Chapter 4
The Story of the Hero and the Demon Lord
The next morning, at Red & Rit’s Apothecary.
“—And then, Ms. Ruti defeated the gem beast,” Tisse said, reverence in her voice. “That’s Ms. Ruti for you.”
The store was closed today, but we’d given up our day off to handle all the orders coming in from clinics treating the sickness.
“I was just as surprised when I heard the story from Harmon yesterday. Defeating a gem beast alone like that is incredible,” I said.
“Were you worried about her?” Tisse asked.
“Of course I was worried!”
“Then perhaps you can understand how we felt when we heard about you fighting Demis.”
“I know, I’m sorry.” I bowed my head apologetically.
Tisse and Rit both smiled at that.
“Ms. Ruti and Torahime have not come back since then.”
“They investigated the gem beast’s corpse, and from what Harmon said, they found something they wanted to look into.”
“Is that so?”
“I don’t know any details myself…,” I admitted. “Harmon relayed their message, but they couldn’t really share the specifics of our situation or the secrets of the world with him.”
“That is true… Regardless, it is a happy feeling seeing Ms. Ruti choose to act on her own without any input from the rest of us,” Tisse said warmly.
“Feeling a little lonely?”
“Yes, just a little… But I have my own goal, too.”
“A goal?”
“For when the medicinal plantation gets bigger. I was thinking it would be nice to provide a place for the Assassins Guild’s operatives to work while they recuperate.”
“Ahh. That’s a nice idea.”
“Assassins have a difficult job, and it weighs heavily on many people’s hearts. By making a place for them here—in the Zoltan that I love, where they can live peacefully during times like that—perhaps I would lose fewer comrades.”
It seemed even Tisse had found a goal for herself in Zoltan.
“Well, being a former Hero and former heavenly king, they should be fine even if the demon lord shows up.”
“I suppose so.”
I’d never seen Torahime go all-out in a fight, but putting it in human terms, a heavenly king of the demon lord’s armies would be capable of crushing an army a million strong. Demis had presumably created the heavenly kings’ blessings to recreate the life of the first Hero who fought himself rather than lead an army.
“Hehe, that’s an interesting pairing,” Rit said. “I bet it would give Demis a migraine.”
“Hahaha.”
Of course, God wasn’t as human as that. But it was still fun to think about and laugh.
“Moving onto other matters, I came here because I received an important message.”
“Oh?”
Tisse had also been laughing with us, but she suddenly looked serious.
I had just assumed she was here to ask about Ruti. We had sweets out on the table, and she was already on her second cup of tea. It certainly didn’t seem like she had some urgent task.
“I ran into Madam Offler on my way here.”
“Madam Offler… Then does that mean…?”
“It seems she has completed the designs for your dress and suit. I will look after the store for you, so why don’t the two of you go to see them?”
Rit and I took Tisse up on her kind offer and headed out to Madam Offler’s store.
The neighborhood was quiet due to the disease going around…or, no, I guess it was always like this on cold days.
“We’re closed today and people can’t get hand warmers, so everyone’s staying inside,” Rit explained.
Loggervian heaters started giving off heat as soon as the reagents were combined, so you couldn’t stock up on them like you could with medicine. Technically, if you used magic to isolate it from the surrounding air, it should be possible to make one that only started heating up when you needed it to…but anything more than a brief delay and it would be more efficient to just warm yourself with magic.
“This disease is troublesome, but it’s not so bad that it would shut down all activity around town. Seasonal illnesses like goblin fever and white-eye are a lot more dangerous.”
“It’s really infectious, though.”
Even if Taraxon failed to eradicate the flowers, it wasn’t really a deadly problem. But if it was possible to get rid of the disease entirely, then that would be best.
“…It’s just…,” I murmured.
“Hm? What is it?” Rit peered over at me. “You’re making a strange face.”
“I just feel a bit conflicted.”
What sort of face am I making?
My thoughts were a little confused, and it seemed like I was smiling faintly.
“Taraxon, Shisandan, Ruti, Torahime, Yarandrala… Everyone’s got so much to think about, and they’re doing things all over the place. Meanwhile, we’re on our way to the tailor to get ready for our wedding. It just reminded me that we really are trying to become normal people.”
“…Yeah,” agreed Rit. “I think the old me definitely would have gone with Ruti.”
Demon Lord Taraxon was here. It was a huge incident…and yet, Rit and I weren’t in the center of the action. Even at a time like this, my brain wasn’t in battle mode.
It would have been unthinkable back when I’d been Gideon…but I’d stopped being burdened by the feeling that I had to act whenever something was going on.
Even now, I would fight if I needed to. I had even crossed swords with Demon Lord Taraxon.
But it wouldn’t be by my sword that any battle to change the world would be decided.
It wasn’t long before we arrived at Madam Offler’s Wonderful Clothes.
It had gotten cold recently, so there were a couple of groups of customers picking out winter outfits. Madam Offler looked busy dealing with them all by herself.
“Welcome, come in!” she called out.
Rit and I gestured to say we were fine waiting, and Madam Offler bowed her head apologetically.
“Business sure is booming,” I said to Rit.
“Maybe it’s because her store is on the higher end, but there’s usually only one, sometimes two small groups of customers when I stop by. It’s nice seeing it so busy.”
“I wish more people knew about this place. Her clothes are tough, so they make good work outfits, too.”
We chatted as we looked at the clothes, waiting for Madam Offler to be free.
