The Price of Becoming a Hero

"How was your night, Lord Veil Nas?" Eliyi spread a slice of bread thick with butter at the dining table, then respectfully offered it to the elven grand duke, Veil Nas.

"Not bad..." Veil Nas combed his long golden hair as his mismatched eyes gazed toward the roses blooming in the courtyard. His slender, pale hands accepted the bread handed to him by the merchant Eliyi.

White cream coated his pale lips, and the maids responsible for waking Veil Nas had already prepared hot towels to wipe the stains from the grand duke's face.

"Although he performed well last night... I don't think he can drive back the undead monsters outside the city on his own..." Veil Nas extended his right hand, and the maids hurriedly began arranging the grand duke's appearance for the day.

One luxurious garment after another was taken from the enormous wardrobe, while gemstones of every color were brought from their cases for the grand duke to choose from.

"Emeralds aren't suitable for today's occasion. Citrine is far too tacky..." Veil Nas commented on every gemstone the maids presented to him.

"I know Tiadam, a mere bandit, has no ability to drive back those monsters. But he is still a descendant of the Hero." Eliyi's merchant instincts stirred once more. "Just imagine it: the hero you sponsored saves a crumbling old city in his very first appearance, slaying tens of thousands of undead monsters with a single stroke. Then the rescued people offer him garlands and olive branches, chanting the Hero's name. What a magnificent sight that would be."

"Mm-hm..." Veil Nas nodded at the clothes in the maid's hands. "This one..."

Eliyi struck while the iron was hot. "Once Tiadam gains the name of Hero, then under the pretext of the Hero's campaign against the Demon King, you, Lord Veil Nas, can rightfully return to Dimil Riago with the aid of the Northern Old Gods. You will no longer have to remain in this city cursed by the Rosakavin Curse. You can breathe fresh air deeply, without ever having to guard against sudden attacks by those monsters again. You can..."

"Wait~ What did you just say?" Veil Nas finished changing and turned toward Eliyi. "I didn't catch that. Could you say it again?"

"Of course..." Eliyi began. "This time, driving back the monsters will be your..."

"All right, I understand—"

Before Eliyi could finish, Veil Nas cut him off. The golden-haired, heterochromatic-eyed elven noble stood before the mirror and twirled his long skirt. "As for the details of the Hero driving back the monsters outside the city, please discuss them with Teacher Dilanna. Right now, I have something more important to do than talk with you..."

"May I ask, what is this matter of yours...?"

"Hm? Does a mere human have the right to inquire about my affairs?" Veil Nas glanced contemptuously at Eliyi in the mirror. "Dilanna's room is at the end of the corridor to the right after you leave... Now get lost—"

"In that case—" Eliyi removed his hat and respectfully bowed to Lord Veil Nas. "Then I shall not disturb your..." His voice had also become somewhat strange and mysterious.

"Strange..." Veil Nas turned around, only to find that Eliyi had already left the room. "...Was it... just my imagination? Why did that merchant seem a little different for that brief moment?"

The bright corridor was filled with birdsong and flowers. As the residence of an elven grand duke, it was barely acceptable. Towering trees intertwined to form the corridor's railings and roof, datura flowers and bindweed climbed along the railings, and light brown roses slowly bloomed beneath the sunlight.

"A rich man's estate really is nice..." Tiadam sat sideways on a railing made of vines, his left arm resting against the trunk of a great tree. Sunlight struck his red hair, reflecting pale orange streaks. Tiadam deeply inhaled the air in the courtyard. It was sweet, fragrant, tranquil, and relaxing.

"I really wish I could live somewhere like this for the rest of my life." Tiadam spoke from the heart.

"Um..." Unlike Tiadam's relaxed state, Denolan was quite worried. "The Forest Elves said... someone was waiting for us here. Could that person be the owner of this estate? They're not planning to do something to us again, are they...? I always feel like they have bad intentions..."

"Brother, you're overthinking it—" Tiadam said breezily. "Those Forest Elves are actually pretty nice. They're just a little willful and mischievous sometimes. If you get the chance to spend more time with them, you'll understand."

"Uh... R-Really...?" Denolan asked doubtfully.

"You'll know once you try—" Tiadam gave Denolan a thumbs-up.

"Seeing you two so relaxed puts me at ease..." Dilanna was pushed over from the other end of the corridor by Eliyi. Traces of age adorned the mage's silver hair, yet despite her old age, she remained full of vigor beneath the sunlight. Her kindly appearance made her seem like a holy mother blessing the world.

"M-Mage..." Denolan hurriedly stood when he saw Dilanna arrive.

"Oh~ So it was you..." Tiadam's face, however, showed disdain. "So you arranged all this... Archmage Dilanna..."

Tiadam shakily rose from the ground. "Is this your property too?"

"Please don't misunderstand—" Dilanna smiled at Denolan. "I am not the owner of this estate. I was invited here as a guest as well."

"The person you mean is...?" Denolan asked.

