Stupid Heroes ~We Draft Candidates~ (WN): Chapter 54

 

Chapter 54: Chance Meeting

 [Carrying out one's words]. Yuya is a man who puts this into practice, for better or worse. Yuya's wish for an opportunity to practice in actual combat will be fulfilled. This is the result of the desire of some of the major powers to confirm the abilities of the hero candidates in actual battle, and the desire of the upper church officials who thought that there was nothing more to teach the hero candidates.

 In reality, there is still much more for the hero candidates to learn. Many of them have only learned the means of combat. However, the Church and the major powers did not want the hero candidates to acquire knowledge other than as tools of war. It is the same for the hero candidates.

 Yuya and the others faced the actual battle in the [Forest of No Entry]. As expected, this will be the place. It was impossible to send them to a place where a real war was being fought. In the first place, there is no war on this continent where the [Great Treaty] is publicly known.

 Yuya wanted to fight a real war, which he thought would be useful to the people, such as defeating bandits, even if war was indeed impossible. However, this was not realized due to the insistence of the upper church officials that there were no bandits in or around the territory of the Church Country.

 Although he was somewhat dissatisfied with the fact that he was dealing with magical beasts, Yuya came to the [Forest of No Entry]. It is meaningful to experience a real battle, no matter what the enemy is. Besides, the previous battle against the hordes of magical beasts in the [Forest of No Entry] was a battle that gave him a sense of fulfillment.

 Accompanying him were Shizuru and Princess Amalia. And also Heinz, Hyde, and knights from the Lemberg Empire and the Izrim Magic Kingdom. The atmosphere was rather tense.

 Surprised at the large number of knights, they were repeatedly asked by adventurers along the way what was going on.

 After the Fenris Wolf incident, adventurers who had been avoiding requests in the [Forest of No Entry] were now back in the area. They are now back in greater numbers than before, trying to make up for the time lost and trying to earn money.

 Meanwhile, Yuya and Shizuru meet a familiar adventurer. Yuya and the others did not know that they were adventurers. They met Jin and four other Class C candidate students.

"Jin! What are you doing here!"

 Yuya called out to Jin when he saw him.

"...Yuya, huh?"

 Jin frowns when he is called out. With him are Riko, Manami, Kou, and Akira. The eyes of all the people looking at Yuya and Shizuru are cold.

 That said, for Yuya and Shizuru, it is nothing to be concerned about. They don't care about the four of them. All they care about is Jin.

"What are you doing here?"

"What about you?"

"We've been thinking about getting real combat training."

"I see... then do your best."

 Jin tries to leave after just a few conversations without answering Yuya's question. Yuya wouldn't allow that.

"Wait!"

 However, Jin moved on without reacting to that voice. The four people who followed didn't react at all.

"Wait! Jin!"

 No response to this either.

"Someone stop Jin! This is an order!"

 Even if he said that, the knights were troubled. Yuya doesn't have the authority to give orders to the knights. However, this selfish act stopped Jin.

"...Can't you do anything other than annoy people?"

“Isn’t it because Jin ignores me?”

"What do you want?"

"I've been asking you many times since a while ago. What are you doing here?"

"...I'm fulfilling a guild's request."

 Even though he was a little hesitant, Jin replied. He thought that if he told him this, Yuya would get even more persistent, but it's the same thing even if he doesn't talk about it.

"Is it a subjugation request?"

"Of course it is."

"How can you accept those requests?"

 It takes a long time to receive a subjugation request. After hearing that in the guild, Yuya gave up on registering as an adventurer.

"Because I've accepted the request. What else is there?"

“Because they said it would take a year and a half to move up to D rank.”

"If you do the requests diligently, it can be shortened."

 As a result of Jin and the others earnestly fulfilling the request, they were even able to receive a subjugation request.

"...That's not fair."

"Whatever you think, it's up to you. See you."

"Wait!"

"Is there anything else?"

“What about those four? I think they were class C.”

 Yuya asked about Riko and the others who were with him.

"That's right."

"Why are they with you?"

 It is not that he is interested in Riko and the others. He just doesn't like them being with Jin.

"They are adventurers too. It wouldn't be strange for us to be together."

"They are Class C."

"What about it?"

"What's the point of being with those guys? Come back. Let's do our best together."

 Yuya's words, mixed with a little jealousy, make this kind of statement. He didn't think about how Jin and others would feel when they heard this.

"...As usual, you only think in terms of your own values."

"What do you mean?"

