Your Treatment as a Hero Isn't Much to Brag About

For the next two days, Yoru Machi did not hurry back to town. Instead, he carved up the useful materials from the Poisonous Demon Dragon, then waited outside the village to watch the show.

On the third day, Yoru Machi's sharp senses picked up the bustling noise coming from within the village. A large number of villagers had gathered in the village square, and Yoru Machi knew that what he had expected had indeed happened.

Shimada Yousuke was in a miserable state. Weak all over, he was tied to a wooden frame, with a large pile of firewood beneath him. Quite a few villagers surrounded him, cursing and pointing fingers, while the old village chief held a torch. Clearly, they were preparing to cremate Shimada Yousuke on the spot.

Fortunately, just as the torch was about to ignite the wood, a sharp flash of blade light swept through the air. The torch in the old village chief's hand was instantly split in two, and Yoru Machi slowly appeared before everyone.

"Yo, Yousuke. We haven't seen each other in two days, and it looks like your treatment as a hero isn't much to brag about.

"Feeling grateful to me? This should be the second time I've saved your ass."

Seeing Yoru Machi appear, Shimada Yousuke, tied to the frame, wore a complicated expression. Even he had not expected things to unfold exactly as Yoru Machi had predicted once again.

After Yoru Machi left that day, the old village chief and the others had been overjoyed when Shimada Yousuke said he had a way to solve the village's water problem. They had even brought out what little water and food the village had left to entertain him.

Unfortunately, because of his appearance, the girls arranged by the village chief had been unwilling to get close to Shimada Yousuke. Their reason was that he looked like a Half-beastman, and they simply could not stomach it...

Even though the villagers looked at him through tinted glasses, Shimada Yousuke had ultimately been more than willing to help them solve their water problem.

Using magic and modern knowledge, he created a jar that could automatically produce water. However, he did not know that the village had religious beliefs. They believed that only water flowing from underground or obtained from rivers was pure water.

Water created out of thin air by someone like Shimada Yousuke, with neither root nor source, was regarded by them as "Demon Water."

He already looked like a Half-beastman, and now he had produced this kind of "Demon Water." Naturally, Shimada Yousuke was treated as something taboo.

In terms of combat strength alone, the people in the village were naturally no match for Shimada Yousuke now. However, under the pretext of thanking him for helping them, the old village chief and the others invited him to a lavish meal.

It was just that this meal had clearly been tampered with compared to the previous one.

When Shimada Yousuke woke up again, he found that his limbs had gone weak and that he had been tied up. It was exactly the scene Yoru Machi had just witnessed.

"You are the adventurer who killed the Poisonous Demon Dragon, my lord. You haven't left yet?

"We know this Half-beastman is someone you know, but he has violated our village's taboo. We also ask that you not stop us from purifying him."

Upon seeing Yoru Machi, the old village chief looked somewhat flustered. An adventurer capable of slaying the Poisonous Demon Dragon could wipe out their entire village as easily as playing a game.

The reason he still dared to face Yoru Machi and say such things was mainly because he knew adventurers could not casually slaughter innocent people.

"You call this purification? Then how about I throw you into the fire first and let you take a bath?

"My friend helped you out of kindness. Maybe he really did accidentally violate your religious beliefs, but isn't the way you're handling this a bit excessive?"

Hearing Yoru Machi's words, the old village chief, clutching a pitchfork, replied with more bluster than confidence, "We truly want to solve our water problem, but no matter what, we will not drink rootless, source-less Demon Water. It will corrode our souls!"

Looking at the indignant old village chief, Yoru Machi gave a derisive snort. He then walked up to the magic jar Shimada Yousuke had made, scooped up a ladle of water, and drank it in front of everyone. "Stop treating your ignorance as some kind of faith.

"The rain falling from the sky, well water rising from the earth, water flowing through rivers—do you really think these are gifts from the gods? They're nothing more than the atmosphere and water vapor... Forget it. Even if I explained further, country bumpkins like you wouldn't understand.

"The magic my friend used is Elf Magic, used to communicate with elves. So the water he created essentially comes from Water Sprites.

"Demon Water? What utter nonsense. If the god your religion worships is so amazing, why didn't he come help you when the Poisonous Demon Dragon was tormenting you?

"Because of an object of faith that stood by and watched you die, you now want to burn alive someone who offered you help. Don't you think what you're doing is utterly ridiculous?"

After Yoru Machi's speech, everyone present was stunned. The old village chief tried several times to say something, but when the words reached his lips, he realized he could find no excuse to refute him.

As for using force to subdue him... forget it. Before someone capable of killing a Poisonous Demon Dragon alone, they, a group of ordinary people holding farm tools, were no different from ants.

Shimada Yousuke was ultimately rescued by Yoru Machi, and the villagers did not dare say another word.

Only long after Yoru Machi and the others had left did a villager, unable to endure his thirst any longer, nervously approach the magic jar Shimada Yousuke had made. Copying Yoru Machi's earlier actions, he scooped up a ladle of water and drank it.

"Village Chief, this water is so sweet. It's really no different from the water we usually drink."

Hearing this villager's words, the others could no longer hold themselves back. They crowded forward and began scrambling over the only source of water.

"You saved my life again. Thank you so much, Yoru Machi.

"But how did you know I would be in danger?"

With the elves' assistance, the poison in Shimada Yousuke's body was quickly dispelled. Looking at Yoru Machi beside him, Shimada Yousuke thanked him once more and voiced the question in his heart.

"Looks like I should have acted later. At the very least, I should have waited until that old man lit the fire and it burned your ass before stepping in.

"I wanted to teach you a lesson, but it seems this lesson didn't sink in deeply enough.

"I told you before, didn't I? This isn't a game. It's a real New World. Not everyone is worth helping. Put away that saintly heart of yours, or one day you'll die without even knowing how.

"You might not be so lucky next time. Don't count on me happening to be nearby every time, or being willing to save you."

After silently sighing, Yoru Machi did not know how to explain things to this naive child, so he chose to quicken his pace and leave.