Hero parties are busy.
Not just busy—they're insanely busy!
A basic party consists of four members.
Knight, archer, mage, priest.
But these four alone can't handle everything a Hero Party has to do.
It's not just fighting demons or clearing dungeons.
You need a supply team to procure ingredients, potions, and other consumables.
When venturing into unknown territories, you need scouts to go ahead and report back.
And that's not all.
The paperwork flooding into a Hero Party is staggering.
From tax collection to performance reports, dungeon intel, supply schedules.
Plus invitations to banquets, event and festival notices, and so on.
Even checking gifts and letters pouring in for the Heroes—symbols of hope—is the manager's job.
To watch for poison, curses, or trap magic.
They even get ridiculous requests like signing guestbooks in their cities or promoting local specialties.
It's not strange.
To humanity, ravaged by the war against demons, the rare Heroes are their only hope.
Of course, this only applies to competent, famous Hero Parties.
And I—having come from Korea to this otherworld and regressed for the third time—am a member of the most competent and famous one.
Precisely, I'm called the "manager."
The manager of the 1st Hero Party. That's me, Kim Ian.
It wasn't always like this, but now every Hero Party has a "manager" like me.
The reason is simple.
Heroes are incredibly precious resources.
Only 1% of humans qualify to become Heroes.
And of those, only another 1% earn the true title of "Hero."
These elite few spend every day training for battle and still fall short on time.
They exist solely for "combat"—it's the most efficient way.
That's where managers come in.
We handle all the miscellaneous tasks and paperwork demanded of Hero Parties.
Taxes, supplies, reports, promotions, dungeon bookings, envoy dispatches, scheduling, condition management, and more.
Basically, everything except fighting.
Travel is full of variables, so camping is frequent.
Then we have to scout the best spots for the finicky Heroes.
If supplies are late, we forage locally and cook.
Managers are all-purpose fixers who handle it all.
In that sense, as a regressor, I pride myself on being perfectly suited for the role.
In my first run, I died to a roadside bandit despite being superhuman.
In the second, I used my memories and skills to reach the Demon King's castle entrance.
But my physical limits kept me from entering.
My body was too weak to cross that threshold.
And now, the third run.
I decided to raise Heroes to kill the Demon King in my place. That's how the current 1st Hero Party was born.
The brightest light of modern humanity.
The Heroes I raised.
With memories from past runs, growing them wasn't hard.
Modern knowledge helped too.
Right now, we're in the borderlands between the Empire's north and demon territory.
The 1st Hero Party's campsite tent on the Northern Front.
Piles of paperwork towered around like mountains.
The large desk was a mess of documents too.
The white cat that had been eyeing my quill moments ago was now asleep on the desk.
Kati. She's been following me since I saved her from near-death.
Snow-white fur and golden eyes suit her perfectly.
Anyway, I was mulling over a request from a nearby city for us to visit and boost civilian morale.
The 1st Hero Party's fame means our actions have massive ripple effects.
Just showing up and saying encouraging words would comfort them.
Like famous idols back in Korea before coming to this world.
In that light, "manager" is a fitting name.
"They all love the attention, so it should be fine. It'll boost morale too."
Sudden heavy footsteps approached from outside the tent.
The flap parted, and a woman in gleaming silver armor entered.
The 1st Hero Party's knight.
Kaily, bearer of the title "Knight King."
The other Heroes filed in after her.
Beatrice, the Third Trajectory, archer.
Sylvia, the Calamity Mage.
Aria, the Saintess Incarnate.
What brings them all here together?
"What's up?"
Seeing the ones I raised always warms my heart.
From their faces, you'd think I birthed them, but our age gap isn't huge.
I'm the same age as 24-year-old Kaily, and the youngest, Sylvia, just turned 20.
Despite my cheerful greeting, their expressions were grim.
Something serious?
"Problem?"
"Yeah, a major one."
The blonde knight, Kaily, said lowly.
Her speech was never gentle, but today it was harsher.
"What's that?"
"Ian. We want you gone."
"...What?"
"No, poor phrasing. Leave this party. That's an order."
Did I hear wrong?
I frowned and looked around—they met my eyes without flinching.
