Counter Stop – Chapter 108

Kingdom of Mizkal, Residential Area on the Ballad Continent

When I woke up, it was already past noon. Even after regaining consciousness, I had no desire to leave my bed. Should I try to sleep a little longer? I know it’s pathetic, especially at this hour, but what can I do? Who would work when they can live off the inheritance left by their parents?

I spent more than half of the last two days just sleeping. Whenever I got hungry, I would step outside and grab a quick meal. The owner of my usual spot, not to mention the other customers, would point fingers at me, but I didn’t care. If I have to work to survive, it’s their fault.

My parents were exceptional, which is why I can still live so leisurely. That’s all there is to it. Who decided that a man of my age had to work? My life is mine to live.

If I had to say, the only inconvenience is my lack of female companionship, but it’s not a problem. If I really wanted to, I could pay for it, but talking to people is a hassle, and more than anything, I want to stay home as much as possible. If I spent my money on that and ended up unable to live, it would defeat the purpose.

Besides, I haven’t exercised much lately, so I get tired just from a little running. In other words, I feel sluggish.

“Ugh, I’m so tired… Well, I guess I’ll go grab something to eat.”

Last night was quite noisy. It seemed like there was some kind of festival going on, with people outside making a ruckus. I even heard screams and what sounded like a beast’s roar. It felt serious, but I had no intention of joining in. I was too tired for that.

I threw on some clothes scattered around and yawned as I stepped outside.

“What’s going on? Is everyone closed today?”

Outside my house, there were plenty of people, with houses and stalls lining the streets. As I walked, I bumped shoulders with some adventurer types coming my way, almost getting into a scuffle. Seriously, those adventurers are the worst. They’re a bunch of lowlifes living day to day, yet they act all tough. I couldn’t help but think that it would be nice if they all just died as I walked through this town.

But there was no one around.

“Oh, there’s someone. Hey!”

In the middle of the road lay a man sprawled out. A pathetic sight for a grown man in broad daylight. I thought I wasn’t so bad off until I got closer and saw that it was a bloodied corpse.

“W-What?! Why?!”

His eyes were wide open, and his insides were splattered everywhere as if he had been torn apart. How did I not notice this from a distance?

No way, my legs won’t hold. Is this what it means to be paralyzed with fear? This is no joke. What the hell is this? And looking closer, I could see more bodies scattered in the distance. One over there, and another over there.

“What happened…? Is there anyone else alive?”

――――Thud

The ground shook. I thought it was an earthquake, but even a recluse like me could tell something was approaching. An elephant was stomping through, crushing houses beneath its feet. Just swinging its trunk was enough to send roofs flying. This is bad. What the hell is that?

Calm down, me. This is the Kingdom of Mizkal, supposedly the safest country on the Ballad Continent. My guardians had proudly explained it to me, but I couldn’t help but think, why don’t they kick out those shady adventurers? But I kept that thought to myself.

Anyway, that elephant in a place that was supposed to be a safe zone? It’s clearly a monster. Goodbye.

“It noticed me! Yikes!”

The elephant charged at me, destroying buildings in its path. I had barely started running, and already my side was hurting. There was no way a recluse like me could escape from something like that.

【Great King Elephant has appeared! HP 4050】

Up close, it had a truly vicious look. Just that was enough to make me wet myself a little. Was that pile of corpses its doing?

But the first corpse I found was clearly torn apart by something. This beast didn’t seem to have the means to do that. So, there must be something else lurking around. Oh no, I’m dead.

【Great King Elephant’s attack! Aleid took 811 damage!
Aleid has fallen! HP 0/12】

Its trunk slammed into my body. My bones shattered, and my insides were crushed. It was just a moment, but I understood that I could no longer sustain life.

Is this it? What was my life even for? I still had things I wanted to do.

“Lord Pansard, everything is taken care of now.”
“Good work, Karma.”
“Hehe, as the Beast Tamer Karma, I’ll do anything for you, Lord Pansard. Hehe.”
“Don’t come any closer. I’ll kill you.”

In my fading consciousness, I saw two men: a tall one and another dressed in a bizarre outfit. The tall one with a hat was probably the main culprit, but the other guy’s thick leg hair was so distracting it made everything else blur. My awareness was fading.

“With this, the conquest of the Ballad Continent is complete. From today, this will be our country. I shall name it the Garden of Beasts.”
“Sounds lovely, the Garden of Beasts. From today, this will be my and Lord Pansard’s garden. Hehehe.”
“Open your mouth again, and consider your life forfeit.”

