The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious, Vol. 2

by Light Tuchihi

  “R-retreat! Retreaaaaaat!”

  Their scheme had the complete opposite effect. Instead of killing our general, they lost theirs, resulting in the total breakdown of Demon’s Sword. As the enemies retreat, the emperor turns on his heel and slowly approaches us. He relaxes his majestic expression, sending us a smile.

  “Oh, dear me. It appears this old man accidentally robbed you of your duty, Hero.”

  Even without introductions, the emperor already knew that I was a goddess and Seiya was the Hero. I lower my head to the Warmaster.

  “Please don’t worry about it! In fact, we’re extremely grateful you defeated such a powerful enemy for us!”

  Mash and Elulu are bouncing with excitement.

  “You were freaking amazing!”

  “I can’t believe you defeated the last general so easily!”

  The Warmaster smiles even more.

  “I’ve gotten old. In the past, it would have never taken me that much time to defeat my opponent.”

  What?! He was even stronger when he was younger?! What kind of human is he?!

  As I am unable to control my astonishment, the Warmaster reverently lowers his head to me.

  “Goddess, it is an honor to meet you.”

  “Huh…?! Oh…! Th-thanks…”

  His gentlemanly behavior makes me blush slightly. Ack! Th-there’s no reason for me to act all shy! This is how people normally act before goddesses! Seiya’s been treating me like garbage for so long that I almost forgot!

  “Please come to our castle later if you can. There is something I wish to show you, Goddess.”

  “Something you want to show me? Like what?”

  “That is just something you will have to come and see for yourself.”

  The emperor invites me to the castle with a gentle expression… Of course, I don’t mind going with him, but there’s something really bothering me about all this.

  “H-hey, uh… By the way, why aren’t you going after the Demon Lord and his men yourself? I mean, you’re extremely strong…”

  Thereupon, a faint hint of agony clouds the Warmaster’s expression.

  “I…”

  “You…?”

  Just as I urge him to continue…

  “Gwah…!”

  The emperor clutches his chest and crouches down. Noticing something unusual, Flashika rushes over.

  “Th-this isn’t good! The emperor’s…! G-get everyone out of here! Now! Hurry!”

  “Gwaaaaaaaaah!”

  The Warmaster groans as Flashika yells.

  I-is this some kind of incurable disease?! Is that why the emperor can’t leave the capital?!

  “The emperor… The emperor’s…”

  Mage Flashika’s composure has transformed into dismay. In a booming voice, he yells out:

  “The emperor is going to turn into an infant!”

  …I’m sorry, what?

  Psss…sss…ssssssh…

  I hear something utterly bizarre and turn around to find liquid endlessly trickling down his leg. His once majestic expression is no longer to be found. Tears well up in his beady eyes while he sucks on his thumb like a child and confesses:

  “Mm… I went potty…”

  CHAPTER 42

  The Imperial Capital, Orphée

  “Someone…! Anyone…! Bring me a towel!”

  After soldiers bring Flashika a towel they had prepared…

  “Forgive me, Emperor!”

  He presses the towel against the Warmaster’s crotch.

  “Mn… I hate being wet… Hey, can I take my undies off yet?”

  “N-no, you mustn’t! Please bear with it just a little longer!”

  “Awww…”

  The Warmaster’s nose runs as he appears to be on the verge of tears. One thing after another has been so astounding since the Demon’s Sword attacked that Elulu, Mash, and I are frozen in a state of shock. Only Seiya watches the emperor with his usual indifference.

  “Rista, use Scan and check out the Warmaster’s special abilities.”

  “I—I just did a few minutes ago, though.”

  “Do it again.”

  I focus solely on the emperor’s special abilities and use Scan.

  WARMASTER WOHLKS ROSEGUARD

  Special Abilities: Childishness (LV: MAX), Spoiled Brat (LV: 8) Crybaby (LV: 9)

  “…?! What the hell are these abilities?! And his Childishness is max level?!”

  “Looks like we know why the emperor can’t leave the capital now.”

