The Former Shadow Hero Moves in Secret Once More ~ I Hid My Identity for My Daughter and Ended Up Becoming Famous ~
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The Kingdom of Aldia and the Volgan Empire had been at war for a long, long time.
Then one day, Eric, who belonged to the shadow unit known as the Black Shadow Corps on the battlefield, was suddenly informed by his superior of a ceasefire, and was ordered to return to the royal capital.
But they had already lost countless comrades. Unable to accept the decision, his companions began abandoning the unit one after another.
Eric left as well. As he departed, he came across a carriage belonging to an enemy noble under attack by bandits.
After defeating the bandits, he found a single woman who had suffered a fatal wound.
With her dying breath, she entrusted her young daughter to Eric.
Though bewildered, Eric ended up taking the girl with him and leaving the battlefield behind.
… Ten years have passed since.
The war had ended, and at last, peaceful days had returned to both nations.
Eric was living quietly in a small rural town, running a magic tool shop.
His adopted daughter, Mary, had turned fifteen and was about to set out as an adventurer.
Worried for his daughter’s safety, Eric decided to conceal his identity by wearing a full-face helmet and becoming an adventurer himself under the name “Full-Face Mask Man.”
Once called a “hero” on the battlefield, and a legendary shadow operative…
A new story begins for the man who hides his true identity as an adventurer…
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The War Ends, and Then…
Inside a cave lit only by the faint glow of a lamp, there was a woman in military uniform, and five men, including me, standing before her.
We were a shadow unit known as the Black Shadow Corps, operating in secrecy on this front line of the war.
In the middle of the night, the captain, the woman in front of us, had shaken us awake and gathered us here.
“Just now, a ceasefire treaty has been signed between our Kingdom of Aldia and the Volgan Empire.”
The captain stood straight, arms folded behind her back, and declared it.
We were stunned by her words and looked at one another.
“A ceasefire treaty?”
“I don’t understand. On this front line, we’re covered in blood, killing each other.”
“We’re past the point where either side can back down.”
“Captain! Please explain!”
The others pressed her, clearly unable to accept it.
“There is nothing to explain. What I just said is everything. The war is over. We will return to the royal capital immediately.”
She said it without changing her expression.
“I can’t accept that!”
Lawrence, one of us, shouted.
“Whether you accept it or not doesn’t matter. This is an order.”
An order…
“Captain, what do you mean a ceasefire? What were our battles for? Arvin lost both his legs. Bill and Roland were blown apart by explosion magic, nothing of them was even left behind. Weren’t they sacrifices for victory? That’s what you told us!”
It wasn’t just those three.
Many had been wounded and killed, not just our shadow unit.
Enemies and allies alike…
“The people within the country desire peace. The citizens, the nobles… even His Majesty.”
“Don’t screw with me! They’re the ones who started this war! They started it on their own, had us kill and die, and now they’re just going to end it like this!?”
“That’s correct.”
The captain didn’t change her expression.
“What the hell is that…”
“I’m sorry. I truly am. But this decision is final.”
We knew it.
She was just relaying orders from above.
“Damn it…”
Lawrence spat out words that would’ve earned punishment before, then turned his back on us and started walking away.
“Where are you going?”
“Anywhere. If the war’s over, you’re not my superior anymore.”
“If you want your pay, return with me.”
“Give my share to Arvin, and to Bill and Roland’s families. I’m not going back to the capital. Later.”
With that, Lawrence left the cave.
“Captain, I’ll do the same.”
“Me too.”
“Thank you for everything. We’ll likely never meet again.”
The other three said their piece and left as well.
“Eric. What about you?”
The captain looked at me, the only one left.
“I feel the same. There’s no way I can go back to the capital with my head held high.”
“I see… You all did well. You were truly heroes.”
Heroes?
“We couldn’t win… We’re losers who couldn’t accomplish anything. Captain, thank you for everything. I don’t know about the others, but I won’t be fighting anymore.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No… this isn’t your fault. We all understand.”
We just couldn’t accept it.
I gave the captain a bow and left the cave.
Then I walked along a pitch-black forest path where nothing could be seen.
“… Is it really over?”
I heard nothing. Felt nothing.
And yet this was the front line of a battlefield…
I just kept walking.
I didn’t even know how many hours had passed.
With no destination, I simply kept going.
