The Female Hero Party That Exiled Me, All of Them Are Mentally Broken - Chapter 4

It had been about three months since I came to this Frontier Town, Dead End.

I rent a small room at an inn and work every day as an enchanter at the Adventurers’ Guild.

Every morning, I wash my face with cold water, then walk through the busy main street to the guild. It has become my daily routine.

Lately, I’ve also grown close to a new girl at the front desk of the guild. Her name is Cecily.

“Alphonse-san. Please take care of us again today.”

She waves at me with a bright smile, her flaxen hair swaying as she does.

Even someone useless like me has a place here. I can help people here. I can belong.

Standing across the counter, I smile back at her with the warm smell of tea in the air.

That was when it happened.

Creeeaaak.

A sharp alarm from the town’s defensive magic tools rang out across the streets.

“W-What is that…”

“Cecily.”

One of the senior guild staff rushed over, her face pale.

“It’s an emergency alarm.”

“E-Emergency alarm?!”

“It sounds like a powerful monster appears.”

The air inside the guild froze. Adventurers quickly grabbed their weapons.

A strong monster. We can’t ignore that.

I rushed outside.

Near the town’s main gate, a huge four-armed beast was approaching. It was so tall it looked down over the outer walls.

“H-How big is that…”

Was it one of the Demon King’s remaining forces?

The smell of rotten flesh and burnt earth filled the air. Each time its massive feet hit the ground, the earth shook under my boots.

“D-Damn it. It’s going to break through the defense line.”

The beast swung one of its giant arms. Everyone dodged, but the stone wall was smashed to pieces.

Flying rubble hit several adventurers and knocked them down.

“Don’t give up.”

I stepped in front of the fallen adventurers who had lost hope and were frozen in fear.

I clenched my hands tight and cast my enchantments as wide as I could, healing boost and body strengthening.

Soft light wrapped around them.

But against that monster’s overwhelming power, it was only buying time.

Even so, I will protect this kind town that took me in. I will protect this peaceful life.

The moment I made up my mind and stepped forward.

“Out of the waaaaaay.”

A woman’s fierce shout came from the sky, and it was loud enough to shake my ears.

Boom, with a thunderous crash that shook the ground, something slammed into the beast’s side.

The giant monster didn’t even have time to scream.

It was blown apart into pieces of flesh in an instant.

Warm blood rained down. Dust rose into the air.

When the dust cleared, three girls were standing there.

Their bodies were covered in sticky blood.

Their eyes were bloodshot as they looked around sharply.

“W-What is that strength?!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me! Why are the members of the ‘Hero Party’ who defeated the Demon King in a frontier place like this?!”

The town’s adventurers and even the guild master stared in shock and shouted in disbelief.

“T-That can’t be… Yuria and everyone else. Why…”

Yuria, Naitsu-san, and Serara-san, who had just been filled with killing intent, suddenly noticed me standing there in a daze.

In that instant, the madness in their eyes faded away.

Clang, their legendary weapons slipped from their hands and fell to the ground. Their faces twisted as if they were about to cry.

“Aluuuu. I wanted to see you, I wanted to see you so badly.”

“Al-kun, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Please hit me as hard as you can.”

“Ahhh, my god. Please, take my life instead.”

The legendary heroes who had just saved the town collapsed at my feet as they were still covered in blood and mud.

Yuria clung to my waist and cried loudly.

Naitsu-san pressed her face against my leg.

Serara-san knelt like she was praying and kissed my shoes.

“E-eh… Is this some kind of joke…”

The people of the town were frozen. Just moments ago, it had been a brutal battle. Now this strange scene was unfolding before them.

The guild master looked at me with a stiff face.

“Why?! Al-kun, what is your relationship with them?!”

I couldn’t understand it myself. My mind went blank.

They were the ones who called me useless. The ones who pushed me away.

So why were they crying like this while holding onto me as if they would never let go?

“Huh? Didn’t you all hate me? Didn’t you say I was just a burden?”

My voice shook as I spoke.

The three of them slowly raised their faces. Tears mixed with blood ran down their cheeks as they shook their heads over and over.

The feelings that had been twisted and held back for so long were finally about to crash into each other here, in this faraway town.

◇

Yuria’s vision was blurred by large tears.

She no longer cared about the awful smell of mud and blood in the air.

The only thing keeping her sane was the warmth of Alphonse in her arms… and his gentle scent, like sunlight on a quiet afternoon.

She had finally found him.

She was finally holding him again.

That day, she had forced him away from the battlefield. She had used cruel words on purpose and cast him out, all to keep him safe.

But the three months without him had been pure hell for Yuria and the others.

A world without Al had no value.

The lie they told to protect him had eaten away at their hearts from the inside.

She would never let him go again.

No matter what.

Even if he hated her.

Even if he cursed her for calling him useless.

From now on, she will stay by his side. Always. Forever. Here in this frontier town, she would cling to him and live for him.

She would never release him until the day she died.

No… even if her body turned to bones, even if only her soul remained.

She would stay with him forever.

She would cling to him and never stop seeking his warmth.

Naitsu and Serara looked up at Alphonse the same way.

Their eyes were dark and heavy.

Inside them burned a love so strong it was almost madness and a deep sense of guilt.

Their desperate love had finally reached its breaking point at his feet.