Volume 4 Chapter 32 The Hero's First Cry
We successfully finished our journey by stopping the plans of the Forest King's Army and the Spirit King's Army.
After completing various reports to the Ratisse Kingdom Army, we decided to return to the starting town.
The purpose of this journey was to thwart the schemes of the Forest King's Army and the Spirit King's Army to protect my beloved town and the Nurturer.
I'm really glad we were able to achieve that in the end.
Though there were a few tense moments, my companions were so strong that there wasn't much feeling of tension.
Honestly, it felt anticlimactic once it was all over.
In any case, we brilliantly accomplished our goal and were able to return to our peaceful days.
But then, just as I thought that...
"Rank 3 Adventurer Lady Rose Vermilion. In recognition of your achievements in this battle, we bestow upon you the title of 'Eastern hero'."
"Huh...?"
As usual, while I was having tea with Rose and Cosmos, a man in a black jacket suddenly visited us.
He introduced himself as a staff member from the Eastern Headquarters of the guild in Ratisse Kingdom and said he came here after hearing about Rose's whereabouts from the Hyamars guild.
It goes without saying that the reason he came was to convey the current situation to Rose.
Naturally, Rose was left in shock, unable to grasp the situation right away, while Cosmos and I sent our heartfelt congratulations.
"Congratulations, Rose."
"Well, to be honest, I felt like Rose was the one who truly embodied the 'hero' among us. I'll gratefully accept it."
"Hold on, wait!"
Rose clatters the cup back onto the table, a cold sweat running down her forehead.
Since awakening as Valkyrie, Rose's anxious face, something I rarely see now, appeared in my field of vision.
Even the demon god seems confused by this sudden turn of events.
"W-why me? The 4 of us should have thwarted the plans of the Forest King's Army and the Spirit King's Army..."
"We have also received that report from the Royal Army. It was the 4 of you who cut down the cursed trees that must have caused immense damage, protecting not just the eastern Ratisse Kingdom but the entire central continent."
"So, if that's the case...!"
──It's strange that the title of hero would be granted to me.
Rose must have been about to say that.
However, interrupting her words, a staff member from the eastern headquarters replied while looking over a black board they were holding.
"However, it has been determined that the outstanding achievement was made by Lady Rose Vermilion. According to reports from [Tyrant General] Erinja and her party, it was said that it was Lord Rose who dealt a decisive blow to the Forest King Gálu."
"Hmmm?"
Not just Rose, but I too tilting my head in confusion.
A decisive blow to Forest King Gálu?
Rose did that?
"Rose, when did you fight Forest King Gálu?"
"No, no! I want to know too! I definitely remember helping those people, but I don't recall dealing a blow to Forest King Gálu...? Ah, but, there was that werewolf monster at the time, so maybe that monster was Forest King Gálu...? Wh-what's happening, I'm getting confused..."
Rose began to groan, "Ugh...!" while clutching her head.
We didn't know the details either, so I was starting to get a bit confused too.
Then, Cosmos, who had been listening nearby, casually asked with a mouthful of baked goods.
"Isn't it true that among the corpses of the monsters we saw on the way to the ruins, Gálu was quietly mixed in there?"
"He was so badly beaten that he didn't even have a physical form left, but my divine eye saw through it, so there's no doubt about it. I think he was probably killed by the Spirit King's Army's betrayal. I was shocked when I saw it..."
"I-Isn't that what you were talking about? Then I'm not involved after all..."
"Well, if Rose landed a hit before that, it's hard to say that Gálu's defeat is completely unrelated. That hit might have been the trigger for Spirit King's Army to attack Gálu."
"Ugh..."
Since the dead can't speak, we'll never know the full truth.
However, it seems to be a fact that Rose inflicted a deep wound on Gálu, the threat to humanity known as the Forest King.
While the destruction of the cursed funeral tree was accomplished through cooperation among 4 people, there's no mistake that Rose did it alone.
That being the case, the one who deserves the most praise in this battle is Rose.
It can be said that she has achieved results worthy of the title of Hero, and more importantly, there are witnesses like Erinja and the others.
It seems Rose understood that much, and eventually, she asked the staff member with a hint of resignation.
"C-can't I decline...?"
"You should have confirmed the regulations regarding title granting when registering as an adventurer. Generally, declines are not allowed. We have also notified the previous Eastern Hero, Dahlia Rouge."
Ah, I think there was some rule like that...
But I don't really remember it clearly.
Adventurers cannot simply give up the titles bestowed upon them by the guild.
Since these are primarily honorable titles, there aren't usually adventurers who try to decline them in the first place.
"Since you have the opportunity, you should accept it, Rose. It might be useful in the future."