“What am I supposed to do now… hm?”
I saw something ahead.
And this smell…
I quickened my pace slightly and realized it was a carriage.
And not just any carriage, it bore the crest of the Volgan Empire, the enemy nation.
There were three men around it.
And scattered nearby were the corpses of soldiers.
“Bandits…”
This might be a battlefield, but it wasn’t just enemy soldiers out here.
There were monsters too, and bandits.
Soldiers fight bravely, but not all of them do.
Some lose their nerve. Some don’t get along with their superiors and run.
Those deserters don’t get paid, so they often steal valuable magic tools, like expensive staves, before fleeing.
And bandits hunt those deserters carrying treasure.
“Hey, come out already. You’re not getting out alive.”
“Heyyy, come out. We’ll make it quick for ya~”
The bandits laughed as they banged on the carriage.
Looks like there were still survivors inside.
For a moment, I thought about ignoring it. It was an Imperial carriage, after all.
But even as I thought that, my feet kept moving straight toward it.
“Huh? Hey, we got another one.”
One of the bandits noticed me approaching.
“All dressed in black, huh.”
“Doesn’t matter. He’s probably a deserter too.”
Guess they didn’t know about the ceasefire.
Well, no one tells bandits “the war’s over.”
“Get lost.”
“Hah?”
Talking was pointless.
I pulled out my knife.
“Oh? You wanna go? Doesn’t look like you’ve got anything valuable though.”
“Doesn’t matter. Let’s kill… huh?”
“Hey! Where’d he go!?”
The way they looked around in confusion was almost funny.
“Right here.”
I said it as I appeared behind one of them, pressed my knife to his neck, and slit it.
Blood sprayed out, and he collapsed.
“What!?”
“When did…!?”
“I just moved normally. Now die.”
I immediately moved behind another and twisted his neck.
“Gah!”
His neck turned to an angle it shouldn’t, and he dropped.
“W-What are you!?”
“You don’t need to know.”
“Grim Reaper! D-Damn it!”
The last bandit turned to run.
I closed the distance in an instant and cut his neck, killing him on the spot.
“Idiot…”
Once it was over, I sheathed my knife and looked at the carriage.
It was luxurious. The horse was still alive.
A fine white horse.
“… Might as well take it.”
I approached the horse, planning to ride it back, and gently stroked its neck so it wouldn’t panic.
Then…
Clatter
A sound came from the carriage.
I slowly turned.
A black-haired woman in a white dress was leaning against the carriage, glaring at me.
“Jet-black attire… Black Shadow Corps! You grim reaper!”
She pointed a knife at me.
But I didn’t draw mine, or reach for my sword.
Partly because she wasn’t a threat.
But more than that…
Her white dress was soaked red at the abdomen.
“Put the knife away. The war’s over. Didn’t you know?”
At that, she dropped the knife and collapsed.
She’d hit her limit.
“…!”
Bandits got her…
No good. It’s deep, and fatal.
No saving her.
“Don’t move. I’ll take you to a doctor.”
I crouched down and told her.
“No need. Even at full speed, it would take hours to reach a town. I won’t make it.”
She knew it herself.
And yet she still pointed a knife at me.
A noble, huh.
“I’ll at least do first aid.”
I’ve got that much skill.
“Do you think I’ll survive?”
No.
Her face was pale, and the wound had reached vital organs.
She wouldn’t last more than a few minutes.
“… Want me to make it quick?”
“I have a request instead.”
A request?
“What?”
“Take my daughter… to the Kingdom of Aldia…”
I looked inside the carriage.
A young black-haired girl lay there with her eyes closed.
Unconscious, or asleep.
But alive. No visible injuries.
“Who are you people? What happened?”
There’s no way they belonged on a battlefield.
“Just… internal conflict. We fled our country… but were attacked by bandits along the way… ngh…”
Fled?
Judging by their appearance and the carriage, both she and the girl were nobles.
Trying to defect?
“Where do I take your daughter?”
“Anywhere… I have no destination…”
Hey, come on…
“What am I supposed to do with that? Sell her to a slave trader?”
“…………”
Tch… Don’t go dying and leaving your kid behind.
She’ll end up like me.
“Hey. Name. Tell me the kid’s name before you die.”
“Mary… Mary Whiteway.”
Whiteway…
That’s a nasty name to hear.