  Despite being on the verge of tears after wetting his pants a few moments ago, the emperor already seems to have forgotten about it.

  “Buttafwy! Buttafwy!”

  He runs around with both hands in the air. Incidentally, there aren’t any butterflies around.

  I—I don’t know if I’d say he was acting childish… It’s more like…!

  Just then, I hear a horse galloping over from behind. When I turn around, I see a familiar female knight with azure hair on a white horse coming this way.

  “Father!”

  “Wosalie!”

  Squealing with joy, he throws his arms around his daughter.

  “I was so lonely! I missed you sooo much, Wosalie!”

  “F-Father, please calm down!”

  It looks more like a mother finding her lost child than a father and daughter embracing. Not only us but the nearby soldiers are speechless as well. After noticing our stares, Rosalie explodes with rage like a volcano.

  “What are you looking at?!”

  The soldiers wince.

  “We have work to do! Go! Rescue those who were injured while pursuing the Demon’s Sword remnants!”

  The soldiers scatter like baby spiders, leaving only us.

  “Y-you were here, too?! Tch!”

  Surely, Rosalie never wanted us to see this. She wears an indescribable, complicated expression, but the emperor suddenly hugs her again.

  “I love you, Wosalie! Sooo much!”

  “Father! Please stop! If you don’t behave yourself, monsters are going to come and get you!”

  “Monsters?! But I’m ascared of monsters!”

  “Then you have to be quiet! Okay?”

  “Okay… I’ll be quiet… Mn…”

  Noticing Seiya staring at the emperor with an ice-cold gaze, Rosalie turns completely red and screams:

  “What are you looking at! If you’ve got something to say, then say it!”

  But seemingly not interested, Seiya doesn’t even say a word, so I decide to speak up for him.

  “H-hey, Rosalie? This turning-into-an-infant thing is—”

  Thereupon, she immediately grabs my lapel and glares at me like a demon.

  “Stop! Don’t say another word!”

  “But you just told us to talk if we had something to say!”

  The emperor suddenly runs over to Seiya while we’re busy with our exchange.

  “Hey, mister! Let’s play! Come on!”

  Seiya casts a cruel, frigid eye on the Warmaster.

  “Go away.”

  “…Huh?”

  The emperor appears puzzled for a moment before…

  “Waaaaaah!”

  He starts openly bawling his eyes out in front of everyone.

  “Hey!! You don’t have to be so rude, you ass!”

  After Rosalie rushes over to her father, he jumps into her arms.

  “Sniffle… I was so…scared… I peed myself again… Sniffle…”

  “Aw, it’s okay. I’ll make sure he gets what’s coming to him!”

  I lightly pat Rosalie on the shoulder while she’s consoling her father.

  “H-hey, um… I just remembered, but the emperor told us to come to the castle. He said he wanted to show us something…”

  “Ah! That can wait until later!”

  “Later? How much later?”

  Out of nowhere, the Warmaster starts chasing after another butterfly.

  “Buttafwy! Buttafwy!”

  “Hey, do somethi
ng about this geezer.”

  “Wh-who are you calling a geezer! Hold your tongue!”

  “Hey, Rosalie? How much later do we have to wait?”

  “Shut up! Ugh! Just give me an hour—no, two hours! Come back to the castle in two hours! Go hang out in the city or something until then!”

  Seiya then turns on his heel.

  “Don’t mind if I do. Sounds like a far better use of my time than watching this geezer all day.”

  “You asshole! Just go! Goooooo!”

  “C-come on! Let’s go check out the city!”

  Elulu rushes us to the imperial capital, and we run away from Rosalie before she blows up on us.

  This might be stating the obvious, but Orphée is the most flourishing city we’ve been to yet. Wearing fashionable clothing, men and women of all ages crowd the main cobbled path. Lively voices echo from the crammed row of shops lined up on the street. It looks like the town is in the mood to celebrate. After all, the emperor defeated the last general before regressing into an infant, so nobody has a clue that even happened. They simply praise the emperor for his great achievements. But I don’t blame them. Thanks to the emperor, the only enemy left for us to defeat is the Demon Lord.

