Wataru's Story

The mock battle ended in Wataru's overwhelming victory.

"Alright, if you can push me out of this circle, it's your win, Setsuna-san. If you win, I'll tell you something good in secret behind Kehma-san's back."

"Oi, Wataru?"

"Ahaha, it's fine. I won't lose."

He said that and then, over five matches, he didn't take a single step outside the circle with roughly a one-meter radius, just as he declared.

In the first match, Setsuna charged in to punch him, but he caught it head-on and sent her rolling to the ground.

In the second match, he used the momentum of her charge to toss her high into the air, then caught her in a princess carry.

In the third match, she tried to sweep his legs, but he didn't budge an inch; instead, he kicked her away and sent her rolling.

In the fourth match, he easily dodged Setsuna's fierce assault within the circle, and before she knew it, his sword was at her neck.

In the fifth match, he gently placed his hand on her head and grabbed hold… Unable to move, Setsuna surrendered.

So this is how strong a Hero gets after four years of serious training. And apparently, he's still improving.

… I thought he might be a good reference for golems, but that's impossible. The level difference is just too great.

"Ah, would you like to have a mock battle too, Kehma-san?"

"Haha, do you actually think I could win?"

"Come on now. You've gotten stronger, haven't you? I can tell. How should I put it… there's something vaguely powerful about you!"

What the heck is "something vaguely powerful"? At least say something like ki or aura.

Actually, I do have [Super Transformation Lv3], so I've probably gotten stronger as a hero. Leave it to Wataru to notice that. Ah, it might also be because of the Cloth Golem's enhancement.

"Nkyu! I wanna see Village Chief-san and Hero-sama's mock battle!"

"Same here. I'd love to see Village Chief-san get beaten to a pulp."

"See? Setsuna-san and Nayuta-san agree too. We can use the same rules."

"… Alright, then can I use a weapon?"

"Go right ahead."

And so I went to prepare my weapon.

I brought back a bedroll. I laid out a cloth and set up my bedding on top of it.

"Um. The weapon?"

"Alright then, let's start the mock battle."

"Eh, what are you planning to do!? Hey!"

"Don't worry about it. Well then, good night."

"Eh—"

I crawled into my bedding… Yes, this mock battle has a fatal flaw in its rules.

There are no defeat conditions for me whatsoever.

In other words, whether I sleep next to Wataru or ignore him and go home, as long as I don't acknowledge my defeat, it's not my defeat.

"It's fine. Feel free to let me know whenever you can't hold it and need to use the bathroom. But the moment you take a single step out of that circle, you lose. What, don't worry. I'll keep this mock battle going until you starve to death."

"This isn't even a mock battle anymore! Aaah, fine, I get it, let's change the rules!"

"Hm? What are you saying? The rules stay as they are. Why are you trying to change them on your own? Are you admitting defeat?"

"… I lose! Kehma-san, that's so mean!"

And so, I got one win against Wataru in a mock battle.

However, despite admitting defeat, Wataru was laughing. Did I strike his funny bone?

"Village Chief-san, as expected, that's just not right."

"… My opinion of you has risen a little."

As expected, Setsuna, who was probably hoping for an intense fight, wasn't pleased. But surprisingly, Nayuta gave me a favorable evaluation. I fully expected her to say something like "What trash," though.

"There's no way I'd win going head-on. Of course I'd joke around."

"It really looked like you were just planning to sleep, Kehma-san?"

"Laying out the futon right in front of you was to make you give up quickly. If I were serious about it, I would've come back here and slept while waiting for you to leave the circle."

"I see… Then would you like to redo it and have a proper mock battle?"

"No thanks."

In the first place, I'm a backline mage. The reason I'm not recognized as one is largely because I don't use magic in front of people. I don't go out in public much anyway.

"Then how about magic attacks only, and I won't attack back? If you can push me out of the circle in one minute, it's your win—how about those rules?"

"Refused. I'll be taking my win and leaving today."

Wataru persistently tried to change the rules, but magic is a mage's trump card. There's no way I'd easily reveal my hand to adventurers who aren't even my party members.

Besides, even the [Create Golem] trick I used on Misha to flip the ground wouldn't work here—Wataru could just use the rules allowing movement within the circle to stomp the golem flat. Rather, this Hero… can he fly?

"Eeh? Aren't we close? I want us to get closer, so about that debt reduction…"

"Then how about I double the debt as interest? That way our relationship will be twice as deep."

"Sorry, please spare me from that…"

Wataru bowed his head in one natural motion.

It was mostly a joke to begin with, so I'll let him off.

Watching our exchange, Nayuta was frowning as if she'd eaten something bitter.

"… Heroes are supposed to be feared and revered… no, maybe this Hero-sama is just a special case…? Or perhaps it's Village Chief-san… yes, Village Chief-san is suspicious. Setting everything else aside, Village Chief-san is blatantly suspicious."

"Hey, that's not something you should say right in front of someone."

"It's fine. I'm saying it so you can hear it."

Technically, I'm the most important person in this village. I'm the village chief.

"A figurehead, right? I know Rokuko-sama's background. And Deputy Village Chief Wozuma-san handles all the actual work, doesn't he?"

Rokuko's background… as a Dungeon Core? No, it must be that she's the little sister of the empire's leader (Haku-san).

So Rokuko is the most important person in the village. I see.

I'd heard beastkin are particular about hierarchy, but is that it? Am I pretty low in Nayuta's mind? That's why she's been talking to me with that kind of attitude.

I'd reported that I was skilled enough to be a good match for Setsuna, so I should be… what was it, [Promising]? Well, I should be that, but what are Nayuta's evaluation criteria for me to be ranked so low? Maybe she values cunning more than combat ability?

Maybe it's because it looks like I just sleep every day and eat delicious food without working? I even recently turned down Gozoh's invitation to help prepare for emergencies. I was sleeping though.

Well, I decided to leave Nayuta alone and ask Wataru something.

"By the way, Wataru. Why Nerune? As a Hero, you could have your pick of anyone."

"… That's the thing. I mean, I'm a Hero, right? Women either approach me just because of my title, or keep their distance treating me like a monster. And then there's stuff like marriage fraud by spies from some country…"

Wataru had a distant look in his eyes. Being a Hero is pretty tough, huh.

And when he said "spy," Setsuna's tail twitched. Anyone other than me would have missed it.

Combined with her having Wakoku's confidential information… so that's how it is? Looks like her true identity just revealed itself.

… Hmm? But thinking about it, she was basically saying outright that she's a spy, wasn't she? She even said her employer was a Daimyo of Wakoku. Is it really okay for her to say that?

"On that note, this inn is great! You don't treat me specially and it's comfortable, just like when I was in Japan! Kehma-san even looks Japanese, so I practically want to just live here."

"What, are you an M?"

"I'm not! But you, Rokuko-sama, and Nerune-san are the only ones who talk to me casually without caring about my title as a Hero…"

"Y-yeah."

Seeing his suddenly lonely expression, I couldn't say anything in response.

This guy… he had a loner attribute? Maybe I should go a little easier on him…

"Also, you're actually the first person to beat me in a mock battle since my Hero debut! There were people who tried to win by any means necessary, though."

"Oi, stop it. Don't go around saying I beat a Hero."

"I figured that would be troublesome for you, Kehma-san, so I won't say anything. Ah, but in exchange, about my debt…"

"I'm not reducing it at all. That's the compensation for betting Kuro."

"I understand. I'll pay it off with all my heart."

He bowed his head and apologized sincerely.

It might be a bit late to think about this, but he really threw away his dignity as a Hero, huh.

… Or maybe he never had any to begin with.