Even Though I Defeated the Demon Lord, My Wife and Daughter Treat Me Like Trash ~ I Found Out My Wife's Child Isn't Mine, and When I Confronted Her, She Got Mad and I Was Exiled. The Country's in Trouble Because the Demon Lord Came Back? Sorry, I'm Getting Remarried to a Princess, So I Can't Help. - Chapter 3: The Hero Who Saved the Nation

Chapter 3: The Hero Who Saved the Nation

By the time I left the tavern, the sun had already set. 

I figured if I went home smelling like alcohol, Emilia would probably have something to say, so I decided to walk around town a bit to sober up.

“I drank too much, even though I can’t handle it… The bartender really knows how to make a sale.”

I tried to shift the blame for my over-drinking onto the innocent bartender.

I wasn’t so drunk that I couldn’t find my way home, and after a while, my feet naturally led me in that direction.

As I started to sober up, though, the heavier my mood became.

Thud.

Lost in thought, I accidentally bumped into someone. 

Looking down, I saw a young girl had fallen at my feet. 

She seemed about the same age as Emilia.

“Ah! See, this is why you need to watch where you’re going! I’m so sorry, my daughter just…”

A young couple—not much older than me, really—rushed over in a panic. I offered the girl a hand to help her up, forcing a smile as I did.

“No, no, it’s alright. I wasn’t paying attention either… Are you okay, little one? Any injuries?”

“No! I’m fine!”

“Glad to hear it.”

As the girl dusted off her clothes and smiled, I watched her with a fond smile of my own.

“Um… could you be… Sir Van?”

Her father hesitantly asked, clearly unsure. Straightening up a bit to hide the remnants of my drunkenness, I answered him.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Oh, I knew it!”

Hearing our conversation, the little girl looked up at me with a curious expression and asked, “Is he an important person?”

“Yes! This is the ‘Hero’ I’ve been telling you about! Thanks to him, our country is at peace!”

“I know him! He’s the one who defeated the Demon Lord!”

“Exactly! This is the ‘Hero Who Saved the Nation’!”

As her father spoke excitedly, I couldn’t help but smile wryly inside.

As he said, my title is indeed the “Hero Who Saved the Nation.” I was one of the “Four Heroes” who sealed the Demon Lord long ago. 

My name is Van Ismir.

“Dear, you’re bothering Sir Van.”

The mother gently scolded her husband while bowing her head to me. 

I waved my hand and replied casually.

“No, it’s fine, really.”

“He’s always talking about you, so please forgive him.”

Her husband, feeling a bit defensive, raised his voice in protest.

“But… but you’re always talking about him and Lady Camilla too!”

“Of course, I am! The wedding of Sir Van and Lady Camilla is every woman’s dream in this country. A handsome couple, blessed by the royal family, pledging their eternal love… it’s like something out of a fairy tale!”

The woman spoke with a dreamy expression.

Honestly, it was even more awkward than when her husband had excitedly called me the “Hero.”

I had met Camilla, another one of the “Four Heroes,” during our journey to defeat the Demon Lord. We got married eleven years ago, when we were both still teenagers.

Camilla was known as the most beautiful woman in the kingdom, and our wedding was celebrated nationwide. 

People still talk about it to this day.

After exchanging a few polite bows, the couple walked away hand in hand with their daughter between them. 

I watched them for a while.

The little girl smiled brightly, looking up at her parents as they chatted happily. 

Seeing that cheerful family, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of misery, probably because of my current emotional state.

To be honest, they looked happier than I am.

In the eyes of the world, I’m highly regarded.

Some say I’m the best at both swordsmanship and magic. In fact, ever since I became an adult, I’ve never lost a one-on-one fight, whether with magic or the sword.

Because of my past achievements, I’m still prioritized for handling strong monsters, remnants of the Demon Lord’s army, and skirmishes with other nations. I run all over the place, trying to meet those expectations. I take pride in the fact that I always deliver results that satisfy the people who hire me.

But all of this comes at the cost of sacrificing time with my family.

What I have now:

A fulfilling job, the rewards and recognition that come with it, a bit of honor. 

I also have a beautiful wife and a daughter who, while a bit sassy lately, is still adorable.

To others, my life might seem perfect, like I’m riding the waves of success. 

Maybe the things weighing on my mind right now are just luxuries. 

But from where I stand, being envied or called a hero is just what others think. 

Just because people admire me doesn’t mean I feel happy myself.

In reality, I’m just a guy who can’t seem to manage the moods of his wife or daughter, and I’m no good at handling things at home.

“…Guess, I should head back.”

I muttered to myself and started walking again.

When we first got married, I never imagined I’d come to dread going home like this.

“Why is it like this? Well, it’s probably my fault.”

I’ve always been aware that I don’t really understand what it means to have a “family.” As an orphan, I was taken in by Old Man Barnes, my mentor, and raised by him and his butler.

Barnes taught me magic, while the butler, a former imperial knight, drilled swordsmanship and academic knowledge into me. They raised me strictly.

While I consider both of them my family, I always felt like there was some invisible line between us.

They weren’t the type to engage in small talk, so our conversations were always limited to the essentials.

I remember feeling a little jealous of Emilia when I saw Old Man Barnes chatting happily with her.

I wonder, if I had grown up differently, would I have been better at being the head of a family?

“Well, no point in wishing for what I don’t have.” 

I muttered to myself, shaking my head.

After all, it was thanks to their strict upbringing and the opportunities they gave me that I was able to join the party to defeat the Demon Lord. That’s how I met Camilla, became her husband, and had our adorable daughter. 

Wishing for a different life and wanting more than that would be asking for too much.

Lost in thought, I eventually found myself standing in front of my home.