Yuusha, Yamemasu (I'm Quitting Heroing)

05, engage the enemy.

Roger. Prioritizing preservation of civilian life.

I was their supposed savior, and yet...

I was met not with cheers, but with eyes filled with fear and gandiose expectations.

But I don't care.

I'll protect humanity.

That's the whole reason I exist.

I'll protect the world.

That's all humanity wants from me.

That's all I live for.

A nightmare...

Ikite ikite ikitsukuse

Hikari o mirai e

Uragirareta kodoku na sekai ni torinokosare

Miushinatta ashita o osorete ima mo

Ibasho o sagasu

Hitsuyou to saretai kokoro no sakebi

Karamiau IDENTITY tashikametainda shinjite iikana

Ikite ikite ikitsukuse

Hikari o mirai e

Tatoe subete ushinattemo

Kibou o tsunaide

Boku ga koko ni iru imi

Ima wa wakaranakute mo ii

Kimi to waraiaeru you ni

Jibun de tachikitte susumudake

The Drinking Party From Hell

Talk about a nightmare.

I just know the rest of today's gonna turn out crappy now...

It comes straight from Queen Echidna: "Black Knight Onyx is to report to me at once."

What? Crap, did she catch on to me?!

What will you do?

Lily got real close to revealing my true identity before, but I dealt with her.

You haven't gone to introduce yourself to her yet. Perhaps she's angry about that.

Oh yeah, I haven't done that yet...

But, well...

I've told her our work has been proceeding smoothly thanks to Lord Onyx...

That's probably why she wants to see me, you moron!

Moron!? Wh-what ELSE was I supposed to tell her?!

And Echidna didn't just stumble into the title of Demon Queen.

Armed with her beloved Tilving, she can hold her own against Edvard in single combat,

and she's as good as a spellcaster as Shutina. It's scary how powerful she is.

No matter the tricks I employ, she might still be able to see through my disguise.

In any case, you should hurry to her.

And if she realizes who you are, call me without hesitation.

Nah, I'll be fine. I'll figure it out on my own.

Just pretend you had no idea.

Right, then, what excuse do I give Echidna?

Tis I, Black Knight Onyx.

I have come to answer your summons.

Enter.

Okay, what do you have in store for me, Demon Queen Echidna?!

Thank you.

So you're the wonderful Onyx!

I've heard all about your marvelous deeds from Shutina!

I'm so sorry to call you here on short notice.

Well... It doesn't sound like she's figured out who I am.

Please, take a seat.

Wait, hold on. You can't be serious. Please.

There are only two seats at this table!

Come, no need for formalities today!

Let's enjoy a fine meal and good liquor together!

Whenever I have a nightmare, I know the next day's bound to be hell.

Are you drinking, Lord Onyx?

That I am.

I must say, this liquor is incredible. Not to mention the food.

Excellent!

This looks like your typical after-hours drink with a strait-laced worker and his chill boss.

Of course, it's anything but.

I want to get out of here as quickly as humanly possible,

and I'm terrified she'll find out who I am in the midst of all this.

So, Onyx.

Y-yes?

Are you going to wear that helm for much longer? Would you please take it off?

No, I must insist. It would be rude to show my bare face before you, Your Highness...

Please, I told you to dispense with formalities.

And I'd like to be able to talk to you face-to-face!

Huh?!

Oh, uh...

Now, then, let's see that boorish face of yours!

Oh, no!

There!

Wait a moment...

I didn't have time to change my face that much!

I-is there something wrong?

I like that stalwart expression!

I sense great strength behind your soft visage!

Tis a shame to hide it away behind a helm!

That was close! Thank goodness she's so drunk...

Come, now, don't hold back.

Stuff yourself until you burst, by all means!

I'm drinking alone with my boss, and if she finds out who I am, I'm dead.

How am I supposed to enjoy my drink like this?!

Delicious food and liquor! This moment is paradise on Earth!

