When thirty of your friends cried and begged you not to retire, even a Hero like Crail changed his mind.
Shion and Haku, who were watching the scene, smiled.
“I guess it’s all settled now. Good job, Haku”
‘Shion, you’re the one who’s tired, aren’t you? You defeated almost all the demons by yourself’
“I’m a little tired, as expected. Let’s go home and get a good night’s sleep”
Since <Black Armor> and producing <Dark Wings> always consumes magic power, Shion was feeling sleepy from fatigue.
It was just before dawn when we arrived at Rotra. Shion and the others decide to split up with Crail and the others at the entrance.
“Thank you for your help this time, Shion-san. Your work was so being furiously vigorous that it made me want to quit being a Hero”
“You’re exaggerating again”
“I’m not sure if I’m exaggerating. I actually have a suspicion that Shion-san may be…”
So, Crail moved his face closer and asked a question that only Shion could hear.
The question is, are you not the Hero Axe?
Shion’s face twitch a bit, but he managed to keep his composure and not show it on his face.
“As if”
“I see. People have various circumstances after all. So, I’ll leave it at that”
With a firm handshake, Shion parted ways with Crail.\nThe next afternoon, a messenger came from the castle and summoned Shion and the others.
In the throne room, the stewards and maids serving the castle were lined up in a row on either side. As soon as they saw Shion and the others, they all smiled and clapped in unison. It was obvious that they had been ordered to do so.
“Thank you for coming, o brave Heroes!”
From the king’s good mood, they could tell that Crail and the chief soldier had reported everything to him. Shion and Aria were about to make their salute.
“You don’t have to do that! You don’t have to be polite today”
Shion stood up when the king said that, but Aria whispered a warning to him.
“In another country, there was a man who was executed for not speaking respectfully to the king”
“I’ve heard similar stories, too. I’ll be careful”
“Yeah, that’s half the story”
Even though they were young, they were two people who had traveled for years as Hero there, so he eased himself up while keep being respectful.
Eighty percent of the king’s talk was praise for Shion and the others, and the rest was that the beastmen who had been turned back from being an Ogre were safe and that he was glad that the city was at peace.
“What do each of you want? Money or goods, feel free to speak up”
The one who opened her mouth first was Aria. Shion was surprised to see that this was unusual for a woman who did not show much greed.
“I was just a supporter on the recent events. So, I would be grateful if my share of rewards be given to Shion here”
“Are you sure about that, Aria?”
“It’s okay. I didn’t do much work this time after all”
Aria winked and took a step back. If it wasn’t for the <Holy Fresh Water>, the magic wouldn’t have been lifted, and Shion thought that Aria had definitely done an important job.
But this time, he decided to take her word in and just accept it.
“Well then, I won’t hold back. Can I have more beef, chicken, pork, or wild boar?”
“Hou, you want meat then”
\nAnd this is how they parted with them. Shion muttered to himself as he watched the couple leave in close proximity to each other.
“Your wife, she wasn’t a beastman, was she?”
Even in countries where there is little discrimination against beasts, human-beast couples are surprisingly rare.
‘If it hadn’t been for Shion-san’s scream, that wife would probably be in grief right now’
“Yes, I’m sure of it. Nice Shion”
‘…… I often think by myself, that Shion is a Hero. I think that’s the kind of person he is, ring or no ring’
“Stop it. …… What’re you doing, suddenly?”
When Haku praised him too much, Shion scratched his cheek with his finger and felt embarrassed.
‘Nothing… I was just getting a little bit sentimental in my old age. Three hundred and something years old, was it?’
“Even if you ask me――!”
Aria exclaimed, and Haku chuckled.
Then, staring at the sky in the distance, Haku mentions again that Shion is a Hero.
‘A person who gives courage to others. Surely that is a Hero. Therefore, Shion is definitely a Hero. …… He also gives me meat’
“If not for that last part, I would have been impressed!”
This time, when Shion retorted him, Haku laughed again and started running lightly.
‘Since you’re Shion-san anyway, you’ll be leaving tomorrow after you get the meat, right? Then let’s enjoy Rotra for the rest of the day!’
“Can we at least walk!?”
‘I don’t want to! Come on, come on, catch me!’
Inspired by Haku’s joyful frolicking, Shion and Aria also waved and started running.