Gazing aggressively, as if confirming what I heard was real.
Tap tap tap.
I drummed my fingers on the desk and looked up at them.
I pulled a thin white stick from my pocket and popped it in my mouth.
It looked like a cigarette, but it was sugar.
Melted sugar coated in oil and hardened.
It serves a similar purpose.
Great for stressful situations like this.
Crunch crunch.
In this fantasy otherworld—whether game or novel—who knows, where I've even regressed, my joys are two: this sugar stick and the Heroes I raised.
Having both right in front of me, yet I'm not happy at all.
"You want me gone."
Unbelievable words.
Too sudden for anger.
They nodded at my murmur.
Kati, now awake, sensed the mood and growled at the Heroes.
I stroked her to calm her, steadying myself too.
"Stay calm."
What do they know?
After intense recent battles, they're exhausted.
I raised them young, before they learned society, so they throw tantrums sometimes.
First time telling me to leave, but they've acted out before.
"You've had it rough lately. I'll give you a break to rest. Calm down."
The front was in a lull.
Second run memories said we could hold without the 1st Party until fall.
A short rest is fine.
"No, that's not it."
"Then what's the issue?"
I snapped curtly.
Even patience has limits.
"Remember asking to see the ledger?"
Kaily stepped forward threateningly.
The silver magic armor I got her gleamed.
"Yeah, I remember."
I'd wondered why these battle-illiterates in finances wanted it.
No reason to hide, so I showed them transparently.
"You spend more than us. All you do is sit in this tent."
Sit in this tent...
Do these papers look like kindling to them?
Explaining would be a headache.
Let's hear them out.
"That bugs us. Next?"
Aria in her nun robes stepped up.
Her platinum hair matched the holy necklace that sparkled.
I gave her that too. Boosts divine power.
"It's been a while since we asked for a raise, but nothing changed. We told you not to waste money on food, right? And forcing meals is so annoying."
"That's... No, keep going."
Next was Beatrice, with brown hair and leaf hairpin.
I gave her that too. Controls arrow trajectories.
"Too much training time. We're already the strongest—why push so hard? We could cut back."
"Training time. And?"
Last, Sylvia.
The first Hero I picked, longest with me.
Raised her from my chest height, now she's aiming for it head-on.
Didn't expect this from her.
Her pointed hat over navy hair—I gave her that too.
Boosts casting speed.
"Um, touching us after battles... it's unpleasant."
"That's a misunderstanding..."
I was massaging to remove mana waste buildup.
I explained it before.
I leaned back in my chair with a low sigh.
How to convince these idiots.
Slowly.
"Fine. I'll explain, and meet demands as much as..."
"No."
Kaily cut me off sharply.
As cold as her swordsmanship.
"You're not needed anymore. Just leave. We—the core—decided."
"Listen to—"!
I shot up yelling before I knew it.
"I...!"
Anger surged, then died.
Face hot, brow furrowed painfully.
But their faces were icily set.
Brief surprise, then "so what?" defiance.
I raised them well.
Too well—even as a regressor, I can't beat them now.
"Ha, haha..."
I slumped back.
No energy to rage.
I rolled their word in my mouth.
"Core..."
Core, huh.
Don't know when it shifted without me noticing.
Ridiculous enough to laugh.
"You little...!"
An elf who'd just entered and overheard charged forward.
Tall, slender blonde with blue eyes: Mercy.
My clerical assistant.
"Mercy, it's fine."
Mercy halted, gritting her teeth at the Heroes.
Kati still growled.
"Take these papers and wait outside."
"Sigh... Got it."
Mercy glared at the Heroes, bundled the papers, and left.
Seeing others angry for me calmed me a bit.
Yeah... telling me to leave.
"Kati, come."
Kati hopped to my shoulder.
I gathered nearby papers into a bundle.
Heart heavy, chest tight.
Four betrayals squeezing it.
I didn't show it.
No point.
I didn't want to see these lunatics anymore.
I slammed the bundle on the table.
"If that's what you want, I'm out. Good luck, oh great cores."
No reply.
Outside, the central bonfire blazed.
Spring sky clear and blue.
