Report and Bestowal
“I thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Your Majesty the King.”
“Do not mention it. I owe you a great debt. I can spare as much time as needed.”
“I am deeply grateful once again.”
In a chamber of the Royal Castle, I knelt and spoke, surrounded by the nobles who stood in a semicircle around the throne. This was the audience chamber, where matters concerning the nation, such as the awarding of medals and titles, could only be conducted with the King’s approval.
The moment I arrived at the castle, I was brought to this room without a moment to tidy myself, and I was compelled to begin my audience with the King. I recited the formal greeting that had been drilled into me… and then proceeded to report the purpose of my visit. However, since the details had already been sent in advance by the Duke, I simply conveyed the facts to the King, without the need for any explanations. I had no memory of using my status as a Hero for anything, so I returned to my usual demeanor.
“So, what has happened?” the King inquired.
“I will be brief. It has been declared by the Apostle who descended from the heavens that Ferno Desire is not a legitimate Hero. He has been stripped of the Holy Mark that manifested on his right hand, which serves as proof of his status as a Hero, as well as the Holy Sword meant to slay the Demon Race. Without the legitimacy of fate, Ferno Desire is no longer a Hero and cannot claim the title.”
“……Hmm.”
“This audience is to report the undeniable fact that I am no longer a Hero. I have no awareness of having falsely claimed to be a Hero, yet the fact remains that I was not one. For the past five years, I have unintentionally deceived others into believing I was a Hero. Therefore, I have come to discuss this matter with you, my guardian, Your Majesty.”
I had merely come to discuss it. If I were to be exonerated, that would be splendid. If I were to be exiled, I could repay my debt by exterminating the Demon Race within the kingdom before leaving in a blaze of glory. If I were to be detained, I would resist fiercely and seek asylum. If it came to execution, then I would have no choice but to eliminate everyone present.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed members of the Magic Association among the useless traitors sent by the church. Perhaps unleashing my frustrations upon them wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Well then, would they say something like, “Die and take responsibility”?
“Hmm… this is indeed hard to accept.”
“…Your Majesty?”
“On that day five years ago, when the Demon Race appeared and chaos engulfed the world, I distinctly saw the Holy Mark shining brilliantly upon your hand. On that day, you drew the Holy Sword, which only a Hero could wield, and demonstrated the hope of humanity.”
…This is not what I had anticipated.
“I remember the report of your victory over the ‘Immovable Glutton Grimos,’ who had taken command of the supply lines in the royal capital and caused numerous casualties, even while you sustained serious injuries.”
“I recall how you cornered the ‘Stagnant Festival Nahash,’ who had brought forth a storm of thunder and darkness, and dispelled the calamity that seemed destined to last forever, restoring the light of the sun and its blessings.”
“I remember how you reached the core of the ‘Defiled Doll Dorlap,’ a vile being that desecrated the honor, pride, and dignity of humanity, liberating all who had been insulted and eradicating the evil that was both the beginning and the end of this calamity.”
“I remember how you hunted down and destroyed all the manifestations of the ‘Formless Shapeshifter Garek,’ who had infiltrated the realm of humanity, causing a slow and cascading collapse, and ultimately slaying its true form, which had transformed into a dragon, dispelling the darkness that had ensnared the kingdom in suspicion and distrust.”
Ah, I see… This is about the battles I fought against the Demon Lord’s Army executives. I didn’t know their names, but recalling what I did brings back memories. Grimos was a monster that resembled a giant hippo mixed with a rhinoceros and a cow. Nahash was a demon that danced strangely while moving. Dorlap was a creepy doll, and Garek was a slime that frequently changed its form.
If asked what their characteristics were, I could sum it up in one word: trash. Yet, they were absurdly tough and dealt unreasonable damage, and since my allies were engaging in treachery, I was left to fight alone, which has left a lasting impression on me… Ah, this is bad. The urge to kill is rising.
The order of events is jumbled, or perhaps it’s in the order that remains strongest in my memory? Or maybe they are recounting them to ensure they don’t slip from memory… In any case, Grimos was the third, Nahash the seventh, Dorlap the fifth, and Garek was either the fourth or sixth.
“I remember the day you faced the ‘Sleepless Giant Dalbandi,’ a mobile fortress that transformed ancient ruins into a dungeon, continuously spreading monsters. You challenged it time and again, ultimately defeating the calamity that had fused with the dungeon’s core, restoring peaceful nights to humanity.”
Dalbandi… was a massive golem. It was the first Demon Lord’s Army executive I fought, and while it wasn’t as strong as it is now, I barely escaped from the monsters that were crawling out. I crushed its core, which was smooth and unlike the surrounding rock, and after sustaining serious injuries, I ended up bedridden for an entire month. The Saint’s prayers were utterly useless, and I remember the wounds reopening and causing quite a commotion.
“I remember how you dragged the ‘Unstoppable Undead Knight Raihan,’ a nightmare that clung to death and led the undead, into the sunlight, restoring the dignity of death that should be revered and cherished.”
