Ex-Hero, Now Freeloader - Chapter 19 – Talking in a Horse Carriage in Uniform

「Ah…It’s a little big, but it suits you well.」

Before I left for school, I borrowed Fripp’s school uniform.

「So this is a uniform…」

Clothes that were decided on by a certain group of authorities.

The Six Saviors are all over the place in that regard, so this is the first time I’ve worn something like this.

The theme of the magic academy’s uniform is black and of slightly high quality.

『It looks good on you.』

「I don’t like loose-fitting clothes ’cause they’ll get in in the way in a fight but… I’m just being a student for a day, so I guess it’s fine.」

『Yeah! A-also, seeing your small build wearing baggy clothes is a little…a little…fufu.』

Mika is breathing heavily through her nose.

Ever since we’ve had that heartfelt discussion, she’s slowly been becoming like this.

「My uniform was the only option. Given time, I would have your own prepared, but…」

Fripp is the same age as me, but he has a better physique.

「It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’m the one who said I wanted to go today, after all.」

The sleeves go all the way to cover half the back of my hands. Oh well.

「Lady Eleanor wanted to come, but a mission came in.」

That’s right, I met her after breakfast and told her the plan and she went『…! This unseemly Eleanor shall accompany you as your custodian…! What?! A mission?! Curse it all!』.

She also said to watch out for the teacher.

In addition, she wants me to keep the uniform on after school until she finishes her mission.

「She has a mission, so it can’t be helped. Ferris is here too.」

「Yes, I shall accompany you.」

The black-haired maid Ferris calmly bowed.

By the way, it seems that she is the older sister of the black-haired Lejie.

「Alright, let’s go.」

I calmed down Carro and the gang, who were trying to stop me, and left on a horse carriage.

「Speaking of missions earlier, I was reminded…」

Fripp opened his mouth hesitantly.

Inside the carriage, the seats are arranged to face each other. To my side was Ferris, and opposite me was Fripp.

Fripp’s escort doubled as the coachman, so he isn’t inside.

「Yeah.」

「With you here, won’t humanity’s battles become harder? …Of course, I am not doubting the other’s abilities.」

「I get it. Also, it won’t be a problem.」

「…What do you mean?」

Hm, he’s the Demon King’s son, so I don’t have to hide it.

「In the beginning, I made a bunch of promises to Eleanor and the old man. To put it very loosely, I am still fighting to protect the Human Territory.」

Fripp rose to his feet slightly.

「Wha-?! …N-no, wait, it is surprising, but also believable. Even after you left, I have not heard news of the barbaric demons expanding their territory…」

For a year, even with me there, the entire world was losing territory, bit by bit, but that has stagnated for a while now.

「It’s thanks to this country.」

「…Is it those invaders?」

Humans tried to somehow extract information from captured demons, but this was proving to be a difficult task.

This is also why it is difficult to invade them.

People who can act inside the miasma are rare, and such people are the desired fighting force for defense.

Even so, attempts have been made, but they all ended in failure.

But the same can’t be said for fellow demons.

In fact, the intelligence that this country has is amazing.

They are established as a demon country that upholds peace.

They investigate not just their surrounding countries, but also those who attack the Human Territory, who might be future threats

The group of seven that I saved expected a lot, so they investigated the humans quite a fair bit.

They were also thinking of saving me, so they investigated not only humans but anything aimed at them.

If they get information about a major power’s invasion of Human Territory, there’s a high probability that I’ll show up on that day.

「I have heard talk of the pressure on the Human territory lightening… Is that also your doing?」

Up to now, based on the information that the human side gets, we crushed the enemy’s main force before any serious damage could be done.

Since we can’t invade them, collecting detailed information is a struggle.

But borrowing the intelligence network of this country, I can crush them just before they reach the border of Human Territory or even before that.

Just because one force was destroyed doesn’t mean that that land can be reclaimed, because it soon comes under the control of another force, but this still aids humanity.

At the very least, the immediate threat can be eliminated.

Still, they are far from wiped out, as Rifts keep appearing one after another even now.

「It’s not all me. The other Saviors are there too. Didn’t your old man tell you?」

「He told me to “Enjoy your youth as a student”.」

Sounds like something he’d say.

For he is someone who would try to put me to bed even if an oversized Rift were to appear.