What is this? I didn’t care who they were or why they were doing this. Someone help me. It hurts, it’s painful. I don’t want to die yet. I still don’t want to die.

“…Hero, awaken.”

――What did you say?

“The only ones who can defeat the Demon Lord are those who inherit the blood of heroes. Stand up once more.”
“W-Who are you… I should be dead…”

This isn’t the Kingdom of Mizkal. All around me was a pure white space. In that space, my body floated. No, I didn’t have a body. It felt like only my consciousness was drifting. I couldn’t feel anything even when I tried to move my arms and legs.

“I shall lend you my power. When you awaken again, you will become the legendary hero who cannot be defeated.”
“I don’t understand… So, who are you?”

The white space burst, and light assaulted my eyes. My consciousness began to fade again.

I have no idea what’s going on, but am I really going to die this time? I at least wanted to hold a girl. I would have preferred someone in their mid-teens.

I remember the time I was wandering around the town, staring at cute girls, only to find myself on a wanted poster for suspicious characters. No, I was treated as suspicious even when I was just walking around.

I’m thirty now, and a normal person would probably have a cute wife and a couple of kids, building a happy family by this age. But that’s impossible for me; I’m ugly and unemployed. I’d prefer someone in their mid-teens, preferably younger. I’m such a loser. What kind of world has a girl in her early teens interested in a thirty-year-old man? I should just die. I will die.

“First, aim for Avangarde Castle. There lies the sword you must possess.”

The Kingdom of Avangarde. I think the one who won the Combat Tournament was a girl. I don’t have much knowledge, but for some reason, I had picked up that information.

But it doesn’t matter anymore.

Because I’m dead――――

Avangarde Castle, King’s Chamber

“And so, after many twists and turns, we arrive at the present.”

The man who introduced himself as Hero Aleid appeared dramatically, having defeated the monsters in an instant. Beside him was a girl who looked to be around our age, clinging to his arm with flushed cheeks. She had long pink hair adorned with a large ribbon, chestnut-colored eyes, and a skirt that barely reached her thighs. The ribbon swayed with every movement.

I thought that if she fought in that, it would be embarrassing since it would show everything. I still don’t understand the purpose of skirts.

“Um, Prime Minister, I don’t understand anything from what you just said…”
“I don’t either.”
“Eh, really…?”

Roel raised her hand timidly to ask a question, but even Belmund seemed confused. Genia, who had come to negotiate as the representative of Metallica, was also deep in thought, which was rare for her.

“When I first came to this castle claiming to be a hero, I was turned away at the gates. The strength I possess is such that even the combined forces of my country’s soldiers couldn’t stop me… I thought if he were a fake, he wouldn’t be able to draw the sword, so I let him try, and here we are.”
“It fits perfectly in my hand. This is what it feels like to be a hero.”
“Lord Aleid, you’re so cool…”

The girl gazed at him with dreamy eyes, as if she were in a trance. I wondered if she was with Aleid because he was the hero. Or perhaps…

“According to our initial objective, a person capable of drawing the Hero’s Sword has appeared, but I thought it best to keep it under wraps for a while longer. I had asked Lord Aleid to stay in the castle for a time, but…”
“If those beasts from the Garden are coming, I won’t sit idly by. They killed me, after all. First, I’ll crush them. And you, Lizard Prime Minister, if you want to control me, prepare something worthy first.”
“L-Lizard?!”
Aleid casually voiced what everyone was thinking. Watching him speak so normally, without a care for the King or the Prime Minister, made me question the worth of my recent efforts to learn polite speech.

“What do you mean by ‘something appropriate’?”
“Well, for instance, let me embrace those girls over there. That little one too.”
“…Huh?”

Aleid compared us to Platiu. In that moment, a chill ran down my spine, and I knew I wasn’t the only one. Roel looked at Aleid as if he were something filthy. I certainly didn’t want to be hugged by that old man, and what was with his sudden outburst? Honestly, I really disliked men like him. Compared to him, Gantetsu and Seigel seemed like respectable adults. Even Ord started to look decent in comparison.

“Genia, that guy’s creepy.”
“I agree. He’s what you’d call a pedophile. He’s among the lowest of humans, so we should keep our distance.”
“Okay.”

I felt like Genia was saying something profound, but it seemed Aleid couldn’t hear her. He continued to pet the girl snuggling up to him.

