I’m a Hero, but I’ve Given Up on Saving the World

Last night, a secret visitor came to the king who had just finished busy preparations for the hero appointment ceremony. Bonita, who knew all the secret routes of the palace, barged into the king’s bedroom.

The reason the king, who would normally have flown into a rage at the sight of the old woman’s face, didn’t get angry was because the content of the message was urgent enough to forgive the unauthorized intrusion.

“Finally, conspiracies have begun to dance under the surface, Your Majesty.”

“Are you saying… a coup is in progress?”

“That’s right. It’s now an unstoppable tide. Everyone was already anxious, and your decisive mistake was sacrificing soldiers in a meaningless confrontation with the elf. Elves inherently possess much stronger magical power than humans, so it’s wrong to confront them carelessly. The only right approach was to dominate them with the mark.”

“It’s too late for regrets now, but I can’t be deposed like this. Without Isabel, my impeachment would mean the end of the Aurelia dynasty.”

“That’s right. It’s a sad situation… You should have listened to my advice to prostrate yourself before Faust.”

“Is the situation really that serious?”

“The soldiers who were hung on the devil’s tree made by the elf have all turned their backs on you. More than 95% of the capital’s defense forces. What more needs to be said? Even a mere battalion commander is aiming for your neck. With the small number of royals, doesn’t it mean anyone can become king?”

“…………”

“I came here like this because I don’t want to see the bloodbath that will unfold, more than your death.”

“…What should I do?”

“There’s only one way. No matter what Faust says tomorrow, don’t go against his wishes at all. If you upset Faust and the hero appointment ceremony is canceled, the soldiers will seize that opportunity to rise up. Remember this. If you want to protect your life, the fate of this dynasty… and the life of Isabel, who may or may not be alive, tomorrow you must become Faust’s dog.”

——Bonita’s serious advice suddenly came to mind.

He had been feeling uneasy seeing the soldiers recently half-heartedly following his orders.

He had read countless times in history books that superior officer killings frequently occur in what is essentially an anarchic state without a hero.

It was clear that the situation was truly dangerous, given that even in the court, assassination plots were openly circulating to the point of reaching the king’s ears.

The only way to overcome this crisis was to appoint a new hero.

The launch of the new hero party, and the one supporting that party is me—the King of Aurelia.

There was no choice but to suppress the dissatisfaction of the rebels with this structure.

But the king ended up irritating Faust.

Faust openly declared, “Because of you, I can’t be the hero.”

Is it just my imagination?

It seems like the sharp glint of an assassin’s eyes is flashing among the spectators.

It’s a desperate situation where it wouldn’t be strange to hear the audacious cry ‘Now’s the time! Kill the king!’ at any moment.

The king now has to make the decision of his life.

His judgment here will determine his lifespan, and further, the lifeline of the dynasty.

“Faust… Faust. Please withdraw those words. Now… everyone is exhausted from the battle with the Demon King’s army. If internal strife breaks out among humans, we will crumble from within and ultimately be defeated. The Pangea continent will become a playground for demons, and this land will become a living hell on earth.”

“Wow, as expected of a politician, you’re really good at deflecting. Is that my fault? It’s the fault of you vested interests who’ve done a shitty job at politics. Who made me lose my desire to become a hero, yet you’re talking as if all the disasters falling like sleet on the world were brought about by me? What kind of rhetoric is this?”

“…If you turn your back on me, there will be a bloody power struggle in the court!”

“So?”

“…A hell where people eat people will unfold in this very palace.”

“And? What do you want me to do? It’s just you who’s going to die, isn’t it? Is that such a great tragedy?”

“…………”

…This won’t do.

Political logic doesn’t work on Faust.

The guests gathered in the palace were watching the king’s plea for his life as if enjoying an interesting play, standing a step back. It seemed there wasn’t a single loyal subject willing to throw away their life for the king.

Even if there were, they would all be hanging on Misha’s tree.

In other words, this current isolation and helplessness was the result of the king’s own actions.

If things continue like this, the king will really die—

“But you’ve been speaking shortly since earlier? Why? Do you dislike using honorifics to someone lowly like me? Then let’s not bother each other and go our separate ways. I don’t want to be appointed as a hero by someone like you either.”

Faust ignored the king as if he had no lingering attachment and glanced around at the spectators. It was as if he was looking for a new king candidate.

Ambitious nobles and soldiers waited for selection with faces full of expectation.

If one catches Faust’s eye here, they would become overwhelmingly close to being the next king candidate.

“W-Wait a moment!”

“I’m not interested in you anymore. Get lost.”

“No… please wait a moment!!”

“…………”

For a person pushed to the limit, pride was nothing but a heavy burden.
Finally, honorific speech burst out from the king’s arrogant mouth.
Many people dropped their jaws in shock, but Faust didn’t seem particularly moved.

Still, the king desperately offered words of apology that were no different from self-PR.

It was as desperate as a job seeker appealing to an interviewer.

“Lord Faust… Lord Faust. On this occasion, I would like to offer sincere apologies for all the rudeness I have committed against you. Lord Faust, you are the hope and light of humanity. My eyes were blind to choose an ignorant fool like Lucy von… no, Kwak Dong-su as the hero, bringing about this crisis, and I don’t know where to put myself. This unworthy Carlos has opened his eyes to Lord Faust’s benevolent and wise guidance. Today, I wish to have the infinite honor of welcoming Lord Faust as the savior of Aurelia, so please give us that opportunity.”

“………..Hmm. You’ve become a bit more understandable.”

From among the crowd, the sound of swords being sheathed and tongues clicking could be heard. The king instinctively realized that if his behavior had been even a little later, something terrible would have already happened, and he wiped his chest in relief.