"I have things to do with these four, and I will never do anything with you."

 Jin showed a clear refusal to Yuya. He thought that Yuya wouldn't understand unless he said this much.

"...What?"

"I just told you."

"You will regret it!"

 Unable to accept Jin's words, Yuya raises his voice.

"If I regret it, I've already done it! I am here to counteract that!"

 Jin shouted as loud as Yuya's voice. Rather than words directed at Yuya, he simply shouted out his own feelings.

"...Jin?"

"Yuya, I will surpass you."

 These words were uttered by Jin as he looked straight at Yuya. But this too was not directed at Yuya, but rather at his own determination.

"I am the hero."

"What about it?"

"Do you think you can surpass me?"

 The strongest is me, the hero. He thinks like this. In fact, Yuya is the strongest of all the candidates and Jin can not win.

"Yeah, I think so."

 Even so, Jin says he can surpass Yuuya.

"What?"

“It may be impossible for me to do it alone. But I believe that together with my friends, we can definitely surpass you."

"You……"

 No matter how hard you try, you may not be able to win alone. However, Jin believes that if he joins forces with his comrades, he can beat Yuya.

"Understand? My goal is to defeat you. I have no intention of working with you."

"...I see. Ah, I understand. I'm done with Jin, too."

"You do that."

“…………”

 Even the half-assertive lines were easily accepted by Jin, and Yuya was unable to find words to continue. Jin turns his back on Yuya and leaves.

“Jin, wait.”

 When Yuya withdraws, Shizuru comes out. It was the usual pattern.

"I don't want to hear your words"

"Why are you saying that?"

 Shizuru was perplexed by Jin's cold gaze.

"I still hear those horrible voices in my ears."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's the voice that drove Kazuki to her death."

“…………”

 Jin's words made Shizuru freeze with her eyes wide open. Shizuru didn't think that such words would come up here.

"No matter how many times I think about it, there is no doubt. That was your voice."

"...Jin, what are you talking about? I don't know what you're talking about."

"You can make any excuses you like. I won't hear your voice anymore."

"No! Jin, listen to me! There's been a mistake!"

 Shizuru's screaming voice reaches Jin's ears, but not his heart. He's just staring at her with an expressionless face.

"I want to ask you one thing"

“Is it Heinz this time?”

 Not only Yuya and Shizuru, but even Heinz was trying to hold him. Jin looks annoyed at that.

"The sun is still high. You don't mind, do you?"

"I'm keeping my friends waiting"

"Then we'll go to your tent."

"No, that's."

"It's just me."

"...Still. And there is no guarantee that you will come alone."

 Heinz would never come alone. Heinz had no intention of doing so, but Yuya and Shizuru would have followed them.

"Then we have no choice but to talk here."

"I understand."

 In the end, Jin could not shake off Heinz, but he had to talk. This was another kind of negotiation. In this kind of exchange, Jin had no power to resist Heinz. Their experience and knowledge were different.

"Is Ren Takashiro not here?"

"……He's not here."

"Why? At least three people behind you had contact with him. He should have been the one who would take care of them as an adventurer."

"You know it well. It was originally promised that I would take care of them."

"Even if that were true, it is strange that he is not here. Is there a reason?"

 It's nothing surprising actually. Heinz only put it this way in order to ask the reason. And Jin did not have the power to realize that it was strange.

"...Ren is also an existence that I will surpass."

"Will the Holy Knight challenge the necromancer to battle?"

"It's not a fight in a fight, so I can't explain it if you ask me, but I'll beat Ren."

"Why is that?"

 Heinz doesn't understand why Jin is hostile to Ren.

"Ren let Kazuki die."

 He shouldn't have known it. Jin is not qualified to say this.

"Jin, it's the same for you. You were there, too. No, considering the circumstances, you must have been closer to the scene."

"…………"

"It's true that Ren let her die."

 Jin is speechless after Heinz points it out. Instead, it was Riko, who gave Heinz a hard look behind Jin, who answered back.

"I see. The lady in the back is the one who considers Ren as an enemy. I believe your name is Satoko Hasegawa?"

"My name is Riko now."

"I see. You couldn't forgive him, so you left him. So what is he doing?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

 Riko doesn't know what Ren is doing. She had never been aware of it.

"He doesn't show up at the academy either. It's happened before, but this time it seems different. I can't find his whereabouts at all. He doesn't try to hide that. Do you know what this means?"

"...I understand. You mean he doesn't hide that he has the power to hide."

"You're right, you've only been around him a little."

