*Extra* I Completely Understand Why I Was Banished From the Hero’s Party

Okay, let me get one thing straight. I was definitely banished for a reason.

That might sound completely wrong, but hear me out…

It was just like any day, where me and the rest of the Hero’s party would explore the dungeon. Arnold, the hero, used a long, sort of pretentious sword that somehow always cut anything it touched. He’s a good swordsman, I’ll give him that, but cutting literally everything in half gets a bit “show-offy” in my books. His golden hair, golden eyes, golden ar- he’s just covered in gold. Everything about this man screamed “hero”. Next was the Tank, Reggie. He’s…well…huge. That man doesn’t even use a shield, just eats the shots as they come without any reaction. He joined before I did, but I’ve never seen him do…well…anything. He’s always in tank mode. Last is our mage, Calie. She’s got long, really shiny blue hair, but always casts the right spells to get us out of situations. I would have asked her out…but I guess my chance is up.

Last, and least, is me. Henry Renial. Before the hero’s party, I worked for my parent’s blacksmith shop in a small village. I’m the hero party’s…well…I was the hero party’s smith.

It kind of dawned on me when we were walking back from the dungeon that day, when I thought “Hey why does the hero’s party need a smith?”

We headed back to our “base of operations” which was just a free mansion we got for saving some rich loser. Not that I minded, because they gave me a whole furnace room to “hone my craft”.

I agreed, but when they left I made that place my bachelor pad. Stocked full of drinks, food, bedding and my own fountain. Indoor fountains are pretty cool, you know.

I was going to crash in my furnace room, but the rest of the party said in unison that “We need to talk to you Henry”.

“Sure.”

We all headed to the main war room, which is a kitchen for the record, and they all kind of stared at me.

“What’s up?” I asked them

“Henry…I don’t think you belong in this party.” Arnold said hesitantly, Calie and Reggie nod in agreement.

I completely agree.

I mean, realistically, I don’t think anyone with the blacksmith class should be anywhere near the frontlines.

“I really hate to do this to you ... .but…”

“Time after time you’ve just, well, done literally nothing” Arnold elaborated.

“I haven’t done nothing the whole time! Remember the inn we used to stay at?”

“Yes, we all remember. You were trying to impress women at the bar and lit it on fire.” Calie iterated.

“See? That’s something!”

All of them face-palmed. I wasn’t wrong, that was completely my fault. But it was something.

“What about that time at the beach too?” I helpfully reminded them.

“That time at the beach? You mean when you forgot your swimsuit so you hid all of ours to make yourself feel better?” Arnold said back, slightly infuriated.

“Exactly!”

I’m touched that they remember all the things I’ve done.

“But seriously, you’re right. On the field I really do nothing.”

“So with a heavy heart, I’ve decided to leave the hero’s party”

I finally made my decision to pursue a greater path in life, beyond the hero’s party. You don’t understand, but sometimes the fame, attention and money just becomes too much. Well, the money never does at least.

I can still distinctly remember their faces when I left that day, with my bag packed to the brim with all the food, and drinks I had in my bachelor pad. They were speechless, probably hurt to see me go.

Scratch that. They just couldn’t believe that I’d lingered this long in their party, and neither could I.

Through the 2 years I was in the hero’s party, I can’t count the times I helped in battle. Mostly because you can’t count zero.

After I left the mansion, I went to the guild to resign from the party. Weirdly enough, the guild attendant was wearing a really dumb shirt. I mean who wears a shirt with a lawn chair on it? And apparently she forgot to clean it, because in the corner there was some strange black stain, like water but burnt if that makes sense.

“I’d like to resign from my party.”

“Okay, just sign here.” the attendant handed over a paper, all the notices for leaving a party or whatever. I don’t know, I didn’t really read it.

I still couldn’t get over her shirt, so I asked her.

“What’s with that shirt?”

“I will not take any insult directed at my lord and savior.”

Wow, alright. She kind of scared me with that reply, and she looked completely serious.

“Geez, I was just asking.”

I walked away before she could sell me on whatever she was taking.

What waits for me after this new discovery? Can I actually make money without the hero’s party backing me?

I know the answer.

It's going to be a no.

I don’t exactly care about getting any more money, the hero’s party stacked my pockets for just about the rest of my life. Women, I mean sure, I like their attention but if I was that lonely wouldn’t I just but a slave? It’s not hard, or expensive. Plus I’d just make her do all the house work while I relax and drink all day.

Nah, slaves are too much work, plus if she decides she hates me I’d just kind of, I don’t know, die or something.

I feel like walking to a new place, but it has to be somewhere with drinks and food. I don’t really care what the climate is like.

I kind of just walked down the same road. For days. The road got a little dicey, like turning ashy and dark, but I’m not one to judge the economic state.

I found myself at a really big door. Like a huge door, there’s no reason for it being that big. I’m not one to intrude, So I knocked.

“Who dares set foot in the Demon Lord’s territory?”

Man, that voice was loud.

“Who, me?” I wanted to know if there was anyone else here.

“Yes- What? Who else would I be talking to?” the voice shouted back.

“I don’t know. Maybe I just didn’t see them.”

I stood in front of that door, for maybe 5 minutes before this huge, scaly-looking angry man walked out.

“What’re you doing here, aren’t you part of the hero’s party? Are you here to kill me?!”

“What? Of course not! I’m just bored.”

We couldn’t understand each other, but he let me in for some reason.

We sat in this massive room, and one of his attendants brought me a cup of tea. It was kind of nice, but tasted odd.

“So you’re bored, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Want to join me?”

“Nah.”

We sat in awkward silence, and when I finished my tea, He just let me out and I was back on my way.

I somehow walked back to my original town, so I decided to buy a room at an inn.

“Haven’t I seen you before?”

“Probably. I’m hard to miss.” I have no idea what I said that for.

The guild attendant looked fed up, and threw a key at me for a room.

“Thanks.”

“Figure out what you’re going to do with your life, kid.” she said to me, like we were any different in age.

Who’re you calling kid? I’m literally 23. You look 20.

What a loser. Who needs to figure that out?

I already know what I’m doing.

Literally nothing.