「…Then maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.」

「No, I am sure you understand as well, yes? My father is too kind.」

「I don’t know much about that kinda stuff, but it sounds like a family problem. I don’t think I should stick my nose into it…」

「You’re right, but I would like to know what I can.」

「So you say, but that’s everything.」

「I’ve heard that you can use Teleportation much like Lady Eleanor, but when do you fight? I often see you…enjoying your life freely.」

『A good question!』

Mika got excited.

『It’s true that while Rain is living the life of the highest grade freeloader, the enemy will not wait. Information can come while he’s eating or playing!』

「Ah, yes, it is as you say, Lady Holy Sword.」

『So! If he’s eating, he’ll stop time around the food with Space-Time Elemental magic. If he’s playing with the kids, he’ll trick them by saying he needs to use the bathroom. If he’s in the bathtub, he’ll use Water Elemental’s water manipulation magic to shake off the water droplets on his body. And even if he’s sleeping, I can wake him up and he’ll be ready for battle in no time!』

「…I…I see. There were things I understood and things I didn’t, but I understand the outcome. However, does that mean there is no time to rest?」

「Ah, if my body is fatigued, I just heal it with healing magic, and my quality of sleep can also be increased with magic. I can sleep well thanks to my bed’s fluffiness. It feels so good that I often fall asleep again after waking up.」

『He’s basically on his own, so he doesn’t have to worry about travel time, everyone around him is an enemy so he doesn’t need to hold back, and the information is highly accurate, so no time is wasted. With this, he can coexist with his life as a freeloader.』

Just like in the conversation in the dream I had this morning, teleporting the other Saviors is hard.

Normally, I have to think about the soldiers around me, or the base behind me that I have to protect, but in the middle of enemy territory, I don’t have to.

And then, instead of scrounging for information and deciding the next course of action, the location of the target is clear from the start, which shortens the time taken between mission start and mission completion.

「I originally took the time to train, but now I feel like I’m using that time to do what I want to do.」

A mental image is crucial to magic, so I must use all my mental concentration to make sure I don’t lose that image.

As for my sword skills, it’s gonna fade if I don’t spar with someone anytime soon.

I should ask if there’s anyone like that in the Demon King Army.

『I thought I learned everything I could from them, but now that I think about it, silver tits came at the right time.』

Still, in simple terms of swordsmanship, the Swordmaster wins, but in terms of the ability to see ahead, the War God wins.

It’s difficult for even the all-rounded Hero to surpass them in their specialty fields.

But I am the highest in terms of mana. Moreso than mana, the Sage’s talent lies in the handling of magic.

Spells like the one that can break cursed swords are new spells created by her. Currently, only she and I can use it.

「…I see. So you do such things while leading a freeloader’s life… Is that also a part of the Saviors’ mission?」

「No, it depends on my mood.」

「M-mood?」

「Seeing someone die feels bad. On the flip side, when someone thanks me for saving them, I think “Thank goodness.” I hate fighting, and I don’t even want to kill the enemy. That’s what I think.」

「…Is that…so.」

When Eleanor invited me to be the Demon King Army’s freeloader, I could never stop saving people, and she even offered to help.

And now, while enjoying the freeloader life I’ve been given, I fight to continue to enjoy it from the bottom of my heart.

Knowing that more and more people that I could have saved would die in exchange for me being able to do what I want…would make me feel bad.

Even if I feel that way because I was raised as a Savior, it does not change the fact that those are my true feelings now.

「Putting that aside, tell me about school.」

If a problem comes up or occurs, someone will come to tell me.

If it’s something mana-based like a giant Rift, Mika and I can sense it.

「I-is that how it is… J-just as expected. Truly, there are many things I can learn from you.」

「Huh? But you said you’d let me be a student first, right?」

After saying that, Fripp finally smiled.

「Yes, you’re right. Oh, by the way, the food served in my academy’s cafeteria is first class.」

「Really…?! Oh, man… I’m really looking forward to school.」

After this and that, we arrived in front of the academy.

The moment I got off, the huge gate entered my field of vision…and then it vanished.

「Sir Rain~!」

Along with a somewhat lazy-sounding voice, I was enveloped in something soft.

It seems I am being hugged.

『…I’m sure you know by now.』

…Yeah. This is the teacher who is one of the seven girls I saved.