"In a way."

 She doesn't seem to like the way Heinz says it, and Riko shows dissatisfaction.

"Yeah, you're only as good as you get. You're just not good enough."

 It's understandable that she's frustrated. Heinz said with sarcasm.

"...What's wrong with you?"

"If there is someone who could have been by his side, it would have been Kazuki Harumoto. It seems she was the only one."

"What do you know!?"

 When Kazuki's name was mentioned, Riko exploded with anger at once. Heinz, however, remained cool despite Riko's anger.

"At least I know a lot more than you do. For example, he seemed to have learned at a very early stage that the monastery was the stronghold of the Anti-Hero Alliance. He's going into the monastery to find out."

"So what?"

"But he kept it to himself. Couldn't it be because she was there?"

"Eh?"

 Riko doesn't know that story. She didn't even know that Kazuki had been at the monastery before that.

"Didn't you know that until now? After she left the academy, she took care of the orphans in the monastery. And he visited there many times."

"......The children that Kazuki protected."

"Those orphans. He took in those orphans. It's supposed to be a reward, but it's probably just a pretext."

"Then what?"

"He made a promise to her, didn't he? Strangely enough, he is sincere in his promises."

"That's……"

 Although she doesn't want to admit it, Riko knows that Ren will keep his promises.

"Well, I can't read his mind. So what I just told you is just my imagination. Still, there are some things we can know just from the facts. You and Kazuki Harumoto are not in the same position in his mind."

"...I know that."

"Oya?"

"I'm not being pushy. I really know. Since the time he was in our original world, Kazuki hated to live. She hated the world, wondering why she was the only one suffering."

"I see……"

"But she wasn’t the only one. She learned that Ren was the same. Ren must have felt the same way about Kazuki."

"Fumu……"

 Heinz knows that Riko isn't that close to Ren. He is not inclined to take Riko's words as they are. However, he felt that it was possible.

"For Kazuki, Ren was her idol. She wanted to be strong like Ren. She wanted to acquire the strength not to be defeated no matter how badly she was treated by those around her. That's what I thought."

“…………”

"She was trying to start over in this world! This time, she was trying to live properly! It was Ren who made her think that! That's why I can't forgive Ren for leaving Kazuki to die! I wanted Kazuki to live. ......"

"......I see. I understand how you feel. But even if he knew how she feels, he can't and won't do anything about it."

"I think so too."

"What I care about is something else."

"What..."

"Where should those who live in darkness without a guiding light go?"

"……What are you talking about?"

"It's fine if you don't understand. I don't know either."

 If there was a light shining on Ren, it might have been Kazuki. Heinz intuitively felt that way. Kazuki is dead. With her death, the people who had been around him left him. Where would Ren, now alone, go? That is what makes Heinz feel uneasy.

 Half of that anxiety is unnecessary, and half is correct. Even without a guide, Ren has the power to open the way. And it is a power that can only be utilized in the pitch-blackness of darkness.

◇◇◇

 After Heinz's last words, Yuya and the others parted ways with Jin.

 If he resents Ren for letting Kazuki die, it wouldn't be strange for him to even resent him more. As expected, even Yuya knew that much.

 And Shizuru has an idea of why she is resented more directly. Both of them had lost the will in holding back Jin and the others any longer.

 Jin's feelings came to light during the unexpected reunion. It makes them both silent.

"We're not going to subjugate magical beasts, are we?"

"Yes. Isn't it better if we pull out?"

"Yes, I think so."

 While agreeing to Hyde's suggestion, Heinz continues walking without doing anything. He thinks that even if they pull out, they should do so after they have calmed down a little more.

"...The hero candidate named Ren."

 Princess Amalia asked Heinz about Ren.

"Hmm? Your Highness Amalia also knows him, right?"

"I don't know the details. Was he really hiding the monastery?"

"Yeah. I'm sure of it."

"For a woman named Kazuki"

"I wonder about that."

 Heinz denied Princess Amalia's words. Even though it's something he said just a little while ago.

"But just earlier."

"I said that earlier, but it was only my imagination. And if you can imagine it, you can do it any number of other ways."

"What, for example?"

"He had no hard evidence. That's why he dared to use himself as bait. He is a man who would do something like that."

 This is one of the correct answers. This was Ren's initial motivation for visiting the monastery.

"……I see."

"He had decided that it was not his job to expose the hideout of the Anti-Hero Alliance. This is also possible."

"That is possible."