  B-but…I don’t know. It doesn’t feel real. I mean, the last general was killed by someone from this world. I suppose we could consider ourselves lucky depending on how you look at it, though…right?

  After walking for a while, a sign with the word BAR written on it comes into view. I tap Seiya on the shoulder.

  “Hey, Seiya! You think we can check out this bar? It looks wonderful!”

  But Seiya gives me an uninterested glare.

  “What are you going to do if the enemies attack while you’re intoxicated?”

  “I—I just want to enjoy the atmosphere!”

  “Bars are full of drunks. They always try to start fights even if you didn’t do anything, and it always ends up with someone getting stabbed to death. So no thanks.”

  …Sigh. He’s even overly cautious when it comes to things like this.

  In the middle of my mildly depressive episode, Mash suddenly takes my hand.

  “Yo, Rista! Look! There’s a casino over there!”

  When I look up ahead, I see a girl dressed in a bunny suit holding a sign while trying to usher in customers. Since Gaeabrande still hasn’t made that much scientific progress, there aren’t any light-up billboards or gaudy illuminations. But even then, the building is colorfully painted and decorated, giving off that unique, flamboyant aura that casinos usually have.

  Elulu’s eyes sparkle.

  “So this is a casino! This is the first time I’ve ever seen one!”

  One of the pleasures of being an adventurer in fantasy worlds is the casinos! Mash and Elulu seem interested as well, so…

  I give them a smile.

  “Want to go inside for a bit?”

  “Rista?! Are you sure?!”

  “You know what they say about all work and no play. Here—I’ll give you some money, so go exchange it for some casino chips.”

  However, Seiya leaves us in front of the casino and briskly walks away.

  “S-Seiya…?! Wait! You’re not going to go inside?!”

  He looks back in an annoyed manner and flat out states:

  “If there is even a one percent chance of losing, then I’m not gambling.”

  Just how serious of a person do you have to be?!

  Mash and Elulu really want to go inside, so I persistently try to convince Seiya.

  “You might be able to get a really good sword or some armor if you exchange enough chips.”

  Ha! Take that! That should get Seiya’s attention.

  …Or so I thought. Seiya hits me with a piercing, ice-cold glare.

  “Rista, do you seriously believe the casino would be giving out weapons that would work against the Demon Lord? Your brain must be about the size of that white ball that rolls around the roulette table.”

  “…?! It’s not that small!”

  While Seiya continues to walk away, Elulu drops her shoulders in a disheartened manner and mutters:

  “Aww… I really wanted to go inside…”

  As if I were slightly reprimanding Seiya, I argue:

  “Seiya, a little fun isn’t going to hurt anyone. Besides, Elulu and Mash really want to go inside. So come on. Please?”

  “I’d rather use what little free time we have to go to the weapon and armor shop. The imperial capital might sell something rare that could prove to be useful in battle.”

  “We can do that later! So come on, let’s—”

  Thereupon, Seiya gives me a frigid glare even cooler than the first.

  “I thought you were a goddess. Shouldn’t you be thinking about this world a little, too?”

  “I am thinking about it. That’s why I think we need to take a break from time to time!”

  “Hmph. And you wonder why Valkyrie called you a third-rate goddess.”

  …Excuse me? Wh-why did you have to bring her up right now?

  “Well, excuse me! Sorry for not being as strong as Valkyrie!”

  “R-Ristie! Let’s calm down!”

  Elulu tries to talk me down, but Seiya keeps walking away, showing no concern at all until he stops before an item shop.

  “Hello, sir! I’ve got just the item for you! Special Medicine! On sale for a limited time only!”

  “Oh? And what makes it different from normal medicine or herbs?”

  “Its healing properties are on another level! One of these will heal any wound in no time!”

  “Really? If you’re lying, I’m burning down the shop. Got it?”

