The Death Mage that doesn't want a fourth time

55 Sometime after autumn, insects will be drawn to the light

Other than his talent, the Green Wind Spear Riley was a normal adventurer that could be found anywhere.

He came from a commoner background, and he had become an adventurer because he had confidence in his own skill. His objective had been to earn gold. And though he never said this out loud, he held the hopes and dreams of becoming like the protagonists of the heroic tales he had heard as a child.

When Riley was still a novice, he happened to witness Heinz registering as an adventurer. He got on well with this younger man and decided to form a party with him.

And then a female Dwarf Shield-bearer, an intellectual young male Scout who wielded a bow and a beautiful Elf woman who used Spiritual Magic were added to the party and they became known as the Five-colored Blades.

Just like in folk songs about heroes, the four members other than Riley had abundant talent as well. After a hard year of completing Goblin extermination requests, they were comparable to veteran D-class adventurers.

In the next year, they were promoted to C-class, a little superior to average adventurers. In their third year together, they cleared a previously undiscovered Dungeon, acquiring valuable Magic Items and fame, and Heinz, the party leader, was promoted to B-class. He was bestowed with a Title, the Blue-flamed Sword, originating from the magic sword he acquired from the Dungeon.

Around that time, before he knew it, Riley found that he held dark feelings towards Heinz.

Riley had talent himself; he was just as handsome and strong as Heinz. Though Heinz was the party leader, Riley wondered, why was he being treated as a bonus addition to Heinz?

Heinz was the only one to be promoted to B-class after clearing the Dungeon. Riley had acquired a Mythril spear with an emerald-green jewel that controlled the wind, but he hadn't gained a Title.

Noblemen and merchants were frantic to form connections with Heinz, the individual with such talent that he had become a B-class adventurer in his teenage years. There were numerous talks of officer and specialist contracts and, best of all, he was approached by good women. Even the receptionist at the Adventurers' Guild looked at him with moist eyes.

In contrast to that, Riley was only known as 'one of Heinz's companions.' It was as if there was a sign with those exact words hanging around his neck.

And then Riley came to the realization that it was not him, but Heinz who had become the protagonist of the heroic folk songs.

It was the greatest failure and humiliation he had experienced in his life. But this alone would likely not have made Riley leave the Five-colored Blades. He might have simply accepted that this was how things were, like many other adventurers, and continued to be Heinz's party member.

But the final crack was one particular request the party received.

That request was to capture a Vampire and a Dark Elf witch who had succumbed to his temptations and given birth to a Dhampir. It was an unusual request, but when they actually accepted it, they quickly succeeded in completing it.

The witch's archery and magic were no match for them, and the Vampire was nowhere to be found. Heinz thrust his sheathed sword into her stomach and that was the end of it.

They received their reward and put that town behind them.

However, after completing that request, Heinz began to brood upon his thoughts often and say things that Riley couldn't understand.

Riley had a bad feeling about it, but he remembered how Heinz had done the same when he had just become an adventurer after cutting down a pregnant female Goblin. Riley forced himself to believe that Heinz would overcome it like before.