“I’m going back,” said Remia.
The only place for the elf to return was a single location: the great forest stretching around the World Tree, piercing the sky, the hometown of all elves.
“You’re going back to the World Tree?”
“I plan to. I need to fix this, too.”
Remia pointed to her waist, where a bow, snapped in half, dangled. A bow made from the branches of the World Tree. Remia’s treasured bow.
“What? When did it break?”
“If you keep shooting moonlight arrows nonstop, it’s bound to break. While the bow made from the World Tree’s branches is durable, it’s not unbreakable.”
“So, you’re going to the World Tree to fix that?”
“Um, no. Not exactly.”
Remia gestured for me to follow her, and as I moved to the back of the carriage, I saw Kyle inside, fast asleep. The seat opposite him was empty, and Remia continued.
“That seat is for Sara. On the way, we’ll meet with the Royal Guard and receive confirmation of Sara’s identity. The Royal Guard will even provide protection.”
“…Why bring them to the World Tree?”
“It’ll be safest there for protection…”
After a brief pause, Remia continued. “At the roots of the World Tree, there’s a place called the Holy Site. Only the Elf King, Orbel, can enter the World Tree’s origin, and I plan to help the two recover there.”
I had heard of it. There’s a place where all the life of the forest congregates at the roots of the World Tree. I think I heard about the Holy Site from Cardi…
“It seems you’ve taken the liberty to call it the Holy Site. It’s really not a big deal. It’s just the vein of the forest sprawling like a spider’s web and the vitality of the earth…”
I remembered it being something quite significant, contrary to what Cardi stated. Regardless, I tilted my head and asked.
“Since it’s a place only the Elf King can enter, how did you get permission for outsiders?”
“Someone higher than Orbel sent a ‘letter.’”
Someone higher than the Elf King.
Only one person could fit that description. I smirked, realizing my prediction was correct.
“Was it Cardi who asked?”
“Yeah, it seems the great mentor sent a letter. Orbel freaked out and shouted. They said it was the first letter in a few hundred years…”
After that, Remia recounted several stories, summarizing as follows: Upon receiving a letter from his mentor after hundreds of years, the Elf King moved faster than ever.
The Saint, Sara.
The Hero, Kyle Toven.
It was explained that he permitted the two to be treated as guests and to utilize the Holy Site until they fully recovered—an unprecedented act in elven history, according to Remia.
“Anyway, that’s how it is. And on my way back, I thought I’d also fix my bow.”
It was a good development.
I had my share of worries regarding Kyle and Sara’s future treatment, but if it was the great forest, the elves’ hometown, I felt secure. With Cardi’s letter, I felt even more at ease.
“That’s good.”
Muttering this, I glanced at Remia.
Her expression was different than usual. She breathed differently and spoke lightly. In a sense, that was normal… but that ordinary demeanor was special for that ear girl.
“So.”
Thus, I lightly asked.
“What will you do?”
It was a light question, but not one easily answered. However, Remia replied immediately, as if she had decided from the start.
“I will take Sara and Kyle to the World Tree, then return here.”
She said she would come back.
“Because there’s still work left to do.”
“You could retire at this point.”
“If I did, it would be embarrassing.”
Remia shrugged her shoulders.
“I still can’t step back just yet.”
She looked inside the carriage.
Then she looked at me, narrowing her eyebrows slightly as if gazing at something dazzling, and smiled wryly.
“I should try my best until those kids wake up, differently than usual…”
“Differently?”
“To live without shame.”
Pfft., I chuckled.
“Isn’t it a bit late for that?”
“Well, I can’t deny that.”
Remia said as she boarded the carriage.
“Let’s meet again later.”
At that time, on the battlefield, once more.
Muttering that, she got on the carriage. I smiled as I watched her figure. Smiling, I whispered her name.
“Yeah, see you next time, Remia.”
Not the ear girl, but Remia.
It was rare for me to call her by her name, and that fact was best known by Remia herself. She smirked and looked back at me.
“Yeah, Rania…”
“Stop right there.”
I covered Remia’s mouth before she could continue. All the knights were watching, and this dimwitted ear girl…
As I sent her off, I began to walk away. Each person was finding their own path, walking in their own pace, and I also had a path to follow.
