Chapter 2

A day had passed since the second summoning.

Now, I was sitting on the bed in the dungeon beneath the castle.

“Have you cooled down?”

“...Yes. I apologize for the trouble I caused.”

I bowed my head in a reflective tone to the knight who spoke to me from the other side of the iron bars. The knight seemed to sigh in relief at my calm demeanor and said, “I’ll report to His Majesty. You should be able to leave soon,” before leaving the dungeon.

I apologize for the trouble, huh.

...What a joke.

You’re the ones who should be apologizing, you kingdom scum.

While in the dungeon, I was questioned by the knight who came to see me.

Ryuzas, whom I had beaten up, had only minor injuries and apparently wasn’t bothered by it. They said that as long as I calmed down, I would be released from the dungeon. It seems that due to the shock of being summoned, my assault was considered a non-criminal act.

Well, they can’t just execute a hero right after summoning him, can they?

However, attacking without understanding the situation was a bit rash.

This is the result of that.

It can’t be helped, considering I was about to be killed.

...If I could just use magic, I could easily escape from this dungeon.

Perhaps due to the effect of being killed once or being summoned twice, I can hardly use magic at all. I can emit a weak magical power, but I can’t convert it into a magical form.

I can say that I have almost lost my power as a hero.

I’m in this dungeon because I don’t have the power to break out.

Killing Ryuzas would also take a lot of effort.

Moreover, I noticed that my appearance had changed.

My strength had decreased, my height had shrunk, and even the color of my hair had changed.

It seems that I have returned to the appearance I had when I was a high school student, before my first summoning.

My face has become more youthful, so it’s only natural that no one would recognize me as the former hero.

I can’t use magic, and my strength has decreased.

...But—

The knowledge and skills I have acquired, and the experiences I have accumulated, are firmly in my head.

I could probably crush an average knight easily.

There are countless ways to do it.

“Ryuzas...”

I closed my eyes, suppressed my anger, and recalled the first time I was summoned to this world.

And the events that led to my betrayal by my companions.

◆

The first time I was summoned to this world was three years ago.

I was summoned by the kingdom while relaxing at home, just like this time.

“Welcome, hero from another world. Please save this world from the demon king.”

At that time, I found myself standing on a circle made of strange patterns.

Ironically, the first words I heard were the same both times.

Then, I was given an explanation by the old man who claimed to be the king.

This is a world called Reitessia, different from Earth.

It is facing the threat of destruction by the demon king.

“And our Onrin Kingdom has summoned a hero to kill the demon king.”

“...That’s...”

“Yes. You.”

—Another world, hero, demon king.

A string of words that would never be spoken seriously in modern society.

Information was ruthlessly hammered into my confused mind.

“So, hero, what is your name?”

The gaze directed at me, the political aura emitted by the king.

Despite the absurdity of the situation, the atmosphere was so heavy that I couldn’t even say it was a joke.

Amatsuki Iori.

I said my name, which I don’t particularly like, as I was prompted to do so.

“Amatsu.”

I said it half-heartedly.

Due to the tension, I bit my tongue badly.

It can’t be helped; I haven’t stood in a crowd like this since my middle school graduation ceremony.

“I see, so you are Amatsu.”

That’s not right.

I couldn’t say it, and in the end, my name became Amatsu.

At that time, I didn’t care.

“Then, Amatsu, will you save the world from the demon king?”

The king, who was ignoring my feelings, tried to push the conversation forward.

I shouted in a trembling voice, “I don’t want to fight.”

I had lived for sixteen years without any particular goals, going with the flow.

Even when my parents died in an accident, I was taken in by my uncle without a word.

But I thought that if I went with the flow in this situation, it could cost me my life.

I just wanted to go home.

When I asked, I was told, “It will take several years to return to your original world.”

I was also threatened, “In that time, the kingdom will be destroyed by the demon army.”

What do these people expect from a high school student who knows nothing about fighting?

After that, the king said, “There’s no need to rush to a conclusion,” and I was made to live in a room in the castle.

The king’s intention was clear: to win me over with kindness.

I stayed in the room, ate the food that was brought to me, and slept.

The people in the castle called me a coward for doing nothing.

At that time, I often thought, “What a great head you have.”

I didn’t want to become a slave called a hero.

That’s how I felt at first.