“That’s right! You have a good eye! The embroidery is a must!”
Her operatic voice carried clearly throughout the store.
Other customers seemed to be interested and glanced over, listening to her explanation.
Time ticked by as we waited, and Rit and I chatted aimlessly as we perused, enjoying this moment of doing nothing.
I felt like this was just another part of a happy life.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“It’s no problem,” Rit said with a smile. “Red and I were having an enjoyable chat surrounded by all these lovely clothes.”
Apparently, Rit felt the same way I did.
“So…you finished the designs?”
“Yes. I believe these outfits will suit your wedding nicely, but let me know what you think!”
Ms. Offler pulled out a sketchbook from behind the counter and opened it up for us.
““Oooh!””
A white dress and tuxedo—standard for a wedding, but Madam Offler’s incredible attention to detail was clear in the design. They were both gorgeous!
“Rit!”
“Mhm, these are wonderful!”
I could see Rit standing in front of me in a white dress.
I think I felt my heart skip a beat.
Rit hid her grin behind the bandana around her neck.
“Good. I’m glad you like them… Your lives have been filled with adventure and excitement, as well as many joys and hardship. It almost feels like a miracle that, with everything you’ve been through, you would be getting married here in Zoltan.”
Madam Offler was right. Rit and I had both had many branching paths in our lives. I don’t know what the odds were that in all of that, we would both give up being heroes and settle down in peace here in Zoltan.
Or that we would reunite and fall in love…
“Being such a miraculous event, I thought it best to go with a more traditional design so everyone at your wedding will know at a glance that you are the happy couple that’s about to get married!”
Rit and I looked at each other and started laughing, unable to contain our joy.
I felt truly blessed in that moment.
“I’m so glad we came to you for this, Madam Offler. Rit and I would love it if you would make these clothes for our special day.”
“Of course. Leave it to me!” she said reassuringly.
After that, we left the shop and stopped by the church and a few other stores to let them know when the clothes were expected to be done. We’d taken another step in our preparations.
The wedding would be two months and sixteen days from now.
All we had to do up until then was follow the schedule.
Right when spring came, we would reach another goal of our journey together…
It was already dark by the time we returned home.
The light was on in the shop, meaning Tisse must still be there.
I’ll have to apologize to her…
“We’re back. Sorry we’re so late.”
“Welcome back, Red, Rit.”
“Welcome home, Big Brother.”
“You were gone longer than expected, so we have made ourselves comfortable.”
“Ruti and Torahime! You’re back?!”
It wasn’t just Tisse inside—Ruti and Torahime were there, too.
“I heard you defeated a gem beast… That was a shock. Everything all right?”
“Yeah. Fortunately, we made it in time, so there were no casualties.”
I had meant it as a question of whether Ruti had gotten hurt, but she had taken it to mean whether she’d been able to save the others.
By quitting as the Hero, I felt like Ruti had become a true hero.
“Good job. But I was asking because I was worried about whether you got hurt.”
“Oh… No, I wasn’t injured at all.”
“That’s good.”
But there was something I wanted to let Ruti know, just for her:
No matter what, I’ll always be on the side hoping for your happiness.
“So what were you investigating?” Rit asked Torahime.
“Ruti and I were investigating the meaning behind the gem beast’s presence there.”
“The meaning…? It escaped the ancient human ruins, didn’t it?”
“It certainly did. However, why did it escape now, and why did the ancient humans create something so dangerous…?”
“You don’t think they created it to efficiently raise the Hero’s blessing level, like the ogrekin with multiple blessings?” I asked.
“It’s too strong for that.” Torahime shook her head. “It has too many abilities that would be unnecessary if it were fodder for the Hero.”
“I suppose that’s true…”
Then why?
“The gem beast is a logger,” Ruti said confidently.
“Huh?”
Rit and Tisse both cocked their heads.
But…I understood.
“When we fought it the first time, I wondered what it used all the energy it got from consuming those jewels and creatures for…as well as what an iridescent ruby even is and why we got one from the gem beast.”
“Mhm. You’re on the right track, Big Brother. The gem beast exists to gather fuel for the ancient ruins. The legendary iridescent ruby is what fuels the facility.”
The reason that gem beast had appeared at the Wall at the End of the World was because Ruti, Shisandan, and I had wrecked the ruins, depleting their energy. And the reason one had shown up at the gem mine now was because the fight with Demis had done the same thing.
“We got an iridescent ruby from the gem beast’s corpse again this time. Using that, it was possible to restore some of the functions of the ruins.”
“You restored the ruins? Why?”
“To investigate Taraxon’s goal. Based on what Harmon told us about Taraxon’s movements, he’s been on a journey helping people in need while gathering the Hero’s artifacts. It isn’t a demon lord’s journey so much as a hero’s journey.”
“So that’s what he’s doing. I didn’t sense any malice when I spoke with him, either.”
“Torahime and I discussed it, and the conclusion we came to is that having been defeated as the demon lord, Taraxon has gone back to the natural state of the Asura. So if we can find out more about the actions of the ancient Asura who fought as heroes against Demis and the demons to recover the soul of the first Hero, we might be able to understand Taraxon’s goal.”
They’d figured all that out just from the gem beast… Ruti and Torahime really were amazing.
“That’s great. So did you find out anything?”
“Yes. Living as long as I have, I know more about the ancient humans’ technology than people do,” Torahime said, continuing off from Ruti. “Those ancient humans were incredible. Even as a member of the opposing side, I cannot help but feel awe. I could not begin to guess how many millions of books would be needed to record all the information stored in those ruins… However, we were able to find the information we needed.”
