I Left the State-Sanctioned Party, and Eventually Became a Hero in the Frontier ~ A Tale of a "Scoundrel" Starting Over as a Hero ~

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“…And that’s the situation.”

After I explained the chain of events, both Rolo and Fimia’s expressions grew tense.
Villages, towns, and cities all have barrier systems of varying strength to prevent monster incursions.
In other words, they’re declarations of territorial control by the human side.

If monsters are slipping past that line so easily—and even causing damage—then it’s hard to deny that this village’s crisis management is severely lacking.
There used to be at least a few people capable of defending it, but the population decline and aging have left things in this state.

“I can set up a temporary Church-style barrier… but it’ll only be a stopgap.”
“Yeah, I’ve got a few artifacts for barrier deployment too, but none of them last long. What we really need is a proper keystone-based barrier.”
“I know where the keystones are. Let’s go check them now.”

I nodded at what Rolo said and we began walking toward the village’s perimeter.
Several villagers saw me coming and immediately averted their eyes in fear. Fimia let out a quiet sigh.

“Somehow… it’s like they see you as the monster, Yulg.”
“To them, I’m no different from one.”
“There you go again, Yulg, brooding as always.”

Rolo, walking ahead, added in a slightly reproachful tone:

“In the first place, it’s the villagers’ fault too. You’ve always tried your best all by yourself, but they never cared or helped. The reason you were so alone back then was because everyone else ignored you.”
“…Your mom was different though.”
“Yeah. I think she just couldn’t leave you alone. You’ve always been kind, Yulg.”

That sudden comment made me snort quietly.

“Me, kind?”
“You don’t even realize it yourself, do you? You were always reckless, brave, and kind. You’ve probably completely forgotten how you saved me from that monster, haven’t you?”
“Nope. Not at all.”

Fimia chuckled softly as she watched us talk.
So she was eavesdropping all along, huh? And here I thought she’s the type to keep it to herself.
Nice hobby she got there.

“My, Rolo sure gets talkative when it comes to Yulg.”
“Ugh…”
“Hey, lay off Rolo. Anyway, are we there yet?”

Rolo gave a small nod and stopped. Where he pointed, there was a small shrine.

“…It’s a Church-style keystone, but it’s very old. The stone’s worn down a lot too. No way it’s still maintaining the barrier.”
“I figured as much. Damn it, what now?”
“For now, I’ll recast the barrier. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than nothing.”

While Fimia began chanting quietly, Rolo and I stood nearby, watching the surroundings carefully.
With the barrier inactive, this place might as well be inside the unexplored territory already.
While the caster is chanting, we have to protect her.

“…This one’s done. Rolo, how many keystones are there in total?”
“Uh, five including this one.”
“Perfect. With five points, even a simplified pentagram barrier should have a decent effect. Let’s move on.”

Rolo nodded and took the lead again, with Fimia following close behind.
I walked behind them, glancing over my shoulder.
The forest of the unexplored territory was far too quiet. I had the uneasy feeling something in there was watching us.

♦

After we finished reestablishing the barrier, we went to the Mercia household to discuss what to do next.
When I handed the aunt a wheel of cheese, she looked a bit surprised but quickly whipped up a cheesy gratin, and I found myself savoring the nostalgic flavor.

“Was it really that dangerous?”
“Yeah. Good thing Fimia was here. None of them were functioning. Honestly, it’s a miracle nothing’s happened before now.”

The aunt’s face paled a little as I said this over post-meal tea. It was no surprise—after all, she had been letting her kids play outside in that kind of state.

“Don’t worry. It’s just a temporary fix, but I’ve reset the barrier. It should hold for a while.”
“Thank you, dear. You really are the Saint, aren’t you?”
“Not at all. I’m just glad I could help.”

Fimia smiled warmly. As expected of her—or maybe because she was a priestess—Fimia had been immediately welcomed by the village.

“By the way, Fimia, where are you staying?”
“If I recall, the village chief said he’d lend me a room…”
“Hey, Auntie—sorry to ask, but could you let Fimia stay here instead?”

Before Fimia could finish speaking, I cut in with a proposal. Rolo, Fimia, and the aunt all blinked in surprise.

“I don’t mind, but won’t that leave you without a bed?”
“I’ll be fine. Ladies first and all that.”
“…Did you eat something weird in the city or something?”
“Yulg, should I cast Cure Poison? Or maybe Sanity?”

Okay, that’s just insulting. I do have my reasons for saying what I did, you know.

“I don’t trust the chief’s bratty son. He might try something with Fimia.”
“Oh, now that’s a concern.”

The chief’s son, Kent, is known for being a skirt-chaser.
Granted, “a womanizer” in a village like this only means so much—but with someone like Fimia around, who knows what he might try.
Plus, she came all this way chasing after Rolo. That kind of devotion deserves some respect.
I’d like to give them as much time together as I can.

“So yeah, I’m gonna start camping out near the border to keep watch.”
“Yulg! You’re gonna live in the forest?! I’m coming with!”
“Hey now, Bitts. I ain’t there to play around. I’ll help you gather some morborin grass, but that’s the reach.”

I ruffled Bitts’s still-small head, then gently pushed him away. Once he grows a bit more, I might teach him how to fight. At the very least, he should know how to protect himself.

“Hmm… are you really going to be okay?”
“I used to sleep out there when I was a kid. Having actual camping gear this time makes it way easier.”
“You really are impossible once you’ve made up your mind. Fine, but you better come back here for meals and to wash up. Got it?”
“Yeah, yeah.”

I gave a lazy reply and stood up.

“Alright then, I’m heading out. Let’s come up with a more concrete plan tomorrow.”
“Hey, Yulg! Don’t just run off alone again…!”
“That’s right. If we squeeze in, two people could probably sleep in that bed, you know?”

I gave the two of them a small, amused smile and patted their shoulders. At this point, I’m not so petty as to get in the way of their budding romance. I’ve grown up a bit too, you know.

“Don’t worry about me. Just get a good night’s sleep. I’ll be counting on you both again tomorrow.”

Waving slightly, I stepped out of the Mercia home.