“However, Lady Rua and Lady Roel are Adventurers, so…”
“Ah, if that’s the case, then I’m done with slaying the Demon Lord! I’ll just do whatever I want!”
“That’s not fair!”
“Then, will you do as I say?”
“I don’t have the authority to do that…”
“I’ll take it without permission.”

As Aleid reached out for Platiu, Genia stepped in front of him. She was tall, and at that moment, it looked like she was overpowering Aleid.

“Don’t touch her with your filthy hands! Ugh!”
“Playing the guardian, are you? Get out of my way.”

Genia was knocked to the floor with a body blow, bending over in pain. She’s smart and creates amazing things, but she really isn’t cut out for fighting. I couldn’t just stand by and watch. I had to stop Aleid, who was trying to forcibly take Platiu away.

“Let go! That’s disgusting!”
“I’m the Hero who will save the world, you know? I need to gather my strength… Huh?”
“Let go of me!”
“…!”

I tightened my grip on Platiu’s wrist. This was strange; a normal person would be in pain and let go by now. Even though I managed to pull her away, Aleid showed no signs of pain, only a grimace of discomfort.

“Ouch! Let go! Hey, King and Prime Minister, throw this girl in a dungeon! This is disrespect towards the Hero!”
“Aleid, no matter how much of a Hero you are, such barbarism cannot be overlooked.”
“Hmm, so the King doesn’t have to defeat the Demon Lord, then?”

“Did you say Aleid? You better stop right there, or you’ll really regret it. Ouch…”

Holding her stomach, Genia finally stood up and gave me a knowing glance. The gesture of pointing her thumb at Aleid seemed to say, “Don’t hold back.” Is it really okay? No, who cares about the Hero?

“I-it hurts! W-what is this guy? Such incredible strength… Ouch!”
“I don’t care how great you think you are as a Hero, but if you keep acting like this, I’ll break you!”
“Okay, okay! Just stop! It hurts!”
“What are you doing? Stop it! Aleid is in pain!”

The girl with pink hair, her ribbon fluttering, was trying to pull me away from Aleid. She may be weak, but her concern for Aleid seemed genuine. Of course, I had no intention of actually breaking him, so I let go.

“Why are you with someone like him?”
“What do you mean ‘someone like him’? You don’t know anything about Aleid! He saved me when I was attacked by monsters! I’m so grateful to him for picking me up when I had hardly any money!”

I understood being grateful for being saved, but did that really justify being so infatuated? Given Aleid’s current behavior, I couldn’t help but suspect he only helped her because she was a girl.

“Ouch… This is ridiculous! I’m the strongest Hero! Why am I losing to you?!”

Frustrated, Aleid kicked the floor, leaving a crack in it. As expected of a Hero, his physical abilities were extraordinary. I wondered if he was even stronger than Tiferia.

“Aleid, we have a lavish lunch prepared, so please, for today…”
“Hmph, I’ll accept that for now. Let’s go, Roin!”
“Yes!”

“Yikes!”

As he shoved Roel aside and left the King’s Chamber, I felt an overwhelming urge to shoot him with Sonic Ripper from behind. No, he was the worst. Just because he was a Hero, he thought he could do whatever he wanted, and that Roin kid was definitely being deceived. More than that, I couldn’t understand why the King and Belmund were so unusually passive despite Aleid’s antics. Why were they bowing to such a guy?

“…I apologize. He may act like a brute, but he wields the Hero’s Sword. He is essential for defeating the Demon Lord.”
“Your Majesty, I oppose this. To welcome such a person as a Hero… We have many capable individuals here, starting with Rua and Roel. We can defeat the Demon Lord without his help.”
“That won’t do, Kirkton. Your Majesty, may I speak on this matter?”
“You have my permission.”
“Then…”

Belmund cleared his throat and straightened his back. Mugen had told me before that I couldn’t defeat the Demon Lord. I still didn’t accept it, but perhaps it was related to this. I truly had no idea how strong the Demon Lord was; he might be stronger than me. However, if he was just a strong opponent, I had fought many over the past ten years. If he was stronger than Vandalsia or Lord Daigami, I would just have to surpass them. That was all.

“The Demon Lord can only be defeated with the Hero’s Sword, right?”
“…!”

Before Belmund could speak, Genia smiled and answered first. Why did she know this? Belmund’s voice trembled as he spoke.

