“Hero Blaze” is the severance payment given to Cotton from Ed.
If “Hero” is treated well, Cotton will be able to eat without starving for the rest of her life.
In fact, she could gain even more than that.
For several years, she may need to continue the dangerous life of an adventurer, but if the tales of the profession “Hero” are true, then Blaze will ultimately rise to the S-rank, the pinnacle of adventurers, and eventually gain noble status.
If Cotton can stand by Blaze’s side at that time, she will become a noble’s wife and live a splendid life.
But I laugh at Blaze, not Cotton.
(Pitiful, foolish, and incompetent Blaze. A man with only the profession of “Hero.” He doesn’t even realize that Cotton was passed down to him from Ed.)
Every night, Blaze embraces Cotton, who was left defenseless after being rejected by Ed, having stolen her away from the special Ed of the village.
Blaze is likely unaware that Cotton, after leaving Ed, has been deteriorating daily. The gentle smile she once had when she was Ed’s lover has vanished, her once radiant skin has dried out from the daily hardships of being an adventurer, she has forgotten the graceful manners that Ed had corrected daily, and the confidence that once filled her spirit has lost its composure and charm.
Blaze doesn’t realize it, but Cotton is now merely a village girl who has been granted the profession of “Saint.”
Like the “Sword Saint” who has received a leftover title from the “Hero,” and like my own status as “Sage,” she has merely become a “Saint” through luck.
Though her status’s charm value is high, improving her looks somewhat, that is all.
(No, she is just a hole. A hole meant to expel Blaze’s lust.)
Thanks to that, my own gaze has turned away from her, so that’s good.
I recall the time before we became adventurers and left the village, before Ed left the party and Cotton was frequently embraced.
Those painful times. When I had to praise the foolish Blaze while ignoring the special Ed.
At that time, I was the “Sword Saint” and, using Asha, who was from the same village and far more beautiful than I, I dodged Blaze’s desires, but Blaze had an interest in me, the one Ed had embraced.
Though I was called shabby and plain, it was undeniable that I was a “Sage,” which meant that Blaze’s desire to embrace a “Sage” was directed towards me.
So I had to be extremely cautious.
I ensured that I only operated in places where people could see us, never being alone with Blaze, and I avoided getting drunk, sticking to fruit water.
I also made sure to moderately praise Blaze and act as if I were competing with “Sword Saint Asha” for his affection, always yielding the important parts to Asha, so the simple-minded Blaze prioritized Asha, who was far more beautiful and curvaceous than the plain and shabby me.
Thus, in reality, I hadn’t even held Blaze’s hand. He had forced me to lean on his shoulder, but that was no more than a bug being attracted to a light; Ed wouldn’t mind.
Of course, Ed probably thinks that I was embraced by Blaze… but it’s alright.
(I can prove that I haven’t permitted Blaze. I have prepared evidence.)
I check the necklace hanging from my neck with the hand that Ed is not holding.
“What’s wrong? Deep in thought?”
When Ed asks, I reply, “I was thinking about what to say next,” and he looks at me with a skeptical expression.
He might be thinking that I am acting as Blaze’s assistant or that I came to ask for money.
To offset the pain of being thought of that way by the person I like, I envision the happiness that lies ahead and follow Ed back to the place we reunited.
—Hotel “Cat’s Tail”
Ed is staying at an inn that is two ranks higher than the one where the party of Hero Blaze is lodged.
Even Blaze’s party, which is called a rising star among this year’s young adventurer parties, is hesitant to make this their regular lodging due to its high class.
Did he save up that much during our activities in the village? Or has he already started earning that much?
But I have been watching Ed closely; he started his activities in the forest after working on city wall security, so I came to see him… but was he really making money? With such a meager reward for such requests? I don’t know.
“Well then, let’s talk while eating. Elena.”
With his arm around my shoulder as if I were his girlfriend, and gently stroking my hair, I walk beside the cheerful Ed.
In my line of sight is a guard from the hotel who had questioned me earlier while I was waiting.
He smiles as he surveys the area but doesn’t lower his guard. Upon seeing my transformation, he asks Ed, “Hey, Ed. Is this girl the same one from earlier?”
—Correction. It’s not that they were hesitant to make this their regular lodging; rather, we would be outright refused entry.
The reason Ed was correcting Cotton was probably this.
There are places in the city where one cannot even exist without knowing the proper manners, and Ed was strictly disciplining and educating Cotton to act accordingly if she was going to operate in the city.
And this is likely why we were not invited to leave the party.
They probably thought we lacked the necessary refinement.
Of course, if we had tried to pull Cotton away, Blaze would have glared at us, and I sensed that Ed didn’t want to clash with Blaze, so I didn’t ask.
Moreover, Ed seemed to emit an aura that suggested he didn’t want to attract attention, so I knew he was consciously or unconsciously avoiding us, who stood out due to our professions.
(Still, manners were necessary to be together. That’s good.)
Regarding manners, yes. I… I’m fine.
(I’m fine. I practiced. I’m fine.)
I knew that Ed had received a special advanced etiquette course from the church’s priest that would be valid in the city, so I also begged my grandmother to teach me.
So that I could always accompany Ed when he goes to the city one day. Even if I can’t become his girlfriend, I wanted to avoid being separated from him.
—Holding onto the short but sweet time that Ed has given me as my mental support.
Since coming to the city, I have been exhausted after adventuring and have struggled to stay awake, practicing so that I wouldn’t forget next door where the charming voices of Blaze, Cotton, and Asha echoed.
I turned to the guard who had been watching me and said, “I’m adventurer Elena. I’ve known Edward since childhood,” and I performed a bow reminiscent of a merchant’s daughter.
The guard looked surprised for a moment and then finally returned the greeting with a customer-service smile, saying, “Good evening. Elena-san, welcome to ‘Cat’s Tail’ inn.”
(I received a passing mark.)
Feeling the happiness of not being frowned upon by the gatekeeper, I turned to Ed, wearing a look that said, “How about that?” and Ed pulled me close, impressed, saying,
“You did well.”
He whispered in a sweet voice.
—Ah, I’m so glad. I’m truly glad that I did my best.
So I think.
Surely the conversations ahead will go smoothly too.
With Ed now, without any subordinates to be his hands and feet, the standards for evaluation should be lenient.
