A Turbulent Political Climate
What did I do when I got home? I just slept like a log. With my current body, staying awake for a week straight was technically possible, but that didn't mean I was immune to fatigue or exhaustion. I hadn't fought much back there, but wandering around and using my divine magic had still taken a bit of a toll. Anyway, after a solid night's sleep, morning arrived. I slouched out into the living room, scratching my stomach, but my sister was nowhere to be seen.
"Is she still sleeping?"
Well, she was weaker than me, so it made sense that she'd be exhausted. What should I do about breakfast? Should I wait for her to wake up? For now, I turned on the TV.
"Hmm...?" The news was broadcasting yesterday's events. Finding it boring, I flipped the channel...
They never taught us this at the Academy... Then again, why would someone living in Korea need to know about foreign affairs? Unless I was planning to emigrate, it was utterly useless information. Anyway, according to the panelist's explanation, Hunters in those regions had banded together to stage a rebellion, even joining forces with the military to completely overthrow the existing governments. In countries where gangs already held significant power, control had practically been handed over to them...
Of course, that brought its own share of problems, but in the end, Hunters were the only ones who could protect the citizens from the Gates. For nations without any other viable industries, the Gate business was their sole lifeline, making the rise of Hunters unstoppable.
He ranted on, but honestly, I thought his remarks were both dangerous and utterly pointless. Even in the other world, where the threat of the Demon King and his army was constant and dire, there were always people who only cared about their own safety, deceiving and betraying others. A mere rant wasn't going to make those kinds of people disappear. Prioritizing one's own survival over others is simply human nature; there's no helping it. There is a reason why selflessness and altruism are hailed as noble and sublime virtues.
Tsk, tsk.
I had seen plenty of such people. I had beaten them down, reclaimed the goods they embezzled, and even extorted their wealth. To them, I might have been the villain.
"Ugh, this is just ruining my mood."
Thinking about my time in the other world made me irritable. I immediately changed the channel to shift my mood.
But the other channels were broadcasting similar content. Most news outlets were expressing fear of Hunters while blaming the government. It seemed to stem from the sheer, overwhelming power Hunters possessed. With rebellions already happening abroad, what if a similar crisis occurred here? They were especially wary of Hunters being enticed or swayed by the commies—namely, North Korea.
Would anyone actually fall for that? I wondered, but...
"Well, there were people who licked the Demon King's boots, after all..."
I couldn't be absolutely sure that such traitors wouldn't emerge. In any case, the fallout from this Gate incident was growing larger than expected. It didn't affect me much, but it was still annoying to watch.
My sister, who woke up late, made breakfast for me. We decided to skip going to the guild today and just rest. She said I deserved at least another day off after all the trouble I went through.
"They'll contact us if it's an absolute emergency."
She assured me that if either of us were needed, they would reach out, so we should just relax. I didn't have much to do, but... why not just take it easy? Since there was nothing to watch on TV, I went back to my room, planning to lie down and scroll through my phone.
But the internet was just as chaotic. Naturally, a lot of the buzz was about me. My face had been fully revealed through the recent news articles and broadcasts. Not some sneaky, candid shot, but high-quality, official footage...
Predictably, it sparked a massive wave of discussion. Now that people could see my face in much higher resolution than those blurry, stolen photos, the comments were flooded with compliments calling me an "angel" or expressing intense envy. Of course, there was also plenty of sexual harassment. Given my outfit, it seemed to have heavily stimulated the imaginations of certain men. Still, they were much tamer than before. Was it because word of the lawsuits had spread? They seemed to be exercising some self-restraint.
I let out a soft chuckle. Well, my body is spectacular, after all. Beautiful, lovely, and overflowing with pure, seductive charm... In the past, I was too busy to care, but now, I knew the sheer, bewitching power of this body better than anyone.
I cupped my voluptuous breasts with both hands and squeezed. They felt soft and supple, like fresh, elastic rice cakes.
"Hehehe..."
My sister was in the house, but... it wouldn't hurt to relieve a bit of tension. It had been a while. Today, I'd keep it light. No toys, just a very gentle, casual release of my desires. While the intense stimulation of toys was fun in its own right, my body had completely regenerated back to its pristine, virginal state, meaning using them would require some preparation. So, today, I'd just use my hands... Hehehe...
The counteroffensive of humanity after defeating the Demon King was a series of consecutive victories, but unfortunately, they could advance no further.
"To think we have to stop because we have no way to manage the reclaimed territories..."
From the initial invasion of the Demon King to the present, humanity's population had dwindled to a mere twenty or thirty percent of its original size. This figure included not just humans, but beastmen, demi-humans, elves, and dwarves as well. The toll on the civilized races had been that devastating. Had they failed to subjugate the Demon King, their extinction would have been guaranteed. That was how dire the situation had been. Yet, they had overturned those impossible odds. Through the desperate struggles of the Hero's party and the sacrifice of the Saintess, humanity had seized victory.
