A Chat with the Hero

"So, come to think of it… you proposed to Rokuko?"

Pffft!? Wataru spat out in surprise.

"Y-yes, well, I-I did. I was rejected though… But I won't give up. I will absolutely win her over."

"Rokuko is Haku-san's precious little sister, you know? She'll erase you if you lay a hand on her."

"It's fine, I'll respect the person's own wishes."

If you respected her wishes, she already rejected you, so I want to tell him to give up already.

"Rokuko already has me as her partner, you know."

"Oh? I don't see a ring though. Have you not given her one yet?"

… A ring?

"So there's a custom of giving your partner a ring where Hero-sama comes from. I'm from deep in the mountains, so there must be differences in customs."

"Ah, then shall I present one? If you tell me her ring size, I'll send it later."

"Hahaha, it's an important gift for my partner. I'll manage it myself."

When I glanced at Rokuko, she was all smiles with blushing cheeks. Isn't this turning into a bad situation?

The conversation is progressing, but what exactly does "partner" mean?

With the ring, maybe… is it the meaning related to marriage?

"Right, since she's my partner… it goes on the ring finger, right?"

"Yes, the ring finger."

Hey, what do you mean ring finger? Is it an engagement ring or wedding ring after all?

I should have properly asked what "partner" meant even if it was embarrassing. I'm so bad at ad-libbing.

"Well, even so, I won't give up."

"No, please give up… Also, why Rokuko? As a hero, you must be quite popular, right?"

"There's a deep reason for that…"

Wataru looked down slightly and began to tell his story.

 

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It began three years ago. Summoned to this world, Wataru Nishimi was trained as a hero, joined a chivalric order, and lived a military lifestyle.

Wataru, who had been elevated to the status of hero, was only seventeen at the time—a high school student. He liked games, and it wasn't as if he'd never dreamed of being a hero.

[Defeat the Demon King]—with that slogan, Hero Wataru hunted monsters and grew stronger.

Then one day. The chivalric order took on a job to exterminate bandits. —His first time killing someone.

He was overwhelmed by intense guilt.

Even knowing that others would be killed if he didn't act, even though he had lost himself in the heat of the moment when his fellow knights were about to be killed—the aversion to having taken a life was something that Wataru, as a Japanese person, simply could not shake off.

Wataru shut himself in his room.

He skipped training for days, unable to move, crushed by self-reproach.

Just as he thought it wouldn't be so bad to starve to death like this, the door to his room was kicked open and he was forcibly dragged out.

"Idiot! If you died, Wataru… what would I do?!"

It was Palme, his comrade from the chivalric order, who had saved Wataru by a hair's breadth.

Palme devotedly stayed by Wataru's side and listened to him. He talked about many things from Japan. He talked about many trivial things. Palme listened to all of it, never once denying Wataru. She accepted everything with a gentle smile.

And gradually, Wataru became attracted to Palme—and confessed.

"Yeah, if you're okay with me."

Having received her acceptance, Wataru was over the moon. Elated, he worked hard to save up money to eventually marry Palme, taking on even difficult requests that had been shelved at the guild.

—He had resolved to live in this world with Palme.

"… Eeeh, no way. I need someone with muscles like the captain to—"

"—Haha, right? Wataru's such a weakling. Come on, let's go to my room."

And then he witnessed Palme and the captain going into the same room together.

… Even after that, Palme continued to be with Wataru with the same unchanging smile.

That must have been a hallucination or something—telling himself that, Wataru tried to forget.

And then, that moment came.

It was triggered by Count String's arrest.

"… Palme isn't here?"

"Hey! There's a note left in her room!"

The note read: [Sorry <3 The count got arrested so I'm fleeing! Everyone, stay healthy <3 Palme Zan].

The count was arrested—so, she fled. He couldn't understand the connection between those actions.

But it was soon revealed.

"Hey, don't just go into my Palme's room because of an emergency!"

"Hah? What are you talking about? Palme is my Palme!"

"Wait wait wait, I kept quiet about it, but Palme and I promised to get married, you know?"

"Me! I'm Palme's fiancé!"

These were all statements from different men.

And every one of their savings had disappeared. Later investigation revealed that everything had been withdrawn, converted to jewels, and taken away.

… Palme was an assassin sent by the count to ensnare the hero—an internationally wanted marriage swindler.

Furthermore, somehow Wataru's savings had also vanished. Along with the mementos he had brought from Japan. —Though he was able to buy back some of them at a nearby pawn shop—for Palme, they had probably just been things that could be turned into money.

"Palme was… Palme was a criminal? But surely there must have been some reason—"

"By the way, the marriage swindler Palme Zan is… a man. In the first place, the String Chivalric Order doesn't allow women."

What even was this? All of his hopes were shattered.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

"… That's what happened."

"T-that's, well, my condolences."

All I could say was that he'd been through something harrowing.

Also, those other deceived men and the captain—no, let's stop. That's nothing but my own speculation.

"So, what does this Palme person have to do with your proposal to Rokuko?"

"No, it's not particularly related. It was love at first sight."

It's not related!?

"Ah, no! It's not that it's unrelated, um, love at first sight, well, I've decided to value my instincts."

"… Is that all?"

"Yes, that's all."

So you made me listen to your whole life story just for that? What a roundabout hero.

"… However, if you truly cherish Rokuko-san that much, I would like to see proof of it."

"Huh? Proof?"

"That's right. If you show me proof that convinces me, I might be able to give up."

… Yeah, I don't really get what he's saying, but I'm starting to understand a little.

"So you mean it's fine if I kiss Rokuko here?"

"Hyah?! W-wait, hold on! No no, that's impossible, absolutely impossible!"

Rokuko denied it with a bright red face, frantically waving her hands.

Hey, if you deny it there, the hero will have no choice but to press his advantage. Well, Haku-san might execute me if I actually kissed her though.

"Hahaha, it seems Rokuko-san says it's impossible. So then, it looks like I still have a chance."

"No no, Rokuko is just shy. We may not look it, but we're partners in mind and body."

I responded to Hero Wataru's cheerful remark.

"Then let's do this… She's someone I fell in love with at first sight. Let me confirm whether you can protect Rokuko-san. Right, if you're an adventurer superior to me, I can entrust Rokuko-san to you with peace of mind."

"Hahaha, you must be joking. Making the condition that I surpass an S-Rank like yourself is rather unreasonable, isn't it?"

"Don't worry. Before I became S-Rank, I was stuck at C-Rank."

Hey, did the count put pressure on them? If he'd become a high rank, Haku-san, who controls the Adventurer Guild, would definitely have found out… Looks like even that maneuvering was in vain though.

"Well, that's how it is. Let's have some matches then. We can use those to judge—ah no, that's not it, isn't this more exciting?"

Wataru stood up from his seat, striking a bit of a pose as he rephrased.

"A match with Rokuko-san on the line, Narikin!"

"I refuse."

I answered immediately.