“We’re kicking you from the party, Lloyd.” The words that had come from Allen, the leader of my party, were so sudden that it took me a moment to wrap my head around what he was saying.
It was early in the morning. Allen had woken me up before dragging me to the room we usually used for strategy meetings. As soon as I stepped inside, I found our other party members, seated and scowling at me.
Just what were they mad about? And why meet so early in the morning? Those were the questions on my mind when our conversation began, and those had been the first words out of Allen’s mouth.
I just couldn’t follow. Why? I searched through my memories, but I just couldn’t find a reason.
“Could you tell me why?” I wasn’t about to let myself be banished while I was still in the dark. They had to have some sort of motivation, so I decided to ask Allen what that was.
“Then why don’t you tell me why you think you belong in the Hero’s party?” he said, observing me with a derisive grin.
I was a white mage, an occupation which specialized in support magic. Within the Hero’s party, I dedicated myself to providing combat support just as Allen had ordered. Though—as presumptuous as it may sound—I was pretty sure I had done a good job of that during this past year since our party had been formed. I had no idea what I could have done that warranted being fired.
“I thought I was properly fulfilling my role as a supporter...”
“You’re always just standing around and fumbling behind us! Then you step out of line and give orders like it’s your place to. Honestly? You’re an eyesore.”
As soon as those words came out of Allen’s mouth, our other party members nodded along in agreement. They must have all thought I was an eyesore.
Lulu scowled as she spoke. “It’s an honor to be a member of the Hero’s party. We make far more than what other parties make, but... You’re the worst for thinking you can stick with us even though you don’t have the skills to back that up.”
“Yup, the absolute worst,” added Mia, nodding along.
So that was it. In their eyes, I was being a bother by sticking around in the Hero’s party for fame and fortune despite my lacking skills. But even setting fame and fortune aside, I regretfully couldn’t deny their claims about my skills. The reason was simple: I was just ignorant of my surroundings. Even if I wanted to deny their words, I lacked the proper frame of reference to do so.
My master took me in when I was young, and I had lived deep in the mountains with her ever since. I had learned almost every spell I used from her, but a year ago, certain circumstances had brought me to town. Then, I found a poster advertising that the Hero’s party was looking for new members, took their exam, and was welcomed onto the team. Because of that, I had no idea how I measured up to other white mages. Of course, that was partly because I wasn’t very interested in others, but I also just never had the chance to interact with them either.
So...maybe Lulu and Mia were right, and I really did lack the strength needed to play the support role for the illustrious Hero’s party.
“Yeah, maybe you’re right about that.” Unable to deny their words, I had no choice but to accept them.
“You knew that, and yet you chose to stick around this whole time? I misjudged you, Lloyd.” Those words came from our shieldmaster, Rina, who was glaring at me like I was just some piece of trash.
But that wasn’t all. “You really are quite disagreeable. Truly the worst. Could you please remove yourself from our sights immediately? You are tarnishing Lord Allen’s reputation,” said Sheena, clinging to Allen’s right arm as she spoke. She looked right into his eyes.
“You’re right. He’s a white mage, but he just leaves all the healing to you, our holy maiden. I understand exactly how you feel, Sheena,” he said, patting her on the head.
“Ugh, no fair!”
“Yeah, Sheena! He doesn’t belong to just you!”
Seeing this, Lulu and Mia both grabbed onto Allen’s left arm, not wanting to let Sheena one-up them.
Annoyance crept over me as a saccharine air began to fill the room. I took in my surroundings—bogged down by an atmosphere completely unthinkable for such a serious conversation—in an attempt to grasp my situation. Rina alone had been glaring at me this whole time. She really was diligent.
Could that be because of her upbringing? Rina was the daughter of the nobleman who ruled these lands, and I had heard she had volunteered to join the Hero’s party herself. She had taken the party’s entrance exam out of her love for helping others, which was night and day from me, who had applied with only monetary motivations.
“Well, that’s how it is, Lloyd. Leave your cash and get the hell out,” said Allen as he tapped his desk.
Huh, so they wanted me to leave all the money I had on me behind. Still, I shouldn’t have had any reason to pay them. “Why do I need to leave my money here?”
“Huh?! For all the times you’ve gotten in our way! You’ve held us back for too damn long, and now you’ve gotta pay up for it!” shouted Allen, clearly angry. I had no memories of getting in their way, so I didn’t feel like I had any obligation to pay them back. Still, I got the feeling that Allen wouldn’t let me leave this three-story building that was constructed just for the Hero’s party until I coughed up my cash. Since we were on the second floor, jumping out the window was an option, but that would only create a real reason for me to have to pay up. Not to mention, I definitely didn’t want Allen to use his privileges as Hero to have me arrested.
I guess I had no other choice. “This is all I have right now.” I conjured the wallet I had stored away with magic and placed the contents on the table.
“Let’s take a look...about a hundred twenty thousand gold total. You’ve got quite a bit, huh? This’ll buy us a good meal tonight!” said Allen after cheerfully counting up my coins and storing them in his pocket. “Oh, you can go now. Actually, hurry the hell up and leave. We’ve gotta get ready for our next quest.” He said, ushering me away with his hand.
Everyone’s cold, sharp glares pierced right through me. I didn’t feel very welcome here, so I followed Allen’s orders and quickly left the room. The door latched shut behind me.
“We’ve finally ridden ourselves of that nuisance!” Sheena cheered.
“Yup! You’re the best, Allen!”
“Yeah... You’re really great, Allen,” Rina added.
“Aren’t I? Let’s finish up this quest as quickly as we always do and go out and party!”
From the other side of the door, I could hear the cheerful voices of everyone but Rina.
I sighed. “Did they really hate me that much...?” It was sad. When I had taken their exam, been recognized as the most elite of all the examinees trying out to be their supporter, and welcomed into the party, I was thrilled. I had finally found comrades—at least, that’s what I had thought. Apparently, I was the only one who felt that way.
“What do I do now?” I had no acquaintances in town, much less friends. Basically, I had nowhere to go, and I didn’t have any money either. “If things were going to turn out this way, I should have had Master Merlin teach me some people skills...”
No, I couldn’t have asked her that. She wasn’t interested in anything but her own looks and liquor, and her people skills were so bad she had decided to live deep in the mountains. Asking her would’ve been pointless.
“I guess my first step is to leave.” Loitering around here wouldn’t do me any good, so I packed up my bags and left the building, the whole time regretting I had failed to learn anything but magic.