Shikkoku Tsukai no Saikyou Yuusha - Vol. 8 Ch. 41 - The Power of the Curse

[MangaDex]

 

[Coldlight]

Eh, so the more straightforward interpretation it is more likely then, that Zalord is an enemy masterminding the bad things behind the other heroes and their followers who betrayed Shion? Not really a fan of adding a new BBEG behind the original antagonists. Might've been more interesting if [Curse] hero turns out to be a potential ally who got wrong by the initial villains.

Please don't turn Aria into a damsel-in-distress. I don't want to see a development where she's suddenly captured and needs rescue once Shion comes back to town because Emily betrayed them or something.