I need to get out of this 'paradise' ASAP.

But I have to be smart and smooth about it!

Your Highness, your glass is empty.

Allow me to pour you a new drink.

Oh, thank you! How considerate.

If you'd allow me...

Let me give you a couple tips about how to make business parties a little easier.

Tip #1: The moment your boss' glass is empty, fill it up.

Please, have some more.

I shall!

You can take a break from the conversation while filling their cup,

and they'll think you're perceptive and cosiderate.

Here, have another!

I shall!

But that's not the only thing I'm after.

Right now, my goal is simple: get her dead drunk!

That's all I'm focused on!

My, you're thirsty! Come, have another!

I shall!

C'mon, drink! Drink 'til you're sloshed!

Then you can put an end to this horrible event!

Are you quite well, Your Highness?

Perhaps you've had a bit too much to drink?

It may be best if we--

Yes, right you are...

Now that we're warmed up, let's go straight for the bottle!

Come, drink up, Onyx!

Don't be shy! Chug, chug, chug!

Though this strategy won't work against heavyweights, so keep THAT in mind.

It's been so long since I've been able to enjoy a relaxing spot of tea.

I have Leo to thank for this, too...

I wonder how his meeting is going?

I hope it's all going well.

Perhaps I should go check on them...

No, what if I say something and only make things worse?

And why am I getting all worked up over that hero?!

You're worried 'bout Leo?

Here's my report!

L-Lily?! Y-you didn't hear anything, all right?!

You misheard me! That's right, I didn't say anything like that at all!

Huh? Say what?

I couldn't kill her with alcohol, but I'm not giving up.

I've got another trick up my sleeve...

Unfortunately, it'll take some time to execute.

I just need to segue into it...

I must say, this food is scrumptious.

Especially the sausage you're now eating, Your Highness. It's simply to die for.

You've an eye for quality, then?

There's something in this sausage that makes it truly fantastic.

Tip #2 for making drinking parties less of a headache:

People are fond of those who show an active interest in them and their tastes.

And when you're eating and drinking together, you have all the fodder you need.

This sausage is made with spices from Largo.

The minced pepper inside gives it such a pleasant color, too.

Largo, you say?

We've been hurting for resources so much lately,

I rarely had time to enjoy such extravagant meals.

But thanks to Lily's efforts, things are slowly improving.

I always knew she could handle the task.

Look at that innocent smile.

She looks like a normal girl when she smiles like that.

Of course, I have to give credit to the chefs who prepared the food so expertly.

You should know that those sausages were made by yours truly.

The cooks down at the Demon Rat Davern, the castle dining hall, made absolute slop,

so I shared some key recipes and trained them on how to make them.

Which leads to Tip #3: if there's food, learn as much as you can about it beforehand!

And the food topic can lead to any manner of conversation. It's an excellent segue.

After what Shutina told me, I was curious about the kind of man you were...

But not only are you great at your job, you're also a culinary expert!

You're quite the man, Lord Onyx!

Hardly, Your Highness. My talents and knowledge are all quite modest.

There's just one thing I have to ask.

You seem to always wear that helm of yours.

I know we touched on this before, but could you explain why?

Yes, you see...

I knew it! Time for Tip #4!

The only time a powerless newbie can sell themselves to the boss

is when the boss asks them questions!

Your answer can drastically change the flow of the outing, or your workload the next day!

You see, I've been cursed by the goddess Tiana.

The time I'm allowed to show my face to others is gravely limited.

As such, I must spend most of my time encased in armor.

Goodness... And you've been without your helm this whole time. Will you be all right?

To be frank, I may be cutting it close.

But I'm glad to take that risk if it means a chance to spend time with Your Highness.

Oh, stop. You're quite the talker, aren't you!

And this is how you get out of a drinking excursion early.

Mention you have a clear-cut time limit, and you can escape any horrific situation!

Now Echidna knows I'm working with limited time here...

What a great day today has been!