When I Was Reincarnated, All the Heroines Were Stolen by the Fake Hero ~ The Guy Who Dominated With Original Story Knowledge, and Me Who Dominated With Talent. It Seems the World After the Ending Is My One-Man Stage ~ - Episode 8

Episode 8

After rocking along in the cart for a while, a towering stone wall gradually came into view up ahead.

The way the stones were stacked looked a bit rough. But overall, it gave a solid and sturdy impression.

That must be the shield that protects the Vixel Domain.

“It’s coming into view. That town is Kanaloa. It’s currently the front line of the Vixel Domain.”

Sebas was sitting on the driver’s seat. He said so while pointing ahead.

As we drew closer, the sight became clearer.

There seemed to be a castle gate. But perhaps because almost no one visited the place, the heavy doors were left wide open. And no guards could be seen.

Sebas, looking used to it, slowed the horse down. And the cart carrying us slowly entered the town.

—

Once inside the town, the scenery was different again from the village we saw yesterday.

Most of the people in sight were soldiers. All of them had tense, hardened expressions.

Some were clad in armor, some were maintaining their swords, some were gathered around maps in discussion.

Among them, a few women could also be seen.

They were helping treat wounded soldiers, preparing meals in large pots, or talking seriously with several soldiers. Everyone was busy. They were constantly on the move.

There was a palpable tension in the air. It was a feeling that made you sense this really was the front line of a battle.

As I observed the townscape, a soldier who had been talking to a group of others turned at the voice of a woman who had called out to him.

Upon seeing Sebas, the soldier said a few words to the woman and then came briskly toward us.

He looked to be in his mid-thirties.

His sunburned face had several small scars.

“Good morning, Sebas-sama. There wasn’t supposed to be a regular briefing today—what brings you here?”

The soldier saluted Sebas first, then asked.

His voice was strong and clear. It was easy to hear.

Sebas answered calmly from atop the horse.

“Forgive the sudden visit. This gentleman here, Yutaka-sama, has newly become the lord of this Vixel Domain. He was once part of the Hero’s party. We’re here to greet you and make an introduction.”

Hearing Sebas’ words, I leaned out of the cart and spoke to the soldier.

“I’m Yutaka. I’m counting on you.”

Saying that, I extended my right hand.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much.

When I claimed to be the new lord back in Aegis Village, all I got were suspicious glares.

I half expected a similar reaction here.

However, surprisingly, the soldier’s reaction was completely different from what I expected.

At my extended hand, he immediately widened his eyes. He looked at my face, and then gripped my hand firmly.

“Oh! So you are that Yutaka-sama! I’ve heard so much about you… This is truly encouraging! To think we’d meet you like this!”

His voice was filled with genuine surprise and unmistakable welcome.

It felt like he had just encountered reinforcements he had long awaited.

I was taken aback by the intensity.

“Rumors, huh? They might not be good ones, though,”

I said with a wry smile.

The soldier shook his head vigorously.

“No, not at all! For us, to have someone like Yutaka-sama as our lord is a great fortune!”

It seemed… I was truly being welcomed.

Sebas watched our exchange with a satisfied expression and then asked the soldier:

“Now then, where might Freyja-sama be? We would like to greet her first as well.”

“If you’re looking for Freyja-sama, she should be at the command post. She just returned from patrol a little while ago.”

“I see. Thank you. Then we shall head there right away.”

“Yes, sir! Yutaka-sama, Sebas-sama, please take your time!”

With another strong salute, the soldier returned to where he had come from.

Sebas gave the reins a gentle pull. And the cart began to move again, slowly.

—

As we made our way to the command post, I asked Sebas about the soldier’s reaction.

“Sebas, that soldier earlier—he really seemed glad to see me. It’s quite a contrast from the villagers.”

Sebas, guiding the horse, responded in a calm tone.

“That’s true. The villagers are busy with their daily lives. And to be honest, many of them don’t have the time or energy to pay attention to the Hero’s group. But here in Kanaloa, where they are constantly in a state of tension with monsters or enemy nations, it’s a different story.”

“A different story?”

“Yes. For these soldiers, the tales of the Hero’s party—those brave exploits—they listen to such stories and use them to motivate and inspire themselves every day. Many of them aspire to protect this land just like the heroes once did.”

I see.

The more desperate the situation, the more people cling to heroic tales for hope.

If what we achieved could support someone’s spirit like that, then… I could honestly be proud of it.

I felt a slight warmth in my chest.

As I was talking with Sebas, I started hearing a loud commotion from a slightly open area up ahead.

When I focused my ears, it sounded like a man’s angry shouting.

“You were the first one to run away back then!”

“What are you saying?! There was an order to retreat in that situation!”

It seemed like a quarrel between soldiers.

Sebas listened calmly and analyzed the situation.

“Oh dear, looks like a fight between soldiers. That kind of thing does happen occasionally.”

I frowned slightly.

Infighting on the front lines wasn’t exactly admirable.

“Shouldn’t we stop them?”

I began to rise from the cart.

Sebas was about to agree, “Yes, we can’t just ignore…” when—

“Oh, Yutaka-sama. It seems that won’t be necessary,”

Sebas said in a somewhat relieved yet amused tone.

Looking ahead, I saw a soldier calmly stepping between the two arguing men.

Compared to the surrounding male soldiers, this one looked smaller in stature.

Though she wore heavy-looking metal armor, her uncovered face was surprisingly small—and even had a bit of a cute look to it.

She was probably around my age, or maybe slightly older.

But what really stood out was her rich golden hair.

It shimmered in the sunlight with hints of red, like it was ablaze. The tips curled naturally.

This must be Freyja—the one Sebas described as “beautiful” and the soldiers called “captivating.”

Indeed, she was a remarkable presence on this battlefield.

That female soldier—Freyja—stood between the two bickering men and spoke in a calm, clear voice:

“So it’s you two again. What is it this time?”

Her voice had an odd sense of composure.

At her words, the two who had been shouting immediately froze like they’d been struck by lightning.

Looking at Freyja’s face, they cried out in panic:

“F-Freyja-sama!?”

Their voices cracked. And their faces turned pale.

From a slight distance, I watched with curiosity.

“What’s the reason for the fight? Let’s hear it.”

Her red eyes fixed on the two men.

Under her piercing gaze, the pair awkwardly glanced at each other.

Eventually, one of them stammered an excuse.

“N-no, um, this is… well… we were just getting used to each other’s movements to prepare for immediate deployment, that’s all…”

The other quickly added,

“Y-yeah! It wasn’t a fight at all… r-right?”

They awkwardly put their arms around each other’s shoulders and forced a smile.

I almost laughed at how quickly they changed their tune.

Freyja silently observed them for a moment.

Then, with a small sigh, she said:

“I see. Training regularly is a good thing.”

And then—just slightly—I thought I saw a smile at the corner of her lips.

“Y-yes, thank you!”

“Excuse us!”

Looking visibly relieved, the two soldiers quickly scurried off.

As she watched them go, Freyja let out another small sigh.

Then she quickly composed herself and scanned the surroundings.