The World After Leaving the Hero’s Party

Chapter 15 – “No Need” (2)

The first thing I felt toward him was gratitude.

And how could I not feel that way?

A man who, without the blessings of the gods, volunteered to embark on the grueling journey to defeat the Demon King.

Such determination couldn’t be underestimated.

For that reason alone, I was deeply grateful to the Sage who chose to join our journey.

During our first mission, as we fought against one of the Demon King’s subordinates, that gratitude grew. Against a giant wyvern whose deafening roars and cries crushed our spirits, he strummed his lute and sang, calming our hearts.

And then came the healing that followed.

When we barely managed to survive that first ordeal, he looked utterly exhausted. Yet he still smiled.

Without divine blessings, his struggles must have been even greater.

And because this mission wasn’t even his duty, it must have been even more painful.

Thus, I could only feel gratitude toward him.

Not just for the battles, but for taking on tasks throughout the journey that we should have been handling ourselves.

Fighting monsters was grueling work, but the difficulty didn’t end with the combat. There was also the matter of checking and repairing equipment.

The Hero’s sword, being indestructible, didn’t require maintenance, but my weapon and Evangeline’s were different.

No matter how finely crafted, even a treasured sword would wear down from slicing through the flesh and blood of monsters. And even the finest bow would weaken after prolonged use.

Although it wasn’t possible to perform full repairs after every battle, the Sage always took care of it skillfully.

Thanks to him, our fights went a bit more smoothly.

We couldn’t always stop at towns during our journey. Even when we did, it wasn’t easy to find food that suited our tastes.

Evangeline, who loved vegetables.

Me, who preferred meat.

For the two of us, the Sage managed to prepare meals that were delicious despite using only the meager ingredients available.

After suffocating battles, when fatigue would crash over us, he would pluck his lute, soothing the burdens weighing on our hearts.

Through it all, I felt grateful to him. And before long, that gratitude turned into admiration.

How could it not?

Even though he was undoubtedly struggling, even though it must have been agonizing,

He never gave up. He fulfilled his role with quiet determination.

There were times when I thought that his steadfastness was the true mark of a hero.

And as the journey went on, my admiration for him only grew.

The Sage never ignored someone in need.

I was grateful.

For taking care of the small tasks.

I was happy.

For making us smile during a grueling journey.

Because of that, I wanted to help him.

The Sage—Hyun Woo—was such a good-natured person that it almost felt excessive.

No matter what was said to him, he smiled. He took joy in helping others, even for small rewards.

Helping the weak, saving the world—not just through fighting monsters but by aiding others in whatever ways he could reach.

How could anyone not admire such nobility?

And every time, I became painfully aware of my own shortcomings.

Even as he walked a difficult path, he accomplished everything. Even then, he always found the right answer.

I admired him, wanted to be like him, and tried to follow in his footsteps.

But there was only one conclusion I could reach.

It was hard. And it wasn’t enjoyable.

The more I admired and appreciated him, the more I cared for him, the more bitterly I realized: I could never become like him.

And wasn’t that natural?

People always expect rewards for their efforts. The more capable a person, the greater the rewards they desire.

But the Sage was different.

He didn’t care about rewards. His sole interest lay in helping others.

And whenever he succeeded, he would smile with a deep sense of satisfaction.

As if helping others was his true calling.

That’s why I came to envy him.

I envied his goodness, which was beyond my understanding. I envied his selflessness, which I could never achieve.

He was flawless.

He was an ideal hero.

But then…

What about me?

I, who was a companion to the Hero, sought to save the world.

Why couldn’t I be as noble as the Sage?

The festering darkness I had buried deep within my heart reared its head every time the Sage demonstrated his heroic brilliance.

And it reached its peak when the village of White Silver was attacked by the cultists of the White Moon Church.

At that time, we had just uncovered a critical clue about the whereabouts of one of the Demon King’s subordinates.

But then, we learned that the cultists were attacking the village we were staying in.

They were incredibly powerful and dangerous.

The number of people defending the village was small, and I knew the Hero’s Party could make a significant difference in protecting it.

However, fighting here risked losing the hard-won clue.

I was torn.

The Hero’s Party was tasked with defeating the Demon King and bringing salvation to the world.

For the greater good, we had to sacrifice the small.

The village couldn’t be saved.

In the midst of my dilemma, the Sage spoke as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

“I’ll protect this place. You go.”

To be honest, it seemed impossible.

Even with the Hero’s Party, defending the village was a long shot. One wrong move, and we could all be in danger.

So I suggested we evacuate the villagers instead.

But he calmly insisted.

“I can protect it.”

“I can win.”

And in the end, he did.

With a small force of soldiers, a few priests, and a single inquisitor, he defeated the cultists and protected the village.

At that moment, I realized something.

I would never surpass him.

For the rest of my life, I would live in his shadow.

He was right, yet again.

Unlike me, who always faltered, he was right every time.

The more I admired and liked him, the more jealousy grew, taking root in my heart.

I hated everything about him.

You are always right.

You are always noble.

You are always a hero.

TL Note: Want more Free Chapters? Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES