AN
This story is inspired by the light novel Banished from the Heroes' Party.
Also, in this story, there are animal people known as Beastfolk, with Hiyori being one of them having cat ears and a tail.
It was early evening in the backwater town of Direfall. Located to the far north of the Trodia Kingdom, very few people ever visit the town. Surrounded on three sides by mountains and on the fourth by the thick Direfall forest travelling to the town is long and filled with countless perils. The only safe means of transport to and from the city is the great river that starts near Direfall and cuts the kingdom in half. But that isolation has kept the town safe from the Demon Lord Tagitsuhime's merciless advance. Everywhere else you go, you will see towns and cities preparing for the day they will have to be abandoned. Still, in Direfall, the people are relaxed. The only reminders of the war are the occasional veteran looking for a quiet place to try and forget the horrors they saw.
Even now, when the Nuchorin Empire to the east has fallen, the people of Direfall remain unconcerned about the events happening outside of the town. As Hiyori walks down the main street dragging a creature that resembles a squirrel but is the size of the bear. She can see no sense of fear or panic that is common everywhere else she went. The only occasional scream or yelp she hears comes from children spotted her kill or seeing the trail of blood Hiyori is leaving in her wake. "These people have no idea what it's like outside of these walls," Hiyori shakes her head as she reaches her destination.
The large wooden building is one of the busiest places in town, although most of that business is located within the small bar. Avoiding the main entrance where the sounds of drinking songs and the smell of alcohol seeping out, Hiyori makes her way to the barn-like door located further down the street. Several people call out to her as they lean against the building, but Hiyori ignores every one of them. Once there, Hiyori sees the only sign that this place isn't just another drinking establishment. A group of people hand over their own kills ahead of Hiyori, wearing various types of armour and equipt with a wide variety of weapons. Some people might have been intimidated by the sight, but Hiyori just waits her turn.
It doesn't take long for the group to finish handing over multiple small humanoid creatures with flowers for heads known as Flower Goblins. They aren't that strong, so when the group leaves, Hiyori is shocked to see them covered in cuts and bruises. "How could lesser goblins give them so much trouble?" Hiyori wonders as she watches them go. Back in her home town children would hunt them for fun. But Hiyori doesn't spend too long worrying about it and drags her kill over to the counter.
"I have killed the Giant Squirrel as requested," Hiyori says as she reaches the counter.
"You took it down all by yourself," The small man jumps in surprise, seeing the giant creature behind Hiyori. "We were expecting a B rank party to take that quest, not a solo F rank."
Hiyori doesn't comment on that. She was only working as an Adventure to raise some funds, so ranks don't even bother her. But a B rank party to handle a single Giant Squirrel seems a bit of an overkill, considering everywhere else they are considered training targets for rookie Adventurers. "That goes to show how peaceful this town is," Hiyori smiles, feeling happy to find a place like Direfall in this war-torn world. "It's the perfect place to start over."
"Well, can you sign this and confirm the completion of the quest so I can get paid?" Hiyori asks, handing the man the quest form.
"Ri… right away," The man snaps to attention, quickly signing the form and calling for workers inside to collect the Giant Squrrel's corps. "We will be able to pay you for the sale of the body within three days."
Hiyori leaves them to it, collecting the signed form and heading back towards the main doors of the guild looking more forward to this payment than any before. "I finally have enough," Hiyori smiles to herself as she steps inside and is greeted by a small fight happening right in the centre of the bar area. A giant man who looks like he has more muscles than brains is getting his ass kicked by a small Beastfolk man with a small pair of wings coming out of his back. Hiyori ignores the familiar sight as that muscular brute is always starting fights he has no chance of winning with Beastfolk. Even Hiyori found herself having to take him down a peg when he grabbed her tail. "Hopefully, he will learn this time," Hiyori prays as she spots the man lost a tooth out of the corner of her eyes.
"Welcome back, Hiyori," The small girl manning the front counter says with a big smile.
She is always full of energy and working hard enough for Hiyori to admire her effort. "If only she wasn't so…." Hiyori groans mentally as her eyes spot the younger girls chest. "And she's still growing too." Hiyori does her best not to let her jealousy show as she hands over the quest form.
"Oh, so you managed to kill it alone," The girl smiles brightly. "Your so strong, Hiyori. It will only be a matter of time before you become an S ranked."
"I'm not interested in that rank business," Hiyori replies, hearing the fight behind her coming to an end with the smashing of furniture. "Can you just give me my payment for this quest and get me a retirement form, please."
"You're quitting," The girl looks up at her wide-eyed. "The guild master won't be happy. She had high hopes for you."
"I never meant to be an Adventurer forever," Hiyori tells her. "And after this quest, I have enough money to start up my business."
"I thought people were joking when they told me about your café idea," The girl mutters as she hands over five gold coins. "I don't have any retirement forms on hand. Can you come back in the morning for one?"
"If I have to," Hiyori mutters back. She had hoped that by retiring at night, she could avoid running into the guild master. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
"Have a good night," The girl smiles.
Hiyori leaves the guild as quickly as she can not bother to be careful as she steps over the muscular man's unconscious body and not feeling sorry when she steps on his hand. Ignoring the moan that slips his lips, Hiyori exits the guild just as the first flacks of snow begins to fall. "How long has it been since I saw the snow?" Hiyori stops to admire the falling flakes for a moment. For the last two years, she fought in the burning desert of the central plains against the Demon Lords army. Hiyori reconds it has got to be at least five years since she last saw the snow.