“And…?”
“The goal of the Asura is to annihilate Divine Blessings. Their method of doing so is to usurp the bond that links Demis to this world.”
“Usurp the bond…?”
“What Taraxon did by killing Demon Lord Satan and stealing his power, they intend to do to Demis.”
“They want to defeat Demis? I don’t know how strong the demon lord was, but they live in this world, too… That seems impossible.”
“Defeating Demis physically would of course be impossible. Instead, they are trying to become gods themselves…thereby robbing the people of their faith. If they can make every human believe they have no need for God’s Divine Blessings so long as there is an Asura Hero, then Demis will lose the bond that allows him to intervene in this world.”
“So they want to replace God with hero worship?”
“As for whether that’s possible…it seems even the ancient humans did not know. They were unable to make it a reality in the end, as hero worship was wiped out when the ancient humans became completely dominated by the battle between the Hero and the Demon Lord.”
Torahime exhaled, then continued.
“Humans are a fearsome species. They surpassed God’s expectations with the power of the true demon lord, and then when they lost that power, they did it once again through knowledge and inheritance. I can understand how even Demis had no choice but to eradicate humanity once.”
“As a modern human, these stories of ancient humanity don’t quite feel real,” Tisse said with a shrug. “But if Taraxon’s goal is to carry that plan out now, then it aligns with the actions of the Asura.”
“Even usurping the demon lord and attacking Avalon?” Rit asked dubiously.
“If they were trying to recreate the legend of the previous Hero, then that could also be explained.”
“What do you mean?”
“Unlike this generation, the previous Hero did not emerge until after the world was dominated by the demon lord. The Hero destroyed the demon lord and built a new empire, imposing order over a world that had lost the single unifying government holding it together.”
“So the plan was that, after Taraxon ruled the world as the demon lord, a different Asura would emerge as the Hero to defeat him and build their own empire!”
“However, his war as the demon lord failed, so now he has returned to his old plan, traveling the world and saving people equipped with the relics only the true Hero should be able to wield. If his goal in doing that was to guide humanity away from Demis, then it would also explain his actions while he was with Harmon.”
That was Demon Lord Taraxon’s goal.
The world was filled with adventure and battle.
There were people everywhere seeking a hero.
So if a hero without a blessing granted by Demis continued to save them, they would eventually come to rely more upon that hero than God…
“Taraxon and Shisandan are trying to usurp God by becoming the Hero, and they want to eradicate blessings from this world. If they succeed, the first Hero’s soul, which is sealed within my blessing, will also be released,” Ruti said, putting a hand to her chest.
A lot of this was conjecture, but considering everything we had seen the Asura do up until now, it all seemed to fit. Their opposing goals—sowing the seeds of terror as the demon lord while trying to understand human culture as the Hero—had made their actions difficult to understand.
“In that case, Habotan and Torahime should be safe.”
“Safe for now, perhaps, but at some point, he will come to slay us as the Hero,” Torahime said. “I will have to raise Habotan to be strong for that day.”
“You better not lose this time.”
“Of course not… Hehe, it is odd to hear encouragement from a human.”
I figured maybe I should tell Habotan the strategy I’d developed for fighting Asura when I got the chance.
A calm atmosphere settled over the room. If we knew their goal, then it was possible to devise countermeasures. Even Torahime looked visibly relieved.
“Big Brother, someone is coming,” Ruti warned sharply.
Her instincts were telling her this was no normal visitor. Rit and I quickly took up our swords, which had been resting behind the counter.
“Taraxon?”
“Unlikely,” replied Torahime. “It should be impossible for him to slip through my barrier and reach us here.”
Something moved in front of the open door.
My nerves raced.
“Good evening, my beloved ones. I am pleased to be able to meet you like this.”
Huh?
A chill went through my body.
I knew that voice, just as I knew that face.
On the other side of the doorway stood a woman with her eyes covered—Eremite, a cleric we had fought when we’d gone to an island with Tanta’s family last summer. She had worked in the shadows to lure Tanta and his Cardinal blessing to the church.
However, this wasn’t Eremite we were looking at right now.
“Impossible.”
Torahime sank weakly to her knees. She trembled and looked down, as if scared to look up at the woman’s face.
Rit and Tisse didn’t fully understand the situation yet, but they could both sense there was some sort of terrifying presence here.
I glared at Eremite.
“Demis…!”
If you asked me how I knew, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you. But having fought him once, I was sure it was Demis himself inside Eremite.
In the living room of the shop, God, in the form of Eremite, sipped at a glass of water that had been set out on the table. Her expression brimmed with nurturing love.
“Thank you very much. Water is a necessity for the human body. To wet a throat parched dry by selfish desire with cleansing water is an act of virtue.”
“You don’t say.”
I had provided the glass of water out of consideration for Eremite’s body, which had been brought here from the island she’d been on without sleep or rest. Unlike when Van had transformed to have an absurd blessing level of 99, Eremite’s body was simply exhausted.
“You need not be so on guard, Ruti the Hero.”
“I’m not the Hero anymore,” Ruti said, her hand still resting on the hilt of her sword.
“…You seem a lot less distant than when you stole Van’s body,” I said.
Although Demis was still scary, it was just at the level of a fearsomely strong opponent. Even so, his presence had been too much for Torahime—a demon who existed to serve Demis—so she had retreated to the bedroom. There was a good chance she would forget who she was while God was speaking.
