Hero
Hero
The restaurant Siegfried led us to was obviously a high-class establishment. So high-class, in fact, that even Ragnis froze up the moment she heard the name.
Which meant it was a restaurant famous enough to be recognized by name in this medieval fantasy world. Incredible.
From what I gathered, unlike the kingdom and neighboring countries, the Empire's infrastructure and overall industrial structure were exceptionally advanced, making promotion and reviews through magazines and pamphlets an everyday thing.
And as I'd followed the guy this far, the streets of the Empire were not just more sophisticated than the kingdom's, some parts even gave off a modern vibe.
Even the kingdom's capital didn't come close to this level. It made me genuinely curious what they'd done to create such a cultural gap.
"Eat your fill! Anyway, within the Empire, just dropping my name is enough for the Imperial Household to cover the bill."
"Just looking at the menu names, I have absolutely no clue what any of it is."
"Yeah? Then I'll order the chef's recommendation. The head chef here is no joke when it comes to cooking skill. Whatever comes out, you'll enjoy it."
Unlike Ragnis, who was quite flustered and wary—Siegfried's responses were so utterly contrary to his first impression that you'd suspect bipolar disorder or a split personality in a normal 18-year-old—I just nodded and gulped down the fruit juice I was trying for the first time in this other world.
Mm! Apple flavor!
"Um, Mr. Ega? May I ask you one thing?"
I clearly remembered her glaring at me with an incredibly haughty attitude when we first met, but for some reason, the elf who'd become extremely deferential spoke to me first.
"Sure. Well. If it's something I can answer."
"Is that, um, earring... something you purchased...?"
Very cautiously, she asked about the earring I always wore. Asilie had made it as a talisman with its own meaning, so seeing her ask if I bought it, it probably wasn't a custom all elves knew. A tribal tradition, maybe?
"No. I received this from an acquaintance. It's pretty, isn't it?"
"Eek! Yes! Um! Very! You can practically feel the touch of the maker! The way it shines platinum is so beautiful!"
Did she just go 'eek'? She didn't strike me as the type to be this scared just because I'd beaten the Hero in a sparring match. Maybe the reason she'd seemed so on edge at first was simply severe shyness around strangers.
Anyway, having Asilie's earring praised like this felt damn good!
"Haha. I was told it was processed with magic. Would you like to take a loo—"
"Hyaaak! No! It's fine! I wouldn't dare, I, hyak! I mean that's not it! If it was made with such care, it was surely crafted while praying for Eldmia Ega's safety, so I feel it's somewhat inappropriate for me to touch it!"
What the hell.
Everyone, without exception, froze at that rapid-fire outburst. The praise had definitely seemed sincere, but maybe she had mysophobia or something on top of the shyness.
But judging by the continuous looks of shock from Siegfried and even the other two women... I had no clue why. In any case, since she seemed so put off by it, I stopped trying to remove the earring and just drank my beverage. Only then did the elf let out a sigh of relief and pull her deeply recoiled body back to normal.
"Well, if you think of it that way, then alright."
"Th-thank you."
Seriously. What exactly are you thanking me for, I have no idea.
Deliberately ignoring the whispering between Eselua and the nun, who were huddled close to the yet-unnamed elf, Siegfried shifted the subject with a hollow laugh.
"Well, anyway. Eldmia. What do you think a Hero is?"
"You just ask that out of the blue?"
The students had unanimously answered that Hero Siegfried's academy relationships were obliterated because of his thorough arrogance. Though the specific triggers differed between men and women.
The men were usually angered by his existence, which negated everything they had trained for. Most of the women were the same, but a fair number were furious at Siegfried for not giving them the time of day.
As if to say, 'Hero or not, what makes you so high and mighty that you distinguish those three women from me and ignore me?'
Arrogant, drunk on what he'd been given as a Hero, looking down on everyone. And the three women simply clinging to him, selling their bodies for whatever scraps might fall. The extreme rumors had even reached that point.
Obviously, those were absurd rumors. The trust they'd established among themselves wasn't some superficial relationship, even I could see that. Not only did they not distrust each other at all, they actively trusted each other. The worried looks the two gave the elf, who'd been causing a scene right in front of us, were proof enough of that.
Above all, even during our first encounter, Siegfried had accepted Eselua's criticism, and he'd done the same at the cafe. That alone proves the bastard isn't completely arrogant. He knows basic consideration and can take advice from others; it's just that the people he applies it to are limited.
And those three women had clearly met some specific criteria, just as he was now showing interest and goodwill toward me, making them part of that limited circle.
"Hmm. An anti-Demon King superweapon?"
"Ha! See, I like you because your way of thinking is different from other bastards from the get-go. I dunno about anything else, but you think like me."
Even though I'd referred to him, the Hero, as a weapon instead of a person, Siegfried grinned.
"So, how do you think someone feels, a person who was human until yesterday, and then suddenly stopped being treated like one?"
"Pretty fuckin' shitty, right?"
