Ex-Hero, Now Freeloader - Chapter 1 – The Morning of a Freeloader

For the sake of humanity, for peace, for the world…

Endure intense training, go through gruesome battlefields, then sleep like a log.

The next time I opened my eyes, everything I hated was over.

One day, I was looking out the window and decided that I, too, will attain a normal life of living every day, smiling like a child.

I’ve looked back on that unattainable dream countless times.

When the normal life I so desired became hazy and hard to grasp, it happened.

◇

「Yawn… It’s morning?」

I stare blankly at the sunlight seeping through the cracks of the curtains, yawning.

『They are called the Six Saviors. The Sage of magic, the Saint of healing, the Swordmaster, the Mystical Archer, the resourceful War God, and… the all-powerful Hero.』

I can hear a voice calling me, but I ignore it as I rub my eyes.

「So sleepy…」

『Time has passed since demons came flooding out of the Demon Realm that was connected to the Human Realm. In every age, six special humans will be born. Among the ages, the six in this age are said to be the strongest in history. The Hero, in particular, was trained by the other five Saviors and is so superior that it is said that no stronger being, past or present, would ever be born. Everyone expected the Hero to save humanity from the threat of the demons, so why-』

I shift my gaze to the double-edged sword leaning against the wall.

「I think I’ll take another nap. Hey holy sword, think you can quiet down a little?」

A holy sword with a mind of its own, I’ve had it for ten years, ever since I was five years old.

This thing’s the one that’s been muttering this whole time.

I don’t really know if swords have genders, but it kinda talks in a determined female voice.

『Why… Why did the Hero…become a Demon King Army freeloader…!!』

I don’t know how many time’s she’s said it, but she’s been complaining about the same thing lately.

Which is why I give her the same old reply I always do.

「I mean…they treat me better over here.」

I think that’s a very important thing.

◇

Recently, my life has completely changed.

First off, I wake up in the morning atop a fluffy bed.

It has a canopy attached to it, for reasons that I am unaware of.

For someone like me who traveled across the world and often slept outdoors, being able to sleep here every day is nothing short of a miracle. It’s obvious but, the sleeping snugness is worlds apart.

「Are you awake, master Hero?」

My consciousness, which was almost lulled back into sleep by the sandman, was pulled back to reality.

「……Yeah, I’m up.」

As I say that, the door opens modestly and a black-haired maid enters.

She looks about the same age as me.

It would seem that she was chosen due to having the same hair color as the Hero, so as not to cause discomfort while serving.

Of course, among demons, there are many that have shapes and hair color not seen among humans.

Other than the two horns growing out of the sides of her head, the maid looks human, which was probably why she was thought to be the most suitable to take care of the Hero.

Those like her are called Majins.

…Not that I’m bothered by it.

Nonetheless, I am not dissatisfied with the current maid, so I accepted it.

She has glossy long black hair, a stern face yet her smile doesn’t seem cold, she’s thin but powerful, and she does her work exceedingly fast.

You could also say she’s gorgeous.

Even to a Hero who has been trained to avoid interacting with others as much as possible, I can appreciate aesthetic beauty.

「Good morning, Ferris.」

I rub my sleepy eyes, yawning.

「Good morning to you too, master Hero. To you as well, holy sword mistress Mika.」

The maid known as Ferris responds with a compassionate smile.

Mika appears to be the nickname favored by the will dwelling within the holy sword. I never knew that until I came here because I always called her holy sword.

The holy sword simply responded with a 『Hmph.』, as if exhaling sharply from her nose.

Not that she has one. Nor a mouth.

Now, Ferris is an exceptional maid, but there is one thing that she can never fix.

「Could you at least drop the whole master thing?」

When I say that, she always gives an awkward laugh.

「Breakast is ready. Today’s meal is what you’ve wished for, master Hero. Pancakes.」

「What? Really?!」

I leap out of bed, eyes gleaming.

Smiling at the sight before her, Ferris nods.

「Yes. Five pancakes stacked together, made from fluffy batter, dripping with an ample amount of honey, and topped with two scoops of ice cream of different flavors. Around it is an assortment of sour-tasting fruits.」

My mouth starts to salivate.

As soon as the crest of the Hero appeared on the back of my right hand when I was five years old, I was taken out of the orphanage and given severe training by the other five Saviors.

This also includes battles against demons set to harm humanity, and there were more than a few subjugation missions.

In order to be the strongest Hero that surpasses the other five, I was intensely trained.

With a life that didn’t resemble that of a childhood in the slightest, I have never tasted sweets.

But here, in the Demon King Castle, they will basically prepare whatever I want to eat… With proper consideration to nutrition, of course.

