judgment,’ but is that perhaps… referring to the ‘judgment’ that disregards the words of the elders and promotes you to the commander of the Elite Guard?”

“Other than that, has our Queen done anything?”

The Queen couldn’t help but burst into laughter at his audacity, thinking, ‘Well, I guess so.’

Impressed by Wolfgang’s sense of humor, the Queen laughed heartily, and their laughter filled the hall.

Except for Adeus, the other members of the Elite Guard also cautiously joined in the laughter.

“Oh, really, that’s hilarious…”

Wiping away tears, the Queen continued.

“The sole inheritor of the power of the gods. Any leader would have entrusted you with it, Wolfgang.”

“I apologize.”

“No need for apologies. I should be apologizing. Now, in this heartwarming atmosphere, let’s call our hero once.”

With an excited gesture, Rosalia looked at Adeus.

“Adeus.”

Upon hearing his name, Adeus released the demon’s head he had been carrying on his back, held it with both hands, and climbed onto the stage, kneeling before the Queen.

“Hero Adeus. I offer the evidence of subduing the Great Demon to the Queen.”

“So, this is the one.”

The Queen gazed at the face of the Great Demon held up by the hero’s hand, as if in disdain.

The moment she thought about how many people had suffered because of this creature, anger surged within her.

After instructing the captain of the royal guard standing by her side to take the demon’s head, the Queen placed her hand on the kneeling hero’s shoulder.

“Thanks to you, I can finally rest. Adeus.”

“I am honored.”

“…Before we proceed with the promised procedures.”

Her white and gentle hand cupped the hero’s chin.

The Queen slowly lifted Adeus and continued speaking.

“Shall we first enjoy this victory?”

“Yes… That’s right.”

The Queen, looking at the blushing hero, smiled lightly and then turned towards the front lines, shouting loudly.

“Now! Let’s thoroughly enjoy the victory of humanity! Don’t stand on ceremony in front of the Queen, eat, drink, and sing to your heart’s content!”

With lively cheers, following the Queen’s orders, all the servants and maids in the palace brought out food and drinks.

“Adeus, for now, enjoy with your comrades. I’ll call for you later.”

“…Understood.”

As Adeus descended, including Wolfgang and other members of the squad, they teased him and made him sit at the table.

After this war, Adeus was promised to marry the Queen.

Since Rosalia had announced that she would transfer all the authority to her husband, it also meant that Adeus would inherit the kingship.

“Adeus, congratulations! Before becoming king, we have to tease you immensely.”

“Even if you become a king, nothing will change. Haganes.”

“To become a king, you must learn how to drink well. Bring the drinks quickly!”

“Don’t complain. Tendrial.”

Wolfgang, witnessing the joyful scene of the squad members, wore a satisfied smile.

It took a considerable amount of time for the diverse members of the squad, with different backgrounds and origins, to come together as one.

There were many times when conflicts arose due to preconceptions and misunderstandings stemming from individual pasts, making him feel inadequate as their leader.

Even arranging a gathering for a meal to foster unity became challenging due to time constraints.

The cohesion of the once disparate squad into a unified team was thanks to the sacrifice of Dominic.

‘Dominic…’

Once again, as Wolfgang thought of Dominic, his chest tightened.

“Boss! Why such a serious expression?”

“Oh, surprise!”

Unexpectedly, Tendrial pushed a glass toward Wolfgang, whose thoughts were locked away.

“Hehe… Can’t let the mood get too heavy.”

“Hey, give it to me!”

Roughly, Wolfgang snatched the glass from Tendrial’s hand and gulped down the alcohol.

“Yeah… Let’s just enjoy this moment.”

In this moment, everyone set aside their dignity, laughed, chatted, sang, and reveled in the sumptuous feast.

Wolfgang, too, temporarily set aside his somber memories and immersed himself in the atmosphere.

When the mood was reaching its peak, the queen stood at the dais and summoned Adeus.

They exchanged words, and after Adeus nodded, he stood on the dais, stroking his throat.

‘It seems to be an announcement about the succession of the throne.’

Already aware of what Adeus was going to say, Wolfgang looked at the dais with a satisfied smile.

“Commander.”

“Ah, Lieutenant. You’ve worked hard.”

At the voice of Chae Wonso, one of the officers in the elite force, Wolfgang turned his head and offered him a glass.

“Let’s have a drink.”

From Noble mtl dot com

“Ah… It’s okay. Alcohol disrupts the flow of energy.”

“What does it matter? The war is over now.”

“… It’s not quite that simple.”

“What are you talking about?”

Just as he was about to ask about her meaningful words, a voice from the dais caught his attention.

“Squad! Arrest Wolfgang!”