Once the Curse of Reversed Likability Was Lifted, My Party Members Became Unbearably Heavy
“…It’s such a nice day today, isn’t it?”
Ren quietly nodded at Iris’s muttered words.
The three of them—Celia, Rina, and Noel—sat slumped on the sofa, staring blankly up at the sky.
It had been a week since they began staying within the royal castle. At last, color was returning to the three of them.
Even so, to Iris, they still seemed like fragile glass ornaments, somehow broken.
“…Everyone, shall we go outside for a little walk?”
When Ren suggested this, the three of them flinched slightly.
“Outside…?”
Celia asked timidly.
“Ren-sama, well… going outside might still be—”
“It’s fine. You know the king worked hard to clear my name, right?”
At Ren’s words, Noel spoke in a small voice, still looking down.
“…I know it’s not my place to say. But if there are still people in town who hate Ren…”
“Everyone’s worrying too much. Besides, even if someone resents me, there’s no one who could actually harm us, right?”
“That… might be true, but…”
Over this past week, the lord of this castle, Agres III, worked tirelessly to restore my honor.
At my strong request, he refrained from spreading the lie that they had slandered me.
He repeatedly addressed the people, declaring that despite the curse causing misrecognition, Amagi Ren was the true hero who defeated the Demon King.
It ended up shifting the blame onto the king, and the three women insisted they should bear the punishment themselves.
However, their actions were ultimately caused by the curse. Considering that punishing them—heroes holding key positions in the kingdom—would cause chaos, the king and I discussed it and decided on this outcome.
I didn’t expect the once-spread slander to be easily overturned, but many people felt something was off when the curse was lifted. Surprisingly, they readily recognized me as the hero again.
It seems the news hasn’t fully spread to the provinces yet, and even in the capital it’s not perfect, but at this rate, it won’t be long before Ren is fully acknowledged.
This swift restoration of honor was the result of Ren’s efforts—not just in defeating monsters and the Demon King’s army, but also in tirelessly working for the town and its people.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?”
Iris smiled softly.
“Even after being pelted with stones in so many villages… I’m sure everyone was grateful to Ren for all the help he’d given them before!!”
Ren nodded, smiling as he looked down at the bustling castle town below.
Descending the stone-paved slope leading from the royal castle, the clamor of the royal capital suddenly filled the air.
Street stalls lined the road, the scent of freshly baked bread and the sweet aroma of fruit mingling in the breeze.
“Wow… amazing, so many people!”
Iris’s eyes sparkled as she excitedly exclaimed.
Her innocence made Celia smile involuntarily.
“…It’s nice, this kind of scene. Before meeting Ren sama, I never thought days like this would return.”
Rina kept a slight distance, conscious of the stares from people walking the street.
“…Aren’t we standing out a bit too much?”
“It can’t be helped. It’s been ages since everyone saw Ren. Besides, we’re supposed to be sick.”
Noel let out a wry smile.
“No one see Ren sama as the ‘traitorous hero’ anymore!!”
Just then, the greengrocer’s father shouted loudly.
“Hey hey, you… aren’t you… the Hero!?”
Ren turned to see a large, sunburnt man waving his arms.
It was the greengrocer’s father, who had often spoken to them since helping with evacuations during the Demon King’s invasion.
“Long time no see!”
The man laughed.
“Damn it, you helped us back then, and then people just went around saying you betrayed us… Sorry about that!”
Ren shook his head slightly at the words.
“Don’t worry about it. It was the curse, just like the King said.”
“Even so!”
Scratching his head, the man grabbed three apples from a wooden crate.
“Not that it makes up for it, but take these! My daughter picked them this morning!”
“I can’t accept something so fine.”
“It’s fine! I’d be happier knowing the Hero and his heroes get to eat them!”
The bright red apples were offered.
When Ren took them, the scent of dripping juice wafted up.
Beside him, Iris’s eyes widened and she smiled happily.
“Wow…! Thank you so much!”
“You’re cute too, young lady! Are you the Hero’s sweetheart?”
“N-no, I’m not!”
Iris flushed bright red and flustered, while behind her, three pairs of eyes flickered.
A moment passed in cold, sharp silence.
“…W-well, anyway, it’s such a nice day today, isn’t it?”
Celia awkwardly strung the words together, while Rina crossed her arms and turned away.
Noel sighed and muttered under her breath.
“Honestly, you can never let your guard down. …I should be bolder too…”
Ren, holding an apple, turned to face the three.
“What’s up? You all look scary.”
“Hmph! It’s not just your imagination!”
Rina denied it and turned away.
Watching this exchange, the townspeople smiled, remembering the heroes of that time.
Calls flew from another shop.
“Heroes! Please stop by here too!”
“This is our specialty honey bread! No charge!”
Before they knew it, people gathered from all over the street, waving their hands one after another.
The expressions on everyone’s faces weren’t doubt or fear, but genuine smiles.
—How long had they waited for this warmth?
Ren drew a slow breath deep within his chest and smiled gently.
“…Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
As if responding to his voice, the smiles on the people’s faces spread wider.
The capital city was bathed in soft sunlight, as if a long winter had finally ended.
Behind him, Celia murmured softly.
“…That Ren sama is alive, that I can see this sight once more… I might still be dreaming.”
Rina laughed with her mouth wide open, while Noel gently lowered her eyes and lifted the corners of her mouth.
Iris gazed at the four of them and smiled quietly.
“You’re not just important to me. You’re an irreplaceable hero to everyone, aren’t you?”
The warm afternoon air warmed Ren’s heart, and theirs as well.