Chapter 26: Even Heroes Dine and Dash?

I desperately washed the dishes, looking at the mountain of plates in front of me, wondering when I would ever finish.

It’s not that I didn’t think about asking Liya to help me. After all, I’m the type of person who shares hardships but has no good fortune to enjoy.

That’s right, I must have done something to anger both heaven and the people in my previous life. The goddess of luck has never visited me. Waiting for me is nothing but bad luck…

I’m getting sidetracked… The reason I didn’t call Liya is because her body is still a bit weak. According to her, it’s because she used magic power beyond her own maximum, which put a considerable strain on her body. So after returning to the inn, Liya has been staying in her room to recuperate. A large part of the reason we haven’t set off immediately is also because of this.

No wonder she fainted after one skill; it turns out it was because she overexerted herself. Thinking that I’m a big reason for this, I’m even more reluctant to disturb her, even though it seems she’s just been sleeping… But I still can’t figure it out. She’s clearly in the Swordsman Academy, so why is Liya studying magic?

Unable to figure it out, I could only desperately wash the dishes. After washing more than a hundred dishes, the waiter had already gone back to the hall to serve customers, so I was considering slacking off a bit. At this moment, there seemed to be some commotion in the inn’s hall. I didn’t pay much attention to the specifics because I was too far away. But after a while, the waiter came back, dragging a young man by his hand.

“I’m telling you, I was just robbed by some nearby bandits. I’m not trying to dine and dash. Someone from the academy will be here later to pay you…”

“Cut the crap. You have so many excuses for dining and dashing.”

Casually throwing the person next to me, the waiter pointed at me and said to that person,

“See? This one is also dining and dashing. If you want to leave with him, then wash all the dishes here clean. Otherwise, I’ll hand you over to the guards.”

With that, the waiter turned and walked towards the hall.

“I told you, I’m not dining and dashing…”

While the young man was complaining, I began to carefully examine this fellow diner-and-dasher who was in the same boat as me.

… Mmm, how should I describe him? Handsome? Not enough. Very handsome? Still not enough. Extremely handsome? Okay, I’m running out of words. I can’t accurately describe this fellow before me.

Because this b*stard is really too handsome. Even someone like me, who has always considered myself an extraordinarily handsome dude (but actually looks plain and unremarkable), would be overshadowed standing next to him.

A handsome face, a very strong-looking body. Although it’s just a visual estimate, he seems to be a little bit taller than me… just a little bit. If this handsome guy were in my original world, he would definitely be at the level of turning straight men gay.

Wait a minute, why do I suddenly feel a little hot all over… this is not normal, absolutely not normal. I’m a boy with normal cognitive orientation. Being turned gay or something is absolutely impossible… impossible!!!

I secretly took a few deep breaths. I re-examined this very handsome boy before me. While I was examining him, I found that he was also looking at me. The moment our eyes met… the air seemed a little quiet, and the atmosphere instantly became awkward.

“Er… hello.” To avoid further embarrassment, I was the first to greet him as a sign of friendship.

“Oh… hello, hello.” After a moment, the other party immediately returned the greeting. Unexpectedly, he was a very polite person.

“Um… my name is Yuren Xing.”

“Er… my name is Oak.”

After introducing ourselves, the scene became cold again…

“Did you also dine and dash because you forgot to bring money?” To avoid further embarrassment, I started chatting with this young man named Oak while washing the dishes in my hands.

Oak also started washing the dishes and answering my questions.

“Not exactly. I was just robbed by some bandits in the nearby woods. All my things were stolen. I finally made it to Erisburg, but I was so hungry that I couldn’t help but come in and eat. I thought I could meet someone from the academy to help pay, but in the end… sigh.”

With a sigh, Oak’s hands didn’t stop at all, washing the dishes quickly. His proficiency made me wonder if he often did this kind of work.

“Um, are you from the academy? The academy is in the center of Erisburg…”

“No, I’m not a student of the Swordsman Academy.” He interrupted me.

