Chapter 7  : False Charge

Many things happened. After being abducted, I was dragged through the castle. Once I was within the audience chamber, the knights pointed their spears at me.

Inside we have a pair made of an ill-mannered king and his minister.

As well as...

“Mein!”

Itsuki, Ren, Motoyasu, along with their respective merry companions, were also gathered here.

After calling out to Mein, she hid behind Motoyasu and I was dumbfounded.

“W-what’s with that attitude?”

Everyone was staring at me as if I was a villain.

“You really don’t remember?”

Motoyasu cross-examined me with an imposing posture.

What in the world was his problem?

“Remember what? Wait a sec... that chain mail!”

That bastard Motoyasu was wearing my bloody chain mail!

“So you’re the bedroom intruder!”

“Who the hell is a bedroom intruder?! Don’t even think of escaping from your sins using that nonsense!”

“Sins? What sins?”

As if in response, the audience chamber began emitting an atmosphere much like a criminal trial.

“Now then, what is the charge against the Shield Hero?”

“Charge? Charge for what?”

“Sniff... Hic... Shield Hero-sama got drunk yesterday... Hic... Th-then he suddenly burst into my room, gave into his beastly desires and forced himself on me.”

“Huh?”

“The Shield Hero said that, 'The night is still young' and violently tore my clothes off.”

Motoyasu then comforted the sobbing Mein.

“I-I was horrified... I ran out of the room, screaming for my dear life when Motoyasu-sama appeared and defended me.”

“... What?”

What was that?

Yesterday evening after I separated from Mein, I headed straight to bed. So when did all that happen?

The mortified Mein did nothing but sob.

“What are you saying? After dinner last night I went straight to bed.”

“Stop spewing such lies, you bastard. It’s clear as day that the reason Mein's crying is because of you.”

“What secret motives do you have for protecting Mein? Forget that, where did you steal that chain mail from?!"

You have only met her for the first time yesterday, no?

“Er, well, yesterday I found Mein drinking alone in the tavern, and she gave me this chain mail as a gift.”

“Huh?”

That was mine no matter how you looked at it.

Of course, there’s the possibility that it was bought by Mein with her own pocket money, but Motoyasu got one right when mine disappeared. This was all too suspicious.

Motoyasu’s story was full of sh*t. I had to convince the king of that.

“Right! Your highness! My bedroom was raided and everything inside was stolen except for this shield! Please arrest the culprit.”

“Silence, you fiend!”

The King flatly declared and ignored my plea.

“You brutally committed rape against my dear countryman, villain? If you weren’t a hero, I would've executed you on the spot!”

“This is a huge misunderstanding! I didn't commit any crimes!”

Unfortunately, everyone here had already judged me guilty before the trial had even begun.

I could feel my blood boiling and my fury rising.

What the hell? What the hell is this? What the hell is this sh*t?!

I don’t recall any of this crap, so why should I be abused like this?!

I locked eyes with Mein while trying to convey my plea for help. In response, Mein mirthfully stuck her tongue out while everyone was focused on me.

... That was when I realized it.

I glared at Motoyasu.

I could feel a deep, dark emotion swelling up from within me, seeping into my guts.

“You fiend! You must have thrown away your clothes and money to create an alibi for your crimes!”

Motoyasu pointed at me and accused with an extremely loud yell.

“What! Are you trying to say that I’m a serial rapist??”

Motoyasu shielded Mein with his body, trying to uphold his fake heroic act.

“Don’t fuck with me! I've already spent all of my money to gear up my comrade!”

It seemed that Mein, who originally intended to be Motoyasu’s companion, plotted this beforehand. Since I was the loser who could only use a shield, I bought her all of the good equipment. And after acquiring everything she wanted with her sweet flattery, Mein then ditched me and stole the rest of my money. She later came back crying to the king, acting like the victim, and driving me into ruin.

... This is so messed up.

Ever since the beginning, Mein had always called me by my title, Yuusha-sama, while she called Motoyasu by name. [1]

If this wasn't enough evidence then what is?

Does that mean this world only needs one hero?

“Even after coming to a parallel world, I still have to put up with this garbage of an associate.”

“Yeah, I guess, but I hold no sympathy towards you.”

Ren didn't hesitate to condemn me as guilty.

I see... So everyone here was in on the conspiracy from the very beginning... Since I used a shield, since I was weak, and since I didn't know anything; they had already intended to get rid of me because I was nothing more than dead weight to them.

――Cheap bastards.

No matter where I go, these types of filthy maggots always pop up.

The people of this country held no regard towards me from the start.

You know what?! Why the hell do I even need to protect you people??

Perish already! This god forsaken world!

“... Fine, I don’t give a sh*t. Just return me to my old world already, won’t you? After that, just summon a new Shield Hero."

A parallel World? Hah!

I wouldn't even want to come here in the first place if I knew this kind of sh*t would happen!

“Running away when it’s inconvenient? What filth.”

“I suppose you’re right. But as long as I fulfill my obligations properly, then a few forceful relationships with women shouldn’t be that much of a problem...”

“Go home, be gone! I refuse to accept this kind of trash as a fellow hero!”

Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki glared at me with bloodlust.

It was a fun experience, I suppose, being in a parallel world. Yet it was all ruined by this jerk.

“Okay! Now send me back to my old world already!”

Then, the King groaned as he held his head.

“Unfortunately, there isn't a known method to send heroes back to their own worlds... Even if we wanted to re-summon new heroes, all of the current ones would first need to perish.”

“... Wh-why?”

“What the...”

“I-It's got to be a lie...”

The other three heroes, bewildered, responded in unison.

There’s no magic that could return us to our old world?

“Then I can’t go back home now?!”

Don’t fuck with me!

“Give me a proper explanation!”

I violently shook off the knights' restraint.

“Hey! Stop resisting!”

“Let me go!”

One of the knights hit me.

Guh!

A nice sound was heard, but it felt kind of ticklish rather than painful.

I quickly punched that knight back, but instead of hurting him, my hand grew numb instead.

“So, King? What’s my punishment?”

I asked as I held my hand, waiting for the numbness to pass.

“... Right now, you shall not receive any discipline due to your value as our trump card against the incoming wave. However, we will spread the rumors of your crimes to the citizens. That will be your punishment. Don’t even think about finding suitable work in my country."

“Haha, thanks oh so much for your lenience!”

That means I am only left with adventuring in order to level up and prepare for the incoming wave.

“The next wave is predicted to come in one month. Even though you’re a criminal, a fiend like you is also the Hero of the Shield. You won’t be able to escape from your role.”

“I know! Since I’m weak and all that. Time is pretty precious to me, you know!”

Chari...

Ha, as expected. Even after everything, only this shield stayed loyal to me.

“Yo! You wanted this, didn't you?!”

I took out my pouch with all my remaining 30 silver coins and threw it in Motoyasu's face.

“Uwa! What are you doing?! You bastard--!”

I just pretended that Motoyasu’s disparagement didn't reach my ears.

After leaving the castle and entering the main road, people looked and pointed at me while gossiping amongst themselves.

Really, word sure travels fast.

Isn’t that just amazing?

Whatever, everything already looks hideous in my eyes.

That's why I'll only place my trust in cold hard cash... and nothing else. So now the curtain of my new adventuring arc rose in the worst possible way.