Chapter 148: Chapter 147: Become Famous First

Park Byeong-bin.

The first time I met him was, as always, after witnessing the foolish death of a hero I was serving.

The idiot hero, who let his guard down thinking it was just a petty bandit subjugation and died in a trap, and his followers, who were still arrogantly acting up after the death of the hero, their source of confidence, ended up getting their throats slit…

Only I managed to beg for my life and survive, but that was merely prolonging my breath for a moment as I was destined to be sold into slavery in a secret place afterwards.

However, giving up because of a miserable situation would also lose any chance of seizing hope.

Relying solely on that thought to endure, he appeared like a hero, defeating those who had captured me and extended a hand of salvation.

“I heard it was an organization donating slaves to the rebel forces of the empire, but you seem to have been quite harshly tortured.”

“…Who are you?”

“Hmm, do you not remember me? It seems we had met once before at the guild.”

“Met, we have…?”

“You particularly stood out in my memory, and I’ve thought of you often. Now that we’ve met like this, it feels like fate. Let me take you to the guild first; shall we have a detailed talk?”

It was a meeting too insignificant for me to remember at the time.

But he considered the memory etched by my abilities as fate and welcomed me as his companion.

Being by his side was much better than being with other heroes.

He valued righteousness and cooperation unlike other heroes, and therefore, never treated those around him recklessly.

In fact, despite his high status as a hero, he didn’t cling to his authority and wished to maintain an egalitarian relationship with those around him.

“Excuse me, Hero Park Byeong-bin.”

“It’s not Byeong-bin, but B.”

“But your real name is written on the contract…”

“That’s merely a name for disguise. My true name is B; do not call me that again.”

“…Ah, yes. Regardless, you said I can speak informally with you from now on, right?”

“Haha, how could there be a distinction among comrades who wandered through death together? It’s uncomfortable to be formal, so feel free to speak informally.”

“Alright, then I’m counting on you from now on, Byeong-bin.”

“It’s not Byeong-bin, it’s B.”

Even though one might get upset over the frivolous attitude beyond informal speech, he treated it like a minor joke and coolly let it slide.

Such a trait quickly bridged the distance between him and others.

It made me hope that, if allowed, we could continue to be equal, like friends.

“My friend, what do you think of the current empire?”

“About the empire?”

“Well, I’m a bit curious. No matter how much I, as a hero, fight for the people, I can’t understand their perspective without listening to their stories.”

As we became closer, sometimes we would engage in serious Q&A sessions.

Occasionally, during camping or having a drink at a tavern as an afterparty, he would sit across from me and often engage in social or philosophical discussions.

“To be blunt, it’s rotten to the core.”

“…Starting right off by hitting a sore spot.”

“What do you have to be hurt about? You, just following orders from above and subduing rebels, should have nothing to lament.”

“Surely, I just do as I’m told from above, but I do feel there is a need to maintain the empire. Even if the empire is the only place where society can be sustained, the exploitation of people flocking there based on that alone, neglecting national governance and military strengthening in favor of focusing on summoning heroes, and yet there are innumerably more issues scattered about…”

“…If you know it’s that fucked up, why not just quit being a hero and turn to the rebels?”

“Still, believing that to be the best course, perhaps that’s why things have continued as they are.”

Despite the sarcastic continuation, he seriously responded.

In reality, even though he understood the empire’s problems more than I did, he somehow wanted to see the empire in a positive light.

Unlike other heroes who were intoxicated with themselves, he seemed to hope that such a necessary evil would remain in the world.

“The only way for the weak to survive in a cruel world is to live parasitically under those with power…”

Even though I thought the empire was messed up, being just a commoner, I couldn’t deny that fact.

No matter how vile and filthy those with power might be, if one does not follow them, turning a blind eye, the only thing waiting for the weak was the harshness emitted by the world.

“In the end, being born human, we must instinctively yearn to live as someone’s slave.”

“…Slave.”

Slave.

Although officially there was no such thing as slavery in the empire, the treatment of foreign workers was nearly equivalent.

And I had often felt this way in the previous world.

Although not as extreme, the principle of surviving by depending on someone applied in the world I originally lived in.

“Well, it’s not incorrect. My father also said something similar before.”

“…Father?”

“Ah, well, my father was a truck driver. He quit his regular job, bought a truck, and traveled all over the country…”

As the topic continued, I shared the story of my father without hesitation in front of Byeong-bin.

Though he hardly came home because he traveled the country, during long breaks like school vacations, he would often take me and the family on trips.

Thanks to that, having had various experiences from a young age, I was born with a relatively free-spirited and highly adaptable personality.

“…Your father lived a truly free life.”

And after hearing the whole story, his comment seemed to encapsulate my father best, both positively and negatively.

“Yes, he was a free man. And as you said, he always lamented, wishing there was somewhere he could rely on.”

As they say, freedom comes with responsibility; my father was in a position where he had to bear everything that came with that freedom.

He didn’t just perform assigned tasks like those with jobs, nor did anyone cover for him in his absence, nor was there insurance to fall back on if he fell.

Being responsible for everything he faced, he must have often felt disillusioned with his nomadic life.

“Still, after becoming an adult, I’ve come to greatly admire my father for living such a free life.”

“…Admire?”

“Well, yes. He depended on no one, lived freely, and took responsibility not only for himself but for his family as well.”

My father, who continued his work even after I became an adult without ultimately breaking down from such a free life, must surely be an incredible person.

In a world where everyone dreams of a stable life by getting a job, to protect oneself and those around without depending on anyone…

Isn’t that an impossible feat unless one is truly remarkable?