However, the population crisis could not be solved overnight. To think they couldn't maintain their momentum and push the demons back even further...
The leaders of humanity lamented this reality, but expanding their territory recklessly would only lead to internal collapse. Thus, they decided to stop at the absolute limit of what they could manage.
"What a shame."
While humanity worked to rebuild its population and settle internal affairs, the demons wouldn't just sit idly by. They were in chaos as well, but once the war ended and peace settled, they would undoubtedly use that time to regroup. That was why it was so regrettable.
"Even if we abandon the territory, we should have slaughtered more of them."
Yujin startled himself. Have I grown too accustomed to this life? He was speaking of taking lives without a single shred of hesitation. Even if demons weren't human, the old him would never have said such a thing, even as a joke. Yujin looked up at the sky with a bitter heart. Yet, he didn't particularly regret his words.
"Maybe I'm just copying the Saintess's way of speaking because I miss her..."
It was slightly embarrassing, but it was the truth. Yujin climbed down from the makeshift rampart and walked slowly around the area. Spotting a reasonably round stone, he picked it up.
"If I hadn't been summoned as the Hero, what would I be doing right now...?"
Back on Earth, Yujin had been a fresh, twenty-five-year-old youth. His profession was none other than a professional baseball player. He was neither a starter nor a reliable backup—just a minor leaguer—but a pro was still a pro. Of course, he hadn't even gotten a proper chance to pitch in the minors... After graduating high school, he hadn't gone straight to the pros but attended college instead. He had performed exceptionally well in the college league and was drafted, but the team suggested he get his military service out of the way first. So, he enlisted... and completed his service. Just as Yujin's life as a professional athlete was about to truly begin... he was summoned as the Hero.
It was a shocking turn of events, but he had accepted it relatively calmly. After all, anomalous phenomena had already begun occurring on Earth, so he figured it was something similar. Yujin slowly wound up and tossed the stone. Using his baseball pitcher's form... the stone flew a decent distance before dropping.
"Haha, I've lost my touch."
Spending over seven years—nearly eight—on the battlefield had drastically changed his body. He had kept himself in great shape as a baseball player, but his current physical capabilities far surpassed his past self. His balance was likely thrown off, not to mention he had probably forgotten his pitching form.
"Is there really nothing left for the Hero Yujin to do?"
Humanity could advance no further. In that case, the Hero Yujin's duty was essentially complete. Protecting humanity from the demons? That was important, but did the demons even have the strength to launch an attack right now? Highly unlikely.
"Is it time for me to go back...?"
He had stayed behind because he didn't want the Saintess's sacrifice to be in vain. But perhaps even that duty had reached its end.
"Hey, Yujin. What are you doing?"
"Just... feeling a bit lonely."
"Kahaha! If that's the case, you should've paid a visit to the succubi!"
"Balder..."
Sigh. Even now, if he went down to the town looking for a companion for the night, women would line up. But what would be the point? He had absolutely no desire for it.
"Balder, do you think the continent is finally at peace?"
"Hmm?"
"They say the war is over now."
"Is that what's troubling you?"
Balder was the great warrior of the Hero's party, so he would have plenty to do even after returning. But the Hero Yujin no longer had a purpose.
"Yeah. I'm wondering if this world still needs me."
"Hmm... That is a heavy thought."
Balder's expression turned serious as he looked up at the sky.
"Indeed, the war is likely over. The demons are stretched thin, so we'll probably have peace for a while. In that case, warriors like us might not be needed anymore."
So Balder had been harboring similar thoughts.
"But I will hold onto my weapon for as long as I live. This peace won't last forever, so I plan to raise disciples and wait. Eina will probably do the same."
...Yujin stared up at the sky. That future would be one without the Hero Yujin.
"Humanity can fight now, even without relying on you."
At Balder's words, the heavy burden on Yujin's shoulders seemed to lift.
"You don't have to carry this responsibility anymore."
"Really?"
"Ah! Yujin, it sounds like you're thinking of going home?" Eina approached from a distance.
"A little..."
"Fufu, so you're finally going back." Her expression carried a hint of loneliness.
"We are ready to let you go whenever you wish."
So he didn't need to feel burdened. He didn't need to feel responsible.
"In the first place, asking someone who didn't belong to this world to fight for us was a terrible imposition. The situation was just so dire that we had no choice. But now... now you should go back."
"Is it really okay for me to do that?"
"Everyone will agree."
So Eina felt the same way...
"I..." He still couldn't make up his mind.
"I'll travel around the continent a bit more before I decide."
Even if peace had returned, there might still be places that needed his strength. He wanted to travel through the newly reclaimed territories of humanity once more... to see if there was anywhere that still required the Hero's power. Only then would he make his decision. Was it a foolish choice? Perhaps. But that was simply the kind of man the Hero Yujin was.