A great noble house of the Empire.
“Mary, huh? Any last words?”
Her eyes were already closed.
No life left in her face.
She was clearly about to die.
“T-tell her I love h-her… th… ank… you…”
Her lips moved faintly…
Then stopped.
“Tch!”
I laid her body down gently.
Then I took the silver necklace she was wearing and buried her nearby with the other bodies.
The bandits, I ignored.
“… What am I supposed to do with this?”
I scratched my head as I looked at the little girl still asleep in the carriage.
“Well… guess a slave trader works. She’ll probably get hired somewhere as a servant.”
It might be harsh, but it’s better than dying.
That’s what I decided.
I hoisted the girl over my shoulder, mounted the horse, and left the area.
“Yeah… horses really are easier.”
And this one’s a damn good horse.
As expected of the Whiteway family.
If they planned to flee on it, it must be top-class.
Sell the horse and the kid, and I won’t have to worry for a while.
“… Mm… huh?”
The kid woke up.
“You’re awake. Stay quiet.”
“Huh? Where is this? Mother? Mother!? Eek!”
Ah… great. She started crying.
“Your mother has gone on an eternal journey.”
“Who are you!? Mother! Mother! Someone!?”
So loud…
If I take her into town like this, they’ll think I’m a kidnapper.
Should I just leave her?
“Be quiet. Your mother’s gone. And she asked me to take you.”
“Mother! Mother!! Hic… someone…!”
Not listening at all.
What the hell do I do with this?
Can I even sell her?
Well, she’s got a good face. Still a kid too, should be fine.
“I’ll take you to town, so behave. And keep it down. This is still a battlefield. Deserters or mercenaries might attack.”
“Mother…”
Yeah, I feel bad for her, but there’s nothing I can do.
Trying to flee to an enemy country during wartime was impossible to begin with.
And riding around in a flashy carriage without even disguising it?
Well… maybe that’s just how noble ladies are.
I’m kind of glad the war ended in a ceasefire.
If it hadn’t, I would’ve had to kill this kid too.
“… Damn it…”
First, I’ll sell the kid and the horse.
Then figure out what to do with my life.
Thinking that, I rode away from the battlefield.
◆◇◆
Ten years passed after the war ended.
Peace came to the Kingdom of Aldia, and people lived their lives with smiles.
And me, I ran a magic tool shop in a small town far from the capital.
“Eric, what do you think? Can you fix it?”
The greengrocer asked.
“Bad contact. This’ll be fixed in no time.”
Honestly, fix your own clock… but work is work.
“How’s business on your end?”
“Not bad. Not making big money, but not running a deficit either. No trouble getting by.”
That’s what matters most.
“... Yaaay, Eric! Look, look!”
The door to the living area burst open, and a girl with black hair in a short ponytail struck a pose as she came out.
She was small overall, barely over 150 centimeters tall.
“Ohh~ Mary, you’ve gotten cute~”
The greengrocer praised her like a proud grandpa.
“Thanks, Uncle~ What about you, Eric? Got nothing to say?”
Mary was wearing light adventurer gear, with a short sword at her waist.
The silver necklace around her neck glinted.
But for some reason, she was wearing a skirt. A short one, too. Her legs were exposed above the knees.
“… You’re going adventuring in that? You’ll be in the forest. Wear normal pants.”
“It’s not cute.”
Kids these days…
“Listen…”
“What?”
What do you mean what?
You idiot daughter…
“Now, now. Mary, your dad’s just worried some bad bug’s gonna latch onto you.”
No, I’m saying that outfit isn’t for the forest.
Even “forest girls” wear pants.
“Eric’s so annoying.”
“If you acted normal, I wouldn’t say anything.”
I didn’t even want you becoming an adventurer in the first place.
“Now, now, Eric. She’ll learn from here on. That’s the privilege of youth.”
It’s because you old guys spoil them like that that kids go wild.
“Hehe, you said something nice, Uncle. Alright, I’m off!”
Mary turned fifteen today.
Her adventurer debut.
I opposed it, but she wouldn’t listen, and she looked ready to run away from home, so I agreed on the condition she stayed living here.
“Listen to the guild. And don’t cause trouble for Katrina.”
“I knooow. Alright~ this is the start of a legend~”
The idiot girl, still hyped up, ran out of the shop.
What do you think about this chapter?