Taking it slow, Hiyori enjoys the feeling of falling snow gently landing on her as she takes her time returning to the small shack she has come to call home. Once she gets over the business of quieting the guild, Hiyori knows her life will finally change for the better. "After tomorrow, that will change too," Hiyori smiles, remembering that now she has the money to make her dream come true.
Meanwhile, as soon as Hiyori has left the guild, that little girl from behind the counter quickly sprints up the stairs. Before long, she is banging on the guild master's office door, not caring if she is interrupting a meeting currently being held within. But despite the potential punishment, such an act would generally entail the girl knows that delaying the delivery of this information would grant her a far worse fate. The girl continues to pound her fist on the door until finally, it opens, and an unhappy-looking guild leader stares down at her.
"I thought I told everyone not to disturb me," The guild leader tells her, making the girl shiver.
"But miss Maniwa it is about Hiyori," The girl quickly tells her. "She is going to retire and asked me for the form just now."
"Did you give it to her?"
"No," The girl shakes her head. "I told her to come back tomorrow morning."
"Good," Sana replies, sighing relief. "I have time to fix this," Looking down at the girl she tells her. "Return to your duties, and when Hiyori comes in tomorrow morning, let me know right away."
Sana watches the girl run away before she returns to her office. Inside, she shoots the Adventurers, she tasked with keeping Hiyori within the guild. A tall blonde girl stares back nervously while the smaller pink-haired girl looks like she is struggling to stay awake. Although she would never admit it, Sana is impressed by the pink-haired girl's ability to still stand up straight while she sleeps. As soon as Sana closes the door, the only sound in the room is the magical beasts snoring croming from the small creature curled up fast asleep on the pink-haired girls head.
"I thought I told you, girls, to do everything in your power to keep Hiyori in the guild," Sana tells the Adventurers, but the pink-haired girl barely looks concerned. "Would you care to explain why she is now about to quit?"
"Well, it is just that Hiyori doesn't seem interested in working with anyone," The blonde quickly answers. Ellen has worked for the guild for several years, but this mission from the guild master is one she has struggled with the most. "She kept telling us she is fine by herself every time we approached her."
"Yeah," The pink-haired girl, Kaoru, speaks up. "That little kitten is a lone wolf."
"You two live outside of Direfall," Sana says lightly. "How would you rate our guild compared to the others?"
"Well, I have to say we are a lot weaker," Ellen replies after taking a moment to think about it. "Apart from Kaoru and myself, our top Adventurers wouldn't even be a match for mid-ranked Adventurers from the other guilds."
"And that's why you are working use to death to make up for our lack in power," Kaoru moans.
"It is clear that with Hiyori, our guild is stronger," Sana continues. "If we lose her, you two will have to work extra to make up for our lack of strength."
"That sounds like a pain," Kaoru sighs.
"Then tomorrow morning, convince Hiyori to remain with the guild," Sana orders the to. "If not, then I may have to find other means to keep her in our services."
Hiyori is still smiling as she collapses onto her bed. Clenching the money box close to her chest, holding the key to her dreams, Hiyori can't help but think her life is finally turning around. "We don't need useless baggage," But just when she was feeling the warmth of happiness, the words that crushed her return to her mind. "We won't be able to defeat the Demon Lord with you holding us back."
Yukari Origami was the hero every said would save the world and reclaim the lands lost to the Demon Lords armies. Hiyori couldn't deny that she was brave, strong, powerful magical abilities and a great leader in battle. Still, Hiyori could never get along with her. The only person in the party she did find herself coming to like was the hero's sister Akane. A former priestess, Hiyori Akane, was kind and gentle, taking her time to make sure everyone was okay. "You are strong enough to be a part of this party Hiyori," Akane would always tell her whenever Yukari put Hiyori down. "Don't let what she says get to you."
The only other person Hiyori found bearable was a young swordsman around her age, but even she had her problems. "Hiyori, let's spare together," "Hiyori, let me practice this new technique with you," and "Hiyori, let's pass the time by having fun with our swords." Hiyori felt her head pounding just thinking the way she would be constantly hounded by that girl. Kanani Etou, Hiyori thought they had a lot in common, having both lost their mothers to the Demon Lords army. But Kanami only wanted to have fun despite their mission and wouldn't let Hiyori have a moment to herself.
"You are holding back her potential," Yukari once complained to Hiyori. "If you weren't here to distract her, then Kanami could be as strong as me one day." Hiyori believes wholeheartedly that is why Yukari kicked her out of the party so she wouldn't hold Kanami back. The worse part is that Hiyori couldn't deny it. If Kanami would only focus, then she could become even stronger than Yukari one day.
"She's a fool," Hiyori whispers to her empty room. Wishing Kanami would focus more on getting stronger to defeat the demon lord than on sparing with as many people as she can
Closing her eyes, Hiyori quickly falls asleep, dreaming of what her now brightening future holds. Deep in her heart, she hopes to hear one day that the Demon Lord is dead and her mother has been avenged.
As the last ship of the day makes port, a lone figure steps off. Clad in a black robe, the figure looks at the peaceful town.
"I finally found you, Hiyori," Stepping towards the town with a spring in their steps. The figure looks forward to when they are finally reunited with Hiyori.
