Volume 1 - CH 13

VOLUME 1: Chapter 13 – The World and the Hero

———The hero is one of the world’s systems for it to have balance.

This was said by a certain person. The “White Sage”, who is the comrade of the hero of the previous generation, Ren Shirosaki. He is said to have accidentally fallen into this world from a different world, and now, he is considered a legend.

I don’t know if it’s true, but it seems certain that he is the one who brought the concepts that have never existed in this world. The word “system” is one of them.

According to his book “The System Called Hero”, this system seems to be “a set and mechanism that function as a whole while individual elements interact with each other”.

I don’t understand difficult things, so I understand that it is simply means a mechanism……

According to Ren Shirosaki, the demons seem to have an ecology that periodically forms flocks once every several hundred years. The reason is unknown, but it seems that the White Sage thought that it was the preserved instincts of their species or it was incorporated into a gene.

The flock is formed around the strongest individual, and that is the Demon King. It is unknown whether they form a flock because of the Demon King or a leader is necessary because a flock is formed. It is certain that the actions of the demons in this period are mostly due to the will of the Demon King. That is the so-called attacking humans. As Ren Shirosaki also said, because it is also a flock behavior for breeding, it seems that a part of them is inevitable to be offensive and ferocious at that time. However, for humans it is nothing but a misfortune. When the flock is breeding, it is the instinct of the demons. The demonic powers of the demons are high; its power has various influences. Not only to human beings, but to the world itself.

The world was created by the powers of the spirits. Spirits sustain the world with magical powers. Some human beings, like Rufus-sama, also have magical powers which are of the same kind as the powers of the spirits and can be controlled by the spirit, so the equilibrium of the world has been maintained.

However, the powers used by the demons are different. Therefore, it seems that the balance of the world cannot be maintained. In other words, when the number of demons increases, not only human beings are exposed to the danger of extinction, but it also leads to the collapse of the world’s balance itself.

So, the system that the world created is the hero. To maintain the peace in the world, he is the system for eliminating the Demon King who is the leader of the group and to eliminate the demons. So if the Demon King is born, the world creates the hero. They can be said to be two sides of the coin; they undoubtedly exist as a pair.

…Okay, I do not know if the things the White Sage were saying were true, but it is certain that the existence of the Demon King and the Hero appear periodically in this world.

There were twenty heroes on the record. Their gallant figures were widely known all over the world in “hero’s tales”. However, in the end, I think that there was a hero in the ancient times when that was not included in the record. Anyway, it seems that the world has become such a mechanism.

Well, the White Sage left not only the concept of the system. It seems that he was a person who came from a world where civilization has advanced a lot more than here. And the most widely known thing he brought was the “newspaper”.

Until he brought in the idea of a newspaper, the general public came to know information from hearsays from the travelers, from the chat of people living in the neighborhood, and from the only bulletin board that the royal family rarely set up. But it is not known how reliable the information is; sometimes it was altered for the convenience of the royal family, so it seems that the citizens were not trusted.

That’s why Ren Shirosaki launched a newspaper guild and decided to disseminate information to people in the form of articles. The information paper examined by a third party without the intervention of authority such as royalty— the “newspaper” spread quickly in the continent, branch offices of the guild were established everywhere, where the newspaper closely attached to that country and the regions were created.

By the way, there is a newspaper “Schwarze Weekly” that has a long history in our kingdom of Schwarze as well. The newspaper, to which the royal family also subscribes to, is published once a week and I read it after they finished reading it. Living in a castle with little amusement, it is also one of my enjoyments.

The problem is the “Hero Times”, a newspaper launched by Ren Shirosaki himself. That being said, he launched the newspaper guild after the hero of that time had defeated the Demon King, but it seems that it was a limited-time newspaper with contents close to the memoirs based on the memories of the journey. That newspaper got a favorable reception. The rumor has it that the people of those days knew the information about how the hero fought with the demons or how many party members he has, since they only had to read the “hero’s tale” that will be published at a later date. They were hungry for information about the hero. The people were crowding over the “Hero Times”.

And it seems that this newspaper that was published later came from the origin of the earlier publication of the “hero’s tale”.

Then, Ren Shirosaki’s “Hero Times” was a limited-time publication, but it was decided to restore it after 200 years.

——Yes. It was published during the era of the hero of the previous generation.

People sought information about the hero, and the newspaper guild decided to release an issue in response to that. The reporters in charge of the “Hero Times” dared to interview without regard to the danger and informed the hero’s success throughout the continent.

And now that we are the era of the hero Greed, “Hero Times” was published once again, and the reporters are running around gathering Greed-sama’s information. Along these lines, the “Hero Times” is also the source where I got to know the age and the place of origin of the Hero.

——However.

I never thought that I would decorate the page.

“What the hell is this——?!” I loudly screamed out in front of the princess.

While describing the content of the article, this picture! Black lines covering the eyes, suspicious to the MAX! Moreover, the exposed part—the lips were drawn in an arc that looks pleased. What’s with this smile?! Despite my figure in a maid dress, I feel a strange awkwardness at the smiling face that has no fragment of modesty.

I will not smile like this! ……Maybe.

“Your features are also written, Aria.”