What a morning mess.
"Ian. What now?"
Waiting Mercy approached.
"They said leave—what choice? Papers?"
"Here. As you said."
Thick stack bound with string.
All for the 1st Hero Party.
Some needed replies, but not my problem anymore.
"Burn them."
"All? Serious?"
"They'll handle later."
I tossed the first pile into the bonfire.
Mercy followed.
Thousands of sheets burned.
Enough to build a city.
Those fools wouldn't know.
"Sir Ian..."
The supply chief crept up.
Onlookers gathered: scout rotation, local guides, guild reps, cooks, blacksmiths, etc.
"My role ends here. Thanks for your hard work, everyone."
"Really leaving?"
"The core said so. What can I do."
"Those clueless brats..."
Some vowed to leave too; others stayed.
Not my concern.
Heading to the stables, a familiar figure approached.
Always smirking with half-closed eyes, that annoying face.
Bobbed hair golden like greed.
"Ian. Long time."
"Penny..."
She'd eyed the 1st Hero Party manager spot.
Made sense why the ledger-blind idiots suddenly cared.
"Feel good stealing the seat by fooling those fish-heads?"
"Harsh words for comrades. I just advised the right choice. They deserve better treatment."
"Sure. And all that money pouring in tempted you."
"Just fair value to the valuable."
What an annoying bitch.
Wasting time and emotion on her.
"Good luck then. Excited for the 1st Hero Party's future."
"We'll live up to it."
She grinned at my shoulder pat.
"Mind if I smack that bitch's head?"
Mercy whispered.
"Let it go. She's got eyes in the back."
"Hmph. Annoying everywhere."
"And she's probably already taken one. Not on purpose."
"Huh? What?"
"Never mind."
Mercy, glaring at Penny's head, vanished.
A palm-sized fairy perched on my other shoulder, opposite Kati.
Fairy form, elves' innate magic.
Mini Mercy said,
"You're either magnanimous or oblivious."
I pulled three horses from the stable, replying,
"Neither suits me."
"Not mad at them?"
"I am. Human, aren't I?"
"Then why so calm? First time seeing a human like you..."
"Seem calm?"
"Well..."
"Good if I do."
Four whole years.
Even enemies grow on you after four years together.
These are Heroes I scouted and raised across the Pride Empire over my third run's four years.
Near my age, treated them like kids.
Events I solved with regressor knowledge, credited to their feats for the court and press.
Even used a pen name to highlight only their merits.
Hid my identity so they wouldn't be overshadowed.
I did all that, yet they stabbed me in the back.
Not being angry would be insane.
But I don't have the luxury to argue or rage at them.
Lives are ticking down even now.
Mounted up, Mercy spoke again.
"Then why just leave? Watching burns me up! You could counter everything."
"Think they'd apologize and beg me back? With Penny involved?"
"No... probably not."
I knew those worms were half-twisted personalities long ago.
Second run, they bloomed late to top spots.
Already character wrecks then.
Tried hard to keep them straight this time.
Result? This.
"Yeah. Pointless. Wastes time and emotion."
I filled the cup with water.
They spilled it.
No intent to refill.
Sick of those single-cells.
For the first time in ages, I opened the ill-fated gift given to me in this otherworld.
⚙ QUEST ⚙◆ Objective - Demon King's death ◆ On Failure - You die and the world perishes. ◆ Reward - Secret ◆ Time Limit - Secret
Why I'm obsessed with slaying the Demon King.
"Every time... so annoying."
That time limit is the worst.
If it's there, it's there; if not, not.
Secret? What the hell?
Riding now, if it suddenly ends, I'd have nothing to say.
No guarantee of another regression either.
At least second run didn't hit the limit before I died.
That's the clue.
First, kill the Demon King before then.
"Lost four years—gotta move faster."
The first great raid this winter? Those fools can handle it.
I raised them that well.
No way they fail.
"Meanwhile, I'll rebuild a party."
Money overflows, knowledge and skills abound.
Hidden gems untapped everywhere.
Just one thing needed.
"Obedient Heroes."
Turning my back on the 1st Hero Party campsite, I spurred my horse onward.