A Former Child Soldier Who Uses a Magic Sword Wants to Live with an Older Sister of a Former Enemy E

────How did it come to this? (Reid)

This is what the Hero Reid suddenly wondered one night, as he gazed upon the devastation in front of him.

As he despaired from the sight of a world so far removed from the adventurous life he imagined, Reid escaped into his delusions.

[Ahahaha! Amazing! Who would’ve thought these guys had so much treasure in their cargo!] (Angelica)

He could hear Angelica the sorceress laughing.

While covered in blood.

And right now, the scenery in front of him was like a picture of hell.

A carriage lying on its side, with its owners dying in despair.

And Reid and Angelica were responsible for that.

The constant feeling of unsatiated hunger, and the harsh reality being shoved into their faces finally drove them to commit such brutality.

When the national borders were closed, they attacked the carriages trying to head back to the cities, and robbed them of their money, goods and food.

How many times had they repeated this process?

As of now, the Hero’s party that used to brim with idealism and righteousness had been reduced to a mere shadow of its former self.

The way they offered the blood of innocents to the moonlit earth before plundering them was exactly the sort of practice they were supposed to despise the most.

———The work of lowlifes.

[Was there a better solution…? No… There wasn’t… From now on… Yes… We’ll start making up for it from now on. As long as we pile up our good deeds, we can offset it all. Hahaha… That’s right. We need food and money to continue our journey. This was all… an unavoidable course of action.] (Reid)

[Come on, how many times have you muttered that already, Reid-san? But never mind that, look at this! Such an abundant amount of food and money. This will definitely keep us going for a while! We can buy new equipment, and best of all, sleep in fluffy beds! Let’s hurry and find a town!] (Angelica)

[R… Right…] (Reid)

It was Angelica who first suggested this barbaric practice.

Her decision to rob the very people they were supposed to protect shocked Reid.

With their first assault as the catalyst, they were no longer the Hero’s party tasked with defeating the Demon King, just a group of bandits who made their living by robbing people instead.

[I’m the Hero… I’m the Hero… I’m not in the wrong… I haven’t done anything wrong at all.] (Reid)

Reid shed tears from his empty eyes as he hoarded their loot into a carriage they had once plundered.

For a brief moment, it felt as if the eyes of all their victims had turned toward them at once, sending a chill down his spine.

Angelica, on the other hand, was humming and gazing at the money and goods with a wicked smile.

She drank water, grabbed a piece of bread with her bloodied hands, and ate it.

Like a hyena scavenging for carrion.

[If you’re going to blame someone, then blame yourself for your own inadequacy. It’s because you’re so useless that we had to resort to this, you know?] (Angelica)

[I… I always strive for excellence. …I’m not at fault.] (Reid)

[Hmph. You’re still hung up on that? Looks like the myth of the Hero is too much for your shoulders. That’s why we ended up resorting to robbery and such. Oh, and don’t condemn me for it, would you? It’s only thanks to my idea that we have a carriage to ride in, water to drink, and food to eat.] (Angelica)

When he heard that, Reid had nothing to retort.

In fact, he had never been able to cope with any of his party’s hardships.

But his pride would never allow him to admit it.

All he could do now was go along with Angelica’s proposition.

However, this sort of attitude got on Angelica’s nerves instead.

It was then that she had a terrifying idea.

[Haaa… I suppose I have no other choice. Why don’t we go over there so we can talk for a minute?] (Angelica)

[Eh…? Ah, sure.] (Reid)

After getting off the carriage, the two of them walked to a cliff where they had a clear view of the moon.

How gentle and merciful the moonlight was on those blood-stained sinners.

Feeling as if his soul was being cleansed, Reid suddenly closed his eyes and felt the light with his whole body.

After taking a deep breath and allowing the blessings of nature to permeate deep into his lungs, he felt somewhat better.

[So… Angelica. What did you want to talk ab—] (Reid)

Right after he turned his gaze to his comrade behind him, he felt an impact on his back that sent his body tipping forward into the darkness down the cliff.

Angelica had an ominous smile on her face, and both her arms were outstretched.

[GUAAAAHH!!] (Reid)

Reid instantly twisted his body out of reflex, and caught on to the edge of the cliff.

But to his horror, Angelica started stomping on his hand while laughing like a maniac.

[GAH…! S… Stop!! What the hell are you doing!?] (Reid)

[Can’t you tell just by looking? I’m tired of putting up with an incompetent like you! So this is where you fucking die!] (Angelica)

While Angelica gradually put more strength into her foot, Reid’s mind was filled with confusion as he endured this predicament.

He was just desperately trying not to let go of the cliff.

[But it’s okay, don’t you worry. Even after you die, I will continue on our crusade to subjugate the Demon King. But first… I’ll head to a city, eat scrumptious food, take a bath, clean myself up, then I’ll recruit a new group of adventurers. And this time, I’ll build a party centered around me!] (Angelica)

[You won’t… get away with this…!] (Reid)

[Hmph. Big talk for someone who’s about to become a corpse. If I establish a new party and defeat the Demon King, my name will be permanently etched in the annals of History. And everybody will be singing my praises. Ahahahaha!] (Angelica)

With a vulgar smile on her face, she stepped on Reid’s hands again and again while dreaming of the new journey she was about to embark on.

But fate was not on her side.

As if he had estimated the right timing, Reid grabbed Angelica’s leg.

And with all of his strength, he fought back.

[You damn witch…! Go rot in hell!!] (Reid)

[KYAAH!? Unhand me…! Let go, dammit…!!] (Angelica)

[NUOOOOOHH…!!] (Reid)

Reid’s physical abilities surpassed Angelica’s.

She lost her balance and, due to Reid’s traction, was thrown into the darkness down the cliff.

[GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!] (Angelica)

As she let out a death scream, Angelica, the daughter of an aristocrat and a sorceress, fell where she was meant to fall, as a lowlife to the end.

[Ngh…! Nuooh…!] (Reid)

After somehow managing to climb back up, Reid regained his breath and calmly recalled what he had just done.

[D… Did I… kill her? Did I… kill my comrade?] (Reid)

A shiver ran through him, shaking him to his core.

Without being able to stop his own sobbing and nausea, all the evil deeds he had committed up until now were being replayed in his mind.

[No… It wasn’t my fault…! I had no other choice! She was trying to kill me! It waqs legitimate self-defense!] (Reid)

The guilt he felt was obvious.

Killing Angelica was like a switch, an the memory of his previous robberies and murders weighed heavily on him.

[That’s right! I’m…! I’m not the bad guy…!! I have a duty! I can’t let that stop me from fulfilling it! Hyaha…! HYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…!!] (Reid)

The moon kept looking down on Reid, who was cackling in madness and fear.

Just how did this beautiful moonlit world look to this pitiful young man whose everything was shattered between ideals and reality?

Reid laughed as he ran back to his carriage.

Even after losing his companions, he kept moving forward, becoming something that was neither monster nor human anymore.

[I won’t lose… I’ll defeat the Demon King, and save the world!] (Reid)