The three idiots who couldn't become heroes are preparing a man's meal today as well. - Chapter 25

Episode 25: The Dense Normie Must Perish

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“So, Kou-chan, you really took on that request, huh?”

“N-No, I haven’t accepted it yet…”

“But from what you’ve told us, it’s basically a done deal, right?”

“Guh…”

We were in a four-person room at the inn. It wasn’t particularly small, nor was it spacious. I was the only one sitting on the floor in seiza.

It was painfully awkward.

I had, more or less, taken on a request without consulting my party, canceling all of next week’s plans for camping out. I explained everything, including the rainy season, but so far, no one had given a clear yes or no.

I—I’m sorry…

“I think accepting this request was the right decision.”

At that moment, our party’s rising star, Minami, spoke up.

Finally, someone agreeing with me…!

“This guy had talent in both magic and swordsmanship, made a name for himself, and climbed the ranks… but then he lost an arm, quit working, and became a has-been? He deserves to be punched in the face. If anything, we can use him as bait. He still has raw talent and a chance to make a comeback, but instead, he’s throwing his life away. Knocking some sense into him and getting a platinum coin for it? That’s too good a deal to pass up. People like him just need to be thrown into a deadly situation—he’ll crawl his way back up on his own.”

“U-Um… Minami-san?”

She was getting heated in a direction I hadn’t expected.

Her face remained expressionless as she calmly spoke, but somehow, it was terrifying.

“So what if he lost an arm? He still has another one, doesn’t he? If it were me, I’d use my legs or even my mouth to compensate. That’s how us beastkin survive. That man has magic talent on top of everything else—what the hell is he sulking about? It’s infuriating. If he were a slave, he wouldn’t have the luxury of whining.”

…Honestly, she might be the perfect person for this job.

I suddenly felt sorry for the branch chief, who was worried about his “old comrade.”

Until now, I had just thought, Well, losing an arm must be tough, but I realized how naive that was.

In this world, life-or-death battles were the norm.

And those who willingly threw themselves into such fights should already have accepted that reality.

It hit me like a slap in the face—this was something I thought I understood but had never truly grasped.

Minami was right.

This was just how things worked here.

If anything, he should be grateful he survived at all.

We had never faced such a situation in our party, which is probably why I had overlooked something so fundamental—so painfully obvious.

This was what they meant when they said “eye-opening.”

Why should we bother encouraging him?

We just needed to beat the crap out of him until he snapped out of it.

“Well, camping in the rain is a pain in the ass anyway. Better to ease into it.”

“Yeah. Let’s take the request and see how things go.”

Nishida and Azuma nodded, both looking exasperated.

With that, we had everyone’s approval.

And so, we accepted the quest to beat some sense into that idiot.

Our first “internal” request.

I had no idea what would happen, but…

This, too, was part of the fun of life in another world.

At least, that’s what I decided to tell myself.

The next day, just as the branch chief had said, it was raining.

And not just a drizzle—it was pouring.

Draped in cloaks to serve as makeshift rain gear, we headed to the guild to officially accept the request.

Oh, and I had completely forgotten about this, but we were also assigned an extra member—Airi.

She had finally gotten a break from working the guild reception, only to be dragged into this request. Naturally, she wasn’t happy about it and muttered complaints the whole way.

“Excuse meee~”

We had arrived at a modest house.

The client’s residence—though technically, the request was from the wife.

After a moment, the door opened, and a weary-looking woman peered out.

Dark circles under her eyes.

An overall sickly appearance.

Blonde hair, blue eyes.

Despite her features being beautiful, her unhealthy state made for a pitiful sight.

“We’re the Walker party, ‘Hearty Eater.’ We’ve accepted your request. May we speak with you?”

When I spoke, her eyes widened in surprise.

She then opened the door wider.

It seemed a bit careless, but she didn’t appear to mind.

More likely, she probably didn’t have the energy to be cautious.

“I’ve been expecting you. I didn’t think you’d come as a full party… Please, come in. It’s a mess, though.”

“…Excuse us.”

After a brief exchange, we stepped inside.

A normal house.

And yet… the way it was “messy” wasn’t normal at all.

Broken vases and glasses, shards of things scattered all over—things that should never have been left lying around.