For now, I intended to head to the Royal Capital.
—
2.
The formation and dissolution of the unusual front lines.
The large-scale squadrons of beasts, and beyond the mountain range, enormous sword lights witnessed by the knights. That’s where I headed, with the massive tremor from the previous night shaking the ground.
Additionally, there was an official report about the strange phenomena occurring simultaneously. Destel and the Knights Order Leader scrunched their heads together to draft a ‘script’ based on which many reporters wrote numerous articles.
“Once again, the Demon Lord has appeared in ‘the ruins of the Kingdom of Selef’ where the Demon Lord once reigned.”
“Master of the Demon Lord, King of Beasts, known by many names, the long-standing nightmare of humanity has manifested once more.”
The Demon Lord appeared at the ruins of the Kingdom of Selef.
“Beasts flocking to their master.”
“Large-scale emergence of beasts, a calamity sweeping the Royal Capital. Risk of front-line collapse.”
“Flooding beasts.”
Beasts gathered, pouring in after their Demon Lord.
As the tidal wave of beasts threatened to overflow…
“Hero, Kyle Toven.”
“Taking on the Demon Lord alone.”
“The strongest swordsman of humanity.”
Kyle single-handedly stopped the Demon Lord.
Such articles flooded in. Many knights had witnessed the sword strike that shook the ground and split the sky that day. In fact, the remnants of Kyle’s sword strike remained at the ruins of the Kingdom of Selef.
Countless, countless pieces of evidence.
Continued eyewitness accounts.
Statements from Knights Order Leader Heinkel.
With so many factors, it was accepted as canon that Kyle had confronted and successfully repelled the Demon Lord.
The Demon Lord, Master of the Demon Lord.
A being that had reigned as a nightmare over humanity for hundreds of years. It was believed that no one could defy that calamity, yet Kyle repelled it single-handedly. Humanity rejoiced at that fact, and reporters scrambled to their typewriters.
“The strongest sword of humanity strikes the calamity.”
“The sword that cleaved a piece of the sky.”
“The mightiest hero, Kyle Toven.”
“A feat worthy of being called a hero.”
The reporters, as if showing off their eloquence, filled their sentences with the utmost grandiosity available to them, praising Kyle’s achievements. The news of him repelling the Demon Lord and that humanity’s strongest swordsman had once again accomplished a feat made the Royal Capital lively.
However, it didn’t last long.
“Hero, Kyle Toven unconscious.”
“The continuation of the rescue operation, Rania van Trias of the Ashen lineage participating.”
“Rescue successful, but he remains unconscious.”
“Recovery will require a long time.”
“Kyle Toven’s retirement.”
It would have been nice if there were only good news.
But the bad tidings came pouring in as well.
Kyle Toven had fallen. Humanity’s strongest hero was leaving the front lines. This fact led to murmurs here and there.
Three heroes representing this era.
One lost his life, and another fell unconscious to retire. Now only Destel remained, but he couldn’t be a symbol.
The most hero-like hero.
A symbol of victory.
As heroes, each possessing their own symbols, retired at this moment, doomsday prophets began to rear their heads again. But, of course, Uncle Heinkel wasn’t one to let that slide. The Knights Order Leader promptly announced.
“The birth of a new hero.”
I walked through the center of the Royal Capital and picked up a newspaper from the stand.
“The strongest hero, inheriting Kyle Toven’s starlight. A hero already complete.”
“The hero’s name is…”
Looking at the newspaper with a giant photo, I smiled wryly. As I glanced around, I noticed the people strolling on the street had stopped to look at me. While I often garnered glances while walking through the Royal Capital, not to this extent.
They exchanged glances between the newspaper and me. Receiving their stares, I continued walking in silence.
Every step I took crunched the fresh white snow beneath my feet. Looking up at the sky, the snow was falling gently. It wasn’t a fierce snow. Watching the falling snowflakes, I pondered.
It had been two years since I quit the hero party. Two winters had passed, and this winter was drawing to a close. By the time this snow stopped falling, and the accumulated snow melted, spring would be upon us.
The third spring is coming.
Looking back over the past two years, I kept walking. Before long, the familiar tree-lined path entered my view. In spring, it was a path stacked with pink cherry blossoms, but now it was adorned with the white snow.