“No, this is the most likely possibility. A man named Ren values promises. He sees a promise and a contract as the same thing. Conversely, he rarely does anything for others other than what he promised or contracted to do."

"I see."

 Heinz analyzes Ren's personality in detail because he is interested in Ren. The result is quite accurate, even if it is only one aspect of Ren's personality.

"I thought the exception to that rule was Kazuki Harumoto."

"Exception? What do you mean?"

"It was only later that I found out that he was exploring the monastery. At the time, I was considering the possibility that he had gone to see her."

 The Lemberg empire had caught on to Ren early on, as he had been to the monastery many times. The Lemberg Empire had been monitoring Ren's movements during his escort missions as an adventurer.

"The Lemberg Empire is monitoring someone's romantic relationship?"

"Don't say it outright. That's our job, too."

"……I do not understand"

 Princess Amalia did not know what the point was in investigating people's love affairs. She doesn't feel good about her situation right now.

"It is our job to gauge the value of a hero candidate."

"It certainly is."

"We should also know their character and the way they think. Especially about him."

"...Then?"

 Princess Amalia is also interested in Ren's way of thinking.

"I got nothing. If it had been a love affair, we might have learned a few things, but it could have been a pretense to explore the monastery."

“Is that so? But at least the Lemberg Empire recognizes the value of investigating, right?”

 He couldn't find out more information about Ren, but even Princess Amalia knew that the Lemberg Empire had a pretty strong interest in it.

"Do I have to answer that? You are also eligible to bid."

"He denies being a hero candidate."

"He may change his mind."

"You are not bidding on him?"

 It would be a big deal if the Lemberg Empire, a major power, were to bid on a Class C dropout hero candidate. Of course, Heinz is not thinking of such a thing.

"No way. I'm just thinking about the possibility of another country bidding. I don't want to turn him into an enemy, but I should be prepared in case that happens. That's why I'm investigating him."

"I see."

 The more Heinz talked, the more interest in Ren grew in Princess Amalia's mind. She had the worst impression of Ren when she met him, but she wanted to know somehow why the great nation of the Lemberg Empire held him in such high esteem.

"Are you interested in bidding?"

"......No way."

 Princess Amalia was not able to hide her agitation as she was half-seen inside. Heinz's words further provoked her upset.

"If you are so inclined, you don't need to be here, do you?"

"Wha?"

"Those who chase two rabbits never get one. It's said to be a saying from another world."

"I do not understand the meaning"

"It means that a hunter who chases two rabbits at the same time will never get one."

 Yuya and Ren. Heinz is saying that you can't get either if you're chasing them. However, what Heinz wants to say is not this kind of thing, but rather a warning not to get involved.

"...It seems that the saying has nothing to do with me."

"Right. I tried to show off the knowledge I learned, but it was useless."

"Yes. I'm sorry."

 With this, Princess Amalia stopped talking. The group remained silent and simply walked through the forest before returning to camp.

◇◇◇

 After returning to the camp, Yuya and his group had dinner and were free to do whatever they wanted. Each of them did what they wanted to do at the encampment.

 Yuya invites Princess Amalia to watch the night sky. He wants to see if the planet is really the center of this world. Of course, this is just an excuse for Princess Amalia to be with her.

 Princess Amalia knows it's just an excuse, but it's convenient for her to be alone with him.

"Isn't there a Polaris or something?"

"What kind of star is that?"

"A star in the north. Other stars seem to revolve around it."

"Are you talking about the North Star?"

 Another word came out of Princess Amalia's mouth. The most representative star that can be seen in the north in this world was the North Star.

"Is that what you call it in this world?"

"Yes. The central star that can be seen in the north is the North Star. The constellations that revolve around it are the north eight stars and the north twelve stars."

"Why are they called by different numbers?"

"I heard that it changes depending on the time period. Now it is eight stars."

"I see...... I am the same way now."

 Hearing Princess Amalia's explanation, Yuya's face suddenly clouded over and he whispered.

"What do you mean?"

“I thought of Jin as my best friend. I thought he was a good competitor. But today, when Jin told me about it, it seems that it was just a selfish assumption on my part."

"...Yuya-sama."

 Yuya is talking about Jin with a sad expression. Princess Amalia was looking at Yuya worriedly.

"I no longer meet Mei. The number of people around me is steadily decreasing."

“…………”

"Amalia, you won't leave my side, will you?"

"Of course"

"You're my only support. I don't want to let you go."

"Yuya-sama..."

"Amalia..."

