I Got Fired as a Hero Today - Vol.1 Chapter 12: Arata, Confront Chloe

He was stopped by Chloe after shooting about a hundred times.

All the shots missed, but he was starting to get the hang of it, so he was not satisfied.

“What is it, Chloe?”

“Arata, everyone has finished, so let’s take a break here for now.”

Arata looked around and everyone was watching him.

“Arata, haven’t you leveled up?”

Tsubasa has a puzzled expression.

“Arata didn’t have enough experience points when he was first summoned, so he can’t level up.”

Chloe answered.

It is the lie Arata told when he made his guild card.

“Isn’t this different from what you said? Didn’t you say that heroes are summoned with a large amount of magic power and experience points?”

One of the hero members, Shitara Takahito, adjusted his glasses and said.

“It’s irregular.”

The magician Rina adjusted her glasses and said.

“An irregular?”

Takahito adjusted his glasses and said.

“The Hero Summoning Ritual is a divine act that can only be performed when all conditions are met. It is humans who carry it out. It’s not surprising if one or two people can’t use it.”

Rina adjusted her glasses and said.

“Even so, he’s a hero. He might have low levels, but he seems to have magical power.”

Takahito adjusted his glasses and said.

“Indeed, it’s impressive that you can shoot that many light projectiles without even getting out of breath. But the amount you release at once is overwhelmingly small. As a combatant, that’s a failing grade.”

Rina adjusted her glasses and said.

──Don’t keep adjusting your glasses all the time!

Everyone thought so.

“For that reason, Arata needs to level up. He has to earn experience points. He should take on the guild’s requests and defeat monsters. That’s the best way to earn experience points.”

Chloe said.

“How about everyone else? Why not lend a hand to Arata?”

At those words, huh? Seriously? A vibe like that lingers.

“It’s inefficient. Why do we have to accommodate those with lower levels?”

It’s Takahito. He’s adjusting his glasses again.

“Weren’t you the one who said to go on a Demon King subjugation journey after just a month of training? If that’s the case, we should spend time on our tutorial first rather than grinding for experience points. In fact, our control over magic is still lacking. We don’t want to take such risks right now.”

What Takahito says is also valid.

Atsushi and Tsubasa probably agree with that opinion. They’re nodding.

“Alright, let’s do this. The heroes other than Arata should focus on the tutorial. The remaining adventurer team will come with us.”

Chloe made the proposal. There was someone who objected to it.

“No way, why do I have to do something like that?”

It’s Rina.

“Our main mission is to protect the hero. While we can do things like teaching, like today, I don’t want to risk my life in this month.”

“What Rina says makes sense. Our contract doesn’t include taking on guild requests. Besides, this month we’re only receiving living expenses and a small salary.”

The warrior Gyle said that adventurers don’t take unnecessary risks.

Yesterday, the reason they came along for the gathering was probably because if they couldn’t use the guild card, it would hinder their journey to defeat the Demon King.

“If he’s weak, then it’s fine to stay weak. There are plenty of heroes around.”

It’s the thief Rusdo. In short, he says that even if Arata is a hindrance, it doesn’t matter if he dies.

As Arata says, he thinks heroes are more valuable, don’t they? He thinks so.

Rather, it’s the adventurers who should die.

However, he will keep that to himself.

If the adventurers don’t go, the hero team won’t be able to go either.

“I get it already! That’s enough. Arata──”

Chloe was angry. Even as the knight commander, it must be quite a challenge to manage adventurers who have their own quirks and troubles.

“Let’s go together, just the two of us.”

A commotion broke out because of a lie Arata told. As expected, lies are no good. Arata thought this, albeit belatedly.

They took a lunch break here for a while.

Arata wanted to test the [Swordsman] skill, so he called out to Chloe.

“Chloe, could you give me sword training later?”

“Huh?”

“If we’re going just the two of us, I should probably practice my swordsmanship a bit too, right? I have some experience from the previous world.”

Since they were both level 10, he wanted to see the difference.

“Hmm.”

Chloe has a somehow sullen expression on her face.

“Hey, hey, you should choose your opponents more carefully.”

It’s Gyle. Even though he said he wouldn’t help Arata, he came over to talk to him.

It might be that having this kind of boldness is what makes someone an adventurer.

“What do you mean?”

“The knight commander was originally a war orphan taken in by the Sword Saint Isaac Gloria. She has been trained in swordsmanship since childhood. Her genius-level sword skills are perfect except for one flaw.”

He can tell that she is highly regarded. Becoming a knight commander at such a young age is no small feat.

“Just one flaw?”

“She can’t hold back when it comes to swords.”

Right. He’s telling him to stop if he doesn’t want to get hurt. He might be kinder than he looks, after all. Still…

“A sword saint? A new character has appeared again.”

“When you were summoned, They were in the cathedral.”

Chloe added as if to emphasize.

Indeed, having seen Chloe’s well-trained physique yesterday, Arata felt that comparing it to his own slender body was reckless.

Above all, there was a naive belief that if one is strong, one might be given some leeway.

“I can’t hold back. So… what are you going to do?”

Chloe leaned in closer. She smelled nice.

“Y-yes, I’ll do it!”

He ended up saying it without thinking. He was hesitant, though.

And then, he missed the chance to ask why she couldn’t hold back.

“Yeah…”

From an outsider’s perspective, Chloe showed no change in her expression, but Arata could see through it.

When she laughing──.

◆◆◆

He has lunch in the staff kitchen.

Just like yesterday, the former adventurer Isabella and her granddaughter Lucia were waiting.

“Arata, make pancakes for me!”

Lucia took Arata’s hand.

He was liked by a child.

It’s pancakes again today.

And, he had become better at making pancakes than yesterday.

“So, Arata-san, are you going to challenge the knight commander to a duel? You’re quite the daredevil to challenge a seasoned warrior like that.”

“That might be true. Also, Isabella-san, you don’t have to add ‘san’ when addressing me.”

“Oh really? Well then, Arata. Being the knight commander is quite a responsibility. Be careful.”

“Well, I’ll just go for it and see what happens.”

As Arata, he had maxed out the [Swordsman] skill, so he thought he could hold his own in battle.

“Hmm. You seem quite confident, contrary to what you just said.”

Having his innermost thoughts accurately read by Isabella, Arata could only manage a wry smile once again.

◆◆◆

In the afternoon, he returned to the arena once more.

To cross swords with Chloe.

A wooden sword, a helmet to protect the head, and leather armor were provided.

Chloe has the same equipment.

Since it had been a while since Chloe had crossed swords, she was feeling exhilarated.

The hero members had recovered some of their magical powers, so they started practicing again.

“Light ball.”

She felt her attack magic getting closer to the target than before.

Suzu was planning to observe Arata’s sword training, even though she had her own practice to attend to.

However, that was not realized.

A few minutes later the hero members started practicing magic.

Bang!

With the sound of the helmet cracking,

“Comoran!”

It’s Chloe’s voice calling for the adventurer’s healer.

“Oh dear, this is not good!”

After looking closer, there was Arata, with his helmet shattered, blood streaming from his head, and unconscious.

“That guy, isn’t he totally off?”

Someone said.