I Was Kicked Out of the Hero’s Party Even Though I’m His Girlfriend

The god has been angry at Hanmaru for many years.

Nevertheless, Hanmaru prays to the god every day.

Despite receiving no particular response, he never missed a prayer.

“…It is always an honor to receive Lord Belkran’s grace. Please do not forget me. Until the day your will spreads throughout the world, I shall continue missionary work without retreat. As you have called me, I shall live worthily according to that calling.”

Maru quietly finished his prayer toward the water bowl placed on a rock in the forest and stood up.

“That god again?”

Suddenly, a woman’s scoffing voice was heard from behind.

“That heretical god whose name nobody knows?”

Maru turned around.

There stood Natalie, a tall woman with a physique that most men couldn’t match.

She was a warrior who belonged to the same hero’s party as him.

“He’s not a heretical god. He is Lord Belkran.”

“Belkran or whatever, you idiot, stop serving that kind of god and serve Lord Tyras whom everyone respects. Seriously, you can’t even fight and you’re serving such a pathetic god.”

Having just finished washing her face at the stream nearby, she left the place with water still dripping from her face.

Being disrespected by her was an everyday occurrence.

“It’s not ‘Belkran or whatever,’ it’s Lord Belkran. Lord Belkran, the Conqueror of Stars…”

These days, the atmosphere in the hero’s party was at its worst.

Not just the warrior Natalie, but also the mage Lucy and the priest Yoris always looked at Maru with contemptuous eyes, and even his girlfriend, the hero Kiera, seemed to be distancing herself from him.

He was treated like baggage within the party.

This was because unlike his companions who possessed extraordinary powers, Maru had no power at all.

When combat situations arose, he would trail behind his companions and receive their protection.

However, in non-combat situations, the situation was reversed.

Maru alone dealt with all sorts of chores.

To let his companions rest more comfortably, he handled cooking, laundry, night watch as basics, and carried all the luggage there was to carry.

When traveling, he deliberately took even small bags from his companions’ hands to ensure they wouldn’t have to carry anything.

When arriving at villages or cities, finding restaurants and inns was also Maru’s job.

The food had to be delicious, the beds had to be comfortable without a single bug, and the prices couldn’t be a ripoff – it seemed simple but finding such places wasn’t an easy task.

In the early days of their adventure, his companions understood Maru’s efforts and the atmosphere was good.

They were no different from any other party – cheerful, lively, and full of laughter.

However, as the adventure dragged on, the atmosphere changed at some point.

The companions suddenly turned cold.

Later, they even seemed reluctant to share the spoils.

“Since Maru didn’t do much, should he take less?”

“…Right. Actually, you all did everything. I just ran away.”

For the past three years, he had endured being disrespected by his companions like this.

Still, endurance.

More endurance.

For the hero girlfriend’s smooth journey, just being together with girlfriend Kiera was enough to make him happy.

Although he didn’t like how his companions treated him poorly, he didn’t want to break the atmosphere unnecessarily.

‘As long as I’m fine with it. Since these are the members Kiera worked hard to gather…’

Maru thought of Kiera’s face as he headed toward the campsite where his companions were.

“Hurry up and cook something. Damn, I’m starving to death.”

Natalie lost her temper upon seeing Maru walking from afar.

“Instead of praying to that worthless god, it would be more valuable if you just cooked, you idiot.”

“Hehe, Lady Natalie. You should embrace him with a generous heart.”

“Shut up. What good would come from covering for that idiot for a hundred days?”

“We are companions. Companions are more precious than anything.”

The middle-aged priest Yoris stepped in to defend Maru, but Maru knew his true intentions.

He was just pretending to be a good person.

While Yoris would only speak proper words outwardly, whenever other companions scolded Maru, he would snicker and mock him behind his back.

He seemed to enjoy this situation.

That is, being in a position where he could fully display his priestly compassion and sympathy.

“Sir Maru, please prepare the meal quickly. I’m hungry too.”

“Yes. Today I’m planning to make a stew with dried fish.”

“Ah, then please make mine less salty. And remove all the fish bones, cut off the head and tail, and completely remove all scales so they’re not visible. It shouldn’t be difficult since you’ve always done this?”

“Yes. The head is already removed anyway since it’s dried fish.”

“Ah, I see. That’s good then.”

He’s always like this.

Yoris often assigns annoying tasks with a kind face.

Remove this, that’s not allowed, add that. He’s fastidious.

“You must use the silver bowl for my portion.”

“Of course.”

This is the guy who once furiously threw the food right in front of him when Maru, being busy, hastily served it in any random bowl.

“I won’t eat anything served in such a bowl! I am a holy priest!”

Anyway, Maru went near the campfire and rummaged through the luggage containing food ingredients.

“Hey, mutt.”

Lucy, who was sitting in front of the campfire, calls out to him.

She’s a mage with a height of about 160cm wearing a wide-brimmed pointed hat.

She was the youngest in the party.

“…”

“Not answering?”

“I told you last time not to call me mutt.”

“A mutt is a mutt. No matter how much you struggle, a mutt is still a mutt.”

Maru let out a long sigh.

He’s really tired.

But he bites his lips firmly and tries to gather strength again.