“I do not intend to intervene in the world, hence why I avoid doing so on principle. However, there is meaning in providing guidance through this one’s Prophecy skill.”
“…You’re speaking through Eremite’s consciousness?”
It was as if Eremite was translating God’s words and speaking herself rather than us hearing the voice of God directly.
“Why did you appear before us?”
“My beloved ones, all I do is for your sakes.”
“…!”
Ruti’s expression shifted…into a look of intense rage.
“Ruti, this is Eremite in front of us here now. It’s not like the time he stole Van’s body; he’s not interacting with us directly. Even if we attack, Eremite’s the only one who will be hurt… Our swords won’t reach Demis.”
“I know…,” Ruti answered bitterly.
“Guide, my child, your extraordinary wisdom pleases me.”
“Spare us the pretense and tell us what you want.”
“Using nothing but your own wits, you have discovered the ambition of the Asura. Your wisdom has allowed me to extend a hand to you in your endeavor.”
So it was something to do with Taraxon…but what was he trying to say?
“You must protect the disease that you call Asura crown.”
“You want us to protect a disease?”
That doesn’t make any sense.
Demis continued smiling gently with Eremite’s face as he continued.
“This disease is a blade created by the human demon lord of ancient past, who became frustrated by Asura continually challenging him.”
“A blade created by the demon lord…?”
“Yes. The sickness spread by the flower infects people, elves, and Asura alike—yet only in Asura does it provoke violent symptoms and leave behind lethal aftereffects in the respiratory system.”
Was that why it had been preserved in the ancient ruins…the Hero Administration Bureau? It would make sense that studying a weapon created by the demon lord would have fallen under their authority.
“Its nature penetrating Divine Blessings allows people all across the world to become carriers for the disease, leaving Asura with no way to avoid it. ‘Asura crown,’ as it is a crown of thorns for the Asura race.”
“That’s awful…”
Creating a disease to fight the undying, indestructible Asura… Unlike the demon lord’s armies of today, which had invaded by force of arms as intended by Divine Blessings, this reeked of the malice of humans merciless toward their enemies.
“So why are you telling us this?” Ruti stared Demis down, unmoved even after hearing about this atrocity created by the ancient demon lord.
“My beloved Hero, I have always wished to be able to speak with you like this. However, it is better I not convey to you my boundless love while yet you live, so I shall simply answer your question.”
“I think that’s best. Just talking to you makes me keep reaching for my sword.”
It had been a long time since Ruti had unleashed killing intent like this. Mister Crawly Wawly even retreated into Tisse’s hood in fear.
“I should not directly intervene in this world. Nor am I, through my own power, able to eradicate the Asura who have become enemies of God. However, the Asura are also an incredibly powerful enemy of yours. You must protect the Asura crown.”
“What?”
“Carry their seeds throughout the world and eradicate the Asura.”
He’s telling us to spread a disease?
“You gotta be—”
But before I could finish, Eremite slumped to the table like a lifeless doll.
“He just left as soon as he said what he wanted.”
“That was unpleasant.”
Neither I nor Ruti made any effort to hide our disgust as we glared at Eremite, who was sleeping in front of us.
“Now, now, I understand how you feel, but there’s no point getting angry at Eremite, is there?” Rit said, taking Eremite’s arm and checking her pulse. “Mhm, she’s just unconscious.”
Rit gently shook Eremite’s shoulder and called her name.
“…Nhn. I fell asleep?”
“You’re awake now. Are you all right?”
The moment she heard Rit’s voice, Eremite stopped moving.
“Where am I? What are your intentions capturing me now, after all this time?”
Hey, God! Did you just use her body and leave without explaining anything?
I really couldn’t bring myself to like Demis.
Late that night, at Red & Rit’s Apothecary.
““Haaaah.””
Rit and I both yawned.
Torahime and Habotan were in the bedroom, and Eremite was sleeping on the sofa in the living room. The rest of us were sitting in chairs out in the yard looking up at the night sky.
Being in the presence of Demis had caused serious psychological damage to Torahime, so Habotan was sleeping with her until morning. Apparently, Mink was doing much better.
“Could you ever have imagined Eremite sleeping in our house?” I asked Rit.
“Of course not.”
We shared an awkward smile.
Eremite had been terribly exhausted when she’d been freed from Demis. It had been bad enough that we’d worried she might collapse and die out on the road if we made her leave. Demis sure was an irresponsible god, leaving a pious follower like Eremite in that state.
Or maybe he’d just known Rit and I would take care of her.
“…I…,” Rit started. “I don’t like the idea of spreading a disease. If Taraxon wants to get in the way of our happiness, then we can fight him head-on and kick his butt. But as a swordswoman, I can’t think of anything more embarrassing than defeating him by spreading a disease to everyone in the world!”
“I think so, too… But…”
“But what?”
Rit looked surprised to see me hesitating.
“On a personal level, I absolutely don’t want to do this. I’m an apothecary, so I could never agree with something like spreading a disease. It doesn’t sit right with me and seriously pisses me off.”
“Then why are you hesitating?”
“I know my answer…but what about everyone else?”
“What do you mean?”
“If we don’t do anything about the Asura, there may end up being another war that envelops the world like this last one with the demon lord’s armies. Thinking about all the people who would die in that war, who could otherwise be saved by a disease with such a low mortality rate, I’m sure some of them think it would be worth it.”