“I’m a student of the Hero Academy. Don’t look down on me, I’m also a hero.” Puffed out his chest, Oak said proudly.

“…Ha?”

“Hey hey, you don’t know what the Hero Academy is, do you?”

Oak looked at my confused face with some speechlessness.

“Sorry! Never heard of it.” Waving my hand, I said, shaking my head mechanically.

“You must be from the deep mountains and old forests. Forget it, since you haven’t heard of it, I’ll explain it to you.” Clearing his throat, Oak began to explain to me about the Hero Academy and other matters of the continent.

Alright, to put it briefly, from ancient times to the present, countless battles have been fought among the various countries of the continent. This situation finally ended in the Kingdom War more than 7,000 years ago. St. Lion, this country, won the final victory, ending the years of war. Except for the southern forests where the beastmen and elves live, it has ruled almost the entire continent.

Speaking of beastmen, their origin is incalculable. At the beginning of human civilization, beastmen already existed. Beastmen not only have a diversity of races, among which the more common ones are minotaurs, trolls, and so on. And they are very warlike. In human history, there have been many wars with beastmen. However, they all ended in human victory in the end.

As for elves, there is a rumor that they are angels who fell to the human world and became elves. Of course, the accuracy of this statement cannot be verified. But elves are undoubtedly the race closest to “God”. Komia is a member of the elven race. And among them, the high elves have a unique talent for elements. This has led to the elven race, although relatively small in number, being the most powerful of the three races. Fortunately, elves are naturally kind, and have lived in peace with the human race for thousands of years.

After St. Lion ended the war, humans were able to live in peace. Beastmen, elves, and humans also lived in peace and traded with each other. By now, beastmen and elves have been completely integrated into human society.

Until 4,000 years ago, demons appeared out of thin air. They exuded an aura of death, slaughtering all living creatures and rampaging across the continent. In the end, the three races of humans, elves, and beastmen joined forces to resist them, but they were still defeated one after another. When everyone lost hope, the first Hero was born.

The first Hero single-handedly broke into the demon camp and defeated the Demon King who commanded the demons in a head-on duel. The three races were able to counterattack and achieve victory. However, although the Demon King was defeated, many demons still remained on the continent. But after years of tempering, the demons have long lost their original ferocity and have instead become targets for humans to conquer. And after the Demon King’s defeat, the first Hero also gained the title of ‘Legendary Hero’.

Later, to prevent the appearance of demons, the first Hero established the Hero Academy in the capital of St. Lion to fight against future demons. And the St. Lion kingdom has ruled the continent ever since. But now, being a hero has become a profession. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the title of ‘Legendary Hero’. Every hundred years, the Hero Academy will select a person with the title of ‘Legendary Hero’. And the way to select a legendary hero is simple, a duel. Whoever can stand at the end is the legendary hero.

Of course, the duel is not limited to people from the Hero Academy, but also includes the Swordsman Academy and the Magic Academy, which are on par with the Hero Academy.

As for the Swordsman Academy and the Magic Academy, they were also founded after the demon invasion. However, the Magic Academy has always been in the north, while the Swordsman Academy was only moved here after Erisburg was established.

“So, in short, I am a student of the Hero Academy. And also a hero. Did you understand?” Oak licked his somewhat dry lips and asked.

“…It feels like I’m listening to a story.” I scratched my head and answered.

“This is a story. It’s been thousands of years since these things happened. Who still remembers those things? This is all I’ve seen in history books.”

“I see. Time can wash away everything. So many years have passed, and now looking at that history is like reading a story. No one knows whether the story is true or false.”

Although Oak and I had just met, we chatted like old friends who had known each other for many years. To the extent that we had been so engrossed in chatting since just now that we hadn’t washed a single dish.

“You guys dare to chat?” The waiter always came at just the right time.

