Prologue: I Once Thought I Could Become a Hero
I once believed I could become a hero.
A little later, I told myself that even if I couldn’t be the hero, I could still be an outstanding ally. I poured everything I had into training for that goal. But it turned out my everything wasn’t nearly enough. Or maybe these bastards’ eyes had simply rotted in their sockets.
“What the hell, he really showed up. How clueless can one guy be?”
Edgar let out a short, mocking laugh the moment he saw me staggering back.
“Told you he’d come crawling back,” Saren cackled, the elf’s laughter sharp enough to cut.
“Tsk. I lost money because of your oblivious ass.” Asia stuck her lips out in a pout and refused to even glance my way.
That was when the situation finally sank in.
These people were my former comrades. The Hero Party.
Not long ago they had sent me off alone, claiming there was a mission only I could handle. After three brutal months—travel, the mission, the return—I had run the whole way back, terrified they might be in danger without me. And this was the welcome I received.
I wanted to smash everything to pieces. I wanted to cave their skulls in one by one.
But I had no strength left to do it.
“Jin… even you…?” I clung to one last thread of hope and turned to the party leader. Jin. The one who naturally held the role of hero.
“Glaiese. You’re really going to make me say it out loud.” His gaze was ice-cold. “You can’t keep up with us anymore. You’re nothing but dead weight now.”
Heat flooded my face. I could accept that I wasn’t good enough—maybe. I could stretch my generosity that far.
“But does that make it okay to throw me away like this?!” The rage I had been swallowing exploded from my chest.
“Shut up. Blame your own lack of sense. If you hadn’t come back, we wouldn’t have to deal with this unpleasantness.” He flicked his hand at me like he was chasing off a stray dog. “Now get lost. Quickly.”
The other three immediately copied him.
“Hurry up and disappear.”
“Safe travels. And don’t ever come back.”
“Bleh bleh bleh! Go away! Shoo!”
My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. My sword seemed to whisper, begging me to let it loose. But I couldn’t. Four against one was impossible, and Jin—hero or not—was simply stronger than me.
“Go drop dead somewhere!”
And just like that, I was alone.