Raihan… Ah, he was the sixth. He appeared to be a corpse, but the real body was the spirit of a demon trapped within a jewel attached to the sword he wielded. I don’t recall having much trouble with him; I found the boss, knocked his weapon away to render him useless, and when the jewel containing his true form tried to escape, I crushed it, killing him.
Additionally, at that time, I had no trust in anyone other than Fana, nor did I wish to be trusted, so I focused on honing my skills and stopped relying solely on weapons.
“I remember how you faced the ‘Mocking Bloodflow Diabo,’ who plotted to cover the earth with his minions while dyeing the moon crimson and creating an eternal night. You confronted him alone on his own stage of darkness, annihilating his faction in a single night, bringing hope to humanity as it continued to expand.”
Diabo was the second. He was expanding his influence in the neighboring empire, so only I could move freely, while everyone else was unable to cross the border. I had to face him alone, and since he had cast darkness over the battlefield, I had to kill him in that state. I remember trying to fight with the Holy Sword, but it was too bright to wield properly, so I plunged it into the ground to use it as a light source while I killed everything in sight. At that time, I was still not accustomed to fighting in darkness, so I couldn’t even tell which of the Demon Lord’s Army executives was which. Fortunately, the lesser demons weren’t widespread yet, so I could easily massacre all the demons present.
“I remember how you faced the ‘Evil Golden Fronis,’ a massive dragon that sought to cover the world with its minions, filling the sky with countless wings and roaring with a multitude of voices, unleashing torrents of flames upon the earth. You led the people who fought for their tomorrow and severed its golden neck, piercing its heart. This tale is still sung in the streets as a remarkable and recent hero’s tale, and I have recounted it several times as a bedtime story for children.”
Fronis was the eighth. I nearly got killed by the Sage right after slaying him. To be honest, while he was indeed strong, his strength came from his size and toughness. Compared to the last Demon Lord’s Army executive I fought, he was relatively weak, and I could easily deal with his breath attack by lifting the ground to shield myself. If it weren’t for the Sage’s reckless actions, I believe I could have killed him easily.
Well, I did sustain serious injuries while blocking his claws and fangs.
“And you all may have heard of this one. The defeat of the ‘Transcendence of Time Crime,’ a demon that claimed to be the strongest and had turned many knights of the kingdom into gruesome corpses. You faced this demon, who manipulated the realm of time, achieving a complete victory that had eluded even the greatest of Heroes throughout history. When I heard of this achievement, I was astonished… and moved.”
Crime was the one I killed just before losing my Hero qualifications. He looked human, but he repeatedly used the ability to stop time to prepare his attacks. However, for some unknown reason, he never attacked while time was stopped, so I predicted his movements and struck at the spot where he would likely appear just before time resumed, taking advantage of his moment of confusion to pierce his heart and tear out his throat.
He was indeed strong; if I had made a mistake, I would have been discovered, and there would have been no second chance. If that happened, I would either have to flee or be killed by a feint.
But why am I recounting all this?
“Yes, a great achievement.”
……?
“Surviving battles that brought death close and continuing to seize victory, that is an achievement that should be celebrated, regardless of who accomplished it! Should it be crushed under the pretext of not being a Hero? Should it be erased simply because you are not a Hero? No, absolutely not!!!”
………Ah… Damn it, this old man, could it be…
“It should be celebrated! It should be sung! This achievement is a new history! A new hero’s tale!! A new myth!!! For the people of this world! And for humanity that may fall into hardship in the future!!! To show them a light of hope!!!”
………I realized it too late, damn it.
“I, hereby bestow upon Ferno Desire the Title of Hero in the name of the Kingdom of Alstovar!! As the hope of humanity! The glory of humanity! The future of humanity! As a name that will be passed down through the ages!!! I grant you the Title of Hero!!!”
………Ah, I see. If they want to put a collar on me, this is an effective means. They understand what I have accomplished and are aware of my influence… If they were to publicly declare that I was a fake who was not a Hero, the kingdom would surely be thrown into chaos. At the very least, those who had suffered at the hands of the Demon Lord’s Army would harbor distrust toward the kingdom, and the empire might take advantage of that chaos to criticize the kingdom while offering their support or guardianship, obscuring the truth afterward.
I don’t want to turn both neighboring countries, which are currently not hostile due to mutual benefits, into enemies. That is why they are making a statement not as a king, but as a nation.
I could ignore it. I could say I don’t care about the title of Hero and run wild, but if I did, the kingdom would undoubtedly face ruin, and I would be showered with baseless slander, making it impossible for me to live freely.
I wouldn’t care if the top officials of the kingdom died, but it would leave a bad taste in my mouth if innocent people who knew nothing became victims, so I can’t allow that… Ah, damn it. I should have arranged to meet with him privately.
“So, what do you say? Will you accept it?”
…I can’t refuse. The benefits of declining are minimal. In fact, accepting it would serve as proof of my identity, and while there may be some difficulties in living, I would still be able to live freely. There are certainly other pros and cons, but there is no merit or reason to refuse here.
…………It can’t be helped.
“Of course, I shall strive to pave the way for the future of humanity.”