Crunch, crunch.
Passing through the tree-lined path, I entered Apuria. I then stopped by a café where I had been truly indebted over the last two years and bought a cup of coffee. While preparing the coffee, Allen casually asked me.
“Last one, right?”
“Wow, how did you know, Allen?”
“You’re no longer a professor. You’re not supposed to sell coffee to outsiders. So I won’t charge you for this.”
“Oh, but I’ve got ten stamps on that coupon. Can’t use it anymore, huh? I brought it hoping I could.”
“………”
“I worked hard to collect those.”
“…Just hand it over.”
I ended up coming away with a limited edition tart as well.
Sipping my coffee and munching on the tart, I moved along. Eventually, my steps came to a stop in the principal’s office.
“Welcome, Rania.”
As I knocked and entered, Dean Aaron had bowed his head toward me, and since he had his head down, his balding crown was plainly visible, making me feel a slight twinge of guilt.
…Even Sara couldn’t fix baldness.
“Ah, just call me casually.”
“But still…”
“I’m the one uncomfortable. Not you.”
As I sat on the sofa, I continued.
“The reason I’m here is…”
I pulled out a piece of paper from my pocket.
It was a paper I had filled out once two years ago. Handing it over, I said,
“It seems I need to step down from my professor position due to some matters that have arisen. I’m sorry for suddenly bringing this up.”
“There’s no need to apologize…”
“I said just say it casually.”
“Is there really a need to apologize? I’ve seen the newspapers. It’s an unavoidable situation with something much more important going on.”
Despite my words, Dean Aaron persisted in addressing me formally. It felt somewhat burdensome, but what can you do? That’s what being a hero entails.
“Thank you for everything.”
I smiled and held out the paper.
The paper didn’t contain any rude phrases like ‘I quit because it was awful.’ While I had quit the hero party due to how awful it was, this was different.
Apuria Academy.
Here, while teaching students, I had learned a great deal as well. I had felt a lot during my time as a professor. I had realized, learned, and felt so much that I owed this place.
“I’m glad it was helpful.”
Dean Aaron nodded with a kindly smile. If we parted like this, it would end on a warm note, but regrettably, that wasn’t my intention.
“Ah, by the way, Dean.”
I opened my mouth with a bright smile.
Noticing something off in my cheerful demeanor, Dean Aaron flinched, his shoulders twitching. It seemed he remembered the incidents triggered by my cheerful demeanor.
I’m truly sorry, but they couldn’t be blamed.
“Can I give a lecture before I go?”
“A lecture?”
Caught off guard, the Dean’s formality slipped as he gave me a hesitant look. Half trust, half distrust was mixed in that expression.
Sage, Wise One, and Guide.
I was the one who inherited the Ashen lineage.
And the hero who inherited even the starlight of the strongest hero.
For someone like me to give a lecture, it should be a matter to rejoice for the principal, but given my track record, it seemed to be a cause of concern for him.
“It’s not a big deal.”
“………”
“I really mean it.”
In the end, I secured a spot for a special lecture.
The audience was comprised of the students I had taught. There was something I wanted to impart to them one last time. I planned to call out the particularly marked students for additional classes.
‘…Before I get a bit busier.’
Shouldn’t I water the seeds I had planted?
Before I dove headfirst into the future, I thought I’d take a moment to glance back and catch my breath. The life that Kyle had given me was way too long.
‘Moreover, I still haven’t completed my conquest.’
The time remaining before my conquest was complete.
Before I officially stepped forward as a hero for everyone, I wanted to spend that short time with the students I had taught.
“…Anyway.”
I chuckled as I unfolded the newspaper that I had tucked away. It was the newspaper that was only partially read. I looked at the words beneath the gigantic photo.
“Rania van Trias.”
There lay my name.
And there was a word next to my name that I had never even imagined would attach itself.
“Next Generation Hero, Rania van Trias.”
I quit the hero party.
And then I became a hero.
Of course, there was an enormous gap between quitting and becoming a hero, and countless things happened during that interval, but in the end, if you look at the results, it can be summarized in these two sentences.
I quit the hero party and became a hero.
It’s a truly laughable joke.
Perhaps, things were about to get a bit busier.