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching for the author. It may have simply been renamed!

"The elven grand duke—Lord Veil Nas." Eliyi's expression was perfectly natural, without the slightest hint of anything unusual. "Lady Dilanna, Lord Veil Nas, and I held a very pleasant discussion regarding the refinement of Dragon Blood. Lady Dilanna will be fully responsible for refining the Dragon Blood, while Lord Veil Nas will provide her with an endless supply of materials. As for you two... you will promote our products under the name of Heroes."

"H-Heroes..." Denolan looked at Tiadam skeptically. "You're actually a Hero?"

"I'm not a Hero..." Tiadam said, leaning against the tree trunk. "I'm merely the Hero's descendant. The blood of the first Hero just flows through my body..."

Denolan said, "Then Ocast is..."

"He's my cousin." Tiadam's expression was somewhat complicated. "We're relatives, but I don't like that guy one bit."

"Since you're the Hero's descendant... does that mean... we're going to defeat the remaining two Demon Kings...?" Denolan asked.

"Defeating Demon Kings is still far too distant. Your most urgent task right now is—saving Canfor, which is surrounded by undead monsters." Eliyi went straight to the point. "As long as you two win this first battle of driving back the monsters, leave everything that comes afterward to us."

"Uh... But those monsters..." Denolan did not know how to phrase it. "Are the two of us supposed to deal with them alone? Won't you... stay nearby...?"

"No—" Eliyi declared loudly. "From the Forest Elves to the Red Dagger Guild, to mages, witches, and martyrs, not a single person in all of Canfor will help you—"

"Then... isn't that just sending us to... die...?" Denolan's eyes went blank. "Those are monsters! We're just ordinary people! How could we possibly deal with them?! You people are insane—you want us to die!"

"It isn't sending you to your deaths, but... tempering you..." Dilanna's true nature slowly revealed itself. "A Hero must possess the resolve to die and the ability to stand against everything alone. If you cannot even handle monsters like these... then why should we sponsor you?"

"B-But they aren't just one or two monsters... There are groups of them, groups!" Denolan's voice trembled, growing hysterical. "And... and what if the two of us fail...? You..."

"We will leave Canfor through a teleportation array—" Archmage Dilanna said. "But the residents of Canfor's lower district will become the undead monsters' first course. Then those lower-district residents will become monsters and attack the ordinary residents of the upper district, the Red Dagger Guild, and the low-ranking clergy of the Ouston Church. Finally, they will come for the witches and mages who fail to escape in time..."

"What do you mean..." Denolan fell to his knees. "You..."

"It means... the lives of everyone in Canfor are in your hands..." Eliyi's smile became grim and horrifying. "The upper-class human nobles led by Lord Yetara, along with the Forest Elves led by Grand Duke Veil Nas, will leave Canfor the moment the undead monsters break through the divine miracle known as the Holy Wall. If you fail, the remaining humans will become food for the undead monsters, who will then ravage other cities until they are purified or the world is destroyed."

"Then..."

"What else do you want to ask, Denolan?" Eliyi slowly approached the man kneeling on the ground. "Do you want to ask why we are placing the lives of an entire city like Canfor on the shoulders of one Hero?"

"Because it is worth it—" Archmage Dilanna said kindly. "Heroes are unique beings in this world. In order to produce Heroes, create Heroes, and temper Heroes, even the lives of hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of people are worth sacrificing... because only Heroes can wield the Holy Sword..."

"Y-You lunatics..." Denolan roared. "How can one Hero be more important than the lives of hundreds of thousands of people?!"

"As expected... there is no explaining this principle to a country child like you..." Dilanna looked at Tiadam, who had remained silent beside them. "What about you, child...? Do you intend to become a Hero?"

"Come on—" Tiadam gave a bitter laugh before standing from the railing. "Do I have any other choice now? Other than wiping out those disgusting undead monsters, what else can I do?"

"B-But..." Denolan, still kneeling on the ground, could not help saying, "We're just ordinary people..."

"What ordinary people?" Tiadam viciously kicked Denolan in the ass. "I'm a Hero now—a Hero who saves the world—so don't lump me in with mortals."

"But..." Denolan wanted to say something else, but Tiadam abruptly hauled him up.

"I was originally hoping you could carry me back, but... no choice. I'll take the loss and carry you back." Tiadam slung the trembling Denolan over his left shoulder. "Kid, you'll be following me from now on. You can't be this cowardly. A few undead monsters made your legs go weak. If we ever have to defeat a Demon King in the future, won't you die of fright?"

"But... are you sure you can drive back those undead monsters...?"

"I'm sure—" Tiadam shouted. That courageous voice no longer seemed meant for Denolan, Eliyi, or Dilanna, but came from deep within his heart. He was singing, roaring, taking the burden of being a Hero upon himself before the world.

"Really...?" Denolan asked again.

"Really! Really!"

"Really—?"

"Really—because I am the Hero!" Tiadam shouted.