Vol 1 Chapter 19 – The Former Hero Who Wants to Be a NEET Gets Worshipped【Vol 1: The Beastkin Hero Arc】

Having completed the subjugation of the Eight Demon General, Allen sheathed Asmodeus.

All around him, the speechless villagers stared at him with passionate gazes.

His true identity was already exposed. That couldn’t be helped. To save them, he had no choice but to use Asmodeus’s power.

(Allen. That just exhausted our stock.)

(Right, understood.)

Asmodeus’s power—<Bewitching Purple Lightning: Lux Nilus>—grants the user a super-enhancement of physical abilities and elemental enchantments.

Even Allen, who couldn’t use magic, could exercise power that was virtually akin to magic.

In exchange, sexual arousal was demanded as a price.

When he was invited as a guest to numerous evening balls as a World Knight, he was able to remain calm and never drop his guard to lust, even when many beautiful princesses asked him for dances and escorts. This was thanks to Asmodeus, who had been absorbing it every single time.

(No, that doesn’t matter right now. The problem is how to get through this situation.)

“A-Allen-sama.”

Branford called out to him. Perhaps he was nervous, for he wore a terribly solemn expression.

“What is it?”

“Thank you very much for saving this village.”

That usual cheerfulness was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a surprising quietness. He dropped to one knee right in front of Allen, bowing respectfully like a vassal.

Seeing that, the villagers began to whisper among themselves.

“Is he really the real deal?”

“You saw it, didn’t you? That beautiful lightning.”

“But Allen-sama was supposed to have passed away.”

It seemed the villagers’ agitation was intense. However, Allen was just as agitated, not to be outdone.

Why was Allen, who was supposed to be dead, still alive?

He was bound to get grilled about it from here on out. When bombarded with questions, what should he say?

He absolutely couldn’t say, I quit being a World Knight because I wanted to be a NEET.

Cold sweat trickled down. Right now, Allen was more nervous than when he challenged the Demon Lord.

(I should dodge the issue before they can press me. Yeah, that’s the move.)

“Branford, I have some medicine here that I got from Nozes. I’m going to distribute it to all the villagers, so give me a hand. I believe this will even restore limbs and eyes eaten by the demons.”

A stir rippled through the villagers.

“We can be healed?!”

“T-Truly?”

“Yay, we did it, Mom!”

To the wide-eyed young men, the hugging parents and children, and the kids jumping for joy, Allen quietly nodded.

Nozes, one of the World Knights, originally supported the front lines as an alchemist before transforming his body into liquid metal.

The recovery potions he made were of a higher quality than anyone else’s in this world. However, since Allen almost never took damage, he never used them, even when they were given to him.

That was why he had a ridiculous amount left over.

The Spirit Beast that was suddenly on Allen’s shoulder—the Infinity Frog, Boyo-chan—opened his large mouth and, looking rather pained, began to drop small bottles filled with blue liquid from his mouth with a clatter.

At that sight, Branford blinked.

“A temperamental Spirit Beast is acting so obediently.”

“Come on, hurry up, Branford.”

Before they could start pressing him, action was the only option.

“U-Understood! Allen-sama! You heard him, everyone! Line up in single file!”

And so, the village square was instantly overflowing with people. In the blink of an eye, relief and vitality spread.

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Once the medicine was delivered to all the villagers and they regained their fully capable bodies, smiles burst forth.

At the same time, perhaps out of the joy of being released from terror, many shed tears.

By that time, the morning sun had begun to rise.

Branford narrowed his eyes. The village children’s cheeks flushed as they happily held their hands up to the sunlight.

They ran around energetically with their restored limbs.

“I got him to shake my hand!”

“Me too!”

“He was so cool, Allen-sama.”

“Listen, listen! I even got him to promise to teach me the sword next time!”

The complexions of the children, who had been trembling in fear until last night, were bright. Giggling and making a ruckus, they ran across right in front of Branford.

“Take this! Skill: One thousand eighty-eight consecutive slashes!”

“Gwaaah!”

Wasting no time, they picked up tree branches, pretending they were swords, and immersed themselves in make-believe play. He quietly watched their backs grow distant.

In a different spot, the ladies were swooning.

“I actually got him to kiss the back of my hand.”

“Eh, n-no fair. M-Maybe I should go back and ask him too. No, but I’d feel bad for my husband.”

Besides that, there was talk of getting autographs, getting hugged, and so on.

Everyone was supposed to have gone to Allen to heal the injuries received from the Parasite Carapace Tribe, yet for some reason, the entire village was buzzing with a completely different topic.

That, too, couldn’t be helped.

A World Knight was a protector of humanity, an invincible hero under the heavens.

Among them, Allen was the most popular.

Numerous fairy tales about him had been written and sold as books. He was the subject of paintings, and statues were built in his honor. Simply put, he was the most famous star in the world.

What’s more, since he saved the world at the cost of mutually striking down the Demon Lord, his popularity only continued to skyrocket after his supposed death.

Well, he wasn’t dead, though.

“But why doesn’t Allen-sama, um, return to the Empire?”

“He must have some profound reason.”

“But his position as a World Knight… at this rate, it’ll go to someone else. I heard someone named Hel-something was the next candidate.”

The content of the village men’s conversation was something Branford was also wondering about.

Why was he not returning as a World Knight, going so far as to keep his survival a secret?

“Well, it’s a good thing, though. World Knight-samas don’t come to small villages like this, after all. Thanks to Allen-sama just happening to drop by—”

Branford suddenly opened his eyes wide. Just then, the village chief, Eamon, walked up from behind and patted Branford’s back.

“Lost in thought?”

“A-Ah, Eamon. I’ve just realized Allen-sama’s grand design!”

He thought of the Hero who was currently resting his body in a vacant house in the village.

“Allen-sama’s design?”

“Yes, exactly. Even with the medicine, I thought he was too well-prepared. And, from the position of a World Knight, one cannot mobilize unless there is approval from the kings at the World Council! In other words, the current system is in a state where it cannot be said to be fully utilizing that overwhelmingly massive military force!”

The approval or denial of a sortie is based on the danger level. That final decision is determined by the votes of kings from countries across the world.

It was perhaps a sort of shackle to prevent super-warriors—who could single-handedly surpass an entire nation’s army—from acting freely.

“That is exactly why Allen-sama discarded his position! If he discards his position, he can rush to even a small village like this one. In order to reach out his hand to those he could not save as a World Knight, he purposely made the choice not to return to the Empire!”

Eamon opened his eyes wide.

“Going so far as to throw away his fame and his status as a Hero, just to help the weak.”

“Yes. That is precisely why he forbade us from speaking out! If it gets out that he is alive, he’ll be forced to return to being a World Knight. That’s why he’s fine remaining dead!”

Branford’s heated voice was practically a shout, and it reached the ears of many villagers around them.

The innate loudness of his voice was put on full display.

“My word. That man truly is a genuine Hero.”

One of the old women offered a prayer toward the vacant house where Allen was staying.

“Allen-shama is sho cool.”

“Even after slaying the Demon Lord, to still save people, and without reward, no less. Just how far does he intend to live for the sake of others?”

Regardless of age or gender, everyone was amazed by Allen Norsh’s decision and shed tears.

No one knew that the man in question was currently still in the vacant house, thinking up excuses.