Kiraware Yūsha ni Tensei Shitanode Aisare Yūsha o Mezashimasu! - Chapter 2

[The Hated Hero Wants to be Loved not Hated]

Even though I had reincarnated as a scum everyone loathed, I was still human and I needed to eat.

So, I headed to where my parents were to have breakfast accompanied by the maid Marina.

Breakfast is to be eaten with one’s family—was one of the Alberses’ rules.

But of course, due to my father’s work, not every day could we have all members of the family assemble, but we always did our best to have breakfast together whenever possible.

“Good morning, Father, Mother.”

“Good morning, Barrett.”

“It’s rare to see you late for breakfast.”

“I’m sorry, I overslept a little.”

My parents were already waiting for me in their usual seats.

After taking my own seat in a hurry, I noticed that the seat next to mine was vacant.

“Huh? Where’s Sister?” I tilted my head.

If my memory served me correctly, I should have an older sister.

Judging from my own reflection I’d seen in the mirror, I was about twelve or thirteen years old, so my sister shouldn’t have joined the Order of Knights yet and still be living at the mansion.

“You called, Barrett?”

I looked back in response to the voice and I found a stunning beauty standing there.

The young woman who had her long black hair—which she inherited from our father—done up in a ponytail was unmistakably my older sister, Reina Albers.

It felt strange. She was supposed to be a complete stranger to me, but I naturally recognized her “This person is my sister.” It was the same with my parents previously. This was probably caused by my memories mixed with those of Barrett.

――The web novel version Barrett treated such a beautiful and kind sister horribly.

After becoming the Hero, Barrett embarked on a journey to capture a difficult dungeon accompanied by his sister’s fiancé, Abel, the knight. But he then fell into a predicament due to Barrett’s selfishness, and ultimately lost his life. Further, Barrett pinned all the blames on the Protagonist Raul.

By the way, Raul and Tayte later informed the truth of the incident to his sister Reina, and thus she cut off all ties with him. And in the wake of this incident, his parents, who were already tired of his unpardonable words and deeds following the Divine Gift Ceremony, chased him out of the mansion.

After, the Protagonist Raul gently comforted Reina, who was in a pit of despair due to losing her fiancé, and later on added her to his party as a knight-cum-harem member. For my very own sister becoming a harem member… let’s not dwelt too much on it. Everything would be fine as long as I did my best to prevent Mr. Abel from getting involved with me.

But looking back, Barrett truly was—

“—Irredeemable…” I muttered in a volume inaudible to others.

Just why did you end up becoming such a scum, Barrett… wait, wasn’t it the author’s fault for giving him such a setting? Geez, I wished I could have chosen whom I reincarnated as.

…Still, if things kept going as is, Barrett’s future would be my future.

I had to do something to prevent that.

Fortunately, I had reincarnated into a world of swords and magic. Plus, although the public opinion of me was utterly horrible, this body of mine was chosen by the Holy Sword and had the potential to become more unparalleled than it already was given proper training… its spec was plenty enough for me to achieve whatever I wanted.

Well, the only wish I had right now was to avoid a miserable ending, though.

“Hm? Barrett? Are you feeling under the weather?” asked Reina with concern.

“N-no, I’m okay,” I said, shaking my head.

“Have you forgotten, Reina? Today is Barrett’s big day. You were unable to sleep from excitement, weren’t you?” Father asked with a smile.

“Huh? W-well something like that, I guess.”

“Hey, don’t go all nervous now, will you?

“Hahaha!” Father burst into laughter.

Oh, right.

This was an important day that would significantly change my—I mean, Barrett Albers’s fate.

Today was the day the Divine Gift Ceremony would be held!

The Divine Gift Ceremony was a ceremony in which you receive a gift from God.

Boys and girls thirteen years of age were to go the church and under the guidance of a priest be gifted an item—or a ‘blessing’ as people called it—from God.

It extensively ranged from weapons such as the sword or the bow to other items. But one thing to note was that the item would undoubtedly be a big plus for the receiver. It was no exaggeration to say that one’s future profession would be determined based on the given item.

