Chapter (426) Those who changed the Hero
(I … lost?)
Alessio realized it the moment he regained consciousness.
Ichinojo won the battle against the Demon Gods and the world stepped on the path toward peace.
That proved to Alessio that the world no longer needed the power of a Hero.
(What should I do from now on?)
After being born as a hero, raised as a hero, and fought as a hero, that fact was also a denial of his very existence.
(Perhaps I should just pass away like this here.)
If he remained immobile here like this, he would be eaten by monsters and die.
Otherwise, he would die of hunger too.
If he was going to die, he should have died while fighting the Demon Lord but that could no longer happen. The Demon Lord, who was in charge of the Demon Lord Army, was about to get in his way so he defeated him first.
The ones who possess the power of the Demon Lord, Ichinojo and the reincarnation of Famiris, would probably not grant him his death either.
(In that case, the next option is to be food for monsters …)
When Alessio had that thought.
“Uwa”
When warm saliva hung down above him, Alessio inadvertently sat up.
Even if he thought of getting eaten, he didn’t want to be drooled on.
“Eh?”
But it was not a ferocious monster.
The owner of that drool was a carefree-looking Slow Donkey and a pair of red-haired man and blue-haired woman.
He knew the Slow Donkey.
It was the Holy Beast that Metias was sealed in and was sent to Alessio by her automata, Miremia.
But he didn’t recognize the two adventurers …
(Eh? I somewhat recall seeing these two before …)
He couldn’t recognize them but he felt as though he had seen them a long time ago.
He thought hard about it and finally remembered.
They resembled the young boy and girl who once guided him in a town in the past when he was traveling around the world to save those who were suffering from the Demon Lord.
That was over 10 years ago so it was not strange if they had grown up this much by now.
There was a high chance he was right but he didn’t recall their names nor the place they met so he couldn’t verify it.
“You’re awake, Onii-chan! I’m Jofre. What’s your name?”
“Nice to meet you, Onii-chan. I am Elize. What’s your name?”
If they didn’t know about him, does that mean they were not Ichinojo’s acquaintances?
“I am …”
When Alessio was about to give his name.
“Shio.”
He gave the alias he often used.
He didn’t want to be known as the hero.
He didn’t want to be known as the hero that lost.
“I see, Shio huh? It’s great to have a simple name!”
“Yup, simple is the best!”
“All right, let’s go home! I’m starved. I want to at least make it for morning service and have some sausages.”
“Yup, let’s go home! Ah, if we don’t hurry, the morning service in the cafeteria will end!”
“What!? That’s a serious problem! We have to rush back.”
Jofre realized after he said that.
Alessio didn’t show any intention of standing up.
“Shio, what’s wrong? Is your stomach hurting?”
“Eh? That’s terrible. If your stomach is hurting, you can try putting dried plums on your temple.”
Alessio recalled hearing that from Daijiro as a cure for headaches but he wondered if that would cure it?
Furthermore, it was impossible to acquire dried plums in the Western Continent.
“No, my stomach isn’t hurting. I’m just tired. From fighting monsters.”
So let me die - - he wanted to say that but when Jofre and Elize heard him, they smiled and replied.
“Ah, so we are the same! We were just fighting a large number of monsters! I sliced through a thousand monsters with my sword. I’m exhausted.”
“Yup, I fought a large number of monsters too! I disciplined thousands with my whip so I am exhausted!”
They didn’t look that strong but it was a fact that they reached the lowest floor of a dungeon overflowing with monsters.
If that was the case, Alessio wondered if the two of them possessed strength which he could not tell.
“I see, so you two are adventurers. In that case, I wish to ask both of you. An adventurer fights for the sake of the world. But once the world has peace, the people are no longer grateful for that adventurer. If the two of you were to be in that adventurer’s position, how would you feel?”
Jofre and Elize pondered on that crazy question without finding it strange.
The only sound in the room was the chewing sound from Centaur eating the vegetables inside the item bags of Jofre and Elize which it opened without their permission.
And then, Jofre and Elize answered.
“It’s lonely to not be thanked by anyone.”
“It’s lonely to not be thanked by anyone.”
Alessio thought that was the case.
To humans, there was nothing more painful than not having others understand what they were doing.
People wish to be praised by someone to get a sense of accomplishment.
That was the same for Heroes as well.
But Jofre and Elize overturned that thought process easily.
“But I always have Elize watching how I do my best. Does that adventurer not have any companions who recognize them?”
“But I always have Jofre watching how I do my best. Does that adventurer not have any friends who rejoice with them?”
After being told that, Alessio recalled.
No matter what he did, he had companions by his side.
But now - -
“Now, that adventurer …”
Has nobody - - he wanted to say that.
“That adventurer, in the end, has a stupid companion who can’t abandon him and thus followed him to the bottom of hell. Right, uh, Shio?”
He couldn’t say it after seeing Hag suddenly appear.
Alessio borrowed Hag’s shoulder and stood up.
“I’ve made you wait. Sheesh, I got done in so flashily.”
“No, the thought of wanting to meet you just crossed my mind. We were both done in.”
Alessio replied.
“Are you all right now? Shio. I could send you to town if you like.”
“We could treat you to the morning service?”
“You guys. The town is in a state of emergency so there isn’t any morning service.”
Hag said with a look of exasperation.
The town was still rationing and most cafeterias were closed.
Jofre and Elize seemed to think that the stores would be open because the monster outbreak incident was over but just because the case was resolved doesn’t mean that the stores would open immediately.
“I see … I guess we can grill some meat and eat.”
“Demon Dragon meat, right? We have a mountain load of them.”
Hag was surprised to hear about Demon Dragon meat.
Even skilled adventurers rarely want to deal with Demon Dragons but these two hunted a large number of them? He was convinced how these two were able to reach the lowest floor of the dungeon filled with monsters.
Although the truth was that they received the meat from Ichinojo.
“I can’t make heads or tails of the world any longer. Hey Shio, let’s go home.”
Hag said and took out a Transfer Tag.
“Yeah. Right, Jofre and Elize? We’re planning to stay for a while in the town of Kussa famous for its hot springs so if you want an adventure, come find us. I’ll welcome the two of you.”
“I see! Yes! We’ll definitely ask for you when the time comes!”
“It is encouraging to have good company during travels!”
He wondered where did those phrases originate from? Alessio pondered as he realized he was now at an observatory near the Royal Capital.
“And so what should we do now? Do you really plan to go for a hot spring trip? Is it okay for the Hero-sama to go on a hot spring trip?”
“No, Hag. Now that I have lost to the Demon Lord, I will no longer call myself a Hero. Yeah.”
Alessio said as he looked down on the Royal Capital illuminated by the rising sun.
“I’ll become Jobless for a while and try living a carefree life. That way, the world might begin to look a little different.”
Hag smiled slightly after hearing that.
“The Hero becomes Jobless huh? Is the world that peaceful now?”