However, a turning point came.

A radical faction, angered by my refusal to fight, attacked my room.

It was a close call.

If a woman who happened to pass by hadn’t helped me, I would have been killed.

The castle was supposed to be patrolled by knights.

But “coincidentally,” the knights were slacking off that day.

The attackers were given severe punishment by the king.

The knights who had abandoned their duties were also punished.

Regarding this incident, the king said nonchalantly,

“As long as Amatsu refuses to fight as a hero, similar incidents may occur.”

In other words, the attack was orchestrated by the king behind the scenes.

Even though I knew this, I couldn’t do anything about it.

“I promise to return you to your original world after four years of protecting the kingdom.”

The king had said this before.

The attacks by the demon army were getting more intense every year.

If things continued, humans would be destroyed in three years—so the king said.

In other words, “If you want to return to your original world, you must defeat the demon king.”

If I didn’t fight, I might be killed by the king’s men.

Even if I wasn’t, if the kingdom was destroyed by the demon king, I wouldn’t be able to return to my original world.

“...I understand.”

And so, I was once again swept along and thrown into an unwanted battle.

◆

Once I decided to fight, I somehow understood how to use my power.

The emblem on my arm, the proof of being a hero, granted me superhuman physical abilities and overwhelming magic.

Using these, I fought as I was instructed.

The influence of the power changed my appearance.

My hair turned gray, and I grew taller.

In three months, I had transformed into a completely different person.

By then, the world had begun to call me “Hero Amatsu” and praise me as a savior.

A savior of the world.

“Hero, huh.”

I never thought about saving the world or being a savior.

This was a battle to return to my original world.

That’s what I thought at first.

But that changed after six months.

“I’m Ryuzas. To defeat the demon army, I want to work with you.”

Fighting the demon army required coordination with many people.

Ryuzas, a mage, was one of them.

“I have a sister. I want to create the world she desires.”

Ryuzas spoke about fighting to protect someone important.

Even though I was thrown into this world, I didn’t have anyone to protect.

Still, I thought Ryuzas was amazing for fighting with that mindset.

“I don’t want to see any more of my kin hurt. So, Amatsu, I will fight with you.”

Dionysus, a young man of the “Demon Race,” said this.

The Demon Race, which always maintained a neutral stance, was disliked by both the human and demon armies.

“I have to lead the Demon Race. If it means protecting my kin, I will do anything.”

The sense of responsibility to fight for his people and the strong will to achieve his mission were things I, who always went with the flow, didn’t have.

As I fought alongside them, I noticed a gradual change in myself.

And then—

The woman who saved me from the radical faction’s attack.

Lucifina’s encounter changed me greatly.

“My village was destroyed in the conflict between the demon army and humans.

My parents, too, at that time.”

She had seen many people of different races hurt and die in the war.

She wanted to create a world where all races could coexist without conflict.

That was her dream, she said.

“I believe we can achieve it together.”

Lucifina saved me many times.

She supported me when I was about to give up.

She believed I was strong and that I could return to my original world.

In the midst of the harsh battles, I was gradually drawn to her gentle support for her comrades and her refusal to show weakness.

When I started fighting, I only thought about returning to my original world.

But as the journey continued, my feelings changed.

I saw people hurt by the war.

I saw a subhuman lose someone important in the conflict.

I saw a demon cry over the death of a comrade.

I had seen many people hurt by the war.

So, I truly thought,

I want to realize the world without conflict that Lucifina spoke of.

However, even with the power of a hero, the journey was not easy.

I nearly died many times and almost gave up.

But I was able to continue fighting because of these three companions.

With the support of the kingdom and other countries, we fought the demon army.

The tide of the war turned in our favor, and the human side began to gain the upper hand.

The end of the war was in sight.

Our bonds deepened, and all that was left was to defeat the demon king.

That’s what I thought.

—Until the day of the final battle.

◆

Three years had passed since I was summoned.

We had cleared all the dungeons set up by the demon army in various countries and defeated all the Four Heavenly Kings.

The only one left was the demon king.

With the support of various countries, our party invaded the demon king’s castle.

I had fought the demon king once before.

In that battle, I had managed to weaken the demon king.

The plan was as follows:

Amatsu and Lucifina would be the front line, drawing the demon king’s attention, while Dionysus would support us.