“So…are you saying you’ll spread the disease?”
“No, my answer’s still the same: We should eradicate it.”
“Then why are you hesitating…?”
“I’m hesitating over whether we should be the ones making this decision.”
It was a choice that would change the future of the world. That was why Demis had intervened, even if only verbally. The Asura were acting as heroes now, but their fight to overturn the very foundations of this world—one built upon the existence of Demis—would eventually involve every living person.
“Big Brother, dinner’s ready.”
Ruti and Tisse brought out bread, stew, and salad. They had kindly offered to make dinner tonight.
“Thank you.”
The meal they’d prepared was simple but warming. Sitting out in the yard like this, that heat was especially gratifying.
Once she’d finished her stew, Ruti spoke up.
“I won’t spread the disease. I don’t want to involve innocent people all over the world in a fight between Demis and the Asura.”
“I figured you’d say that.” I smiled and patted Ruti’s head. “What about you, Tisse?”
“I am an assassin, so I will kill by striking from the shadows or using poison. However…” Tisse paused, then continued in an emphatic tone. “Involving unrelated people would make me a failure as an assassin. Assassins kill only their targets. We may have an evil blessing used to end lives, but that is all the more reason why we must retain our dignity. I do not think there is anything more evil than spreading a disease that will plague people forever just to continue killing Asura.”
I’d figured Tisse would say that, too. In fact, probably all of my friends would.
“Thanks for dinner. It was delicious.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I am glad you enjoyed it.”
Ruti and Tisse smiled happily at the compliment.
It was such a happy scene.
But if we were weaker, if this moment could easily be taken from us and you asked me if I had any regrets after losing everything…
No, even then, I still wouldn’t choose to spread it.
At the end of the day, my hesitation wasn’t about what I would do in my position; it was about whether I had the right to make a choice that would affect the lives of people whose names and faces I didn’t even know.
“Hmm? Thanks, Mister Crawly Wawly.”
Mister Crawly Wawly was swaying gently on top of my hand. I rubbed his tummy a little, and he shook happily.
He’s a kind spider.
“Maybe I should take a bit of a walk.”
I thought it might help clear my head a little.
“Mind if I come, too?” Rit asked.
“Of course not.”
“Me too,” Ruti added.
“Sure, let’s go for a walk together.”
“Understood. Mister Crawly Wawly and I will watch things here, so please enjoy yourselves.”
“Thanks, you two.”
Mister Crawly Wawly hopped up and down energetically as if to say, “Leave it to us!”
The winter night sky was clear, and the two moons bathed the town in a cool light.
We walked leisurely down a path between trees and meadows, away from the residential downtown area and any houses.
“It sure is quiet tonight.”
“Mhm. It’s peaceful.”
“I feel like it’s been a little while since I took a walk with you and Rit like this, Big Brother.”
“I guess it has, now that you mention it.”
“Everyone’s made lots of friends since coming to Zoltan.”
We were walking together, but we were all living our own lives. I had my friends, Rit had hers, and so did Ruti. Even though we were close to one another, it seemed like lately, we had all started walking different paths with other people more often.
“But you’re the most important person to me, Big Brother. And you’re my dear friend, Rit.”
“Thanks. And you’re my precious, irreplaceable little sister.”
“I never would have thought we’d get along this well back when you were the Hero,” Rit said to Ruti.
“Yeah. I hated you back then.”
“And now?”
“…I love you.”
Hearing that, Rit excitedly wrapped Ruti in a hug.
…I’m so happy.
“Nice night for it.”
A voice came from the darkness.
We immediately spread out and prepared to draw our swords if needed.
“Shisandan!!” Rit shouted.
“Who would have ever thought we would meet again like this on a night in Zoltan? Life is full of pleasant surprises.”
Shisandan had discarded the guise of Bui and was facing us in his natural Asura form.
Did we miss him entering town after Torahime collapsed…?!
“I heard you’re getting married.”
“…”
“Do you not think I deserve an invitation? I had a hand in the two of you meeting, after all. Maybe I should offer a few words of congratulations as well.”
“Okay, I see you came to pick a fight,” Rit retorted. “In that case, I’d be happy to provide the beating you’re clearly after.”
She drew her sword and took her stance, ready to move at a moment’s notice. However, Shisandan didn’t touch any of the six swords at his waist. He merely crossed his arms and stood there calmly.
“You’re here alone? Taraxon’s not with you?”
“Yes. This was my own decision. I respect Lord Taraxon, but I am capable of deciding for myself what to do. Unlike the demons who submit to the demon lord.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it a wise decision, though. Do you really think you can win against all three of us?”
Ruti didn’t have her sword, but she did have an easily concealed dagger intended for self-defense, which she drew. I unsheathed my sword as well.
“Don’t be so hasty. I’m after the Sacred Avenger.”
“The sword, huh?”
“It wasn’t in the ruins. You took it and hid it, didn’t you, Gideon?”
“You investigated the ruins?”
“I was surprised by what I saw. I would very much like to hear the details of what exactly happened down there.”
“I have no intention of telling you, or of handing over the sword.”
“If you’ve explored the ruins, then you should know full well that sword was made for us Asura,” Shisandan said, spreading his arms wide.
It was true: The first Hero had been an Asura.
But I could still confidently rebut him.
“You’re wrong. That holy sword was made for the first Hero, not for you.”
“I see…”
Shisandan drew his swords.
“You really think you can win like this?”
