Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 42

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 42

Unlike the nobles I had just seen, they couldn’t hide their expressions at all and were refreshingly innocent, exactly like children of that age.

I made eye contact with one young lady who was blushing bright red.

I gestured with an expression asking if I should send Adam over.

Either it wasn’t properly received, or the young lady frowned slightly.

“What are you doing, Eve. Stay still. Don’t give attention to strange people.”

“That young lady seems interested in you, Hero.”

“I have no obligation to acknowledge each and every one. She’s a young lady whose name and face I don’t even know.”

I felt hurt on their behalf at his coldly drawn line.

Fortunately, looking at the young ladies’ expressions over Adam’s shoulder, they seemed peaceful, so thankfully they hadn’t heard Adam’s voice.

“Hero, please treat them kindly! At least as much as you do me!”

“Must I really do that for them?”

Adam seemed reluctant.

As he said, they were young ladies he was seeing for the first time. However, looking at their expressions as they gazed at Adam, they seemed to harbor favorable feelings toward him.

But Adam, far from giving them kind looks, spoke curtly in a voice that was beyond cold and emanated a chilly aura.

As if they had no value whatsoever.

If I had been over there, he would have called out “Eve” in a gentle voice…

‘No, what am I saying!’

I shook my head vigorously to erase the flight of imagination that had suddenly occurred.

Why is Adam coming to mind here?

Am I trying to say that he gives me special treatment?

I covered my reddened cheeks with my hands to cool them down.

However, the voice that had gently called “Eve” wouldn’t leave my ears.

“…Eve. Eve?”

“Y-yes?”

“What were you thinking about?”

Adam bent down to meet my gaze.

Then heat rushed to my face so intensely that even I could feel it.

Not wanting to show him, I hid my face with my hair and slowly averted my gaze.

How could I tell him that I was cooling down the heat from strange imaginings, that I thought your voice was part of my imagination?

“Why are you still here, Hero?”

The young ladies are over there.

Where did what I said earlier go? They were young ladies who would be good to befriend.

If they received invitations to a hunting competition hosted by the Royal Court, they must be from quite renowned families, and seeing as they came along as companions, they were probably young ladies who had finished their debutante season and were trying to make impressions on other nobles.

At the very least, there was nothing bad about becoming friends with them.

They also seemed full of intention to show goodwill. Several were already holding handkerchiefs they had personally embroidered.

Since our foolish Hero probably didn’t know well, I kindly explained everything to him.

“They’re definitely looking with passionate gazes from over there, wanting to give you handkerchiefs.”

“Why should I accept them?”

Well… because they contain people’s sincerity and effort…?

At Adam’s firm tone, I hid what I was holding in my hand behind my back.

My plan to sneakily give mine along with the young ladies’ had gone awry.

It was better not to give it after all.

Even if I had given it to Adam, just imagining him asking “Why would Eve…?” was enough to hurt my feelings.

However, contrary to my expectations, Adam’s voice returned with a hint of laughter.

“I’m expecting one from Eve.”

“…What?”

Isn’t this extortion?

I couldn’t help but laugh at his shamelessness, as if he had entrusted me with a handkerchief.

However, since I had been hesitating while looking for the right timing to give it to him, my actions were swift.

But even though Adam had set up the opportunity, I felt somehow embarrassed.

With reddened ear tips, I blurted out whatever came to mind.

“You must return safely. Don’t follow strange people.”

“Of course.”

Adam said as he received the handkerchief.

The embroidery on the white handkerchief looked crooked.

I could only hope that its flaws wouldn’t be too obvious to Adam’s eyes.

Contrary to my hopes, he looked at the handkerchief and smiled softly.

Don’t laugh because you know I’m not good at it!

At Adam’s attitude of trying to hide his laughter by pressing his mouth with the back of his hand, I became even more embarrassed and hit his shoulder repeatedly while my ears and even near my neck turned red.

“Don’t tease me! That’s an amazing masterpiece selected from dozens I made.”

“Are there more?”

Adam shamelessly extended his hand again as if asking for them.

I hit that hand harshly.

Actually, I hit it gently. How could I dare to hit Adam’s hand?

However, the handkerchief I obediently gave him was only one.

I thought of the failures in my pocket that I would never take out.

I’ll give one to Ben, one to Potato, and one to Abracxas too.

I deliberately acted sulky.

Then I acted aloof, worried that Adam might laugh out loud seeing me with my face completely red.

Just then, I heard the sound of stamping feet from behind.

The reason for the sound approaching close by happened in an instant.

“Hero!”

“Mine too!”

“H-Hero. Please accept my handkerchief too…”

“I started making mine as soon as I heard you were participating! Please accept mine too, Hero.”

Ugh, ack.

Pushed around by the young ladies who had rushed over like the wind, I was swept away by the crowd and bounced away behind the barracks.

The barracks grounds were wide, but a crowd had gathered in one place.

Adam must be in the center of it all.

Pretending not to, but curious about Adam who, unlike previous Heroes, had almost nothing known about him, even the nobles who had been glancing over were sneakily approaching.

Even those who gossiped about them while fluttering fans or stroking their beards couldn’t help but steal glances at Adam.

I handed Adam over to the young ladies and other nobles, and kicked at the innocent ground behind the barracks.

When a shadow fell over my head, I quickly looked up.

‘Is it Adam?’

However, it wasn’t the face I had been hoping for.

It was one of those who had been loitering around the barracks, pretending not to while hoping Adam would greet them first.

Their pride wouldn’t let them do it first, so they were waiting for Adam, a commoner, to humbly approach them first.

It seemed like he had changed targets after Adam got swept up by the young ladies first.

“Why do you have that expression?”

“I was momentarily mesmerized by Youngsik’s handsome appearance. I apologize.”

When I rattled off the flattery, Youngsik’s cheekbones rose nicely.

It was pitiful how he shrugged his shoulders while forcibly trying to lower his raised cheekbones.

“Hmm, you said you were the Hero’s maid, right? You have good eyes, but it’s pitiful being by the Hero’s side.”

“Why?”

“Well, because he’s a kite with a broken string. There’s no one who welcomes a useless Hero. Unless you’re born a noble from birth like me.”

It was nonsense not worth listening to seriously.

No, calling it nonsense would be unfair to dogs.

I’ll correct it to the rambling of a noble who thinks that whatever comes out of his mouth makes sense.

No matter how rotten my expression became, the noble who was barking like a dog despite being human continued speaking.

“Give up any expectations that your master will achieve good results in the hunting competition. I, the heir of House of Count Cort, will be participating!”

Count Cort—wasn’t he that nobleman who openly showed his dislike when looking at Adam?

He was the one who looked down on him and most enthusiastically spread malicious gossip about Adam to other nobles.

So this was his son?

It seemed like Youngsik Cort had probably seen the scene where I gave Adam my handkerchief.

Judging by how he was confidently extending his hand toward me.

When Adam acted like this, it was just amusing, but when the Count’s son did the exact same thing, my mood plummeted straight down.

In situations like this, it was best to pretend not to know.

I tilted my head and asked with my eyes.

‘So what?’

If I did this much, he should feel embarrassed enough to turn away saying it was nothing.

Youngsik Cort was shameless, as if his face was made of steel.

“I’m giving you the honor of presenting your handkerchief to the person who will win the hunting competition.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————