  “Sure… Wait, what?! No! You sure say some frightening things, stranger! But I’m telling the truth! One of these special herbs is equivalent to three normal ones!”

  “All right. I’ll take a few.”

  As always, despite saying “a few,” he orders an absurd amount. Irritated, I yell:

  “Seiya! I have healing magic, you know! You don’t need that junk!”

  But the shopkeeper’s expression clouds over before Seiya even answers.

  “What do you mean ‘that junk’? Don’t underestimate the quality of my herbs! They’re every bit as good as a high priest’s healing spell!”

  I’d usually apologize, but he just pushed all the wrong buttons.

  “What are you trying to say?! Because my magic is way more powerful than those!”

  “Then let’s just see for ourselves! Oh, what luck! …Hey, you!”

  The shopkeeper coincidentally finds a soldier walking down the street, an agonized look on his face.

  “D-do you need something from me? Both my arms were injured during the fight against Demon’s Sword, but I don’t have any money to heal myself…”

  The shopkeeper observes the soldier’s arms, then grins.

  “Both your arms have similar injuries. What do you say? Want to see who can heal this soldier’s arm the quickest? I’ll give you a fifty percent discount on all my merchandise if you win!”

  “Bring it on!”

  He begins to rub the Special Medicine on the soldier’s right arm, so I immediately start focusing everything I’ve got on his left arm.

  Will of creation that spreads across this vast universe, lend me your strength! Haaaaaah! Grow, my goddess power! Grooooooooow!

  …One minute later.

  “These high-level herbs are amazing! My right arm feels as good as new! …My left arm still stings a little, though.”

  …I lost. I tried my best but was unable to defeat the Special Medicine. Seiya looks down at me as I hang my head in shame.

  “…Useless.”

  “‘Useless’?! You’re gonna need a healing herb when I get done with you! You know, I wouldn’t have lost to that herb if I unlocked my true goddess powers!”

  “Then do it.”

  “They’ll fire me if I do that!”

  “Which is why you’ll never be anything more than a low-level,
off-brand herb.”

  “I-I’ve told you already! Goddesses can’t help out humans too much or—”

  “Hey, give me some more Special Medicine. They’re limited items, right? Give me as many as you can.”

  “Coming right up, sir! Thank you very much!”

  After leaving the item shop…

  “Ugh! Stupid jerk! What’s his problem!”

  I continue muttering to myself, unable to control my anger, but Mash soon calls out to me.

  “Hey, Rista? Don’t let it get to you. At least, you’ve got Ristarte hair on your side!”

  “Shut the hell up, Mushroom! One more word outta you and I’ll rip your little mushroom right off!”

  “What the hell?! Aren’t you supposed to be a goddess?!”

  “I-it’s your fault for saying that, Mash! Right, Ristie?”

  I even ignore Elulu and storm off.

  “Ristie…?”

  Seiya looks around the weapon shop for a while. After leaving, he gazes at the castle in the distance and muses:

  “All right, that should do it.”

  He starts his journey to the castle, but with all my pent-up frustration…I don’t think I’ve ever felt worse.

  CHAPTER 43

  The Reason for Eternal Life

  The giant castle proudly pierces the sky as if to convey the prosperity of the nation and the majesty of its emperor. A guard opens the sturdy, robust gate for us as we approach.

  “You’re here.”

  Clad in an azure dress, Rosalie waves us over the moment we walk inside. We follow her down a red carpet until we reach a door. Within the room is a long, large table with chairs lined up around it. However, the emperor is nowhere to be found.

  “There is something I need to tell you. However, before that…”

  Rosalie gives Seiya a quizzical look.

  “That’s the same platinum mail you were wearing before. Where’s the legendary armor?”

  “A giant turtle ate it.”

  “Tch. This is no time for jokes.”

  “I’m not joking. I’d be wearing it if we got it. The Demon Lord’s army destroyed the armor before we got there.”

  “What?!”

  Rosalie is speechless for a few moments, then she shakes her head.

  “Enough about the armor. What did you want to tell us?”

  “O-oh, right… Have a seat.”