…More importantly, if I was going to participate in the Divine Gift Ceremony, that meant I was currently thirteen, huh.

As I recalled, Barrett was thirteen during the reminiscence arc, the earliest timeline covered in the original storyline. Was that the reason why I had reincarnated at this age, I wonder?

“No need to worry,” said Reina with a gentle smile, seemingly thinking I was nervous upon seeing me fall silent and in deep thought. On her waist, there was a beautifully decorated sword that she had received at the Divine Gift Ceremony three years prior. “Knowing you, I have not the slightest of doubt that you will get a better item than mine.”

“Sister…”

Uhh… she really was a good sister.

Now that I’d become Barrett, I would make sure not to let your fiancé Abel die. So please be happy, Sister! You deserved better than to be a harem member!

“……Mm?”

Speaking of fiancé… Oh, right. I had a fiancée myself, didn’t I? And considering that today was the day of the Divine Gift Ceremony, she’d surely also—

“Oh, look at the time. You mustn’t eat too leisurely, Barrett. Remember? For today’s Divine Gift Ceremony, you’re going to the ceremony with the lady of the House of Ehrenberg.”

Yes, the lady of the House of Ehrenberg that my father mentioned was the childhood friend and fiancée I had mentioned previously, Tayte Ehrenberg.

—

After breakfast.

I had finished changing clothes and was waiting for Tayte.

I knew what she looked like because I’d seen her character illustration published by the author on their social media.

After a while, there was a knock on the door.

“C-come in!” My voice cracked from tension.

In the web novel, the heroine Tayte ultimately ended up with the protagonist.

But at this point, she was still the fiancée of the hated Hero Barrett—meaning, my fiancée.

If I didn’t improve my relationship with Tayte from now on, I’d eventually end up in the slums. In other words, Tayte was one of the key people whose future flags I had to handle with the utmost caution, along with the Protagonist Raul.

As I was thinking such things, the door opened.

“Good morning, Lord Barrett.”

Coming in was an extremely beautiful girl.

A noble-looking face, and beautiful silver hair that stretched down to her waist. The sight of her standing was reminiscent of a wonderful piece of painting. And in contrast to her extremely young outward appearance, she had a mature air about her.

She was Tayte Ehrenberg—one of the heroines in【The Rise of the Weakest Holy Swordsman】.

According to her backstory in the web novel, there were nobles who had proposed to her other than the Alberses, but her parents, who put heavy importance on ancestry, agreed to the engagement with Barrett without her permission.

Still… she really was cute. I supposed I should say it was only natural, but she looked practically the same as the draft illustration I’d seen on the author’s social media. I mean, she was the lady who had received proposals from nearly all the young nobles in the kingdom. Even I was deeply stirred upon seeing the draft illustration of her. To say she was beautiful was an understatement!

……But at that point, I noticed something unusual.

Tayte was shaking slightly.

She also didn’t say a word after greeting me, and although she had been meeting my eyes at first, her face had then gradually lowered until she was completely facing down like now.

“T-Tayte?”

When I called out to her timidly,

“I deeply apologize!!”

All of a sudden, Tayte apologized loudly and bowed deeply.

My thoughts couldn’t keep up with the sudden development, or more like… what was Tayte doing?

“For being late… by one minute… I… deeply…”

Tayte was crying.

…I mean, what? Late by one minute? Uhh, so?

At that time, I recalled Barrett’s backstory.

He always ordered his fiancée Tayte around. Disregarding the fact that she was a noble of high standing like himself, he did all sorts of malicious things to her. Worse, when he reached adulthood, he often went on trips to hit on every woman that caught his eyes, visited brothels, and do whatever he wanted.

Anyway, the reason why she was this scared must be because she’d been verbally abused by Barrett for even the smallest mistakes. Even though he had such a cute, serious, and perfect girl as a fiancée—just what were you dissatisfied about, you bastard!!

“…Truly irredeemable.”

“Huh?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Anyways, now I realized it.

Tayte’s affection level for me was in the minus!