"How long do we have to stay in this place?"
Aria snapped irritably.
Sylvia chimed in.
"I heard there was an invitation for a circuit in a nearby city. When are we going? I even told Ian we'd go."
Ian.
That name cracked Penny's smile.
But she quickly restored it.
"We'll be leaving the camp soon. We're scouting a suitable location, so please wait a little longer."
"What about the city that invited us?"
"We won't be going there."
"What?"
This time, Beatrice pressed her.
"Why? There's no reason to turn it down."
"Well..."
Her smile remained, but Penny's demeanor grew cold.
"It's because of you all."
"...What?"
"If you had just protected those documents that day, we wouldn't be in this mess."
"No one said anything like that! They just told us to do as we were ordered!"
"So you're saying this situation is my fault?"
Penny narrowed her eyes as she asked.
Her smile was still there, but it felt unpleasant somehow.
Kaily, unable to stand it any longer, stepped forward.
"Are you joking? You promised to maintain our previous lifestyle as is."
"Yes, we did. If only those documents had been intact."
"Just some pieces of paper..."
"Pieces of paper? Do you see the stacks of documents in front of me—and behind me?"
The four heroes looked around the tent.
There were fewer than when they chased Ian out, but a massive pile had accumulated in the meantime.
"These are all addressed to the 1st Hero Party. Do you think you could keep going without them?"
"How dare you...!"
"Looks like you're ready to chase me out now too. Go ahead. Do it. If you can handle all these yourselves."
Not a single hero knew how to process documents.
Aria could read and write from her theological studies.
But she couldn't handle letters tangled with complex interests.
Sylvia had learned to read from Ian for her magic studies.
Naturally, her literacy was limited to magic-related texts.
Kaily and Beatrice, who were illiterate, went without saying.
"..."
In the stifling silence, Sylvia felt a sense of discomfort.
Ian had never once brought this up.
No matter how much the four heroes grumbled, he always said he'd handle it, so just trust and wait.
He'd never mocked them as illiterate.
He was always buried in paperwork, understanding and soothing the heroes.
Penny's sigh broke the silence.
"I was a bit harsh. Sorry. But this is all Ian's fault anyway. No need for us to fight among ourselves."
"Ian?"
"Why else would he burn all the documents and leave? To screw us over until the very end."
With a target for their anger, the three heroes except Sylvia softened their expressions.
Ian's name blocked their conflict as a common enemy.
"Useless to the end..."
"The nerve. Committing such a blunder and then running away..."
"Tch. We should have kicked him out sooner."
They each added their piece.
Everyone except Sylvia.
"Anyway, things will get better soon, so please bear with it. Think of it as a transitional phase and be understanding. As you can see, I'm quite busy myself."
"Yeah, we were too impatient."
Kaily accepted it, and the others backed down easily.
But Sylvia's mind wasn't at ease.
Ian had never complained to them about being busy.
If it was about them, he'd drop everything he was doing.
To listen and solve it.
To Ian, the four heroes were always the top priority.
This feeling was too strange to Sylvia.
Why was she only realizing it now?
And why did the others seem completely oblivious?
There was no one to ask or consult.
Because the one who always consulted them was Ian.
*
Watching the heroes leave, Penny clicked her tongue.
"Tch."
Fools who didn't even know how busy a manager was.
Thanks to that, they unhesitatingly kicked Ian out, so it wasn't all bad.
It was a bit stifling thinking about living with them going forward.
'I need to teach those idiots the importance of a manager. Since they don't even know Philip's value, I have to make them keenly aware.'
The heroic value and honor heroes possessed were manufactured.
But plenty of heroes thought it was because they were that great.
'With heroes like that, you have to establish discipline early on. Like putting a leash on a dog.'
Penny looked over the stacked documents and gifts in the tent, marveling anew.
'The 1st Hero Party... I knew it, but not to this extent. As expected of Philip, never disappointing.'
Before hero, there was another name.
Those who explored dungeons and hunted demons.
They were called warriors or adventurers, nothing more.
There were occasional heroes called as such, but not like now.
After Philip appeared, the term 'hero' was officially used for the first time.
He systematically gathered people into parties and set up bulletin boards in every city and village to cheer for heroes.
The concept of a 'manager' for hero parties emerged around then.
Penny had seen through that it was all Philip's plan.
She rode that wave to seize more wealth and fame, finally reaching this position.
She even prepared gifts centered on the capital just for Philip.
Now, just one step left.
The path to reach Philip.
As she pondered how to do it, a messenger arrived with a letter.
"This is..."
The ornate red envelope bore the imperial crest in white.
Penny calmed herself and broke the seal.
The recipient was the 1st Hero Party.
'Didn't expect contact from the imperial family...'
The content was ordinary.
It asked about the 1st Hero Party's current status and future plans.
The issue was the seal at the bottom.
The emperor's verified stamp.
The mana forming the seal confirmed it was genuine.
Penny's eyes widened, then she let out a hollow laugh.
'...Ha, haha. As expected of Philip, exchanging letters directly with the emperor.'
The situation sorted itself quickly.
This letter was surely meant for Philip.
In other words, the emperor knew who Philip was.
Penny swiftly took up her quill and wrote a reply.
[... (excerpt) It is difficult to make contact with Philip, the de facto leader of this party. If Your Majesty knows of Philip's residence or whereabouts...]
The emperor had no choice but to know Philip.
With frequent dungeon outbreaks and wars against demons, the people entrusted their spirits to religion.
Naturally, public sentiment toward the emperor plummeted.
Then Philip and the 1st Hero Party stepped up as symbols of peace.
Afterward, they forged ties with the emperor, recovering public support enough for him to balance power with the holy emperor.
'Even so, didn't expect direct correspondence. But it's good for me.'
Now that Ian was gone.
Penny dreamed of grand ambitions profiting between the emperor and Philip.
Of course, those profits would all be for Philip too.
'Hehe...'
Penny stroked the stacked documents on the table.
All letters addressed to Philip.
After savoring it for a while, she pulled out a small box she carried.
It was filled with nothing but information on Philip.
From when he first appeared until now.
Every paper with Philip's name that she had collected was there.
Just now, a few more letters had been added to the box.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Agnes Abbey.
The children entrusted to her bid tearful goodbyes to Vivian.
Meanwhile, she met the abbess after a long time.
"Mr. Ian. May you walk only the path of the sacred flame. Have you been well?"
It gave her chills every time she heard it.
A path of flames, really.
"Petra. Long time no see. I'm always about the same."
Abbess Petra.
She had found and raised Aria right here in this abbey.
Thanks to that, Petra was very favorable toward me.
"Maintaining your daily life is a good thing. But why have you come here, leaving the 1st Hero Party?"
"Well, I got kicked out."
"...Pardon?"
"Exiled."
Petra blinked rapidly, her mouth slowly opening wide.
"Oh, fire above..."
She placed a hand on her chest in shock and asked carefully.
"Surely not by Lady Aria too..."
I just shrugged.
Petra sighed deeply, as if fully understanding.
"To think such a thing..."
She muttered angrily.
It was understandable.
Petra was one of the few who knew I was Philip.
She had watched the entire process of me taking the abbey's problem child Aria and raising her.
It was only natural she couldn't believe that Aria had cast me out.
"How on earth did this happen?"
"...Beats me."
I didn't know either.
Seemed like they fell for Penny's lies, but was I that worthless?
Or was there another reason?
Either way, it was in the past, so I decided not to dwell.
"More importantly, I'm looking for a priest. Any good talent?"
"Hmm... Unfortunately, there's no child in our abbey to your liking."
Though Aria came from here.
Agnes Abbey wasn't originally for training combat priests.
I came knowing from previous regression memories that Aria would grow strong here.
"However, I hear MacDullin Abbey is holding a public exam soon."
"Public exam?"
"Yes. An event where they open trainee exams to managers or outsiders."
This was a method I'd never heard of.
"I'll send a letter with details when the date approaches."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
"More than that, the training hall has changed a lot since you left."
"Changed?"
I glanced at Vivian and the children.
They were still crying and talking.
Mercy beside them had red eyes too.
Kati was behind me but watching the children.
Guess I could get info from Petra.
"Have you heard of the Managers' Guild?"
"Yeah, I've heard the name vaguely."
"It formed after you left, so about two years ago. A group of managers handling hero parties banded together. Like everything in the world, unity brings power, and power brings change."
Petra's eyes as she explained seemed somehow gloomy.
"Change starts from the bottom. The Managers' Guild targeted aspirants first. They're expanding training halls into a sort of educational facility."
Another element I didn't know, following the public exam.
Things had changed a lot from the previous regression.
"So I can't use the training halls anymore?"
"Not at all. Pay the usage fee like before, and you can enter and stay freely. But you'll face pressure from the Managers' Guild. For unaffiliated managers, join the guild. For aspirants, take classes."
Classes?
It was common for managers to teach heroes.
Since some heroes transitioned from manager roles.
I went around claiming something similar.
But no one formally called it 'classes.'
"What if you don't take classes or join the guild? Any penalties?"
"None on the surface."
Meaning no official harm, but subtle pressure.
Petty tactics.
Who the hell were these guys?
"More than that... This Managers' Guild."
"Yes. Go on."
"It's a group formed under Philip's name."
"...What?"
What was this?
"Ian, it's a group that arose because of you."