The Hero Stole My Lover, So I Decided to Steal the Hero's Lover Instead - Chapter 56-57

Chapter 56: The Hero Party’s POV

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“Just so you know, it’s not only Hero Cain who’s getting arrested.”

The guard spoke to the three other members of the Hero’s party, who had up until then been smugly at ease.

“All four of you are under arrest.”

All four. After hearing that, the other three, who had been so composed, suddenly panicked.

They must have thought the fire was across the river—until the sparks landed on them and set their own side ablaze.

“We’ve got clear footage of you setting fire to Sheryl’s house.”

“Oh, and speaking of arson—fortunately for you, the person who recorded your crime also put out the fire. Thanks to that, the incident ended only with a minor blaze.”

“How lucky for you.”

His voice was slow and dripping with sarcasm. It was only a minor fire. It hadn’t become a full-scale disaster. That must be why the guard had come to them instead of being preoccupied elsewhere.

Which means… Sheryl’s body didn’t burn to ashes!?

They had failed to erase all the evidence. Worse, someone had caught proof of the arson.

“Damn it! Who the hell used a recording crystal!?”

Cain screamed in madness.

“Like we’re going to tell you.”

“All right, time for the arrest.”

As one of the officers moved to place him in handcuffs, Cain violently shook him off. He reached for the hilt of his holy sword, clearly intending to cut the officer down, but his companions quickly intervened.

“Cain, stop it. Killing a guard is going too far.”

Ronnie said.

“If you pile on any more crimes, you really might get the death penalty.”

Added Anita.

“We’ve got no choice but to endure this…” 

Daryl muttered. Cain took his hand off the hilt. His hand trembled—whether from rage or frustration, no one knew. 

Killing all of the guards here would have been easy. But if he actually went through with it, things would spiral completely out of control. Just as Anita said, he might even face execution. Of course, his title of “Hero” would be stripped and his holy sword confiscated. Furthermore, everything about Cain being a hero and Ronnie, Anita, and Daryl being his companions, would be erased from the history books as if it had never happened.

Me…Getting arrested…?

It was humiliating, but he had no choice but to endure it. Right now, all he could do was bear this disgrace. If he endured, someday a path would open. Maybe someone would find a way to sweep their crimes under the rug.

Just as the guards were finally about to place handcuffs on Cain—

“Please wait.”

The voice came from the entrance of the tavern. Who could it be? The officers turned to see who had spoken.

Several men in military uniforms—about the same number as the guards—stood there. They were soldiers of the Holy Kingdom’s national soldier. The national soldier outranked the guards. The officers straightened up and addressed them politely.

“What can we do for you?”

“Are these the individuals…”

After glancing over the four, the soldier continued.

“…That are being placed under arrest?”

“Yes. That’s correct…”

The officer replied cautiously, unsure of the army’s intentions.

“What are the charges?”

“Arson and murder.”

“Hm…”

The soldier nodded and slowly began walking into the tavern.The Hero’s party of four, like the guard, couldn’t tell what the national soldier’s purpose was. All four of them were uneasy, wondering which way this would go.

Are they enemies? Or allies?

Their blank, expressionless faces and calm demeanor made them unsettling. It was impossible to tell which side they were on. Still, they had said “please wait,” so perhaps it was fair to say they had objected to the arrests.

If that was the case…

The national soldier might be on our side!

A sudden spark of hope ignited.

Once he started thinking positively, his thoughts quickly tilted in that direction. From “They might be on our side” to “They must be on our side”—to “They’re definitely on our side.” He became convinced of whatever interpretation suited him best. He believed his thoughts were absolutely correct.

Cain plastered on the same smug smile the officers had been wearing earlier and glared at them while muttering internally.

Serves you right. 

The other three seemed to have reached similar conclusions, their thoughts apparently aligned with Cain’s. Finally stopping in place, the soldier spoke.

“Would you be willing to hand the custody of them over to us?”

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Chapter 57: The Hero Party’s POV

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“Would you be willing to hand the custody of them over to us?”

“…Come again?”

The guard suddenly grew tense and hostile.

However, the soldiers didn’t seem to care in the slightest. The representative tilted his head toward his comrades as if to ask.

“What should we do?” 

They silently gave small nods. What that gesture actually meant was unclear—not only to the four of them, but also to the guard.

One of the soldiers whispered something into a guardman’s ear.

Immediately, their attitude changed. The overflowing bloodlust that had filled the room rapidly deflated. The four of them assumed—perhaps wrongly—that the guard had given up on arresting them.

“We understand.”

With their posture straightened, the guard said that and left the tavern.

Whew… I’m not sure what just happened, but we’re saved.

Cain let out a sigh of relief, comforted by their sudden change in attitude. But no sooner had one crisis passed than another began. This time, it was the soldiers who surrounded the four of them. Even so, they still believed the soldiers were on their side.

“We really appre—”

“All of you. You will now be heading to the royal capital, Seintill.”

One of the soldiers spoke in a calm, detached tone.

The royal capital was the heart of the Holy Kingdom, the city where the king resided. It was quite far from their current location—so far, in fact, that Zwein, where Alicia was, was actually closer.

Why are we being taken to the capital…?

Cain couldn’t make sense of it. He was completely confused. He didn’t want to go to the capital. He needed to head to Zwein to see Alicia. She was his top priority. The king, the Demon King, everything else came second.

Wait… The capital… The king…

The capital naturally brought the image of the king to mind. That was because, almost without exception, going to the capital meant being summoned by the king. That was why hearing the word “capital” automatically made him think of the king.

They were told by members of the Holy Kingdom’s soldiers to go to the capital. That almost certainly meant it was a royal summons. Sure enough, the soldier continued.

“This is an order from His Majesty the King. You do not have any right to refuse.”

They had been summoned by the king. That in itself wasn’t the problem. The problem was why they had been summoned. Even Cain’s ever-optimistic, carefree mindset didn’t allow him to think for a second that this was to reward them.

Which mean…

“…Why exactly does His Majesty want to see us?”

“No idea. We haven’t been told the reason why.”

They dodged the question.

Judging by their expressions, it wasn’t that they didn’t know anything at all. They knew something and were deliberately withholding it. No, they were being spiteful on purpose by refusing to say. That made Cain angry.

“I thought you guys helped us back there?”

When Daryl asked that, the soldiers gave them a condescending laugh.

“Help you? And why, exactly, would we do that?”

“Then—”

“We’re simply following His Majesty’s orders to bring you to the capital. That’s all.”

The soldier stated it slowly and clearly, enunciating each word, as if explaining something to a child.

“I’ll say it again. You have no right to refuse. You’ll be heading to the capital immediately.”

Their tone grew increasingly harsh. That might have been their true personality coming through. Surrounded by soldiers, the four of them were escorted out of the tavern. Escape was not an option.

Outside, several carriages were waiting. The four of them were roughly shoved into the passenger cabin of one of the carriages, and it began moving almost at once. Inside the cramped cabin, Cain ground his teeth in frustration.

I have to get to Alicia as soon as possible…

He might not be able to see Alicia for a very long time. No—there was even the possibility that he’d never see her again.

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