“But your head is still a bit high.”

“…What? ………..Ah!”

For the first time in his life, the king awkwardly bowed his head.
When Faust blew on his fingernails with a “Whew!” and reacted as if unsatisfied, the king hurriedly knelt down to show proper respect.

If the difference in altitude is the difference in status… now the picture Faust wanted was painted.

Faust standing with his head held high, and King Carlos kneeling like a surrendered prisoner—.

Everyone was symbolically accepting this historic scene.

Everyone present there, and soon everyone in the country, would realize:

That 「Faust’s power is stronger than the king’s」.

“Please… Lord Faust, become the hero and lead us. This unworthy Carlos… will work with all his might, breaking his bones and crushing his body, to be of utmost help to Lord Faust.”

“Wouldn’t it have been better if you had come out like this from the start? Mr. Carlos.”

Mr. Carlos?

The king clenched his fists so hard that the marble floor seemed to crumple.

Although there was no law saying the king’s name should be avoided, but Mr. Carlos?

‘I will surely repay this humiliation someday. Someday…!!’

“Seeing Mr. Carlos’s sincerity, I’ll specially take on the karma of being a hero. So, what do I need to do to become a hero?”

“…You need to hold the holy sword and declare at the altar that you will become the hero.”

“Oh, it’s simple.”

Those who had hoped for Carlos’s head to be cut off right there sighed in disappointment. But that was a minority extreme opinion. Most people just followed to the sanctuary, relieved that Faust had finally decided to become the hero.

The statue of the legendary goddess Irene, who was said to have saved this world once before, greeted Faust on the altar in a posture that embraced everything.

“Con-Congratulations, Lord Faust. As I said before, I’ll always be on your side and listen to whatever you say, so please be sure to call me to your par—”

“Shut up and hand over the holy sword.”

Serena could finally pass on the holy sword, which had been like a heavy shackle, to the qualified person and lighten some of her mental burden.

Faust lifted the holy sword as if it had always been his weapon, fitting him quite well, and roared towards the sky.

“I, Faust, accept the will of the holy sword and embrace the task of being a hero as my fate, may the goddess bless me!”

Faust’s voice had a charisma that overwhelmed the audience.

With his declaration, the holy sword exploded with light like a flash grenade. Despite being indoors, a wind of unknown origin spiraled, creating a breeze. Everyone felt an unusual atmosphere.

Especially Bonita, who had hidden her face with a robe and slipped into the crowd, watched Faust without blinking.

‘As expected, he looks just like the first hero. Although his appearance is shabby…’

Until then, Faust had been maintaining the shabby clothes he wore in the stable, so it was understandable. He was dressed like a pauper, with traces of horse dung visible here and there.

Meanwhile, the king, who was relieved that Faust had become the hero one way or another, was also lost in his own dreams.

‘That damn bastard… How dare he give me such humiliation? I will surely repay you… Once public opinion calms down, I’ll reorganize the troops and teach you a lesson’

As the whirlwind subsided, the statue of the goddess Irene began to move on its own and made a gesture of embracing Faust in its arms.

With the goddess’s recognition, it was now over.

Now, undisputedly, Faust, not Kwak Dong-su, was the only hero existing in this era, this world.

What was surprising was what happened next.

“Oh my.”
“How…”
“Wow.”

Faust, who came out of the embrace of the goddess’s statue, had a quite different appearance from before. The shabby tunic stained with horse dung was thrown on the ground, and instead, a handsome man wearing a shirt with lace and a frock coat appeared.

The noble ladies let out silly exclamations, and even the men were momentarily stunned by his beauty.

Faust in a tailcoat exuded a more noble atmosphere than any aristocrat present there. His dignity and intellect were incomparably more ingrained than the former hero, Kwak Dong-su.

“So this makes me the hero… Now that I’ve become one, it’s not much.”

“Ahem. Congratulations, Faust! You have no idea how reassured I feel now that you’ve become the hero. Now, form a party and go rescue the princess.”

“What? Are you crazy?”

The noble ladies and young ladies who felt a reversal charm from the swear words that came out of his elegant appearance later sent love letters to Faust, but that wasn’t an important story. What was important was that Faust’s revenge hadn’t even begun yet.

“This guy starts speaking informally again as soon as I become the hero? I thought people couldn’t be remade… Did you think I was a pushover?”

“Ahem… Why are you being so petty about such things? You’re the hero now anyway. We should help each other…”

“Kukuk. You think you’ve caught the fish, is that it? You’re shamelessly coming out right away? Are you crazy?”

“…No, what I meant was.”

“When did I say I was going to rescue Isabel? Who’s moving the story along as they please? Hey, Carlos.”

Hey, Carlos?

The king looked where Faust was pointing with the holy sword, trying to calm his startled heart. The fallen tunic on the floor was visible.

“You need to become human, man. You see that? It’s the clothes I wore while cleaning horse dung. It’s white, so it shows well when horse dung gets on it. Wear that and clean some horse dung.”

“…What?”

“Why are you surprised? I’m telling you to spend about half a year cleaning horse dung as a time for reflection, damn it! What? Can’t do it? I did it for several years!”

“But still, I am the king in name, how could I…”

“Oh, so because you’re the king, you can’t do menial work? Then you can step down from being king. There’s no problem then, right?”

“…………”

“Why is your expression souring? Did you think that once I was given the holy sword, public opinion would calm down and your world would come back? You asked me to lead. This is how I lead. If you don’t like it, want to fight me? Want me to show you the hero’s authority? Should I remove all the blessings on the kingdom?”

‘…This bastard. Just now… just now…’

I thought it was over, but it was rather the beginning—