The Hero cucked me of my childhood friend, so I think I’ll steal his fiancéé 1

Everyday Life That Has Faded Away

 

“I’ve decided to marry Yuto, so don’t talk to me like we’re all close anymore, okay?”

That’s what my childhood friend Mina had just said to me.

Even though we had been getting along so well up to this point, she now looks at me as if she despises me. How did it come to this?

We would have to go back to what happened a few months ago. I was living an idle life in the village as usual but the days were certainly pleasant.

 

“Hey, Roush. Today’s finally the day” (Mina)

Mina said to me as she prepared to depart.

“Yeah, today’s the day of our 「judgment」.” (Roush)

Judgment is the ceremony held by the priest-sama who will bestow special powers called “skills” to people who have reached the age of fifteen through God’s divine messages.

Today is the exact day of our ceremony. I wonder what kind of skills will be given out.

“It’d be nice if we got our hands on some good skills, wouldn’t it?” (Mina)

“Yeah it would. If I were given some rare skill, that’s all I’ll need to be set for life among other things…” (Roush)

“If that happens I’ll have you provide for me for the rest of my life” (Mina)

Again with her jokes that are bad for my heart…

Our eyes met just as I was thinking that, and her face was bright red.

Eehh? What was that facial expression just now? Could she have actually been serious?

 

“J, just kidding~ Come on, Roush. Don’t tell me you took me seriously?”

 

Mina tried to gloss over it like that. I guess this is where I have to make my resolve as a man after all.

I stared deeply into her eyes. She seems to have sensed what’s coming as her cheeks became red.

“I did take it seriously, Because I…” (Roush)

“Huh?” (Mina)

“I love you, Mina.” (Roush)

I did it. I’ve said it. It feels as if time has stopped. The sound of my heart beating was so loud.

There was a brief pause after she heard what I said, and then she started to cry for some reason.

“Eehhh? Why are you crying? Was I being that disgusting?” (Roush)

“Idiot! It’s because I’m happy, duh! Jeez, you doofus” (Mina)

“S, so, that means…” (Roush)

“I love you, too! I love you. I love you. I love you!” (Mina)

Mina said to me as she hugged me.

S, seriously? My confession really worked? It’s completely not sinking in.

But I’m happy. Really happy. This might be the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life.

While having such thoughts, we headed toward the temple on a carriage with other children in order to receive our judgment.

There were about fifty to sixty children inside the temple who had turned fifteen. Then, the first person walked up to the altar where the priest-sama was.

When the priest-sama muttered something like a chant, the scrap of paper he held in his hand started to shine. He then looked at the paper and said,

“God hath spoken. Thou shalt receive, ‘Warrior’” (Priest)

“Th- Thank you very much!” (Random A)

The priest handed over the piece of paper to the boy.

As for the skill “warrior”, it’s a common skill but it’s by no means a bad one. It’s one of the many necessary fighting skills one would want to get their hands on in order to be a soldier.

After that, the children received their judgments one after another. So far, there were no children who were bestowed anything amazing.

Finally, my turn was next. Please give me a good skill. I’m begging you.

I thought to myself, praying as I went up to the altar. The priest-sama held the paper in his hand and chanted a prayer as letters rose to the surface of the paper. The priest then began to read out loud. My heart began to beat faster and faster. Please!

“God hath spoken. Thou shalt receive “Unimportant”

But it seems that my prayers did not reach God. “Unimportant” is the worst of the worst skills. No matter how you put it, the effect of the skill is simple. “It just makes it hard for people to be cautious of you”. That’s it.

Such a terrible skill is something that’d be laughed at by everyone around. Rather, I already know that everyone was laughing.

I dragged my feet as I despairingly walked down from the altar. Next was Mina’s turn. As we passed by each other, our eyes met and she looked worried.

Ahh, my only salvation left is you. But if you get a good skill…

…What was I thinking just now? I was praying that she wouldn’t get a good skill. I’m the worst…

I’m disgusted with myself. I’m sorry, Mina.

Just when I was having such thoughts, Mina’s skill was read aloud.

“God hath spoken. Thou shalt be “Sword Princess”

“Huh?”

The surroundings became noisy in an instant. Of course, I was surprised by this as well.

“Sword Princess” you say?

The sword princess is a skill bestowed upon the person who will become the hero’s companion to destroy the demon king. It’s a legendary skill that’s a far higher rank than just a rare skill.

This is a case never heard of before. There’s no way someone with the skill “Sword Princess” would come out of such a remote countryside. Moreover, this is Mina we’re talking about.

Without understanding the reason why, Mina descended down the altar. The crowd of children who wanted to take a closer look at the person who had received the legendary skill surged towards her.

Mina is in danger!

I pushed my way through to Mina and took her hand. Then, I led her out of the temple.

“Ro- Roush! Thank you.” (Mina)

“haaa..haah..hhaaa.” It’s okay. But Mina, sword princess…?” (Roush)

“I, I was surprised too. But no matter what I am, you’ll treat me the same as always, right? Roush?” (Mina)

Mina asked me with an apprehensive look. I will answer her right away.

“Of course. Mina is Mina but I on the other hand… was given a skill like “Unimportant”… (Roush)

“Roush is Roush. My lovely Roush!” (Mina)

Mina said as she hugged me.

I was ashamed of myself that I was jealous of her at one point.

As I had such thoughts, someone was running towards our direction.

