The Hero Took Everything from Me, So I Partied with the Hero’s Mother!
Chapter 101: [Short Story] Hero (Yuusha) Zect's Redo

Zect's POV

I've come to the Galvin Empire.

I have money and it's easy to become an officer if I wanted to.

Becoming a knight also comes easy, and I could rise through the ranks and become a knight commander.

However, I'm not qualified to do it... After all, I have the job of 'Hero (Yuusha)'.

Even with that, I could have an easy life.

But... what does it matter?

My childhood friend and best friend Ceres is a hero (Eiyuu).

And eventually, he'll be a 'king'... or maybe even an 'emperor'.

If that happens, I'll have to serve Ceres.

Because I owe him a lot.

From now on in my life, I have to pay him back.

'Ceres, he's a great guy.'

I really feel it now... but there's a part of me that accepts it and a part of me that doesn't want to lose.

I don't want to lose because he's my best friend.

But... what was I really doing...?

The calmer I am and the more time I spend, the more I realize how stupid I am.

I left my childhood friends who were with me and just ran out.

It's so stupid... Now, I understand that the girls 'like Ceres more than me'.

But will present Ceres accept them easily now?

The answer is 'no'.

As long as he is married to their mother, they can't be his wives, even if there is no legal problem.

And yet... I left the girls.

Now I understand a little better why my mother was angry.

I... abandoned them.

That's why she got mad at me.

I guess she hated me because I lost my mind... and because I was afraid of the enemy and wouldn't fight... also thinking that the girls were just a burden.

'I don't need that kind of shackle anymore... But I've done my best so far until now... And I've been taking care of them properly... Please forgive me...'

I've taken care of them... how can I say that?

I fought without thinking... and lost, and broke the hearts of my friends.

I just fought recklessly... and I broke their spirits.

This is all my fault.

If I hadn't expelled Ceres, we would have had a Ceres stronger than Mammon by our side.

Then the three girls wouldn't be broken.

No... they wouldn't be hurt or miserable.

Maybe... the five of us could still be together.

Lida, the brash and impudent sword saint.

Maria, the immature saint.

Mel, the quiet and reserved sage.

I'm the one who broke their heart.

Really, what did I... go back for?

I was supposed to go back to make Ceres my friend and start over again.

To apologize... and if that didn't work... then what was the right thing to do?

And now I know the right thing to do... which is to take the three girls and leave.

After all, if I was the one who broke them, it was my duty to take the time to help them get back on their feet.

And yet...

I left my childhood friends who told me they loved me to Ceres, who I owed so much... and I ran away.

What a stupid thing I did...? Running away from the name Hero (Yuusha), running away from my childhood friend... and then making Ceres responsible for all of it.

No wonder my mother is angry.

The same goes for my hometown... I could have done the same... sent money and supported them... but there's no point in having regrets now about what I 'could have done'.

The right answer is 'I didn't do it.'

What... am I...?

And this is what my mother said.

'You will realize one day how important the people you let go are, and you will regret it.'

I wonder what that means at that time...

But now, I realized how much I lost.

What's with the 'Thank you for everything you've done for me, Ceres... goodbye.'

To the guy like that who said...

'Zect... maybe we should have another drink sometime...'

No way...

I can't beat him... Even now, he could still give me a place to stay.

Perhaps next time I see Ceres I'll be a more serious man.

Otherwise, I'll have nothing to show for it.