* * *

“But seriously, isn’t the Hero just an amazing guy…?”

That thought struck me again. Giving up is always so much easier than continuing to try.

The Hero, bearing only the title of the “strongest human,” devoted himself to his mission and sacrificed his life for humanity.

It must have been unimaginably hard, but he never uttered a single complaint.

The image of him recklessly charging into the enemy, not sparing a thought for his own safety, vividly comes to mind.

Thinking about how someone like that once extended a kindness to me makes my heart feel strangely tender.

A surge of baseless courage rose within me.

When the Hero didn’t respond, I decided to change the topic.

“Hey, so, uh, I’m an adventurer too, you know. Not as famous as you, but I’ve got a bit of a name for myself.”

The Hero gave me a look as if to say, ‘So what?’

I instantly regretted bringing it up and felt my confidence waver.

“I mean… what I’m trying to say is… I get jobs from time to time, and when I’m back after one, could we, uh, spend the rest of the week together?”

“No.”

It was the two-syllable rejection I had expected but dreaded.

I knew this would happen.

Of course, this would happen.

The Hero had devoted himself to saving humanity, yet here I was, a mere individual, hoping for too much of his goodwill.

I felt a sudden urge to smack myself for entertaining such foolish expectations.

Well, no point dwelling on it now—I got my answer, and that’s that.

“Ah, yeah, I figured. Sorry about that. It’s just that Vasco kept pestering me to ask.”

That was true, though I hadn’t planned on throwing Vasco under the bus like that.

His wide, startled eyes looked comically out of place.

If he opened those brown eyes half as much on a regular basis, he’d probably leave a much better impression.

“Hey! If you’d already made plans with Zerbin, you should’ve just said so!”

Vasco jabbed his finger into my side repeatedly.

Sure, he was complaining now, but if I’d told him myself, he’d have dismissed me outright with some crack about why the Hero would ever want to hang out with me.

“Yeah, well, things turned out this way.”

“Who said you could tell him now?!”

“I was being polite and letting him know, better late than never.”

Though we were joking around, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret.

I had just promised myself to treat Vasco better, but here we were.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to take out some black mages, pocket their loot, and blow off some steam.

A bit of adventuring might smooth things over.

Not that I had much choice.

Until the Hero takes over, the mission of saving humanity still rests on my shoulders.

As much as I wanted to show kindness, I couldn’t afford it right now.

If I wasted more time chatting, the Hero might think I was slowing him down and leave.

Understanding the situation, I nudged Vasco slightly, signaling him to get going.

I needed to steel my resolve too, rather than lingering with pointless regrets.

“You’re headed to Cheps, aren’t you?”

Huh?

The Hero’s blunt comment caught me off guard.

But he was right—Cheps was where the black mages were likely to pass through on their escape route.

How did he know?

‘Well, it’s not surprising.’

Even if he wasn’t officially recognized as the Hero yet, Zerbin was already the king among adventurers.

Though many envied and idolized him to a warped degree, calling him a “monster” due to his unapproachable aura, no one denied his abilities.

Even among nobles, he was regarded as a problem-solver far more capable than most knights.

Unlike us, who had to grovel to nouveau riche merchants, Zerbin’s status put him leagues ahead.

He probably had a reliable network for gathering information.

Knowing where the big money was to be made wouldn’t be hard for him.

“Wow, you got it in one! Do I have it written all over my face or something?”

I couldn’t help throwing in a bit of flattery.

“See? You’re amazing. They say skilled adventurers can sense everything with just a glance.”

Nobody dislikes a bit of praise!

Look at that, the Hero isn’t even telling me to shut up.

“I’m coming too.”

…What?

Did I mishear him?

The Hero’s coming to Cheps?

To raid the black mages?

“Wait, why—?”

Vasco started to yell but immediately clamped his mouth shut and scurried behind me like a scared child.

Seriously, was he seven?

“You’re not a kid, you know.”

I chuckled. I could guess why he reacted that way.