“If you can handle the responsibility, a life of independence isn’t necessarily bad.”

Having grown up watching such a person, my admiration for heroes might be exceptional.

With power, one wouldn’t be restrained by anyone and could live more freely.

Not just for myself, but I would also be able to protect those I cherish.

“…A freedom you can handle.”

As I was about to finish our casual conversation with such a modest realization, Park Byeong-bin muttered with his head bowed.

During that conversation, as if something bothered him, he kept pondering over a phrase I had said, resting his chin on his hand.

“…Byeong-bin?”

“Let’s end it for today.”

“Huh?”

I thought the conversation was gradually coming to an end, but unlike the usual smooth conclusions, that day’s ending seemed quite rushed.

After all, even though I called him by his real name, he insisted on being called B, forgetting even the trivial concept and wanting to leave after getting dressed.

“Isn’t it getting late? Let’s save the rest of the conversation for another opportunity…”

“Ah, right. See you tomorrow.”

Thinking there was no problem at the time, I let him go and returned to my lodging to prepare for the expedition the next day and went to bed.

Yes, that was the last time I met him that day.

Reflecting on that day at this moment, I felt a vague sense of regret welling up inside me.

“Breaking news! Last night, an attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince by infiltrating the Imperial Palace was made…!”

If I had known soon after that he would disappear only to become a rebel.

I would have at least tried to hear about his true intentions directly.

“…Hey, Park Byeong-bin.”

And then, about two years later.

I succeeded in making that friend, who left without saying much that day, kneel before me.

I didn’t think it would be a purely happy reunion, but I hadn’t hoped to clash in such a manner with him.

“It’s not Byeong-bin. It’s B… Cough.”

“Don’t overreact. I hit you lightly.”

“My rib is broken, though.”

“My apologies for that.”

From the first strike, the fight turned in my favor.

He, too, had exceptional combat skills worthy of a hero, but I had the edge from memories of traversing battlefields and fighting against many.

If the fight’s importance stemmed from the number of combatants, a one-on-one duel felt easier by comparison.

“…What exactly are you playing at?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you had fought with full intent, you wouldn’t have been pushed back this much.”

But how could a fight insist only on a head-to-head confrontation?

After all, his specialty was disruption and deception.

Digging traps, not revealing himself from the start and just observing from afar, and even escaping this place with Vivian without actually fighting by blinding my sight were all possible for him.

“…Did you really come here targeting Vivian?”

To aim for a head-on fight when it wasn’t even his main strength.

For someone who had evaded the empire’s grasp until now, wouldn’t this be too reckless?

“Now that I think about it, you’ve always been quite perceptive.”

With that suspicion, he gave a bitter smile and started to bring his hand towards his face.

He placed his hand on the lock of the mask he had never taken off from the first time we met until now.

“After all, there’s no point in hiding now. My purpose was already fulfilled by testing you.”

“…What?”

“My friend, do you remember the conversations we had in the past?”

-Click.

The firmly locked mask was unlocked and removed.

In its place was his real face, which I was seeing for the first time.

“I only show my face to those I absolutely trust to watch my back.”

The moment I saw his face, I felt as if my breath was caught in my throat.

Was it because there was something peculiar about his face?

No, that wasn’t it.

Regardless of standards of beauty or race, there was nothing particularly strange about him compared to others I had seen since coming to this world.

The issue was that he was a hero from the same world as me.

“What… that face…”

Yes, the face now revealed was not one a hero should have.

Why on earth would…?

No, how on earth?

-Clank, clank.

Amidst such doubts, the sound of armor clanking came from the corridor.

That must be the soldiers guarding the Imperial Palace, who had noticed the commotion here and rushed to understand the situation.

If he didn’t attempt to flee, taking advantage of the current standoff, he would surely be surrounded and captured by them.

“Here, I will offer my neck to you.”

Yet, he did not flee.

Even knowing that I was willing to let him go as long as he did not threaten Vivian, he faced me without any resistance.

“To offer your neck, what…?!”

“I said I would help you achieve the feat of capturing the most notorious fugitive threatening the current empire’s leadership.”

-Thud, thud!

A loud noise followed by the tightly locked library door.

He, who quickly summoned a clone to block the place, faced me while enduring his rapid breath.

“Hey, explain it in a way I can understand. Offer your neck? Why exactly…?”

“You told me this. You are neither on the side of the empire nor on my side.”

His clones, separated from him and physically limited due to his injuries, could only delay our conversation, but still, he spoke calmly.

“That’s enough.”

Knowing I wouldn’t join his path of rebellion.

Yet, as if he desired it, he stood proudly.

“If you’ve come this far without becoming a hero… Just by steadfastly following that path, you can fulfill my wish.”

“Speak clearly! Wasn’t your goal to change the empire? And now, what…?”

-Crash!

The entrance to the library finally collapsed. Then, numerous soldiers who entered the library looked around and quickly began to assess the situation.

Vivian lying down, the leader of the rebels who had been pursued, and I, who was confronting him.

“…So, don’t think about anything else and just focus on rising higher. Spread your name far and wide; make everyone unable to forget you.”

He, who quickly donned his mask and locked it upon noticing their presence, quietly began to muster strength in his body.

Still speaking in ways I couldn’t understand.

“That will be the way to save more people in the ‘Era of Nihilism (Nihil)’ that will come later…!”

Along with those words, he drew a dagger and charged towards where Vivian had fallen.

-Thump!!!

The moment I swung a hammer to stop him, realizing the soldiers’ focused gaze, a prediction came to mind.

Soon, the news that a hero in the empire subdued the leader of the rebels would…

Spread throughout the empire, just as the leader had intended.