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 came back with a futon. I laid out a cloth and spread the futon 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 futon… 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.

"Don't worry. If you can't hold it, feel free to just go right where you're standing. But the moment you take a single step out of that circle, you lose. I'll happily 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."

Naturally, Setsuna, who was probably hoping for high-level combat, wasn't pleased. But surprisingly, Nayuta gave me a favorable evaluation. I was sure she'd say something like "What utter trash."

"There's no way I'd win going head-on. That was obviously a joke, though."

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

"Laying out the futon right in front of you was just a show to make you surrender quickly. If I were serious, I wouldn't have come back here. I'd have just gone off and slept while waiting for you to step out of 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 this: magic attacks are allowed, and I won't attack back. If you can push me out of the circle within one minute, you 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 footing wouldn't work. Since the rules let Wataru move freely within the circle, he'd just stomp the golem flat and that'd be that. Actually, can this Hero even fly?

"Eeh? Come on, we're friends, aren't we? I want to deepen our relationship, so about that debt reduction…"

"Then how about I double the debt as interest? Lucky you, now our relationship is twice as deep."

"Sorry, please spare me from that…"

Wataru bowed his head in one natural motion.

It was half-joking to begin with, so I decided to let him off the hook.

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.

She should know I'm skilled enough to give Setsuna a good fight, which would make me a 'promising prospect' or whatever. So what are Nayuta's evaluation criteria for ranking me so low? Maybe she values cunning over combat ability?

Her face was practically saying "Does food taste good when you sleep all day without working?" So maybe that's why. I've also been turning down Gozoh's invitations lately in case something came up. Though I was sleeping.

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 flock to me just for the title, or keep their distance because they see me as some kind of monster. On top of that, there's been marriage fraud and spies from other countries…"

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.

She carries Wakoku's classified information, so does that mean she's one too? Her true identity is starting to come into focus.

… 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, so you're just a masochist?"

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

"Y-yeah."

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

This guy… he has the 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."

"I'm truly sorry about that time," Wataru said, bowing his head.

It's probably too late to think about it now, but his dignity as a Hero is really shot, huh.

… Then again, maybe he never had any to begin with.