CH 228

“Our Savior! Here’s to the super sexy hero, Ed!”

“””Cheers!!!”””

A large square in the middle of the village. Many men and women gathered there and clinked their wooden mugs together, all saying the same thing. There was no animosity between men and women; it was a scene of peace indeed…

“How’s it going, Ed? Are you drinking?”

“Yeah, I’m drinking. I’m drinking a lot.”

“Look, Ed! This is an extremely sexy doll I carved! It’s a gift for you, Hero Ed!”

“Oh, um, thank you.”

Men kept coming up to me non-stop. At first, I was glad, but after three days, it was a different story.

“Woah, Ed, you’re my lifesaver! I’ll give you all my treasured sexy stuff!”

“No, it’s okay. Can you keep it to yourself? Please?”

“Woah! Hero Ed, you’re so generous! You don’t monopolize sexy stuff, a true strong man!”

“I get it, I get it. Calm down, okay?”

While calming down Gargado, who was unexpectedly a crybaby, I had to return several dolls that were pushed onto me. I understood their feelings of wanting to give their precious things, but as for me, receiving countless erotic dolls carved out of wood or stone only put me in a predicament.

Oh, of course, everyone there survived. Fortunately, all the men only stabbed themselves in the stomach with a spear, they didn’t slash themselves open. So, their organs weren’t unnecessarily injured, and a stomach stab wound isn’t immediately fatal. My healing potion was more than sufficient for treatment.

To be frank, Donatella was in the worst condition at the scene. The blood pouring out from her ears wouldn’t stop with just a normal healing potion, so I reluctantly used a recovery potion given to us by Reil.

I now have only one of those potions left. It’s toxic to me as I am now, but I’ll save it in case something happens to Tia.

“Here’s to the best woman who protected our village, Hero Lunaritia!”

“””Cheers!!!”””

Right next to me, Tia was also showered with praises from the women.

Because of the flow of events, we challenged the Demon King… The Black Star, and a considerable number of black demons were said to have drifted over to our side. However, Tia led the fight against them and managed to protect this village, so her popularity is, frankly, even more impressive than mine.

Anyway, I had basically only been working with a part of the men, so I wasn’t much involved with this village, which makes sense.

“Woah, here she comes!”

Turning to the excited voices from behind, I saw Donatella, clad in thin white cloth covering just her vital parts. Her shy and meek demeanor was a stark contrast to her usual self, but I remember her more like this.

Well, Donatella in the first round wasn’t this muscular, so there’s a definite sense of unfamiliarity there.

“Ugh, why do I have to dress like this…”

“Hahaha, give it up, Donatella. This is both a reward and a punishment. Atone for the trouble you’ve caused everyone and accept the honor for fighting for everyone.”

“Hamokin…”

Beside the laughing Hamokin, Donatella, with a blush on her face, glared at him resentfully. But she couldn’t just stand there forever, so she started walking and finally stopped in the middle of the square.

“I will now perform a dance dedicated to the hero!”

“Are you all ready!?”

“Uurara!”

“Umbabo!”

The women stood around Donatella in the center, with men holding the drums around them. When we were called, the drummers were also women, but it seems that the traditional role is for women to dance and men to drum.

“Uurara, Urara, Uurara!”

The dance and song started with Donatella shouting out loudly. Each time Donatella in the center spun around, the thin white cloth on her fluttered. This is… Hm?

“Ed? You seem to be watching quite intently. What’s up?”

“Whoa!? W-What’s up, Tia? I was just thinking that they’re good at dancing, that’s all.”

“Hmm~~?”

Before I knew it, Tia, who had been released from the women, was sitting next to me with a meaningful smile. It’s not that I was thinking that the eroticism had increased despite the decrease in exposure, or that I was impressed with the culture here. There was absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. So I wish she would stop giving me that look.

“Oorara! Urara!”

“Umbabo! Umbabo!”

“Oorara! Urara!”

“Umbabo! Umbabo!”

In fact, when I take a moment to observe, their dancing was truly remarkable. The men drumming their hearts out while sweating also looked like they were having fun. Considering that this was the true state of this village, it gavw me a sense of profound emotion.

“Hey Ed, why don’t we join in the dance?”

“Eh!? But, is that okay?”

Surprised by Tia’s sudden suggestion, I let out a bewildered voice. Then Hamokin, who was nearby, spoke up with a laugh.

“Of course it’s okay. It’s impossible to refuse the participation of a hero! Hey guys, our two heroes will dance too! Let’s get more excited!”

“Oooooooooooh!!!”

“Hey, wait, Hamokin!? Ah, this means I have to dance, doesn’t it!?”

“Why not! Let’s go!”

Being pulled a little forcefully by Tia, we entered the circle of dancers. Before I knew it, there were people dancing randomly here and there, there was no sense of order at all.

But, that’s okay. While being engulfed in the fervor of the festival, Tia and I moved our bodies randomly, doing something like dancing.

“Hahaha, what’s with those movements!? Why are you so wavy?”

“Hm? Is this better then?”

“Now you’re being jerky!? Where on earth did you learn to dance like that!?”

“Hehehe, I’ve experienced a lot, you know.”

To Tia’s dumbfounded expression, I answered with a grin. A dance that I could never show at formal balls in the castle was greatly welcomed in a place like this.

My heart was jumping to the rhythm, moving my body as I wished. After sweating that much, I gulped down the plentiful alcohol… Ah, this feels great.

“It’s fun, isn’t it, Ed!”

“Yeah, it sure is!”

“But… this is going to end soon, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is.”

We defeated the Demon King, and somehow Donatella reverted to her original form, though I don’t know why but, the “shining star” that was thought to be inside Donatella was now inside me.

From what I heard from her afterward, it seems that when Donatella punched the Demon King Last, the “shining star” moved from Donatella to Last, and I absorbed it.

As a result, my right index and middle fingers were tingling with pain. It’s a nuisance to have more troublesome baggage, but if this is the price to pay for returning Donatella, who didn’t know how to deal with it, then I guess I can’t help it.

But, that means there’s no reason for us to stay in this world anymore. The only worry is…

“Hey Ed. I don’t think we’ve met the conditions at all this time. Can we really go back?”

“Um, well, we just have to try.”

Tia was the only one with Donatella, the hero, and that period was nowhere near half a year. On top of that, Donatella and I were adversaries, so it’s hard to say that we gained deep trust.

Honestly, I have serious doubts about whether we can return to our original <White World> if we’re expelled from here.

“Well, if it doesn’t work, we’ll just live here for half a year and then ask to be expelled again. I mean, the conditions for banishment have really loosened up…”

While I feel like asking what was the point of all our past struggles, I have no intention of complaining because things have become easier. However, no matter how much the conditions loosen up, I don’t feel even a bit like I can leave this world of my own will.

Perhaps that’s the final constraint that will remain until the very end.

“Then, let’s enjoy a little more!”

“Yeah! We’ll still enjoy this world plenty!”

Before I knew it, it had grown dark, and bonfires were being lit here and there in the village. The red flames illuminated our faces, and the heat of the festival continued to rise without cooling down.

Just a little more, a little more. Wishing for this fun and beloved time to continue, Tia and I danced the night away.