Volume 1 - CH 5.2

VOLUME 1: Chapter 5 – The Strongest Hero is the Most Unfortunate Hero

[Part 2]

“Spirit protection” is particularly dangerous.

Spirits are the embodiment of the power of nature itself that exists everywhere in the world. They control the water, earth, wind, fire, light and darkness and rarely give divine protection to people they like. That is the “spirit protection”. It is a skill where the spirits sometimes lend their powers, which they use to protect themselves, for humans to use.

However, the “Spirit Protection” given to the present day hero Greed is different from an ordinary one. Or rather, it can be said that Greed’s “Spirit Protection” power has evolved. He can use the power of the spirits freely, regardless of intention of the spirit. Also, the spirits entrust their powers to him without reserve.

The spirits are the strength of the world itself. In other words, it is possible to destroy the world depending on how one uses such powers. Stop someone like him?

Impossible, impossible, impossible!

It is impossible, unless it is the goddess and the kings of the spirits. So all they (party members) could do was to try to minimize the damage.

Well……sorry. We’re really sorry.

They apologized to the woman’s partner (the fictitious husband or lover) in their hearts. Imagining future things, they could not stop doing that.

Sorry for such kind of hero.

However, the party who were apologizing for a while now suddenly noticed something particular.

———No one remembered her appearance.

“Errr… She has brown hair, right?” Milly asked while tilting her head.

“The spirits said that the eyes are dark brown in color, it seems,” Renas said, who was looking above as if to confirm something.

“Judging from the height difference when Greed hugged her, she seemed to be petite,” said Rufaga.

“When I was in the hall, I was told that she is the maid Princess Louise.”

Rufus nodded at Farah’s reply. “Yes she is the first maid of the princess. She also saw how the princess get kidnapped. But—” Rufus evasively said. The words that followed “but…” was understood without mentioning them. It was, I do not remember well.

That’s right. Because they were very surprised at the attitude of Greed, no one can clearly recall her appearance. They were neither stupid nor forgetful. Rather, their memory is good. But despite this, no one can clearly recall her appearance.

“A-anyway, she was very ordinary,” said Renas, as cold sweat breaks out.

Even if he tries to remember, he can only imagine a small figure of a woman with brown hair, wearing small maid clothes.

“Yes, yes. Ah, I thought she was an ordinary girl,” said Milly.

“She looks like she was normal and did not have much feature,” said Rufus.

“It’s not that she’s ugly,  it’s only that I think she has an inconspicuous appearance that is neither passable nor impassable.” Rufaga said.

“That’s what I meant. She was too plain that I can’t remember her. I suppose she will remain in my memory even if it is a negative image if there are any features, such as being fat or thin, or a large or small mouth, but she is . . .” Farah continued while scowling.

“That somebody was completely average. Maybe that’s why she did not leave any impression.”

In a sense, perhaps it is an awful thing being not at the end of someone’s memory. However, there’s a big problem with that. They do not remember her face, a person that would eventually become an important person to them.

———Even though she is Greed’s first love.

First love……

At the instant that word entered their mind, was it just their imagination that they received severe emotional damage?

“Greed” and “first love”. How unsuitable those words are. Renas, who is also a childhood friend of the hero, thought rudely. More importantly, he has to find out about the identity of Greed’s sweetheart. She may hold a certain significance on the world’s fate. And yet—

“This is bad. The next time we meet, I don’t know whether to recognize her or not.” Renas said, feeling greatly troubled and Rufus nodded to agree.

“Even if you do it imprudently, you may not recognize her even if you pass by each other.”

Remembering something of the Demon King whom she talked about, that voice was also properly heard. So maybe they can tell by listening to her voice. However……

“Not remembering her face clearly is too difficult. I am going to mistake another person for her.” Farah shrugged her shoulders as she replied.

That’s right. With no extraordinary features, wouldn’t they assume that every town girl around the area is her? Although they were planning to make contact without making it known to Greed, doesn’t this seem likely to come true?