This was… worse than I had expected.

“I’d like to confirm the details of the request and hear more about the situation.”

“Yes…”

What she told us… was incredibly frustrating.

Her name was Sophie Ayram.

Apparently, she was the youngest daughter of a minor noble family, and her husband had married into her house.

However, after he lost his job, they moved into this house.

There was no domestic violence, thankfully.

But her husband frequently drank alone and took out his frustration on objects.

Most of the time, he spent his days in bars, using the money he had earned as a Walker and a knight.

When he was home, he was kind to her, but his smile always seemed tinged with sadness.

Financially, they weren’t struggling—yet.

But she wanted him to go back to the way he used to be.

To be his old, lively self again.

“This is a ridiculous request.”

“Minami, stop.”

“My apologies.”

Minami seemed unusually sharp this time, as if something about this request really bothered her. As I tried to calm her down, the conversation continued.

“As she said, it really is a ridiculous request. I apologize… but for us, it’s something important. Please, I beg you. Please help my husband…”

“We will do what we can. However, there is one thing I must ask. May I?”

“What is it?”

“If your husband were to fall so far as to become a barbarian who devours magic beast flesh… could you still love him?”

“…!?”

For a brief moment, she was at a loss for words.

To people like her, “this side” of the world, magic beast meat must truly be a forbidden existence.

“It’s just a hypothetical. But please answer honestly, with sincerity. Even if he recovers, could you stay with a man who has done something like that? Or is it only the ‘knight’ he once was that you can accept?”

Depending on her answer, we might have to decline this request.

It’s not as if we plan to feed her husband magic beast meat, but if what she truly wants is to restore him to his former status as a knight, then that’s beyond our ability to accomplish.

Our task is to help him recover. But if she defines “recovery” as him becoming a knight once more, we won’t be able to meet those expectations.

Everything depended on the woman before us.

I stared at her in silence, waiting for her response.

“…If I’m being honest, I’m afraid. If he did that, he might turn into a demon.”

I figured as much.

I wish I had come up with a less extreme example, but in our world, nothing serves as a better scare tactic than this.

“But even if he became a demon… I would still love him. As long as he remains himself.”

Right, if he turns into something incomprehensible, it’s only natural to be anx—wait.

“What did you just say?”

“I love him. Even though he lost his arm, even though he lost his job, no matter what anyone says. I love him. So no matter what happens, I am prepared to stay by his side. Even if his race changes, even if his appearance changes, as long as he is still him. Ah, but if possible, I’d rather he not return to being a knight… I don’t want him to be away for months at a time again. It’s too lonely.”

She spoke with a sorrowful smile.

That smile… There was no way this was the expression of a wife resigned to her husband’s downfall.

I didn’t know her exact age, but at that moment, she shone like a girl deeply in love.

“Nishida, Azuma. You understand, right?”

“Oh, yeah. We’re punching him.”

“Yup. Time to punch him.”

With that, we stood up.

The wife and Airi were left speechless, while Minami gave us a look of exasperation, her eyes narrowed in disapproval.

“…Sigh. Master, does this mean you are taking the request?”

“Of course! Any man so deeply loved yet blind to it is worthless. He deserves a beating!”

“Master, if you kill him, we fail the request…”

“Don’t worry, Minami. If the three of us split the beating, we can get him to the brink of death but keep him alive.”

“Nishida-sama, that’s assuming we were dividing a full kill between three people.”

“Well, you know what they say—‘normies should just explode.’”

“Azuma-sama, what on earth are you talking about?”

And so, we accepted the subjugation request.

We got the information from his wife—about the taverns where he usually hung out—and planned to search them one by one.

Luckily, it was raining today.

No matter how much blood was spilled, if it was outside, the evidence would be washed away soon enough.

“Hahh… I really love ‘Hearty Eater’ This is gonna be fun… I’m gonna send that husband flying too!”

“Airi-sama… If you join in, our ‘nine-tenths kill’ plan won’t work.”

And with that, we set out on the husband hunt.

His name was Gil Ayram.

A man with long black hair and red eyes.

Alright, let’s kill him. Let’s kill him right now.

It’s one thing for a normie to explode, but for a normie who doesn’t even realize it? He needs to be ground into dust.

