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Everyone has sad memories, but I can't ignore the uneasiness inside me. After parting ways with Lisha, I walked through the city with a frown.
I thought about going home, but I didn't feel like staying there, so I decided to wander around the city instead.
Even when I went into an arcade, it was too noisy, and looking at books in a bookstore, I couldn't understand anything.
I knew the reason. It was because I had just parted ways with Lisha. Her last smile was still in my mind.
I wondered if I had made a mistake, but those thoughts came and went.
If I had the power to help her, shouldn't I have used it? Can she survive for one more year?
Those thoughts would come to me at random moments, and I would feel the urge to run.
Back when I was in Asteris, I would have helped Lisha no matter what. It's easy to say it was because of my youth.
My age hasn't changed much since then, but I've gained a lot of experience. The only difference between now and then is the experiences I've had.
So, it wouldn't be wrong to say that my actions back then were because of my youth.
While thinking so, I bought a can of coffee from a vending machine and leaned against a nearby wall to drink it. The coffee tasted bitter, mixed with the metallic taste of the can.
When I was summoned to Asteris and forced into battles, I didn't have much motivation. Even though I heard that defeating the Demon Lord would send me back to Earth, I wasn't sure if it was true, and there was a higher chance of dying in battle.
I grew up in peaceful Japan, and I had stopped fighting since my elementary school days. Naturally, It was impossible for me to suddenly start fighting for my life.
But I ended up throwing myself into battle. I trained my body, learned magic, and faced near-death situations many times.
Even after mastering magic, I was treated like an outsider, viewed with curiosity and suspicion because of my unique existence.
There was no honor or glory in it. All I had was a hollow sense of accomplishment.
But there were a few people among my comrades who truly desired peace for the people and had a strong sense of justice to stand against the invading demon race. They were the reason I kept fighting.
Otherwise, I wouldn't have fought for a world that had no connection to mine.
Among those comrades, there was a young girl with fiery crimson hair, burning with an intense sense of justice and a warmth that was felt deeply. She was clumsy and straightforward but a reliable friend.
She was also my first love. Unlike me, who went along with the flow, she had a strong sense of purpose, and I couldn't help but be drawn to her.
In the end, a significant part of why I fought the Demon Lord was because of the girl I fell in love with. That's what youth is all about. You can't do it without believing in something.
Back then, I was a simple man. I could endure any training and any pain if it meant helping the girl I loved. I could stand on the battlefield without succumbing to fear.
I genuinely believed that as long as she was there, I didn't need to return to Earth.
But the answer to such a blindly passionate belief was given to me in the worst possible way—a memory far more bitter than the coffee in my mouth.
—Hey, Yuusuke, can you listen to me?
—It's definitely a good thing that the Demon Lord is dead. Thanks to that, the prosperity of humanity is guaranteed. I'm grateful for that. But... You, who killed the Demon Lord, have become a source of fear for the people.
—That's why please, whatever you want, be it money or anything else, I'll provide it. Just go back to your hometown. Besides, your presence makes my fiancé, Sir Zilk of the Vislard Duke's family, uneasy. You know, I need someone like him, a charismatic and respected person, to support the country in the future.
—So, you, who can only fight, are no longer needed. Hey, do you understand? For both this world and me, you're just a hindrance.
That was the truth she revealed to me on the day before I was to be sent back by the goddess.
Ever since defeating the Demon Lord and returning to the country, it had become evident that she was avoiding me. But until she spoke these words, I had believed that there must be some reason for her behavior.
Despite my uneasy feelings, I wanted to believe in her. We had been comrades who trusted each other and had fought together for many years. She was also the person I had fallen in love with.
However, for me, even though she was someone I loved, I was just a tool for her to defeat the Demon Lord. A valuable tool, yes, but still just a tool.
Just as a warrior values his weapon, she had cherished and trusted me. However, once peace arrived, I became nothing more than an inconvenience.
In the end, it was unreasonable for me to hold a grudge against her. I had misunderstood, gone on a rampage on my own, and ended up getting hurt.
I thought that the wounds from that time had healed since I started dating Tsukiko, but that wasn't the case. I had simply been distracted by surface-level happiness.
Looking at it that way, it seemed that I hadn't changed much from the past to the present. I was still simple-minded and narrow-minded. I guess that's what being young means.
"..."
After finishing the canned coffee, it was already starting to get dark outside.
Meeting Lisha had reminded me of unpleasant memories.
Just because you work hard doesn't mean you'll be rewarded unconditionally. Just because you help someone doesn't mean they'll always be grateful.
So, this was probably for the best.
I wouldn't get involved in obvious troubles and would just try to live moderately. If I did that...
"If I did that..."
