Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: I'm Quitting the Hero Party
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There was a party formed to sever the Demon King's neck.
It was a party that had garnered the expectations of the entire nation.
A human born in the abandoned city, Hero Kyle.
The World Tree elf, Divine Archer Remia.
The priestess blessed by the gods, Saintess Sara.
And then.
Me, Raniel, the Next Mage Tower Lord of the Ashen Mage Tower.
Our party of four was quite famous like this. We'd made a name for ourselves across the continent, repelled the Demon King's army several times, and even achieved the feat of taking down one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
Of course, I don't think it was all thanks to me.
But at the very least, a quarter of it... no, honestly speaking, I figured half of it was my share. That's how much I'd poured into this party—everything I had.
My future.
The power I'd gain.
And even my lifespan.
Was that why?
"You're not a good fit for us."
"...What?"
"Raniel. I think the path you're pursuing is fundamentally different from ours."
I couldn't comprehend the bullshit that the oh-so-great Hero Kyle was spouting at me right now. What the hell was he going on about?
'What the fuck is this asshole saying?'
I tilted my head. I mulled over the words Kyle had spat out, chewing on them several times. The more I did, the more my head cocked to the side.
"What kind of nonsense is this? Kyle, have you lost your mind?"
"See? I don't like that vulgar mouth of yours from the start. Right, Kyle?"
I glared at Sara, who was clinging to Kyle's right arm and chiming in. Sara flinched but quickly hid behind Kyle's back and muttered.
"To begin with, you know it too, don't you? Every time you step up, things end up a total mess."
"If it just ended messy, that'd be lucky. It ends up shitty. And then there's the cleanup afterward... Honestly, it's disgusting. You cause the accidents, so why do we all have to clean up?"
This time, Remia, stuck to Kyle's left arm, grumbled.
Those two orbiting Kyle like that wasn't anything new—it'd been going on for days. Normally, I'd ignore it, but... I couldn't brush off the words echoing in my ears this time. I furrowed my brow.
"What? Cleanup?"
It was so absurd I had to laugh.
What the fuck have you ever cleaned up? I'd been the one handling all the messes you bitches caused.
"Hey, who was it that stopped the village from getting razed when you idiots fucked with the dragon's grave and pissed off the ancient dragon? Who covered for you when you charged straight into the Demon King's castle and nearly got yourselves killed? And who held the line alone to buy time when we took down that Four Heavenly King's head?"
"...That was."
Sara and Remia fell silent.
I couldn't stay silent. I still had plenty to say. I whipped my head around to stare at Kyle. He was looking at me with those same eyes as always. And that just pissed me off even more.
"Hey, fuck, Kyle. You can't do this to me. Who was it standing watch alone every night while you were fucking those bitches?"
"...Vulgar bastard."
"The vulgar one is you, fucker— the asshole who steps up saying let's take down the Demon King, then spends every night banging two women. Fuck, I'm so dumbfounded I can't even speak."
I smacked my forehead.
"We were gonna take down the Demon King. Build achievements recognized by the whole world. You said you'd walk any dirty, shitty path for that. You're the one who dragged me out of the Mage Tower, Kyle."
My voice trembled.
"You knew I gave up everything from the Ashen Mage Tower—the kingdom's greatest Mage Tower, the Next Mage Tower Lord position, the golden future any mage would drool over—just believing in that one thing: taking down the Demon King. And now you're pulling this shit on me?"
I'd abandoned that position to follow Kyle. All because I believed the words he'd whispered to me. And now, what? Our paths are different? What the hell? Blood rushed to my head.
"And yet you do this to me?"
"...That's exactly what I don't like about you, Raniel."
"What?"
"You always sing about achievements, results, efficiency. Taking down the Demon King is for peace. To prove justice. But you see it as nothing more than an achievement—nothing higher, nothing lower."
Kyle said.
"That rubs me the wrong way. It doesn't feel honorable."
Doesn't feel honorable, huh.
Laughter leaked out.
Look at this asshole's smug face.
"You think you're in any position to talk about honor?"
I irritably swept back my hair.
"You cowardly fuck who abandoned your comrades and bolted in front of the Demon King— you gonna lecture me on honor?"
"......"
"What?! Raniel, what do you mean by...!"
"There's things you say and things you don't, you vulgar human."
"You're the ones saying shit you shouldn't right now. Who dragged your fainted asses out when that cowardly fuck ran away? Who burned half their lifespan to bind the Demon King's feet?"
Kyle stayed quiet, but Sara and Remia looked ready to kill me on the spot. Watching them made laughter bubble up. It was ridiculous. This whole situation felt utterly laughable to me.
Why the hell did I save these assholes?
Why did I grind away my lifespan for trash like this?
"That's not what I...!"
"Sara, don't bother. No need to talk with a vulgar human like that. Anyway, from the start with a guy like him..."
It was noisy.
I plugged my ears and closed my eyes. Everything felt pointless. The people I'd thought were comrades now just looked like snarling wild beasts.
"Only cares about achievements..."
Years of patience. And this was the end of it. Realizing it was truly over, I opened my eyes.
"Achievements, yeah. I'm a shallow bastard who only cares about achievements. But that doesn't make you pure and righteous, Kyle, Sara, Remia."
I pointed behind them.
There, scattered around, were luxuries far too opulent and extravagant for a Hero Party that should be rushing to slay the Demon King as soon as possible.
"The stuff you've been taking from villages without paying proper price as the 'Hero Party.' The things borrowed from merchants praying for the Demon King to die soon so trade routes to the continent open up."
Pointing at them.
"You planning to return any of that?"
I said.
"Do you even intend to take down the Demon King in the first place?"
A sneer curled my lips.
"You have no intention of taking down the Demon King."
They didn't answer my words.
Their silence was affirmation.
"You might have at first. But not anymore. You're just leeching off the steady support funds for the Hero Party and flexing wherever you go. But what? Justice? You hate me, the one obsessed with achievements?"
"Let's be honest here."
"You just can't stand seeing me still pushing to take down the Demon King."
I was exhausted now.
When we first set out on our adventure, I believed in the potential they showed. I trusted them. That's why, no matter how pathetic they acted, I endured. I thought they were worth it.
Years of trust.
Years of waiting.
And finally, today.
After years, they answered my trust. In the worst way possible. Trust trampled, and all I got was branded a shallow materialist.
"...Ha."
I was sick of it all.
When years of trust were repaid with betrayal, the emotion I felt was contempt.
"You pathetic fucks."
I shoved Kyle's shoulder and walked to the pile of luggage. Among the mountain of luxuries, mine was the only one. The old wooden staff my master had given me when I left the Mage Tower. I gripped it and stood.
The moment I turned to leave.
"......"
I locked eyes with Kyle, who was staring at me silently. Looking at him, I slowly opened my mouth.
"Hey, Kyle."
I'd long since lost all affection for bitches like Sara and Remia. But Kyle was different. I'd thought this guy was different.
"At the very least."
"At the very least, you shouldn't have done this to me."
Thud.
"What."
I tapped Kyle's shoulder once.
"Live well without me, you damn bastard."