The Hero Says He Doesn't Want to Be a Hero

Word is, a Demon King has appeared east of the village. He burns, kills, loots, and commits every kind of evil. The timid villagers tremble with fear and gather in a group to kneel before the hero.

The hero's greatest wish is to laze around until he dies. Hearing the villagers' pleas, he pats the rust-covered sword through its scabbard and gives a very perfunctory reply: "Ah, sure, sure."

Hidden in the woods, waiting for the hero to come to him, the Demon King eats his meager roasted meat and gazes longingly toward the village. "Isn't the hero supposed to protect the village? I've been wandering around here for ages, practically handing myself to him, so why hasn't he come to fight me?"

Note: Inspired by The Hero Who Gets By.

Related Western fantasy: The Demon King and the Rose, available in the column at the top right of the app.

Theme: Fairy tale