Though these people all have terrible personalities, they’re world-renowned for their abilities.

Kiera needs to defeat the Demon Lord with them.

Just endure until then.

“Mutt, what do you like so much about Kiera?”

“None of your business.”

“Seems like you’re aiming too high for someone with no abilities.”

Maru stood up holding dried cod in his hand.

He walked past Lucy, who was poking the campfire with a branch out of boredom.

He went to where the drinking water was and poured it into a pot.

“What would you do if Kiera abandons you? Will you commit suicide?”

Maru stopped his movements and glared at Lucy with a hardened expression.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Soon his eyes turned downward.

After wavering briefly in deep thought, he looked back at Lucy.

“I’ll find any restaurant nearby and eat venison stew that my foster mother likes.”

“Why?”

“To tell her that she was right after all. To apologize. To say I’ve reflected. To say I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t commit suicide or anything like that. Rather than wasting time on that, I’d rather take care of my foster mother who lives alone.”

“Hahaha. The mutt turns out to be a mama’s boy!”

“Lucy! Let that bastard cook! I’m hungry!”

Natalie shouted.

Even from afar, her ample cleavage and exposed firm abs were noticeable.

Maru turned his gaze back to Lucy.

“You’re in the way. I need to cook.”

Lucy throws the branch she was holding into the campfire and sneers.

“I thought you’d get upset at my question, but I didn’t expect such a thoughtful answer. Hey mutt, I’m curious about what’s in your head? What are you thinking these days?”

“Shut up. If you don’t want to eat bad food, let me concentrate on cooking.”

“You’re talking back too much for someone who has nothing going for them except that beauty mark right below your left eye.”

Thirty minutes later.

Everyone gathered around the campfire holding plates of brown-seasoned cod.

Natalie tore into it with her hands as if it wasn’t even hot, while Yoris carefully picked at it with chopsticks, fearful of finding any bones.

Lucy used magic to cut the fish meat into pieces and ate them one by one with her fingers.

Maru covered Kiera’s portion with cloth and set it aside in a suitable place.

Natalie slightly furrowed her brow.

“What are you doing?”

“Saving it for when Kiera comes.”

“She’s not coming today.”

“Not coming? I didn’t hear about that?”

“I heard about it, mutt.”

Lucy cut in.

“How could she just come back when she’s been invited by none other than the Duke? She needs to take a bath in warm water and sleep in a fluffy bed. While being served by servants. Ah~ I’m so jealous.”

Currently, Kiera was attending a party hosted by this region’s lord, having been invited as the hero.

“Why is she acting like this today? She wasn’t like this before. Going to the banquet alone. And staying out overnight.”

Maru wore a displeased expression.

“Without even discussing it with me.”

Natalie puts down her half-eaten plate.

She looks at everyone while wiping her hands with a cloth stained with dried blood.

“I have something to tell you all.”

The words that came from her mouth were quite shocking.

“Starting tomorrow morning, the party will be disbanded. Everyone go find their own lives.”

“…What?”

Maru’s heart sank with a thud.

He was dumbfounded.

Even after enduring all sorts of humiliation, he wanted to maintain the party at all costs, but now they’re suddenly disbanding?

No way.

For Kiera’s sake, you all need to stay until the end.

Hearing these unwanted words, his emotions intensified.

“Why are you deciding that? Does Kiera know?”

“It’s already been discussed with Kiera. She agreed.”

Kiera agreed too?

‘That can’t be.’

He hadn’t heard anything about disbanding the party from Kiera up until this morning.

She hadn’t shown any signs of such intentions before either.

“What nonsense are you suddenly spouting? Aren’t you just putting on a show by yourself?”

At those words, Natalie’s muscular arm moves.

She grabbed Maru’s collar and pulled him in.

“You pig bastard. Do I look like I’m joking right now? Watch your words. Unless you want to get hit.”

“Cough! Cough!”

Natalie released his collar as if throwing him and continued speaking.

“Know that and when you wake up tomorrow morning, leave on your own.”

“Wh-what’s the reason? I didn’t hear anything like this from Kiera! Cough!”

“The reason is because of me. Due to personal circumstances, I can no longer travel with you all.”

“If you’re leaving, we can just find someone else!”

“Kiera has no intention of doing that. She said since it’s come to this, she’ll disband the party.”

“That’s absurd!”

Despite the sudden news, Lucy and Yoris were surprisingly calm.

“Ah~ where should I go to mooch off tomorrow~ what a hassle.”

“I should look around for a temple nearby. The scenery here is nice, so I’m thinking of staying in this region for a while.”

Maru was confused.

“After coming this far, you’re thinking of leaving just me and Kiera? Aren’t you all sorry about everything you’ve achieved so far? The Demon Lord is just a bit further!”

When he shouted like that, Natalie chuckles.

“Starting tomorrow, Kiera plans to follow another party for about two months. She said she’ll return to you after finishing her mission there. You should go back to your hometown and wait quietly.”

“What? I didn’t hear about that either…?”

“She’s busy. Because she’s the hero. And she probably felt bad about bringing it up. It’s obvious you’d get all clingy.”

“How is that being clingy!”

Lucy frowned.

“Ha. Mutt, stop yelling. My ears hurt.”