———It was around that time.

One of the spirits who was watching their exchange told Renas while giggling.

“Oh, the wind spirit told me. It seems that her name is Aria. She is unmarried and has no lover…… Thank goodness!”

The group breathed a sigh of relief. With this, there is no need to consign an innocent person into oblivion.

After all, all she needs to do is to get together with Greed.

Ignoring human rights? No, it is for the sake of the world peace. Or rather, for the survival of the whole world.

“First of all, we should get familiarized with the face.”

Everyone nodded in agreement at Rufus’ words.

“Whether Greed himself understands or not, we will commit her face to our memory every time we meet, whatever the circumstances may be.”

Everyone also agreed. It appears like a conversation between a hero’s party members who fear demonic beings because they are really, really serious.

Rufaga frowned and said, “Even so, every one of us does not remember her. Perhaps she possesses a special skill.”

“[Spy]? Or is it a skill to make her unrecognizable in another form?” Rufus’ expression darkened.

They are knowledgeable with skills, but they do not know everything. Some are very minor. Even this could be an effect of a suspicious skill among the large variety of skills.

“She doesn’t appear to have very good skills but this confusion can’t be explained otherwise. As expected of the person that Greed has chosen……” Farah nodded as if she was convinced.

“Choosing someone not because of her appearance is typical of Greed,” Milly said.

“You’re right. A maid who looks ordinary but is not really ordinary, huh……”

While feeling suspicious at the strange giggling of the spirits, Renas also agreed.

———Have seen her face but did not remember well.

Actually, it is nothing but a characteristic of a mob character, but those who have the role of supporting characters did not know that.

Did they remember the master of the inn where they stayed the other day?

Did they remember the face of the owner of the shop where they bought food?

Did they remember how the woman who served in the dining room look like?

The answer is—NO.

It is because they’ve seen their face only once. It did not remain in their memory. That is because those people are mobs. They, who had never thought about mobs deeply, even those human beings that they “cannot remember even though they have seen their faces”, have not noticed until now.

*          *          *

Another moment of shock after the hero’s marriage proposal.

In the living room of the castle where the party members have gathered, the gentle atmosphere of the room can be felt—it was the spirits.

“Ah, so it seems the newspaper reporters were able to sniff the existence of that maid.”

That “voice” reached both Greed and Renas at the same time but Rufaga, the elf, was the one who spoke the words of the spirit. As an elf who is a descendant of the offspring of king of spirits and a human, he can hear the voice of the spirits.

Renas, the priest, also nodded and explained to the other members in a manner that is easy to understand. “Just now, the wind spirit told us. The newspaper reporters seemed to hear from a servant in the castle about the hero proposing to Aria. It’s just a matter of time before it becomes a scoop.”

“A servant, huh? Are rumors already spreading to such a place?” Rufus the magician scowled.

A royalty himself, he is one of those who have gathered in the hall but he is aware that there were certain people in certain positions. Although it is a small castle, the number of people working is numerous. Outsiders cannot enter the hall. Despite that, as long as the story has already been talked about, the rumors will circulate at a terrible speed.

“Her existence will be known sooner than I thought…… As usual, they are irritating people.” Farah, the female warrior, said and sighed at the same time.

The female thief Milly smiled wryly at what Farah said. “It can’t be helped. That is their work. They are desperate too. They cannot get the detailed information of the Demon King’s subjugation from us anyway.”

“The Demon King’s subjugation……” Renas absentmindedly whispered. “We can’t tell it…… Such a messy thing.”

Everyone agreed to that comment and Greed remained looking outside the window as usual.

This hero took a shortcut and took only about half a month to finally finish what the previous heroes have accomplished in a few months—in some cases, for several years. He ignored all the procedures and theories.

They absolutely cannot reveal such thing. They will never reveal it.

———For the sake of the heroes of the next generation.