I’ve Changed My Job From [Sage] to [Thief]

C3: Prologue (3)

Three members of the hero party, Yuji, Rena, and Shinon, were high school students in their teens. However, only Kagehiko was a young man in his late twenties, and he was working for a Japanese company.

“……what did you just say?”

The king quietly revealed his anger, but Kagehiko was not afraid to repeat his rudeness.

“I told you it was a farce, didn’t I? Old people shouldn’t be so deaf.”

The knights throbbed softly at Kagehina words. The king they were serving was being criticized in front of their eyes. The anger in their voices was palpable.

“Sage Kurono! You are disrespectful to the king!”

The Knight Commander shouted at Kagehina. He was holding his sword in his right hand, ready to slash at Kagehina with a furious look on his face.

“I don’t care what you say. The contract with the king is already over, so there’s no reason to respect him.”

“What are you talking about, a contract?”

The Knight Commander questioned with a raised eyebrow. Kagehiko shrugged his shoulders.

“We’re going to defeat the Demon King, and you’re going to send us back to our world. That’s the contract. If you break that contract, then our relationship is over, right?”

Kagehiko spread her hands and waved them flatteringly. The knight captain’s face turns red as he feels mocked by the clownish gesture.

“I’m a businessman, and I don’t give free services to people who don’t honor their contracts. I have no loyalty or duty to you or to this country.”

“Hmm, so does this mean that Sage Kurono is against war with our neighbors?”

The knight captain, who was about to slash at Kagehiko, was restrained by the king’s hand, and the king checked with Kagehiko.

“If you want to sign another contract, you have to fulfill the one you’ve already signed.”

Kagehiko recalled the time when he had been summoned to this world. It was on the bus on the way to work. The bus was unusually empty that day, and Kagehiko was able to take a seat next to a group of three high school students. However, the moment he sat down, a magic circle appeared at the feet of the four of them, and the next moment, he was summoned to this world.

Unlike the other three who were high school students, Kagehiko is a working adult who works for a company. As a working adult, Kurono couldn’t bring himself to work for an employer who didn’t pay him well, nor could he bring himself to get involved with a contractor who wouldn’t admit that they were at fault and would only force concessions on them.

“I don’t want to work for a black company in a different world…..Oh well; I guess that’s just the way it is.”

The King’s expression changed at Kagehiko’s reproach. The king reached into his pocket and pulled out a tin staff about 20 feet long. As soon as he held it up towards the party of heroes, an unidentifiable pressure was applied to the four of them.

“Ugh…….”

“What the hell is this? ……”

The four of them kneeled down one after another. Yuji tried to activate his [Hero] skill, but he couldn’t get it to work.

“This is one of the magic items you brought back from the Demon King’s Castle, the Demon King Tin. This is a tool that can seal the magic power of those in front of you. Knight Commander! Throw them in jail! If you give them a month of discipline, they’ll start to listen to me!”

“Yes, sir.”

The king smirks as if he is proud of his victory. With the same expression on his face, the Knight Commander and several knights approach to restrain the hero party.

“Damn it……everyone ……”

“No, we can’t escape……”

“Ugh……”

Yuji and the others’ faces were twisted in despair at the desperate situation. The knights, as if enjoying their expressions, approached the four of them slowly.

“Hmm?”

However, the knights suddenly stopped in their tracks. Among the hero party, there was only one who did not have a look of despair on his face.

“……12……11……10……9……”

It was Sage Kurono Kagehiko. The eldest in the party of heroes, he was counting some numbers while kneeling down like the other three.