Quit The Hero Party

EP.67 Epilogue (3)

Kyle Toven and I were sitting on a bench at the outskirts of Harmain Forest, gazing at the setting sun. As expected, not many people venture out to such places.

This area is directly opposite Apuria, and currently, knights would be keeping a watchful eye on the perimeter of Harmain Forest.

As long as Kalt is in charge here, no one is likely to come into this district.

Seated there, we talked for a while.

How the incident unfolded, whether everything is alright on that side, and that things had been resolved well on this side… just discussions like that.

As we were wrapping up our conversation…

“Well…”

Kalt stretched and opened his mouth.

He let out a sigh as he straightened his back.

“Well, it seems that the incident has been resolved well.”

“Looks like it.”

“Indeed, very neatly so.”

Just as Kalt mentioned, the incident ended without any significant damage.

Resti, who had been involved, returned to Apuria in good health, and aside from some minor damage to the building’s exterior, there were no reports of any casualties.

“All thanks to Raniel.”

“Really?”

“…Shouldn’t you show some humility here?”

“It’s still a fact.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, if I hadn’t stepped in… Kyle would have figured it out somehow.”

“Still, the involved would be dead.”

“Probably. Back when it was just starting, he would have been more concerned about casualties, but now he hardly cares.”

He doesn’t unnecessarily handle troublesome tasks.

His reputation as a hero doesn’t tarnish even if one or two people sacrifice themselves during a mission. Kyle knows this well.

Immediate casualties are less important than the mission’s success. He likely thinks this way.

So…

‘…He could have saved them.’

But he probably didn’t want to.

When Resti appeared before the altar, it’s likely that Kyle would have struck her down without hesitation.

“That wouldn’t be a wrong judgment.”

That would be easier.

There would be no need to incur unnecessary risks.

A momentary hesitation can lead to uncontrollable situations. I came to realize this through my experiences on the battlefield. Even if you can save someone, sometimes you must let them go.

If it’s beyond your abilities.

If you don’t have the capacity or the luxury.

“Sometimes, you also have to know when to give up.”

I rested my chin on my palm, looking into the sunlight.

“Still, if possible… it’s better to save at least one more person.”

“Is that so?”

“Don’t you think?”

“If it’s what Raniel thinks, then it must be true.”

Raniel, huh.

For a moment, I glanced at Kalt.

“Can you not refer to him as ‘that Raniel’? It gives me a really weird feeling.”

“…Didn’t he say not to call him superior?”

“Anyway, it’s not the correct expression. ‘Superior’ isn’t a name.”

Kalt pondered for a moment and then spoke.

“Then what about ‘senpai’?”

“Senpai? Me?”

As I recalled, Kalt was a knight who had been on the battlefield long before I arrived. But me being called the senior?

‘Isn’t that kind of weird?’

While I tilted my head in confusion, Kalt added.

“We hunting dogs just call anyone stronger than us senpai. It’s not a particularly structured hierarchy.”

“Oh…”

As I listened, it seemed that ‘senpai’ sounded better than ‘that Raniel.’ I slightly nodded.

‘That aside.’

There was something I had been curious about for a while.

I decided to ask.

“By the way, Kalt.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“How did you recognize me?”

“Pardon?”

Thinking back, it was a bit strange.

So far, the only ones who recognized me were the elf and Cardi. Skebal was an exception since his actions were unmistakable.

Even my master couldn’t recognize me at first.

Stella, anointed by the star, Ayla, also didn’t recognize me. The hero blessed by the star, Kyle, failed to recognize me too.

‘Thinking about it… isn’t it kind of unique for him?’

It was somewhat amazing that someone who received nothing from the stars would recognize me.

“Hmm… Senpai.”

Finally, Kalt answered my question.

“Do you know what my habit is?”

“Dog nose? Sniffing?”

“Well… that’s partly correct.”

Kalt pulled something out of his coat pocket.

It was a small magical tool, something like a notepad made of rolled up parchment. Kalt flipped through the pages and continued.

“I take notes of the habits or trivial movements of people nearby and keep them in my head.”

“…Really?”

“It makes it easier to assess if someone has been possessed by a demon or if they seem brainwashed. I wouldn’t be qualified to be a Tracker for no reason.”

Saying that, Kalt held the magical tool out to me.

I checked the pages he had opened.

“…Yikes.”

It contained all the information about me.

I returned the notepad to Kalt, startled. He shrugged his shoulders, looking quite pleased.

“The fact that all these little habits overlap means, ultimately, that we’re the same person, don’t you think? Just from that brief encounter, I’ve noted over ten distinctive habits.”

“Uh… right…”

There’s definitely something a bit unsettling about him.

I shook my head and let out a sigh.