The Hero’s sharp aura was becoming oppressive, and even I found it prickly.

He must not have liked Vasco questioning him.

I rubbed my goosebump-covered arms.

“It’s weird, though, isn’t it?” Vasco protested.

His voice was timid, but he had a point. It was odd.

The Hero.

‘Why would the Hero go to Cheps?’

Adventuring jobs vary in rank.

Sure, I might jump at this opportunity out of sheer financial desperation, but stealing from black mages is a low-tier job, no matter how bad they are.

A crime is still a crime.

For someone as renowned as the Hero, it was unnecessary.

Even looting the black mages’ treasures wouldn’t amount to what he usually earned.

On top of that, cursed items would fetch lower prices on the black market, making the whole ordeal hardly worthwhile.

“Did you take on a specific request?”

Maybe some high-ranking noble had ordered him to ensure the black mages couldn’t escape.

No answer.

“Or are you after some treasure in particular?”

Still no response.

“Do you have a grudge against the black mages? Not that I’m prying! It just doesn’t seem like something you’d normally care about.”

I hastily added, hoping it didn’t come off as an interrogation.

But silence hung heavy in the air.

As the mood darkened, I clamped my mouth shut.

The Hero’s gaze had turned fierce; it wasn’t the time to keep rambling.

“…Mind your own business.”

His response came after a long pause.

Was it some top-secret mission?

If so, then fine.

“Sorry, sorry. Just curious. Guess it’s something you’re not allowed to talk about.”

I tried to smooth things over with a laugh, but Vasco, oblivious as ever, jabbed me in the side again.

“If Zerbin’s going, there won’t be anything left for us low-rankers…”

Ah, well, he wasn’t wrong.

That was exactly why top adventurers didn’t bother with smaller jobs—they’d leave nothing for anyone else.

It was basic courtesy, after all.

But in the end, the consideration a strong person shows to the weak is a favor to be grateful for if given, and if not, well, that’s just how it is.

“What can you do? If you don’t like it, get stronger.”

“Aren’t you kind of close to him? Can’t you at least ask him to get you one or two things?”

“Do you think that’s possible?”

Does this look like being close?

I’m just sucking up to him and acting cute, so the Hero doesn’t completely toss me aside and lets me tag along.

“Ugh.”

Sure enough, Vasco must have heard everything, because the pressure intensified.

I was used to it and could handle it, but Vasco was visibly sweating bullets.

His legs were even trembling.

Ah, guess I’ll have to send him off.

“You remember what I said last time, right? I’m just worried because of the penalty fee. It’s absolutely not your fault!”

After making an excuse, I pushed Vasco forward.

Better send him home while the Hero is still calm.

“We’ll figure things out together again later, alright?”

Seeing him nodding furiously, it looked like he even felt his life was in danger.

The Hero wasn’t even that angry yet.

From what I know about how he acts when fighting demons, this level of pressure is still manageable.

But then, the Hero frowned.

Honestly, I was completely rattled.

Supporting Vasco, I froze in place.

“I’m not interested in treasures.”

“….”

Seriously?

“You can do whatever you want with that stuff.”

The Hero left behind those unbelievably cool words and turned away.

Vasco, who had looked like he was on the verge of death moments ago, suddenly sprang to life and jumped several meters on the spot.

“Yes!”

Is it really that great?

“With Zerbin on our side, it’s a guaranteed mission success!”

Well, that’s true, but…

“Anyway, let’s talk more next time.”

Since I couldn’t afford to let the Hero slip away, I left Vasco behind and hurriedly followed.

But as I trailed after him, an unsettling feeling kept swirling in my chest.

It was overly suspicious, and ridiculously dubious.

Even if he’s not going for the treasure but another job, does it make sense for an adventurer to pass up a reward they could claim?

‘…Could it be?’

No, that can’t be it.

Why would the Hero do that?

What could he possibly gain from it?

And yet, the thought crept into my mind, one I couldn’t suppress no matter how hard I tried.

‘Could he be doing it because of me?’

* * *