When I answered instantly without a second's hesitation, Siegfried laughed brightly again and nodded. This little shit. He laughed a lot more than I'd thought.
"Correct! Alchemist!"
"...I'm not an alchemist."
"It's a thing, you little shit! Anyway, the point is it's correct. That's how I feel! And fuck, every bastard in every corner of the whole damn town looks up to me like I'm something special."
The savior of humanity. The one who will slay the Demon King. God's agent. The Empire's shining light.
He got the oracle four years ago, wasn't it? For an ordinary 14 or 15-year-old boy, it would have been a heart-swelling honor, making him feel like the world revolved around him, already feeling like a hero.
But that bastard was a Reincarnator, like me. Putting aside whether he'd wasted all those extra years, was still immature, or simply didn't think things through, it meant his mental age was at least older than 14.
"You grab a person living their life just fine and suddenly spout shit like, 'Please save our tribe, O Hero. We'll grant you power befitting the title. But since handing it over for free feels a bit off, we'll ruin the life you've lived up to now.' Even if you dump them in some random place, is there any chance they'll go, 'Ah, I see. Understood,' and follow that request?"
"No way. If it were me, I'd start by tearing the mouth that spewed that crap apart."
Of course, in this life, I was unjustly killed and given another chance at life, so I had no complaints whatsoever. On the contrary, though I can't pinpoint exactly who it was, I'm living a life of gratitude and faith.
But seeing Siegfried's reaction now, it was clear he ended up here in a completely different way than I did.
"This is it! This is what a statement made with proper common sense sounds like! Rua, I can't help it. It's been a while, let me drink."
"Good grief. Do you like him that much? Just a while ago you were talking about killing the insolent brat..."
"Hey, people can have misunderstandings on first meetings and all that."
So we do think alike. But the fault was still his, right? Yep, he's definitely a guy lacking in manners.
Keeping an eye on Siegfried as he called a waiter over to order something extra, Ragnis—who still hadn't recovered from his relentless hyper energy—edged closer to me and quietly asked.
"What the hell, what's he talking about? I feel like I'm hearing the Hero say he doesn't want to do Hero work?"
"It's a bit more nuanced than that, but that's roughly it."
"Th-this isn't gonna get us tangled up weirdly, right?"
"You probably don't need to worry about that. More importantly, Siegfried only seems interested in talking to me, so you chat with the women and find out what you can."
"This and that?"
"Their relationships, why they stick together. Various things."
Actually, I already had a hunch based on the reaction just now.
Not harboring a one-sided fantasy about the existence called a Hero. Not considering being a Hero a privilege.
I figured it was roughly that kind of mindset that allowed them to get close to Siegfried.
The guy is human too. No matter how great his abilities are or how talented he is, once you're dropped into a world you know nothing about, the loneliness and sense of isolation that comes with it are beyond imagination.
Even I felt it, and I had family when I was young.
On top of that, becoming the Hero made it even harder to have normal, ordinary human relationships. Maybe it would be different if he'd been born that way from the start, but just as my previous life was normal, his must have been too.
Most people who approach him only praise him, try to use him, or show awe and envy. Who would dare simply try to be friends with the Hero, hand-picked by a god?
To everyone else, he wasn't Siegfried the person anymore. He was Siegfried the Hero.
Needless to say, it's a situation far more serious than people just approaching you for money.
At least the world is full of rich people with money, right? They're just not me.
There might have been a Reincarnated Hero in a previous generation, but at least right now, Siegfried was the only one.
"You drink well?"
"I hold my own."
"Heh heh. Very good. Now this is living."
Once my thoughts reached that point, I began to understand a little why the bastard acted that way.
He had zero intention of faithfully following the words of some unknowable god or goddess who'd wrecked his life and dumped him in another world.
But in a situation where he didn't know how to return anyway, he couldn't just stand by and watch the world he had to live in go to ruin, nor could he help feeling sorry for the people. And since he really did have power, he couldn't bring himself to be a completely rotten human, making it hard to ignore them.
So he helps. He exterminates monsters and subjugates bandits. Eventually, when the situation arises, he'll take out the Demon King too.
But he obstructs and acts hostile toward any approach or action that tries to use him.
If he never met people who understood his inner thoughts, he'd inevitably be isolated, but that probably wouldn't have been a problem for him originally.
Because in this world, wherever he was, he would have been alone anyway.
Even so, he wasn't such a dumbass as to preemptively shoo away even those who approached with no ulterior motives, muttering 'I'm all aloooone.' That's why he stuck with those three. And when he met someone like me, who didn't particularly see him as special and he could actually communicate with, he'd act this happy.
"What? What are you thinking about so deeply?"
"I was contemplating whether I know of any expensive booze worth extorting from the Hero."
"Hey, asshole. No matter how hard you think, it won't amount to even half the price of the booze coming out."
The sight of him grinning confidently, baring his teeth, started to look just a little bit less punchable.