“…Well, you might be confident based on that since you don’t know magic.”

“Pardon?”

“No, just a thought that crossed my mind.”

I shot a wary glance at Kalt who was tilting his head in confusion.

Kalt is oblivious to magic. He wouldn’t know about the structure of trading with the stars. If he did know…

‘Maybe he wouldn’t have been so certain.’

As a mage, I understand.

How nonsensical it is to fundamentally alter a body or corrupt a soul.

It’s possible to temporarily change limbs. However, permanently changing the entire body… is impossible through spells.

As a similar example, if you cut off a limb and attach a different one instead of regenerating it… that part simply wouldn’t allow mana to flow.

The star established that rule.

It’s a sort of taboo.

‘The body and soul bestowed at birth can’t be interfered with in any way.’

The only entities capable of interfering with that are.

‘Beings that defy common sense, ones unbound by rules.’

The Demon Lord.

That black sludge would be the only exception.

“Guess it makes sense not to recognize me.”

I mumbled to myself.

Those who received something from the stars tend to overtrust the stars. After all, the star’s teachings could never be wrong.

Ayla couldn’t recognize me.

Though she seemed to sense some resemblance, she appeared to view me as a separate entity.

‘The stars must have judged that way.’

Kyle also didn’t recognize me.

That guy probably caught some hint. So that’s why he provoked me in the end. But he still didn’t view me as the same person.

‘…The stars likely whispered to him differently.’

He stared at me blankly, his expression startled.

‘The stars don’t regard me as Raniel.’

Does he think my soul is different?

I couldn’t ascertain that right away. There was ultimately only one person I could ask about this.

Cardi.

The one who seemed to know about the curse cast on me.

Thinking of that enigmatic silver-haired elf, I let out a sigh.

‘…I should probably pay a visit.’

I had questions to ask.

What, in reality, is the shadow of the star?

Well… that’s a story for later. I thought it best to focus on the incident concluding positively.

I smiled slightly and looked at Kalt.

“Anyways, thanks for your hard work, Kalt.”

“Yes, Senpai, you too worked hard. Though I feel like I’ll have to struggle with the aftermath for a while.”

Saying that, Kalt forced a wry smile.

“If a betrayer happens to appear, I’ll be busy for some time.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, which brings me to ask, Senpai.”

Kalt suddenly inquired.

“Is that child that was initially chosen okay?”

While it seemed he was inquiring about Resti’s condition, considering Kalt’s personality, it felt like a different kind of question.

‘Is there a potential of betrayal?’

He was likely asking that.

To that question, I nodded and replied firmly.

“She’s fine.”

“…Really?”

“She seems to have made up her mind.”

Moreover, I muttered that while gently touching my eyes.

“I think she realized something.”

What she possesses.

I recalled Resti’s eyes as I last saw them. Eyes filled with that platinum light.

It’s different from a hero blessed by the stars.

It’s also different from Stella, loved by the stars.

It was a completely different kind of talent.

That talent is on the verge of blooming now.

When it fully blossoms and Resti can make it her own…

“Gletus might be able to catch that madwoman.”

“…Pardon?”

I chuckled as I envisioned the near future.

Apuria is known as the cradle of magic where talents that will lead the era gather.

Indeed, just as they say.

“Ugh.”

I lazily stretched and stood up. After taking a deep breath, I nonchalantly rolled my neck a couple of times.

Regardless, the tumultuous event was finally over.

Once an incident ends, it doesn’t immediately erupt into another like on the battlefield. Now that the incident has concluded, it should be time to return to daily life. I have a proper job, so work will follow.

I wondered what I would do starting tomorrow.

Imagining that wasn’t hard.

I’d probably sit in a café… sipping coffee while outlining the curriculum and spending time grading exams.

Thinking about those days ahead…

I realized it might not be so bad after all.

“Are you heading out?”

“Yeah. It’s time to head back. I need to grade some tests too.”

“Haha.”

Kalt chuckled absentmindedly.

I turned to look at Kalt.

“…What’s up?”

“Oh, it’s just a bit strange.”

“What is?”

“When you said you were going to be a professor, it didn’t seem fitting at all. I thought you’d be out beating up students or something.”

“…This isn’t a battlefield, why would I do that?”

“I just think that’s how it is.”

Kalt looked at me and said.

“Still, it seems to suit you more than I expected.”

“Really?”

“Yes, it seems you are quite satisfied with your second job?”

At that, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Hey.”

Second job, my foot.

“It’s not two, it’s three, dummy.”

The Ashen Master, the mage of the hero party.

After throwing both of those jobs away… I’ve now become a professor at Apuria.

Active in the tower.

Retired from the active and now teaching.

Given this surprisingly reasonable career switch, I found myself laughing without realizing it.

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