I Played the Role of a Hated Hero, but for Some Reason, I'm Loved by the Last Boss and Living W

Grumpy Companion and Tense Kitten (Part 1)

Translated by AmaLynne

「Get your mind out of the gutter. I don’t give a damn about that thing.」

「It’s not about that! A good man whom I love has been disgraced! I can’t forgive this so easily!」

「I will not tolerate the mockery of my precious male…ripped…apart.」

I had left the bazaar and was sitting on a bench set up at the edge of the park.

On my right, Demiurge shook her shoulder in exasperation as she leaned in close to me. Behemoth came up to my ear on my left and clapped her right hand with quiet fury in her eyes.

Oh dear…

I don’t think much of the contents of that book. I don’t care how it happened, I deserved that level of criticism for what I’d done.

Self-inflicted.

I got myself into trouble and hurt people around me to get my way.

I have no excuses. I don’t think I can be forgiven. But I have no regrets about what I did.

No, I have no right to regret what I did.

If any of my former victims were to appear here, I would accept any slander, and I would be willing to take as many blows as possible.

As you can imagine, getting killed and doing it is unacceptable considering Demiurge and what the world is going through, but I’m willing to indulge in everything else.

If it would make me feel a little better, I’d be happy to…do anything.

The guilt still rises in my heart. I’m sure this will never go away from me.

「Husband! Now find out who wrote that book and show them the hell on earth!」

「Live and die…forever and remind you of your stupidity with pain and humiliation…」

「…hey hey hey!」

They are gaining more and more momentum. If this keeps up, they going to fly off to find the author of that book.

I’m really glad that they are willing to explode with emotion this much for my sake. I’m even bursting into tears, which is out of character.

However, I can’t let them go on a rampage.

「Calm down, both of you.」

「No way I can calm down!」

「(*nod nod*)……」

「Listen to me. Everything in that book is true.」

Until now, I have never talked about my past. I have intentionally avoided it.

I was afraid that my selfishness would be known and I would be hated…

But now that I’m here, it would be a little too insincere of me to hide my past.

「Demiurge…you remember I was the only one who challenged you in the past.」

「Umu, Suddenly. How could I forget? That was the meeting between me and husband. I will keep it as a record in my head for the rest of my life.」

It’s not a very good memory for me, but…well, I’m glad she cares about her encounter with me in any way…

「Actually…there were supposed to be three more people besides me in that fight…」

「Umu? Is that so? Then, why did husband alone… husband will have a better chance of winning instead of challenging me alone? …Well, the result was a close match.」

「It did. The result was a close match.」

「……That’s how strong Are, Alexei, was…he put dirt on the Lord…I knew he was the best male…mmmm…」

Behemoth flashes a smile that she doesn’t usually show. The gap between her usual expressionless face and now made me giggle.

…Oops, getting out of topic.

Well, some of it is the result of a combination of various fortunes. I couldn’t have beaten the Demiurge on my own.

Really.

Information, Demiurge’s carelessness, the quality of the equipment I had prepared, geography, my strategy, my physical condition, etc… I am a human, and to challenge the creator god and bring about the result, it must not have been possible if any of the pieces were missing.

「But I was wondering why you were so reckless as to challenge me alone. Husband, why did you do that? Why on earth did you do such a thing?」

「…To sum it up, I was afraid to send the three friends I was traveling with into a battle where they were likely to lose their lives.」

「That, means…」

「Yeah…my buddies might lose their lives…and I couldn’t accept that, so I took on you alone.」

「I see…husband since then…you sacrificed yourself for others…you’re ridiculously good-natured.」

Demiurge’s tone was one of dismay, but she rested her head on my shoulder and said,

「But it is his personality that I have fallen in love with.」

I feel an itch on my neck. It’s probably not just because of her breath on my neck. I gently put my hand in her silver hair and pull it just a little closer.

「Thanks, Demiurge. And here’s the thing…the party member I was putting together to challenge you was the very picture of seriousness, with a strong sense of responsibility. When I told them that I was going to challenge you alone, none of them agree…so I decided to make them hate me.」

I still remember when I made that decision.

I listened to what that person had to say, hoping to get some information about Demiurge, even though I never found out who he was, a cunning man who had once challenged Demiurge and barely survived… Looking back on it now, perhaps I was clinging to a straw.

At the time, I had no information about the extent of the enemy’s power. I accepted the story of an unknown person, no matter how trivial, as long as it would give me an advantage in the battle.

Looking back on it now, I wonder how I could have taken the word of such a suspicious person so seriously.

「So, I’ve been committing all kinds of acts here and there that are against humanity, as described in the book I just read, and I’ve been losing more and more reputation among my peers…I’ve been hurting a lot of people, not thinking about others…I’ve hurt a lot of people just to save someone around me…but I have no choice but to accept it, no matter how much the world criticizes me. It is my responsibility and duty. The payback for my deeds, whether good or bad, will come back to me. The fact that they published a book like that is a just『retribution』for what I did.」

I can’t face how Demiurge is taking this confession of mine…I’m afraid to see her. Not to mention, Behemoth.

I look at the townspeople passing in front of me from a distance, remembering the ordinary people who would have been hurt by me in the past. I remember the stares of fear and hatred they used to give me.

I can’t even remember how many people I’ve caused to suffer…and I’ve done so much evil to so many people.

I can no longer live in human society as Ares, and I will not be forgiven.

I will never be able to face my former acquaintances and friends…Martina, Sofia, and Touka…and I will never be able to face them again.

「…………」

The thought of it made my eyes burn uncontrollably. I looked up at the clear blue sky, as if ironically trying to suppress the emotions that were about to spill out.

I was suddenly blocked out of sight, and my head and body were enveloped in warmth.

「Good, good…husband.」

「Ares…gyuu~~!」