I Became a Hero With a Lot of Experience

3 – 003: Change

“Damn it….”

Just as the legs involuntarily rose when struck with a hammer on the knee, the words that came out of my mouth were also beyond my control.

Let me emphasize once again that I don’t fixate on virgins and am very lenient towards non-virgins.

However, it was utterly difficult to accept the fact that a king, ruling over a world like hell where most of the people are engaged in non-virgin chores, had married only a virgin.

It has always been the virtue and duty of the king to enlighten the people. It is the nature of the world, and if you are a king, it is something you must naturally do.

But to disregard that duty and not only marry a virgin but also lie with 78 other women excluding his wife, this was more than the tyranny of a despot.

My sense of justice rebelled against the foolish and wicked tyranny, and though there were petty curses, my defending myself would not improve the situation.

Though it was nothing more than a small murmur, given the small size and quietness of the room considering the number of people gathered, everyone noticed.

The king’s forehead narrowed. The knights had nothing to say, but all the attendants were flushed with anger, and the reason for this could be easily guessed.

All of them had experience points of at least five or more. A normal person would not have encountered so many women, so it was clear that they had surely picked up crumbs under that tyrant.

“…What did you just say? (Experience Points: 79)”

“Yes? What is it?”

The king’s complexion darkened, and he asked in a low voice, but I casually brushed it off.

It seemed like they didn’t want to make a fuss by deliberately reddening their faces over there, as they sighed and turned the conversation.

“…It seems like there was a mistake in the luggage. Can I assume that you came here having heard all the stories from Priest Jarvis? (Experience Points: 79)”

“You can assume that.”

“Well, then you must know that you have a heavy mission. (Experience Points: 79)”

“Of course, I know.”

Perhaps he didn’t expect me to reply so directly, surprise spread on the king’s face.

I had boldly set out to capture the Demon King and return home, but my determination wavered as I heard stories about other warriors from Jarvis on the way.

Unlike me, other warriors were not summoned from Earth. They were the extraordinary killing weapons acknowledged by the gods for their power in this world where swords and magic exist.

I didn’t know what kind of people they were since I hadn’t met them personally, but at least I, who had received military training for only 18 months, was not a match for the opponent I was going to face.

But to grow faster than those humans and defeat the Demon King, whose whereabouts I didn’t even know?

This was beyond unfair. It was as reckless as making a child who had just taken their first steps participate in a running race against track and field athletes.

In this uneven fight from the starting line, I had long abandoned any thoughts of winning.

The reason I came here was because I had resigned myself to reality. It was to survive in this place, which would be the foundation for my new life.

“Do you all not realize that you shouldn’t have high expectations of me?”

“Well… It’s not something to say in front of you, but I don’t think you can defeat the Demon King. (Experience Points: 79)”

A body devoid of any mana, a physique clearly not trained for combat, and there was no need for him to ask how he must have appeared in the eyes of others.

“But… what did you do before coming here? (Experience Points: 79)”

“I was a cook.”

“A cook…?! (Experience Points: 12)”

In response to those words, someone else shouted with disdain.

In a world where making food in the kitchen was considered a lowly occupation, if this were Earth, he would have received countless criticisms and been driven away.

Well, this was an expected reaction. Even in the Joseon era, doctors faced criticism, so how could a cook be treated any better in a fantasy world?

Moreover, what they expected was a hero who would defeat the Demon King and bring light to the world.

So, it wasn’t that I didn’t understand their sentiments, but with all the effort and career I had built up until now, I couldn’t let it be denied without saying a word.

“If you find fault with a cook being a hero, I can leave right now. If you have no further business with me, shall I just go?”

“…I apologize. I misspoke. Let’s get to the point. As you may already know, a hero who defeats the Demon King is granted one wish. (Experience Points: 79)”

Of course, it didn’t mean that any wish would be granted literally.

If someone wished for an increase in the number of wishes or something absurd like wiping out all humans on the continent, even a god couldn’t fulfill such requests.

On the other hand, if it was a reasonable wish within the bounds of common sense, it could be granted regardless of its nature.

