I Got Reincarnated as the Villain and Saved the World, but After the Ending I Was Betrayed and Exiled. I Just Wanted a Peaceful Life in the Frontier, but for Some Reason My Former Companions Started Chasing Me with Yandere Eyes… - 2

Chapter 2: The Exiled Villainous Noble and the Exiled Female Adventurer

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

“You’re Tia-chan, right? Cheer up. Getting kicked out is something that happens a lot when you’re an adventurer.”

“Uu… I guess being an adventurer just doesn’t suit me… I should have stayed quietly in the countryside, working the fields until some noble’s pampered son took a liking to me, and then worked my way up in life from there.”

“Wow, your self-esteem is really high!!”

I couldn’t help but interject at the unexpected high self-esteem of the girl before me, Tia.  She had apparently been an adventurer in a four-person party, but had just been expelled not long ago. She was looking dejected, so I decided to approach her and struck up a conversation to hear her out a bit. 

“Well, yeah. I was called the most beautiful girl in Solin Village. When I first became an adventurer, I had a lot of men approach me, and I still got hit on at the tavern.”

“Ah, so that’s why when I first talked to you, you looked at me like I was an insect and said, ‘I hate you.’”

“Uu… But you were wearing that weird mask, and I thought you were trying to flirt with me with some lame pick-up lines… I’m sorryyy…”

“Ufufu, Gustav-san’s shadiness is A-rank after all. He’s on par with an A-rank adventurer in terms of shadiness alone. His actual ability is C-rank, though…”

“Aisha-chan, I think you should apologize to the A-rank adventurers now.”

By the way, adventurer ranks went from apprentice E up to A. C-rank was what you’d call a mid-tier adventurer. Neither great nor terrible—just the kind of rank that suited a background mob character.

“Ufufu, hardly any A-rank adventurers ever come out here away from the royal capital. So it’s fine!!”

“Not sure if that really is ‘fine’…”

The one covering for me after I got rejected for being mistaken as a pick-up artist was Aisha-chan, who gave me a small smile and a wink. She was the one who had told Tia that she could consult me if she was in trouble, which was why Tia had opened up to me. 

How kind of her…Wait, hold on. I’m only talking to Tia in the first place because Aisha had asked me to, right? Shouldn’t she be the one grateful here?

“But, with that mask, it’s no wonder people get wary of you. We’ve known each other for a year, but I’ve never seen your real face.”

“I told you before, I can’t show it because I got badly injured on an adventure. My real face is the kind that would make noble ladies, elves, and Saintesss alike swoon.”

“Yes, yes, of course. But… I really have to question your mask fashion sense. It’s creepy. That’s why no one will form a party with you. Right, Tia-chan?”

“Uh… Well? I think it’s very unique… And it looks like something a cultist might wear… So I think it looks fantastic on you…?”

“That’s not a compliment, is it? I think it looks cool, though.”

I touched my mask as I retorted. After being banished from the royal castle, I wore this mask, which was enchanted with a perception discrepancy spell, and went by the name Gustav, just to be extra safe.

Doesn’t it have a villain vibe? It looks cool, right??

“Ah…”

“Hm? What’s wrong? Ah… I see.”

Tia let out a dumbfounded sound. Her gaze fixed on the sight of her former three party members welcoming a new member. Sure, with a difference in ability, this sort of thing bound to happen often, but for the one who had been expelled, this sight was a tough pill to swallow.

I frowned, remembering my own pain. It was hard to be shown so clearly that you were not needed. In my case, after fleeing the royal capital, I had been able to explain my situation to my family and get them to hide me for a bit, so I’d avoided falling into complete despair…

“It must be tough, huh…? Then, how about this. Do you want to get back at them?”

“Eh? But… I am cute, sure, but I’m only mediocre at both magic and swordsmanship. And my skill is ‘Charm,’ which is hard to use…”

“What I asked is whether you want to get back at them, not the reason you were expelled.”

Listening to her slightly eccentric self-deprecation, I met her gaze. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded.

“I… I want power. Power to become a proper adventurer… Power to make my dream come true…”

“Alright then. Sorry to ask, but can I see the skills written on your adventurer license?”

“Eh…?”

I doubted it was my imagination that Tia’s expression stiffened. Showing someone your skills didn’t just reveal your abilities. It exposed your trump cards and even your fighting style. For some people, it could feel more invasive than being seen naked.

“It’s okay. You can trust Gustav.”

When Aisha winked reassuringly, Tia grasped my hand with trembling fingers.