What could this be about, I wonder?

I took a stance in front of Mina to protect her.

“Haa..Haa… So that’s where you were. (Priest)

“Mina-dono, was it? I’ll be troubled unless you return to the temple” (Priest)

“W-why?”(Mina)

Mina spoke in a frightened voice from behind me.

“Because after this you have no choice but to meet up with the hero-dono” (Priest)

“T, the hero?” (Mina)

I was shocked by that as well.

The hero was a person summoned from another world from a hero summoning ceremony five years ago in the royal capital. He is now twenty years old.

He had set out on a journey to take down the demon king five years ago with the two girls he found who possessed legendary skills.

The two girls possessed the skills “bow princess” and “staff princess”. The bow princess literally uses a bow and the staff princess is a magic user. However, the one person remaining that should have existed according to the legend was the “sword princess”, but she was nowhere to be found.

For that reason, the hero and his party set out on the journey with the sword princess missing. However, the hero could not exert his full potential without the “princess trio”, so his battle results were lacking.

Meanwhile, Mina was discovered to be the “Sword Princess”. The hero probably wants to add Mina to his group.

I don’t want Mina to be facing such danger.

“Um, is it okay if I come along?” (Roush)

I asked the priest-sama.

“Ah, it’s not that I mind…” (Priest)

“Thank you very much. Mina, I’ll be with you” (Roush)

“U, un. Thanks”

Mina tightly grasped my sleeve. I have got to do something about this…!

When we got back to the temple, the children who crowded around Mina a little while ago were now sitting calmly.

It appears that they were being cautious of something though they still had all their eyes on her.

We sat at a distance and waited for the hero to arrive. Then, after waiting 20 minutes, the hero appeared.

His armor was decorated with dazzling ornaments. Then, this hero with a face that even I as a man would consider handsome, ascended up the altar.

At that moment, the children sitting down all cheered.

Then, a beauty carrying a bow and a beauty holding a staff went up the altar after him. The crowd cheered again.

I was actually a bit elated as well. Heroes were beings who are admired by children everywhere. Such people were standing in front of me right now. Becoming a little excited is something that can’t be helped.

“Hello, Good day. I’m the hero, Yuto. Behind me are my companions, Hina and Rena. Today is a day of joy where a new ally will be added to our ranks”

The hero said as he looked at Mina.

Then, he walked over here and took Mina by her hand, attempting to get her to stand up.

Mina looked as if she did not like it.

I grabbed the hero’s hand without thinking.

“She doesn’t like that!” (Roush)

The hero looked right at me.

“What do you think you’re doing? From now on this girl is going to come with me to save the world. Don’t get in our way.”  (Hero)

“Y, you can’t go deciding something like that on your own! You should listen properly to what Mina wants to do …!” (Roush)

“You’re an idiot. The world is depending on us, you know? The WORLD. Do you get it? What she wants to do is irrelevant. From the point that the sword princess was discovered on her, it has become her fate. This girl now has an obligation to save the world!” (Hero)

“Bu—But……” (Roush)

“What do you want to do then? Will you take her place and save the world instead? Ah, that would be impossible, right? Keep quiet small fry. Look here ” (Hero)

The hero put his hands over me for some reason. Then in the blink of an eye, my body was tied up with a string of light that suddenly appeared.

The freedom to move my body had been snatched away as I squirmed like a caterpillar on the ground.

Mina stood up as she saw this.

“St-stop it! Don’t do such cruel things to Roush!” (Mina)

“Then here, come here. Come up to the altar and greet everyone. From now on, you’ll be going on a journey together with me as my companion.” (Hero)

“I.. I understand” (Mina)

“Mi- Mina!” (Roush)

“Roush, I’m sorry. Wait a moment.” (Mina)

Then, Mina and the hero ascended the altar together.

No! If you make the declaration there, you will have to go on the journey to subjugate the demon king with him!

But the hero had me bound and gagged with the string of light. I could not make a sound at all.

“Look everyone! She is the final companion that I’ve been searching for. The sword princess! Now come, greet everyone.”  (Hero)

Roush rolled in front of Mina as if he had something to say.

Mina hung her head down and looked like she was at a loss of what to do. The hero whispered something to her. I heard what he said but the crowd couldn’t due to the volume of the audience.

“If you don’t save the world, he’ll also die” (Hero)

What an underhanded trick. Mina seemed to have made up her mind as she stared at me in a daze.

“I, Mina Leepak, swear to subdue the demon king together on a journey with the hero, Yuto.” (Mina)

Cheers echoed from all around us. And at that moment, I saw it. The hero looked my way with a scummy smirk on his face.

 

After that, I rushed over to Mina’s house as I eventually got free. Mina’s parents were shedding tears of joy as they prepared for her trip that day.

After the light preparations for the journey were finished, the hero and his party came to our village to pick her up. Mina then finally spoke with me.

“Roush, it has come to this… I…. *UuUun*, I’d complain but I guess it can’t be helped.  I’ll defeat the demon king and come back right away.”   (Mina)

“I’m going to be extremely lonely. Don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”  (Roush)

“Okay. I’ll send you a letter every day. So when I return home……”  (Mina)

I watched Mina’s face turn red as I felt what she was feeling.

“Yeah, and then let’s get married.” (Roush)

“Unnn!” (Mina)

Mina hugged me and then kissed me. People around us were a little surprised but I didn’t care.

Mina then left on her journey.