“I intend to fight as a true Asura Hero,” Shisandan answered without hesitation.
He grinned fiercely.
Seeing his bold stance, I…
“…Rit, Ruti.”
“Red, how should we do this?”
“Wait… Let me fight him alone first.”
“Huh?!”
Rit and Ruti looked at me in shock.
“Why purposely choose to fight him one-on-one?”
“I can’t really say…but if it looks like I’m going to lose, then help me out.”
“…I don’t know why you want to do this, Big Brother.”
Ruti was at a loss.
Even I thought something like this was uncharacteristic of me.
“I just feel like, every once in a while, it might be good to swing my sword out of emotion.”
And so, I faced Shisandan alone.
“How unexpected. I never took you for the type.”
“Yeah… I guess I changed my mind seeing you willing to face near-certain death without hesitation.”
I slowly inhaled.
It was a relatively low-stakes fight; if I ended up in danger, Rit and Ruti would help me out, and if I cut down Shisandan and killed him, he would just be reborn. Even if it was a battle of life and death, it wouldn’t be the end for either of us no matter who won.
“…!”
I made the first move, charging straight in.
“Hmph!”
He easily blocked my attack.
I parried his counter on my return swing, then thrust at the opening in his defense…but it didn’t reach, the result of the shorter length of my bronze sword and our height difference.
“Gah!!”
One of Shisandan’s blades pierced my right shoulder. I pulled my sword back to block the follow-up attack, but I couldn’t put enough strength into it with my wound and was knocked backward to the ground.
“Red!!”
“Is that all you’ve got?”
“Dammit… Haah, haah…”
I took an Extra Cure potion from my pouch and drank it. The expensive consumable immediately closed the wound on my shoulder.
“Just stop this. You’re no match for me as you are now.”
There was an exasperated tone to Shisandan’s voice.
He’s right. It’s a bit late now, but I didn’t think I’d hesitate this much.
My wound had healed, but the pain remained… I could still remember the burning sensation of his blade sliding in.
My hesitation had almost gotten me killed.
“…My eyes are open now.”
“Oh?”
“Let’s change locations, Shisandan. I’ll take you to where I hid the sword.”
“Big Brother?!”
Ruti’s confusion was understandable. But my doubts had cleared.
“…What are you planning?”
“I have no intention of handing over the sword. I just want to fight you using my full strength.”
“That’s quite unlike you…although humans undergo extraordinary change in certain moments.”
I walked ahead confidently, Rit, Ruti, and Shisandan following behind.
I led us to a nice little hill that looked out across Zoltan. There was a boulder on the hill, and I moved it aside and took out a box.
“…I can’t believe you would hide it in such an unguarded location.”
Shisandan was speechless. There was something funny about that, and I let out a laugh.
“This sword has had that same unchanging view deep in those ruins for however many thousands of years now. But from here, it can watch Zoltan changing with the times, right?”
“What…are you saying?”
I took the sword in my hands.
“You can’t use the Sacred Avenger. It’s the sword of a Hero.”
“You’re sure about that?”
I took a bottle of wild elf medicine that lowered one’s blessing level from my pouch and drank it all in one gulp.
Yep, still tastes terrible.
“Hah…”
The sensation of my Guide blessing faded, and the strength of the sacred sword flowed into me.
“Impossible! This is impossible!!”
“Some places you can only reach by experiencing doubt.”
Shisandan was flustered. My mind, however, was perfectly clear.
In that moment, my swordsmanship reached the highest pinnacle of my life.
“My answer is unchanged. I will live a peaceful life here in Zoltan. That is my purpose in fighting—and in living.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying…but that power is the strength of the true Hero… You’re not an Asura, so how can you wield it?”
“To borrow a quote from the first Hero, ‘If you wish to save someone other than yourself from the bottom of your heart, that is qualification enough.’”
“…Ngh! Raaaaaaaah!!”
Shisandan bellowed and charged at me as I raised the sword. I took the middle stance—the most fundamental of stances and the very first one I’d learned when I’d joined the knights.
I parried Shisandan’s first attack to the left, caught his second attack as he swung his other blade down from above…then scooped it up and blocked his third attack with his own sword. Seizing the opening in his defenses, I ran my sword from his left shoulder down to his side.
It had been an honest exchange of swords, as if we’d been performing a staged battle where we’d planned our moves out together in advance.
“I’ve lost completely…”
Shisandan fell to his knees with a look of total shock. His grip loosened, and all six of his swords clattered to the ground.
“Red!!”
“Big Brother!!”
Rit and Ruti cried out and ran over.
I put the sword back in its sheath and hugged them both.
“Wh-wha—?”
“B-Big Brother?”
“My doubts have cleared. I’m sorry for worrying you.”
I turned to Shisandan.
“Looks like I win.”
“Yes. There is nothing more to say. Humans… You really are fascinating.”
“I really can’t forgive the way you acknowledge people like that and still not hesitate to kill them. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have minded handing over the sword…but I guess if things were different, this whole war wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
“Probably not…”
“The first Hero wasn’t like that; he told us to live in peace. That’s why I won’t give you the sword. You’re not fit to be heroes.”
“…Hah, there’s nothing I can say to that. How many centuries has it been since I felt so completely defeated…? This, too, is an invaluable experience.”
Shisandan held his wound as he spoke, and he almost looked refreshed.
The fight was settled.
“Rit, I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“Huh?”
“You can kill Shisandan for revenge if you want. Or not.”