I swallowed the words that were about to follow and threw the empty can into a trash bin before starting to walk.
I should forget about it. I'll buy some alcohol at the convenience store, and after drinking five bottles, I'll definitely be able to sleep.
Leaving behind youth probably means running away from something rather than blindly moving forward. Whether that can be called growth, I don't know.
Once you make a decision, your feet naturally move faster.
I thought about the way home and remembered the convenience store on the way.
"..."
However, on the way, I stopped in my tracks.
When I turned my face to the side, I saw a slightly larger park. I wasn't familiar with this area, but there should be quite a few children playing since it was close to a residential area.
From the park, I could hear someone sobbing softly.
It was quite late for a child to be playing, and I wondered if they were lost or something...
For a brief moment, I hesitated, then changed my course and entered the park.
The source of the crying was quickly found.
A girl, probably in elementary or middle school, was crying while rubbing her eyes with dirty hands.
Would it be okay to approach her? After all, even a hero from another world can't compete with the authorities of Earth.
"Hey, is something wrong?"
I cautiously spoke, and the girl turned to look at me. Her face was quite dirty, probably from rubbing her eyes with dirty hands.
The girl continued to cry as she looked at me for a while, then muttered softly.
"...I dropped my bag."
"Your bag?"
"Yeah, the one with Lily's picture on it."
I see, that's why she looked so dirty, searching for it. Since I didn't sense any signs of bullying or anything like that, it was a relief.
But Lily's picture, huh? That character I've seen around recently.
"Lily, you mean that black cat one?"
"Lily is a rabbit!"
"Seriously? I thought it was a cat because of the short ears."
"Mommy and daddy are both working late, and the bag has the house key in it."
"I see."
It would be bad if she didn't find it. Most likely, the right thing to do was to report it to the police...
I surveyed the darkened park. Even with Hero powers capable of dealing with ghosts and youkai, they weren't particularly useful for finding a bag. Well, this wasn't really a matter for Heroes.
"Alright, I'll help you look."
"Is it okay?"
"Well, if we don't find it, you can't go home, right? So, where were you playing?"
"Today, from over there to this side."
She said, pointing from one end of the park to the other.
Wow, that's almost the entire area.
It was starting to look like a race between finding the bag and getting reported to the authorities. Well, there was no point in lamenting that. I began to explore the park with the girl to help her find her bag.
"Oh, hey! Isn't this it?"
"Oh, my bag!"
"Great!"
I couldn't help but let out a cheer. Although not much time had passed, I had been searching frantically to find the bag and get the girl home as quickly as possible. And finally, I managed to find it. It was a somewhat cute bag with a not-so-cute black cat, or rather, black rabbit, which seemed typical of a girl.
Now, I handed the bag to the girl.
"There you go."
"Thank you, big brother!"
"Come on, be careful not to drop it again."
Really, how does a bag end up in the middle of a park like this? Children's behavior is truly unpredictable.
Relieved that I was finally free from the worry of being reported, I noticed the girl looking up at me with a curious expression.
Well, just go home already. After hesitating for a moment, the girl spoke.
"Um, why did you help me look?"
"Why do you ask?"
"...all my friends I was with already went home."
"Well, that can't be helped. They probably have curfews or something. Why...?"
There wasn't really a specific reason. If I had to say, well...
"Because I'm an adult, and when a child is in trouble, anyone would help."
"Is that so?"
"Your mom is probably the same way. That's just how it is."
"I see."
"Come on, now that you understand, go home quickly. Be careful on the way, especially near cars."
"Okay, I got it! Thank you!"
The girl beamed with a smile, despite her dirty face. And with a big wave, she ran out of the park. I had just told her to be careful, but I hoped she'd be alright.
But still, I was about to laugh at the words that had naturally come out of my mouth. Helping children as an adult was simply a given. It didn't have to do with being a Hero, and it shouldn't have been an excuse to escape from something.
Elementary school kids and high school kids were still kids, after all. Whether it was looking for a bag or risking your life in battle, the scale might be different, but the essence remained the same. Probably.
You know, even RPG Heroes start with simple tasks. Those errands eventually lead to battles with the Demon Lord.
"Now then..."
In the past, it was easy to ride on someone else's sense of justice. It was easier to make decisions for myself and choose my own path, even if it was difficult.
Being an adult meant not only having an escape route but also deciding when to run and when to fight on my own. Well, no matter what choices I made, life usually worked itself out.
And then, it happened. As if perfectly timed, I sensed a presence of magic. It was quite far from here, and I didn't even know if Lisha was involved, but...
Magic energy flowed through my entire body, sharpening my senses in the dark night. My silver magic surged, and I activated the spell "My True Name," wrapping myself in armor while propelling myself off the ground.
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