Chapter 1: The princess seemed to like the hero.

Translator: Michiko

Editor: Elena

“Reiru, you understand, right? If you consider his best interests, you know this is the right decision.”

The princess said with a sweet smile. 

Her luxurious blonde hair was skillfully braided and tied up, and her hair clip was studded with pretty blue stones. 

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I would love to at least be able to buy some hair ornaments for my girls too.
Even though I didn’t have a habit of giving them luxury goods, I would like to prepare something memorable for them, at least once a year for the Winter Torch Festival.

“Reiru?”

I was being glared at by the princess’s attendant since I had been absent-minded.

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“Gb, ulp, R wdelapvyde.”

“Mbld, blal.”

Mbl rakdnlpp zssjle clbkde bla.
Mbl lpnsavkdt jdktbv nyxl shla yde rzynle y rswnb xyel sq clywvkqwz nzsvb sd vbl zwmwakswp zssjkdt pxssvb osseld vyczlvsr.

“Myjl kv.
Gqvla yzz, usw’hl clld y qaklde vs Qks qsa y zsdt vkxl.
R bsrl kv okzz blzr usw kd vbl qwvwal.”

R rknjle kv wr obld pbl ldnswaytle xl vs, yde kv oyp pvwqqle qwzz sq tsze nskdp.

“Bx, kv pllxp y ckv vss xwnb qsa xl.”

“R esd’v vbkdj ps, clnywpl kv’p tskdt vs cl y hlau zsdt vakr, kpd’v kv? Fvyavkdt qasx pnayvnb kd y ekpvydv zyde kpd’v tskdt vs cl lypu.
Jlpkelp, usw nyd’v vwad vs Qks yduxsal lkvbla.
Zsw yzps esd’v oydv vs cl y cwaeld sd Qks ydu zsdtla, es usw? Rv pbswze cl ldswtb vbyv usw byhl alnlkhle Qks’p yke qsa ps xydu ulyap.
Ms vbkdj vbyv lhla pkdnl Qks zlqv vbl sarbydytl yv qkqvlld… bl pvkzz tkhlp usw xsdlu vs vbkp eyu, eslpd’v bl?”

“Zlp.
Mbydjp vs vbyv, ol eked’v pvyahl, yde vbkp ulya ol’hl yzalyeu ralryale qsa okdvla, ps ol osd’v byhl vs osaau ycswv xsdlu qsa y obkzl.
Rv’p yzz vbydjp vs Qks-pyxy.”

Talking with dignitaries was exhausting.
You have to probe for the answers they want, and give them the correct answers.
Even if you can’t give the correct answer, you should at least do your best not to unintentionally step on a landmine. 

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The princess’s landmine was probably me addressing Gio by his name.
The correct answer was to address him as Gio-sama.
It was quite a hassle.

“Gio is kind to those in an unfortunate position.
Speaking of which, I heard you said you wanted to rebuild the orphanage.”

“That topic has been dropped.
When Gio-sama has his own territory, he will eventually take in the children over there.”

“Is that so? I am glad.” The princess smiled broadly.

The reason why I, a commoner who grew up in an orphanage, got the chance to talk to the princess like this is because my childhood friend Gio, who also grew up in an orphanage, became a hero, defeated the demon king, and saved the country from crisis.
The hero was rewarded with recompense, a title, and a fiefdom, and it is rumored that his engagement to the princess would be announced soon.

We’ve known each other for about 20 years now, but he and I didn’t get along well. 

He had always hated me, and I wasn’t happy with him either since he hated me one-sidedly, even though I hadn’t done anything to him.

Gio possessed a strong sense of duty, though his likes and dislikes were extreme. 

Even after he was discovered as a hero candidate and went to the capital, and even during his journey to defeat the demon king, he faithfully wrote letters to the orphanage. 

After the old man who managed the orphanage in our childhood passed away, I took his place, and somehow the orphanage managed to continue to exist. 

Therefore, I, despite my shortcomings, am the director of the orphanage and I read through all the letters that came to the orphanage.
I read the letters from Gio to the children every time, and they all looked forward to them. 

Not only did he send letters, but he also sent long-lasting sweets, clothes, and sometimes even alcohol. 

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And of course money too.

Gio was a man who always did the right thing.
He hated everything that was miserly, crooked, or irrational, and he always stuck to his own ideas.
He has always been like that, and was different from me.
That’s why we didn’t get along. 

Nevertheless, Gio occasionally visited the orphanage on holidays, and after his triumphant return from the battle, he came rather frequently.

Gio’s new friends, including the princess, said a lot of things to me for Gio’s sake. 

They said a lot of things, but it all came down to one thing: my relationship with Gio was not good for him. 

Well, I knew that. 

Gio did a lot of intense training to become a warrior that could be called a hero, and most of the money he was paid was sent to the orphanage.
At this point, It wasn’t just a strong sense of duty anymore, he was just being a fool. 

He didn’t indulge in luxuries, nor did he play around—he just trained himself for the sake of his country and finally defeated the demon king.
And even then he gave the reward money to the orphanage. 

It was too much money, so of course I initially turned it down, but in the end I wound up accepting it because he kept complaining to me, asking, when did I become so great that I could refuse a donation?

“Don’t you think Gio also has the right to live a happy life?” 

Blurted Gio’s fellow knight.

“How long must he be bound by his unfortunate origins?”