Grail Was Exiled

Three months after obtaining a “high-quality large shield (dented)” for 70,000 gold cheaper.

Grail had been spending his days without making any progress.

Although he had risen to E-rank, because he only had three members, he could not fight in E-Layer. His days of steadily hunting goblins in F-Layer continued.

The speed at which his experience increased had dropped sharply.

(Damn it…! I don’t have time to be standing still!)

At this rate, the efficiency of his earnings was far too bad.

Grail had no choice but to try temporarily joining up with other small parties, but it always only lasted one or two times and never led to officially teaming up.

“Hey, Grail!”

The allied scout and priest said this to Grail.

“Rein yourself in a little! You stand out badly way too much!”

“Huh?”

Grail said that in an unpleasant tone and silenced the scout and priest.

(Hmph, they’re jealous…)

Grail reached that conclusion.

Of course he stood out. After all, he had been granted the favored skill of Swordsmanship by God.

It could not be helped that an outstanding person like me stood out.

Rein that in?

It’s because useless people like you don’t work that the sight of me working hard stands out!

Work hard enough that you don’t make me stand out!

That was the conclusion Grail reached.

From that day onward, the scout and priest started taking days off often.

(…Damn them! Taking days off without permission! Do they have neither ability nor motivation!?)

Grail spat inwardly.

(…Should I throw them away?)

It was an idea that suddenly occurred to him, but it seemed surprisingly not bad.

It would be easier to sell himself alone than to sell himself as a group of three. On top of that, Grail had the Swordsmanship skill. There would be any number of parties that wanted him.

Those two were extras. Pitiful creatures clinging to the great tree called Grail. Useless people who had been supported by Grail’s kindness.

And they repaid that kindness with betrayal!

(…That’s right, fine, I’ll abandon them. That’s best.)

He had decided.

The genius Grail was originally supposed to be flying higher and farther.

The reason he could not do that was because he was hanging around with garbage.

There were far too many burdens in this world.

He would throw everything away.

And then, he would belong to a party where people with skills of the same class as Swordsmanship were enrolled.

Grail’s misfortune had been forming a party with people below his level.

If he stood out, they were jealous of him, and they lost motivation.

He was sick of it.

Because he was with low-level people, low-level days continued.

(I’m going to the place where I can shine—the place where the best companions are!)

In a better mood, Grail headed to the dungeon for the first time in a while.

He would beat up small fry in F-Layer and clear away his frustration. Then, he would forget everything—and say goodbye to those guys.

(All right! Today is a cleansing of bad luck! I’m going wild!)

Just as those words said, Grail cut down F-Layer monsters one after another.

A display of overwhelming strength.

Grail was intoxicated with himself.

(Hahahahaha! I really am strong! The strongest!)

As he walked around the dungeon like that—

Grail ran into a sight that made him doubt his eyes.

(Huh, those guys—!?)

They were the scout and priest who were his party members.

Of course, it was not a problem in itself that the two had entered the dungeon on their own. Compared to the shining Grail, they might be ashamed of their own uselessness and want to train secretly.

However—

(It’s not just the two of them…!?)

That was the problem.

Four adventurers were walking in front of the two of them.

Altogether, six people—the optimal number for a party.

(…Those guys, don’t tell me—!?)

Grail lost himself in an instant. His head exploded, and all his thoughts were blown away.

They had not been resting.

They had lied and said they were resting—and had been participating in another party.

Leaving Grail out.

Before entering the dungeon, Grail had been thinking of abandoning the two of them. It went both ways, but Grail was not someone who would be satisfied by that.

Rage.

Fury.

On Mount Grail, an eruption of anger volcanoed.

“Kruaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Letting out a shriek like a monstrous bird, Grail ran up to the two of them.

The adventurers, surprised by the sudden scream, turned around. Among them, the expressions of the scout and priest stiffened as if to say, crap!

“You bastards! What the hell is this!?”

The scout and priest looked at each other with troubled expressions, but they resolved themselves and opened their mouths.

“We’re done with you, Grail!”

“We can’t team up with someone like you who only causes problems!”

“You bastards!”

I’ll say it! I’ll say it!

I’ll be the one to exile you!

Grail rattled on in an excited tone.

“You bastards are exi—!”

““Grail, you’re exiled!””

The two of them said it first.

And on top of that, they said it at the same time.

At that unexpected counterattack, Grail’s mind went completely blank—and immediately dyed red.

Even though I supported them until now. Even though I raised them to E-rank thanks to me. This was what it meant to be bitten by the dog one fed.

“We warned you many times. Your attitude is a problem—!”

“Kruaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

As if to drown out the scout’s words as he continued speaking, Grail screamed again. It was so loud that even the four people other than the scout and priest flinched.

“People who were living off my scraps don’t get to complain!”

As soon as he said that, Grail grabbed the scout by the collar.

“Saying such bullshit! I won’t go easy on you, bastard!”

“—Stop that. It’s unbearable to watch.”

Such a voice came from the side.

A young, handsome man who seemed to be the leader of the group of four directed displeased eyes at Grail.