“You seem even more incredible than usual somehow, Red.”
In that moment, I was complete as a swordsman. It was a perfect balance that I would probably lose come tomorrow. It could even be said that achieving this state, where I felt like I wouldn’t lose to anyone, was the life goal of any swordsman.
“Wait!”
As we heard that sharp voice, a dark shadow leaped out.
With lightning speed, a lone figure cut in between us and Shisandan.
“Taraxon!”
It was the young man I’d met in the mountains… The Demon Lord Taraxon in human form.
“You… You started this whole war!”
“Demon Lord Taraxon…!”
Rit and Ruti faced the man and readied themselves, but Taraxon just looked around at us, not drawing his sword.
“It’s understandable that you are angry. However, even so, please allow me to speak… Would you mind lowering your swords?”
“Why? Asura revive even if they die, don’t they?” Ruti answered sharply.
“Because Shisandan is my retainer. I don’t wish to let him die.”
“You say that now, but you have no qualms killing humans you’ve gotten along with…!” Rit said, glaring at him.
“In exchange, so long as you all live, we will give up on the holy sword. We shall not interfere with your lives.”
“My lord?!”
Taraxon was looking me straight in the eye.
“What proof do we have you’ll keep your word?”
“I swear it on the righteousness of the first Hero.”
He’s serious…
“What now, Rit?”
“…Hah.”
There was a clang. Rit had dropped both her swords to the ground.
It was ritual of sorts she had developed to calm the impulses of her blessing.
“I killed Shisandan in Loggervia. If you two never appear before us again or try to invade the world of humans…then fine.”
“You have my gratitude. We shall abide by our oath.”
Taraxon, king of the Asura, bowed his head deeply to us humans.
“Lord Taraxon… Forgive me.”
“Failure and defeat are opportunities to learn. It has been a hundred years—we should take this time to think carefully about our way of doing things.”
“Yes, sir.”
It’s all over.
But just when I thought that…
“No. That is an immoral decision.”
A voice brimming with kindness and compassion rang out.
“So you’re back, Demis. Sorry, but I’ve already decided not to spread Asura crown.”
Demis had returned, once again using Eremite’s sleeping body.
Showing up like this over and over is really killing the mystery of God.
“It is rather, thus why I believe it best not to intervene firsthand. Direct salvation from God is not love. A golden miracle becomes little more than dull brass when repeated in excess.”
“So you can read minds, too? If you understand that, then why don’t you just leave and never come back?”
“As you are now, you may be able to endure my voice.”
“What?”
The world stopped. The scenery melted away. The only things moving were me…
“This is a surprise! I never imagined I would meet our nemesis here!!”
…and Taraxon, who was shouting wide-eyed.
Something shone above us.
“Don’t look at the sky, either of you! Defend yourselves! It’s coming!!”
The thoughts of the sacred sword rang in our heads.
“Taraxon! Do what it says!”
I held the sword overhead in a defensive stance, careful not to look at the sky.
“Welcome to my world.”
It was a terrible blow. If it weren’t for the sword, I would have been crushed against the ground. Taraxon endured it with gritted teeth.
“This is a gap in time, formed by stretching one second into infinity. It seems my words still contain slightly too much information.”
It eased a little.
The mental strain was unbelievable… The amount of information conveyed in that voice was so great, it could fry a human’s brain.
All this just from hearing his words.
“I appreciate you showing yourself before me, Demis.”
Taraxon transformed into the six-armed, three-eyed Asura king and stood in opposition to God. It was a showdown between God and Asura…
I really wish I wasn’t involved, though.
“No, our battle is for your sake.”
“Why are you dragging me into this?”
“The light of your soul is approaching that of the first Hero. Should you fully awaken as a Hero, you will not only be able to destroy the Asura but also rule over this world as a living god.”
“I see. So whichever side Red takes will alter the fate of the world.”
Demis and Taraxon both just seemed to accept it.
“Don’t involve me in all this. If you want to fight, then you two should just do it yourselves.”
I didn’t know whether “you two” was really how I should be addressing God and the Asura, though.
“If you awaken as a true Hero like the first Hero—rather than those with the sham Hero blessing created by Demis—then that would be a monumental event that would change the world. People everywhere would wish for your guidance.”
“My beloved child, for that reason, you must understand the significance of the battle between myself and the Asura. I have faith you will come to the right decision.”
The two of them just kept talking without any concern for what I thought.
“Life is an infinite journey of birth and reincarnation. The world is unending strife and suffering.”
“Souls continue their journey through that cycle, and in that process, they have the ability to forge a light. Souls that develop such a light escape the cycle of rebirth and arrive in the realm of gods. That is the realm of enlightenment, nirvana, written in the church’s holy scriptures. Though it is not a world of physical joy as they describe.”
“The joy of gods is vajrasukha. It is not something that can be expressed in any words in the human world. All of the lives that continue in the cycle of rebirth are to be pitied. However, the gods do nothing more than watch over their suffering. I did not believe it right to claim to save the lives of the people by keeping the world as it was and merely waiting for a hero to show up.”
“And so, Demis created blessings.”
“Through Divine Blessings, I replicated the life of the Hero who had reached the realm of gods. To that end, I also created an accompanying cast of advisers and the demon lord as blessings. My world should always have been efficient.”
“What arrogance. In order to save one Hero, you condemned everyone else to live side parts where they couldn’t be saved. A world filled with naught but those damned from the moment they are born is sheer folly.”
