| Author: Himezaki Shiu | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Jiro | English Source: Re:Library |
Two days had passed since I received the ring, and we were currently in the middle of training. The regimen had suddenly intensified, and we were split into smaller groups.
The stuck-up attitude of the knights grated on my nerves, and I resolved to complain to my maid later—maybe even have her find me a woman to relieve my frustration.
Even in smaller groups, the knight in charge treated us like fools, further fueling my irritation.
“You might’ve been called heroes yesterday, but starting today, you’re nothing more than tools. Mere soldiers who exist to follow orders.
“You all look confused, but that’s because you’re weak. Sixty days have passed since you were summoned, and not a single one of you can beat me. Heroes like you are nothing but a joke. I’ll say it again: you’re tools.”
The knight’s smug words greeted us before training began.
Sure, he was a trained adult, but we were heroes. Since arriving here, we hadn’t lost to any knights or soldiers. And yet, this guy dared to call us weak? Tools?
“If we’re so weak, why don’t you fight us for real? None of you have beaten me yet.”
“I was wondering what nonsense you’d come up with, and this is it? Of course, I’ve been holding back. Your name’s Kyosuke, right? I bet you won’t even land a single punch on me.”
“You b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲…”
His condescending smirk was unbearable. I couldn’t let this slide. I couldn’t calm down until I’d hit him—though just hitting him might not be enough. I decided then and there: I would kill him.
His smug face made my blood boil, so that’s where I aimed first. I charged at him, throwing a punch with all my strength, certain it would connect—but he dodged it effortlessly.
Then, as if to mock me further, he swept my leg, sending me crashing to the ground1.
“Damn it, you b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲! Stop mocking me!”
“See? That’s all you’ve got.”
“Like hell it is! I’ll kill you!”
“Bark all you want.”
The sheer arrogance in his voice made me snap. I scrambled to my feet and lunged at him again, only to be met with his fist instead of landing my own. My punch never even came close.
I staggered up once more, only to be struck down again. Then, with deliberate cruelty, the knight drove his boot into my leg, sending searing pain through my body. I collapsed to the ground, writhing, but he wasn’t done. He stepped on my head, pinning me down like I was nothing.
“So weak. Your body may have grown stronger, but you’ve learned nothing—no basics, no discipline. Come to think of it, the princess asked me to be especially thorough with your training, Kyosuke. I’ll make an example of you, so the others learn their place.”
His cold, mocking eyes stared directly into mine, but I couldn’t respond. I was beyond enraged—furious to the point where my only thought was to kill him.
“Still glaring at me with that rebellious look, huh?”
“Urgh…”
Suddenly, an explosion of pain shot through my cheek, so intense I couldn’t comprehend it. Even the inside of my mouth throbbed in agony. I felt something foreign in my mouth, so I spit it out instinctively.
A red pebble tumbled to the ground, but beneath the red was a glint of white. It wasn’t a pebble—it was one of my teeth.
“Huh?”
The realization that the ‘pebble’ before me was my tooth brought a searing, burning sensation through my entire mouth.
“It hurts. It hurts so much.”
“You’re fine. Stop overreacting,” the knight sneered before driving his boot into my stomach without hesitation.
The pain was unbearable. Blow after blow landed on my body—my arms, legs, chest, and head. I couldn’t comprehend why this was happening, only that it hurt so badly I thought I might lose my mind.
He kept kicking me, and eventually, the relentless agony dragged me into unconsciousness.
◇◇◇
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in an unfamiliar room.
The excruciating pain from before had dulled considerably, almost to the point of disbelief. For a moment, I thought it might have all been a bad dream—but the absence of my tooth reminded me that it was all too real.
(Damn it. That b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲ humiliated me… I’ll kill him!) His face was etched into my memory, and the next time I saw him, I’d be sure to take him out, catching him off guard and beating him to death.
“It seems you’ve finally woken up. From the looks of it, you seem fine. In that case, I’ll take my leave,” a voice said casually.
Turning to face the speaker, I saw my maid preparing to leave the room.
I couldn’t let her just walk away like that.
“Hey, wait!” I called out.
She turned slightly, smirking. “I’m not the type of woman a mere tool can order around. That being said, I suppose I’ll humor you this once. What do you want?”
“A tool? You too?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing—she was calling me a tool just like that knight had.
I couldn’t let her insult me like that. My anger boiled over, and I decided I’d vent my fury on her, just as I had with Toriyama’s maid.
“A tool’s a tool. Heroes like you were summoned to serve as weapons for the kingdom, nothing more.”
“Is that so? So you’re on their side too. In that case, I’ll make sure you suffer the same fate as that woman.”
“It must be so easy to be this stupid2,” she said, her voice dripping with contempt.
Before I could even touch her, my hand froze mid-air, refusing to move. The next thing I knew, I was struck from behind, and the world went dark again.
◇◇◇
When I woke again, I was lying on a wooden box covered with a rough cloth that could hardly be called a bed.
Something felt strange about my limbs. Looking down, I saw shackles binding my wrists and ankles. They gave me a bit of room to move, but no matter how much I struggled, they wouldn’t budge.
Both my hands and feet were chained. While the restraints allowed just enough movement to walk or eat, they were still a constant irritation.
The room itself was cold and bare, with nothing in it except the makeshift bed. Where there should have been a wall, I saw only iron bars. I was in a cell.
But why? I was a hero—a vital figure for this kingdom. The kingdom owed me3. Yet here I was. I needed answers.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to shout, but the sound that escaped was little more than an inaudible rasp. Panicked, I tried again, attempting to speak normally, but no words came. My voice simply wouldn’t work.
I didn’t understand what was happening, and the confusion only added to my growing rage. If I could channel this anger into strength, I was sure I could break free of these shackles and escape this prison.
But no matter how much I strained, nothing happened. The frustration and helplessness gnawed at me. What had I done to deserve this? I’d only killed Toriyama’s maid because the kingdom wanted her gone.
I had participated in the training sessions like everyone else. So why was I locked up like this? What had I done wrong?
“I knew having Princess Topersion seal away your voice was the right decision. How are you feeling, Master Kyosuke? I suppose I’ll keep addressing you like that.”
Just as I felt myself teetering on the edge of losing control, my personal maid appeared before me.