 Two people staring at each other. Yuya hugs Amalia's shoulders and slowly brings her face closer.

"Yuya-sama."

"Amalia"

"……Don't."

 Just before their lips met, words of rejection spilled out of Princess Amalia's mouth.

"Huh? Why?"

 Princess Amalia's refusal when he was completely convinced of his success. Yuya let out a voice of surprise at the unexpected situation.

"...I'm sorry. I'm royalty, and a kiss is considered proof of marriage."

"I want that proof"

“…………”

 What Yuya said was a proposal. He doesn't feel that way, but it sounds that way to Princess Amalia.

"Is it okay?"

"...No. Not right now."

 Princess Amalia managed to suppress her heart, which was shaking while Yuya was staring at her.

"I see... I understand. Then, can I at least kiss you on the cheek?"

"Kiss?"

"Like this."

 Yuya's lips pressed against Princess Amalia's cheek. The face of Princess Amalia, who understood the meaning of his kiss, turned red.

"I'll put up with this for now. But I believe that someday my feelings will reach Amalia."

"Yuya-sama..."

 It wasn't perfect, but the distance between the two was shortened as Yuya expected.

 And at the encampment, another thought is also in motion. Shizuru had managed to get Hyde out of there, asking him to listen to her problems.

"What am I doing wrong?"

"That, I don't know."

“No. I was brought up spoiled, it seems. I can't believe that the slightest bit of malice from a single person can hurt so much."

 Shizuru lowered her eyelashes and showed a sad expression.

"I see."

 That gesture that moves many men is not working on Hyde.

"Hyde-san is suspicious of me too."

"I'm not."

"Because you're cold to me. Am I selfish, asking for kindness when I'm having a hard time?"

 This time, she shows her smile with a slightly sullen expression.

"I'm sorry. I'm not good at dealing with women."

 It ended with just a sincere apology.

"...That's surprising. Hyde-san would be popular, wouldn't you?"

"Does that mean that women like me?"

"Yes"

"...I have no such experience with that."

 In fact, even if he is popular, it is not likely that he will ever know it. There is no woman in the world who would openly tell a man that she likes him. And Hyde is not yet ready for that.

"It's not true."

"It's true"

"Why? I think Hyde-san is a very nice person."

"Shizuru-dono?"

 Hyde had never met a woman who said such things. Hyde could not understand Shizuru's sense of shamelessness.

"Call me Shizuru."

“......What is it that you are seeking, Shizuru-dono?"

 Shizuru's hopes were lightly dismissed by Hyde.

"I want to get along with Hyde-san."

"Instead, if you were to accept a bid, what would you most ask for?"

 And her hopes of becoming friends were easily washed away.

“…What do I want?”

 Shizuru's usual tone of honor-student remarks comes out of Shizuru's mouth.

"Worth..."

"I can be useful. I want to go to a country where I can feel that way."

"I see. What do you think Yuya-dono would want?"

 This is what Hyde really wants to hear.

"That's right... Yuya can get everything. Status, honor, and wealth worthy of him. So I don't think that's what he's looking for."

"Ha..."

 Hyde's tone of voice is slightly tinged with dismay. Hyde knows that no matter how good he is, he can't get that much with his hero status.

“I wonder if it will be rewarding after all?”

“Rewarding? But it depends on what you find rewarding."

"Yeah, that's right. After all, I find it rewarding to be able to help people."

"Yes. What about Yuya-dono?"

"...Being able to protect many people worthy of being a hero. I think that's what it means."

 It's a line that Yuya always says. Shizuru didn't know how far this meant.

"So ambitious, isn't it?"

"I don't think so. I think it's normal."

"No, for someone like me, I would seek status and honor. It's greedy."

"Everyone has greed. Me too."

 Incidentally, Yuya and Shizuru are both seeking more satisfaction after having obtained status and honor. It can be called greed.

"It doesn't look like that. What, for example?

"I want to be with the person I love forever..."

 Shizuru still hasn't given up. She is trying to create a good atmosphere somehow.

"Ah, I see. If so, I have it too."

"Eh? Do you have a lover?"

"...No, I don't."

"Unrequited love?"

"That kind..."

 This is the same as half-admitting.

"I want to hear it. Tell me."

“…I'm not the kind of person who is allowed to have feelings for her. So at the very least, I'd like to be by her side the whole time."

“…………”

 Shizuru sensed that Hyde had already forgotten about her when he talked about his feelings with a distant look in his eyes. Shizuru was reminded of the reality that the distance between the two would never be shortened.