“No, my love is simply insufficient. Once my world is complete, it will be a place where more souls are saved than any other god’s world.”
“You are a fool, Demis! Do you see now, Red?! You could take the place of this prideful, asinine god to create a world where everyone might be saved.”
“Red, my beloved child. Please believe in my love. A world for the sake of saving one person is more righteous than a world that saves no one.”
You really explained it all in depth for me, huh? In which case, my answer is…
“To hell with both of your choices! I’m getting married to Rit!”
“…What?”
“…Huh?”
God and the Asura king were both perplexed, but I no longer had any doubts. I didn’t need either of their guidance.
“This is my happiness! My reason for fighting! The goal of my journey!”
“Are you sure you’re not simply overwhelmed? This is a decision that will determine the fate of every person who lives in this world.”
“You are the only one whose soul approaches that of the Hero. Please, I ask you to reconsider.”
“My answer’s the same no matter how many times you make me say it! I don’t care about your fight!”
Maybe my shouting drove the point home, because it felt like the pressure bearing down on me from God weakened a bit.
I lowered the sword I’d been holding overhead and stood up straight, my head held high. There was no need for me to cower any longer—not even in the face of God.
“I am going to be married to Rit for all my days, make sure my sister Ruti’s life is filled with happiness, and enjoy spending time with all my friends here in Zoltan. That is my joy and goal in life! You got a problem with that?!”
“Those are not the deeds of a Hero.”
Demis’s voice grew louder, but it didn’t have the power to bend my will. He sounded flustered. It was as if God himself hadn’t expected things to go like this.
Hahaha, this is exhilarating.
“There’s no room for my happiness in the world you’re talking about. All you think about is souls after dying, and nothing about the joy of actual people living in this world right now.”
“What is this power…? Don’t tell me…”
“Neither of you consider people’s happiness while you’re deciding everyone’s fates, so I reject both paths!”
The answer I had come to when I’d been struggling over what to do about the Asura crown was that I didn’t want to make Rit and Ruti sad. That was it. And that was everything to me. If the people I cared about would feel guilty every time they saw someone sick, then I would eradicate Asura crown.
“My life is my own! And the same goes for everyone else! Everyone is fighting to find happiness in this world filled with strife! The fate of the world should be decided by the will of the people living there!” I shouted.
In that moment, a blessing was born inside of me:
Mumyou. “A path without light.”
If the Hero was how a person became a god, then the demon lord was someone who guided them to stay human.
“A Hero’s soul coexisting with the demon lord’s power…”
“How can you possess two contradictory powers?”
Neither of them understood humans at all.
“That’s what it means to be human. You never had to create the Hero and Demon Lord blessings in the first place.” I looked up at Demis and pointed to my chest. “They’ve both been right here all along.”
I knew why a true Hero had never been born through Demis’s method: Because the Hero blessing had only retained the righteousness of the first Hero. He had also struggled and doubted himself, and he’d overcome all of that.
Just then…
“Why?! How?! I do not understand!”
A booming voice echoed around the space.
“Gah, guuuhhh?!?!”
Taraxon groaned. I felt like I would lose consciousness, too…but if I did, my soul would be crushed!
“I loved them! No! I was wrong! I hurt them! It wasn’t supposed to be like this!”
God was doubting himself.
…Ahhh, I see.
Demis was a human who had been called a hero in another world. He had died and become a god, and in his kindness, he’d thought long and hard about how to save as many people as possible. And somewhere along the way, he had forgotten why he’d become a hero in the first place.
I have to stop him… Make him realize…!
“We have to do something…”
“Red, can you use the sacred sword’s power?!”
“I can’t even lift my arms… I can’t swing the sword like this! You’re the Asura king, right?! Is there anything you can do?!”
“I’m doing it already! Is this just how terrifying it is for a god to feel doubt?!”
Closed off in this divine realm, Taraxon and I would both be crushed to nothing if we had to continue listening to God’s lament.
What should I do…?!
“Red…!”
“Big Brother…!”
I heard voices somewhere far away.
“Throw me!”
Sacred Avenger’s shout echoed in my head.
“Taraxon! Lend me your strength!”
“Ngh! Raaaaaaaah!!!”
Taraxon’s magic power pushed back Demis’s voice ever so slightly. Using that brief window, I gathered the last of my strength and launched the sacred blade with all my might in the direction of the voices.
Without the sword’s protection, the burden on my body increased.
But I can’t fall. If I die here…nobody will be saved!
This is the tale of how a hero was saved.
Holding the sacred sword in that world frozen in time, Ruti unleashed the entirety of the Hero blessing inside her.
“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!”
Her scream was so loud, it sounded as if she would rupture her vocal cords. She swung the blade with all her might to save her brother, who she loved more than anything.
The will of the first Hero residing in the sword and the soul of the first Hero sealed within the Hero blessing were united. The sword made by God, the will and soul of the first Hero, and the strength of Ruti the Hero’s demon lord power—everything combined into a single attack that tore through Demis’s realm.
Having used the last of its power, the sacred blade crumbled.
“Ah… Aah…”
Demis’s presence pulled back from the world.
“Try again, and follow any one person’s life from start to finish. The joy and sadness, and the doubt, too. If you can remember what it means to be human…then you should also be able to remember just what it means to be a hero,” Red said to the withdrawing god.
“…”
There was no response.
However, that night, every living creature with a blessing felt a slight sense of comfort, as if they had just been freed.
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