“O-okay… Please, take my first time!!”

“That phrasing!! People are going to think I’m some masked creep trying to take advantage of a weakened, freshly expelled girl!!”

“As expected, your self-awareness is on par with an A-rank adventurer!!”

“Shut it, you fool!!”

While I was delivering that stupid retort, the information from her adventurer license came through.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Adventurer Rank: D

Tia McLain

Skills:

Unique Skill: 【Charm】 — Can inflict charm on those nearby. Touch increases the effect. Stronger against virgins. However, cannot be activated unless in a focused situation.

Common Skills:

Beginner Swordsmanship – Lv. 5

Beginner Magic – Lv. 4

Stone Throwing – Lv. 3

Madonna of Solin Village – Lv. 3

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

I see… Stat-wise, she was an average beginner adventurer without anything particularly remarkable. Probably because her unique skill wasn’t combat-oriented, she had trained both magic and sword evenly.

“Well? What do you think…?”

“Ah… So you really were popular in Solin Village.”

“Uu… You didn’t believe me?! Even though I’m this cute?!”

“Sorry, sorry. More importantly, though… Why become an adventurer when your skill is ‘Charm’? Wouldn’t it be easier to just snag some noble’s pampered son and live the easy life?”

At my words, Tia hesitated for a moment, then looked me straight in the eye.

“My teacher at the adventurer school told me the same thing, so I was prepared for that. But… A long time ago, I made a promise to someone important to me. That’s why even with a disadvantageous skill, I still don’t want to give up.”

Her eyes showed a hint of anxiety, but at the same time, a firm resolve. Her eyes brought back memories of my former companions, causing a sharp pang in my chest.  I knew that look. It was the look of someone who knew their own weaknesses but refused to abandon their dream.

“Alright. Then I’ll teach you a way to fight that makes the most of your Charm skill. That way, you can gain a strength that’s yours alone.”

“Really…? A long time ago, the person I admired also told me the same thing. Since I had a unique skill, I should use it. That’s why I kept trying. You’ll acknowledge me too, then…?”

Perhaps she had been doubting her own path, because Tia looked genuinely happy as she smiled, and I could see faint tears glimmering in her eyes. Ah… Thinking back, Henrietta had been the same. She had been struggling with similar issues too and when I taught her to flourish despite her issue, Henrietta finally started smiling in pure joy. 

『Phantom… When I become a noble, I’ll create a world where even those with the Evil Eyes won’t be persecuted. That’s my promise to you, the one who taught me how to use my skill the right way.』

Tia’s determined gaze overlapped with Henrietta’s from the past in my mind. That promise had gone unfulfilled, and from rumors I’d heard, she was now celebrated as a hero, had restored her domain, and was rumored to be romantically involved with Cain.

Well… That was all in the past now.

“Alright. Let’s start special training tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’ve actually got quite a bit of experience teaching.”

“Yes!! I’ll do my best!!”

Looking at Tia’s beaming smile, I thought to myself.

 I won’t be doing anything grand like saving the world anymore, but with my knowledge of the game, I can still help those who are struggling. Living my days out as a mob adventurer while enjoying a slow life doesn’t sound bad at all. This is just right for me.

★★

“Still no sign?”

“Henrietta-sama… It’s already been a year since Phantom-sama went missing. We believe he may have died or left the country entirely…”

“…”

Henrietta fell silent at her subordinate’s words. She was on the verge of tears. The subordinate, looking apologetic, handed her an official order.

“This is an order from the royal capital. Recently, powerful monsters have been appearing more often, so if you find any, you are to investigate… They say you must fulfill your duties as a hero…”

“Honestly, such a slave driver… Is this Cain’s way of harassing me for rejecting his marriage proposal? He really has changed.”

Henrietta frowned at her subordinate’s words. In fact, there was a trace of disgust in her eyes.

“If you were to forget about Phantom-sama and find yourself a new fiancé, these sorts of things might stop happening…”

“I know it’s selfish of me to say this, but please… Keep looking for him.”

“Understood. But… I think it will be hard to keep turning down Prince Cain’s invitations forever.”

“I said I understand!! Please… Just leave me alone for now…”

Henrietta’s reply came out almost hysterically. In that moment, she wasn’t the brave holy knight she showed in battle, nor the hero sung of in ballads who slew the Demon Lord. She was like a frail girl who had lost someone dear to her.

“If I had searched for him right away back then… Would things have been different…?”

She gazed out the window, but no one was there to answer.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー