Because of the Hero Summoned from Another World, I Got Replaced and Made the Backup—And My Childhood Friend the Saintess… - Chapter 21: I Never Had to Choose Sides—Because I Always Knew Where I Stood

Chapter 21: I Never Had to Choose Sides—Because I Always Knew Where I Stood

After delivering the Crown Prince’s message, the knight gave us a small nod and turned to leave Kanda’s room.

“If you make your decision, pass it along to me. I won’t judge you—no matter which path you choose. Not here, not now. That said… I’m certain, Lady Arianna. You’ll side with His Highness. No… with him.”

With those parting words, the knight stepped out.

I left not long after and made my way back to my room.

Everything the Crown Prince had told us…

It cleared away all the doubt.

The creature we defeated wasn’t the real Demon King.

It was just a powerful fake.

And now, I was sure of it.

Which meant I had to return to the capital—right away—and support him.

If the Demon King was targeting him, then I needed to be by his side.

I’d stay with him, protect him, and help the world see the truth.

This time, he’d be recognized as the real Hero.

We’d prove it—together.

Fueled by that resolve, I started packing in a rush, ready to leave immediately

But just as I reached for the door—

Kanda was already there, standing right outside, blocking the way.

“Whoa, whoa—hold on! You did hear what the Crown Prince said, right!? We’re supposed to go back like nothing happened!”

“I heard. But that doesn’t matter to me. The Crown Prince’s plan puts him in danger. And I’m not okay with that.”

I tried to leave the inn.

But Kanda was already standing in front of the door, blocking my way.

With him right there, I couldn’t just push past and walk out.

“I get how you feel, okay? I don’t want Teach to be in danger either! But if we suddenly go off-script and the Demon King realizes we’re onto him, he might vanish before we get another shot!”

“That’s just His Highness’s theory. There’s no actual proof behind any of it.”

“Well, there’s no proof that Teach is in danger either! That’s why I think—for now—we should stick with the Crown Prince’s plan.”

Then, like he was trying to calm me down, Kanda added:

“Teach will be fine. He’s your Hero, right? You really think he’s the kind of guy who’d go down that easy?”

“Of course not!”

I fired back without hesitation.

“There’s no way someone like him would lose to the Demon King! He’s trained for this. He’s strong, determined—and his heart… His heart is so pure and steady that even if the Demon King can mess with people’s minds, his would never break!”

But right after those words left my mouth—

I realized something.

If I believed in him that much…

Then why was I so desperate to run to his side?

It was like I was saying I trusted him with my words—

But not with my actions.

I mean, yeah…

You can trust someone and still worry about them.

I understand that.

But still…

“See? You do believe he’ll be okay, Anna. So let’s just follow what the Crown Prince said, alright?”

Kanda pressed the point like he’d just won the argument.

“…Sigh… Fine. I trust him. And besides, if we think about what the Crown Prince said, it’s not like he plans to just throw him at the Demon King alone. They’re probably setting up a squad of knights to stay hidden nearby—close enough to step in if needed.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. That way, they can keep the Demon King from slipping away.”

And so, Kanda and I agreed to go along with the plan.

We’d return to the capital just as instructed—posing as the victorious Demon King Subjugation Squad.

Then, we reported everything, including our decision, to the knight who had delivered the Crown Prince’s message.

Choosing sides?

For me, that was never even a question.

I knew from the start where I stood.

Even on the road back to the capital, I kept writing him letters.

Naturally, I didn’t mention anything the Crown Prince had told us.

Just like always, I filled them with small, ordinary details from the trip—day-to-day things to make him smile.

And with monster sightings dropping off, there honestly wasn’t much to report on that front anymore.

Even if it was a fake, that monster had been powerful.

Now that it was gone, the number of attacks had clearly gone down.

So yeah, it really had been stirring things up.

In that sense… maybe taking it down wasn’t a mistake after all.

The whole trip back to the capital was nerve-wracking.

All I wanted was to rush to his side.

I didn’t think the Demon King would strike immediately…

But still, the anxiety kept building inside me, little by little.

The Crown Prince had said that once our squad returned to the capital, he’d grant him his freedom.

Until then, he wasn’t allowed to leave the castle—

But the moment he was released from his role as the “stand-in Hero,” he’d be free to do as he pleased.

What he’d choose to do with that freedom… I didn’t know.

But apparently, the Crown Prince planned to give him a moment alone—just the right setup.

If the Demon King showed up then, they’d spring the trap—surround him with knights and take him down.

And if nothing happened?

Then they’d move forward with the plan to send Kanda back to his original world.

As for the king…

He was still dead set on marrying me off to Kanda once we returned.

But the Crown Prince?

He clearly had no intention of going along with that.

And just to be clear—I wasn’t interested either. Not even a little.

The king and the prince were completely at odds.

And the prince was fully prepared to push his will through, no matter what.

Worst-case scenario?

He’d accuse the king of being swayed by flattery—of dragging a random boy from another world, forcing him to act as a fake Hero…

And in doing so, creating a situation that only benefited the Demon King and put all of humanity at risk.

He’d use that as leverage to push the king to abdicate.

Honestly, I didn’t want to get dragged into any of this political drama.

But if that’s what it takes to protect him…

Then I’m ready to fight, too.

First things first—we had to return to the capital.

A victory parade and celebration party had already been arranged for the Demon King Subjugation Squad.

So while we took part in all the festivities, we’d be waiting for a signal from the Crown Prince.

If there was even the slightest hint that the Demon King was targeting him,

I’d rush to his side without a second thought.

Kanda would remain behind at the castle, keeping the nobles occupied.

Worst-case? He might have to stir up a little chaos inside the palace.

There was a lot to prepare for…

But no matter how many thoughts filled my head, they all circled back to one person.

I just wanted to see him.

To talk to him—to say all the things I couldn’t squeeze into letters.

To spend a little peaceful time together, just the two of us.

And to make that happen…

I had to put this whole Demon King mess behind us—as soon as possible.

The journey back went smoothly.

No delays, no interruptions.

Just like we planned, we completed our route and returned to the royal capital.

Crowds lined the streets, cheering as we passed—

Celebrating the supposed fall of the Demon King, showering us with gratitude and joy.

I just hoped all that happiness wouldn’t end up being short-lived.

During the parade, I glanced up toward the royal castle.

It stood slightly above the rest of the city, with a perfect view overlooking everything.

From where I stood, I could just barely make out the balcony of his room.

The room that had been assigned to him in the castle.

And right there, standing on that very balcony—

I saw him.

Just before he turned to go back inside,

I felt it—

Our eyes met.