To a young man, the Demon King Castle is not the castle of the arch-enemy of man, but heaven.

「Let’s go! Let’s go!」

「Fufu, oh master Hero. You should change out of those clothes first.」

I had on the pajamas that they had given me.

The time spent sleeping is when one is at their most vulnerable, so it was essential that I learned to be able to wake up at the slightest presence.

At first, I could not understand the use of sleeping attire that had zero defensive advantages, but after trying them on, they were pretty comfortable.

Initially, I remained vigilant, but those within the Demon King Castle are surprisingly non-hostile.

I was given an explanation about that once before but…

「The ice cream is gonna melt!」

「So that it can be eaten at any time that master Hero wishes to awaken, time around the pancake has been stopped with space-time elemental magic, so please rest assured.」

Space-time elemental magic is a precious element that only two members of humanity can use, but more so than that, I could not help but shout「It can be used like that? Whoever came up with that is a genius.」in admiration.

I can use it too, so it might be a good idea to try that next time.

It’s useful to stop a demi-beast in its tracks when subjugating them, but I never thought about using it to retain heat.

Since I’ve only ever thought of magic as a means to defeat my enemies, this has honestly left a deep impression on me by comparison.

However, this type of magic takes up no small sum of mana, so I tend not to use it.

I better head to the dining hall before whoever is stopping time around the pancakes gets tired and collapses.

I asked Ferris to help me with this and that, I finished changing and hurried to the dining hall.

『Hold on a minute, Rain! Are you just gonna leave me here? Are you mad? This is enemy territory! 』

Leaving the panicking holy sword, I exit the room.

After a short walk, I arrive.

There is a dining table that’s large enough to fit a dozen people at once.

Two chairs were prepared on the shorter edge of the table.

Someone was already seated on one of them.

「Eleanor…! Good morning.」

I smile naturally when I saw that woman.

「Hrk…!」

The silver-haired Majin known as Eleanor gripped her chest while her cheeks blushed.

「Are you ok…? D-does your chest hurt again?」

Eleanor is my benefactor, and she also holds a considerable position within the Demon King Army, but for some reason, she seems to get assaulted by chest pains whenever I’m around.

「N-no, please, there is no need to worry. It’s just that… Master Rain’s smile has quite the charm.

「I-I see…」

Rain is my name.

I was left on the doorstep of the orphanage on a rainy day when I was a baby, so the orphanage decided to call me Rain.

But I don’t really care about that.

I am very grateful to Eleanor because she is the reason I get to live as I am now.

But…besides how she’s clutching her chest in my presence right now, there have also been times where her knees buckled while having a nosebleed, drooling, or muttering the word「Precious…」before fainting. I’m a little worried about her.

Apart from all that though, she’s a beautiful, kind-hearted, big-breasted, soft all over, and…frankly, very strong Majin.

「Are you finished with your work?」

「Yes. I managed to come back early this morning, so I thought that I’d rest after having breakfast with master Rain.」

「In that case, I wish you would have woken me up…」

「M-me? Personally wake master Rain…? To have the honor of witnessing master Rain’s precious sleeping visage…? Wh-what must I do in exchange for such a dream-like privilege…?!」

Through the other five Saviors’ policy, I was given the minimum amount of education…I think.

Since the teachers were also the other five Saviors, I have no idea what an ordinary education is like.

I was forbidden from making unnecessary contact with others.

So maybe that’s why I have no idea what Eleanor is saying.

「??? W-why don’t you just come in normally?」

As if all the strength was sucked out of her body, Eleanor falls off her chair.

Ferris caught her fall.

Like a medic on a battlefield who just witnessed a soldier slip away into death’s grip, Ferris shakes her head.

「…Mistress Eleanor has fainted.」

「Wh-why?」

「I believe this was a very stimulating situation for mistress Eleanor. Please, master Hero, do not concern yourself about being a house guest. To us, so long as master Hero is happy, we are satisfied.」

Ferris smiled and then carried Eleanor out of the dining hall.

Not long after, the pancakes were brought in.

I’m worried about Eleanor, but I’ve recently learned that she not only faints on a dime but recovers just as quickly.

It would be rude to ignore the thing that they went to so much trouble to prepare for me, right?

My heart racing, I put the pancake in my mouth, and I felt like I was struck by lightning.

Getting hit by lightning feels hot, numb, and painful, but the pancakes are fluffy, warm, and sweet.

「Delicious…!」

Looks like there’s a portion for Eleanor too. Guess I’ll bring it to her later.

It would be a waste to leave something so tasty uneaten.

While thinking about how I can achieve that without making her faint, I recall the day I met her.

In other words, the day that I decided to betray humanity.