| Author: Himezaki Shiu | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Jiro | English Source: Re:Library |
For me, Takuma Kyosuke, life in Japan was nothing but a hassle. It started back in middle school—I just couldn’t stand it. Making friends, studying, sports—none of it felt right to me.
I never wanted to go to high school, but my parents forced me to study, and eventually, I got in. I didn’t have a choice; they’d threatened to kick me out if I didn’t pass the entrance exams.
I considered running away and working instead, but after finishing middle school, I learned how tough working life actually was. I really had no options. Once I started high school, my parents constantly complained about my grades, and it got to the point where I didn’t even want to see them.
And whenever I tried to blow off some steam by picking a fight with a random classmate, Ichinari or Tsukihara would step in.
I’d thought about knocking them out, but I knew that if I started a fight with them, it would end with the teachers calling my parents, only making things worse. So I had to hold back.
Eventually, the stress got so bad that I started picking fights with guys from other schools. For anything happening outside, Yuichi would find the best spots and timing, so I was free to do as I pleased.
I held back just enough to avoid killing anyone, although, to be honest, there was one time I came close to crossing the line. That time, I got mixed up with Shun, and something in me snapped.
But it wasn’t so much that I wanted to kill—it was more about testing how far I could push things. So when we were summoned away from Japan, I was more than thrilled.
Finally, there’d be no nagging parents or teachers watching my every move. Yuichi, Shun, and Yoshiki, the guys I’d always hung out with, were here too. And although we were called heroes, it turned out we’d live a comfortable life as long as we trained.
Training here wasn’t as boring as school. I could enjoy the satisfaction of hitting as much as I wanted. All I had to do was train enough to keep up, cut corners wherever I could, and use Toriyama as a punching bag for some extra practice.
Usually, if I hit a classmate, Ichinari or Tsukihara would stop me, but thanks to something Toriyama did right after we were summoned, our classmates hated him. No one said a word, no matter how much I punched or kicked him.
Watching him struggle pathetically on the ground after trying to act tough despite his weakness was strangely satisfying.
The food at the castle was good too, and each of us was assigned a personal maid. Life was so good I was even willing to work for the Fraus Kingdom.
If I had one complaint, it was that I didn’t have a woman to satisfy my urges after beating on Toriyama. The castle had plenty of maids, and the one assigned to me was a beauty, but she wouldn’t let me touch her.
It was annoying. How did they expect a healthy man to not want his maid, who took care of him every day? I even considered forcing myself on her, but that would just ruin my position here.
Ichinari and the others would probably complain too. And I wasn’t stupid enough to throw away my almost perfect life. Just as I was wondering how to deal with this, my maid made me an interesting offer.
“It’s been some time since the heroes were summoned. You must have a hard time at night, Sir Kyosuke. You’re a man, after all.”
“What’s your point? Are you saying you’ll let me have you?”
“I’m afraid not. I’m the daughter of a Fraus noble, after all. I can’t have relations with a man I’m not engaged to. And if you force yourself on me, Sir Kyosuke, it would only damage your standing. But it pains me to think you’re left with nothing after working so hard each day.”
“So, what’s your point?”
“Let’s say I were to be violated. The first person they’d suspect would be you, Sir Kyosuke. Do you know why that is?”
Truthfully, I had no complaints about this maid. She always stood up for me and was unfailingly polite. But this roundabout conversation was getting tedious. If she had something to say, she ought to just say it.
Still, I decided to play along. It wasn’t hard to guess why I’d be the first suspect in her hypothetical scenario.
“It’s because you’re my maid.”
“Exactly. As expected of you, Sir Kyosuke. Now, what does that imply?”
“That if a maid is attacked, suspicion falls on her master.”
“Correct.”
“Are all the maids here friends? How can you suggest something like that?”
“Every maid in the castle is from a noble family in Fraus. Before hiring them, their backgrounds are thoroughly investigated. And although there aren’t many, some do not think highly of the royal family. Nobles have various reasons for placing their daughters in the castle, but we all have to accept things we may not like.”
(So that’s how it is.)
Just because they were all maids didn’t mean they liked one another. I could understand that—I didn’t care for all my classmates either. And it must be worse for someone from a family openly opposed to the royal family.
“Still, would it work? I’m not proud of it, but I’d be the first suspect in a situation like that.”
“I understand it can be difficult for others to see your true worth, Sir Kyosuke. I also know that it’s easy for people to misunderstand you. But there’s one hero who’s already in some trouble, isn’t there?”
“I see where this is going. Yes, there’s one—a class outcast.”
Given that Toriyama was despised by the entire class thanks to those strange rumors, if I could pin the blame on him, no one would suspect me.
“The maid you’re talking about is assigned to Toriyama, isn’t she?”
“It’s easier to keep an eye on problematic individuals by grouping them together, don’t you think?”
“So, what did she do?”
“I can’t reveal too much, but there are some in the castle who snoop around and leak information. People who try to pass classified knowledge outside without a care.”
“Can’t you just get rid of her?”
“At the end of the day, she’s a noble’s daughter. We can’t afford to act rashly.”
I’d always thought nobles had it easy, living off the wealth of commoners, but it seemed they had their own troubles. Not that I ever wanted to be one of them. I’d much rather be a hero.
“So, you’re saying I can have my fun with her since you’ll dispose of her anyway?”
My maid didn’t reply; she only smiled. If I were wrong, she’d have said so1.
But as long as I could get what I wanted, none of that mattered. I decided to go along with her plan. This could even be considered a good deed—I’d be helping the castle rid itself of a traitor.