Especially considering his situation.

And so, we walked through the town in the pouring rain.

Fully armored in plate mail and draped in cloaks, we must have looked incredibly suspicious to the townsfolk.

But we didn’t care.

Oblivious normies must be eradicated.

……..

……..

“Master, one more drink.”

“Stop it, Gil. You won’t be able to go home.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s not like anyone’s waiting for me…”

“Sigh… Just one more, alright?”

With an exasperated look, the bartender poured another drink into a fresh glass and placed it in front of me.

How long has it been since I started living like this?

I lost an arm, so I quit being a knight.

That was only natural. It was even called an honorable wound.

And yet, when I tried to find another job, nothing turned up.

I was a self-made man—not just a commoner but a beggar.

I clawed my way up with nothing but a sword and magic, rising to knighthood.

But that so-called great achievement was utterly useless in the working-class world.

And to top it off, I had no motivation.

“Hey… What am I supposed to do now…?”

“How many times are you gonna ask me that? Just go home already, Gil.”

“Like hell I can go home looking like this… Can’t show Sophie this pathetic sight.”

“Then get a job—ah, sorry. I know… it’s not that easy.”

The bartender looked away awkwardly and quietly placed a small plate of food in front of me.

A gesture of kindness, I suppose.

Even here, people pity me.

I don’t mind. Anyone would feel sympathy for a man who’s fallen this low.

But when that sympathy is directed at me… it stings.

I don’t lash out—I know he’s only thinking of me.

But just realizing that fact makes me even more frustrated.

I can’t take it out on him, and I won’t smash things in a drunken fit.

Instead, when I’m alone at home, the bottled-up rage always explodes.

“…Tch. What a piece of shit I am…”

Muttering that, I drained the glass in one gulp.

That’s when it happened.

The quiet chime of the tavern’s door opening.

I had no interest in whoever just walked in, so I didn’t bother turning around.

Or at least, I wouldn’t have—

“Welcome—w-who the hell are you guys!?”

The bartender’s panicked voice made me instinctively turn.

Standing there were three figures clad in full plate armor.

Their armor, though slightly dirty, was clearly well-made.

Each of them wore cloaks over their suits of armor, standing silently by the entrance.

Something was off.

The instincts honed in my days as a knight screamed at me—this was dangerous.

“Master, get back!”

Are they bandits?

I barked my warning while drawing the longsword at my hip.

I took a defensive stance, but with only one arm, my balance was terrible.

If they attacked from both sides, I’d be overwhelmed instantly.

That pathetic stance—it made my blood boil.

“You’re Gil Ayram?”

The man at the front spoke in a low voice.

His tone was laced with anger, and the hostility was clearly directed at me.

“…Yeah, I’m Gil. If you’ve got business with me, don’t drag the shop into it. I’ll listen. And if you’re here to kill me, let’s take this outside.”

“Gil! What the hell are you—”

“Run! …Thanks, Master. For listening to my drunken ramblings all this time.”

After offering my gratitude to the bartender who’d taken care of me, I steadied my stance.

I said I’d go outside, but there was no way they’d let me.

At the very least, I could buy time for the bartender to escape.

“I’m sorry, Sophie… I’ve been a useless husband. Forgive me…”

I whispered my apology to the wife I loved and launched myself forward with all my might.

At least—let me take down one of them—

“Bullshit! If you’ve got time to whine, get your damn act together, dumbass!”

Before I could land a hit, a fist slammed into my face.

It was a brutal, precise counter.

If an ordinary man had taken that punch, his neck might’ve snapped.

“Gah—kgh…!”

Blood spurted from my nose as my knees buckled.

Before I could recover, the massive guy beside him grabbed me, hoisting me onto his shoulder.

I didn’t even have the strength to resist.

“H-Hey! Who the hell are you people!?”

The bartender’s panicked voice followed us as they dragged me outside into the pouring rain.

“We’re ‘Walker,’ of the party ‘Hearty Eater’ We’re taking this guy under his wife’s request. Not kidnapping, so don’t worry. See ya.”

Those were the last words I heard before my consciousness faded.

How the hell did my life end up like this…?

As that thought crossed my mind, I sank into darkness, feeling the cold rain against my skin.