During this time, Ryuzas would build up his magic and deliver the final blow with a high-powered spell.

If we put all our efforts into this strategy, we should be able to win.

We overcame traps, defeated demons, and broke through numerous obstacles to advance through the demon king’s castle.

There was a problem when the human army that was supposed to follow us was delayed and couldn’t enter, but we defeated the demons with the power of our party alone.

We reached the innermost chamber, the demon king’s room, while conserving Ryuzas’s magic.

“You shall not pass.”

A single demon stood in our way.

A girl with long silver hair, golden eyes glowing with a strong fighting spirit.

Despite her small frame, the magic she possessed was extraordinary.

A familiar face, a powerful demon we had clashed with many times in battle.

At that moment, the girl finally introduced herself.

“—Elphiszerk Gildgard.”

“...Amatsu.”

That was all we said to each other.

And the battle began.

The girl was strong.

Even we, who had defeated the Four Heavenly Kings, struggled against her.

Every time she cast a spell, walls shattered and cracks appeared in the floor.

Lucifina and I fought with swords as the front line, while Dionysus and Ryuzas supported us from the back.

After a fierce battle, the girl was the one who fell to her knees.

“My...defeat?”

Bleeding from all over her body, the girl with the sword pointed at her muttered in resignation.

To end the battle, I had to defeat this girl as well.

Just as I was about to swing my sword at her, she said,

“Why did it come to this...?

I just wanted to stop the fighting.”

It wasn’t a question to anyone, but a self-deprecating remark to herself.

The words about wanting to stop the fighting made the grip on my sword loosen slightly.

“You...”

This girl, whom I had clashed with many times, was not a demon who took pleasure in killing humans.

Did I really need to kill her just because she was a demon?

This question arose in my mind, and I stopped moving.

“Kill her, Amatsu!”

“Hurry up and finish her!!”

The shouts of my companions came from behind me.

To kill or not to kill.

As I was about to lower the sword I had raised, I hesitated and made a decision.

“—Huh?”

A sharp pain shot through my right arm.

The sound of something falling to the ground was my own arm.

“What... What kind of joke is this?”

A spell cast from behind had severed my arm.

Fresh blood spurted from the severed end of my arm, and I felt a burning heat as if iron had been pressed against it.

The girl in front of me just stared at me in shock.

“Damn, your weakness makes me sick.”

The one who cast the spell that severed my arm was Ryuzas, my supposed companion.

A mage who had used countless spells and supported our journey many times.

A reliable companion who stood up to protect the kingdom.

“Well, thanks to your weakness, I was able to cut off your arm, wasn’t I?”

I could feel the power of the hero, which had been in my right arm, flowing out with the blood.

I felt my strength leaving my body, and I almost collapsed to my knees.

“Why...”

“Don’t you get it? You’re just a used-up hero. With your magic-filled arm, I can kill the demon king, too.”

“What are you... saying?”

As I tried to use healing magic to reattach my severed arm with my left hand, a spell suddenly pierced my chest.

“Guh...”

I felt the urge to vomit, and the blood I spat out was bright red.

The smell of iron filled the room.

“Tough guy, aren’t you, Amatsu?”

The one who attacked me and said this with a sneer was Dionysus.

A man of the Demon Race, who stood up against the tyranny of the demon army despite being a different race.

A reliable companion who used both magic and sword skills.

Why are they attacking me?

Are they brainwashed by the demons?

I couldn’t understand the situation.

“Ryuzas, it seems Amatsu still doesn’t get it, huh?”

Dionysus laughed at me, who was holding my wound in shock.

“Yeah, I guess I have to explain it to you as a favor. Hero Amatsu dies in the battle against the demon king.

The remaining three of us defeat the demon king and return to the kingdom as heroes, mourning your death.

Isn’t that a good story?”

Ryuzas, who responded, had a more hideous expression than I had ever seen before.

“Yeah, your job is done once you weaken the demon king and bring us here.”

When I was summoned, my right arm was filled with immense magic.

The only one who could fully use that power was the “hero.”

“Without the hero’s power, I can still kill the demon king by transferring the magic to Ryuzas.

So, your job is over. Do you understand?”

For three years.

My companions, who had traveled with me for a long time, were trying to kill me with a sneer on their faces.

“