“Thirty years ago, during the Demon Lord’s army invasion, the battle was fierce. Arrows fell, and flames raged, but the Demon Lord was immortal. Yet, a single boy managed to defeat that immortal Demon Lord. He was the first to inflict a wound on the Demon Lord’s body, which had withstood even the finest blades. Belmund, you are comparing the Demon Lord from thirty years ago to the current one, aren’t you? If the modern Demon Lord can only be defeated with the Hero’s Sword… then no matter the army, it would be meaningless. It would be a futile death. It’s only natural to rely on him, isn’t it? Hehehe.”
“B-Belmund, how far has Metallica gone…?”
“How far, you ask? It sounds like you’re trying to confirm whether we’ve stepped into a realm you don’t want known.”
“That’s not the case. I’m merely speaking as a friendly nation…”
“There is no alliance between the Kingdom of Avangarde and our nation. This time, we are only allowing it because of Rua and her friends. Metallica remains solitary; that hasn’t changed.”
“What a pity… With such power, you could easily crush the Demon Lord’s army.”
“You’re overestimating us.”

Belmund was being toyed with. Genia laughed joyfully as she manipulated him. In a way, it was a rare sight. Still, Genia seemed to know things she hadn’t shared with us. Belmund’s flustered demeanor was also concerning; it felt like he was hiding something.

“Belmund, I would like to explain the distribution of our forces moving forward.”
“Yes, understood.”

◆ Avangarde Castle Town, Hotel Maison ◆

“Ahh, I’m so tired.”
“Seriously, I was shocked to see a Hero appear.”
“Ugh! I can’t accept this. Why could I not even touch him while he can wield that sword?”
“Well, it’s because he’s a Hero…”
“What does being a Hero even mean? Are they really that great?”
“…Come to think of it, what is a Hero?”

Hero. Is that a class name? It feels so trivial, and I don’t want to think about that guy at all. More importantly, I was annoyed that he had pushed Roel aside.

“If he tries to take Roel away, I’ll protect her.”
“W-What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
“I won’t let someone like him take Roel!”

Feeling a surge of determination, I jumped onto Roel’s bed and instinctively hugged her. Roel let out a short, startled squeak. I didn’t even know why I did that, but I felt anxious that she might be taken away by him.

“…It’s okay. I’ll always be with Rua-chan. And if Rua-chan is protecting me, I’m not scared of anything! Here I go!”

Roel tumbled over with me. A wave of drowsiness hit me, and my eyelids began to droop.

“Shall we just sleep like this tonight?”
“Eh, but what about the bath…?”
“Just this once, okay?”
“What do you mean by ‘like this’?”
“Like this.”
Roel held onto me tightly, her breathing already deep in slumber before I could even close my eyes. It seemed I had no choice but to fall asleep like this. Well, I suppose it’s okay to indulge once in a while.

“Roel, we absolutely have to recover your memories. First, let’s aim for Dragon’s Valley.”
“Mmm…?”

I couldn’t tell if that was a response or just a sleepy murmur, but regardless, tomorrow we would set our sights on Dragon’s Valley. Roel had said her memories could wait, but deep down, I knew it must be painful for her too.

I wasn’t sure if going to Dragon’s Valley would actually restore her memories, but since those words came from Roel, there had to be something there.

“Dragon’s Valley… I wonder where it is. Speaking of dragons, that person…”

Lost in thought, I finally drifted off to sleep, holding Roel close in the same bed.

◆ Shin Report ◆

The Hero Shin’s Report
In reverse, the Hero of Shin, just kidding.

That beast was magnificently subdued, wasn’t it?
Well, it’s just that guy from the Pansard, so he probably didn’t think much of it anyway.
Whether Kato wins or loses, it’s surely of no concern to him.
That’s just the kind of guy he is.

Thanks to Metarika, the world’s defenses have been strengthened.
With this, the Demon Army should struggle more than ever before.
And then, the appearance of that hero.

Ugh, this is urgent! I must report this to the Demon Lord immediately!
I can’t believe that the hero has a child!
Even the avant-garde Demon Lord never anticipated this.
To think they were in the Waterfall Kingdom!
What is that Pansard guy doing?

Rua?
No, more than that brat, I need to focus on that hero.
I should return to the Demon Castle once.
I must report this to the Demon Lord.

Those two… aah, they’re cuddled up and sound asleep.
It really is that kind of relationship, huh? Ugh!

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