The princess, who had the piece of newspaper article in her hand, read aloud.

“It says, ‘Brown hair and brown eyes. She is 18 years old and has a subdued appearance. She has been serving as a lady-in-waiting of the princess for a long time, and if one will take a wife, she might be the best person.’ Anyway, isn’t it favorable to you, Aria?”

“Is… that so?”

Describing me as subdued, is it not a desperate representation of the euphemism for ordinary?

“Even so, I expected that one day you would be known, but it was quicker than I thought.”

“……You’re right.”

“Surely, someone who was in the hall yesterday must have leaked this to the reporter. Otherwise they will not be able to release this extra news today.”

Unlike regional newspapers, the “Hero Times” is a large newspaper issued uniformly in any country on the continent. It is not a common thing to prepare everywhere in half a day or so all at once. The information was brought immediately after that incident in the hall and somehow they managed to finish today’s publication.

…… I thought a little of a scary thing.

The “Brave Times” is a newspaper published throughout the continent. To put it bluntly, citizens, not only of our country but also of the other countries in the continent, will know the proposal of the Hero. Then, I will not be able to refuse all the more!

And then, forgive me for being presumptuous but, the Hero or one of his friends deliberately sent the information in order to force my hand… What a plan…

…Do—Don’t tell me…?

No matter how it is, they won’t do it to that extent, right?

“I do not think so.”

When I told her my concern, the princess shook her head as she said it.

“That’s because Greed-sama and Rufus-sama seem not to like reporters of the “Hero Times” very much. On our way back home after they rescued me, those who wanted to know the information afterwards were stumped.”

“I see.”

I was relieved, but at the same time, I was ashamed of myself who doubted. It seems that, due to the letters, I was keen on him.

If you think about it, there is no way for the Hero to be friendly to reporters who were hovering around him for the article that they have to publish. Unless it is a person who has an intense self-expressing desire, it is not possible for a person to feel good about being written here and there.

“Aria, surely you’re tired from the trouble since yesterday. I’m fine today so please take a rest.” The princess, who turned to look at me with compassionate eyes, suggested to me.

Of course I said that I am okay. The maid is not supposed to take a rest at this moment. However, if I am told, “This is my order”, I will back down. At the princess’s words, I dared to go back to my room.

It is rare for me to return to my room during the day with an almost sturdy body. Usually I stay either in the princess’s room or in the waiting room next to it, and just comes back to sleep here. So it felt a little strange to spend in my room at noon when I’m supposed be working now.

Ah, being a lady-in-waiting despite being a nobleman’s daughter, I am the senior lady-in-waiting. A private room was pretty much given to me……. Although it is very small.

Speaking of which, it is a simple room that has only a chest, a bed, a side table, a full-length mirror and a small desk. In other words, it is dreary but because it is only a space to sleep, I do not care much. If I liked this, I would have sewn something cute and it will become a small space filled with lace and small items, but unfortunately I do not have that kind of hobby.

In terms of colors, there is a tea set with a little value on the side table. Simplicity is the best.

Sitting in that simple bed, I sighed. Because I was told by the princess, I changed my maid uniform, thinking that I would not be called anymore. However, I am not a sick person, so I opposed the idea of changing into nightclothes. So, what I am wearing right now is a simple, plain dress. I often wear it whenever I go out of the city on my day off and when I go shopping, and as I wear this, I am like a mob, no longer looking like a naturally-born town girl. Because I come from a noble family, it is very convenient.

Having a plain face, hurray! Being a mob, hurray!

……However, now that my picture is on the newspaper, although black lines were put in the eyes, it may not be easy to go out.

I sighed deeply again. I really wonder what Greed-sama liked about me. If it is a beautiful woman rather than me, I guess it is understandable.

……Then why can’t I honestly be happy?

If you only look at his face and title, there is no objection to take him as a partner. Well, he may be a natural disaster or an ultimate weapon, but still there are women out there who are good ladies. Yet, I just feel embarrassment for being liked by such a handsome man, that’s how it is. Even if I tried to make self-suggestion starting with an example, “Hero is handsome”, am I not finished as a woman if there’s not a fragment of throbbing yearning born?

I have no choice but to sigh. I regret that I am not a person who is only interested in looks. If I were seduced by Greed-sama and the Prince’s demeanor and face, then flow of the story would have been easy. The marriage would have been decided when the proposal caused an uproar in the hall, and I think it will not become a problem even after hearing that he is a walking natural disaster or an ultimate weapon.

Maybe. If I came to like it, all things will be overcome with love. Maybe.

That’s because in love stories, it is a solid plot where “two people who are in love will overcome the difficulties”.

……But, it is unlikely for me to overcome without love.

Oh, perhaps it is better to ask Famir-sama to prescribe me a love potion. Then if that happens, we will have mutual love and then we’ll begin our clichéd and lovey-dovey newlywed life. Hmp!

It was then when someone knocked at the door of my room while I was in my sulking mode. One of my colleagues must be worried and came to see the situation. That’s what I thought, so I got up from the bed and opened the door without checking who the other person was.

……I opened it.

And then regretted it 100%.

Because on the other side of the door, the person who was smiling gently was the Hero—Greed-sama.