“You dare to chat here after dining and dashing? Be careful, I’ll whip you.”

The waiter looked at us arrogantly, constantly swinging the whip in his hand.

“…Using private punishment is against the law.” Oak looked not at all flustered.

“Less talk. After dining and dashing, I can whip you a few times, and the guards definitely won’t give me a hard time.” With that, the waiter raised his whip as if to strike…

“You dare touch him. If you hurt him even a little, I’ll make you live a life more painful than death.”

A cold voice appeared behind the waiter, and the surrounding air was as cold as the voice.

Aisilis had arrived here at some unknown time, and her expression didn’t look very good. I don’t know who angered her.

Behind Aisilis also stood a man with a face that could be seen at a glance as that of a treacherous merchant. Besides the treacherous merchant’s face, he had a smiling expression, his hands clasped and constantly rubbing in front of his chest. If I’m not mistaken, this person…

“Is here to sell insurance…” I pointed at this man with a look that said ‘I’ve already seen through you’.

Suddenly being pointed at by my words and finger, everyone present seemed to be stunned, and this treacherous merchant-faced man was also a little at a loss.

Hmph hmph, you’ve been seen through by me, so you’re flustered now. Too naive, this living treacherous merchant’s face has already betrayed you. To dare to come out and sell insurance with such a face, you’re really something…

“Um… what is insurance?”

“Eh?” Faced with the treacherous merchant-faced man’s question, I was a little at a loss for how to answer.

Suddenly, it dawned on me. This is another world, and there’s no such thing as insurance, so of course he doesn’t know what it is, and it’s impossible for him to be selling it. Tsk, did I guess wrong? A look of unwillingness appeared on my face.

“Could he be a door-to-door salesman? Not likely.”

“He’s the owner of this place.” Seeing me talking to myself, Oak reminded me from the side.

“What? He’s the owner of the inn?”

“Er… Young Master Yuren Xing, I am indeed the owner of this place.” Seeing my surprised look, the treacherous merchant-faced man quickly came out to explain.

“But only on the surface. The real owner is Miss Aisilis.”

I see… seeing that I understood, the treacherous merchant-faced man wiped the sweat from his face.

“This gentleman’s relationship with the young master is…” Noticing Oak, the treacherous merchant owner glanced at Aisilis beside him and asked me.

“Young master? Oh… you could say Yuren Xing and I are the best of friends.” Oak, who suddenly understood something, spoke first.

“Oh, since you are the young master’s good friend… no wonder you look so imposing and spirited…” The treacherous merchant owner flattered Oak.

“Ai, not at all, not at all… no no no… I’m not, I’m not, I’m not…” Although he kept denying it, Oak seemed to be enjoying it very much.

Now, the most awkward person in the room was undoubtedly the waiter. The sudden appearance of the owner and the behind-the-scenes owner made him a little unable to react. And the owner was still flattering this young man. The leather whip in his hand, he didn’t know whether to put it down or to strike.

“Why didn’t you tell me in advance that the young master and his friend were coming to eat? I could have made arrangements. But it was our biggest mistake not to have noticed the young master. I hope Young Master Yuren Xing and your friend can forgive us.”

As if he didn’t see the waiter at all, the treacherous merchant owner began to apologize to me and Oak. To say it was an apology was actually just shifting the blame. First, he said we didn’t inform him, so no arrangements were made, and then he made a false apology. In this situation, even as the person involved, I couldn’t say anything more.

“It doesn’t matter, it’s not the first time…”

I didn’t want to continue talking with this man, so I just went along with it.

“Yes yes yes, thank you for the young master’s understanding. I will immediately rearrange the young master’s accommodation. Hurry up and go down to make new arrangements.”

The last sentence was to the waiter. When talking to the waiter, there was none of the whispering flattery from just now.

After receiving the order, the waiter dejectedly went to the hall. Looking at the waiter’s appearance, I also felt sorry for him…

Sigh, it’s not easy for you either…