"B-but I'm still a Rank 3 adventurer, and I've only just become an adventurer..."
Rose seems to be troubled by receiving a title that feels too grand for her.
Yes, basically no adventurer would refuse, but with Rose's personality, it's no wonder she would be flustered.
The title of hero is an honor that every adventurer dreams of at least once, and it must be quite a stressful experience to actually receive it.
As for me, I don't need it, anyway.
While Rose was in a panic, the staff member who had finished his business bowed his head and said.
"Well, that's all for now. I look forward to seeing more of Rose, the Eastern hero, in the future."
"Yes... no"
Did she want to say 'yes' or 'no'?
A wishy-washy, pitiful answer spilled from Rose's trembling lips.
With the staff member gone, the Nurturer fell back into quietness once more.
As Rose gazed down at the contents of her cup with a complicated expression, I looked at her and murmured with a heartfelt sentiment.
"So now Rose has officially joined the ranks of 'heroes'."
Hearing that murmur, Cosmos looked over with a surprisingly puzzled expression.
"You don't seem particularly surprised at all. It's almost like you already knew Rose was going to become a hero."
"Well, I thought she'd become that much of an adventurer someday. The rate at which she has grown since awakening as a Valkyrie has been astonishingly remarkable."
I expected that within 5 or 6 years at most, she'd seize a title from one of the heroes from the North, South, East, or West.
It's partly because her talent is extraordinary, but more than anything, her strong sense of justice would lead her there.
Well, I never imagined that would happen within a year of her awakening.
Also, I believe Cosmos is just as exceptional.
Secretly thinking that the next hero candidate might be Cosmos, I noticed Rose looking at me with an anxious expression.
"Wh-What exactly does a hero have to do?"
"Well, that's usually how it goes."
I had sensed that Rose was troubled about this even before she mentioned it.
What the title of 'hero' specifically entails is something that is generally not known at all.
Even that staff member...
But that's only natural...
"There's no rule that a hero has to do something. All they have to do is continue their adventurer activities as usual."
"Oh, really...?"
Rose's eyes widen in surprise.
Cosmos, like Rose, seemed surprised and asked me.
"Aren't there rules like, you have to go fight the Demon Lord army or something?"
"It's not like there's anything in particular. They often get requests for cooperation from the guild or other adventurers, but that's not mandatory or anything."
"W-wait, what do you mean by that...?"
It's only natural to react that way.
Well, the title of hero is really just proof that you're the 'strongest adventurer,' so there's no rule that says you have to do anything.
"If I had to name something you must do, it would be to 'continue to work hard as an adventurer' to prevent other adventurers from stealing your title."
"W-wait..."
"Of course, it's not like the title is completely meaningless, so I think it's worth protecting. You can get a lot of requests regardless of your rank, and if you go to towns or villages that have been saved by heroes in the past, you can receive good treatment..."
That's why Dahlia was desperately trying to protect her title as a hero.
The main reason she was challenging the Forest King's Army's invasion zone was that.
In her case, it might just have been pride that made her not want to lose it.
"Well, if you don't take it too seriously, I think it's fine to think of it as 'becoming a little famous,' right?"
"I-it's really okay to think of it so lightly...?"
Hearing that, Rose seemed somewhat relieved and relaxed her shoulders.
In reality, just because someone was given the title of hero, it didn't mean they were doing anything special.
Rose just needed to act like she normally does.
Then Cosmos said to Rose with a mischievous smile.
"When you think of it that way, it's definitely more relaxed, but what about the former hero whose title was taken away. Maybe when she finds out that Rose has become the new hero, she'll come running up behind her in the street at night screaming, 'Sniff!'"
"Oh, wow!"
"..."
Oh no!
Rose can easily fight back.
What is there to be afraid of now?
Maybe she's emotionally unstable because she was suddenly given the title of hero.
Also, I hope Cosmos doesn't provoke Rose too much.
And it was as if he had been eavesdropping on our conversation...
Knock knock knock.
"──!?"
At the perfect moment, someone knocked on the door of the Nurturer.
Startled, Rose trembled and held her breath with an unusually tense expression.
"N-no way, could it really be the former hero...?"
"No, I think it's just a regular customer..."
After Cosmos said something strange, I started to feel the same way, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Since that incident, I really don't want to face Dahlia if I can help it.
Thinking that, I stood up from my chair and headed towards the door...
Before I could, though, a voice came from beyond the door.
"Aroze, it's me... Jostum."
"Huh? Jostum...?"
My expectations were wrong; it was not Dahlia but Jostum, the shieldman of the adventurer party led by her──Peace Sign──who had come to inquire.
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