Volume 1 Chapter 55 The Hero is Exiled
Several dozen minutes after the battle between Zeke and the hero party.
"I'm sorry, Lord Zeke. Thank you for healing me."
The young paladin bowed his head to Zeke.
He was the only one injured in the previous battle.
Though, since Zeke had held back, it wasn't a fatal wound.
"I'm [Saint Gaurd]. I'm the paladin of this party. Lord Zeke, I'd like to talk about what comes next."
"What comes next?"
Saint, the paladin, nodded.
"We'd like you to come with us to the king. We want to report what happened this time."
The Demon Lord subjugation this time did involve some complicated details.
Saint thought it would be better for someone who knew the situation well to report it, rather than the heroes explaining it themselves.
"......"
"What's wrong, Lord Zeke?"
"No... I understand. If it means the Demon Lord can live in peace."
Zeke didn't want to see the king's face again.
But he decided to take responsibility for this as well.
"I'll come with you, Lord Zeke."
"But you're the Demon Lord... and you're still recovering."
"If the Demon Lord himself goes, it'll be more convincing. Besides, it's true that we've caused trouble for humans. It's not something an apology can fix, but I still want to apologize."
Saint nodded at the Demon Lord's words.
"That would be helpful. We'll also vouch that the Demon Lord isn't an enemy. If we explain properly, even the king isn't a fool. He'll understand."
"Well... we'll see about that."
Zeke sighed, exasperated.
"Then it's settled. Let's head to the kingdom..."
"Wait a minute!"
Makhen, the hero who had been silent until now, spoke up.
"What's wrong, Makhen?"
"Shut up and listen! What's this? The Demon Lord's had a change of heart? That doesn't make any sense!"
Makhen raised his voice.
Meanwhile, Saint remained calm.
"You heard it too, right? The Demon Lord was forced to make the monsters attack because of the Curse of the Ancestor, and it was Commander Jamael who led the Demon Lord's army, not him."
"Shut up, shut up! This story is way too messy!"
The hero draws his sword and points its tip at the Demon Lord.
"The hero kills the Demon Lord, and the world is at peace! Isn't that the simplest answer?!"
"Makhen, stop it!"
Saint scolds him, but Makhen shakes his head like a spoiled child.
"Anyway! If things stay like this, all the credit will go to Zeke!"
...That's right.
What Makhen doesn't like is that if the truth is reported, it won't be the hero who lifted the Demon Lord's curse and brought peace to the world──it'll be Zeke.
"What the hell are you all being so chummy for?! The Demon Lord is evil! And Zeke, who's helping him, is evil too! If we just cut them all down, problem solved!"
"Makhen! That won't solve anything!"
"If we kill the Demon Lord and Zeke, the stupid king and the people won't know the truth, so it'll be fine if the hero (me) is the one who brought peace to the world, right?"
With an evil grin unbecoming of a hero, Makhen speaks.
It's true that the Curse of the Ancestor has been lifted, and the monsters no longer attack people.
But no one knows the truth──that it was Zeke who broke the curse.
It's a fact that it's simpler to say the hero killed the Demon Lord and that's what brought peace.
"And you, Demon Lord! You're acting like a victim, but in the end, it's your fault so many people suffered! You should take responsibility!"
"...You're right. For the sake of peace, I'll gladly offer my life."
The Demon Lord had long been prepared to die.
He quietly kneels and offers his neck.
"Hyahaha! Dieeeee!"
Just as Makhen is about to swing his sword──
"Enough already."
With a snap, Zeke grabbed his sword and stopped Makhen's rampage.
"All you do is talk nonsense. In the end, you're just mad that I'm stealing the spotlight, aren't you?"
"Yeah, that's right! How dare a lowly beast doctor like you get in the way of the Hero's glorious path!"
Makhen tries to draw his sword, but it doesn't budge.
It's like he's trying to pull a sword stuck in a giant tree.
"You can have the glory. But don't kill the Demon Lord. If he dies, his sins can't be atoned for."
"Shut up! I'll kill him! Heroes are supposed to kill Demon Lords──that's how it's always been!"
Makhen lunges at Zeke to punch him.
Zeke moves swiftly and drives a palm strike into Makhen's stomach.
"Guh...!"
Makhen crumples to the ground, his body bent like a "<."
"Damn it... What's with that insane strength...? How...?"
Then, Saint speaks to Makhen.
"Hero Makhen... no, former Hero. I'm expelling you from this party."
"...............Huh?"
Makhen stares blankly as Saint continues.
"Your unheroic behavior has been unbearable. I've tolerated it until now, but I've reached my limit. Leave the party."
"Y-you're kidding, right?! I'm the leader of this party! How can you decide anything without me, the Hero?!"
Saint shakes his head slowly.
"You're not the Hero anymore. You've lost that power."
"Wha..........?"
Saint uses his Appraisal skill, making Makhen's status window visible.
What's displayed is a drastically weakened set of ability stats.
And in the title section... the word "Hero" is gone.
"N-no way... This can't be..."
"It's true. The fact that Mr. Zeke was able to wield the Holy Sword, which only the Hero can use, proves it. The current Hero is Mr. Zeke."
Makhen collapses to the ground.
"This... can't be... It's wrong..."
"No, it's true. We're following Hero Zeke, who chose to spare the Demon Lord."
The rest of the party members nod in agreement.
"It's the decision of the hero party. Makhen, get out."
Makhen gritted his teeth, seething.
"Damn it... damn it, damn it, damn it, damn iiiit!"
Makhen stood up, ready to kill everyone in the room.
But without the power of a hero, he had no chance of winning against such overwhelming odds.
"Lord Zeke, please come with us. As the true hero who saved the world by defeating the Demon Lord..."
Everyone present, including Saint, bowed their heads to Zeke.
They acted as if the former hero didn't even exist.
"Damn iiiiiiiit!"
Overwhelmed by a crushing sense of defeat, Makhen realized.
He was no longer a hero──he had been cast out of the party.
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