Published at 17th of July 2024 7:26 am

Chapter 372: There’s No More Unnecessary Meddling Than When Others Say ‘What a Waste.’

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

After that, we spent several months in Jinku’s hometown. We trained Jinku and spend our days as typical senior adventurers, taking on simple requests and such. And in the end, announcing that ‘a new job has come in,’ we left on a journey, successfully ‘banished.’

Upon landing in the usual <White world>, Tia cheerfully raised her voice as always.

“We’re back!”

“Whoa, what’s up, Tia? You seem unusually energetic this time.”

“Really? I just felt like saying it. I mean, isn’t this place like our home?”

“Home…?”

Come to think of it, since we always leave from here and come back, it might not be wrong to call it home. But for me, even though I had a sense of it as a base, I hadn’t thought of it as a home.

“Home, huh?”

“What? Are you thinking about it that much?”

“No, you see, I’ve never had a place to call home.”

Certainly, I’ve been in buildings and spaces that could be considered homes. Even during my journey around different worlds, I stayed over at various people’s homes. But I never had a place I could call my own. It exists in my memories, but it’s something created by the gods, in reality, neither a home nor a family exists.

So, wherever I went, I was always just a guest…

“I see, a home…”

“Exactly, a home! Mine and Ed’s home. So… welcome back, Ed!”

“O-Oh!? I’m back, Tia… and, is it… welcome back?”

“Well done! Welcome back, Ed!”

“Ugh…”

What is this…? I don’t understand, but an indescribable sense of happiness seems to be filling me with great force. This is the power of a home… amazing. No wonder everyone wants one.

“By the way, why did you suddenly start saying that?”

“Hmm? There’s no deep reason, but if I had to say, maybe it’s because I was with Jinku and the others? Watching those kids, I somehow wanted to come home… you get it?”

“Ah…sorry, I can’t say anything.”

“Haha, it’s okay. I don’t have a clear reason either. I just felt like saying “welcome back” when we finished our adventure and came back, that’s all.”

“I see.”

Certainly, it would be tasteless to seek reasoning for such feelings. Seeing me nod in agreement, Tia chuckled softly and walked toward the table.

“Well then, let’s read it right away, shall we? Will it be another good story this time?”

“That should be the case… Oh?”

As I took the {Record Of The Hero’s Story} in my hand, the entire book was momentarily enveloped in a faint light. Probably, the content has been modified with this.

“Does it automatically activate when I hold it? If we want to read the original content, should I have you read it for me, Tia?”

“It doesn’t really matter, does it? To be honest, I don’t really want to read the version that makes the God cry every time. Sorry for saying this, but it’s not that interesting.”

“Haha, I can understand that.”

Following Tia’s comment as we read together, the life of the hero Jinku was as ordinary as it could be. Being childhood friends, Doma and Kain frequently appeared, occasionally having fights, sometimes playing pranks together, and spending heartwarming days. But that was really all.

There were no unexpected attacks by demonic beasts, no mysterious traveling merchants showing up. There were occasional good or bad harvests, but no famines. Catching a cold might happen, but there were no widespread epidemics or incurable diseases.

The book about the hero Nico that we encountered a while ago was somewhat similar, but what made this one even more ordinary was that Jinku didn’t recognize himself as a hero and didn’t use his power at all.

And so, the story progressed without any peaks or valleys, moved rapidly when we encountered it, and then rapidly dwindled… the last passage of a considerably thin book.

―― The 004th World {Record Of The Hero’s Story} Final Chapter: Unhatched Egg

Thus, without realizing it, the hero Jinku, driven by circumstances, defeated the Demon King. However, he ultimately chose not to acknowledge himself as a hero. After the Demon King, who had secretly manipulated the world from behind the scenes, died, the world was thrown into great chaos. Still, Jinku never stood as a hero, and he continued his activities as a “capable adventurer in the local area” until he retired at the age of 35.

After retirement, he found employment as a staff member at the Adventurers’ Guild. He also helped Kain, who started a general store, and Doma, who took over the family business, leading to family-like interactions. His days were peaceful yet fulfilling, surrounded by family and friends.

In his later years, when Kain lay on his deathbed and asked Jinku, “Could you have become a hero if you weren’t with us?” Jinku replied with a smile, “Without you guys, my life would have been dull and probably ended long ago.” This sentiment remained unchanged throughout his life. When he passed away at the age of 68, he told Doma, the last one remaining, “Deciding to spend time with everyone here was the biggest and the best choice I had made in my life.”

Choosing to cut its own wings and envelope itself in the warmth of friends, Jinku, the hero, decided not to hatch and returned to the world untouched by the hands of the Demon King.

“Mmm…”

“What’s wrong, Tia? You look puzzled.”

Inquiring about Tia’s unimpressed, or rather, puzzled expression, she answered with her ears slightly drooping.

“I don’t know, it just feels unsatisfying. It’s not like they’re saying anything bad, but it’s just not… well, good, you know?”

“Oh, I see. It’s probably because our perspective on Jinku is positive, while the viewpoint of this book is neutral or from the world’s perspective. Remember when I said similar things to Jinku and the others?”

Even if an egg was precious, if it doesn’t hatch, it will decay and die. From the outside world’s perspective, that would be a significant loss. But Is it really unfortunate for the egg itself to live and die comfortably, wrapped in warmth? Is it foresight, or perhaps, recklessness for a boy who has only lived for fifteen years to decide it’s ‘enough’ just by looking at the outside world for a moment?

There was no correct answer to such questions. It all depends on the perspective, how one defines happiness. It changes completely depending on the situation.

“We’ve seen Jinku and the others having fun on their adventures. So, reading this, I have no doubt they lived and died happily. But, for example… let’s say, if Alexis gave up all the privileges of being a hero and lived leisurely in the castle, many people would probably complain, saying ‘Fight!’ Right? If you have no rights, there are no obligations. Yet, everyone feels uncomfortable when others don’t move according to their own perspective. No, not just uncomfortable—some would even say it’s a sin not to act when you have the power. It’s a sin not to pursue possibilities. If you can do something, not doing it is a grave sin… they often say such things. Those who make such claims are the ones who haven’t even fulfilled their obligations from the rights they obtained.”

As I spoke, shrugging my shoulders, Tia returned a wry smile. Those who earnestly argue for such views… the existence of these well-intentioned individuals can be incredibly troublesome, as anyone who has traversed hero parties would know all too well.

“So, that’s fine. We’re just happy that they lived the way they wanted until the end.”

“Sigh… true. Hoping for it to be written the way I want would just be the same as before.”

“Exactly. So, putting that aside… what do we do? Do we go to the next world right away, or if this is considered home, should we take it easy for a bit?”

“Well, that’s an enticing proposal for both options. I’m curious about the next world, but since we’ve bought a bed and all, relaxing here once in a while… hmm…”

“Haha, time isn’t moving anyway, so you can ponder as much as you want.”

Laughing at Tia, who was alternating between looking at the bed and the door while contemplating, I gently placed the tale of the unsung hero, the hero who never hatched, back onto the bookshelf.

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