Vol 1 Chapter 10 – Erik’s Current Situation【Vol 1 – Spoiled Princess Arc】

Debora, Orace’s younger sister, waved energetically as she left.

The Hero Erik and his companion Miriam gave polite nods and followed after her.

Orace returned the gesture with a casual wave and saw them off.

“So that’s the current Hero?”

“Walter, huh…”

After Debora’s party had gone, a man spoke to Orace.

The man, clad in dull-gleaming armor over a sturdy frame, was a knight named Walter.

For many years he had served as Orace’s retainer knight.

With Walter, Orace could drop the mask of a prince.

“Yeah, that’s him. Even though there’s no Demon King on the loose, my father picked him—partly for kicks, partly to have a handy piece he can shuffle around at will.”

Erik isn’t the first person to be slapped with the “Hero” label.

Several Heroes have appeared in the Kingdom of Vilemse before now.

Those were usually eras when the Demon King’s army tried to wipe our kingdom off the map.

At such times, someone who could single-handedly overturn a hopeless war would pop up from nowhere, bringing peace and prosperity to Vilemse—or so the stories go.

But right now, no war with the Demon King’s forces has broken out.

So instead of fighting the Demon King’s army, Erik tackles whatever hardships King Rei orders him to handle.

“…I heard he was originally a farmer?”

“…Yeah. From some backwater village, apparently.”

Orace nodded gravely.

The duties laid upon a Hero are harsh.

Worse still, in Erik’s case there’s no clear goal like “defeat the Demon King and you’re free.” No one knows how long King Rei will keep working him like a rented mule.

He has no idea when he’ll be released.

Until then, he must grind down his own body in service to the king.

Even veterans like Orace and Walter, who have seen the filth and glory of countless battlefields, would admit the role is impossible if they were ordered to take it on—and they can only frown at what Erik is being made to do.

If he were a knight, at least it might be bearable.

Knights are warriors who pledge their very selves to the kingdom and the royal family.

Offering up their lives for king and country is accepted—even lauded—as a noble tale.

Yet Erik is no knight, only a farmer.

He never received combat training, nor did he volunteer to become a Hero.

…Well, technically it’s said he “volunteered,” but with what was hanging over his hometown, he had no other choice.

A girl named Miriam accompanies Erik, but without her he might already be dead.

Forcing such brutal tasks on a farmer—someone knights are supposed to lay down their lives to protect—is…

“That’s… No, forgive me.”

Walter swallowed the words that had almost escaped his lips.

What he’d been about to say was something a knight must never voice.

Criticizing the king could land him in prison for lèse-majesté.

And to do so in front of Orace, King Rei’s own son, was all the worse.

“I know what you want to say. What Father did is nothing short of cruel… Keep it between us that I said that, all right?”

Orace, sensing Walter’s thoughts, gave a wry smile.

After all, he felt the same.

When Orace sealed his lips with a mischievous grin, Walter offered a faint smile in return.

That easygoing warmth is one reason both citizens and knights hold Orace dear.

“I haven’t heard all the details from Father, but despite being sent on extremely dangerous missions, Hero-dono has never voiced a single complaint. …Well, Miriam, who’s always at his side, does shoot us nasty looks, though.”

“So that means…”

A man who’d been an ordinary farmer was suddenly hauled in by royal command, branded Hero, assigned missions so punishing even knights would crack—and yet he never complains.

Naturally, Walter knew there had to be a reason.

“Part of it is probably just Hero-dono’s nature—his epithet ‘Altruistic Charity Hero’ fits—but people aren’t saints. No one keeps hacking pieces off their own life without getting something back. I’m sure they’re paying him somehow.”

At first, Erik’s name was unknown to most of the populace because the kingdom never held a grand ceremony to introduce him.

But as he carried out King Rei’s orders, he kept rescuing citizens in distress wherever he went, and his reputation now threatens to eclipse the king’s.

You can see that from his epithet, “Altruistic Charity Hero.”

Still, no matter how good a man is, without compensation equal to his efforts he couldn’t survive such grueling missions.

“Yet he certainly didn’t look like someone rolling in wealth, and I’ve heard no rumors to that effect.”

Walter touched a hand to his chin.

If he were receiving money, you’d expect his appearance to change.

But Erik’s clothes bore countless mended seams and even faint stains left after washing out blood—so worn they were nearly threadbare.

So what sort of reward is he getting?

“Right. It’s probably not money. His hometown’s a tiny, poor village. I bet Father’s using that as leverage.”

“……!”

Walter ground his teeth.

Reward was far too sweet a word.

It was plain blackmail.

Become the Hero, or who knows what might happen to your village—that sort of threat.

In short, a mere farmer was dragged off by state power, forced into the role of Hero, sent on mission after lethal mission by King Rei, saved suffering citizens along the way, and has fought on while receiving almost nothing for himself.

How can you hear that and not condemn King Rei as a fiend?

“Walter, you’re an excellent knight. You’ve served me long and devotedly.”

“You honor me, Your Highness.”

Orace suddenly lavished praise on Walter.

Though a question mark hovered over his head, Walter accepted the compliment and bowed.

“Which is exactly why I can’t afford to lose you. Please… swallow those words.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Walter understood what Orace meant without it being said.

Even a prince’s attendant knight can’t predict what would happen if he criticized King Rei.

Grateful for Orace’s concern, Walter’s guilt toward Erik only deepened.

“Help me make this kingdom a better place to live—even a little.”

“Yes, sir!”