I Became the Hero Party's Porter

Shabel disliked a man named Leon.

The reason was clear.

Because he had stolen the life's task she absolutely had to accomplish.

Of course, that was an entirely personal reason, and Leon had done nothing wrong.

That was why, once Shabel had calmed down, she too could understand.

No, she should have been able to.

‘If only he had the bare minimum of decency.’

How dare he provoke and mock her, the Hero, despite being a slave.

Just because he had subjugated one calamity, he had forgotten there was anything in the world to fear.

Yes, even up to that point, she had been willing to tolerate him.

After all, he was the hero who had single-handedly subjugated a Great Calamity. It was understandable if he had gotten a little full of himself.

‘As a princess, I should be magnanimous and let it slide.’

But the fact that he was a heinous criminal who had helped a witch was something she could never overlook.

When she heard that such a violent criminal with that kind of overwhelming power was going to become a free man without any restrictions, she simply could not stand by and watch.

‘A man like this must not be released into society.’

So Shabel petitioned the Emperor.

She asked him to incorporate Leon into the Hero Party.

If she put forward the noble cause of saving the world, even the Emperor would have difficulty refusing outright.

Her prediction was correct.

The Three Great Calamities were a problem humanity had to solve.

Leon had subjugated Rahav, but two calamities were still rampaging openly.

Even without Shabel's request, the Emperor had intended to have Leon subjugate the remaining two.

But there was one problem.

Leon’s fame had already skyrocketed after subjugating a calamity.

Nobles and merchant guilds—and even foreign countries—were all reaching out to win him over.

But if Leon dealt with the remaining two as well, the repercussions would be……

‘Horrifying, just imagining it.’

In that situation, Shabel had asked to incorporate Leon into the Hero Party.

For the Emperor, it was a request like rain in a drought.

If Leon joined the Hero Party, subjugating the calamities would be easier.

And if he did it alongside the Hero Party rather than alone, his achievement would be diluted, at least somewhat.

There could be no better pretext.

For both Shabel and the Emperor.

In other words, this was a joint effort devised by two people whose interests aligned.

“This isn't right. This is different from what we agreed on.”

Naturally, Leon, the person concerned, was ready to go insane.

“I can understand it a hundred times over if it's limited to subjugating calamities. But control? How is that any different from being a slave?”

Leon’s protest was entirely justified.

They had just declared the man who had been a slave until a moment ago emancipated, only to order him straight into someone else’s control.

To Leon, it sounded like they intended to put another leash around his neck.

“It is different.”

However, Shabel did not back down.

“You are no one's property. You are becoming free. You will simply be required to follow my command as a member of the Hero Party until the remaining calamities have been subjugated.”

“That's just playing with words.”

“It is not. Your legal status is clearly different.”

“There isn't much difference from the perspective of the person suffering it.”

“That's your problem.”

“Wow……”

Leon’s temper flared in an instant. He merely opened and closed his mouth, unable to speak from the shock.

By this point, he knew for certain.

This entire situation was going exactly according to Shabel's plan.

She was getting revenge for having Rahav stolen from her.

“Sis, say something. Are you really just going to sit there and listen to this nonsense?”

Leon asked Aurora for help. A slave had no one to trust but his master.

Aurora thought by herself for a moment before smiling.

“Hmm, I don't think it's a terribly bad deal.”

“Huh?”

“His Majesty said he'd grant you whatever you wanted once you completed the mission, right? If that's all, don't you think it's worth doing?”

Unlike ordinary masters, Aurora wanted Leon to be freed.

Moreover, the higher Leon's standing rose, the easier it would be for her to achieve what she wanted.

Of course, that meant Leon would have to leave her side for a while, but she could endure that much for the sake of the future.

“It won't take long. Once you've done this, you'll be able to live however you want for the rest of your life. Let's hang in there just a little longer, okay?”

“Ah……”

Even Aurora, whom Leon had never expected to do this, lightly betrayed his expectations.

Leon had no allies left here.

The Emperor drove the final nail into the coffin as he looked down at Leon's dazed expression.

“Leon. Subjugate the calamities with the Hero. On the day you complete that mission, you shall enjoy complete freedom.”

***

In the end, things went exactly as the Emperor and Shabel wanted.

There was nothing I could do against people determined to exploit me somehow.

I finally understood what the nobles had meant when they said I needed powerful backing to survive in politics.

‘Should I contact them even now?’

But even if one or two nobles banded together, they probably wouldn't be able to make a peep in front of the Emperor.

Wouldn't I need the help of at least several dozen?

Besides, if it went that far, I'd effectively become a public asset of the Empire—a rental slave.

My life would still be headed downhill.

In the end, I had no choice but to accept reality.

“Then, about dissolving the contract……”

“Wait a moment.”

I stopped the court mage from dissolving the subordination contract.

The Emperor, looking down from the throne, asked,

“Why?”