“The fate of the continent has always been influenced by those wishes. If our kingdom could gain the right to make a wish, that would be great, but that dream is now impossible. (Experience Points: 79)”

“…Considering that you’re bringing up such a topic, it must be because I have some use to you. Do you want me to work as a subjugation force under another hero?”

“You… seem to have a more functioning brain than I thought. (Experience Points: 79)”

Although I couldn’t delve into the details of each country’s circumstances, in a state where national power and the strength of heroes are significant, having a little more power on your side would make you the winner.

I might be called a hero in name only, but I was undeniably a hero chosen by the gods.

My potential was not to be underestimated. That’s why the king considered me valuable as a bargaining chip.

“I don’t like it, though.”

As much as I despised being treated like an object by him, as someone with no power, I had no other choice.

To be honest, I wanted to just leave everything behind and open a restaurant, but in my current situation of having not a penny to my name, that was not a realistic option.

“…I’ve heard that even after defeating the Demon King, you’ll be living quite comfortably.”

“That’s right. Power is still necessary after the war ends. (Experience Points: 79)”

“Then, what will you do with that power?”

“First, the noble title and territory. The lineage of the royal family, and my daughter, Penny, come forward. (Experience Points: 79)”

“…. (Experience Points: 1)”

In response to the king’s summons, the woman from the temple who had glared at me as if she wanted to kill me stepped forward.

With a sinister layer of flesh draped like a veil over her entire body, the woman’s eyes, filled with hatred and resentment towards me, were directed at me.

“My daughter, Penelope di Arianeldo. I will bless this child with the favor of both warriors and the royal family and give her to you as your wife. (Experience Acquisition: 79)”

“….”

Upon the king’s words, my gaze, naturally and inevitably, turns to the suddenly appeared fiancée.

A crimson hair, like blood, rarely seen in Korea, and a beauty resembling her mother, the queen, emanating from her well-trained body – it was a beautiful allure that couldn’t be commonly found. Everything was captivating, but oddly enough, my gaze was directed not at her body but at her head.

＜Experience Acquisition: 1＞

The moment I saw the sentence that would follow me like a stigma engraved on a sinner for a lifetime, my mouth involuntarily began to open again.

“No other daughters?”

“What?! (Experience Acquisition: 12)”

Once again, the room began to stir. This time, it seemed difficult to endure, as the knights, holding their swords, glared at me with intense eyes.

Especially around Princess Penny, it was evident that if I weren’t a warrior, they would have immediately cut off my head.

“You!! Do you think we’ll forgive anything just because you’re a warrior?! (Experience Acquisition: 7)”

“The princess is someone you can’t even look at! (Experience Acquisition: 9)”

“Apologize immediately!! (Experience Acquisition: 16)”

As time passed, the atmosphere in the room did not calm down. Instead, it seemed to intensify, as if oil were being poured onto fire, ready to engulf me in violence at any moment.

Among them, the person most violently enraged was Princess Penny. Unlike others who only raised their hands to the swords, she had already drawn her sword.

The white, shining blade illuminated by the room’s light looked chilling just to look at, but I had no intention of apologizing. Apologizing is an action for someone entangled in guilt. It wasn’t my place to speak, having committed no crime.

“Enough!! (Experience Acquisition: 79)”

The flames of anger that fiercely burned in the accusation of the man who had shared a bed with the most women in this room quickly evolved in an instant.

However, it did not mean safety for me. The anger of the nobles and knights was suppressed by the king, but the king’s anger was still burning.

With his wrinkled fist clenched and a blue energy that could only be described as an aura emanating from his whole body, the king’s wrath began to rise.

Was that the mana I had only heard about in words? As my body instinctively shrank at the ominous energy, the king spoke.

“Penny is my only daughter. There is no other daughter, but do you have any complaints? (Experience Acquisition: 79)”

“Damn it! I should have been prepared!”

“…. (Experience Acquisition: 79)”

As the king raised his hand, the knights rushed towards me.

Looks like I’m screwed.