Heroes have always been regarded as symbols of absolute strength.
Since the dawn of civilization, there have been hundreds—perhaps thousands—of epic tales centered around these legendary figures. Stories told by the light of campfires, sung by bards in taverns, or recorded in ancient books whose pages have long since yellowed with time.
In nearly all of these tales, the pattern is always the same.
The hero appears alone.
He confronts unimaginably powerful monsters—creatures capable of annihilating entire armies—and yet he prevails. In the end, he stands as the savior of the people, liberating entire cities from suffering and despair.
Anecdotes about heroes are countless, in this world and in any other.
In this world, the most famous of them all is undoubtedly the story of the heroine who sealed the Storm Dragon, Veldora, three hundred years ago. It was such an absurd feat that it has not lost its brilliance even after three centuries.
Even today, her name is still widely known and celebrated by the people.
For the strong, heroes are a guiding light.
For ordinary people, they are near-divine saviors.
But in practice, for most people… heroes are nothing more than fictional characters from children's stories.
They were distant figures—simply unreal.
Their very existence had always been questionable.
The reason was simple.
The heroes of those legends belonged to eras far removed from the present. Moreover, they were far too strong—so strong that they completely defied human logic.
How could a mere human fight dragons?
How could someone of flesh and blood defeat Demon Lords?
The legends of dragons themselves only reinforced this disbelief.
It was said that the vast barren lands of the west were the result of a battle against a dragon. That the eternally snow-covered regions of the north had been frozen by another.
And yet…
After what happened today, the people of Blumund began to believe in heroes once again.
The proof was laid bare for all to see.
Countless monster corpses were scattered beyond the city walls, leaving no room for doubt. Every mutilated body and shattered carapace on display stood as silent testimony to a one-sided massacre that had taken place there.
Stories of the feats of the "hero" Arthur spread at an absurd speed, crossing borders and reaching neighboring kingdoms even before official messengers could depart.
The capital of Blumund—a city that had narrowly escaped destruction just hours earlier—was now completely revitalized.
The slaughter carried out by Arthur had not only eliminated the threat, but also filled the people's hearts with an almost irrational confidence.
So much so that many bold citizens began approaching the monster corpses to process them and extract materials that could be sold.
Fangs, scales, meat, bones—anything that might be worth something.
For adventurers, identifying, processing, and recycling monster materials was already instinctive, almost automatic.
It could be said that thanks to the existence of the "Hero" Arthur, what had been a deadly crisis had transformed into something resembling an impromptu festival.
Adults and children, men and women alike—all wore radiant smiles as they tried to secure their own small fortunes.
On the city walls…
Arthur watched the scene with an expression that was hard to describe.
Some citizens dismantled monsters with near-professional efficiency. Others, even bolder, had improvised grills on the spot and were barbecuing the fresh meat of the fallen creatures.
Arthur's lips twitched slightly.
"Are these people idiots?" he muttered, his tone hovering between disbelief and bored contempt.
"They almost got wiped out less than a day ago… and they're already celebrating."
"Mr. Hero! You're here!"
An energetic voice interrupted his thoughts.
Eren appeared, carrying a huge plate piled high with grilled meat skewers. The aroma was so intense it felt like a direct assault on the senses.
"Please accept this!" she said, enthusiastically holding out the plate. "It's just a small token of gratitude from the citizens who survived thanks to you!"
Arthur let out a long sigh, the kind weighed down by existential fatigue.
"Eren… I've lost count of how many times I've said this." He rubbed his forehead.
"Stop with the honorifics. And above all, stop calling me a hero."
Eren shook her head vigorously, her eyes shining with near-fanatical determination.
"Impossible, Mr. Hero!" she declared. "My respect for you comes from the bottom of my heart! Even if the sky were to fall on me, I would never dare treat you disrespectfully!!"
Arthur stared at her in silence for a few seconds.
In the end, he simply gave up.
He picked up a skewer from the plate and took a bite.
'…Delicious,' he thought.
This was definitely not something made by an "ordinary citizen." The seasoning was perfect, and the meat was tender and juicy.
"I'm not a hero," he said calmly.
Eren's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What do you mean you're not? Someone as absurdly powerful as you is a hero, no matter what you say! And if you're not a hero, then what are you?"
Arthur looked her straight in the eyes, his expression serious… and faintly superior.
"I'm just a writer."
Pfft!
Eren burst out laughing.
"Mr. Hero, you're really good at telling jokes!"
Arthur: "..."
'Her problem if she doesn't believe me,' he thought.
As he continued eating, Arthur frowned slightly while chewing the skewer.
It was really good… but it could still be improved.
He picked up some ground cumin and pepper, sprinkling them naturally over the skewers.
A rich, enveloping fragrance immediately spread through the air.
When he took another bite, the flavor exploded in his mouth.
Eren swallowed hard, her eyes glued to the meat.
Arthur noticed and shot her a sidelong glance, a faintly arrogant smile on his face.
"Want some? I might even give you some—but only if you drop the honorifics and stop calling me a hero."
Eren clenched her fists, closed her eyes, and assumed an extremely resolute posture.
"I would never insult you, Mr. Hero!"
Arthur felt a twinge of irritation.
"Ugh! That smell is incredible!" Eren exclaimed the very next moment.
"Arthur, don't eat it all! Leave some for me!" she cried, already grabbing one of the skewers.
"You eat too much, Eren," he replied flatly. "And stop stealing my skewers."
"I'm the one who brought them! I'm not stopping no matter what!"
"Weren't you the one who said you'd never offend 'Mr. Hero'?" Arthur teased.
"…Did I say that? I don't remember saying anything like that!"
Arthur stared at her with eyes completely devoid of emotion.
After stealing practically all the skewers, Eren once again revealed her true nature.
Her boundless respect for Mr. Hero was absolutely unshakable.
"But seriously…" Arthur said, changing the subject. "Why are they being so careless? They haven't even figured out the cause of yesterday's attack."
Eren let out a laugh.
"Mr. Hero, haven't you realized yet? The reason is you."
"Me?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised.
Eren leaned against the parapet of the wall, looking at him with a rare expression of seriousness.
"Arthur… your strength makes everyone believe that you can protect the capital."
Arthur let out a short, mocking laugh.
"That just makes things worse. I'm just a guy who's a hero for fun."
Pfft!
Eren smiled, thoroughly amused.
"You're really funny, Mr. Hero."
Arthur: "..."
(End of Chapter)