“Why go to the trouble of dissolving it? It's all the same anyway. Just change the master.”

What's the difference between taking control and a master-slave relationship?

They said my social status would be different, but from my perspective, it was nothing more than wordplay they used to rationalize it among themselves.

Rather than let them play me like that, I'd be better off keeping my slave status and gaining proficiency and skills.

More importantly.

‘I need to remain a slave if I'm going to screw her over even a little.’

The damned Hero who had ruined everything when it was all but done.

Did she think she could keep rising after getting in my way?

I'd make sure she heard “a Hero who's worse than a slave” for the rest of her life.

The mage looked between Shabel and the Emperor.

“What does the Hero think?”

“As long as I have the authority to control him, I have no objection.”

“Then do as he wishes.”

Fuck.

So even you agree that, in the end, there's not a bit of difference between one or the other.

Just wait.

As before, the court mage fiddled with the contract binding my shackles.

Then Shabel poured greenish mana into the magic circle.

-Ding.

======

Notification: A new owner has been added.

■ Previous owner: Aurora Argenbalt

■ New owner: Shabel de Rochefort

======

“……Why is it an addition rather than a change of owner?”

“It can't hurt to be cautious.”

In short, she was saying they would make it joint ownership in case Shabel tried anything foolish.

It was absurd, but I was too exhausted to muster the energy to say anything about it now.

‘As if having the Imperial Princess as my master weren't enough, now I'll be the Hero's slave too.’

Could someone who forced a person into slavery against his will simply because she was offended really be called a Hero?

At this point, I'd say she was closer to a Demon Lord.

“Leon.”

Aurora came and stood facing me.

A jumble of emotions crossed her face after handing her slave over to someone else.

“I'll wait here and work hard on my writing, so you do your best too, and above all, come back safely. Understand?”

“Yes, well……”

“You promise?”

Aurora's blue eyes grew moist.

Anyone seeing this would think we were lovers parting forever.

This time, Richard stepped forward.

“Leon.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“You can do well anywhere, I'm sure of it. I wish you the best of luck.”

“Thank you for your support.”

Unlike a certain someone, Richard was a respectable adult worthy of admiration, so I bowed politely.

“Are you finished saying your goodbyes?”

“Yes.”

“Then come with me. I'll introduce you to your comrades.”

I followed Shabel to meet her companions—in other words, the Hero Party.

There, I saw four familiar faces.

Ash, the dissolute adventurer.

Esca, the stodgy knight.

Simon, the lecherous priest.

Morian, the mad mage.

Mm-hmm.

Just looking at them brought the past to mind and let me envision the future. What a hopeless party.

They weren't faces I was happy to see.

“Wow, Shabel. You really are ruthless, you really are. You actually brought this man along.”

Ash circled around me, looking me over from every angle.

Esca stared at me warily with his arms crossed.

“Princess, could you give us a proper explanation?”

“This is a man named Leon. As you know, he is the slave who subjugated Rahav. As of today, he will be accompanying us.”

“A slave……?”

“Yes. I entered into a subordination contract with him.”

“Are you saying you are this slave's master, Princess?”

“It just sort of happened. I'm not thrilled about it either, but I doubt there's anything more certain than this.”

No one looked particularly pleased about me joining them.

Nor was I.

Who was this even for?

Sigh.

“We'll introduce ourselves properly while we're on the move. Ash, have you packed all the supplies?”

Ash patted the bulging bag lying beside her.

“Yep. I packed it nice and full. We won't have to worry about supplies for a while.”

“Good. Let's gather our things and set out at once.”

“Okay.”

Ash slung a bag larger than her own body over her shoulder and was just about to spring to her feet when—

“Ash, you don't need to carry that.”

Shabel stopped her.

“Huh? Don't need to carry it? Who will if I don't?”

“That is, of course, obvious.”

Shabel's gaze landed on me.

“You. Take the bag.”

“Me?”

“From now on, you'll be responsible for the supplies and run various errands. You won't be taking part in combat while you're with us, so keep that in mind.”

“Huh?”

Ash's eyes went round at Shabel's order.

“You're not going to let him fight and are making him run errands instead? For a highly valuable asset who subjugated a calamity? Why?”

“I'm his master. It's my decision. I have no intention of putting a weapon in the hands of someone that dangerous.”

Shabel drove the point home firmly, without a trace of hesitation.

The silver gaze she directed at me was filled with undisguised hostility.

“Forget about rushing to the front and being treated like a hero. Just stay quietly in the back and assist us. Understand?”

Ah-ha.

So that's why she'd asked the Emperor for control.

Now I finally understood why she'd insisted on having me join the party despite being wary of my presence.

She intended to keep me somewhere within sight and completely block any chance for me to distinguish myself.

Just as I was suppressing a hollow laugh at the sheer absurdity, a bluish window suddenly appeared before my eyes.

======

Notification: A role has been assigned.

■ New role: Porter

======

“I look forward to working with you, Porter.”