Voice of the Hero

"Hey—how much longer do I have to stay here? I'm a hero, aren't I? What I should be doing now is driving the undead monsters out of the city, not lying on a bed playing games with you. That would disgrace the name of a hero. Don't you agree, big sisters?"

At the inn where Tiadam and Denolan were staying, the maids of the elven grand duke Veil Nas had firmly bound the bandit Tiadam to the bedframe with Mithril wire and blades.

"Hey—at least say something, big sisters..."

"Shut up—" the head maid said quietly. "It isn't your time to act yet... You have to stay here..."

"So you can talk..." Tiadam shot the head maid a sidelong glance. Her blue-black hair looked like ink, while her light brown eyes carried a cold air beneath the room's dim lighting. Her rough hands tightly gripped a Mithril dagger.

Tiadam's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and the maids tightened the Mithril wires in their hands another notch.

"Um... big sisters... I need to use the bathroom..."

"Piss the bed," the head maid said quietly.

Specks of starlight shimmered in the pitch-black night sky. Denolan stood on the Upper District's commercial street, gazing up at the heavens. Around him, Canfor residents knelt in prayer to the High God, while the road leading to Salat Church was packed with people.

"——Messenger of the High God, please descend quickly, descend quickly, and wipe out that evil in one stroke—"

"***?" Denolan murmured. "In just a few hours... the savior had changed from Tiadam into ***?"

Denolan lowered his head and knelt with the believers, singing the newly composed hymn. Although Denolan's parents had never believed in the High God, although Denolan himself had never believed in the so-called High God, although the so-called *** had never appeared in the doctrines of the Ouston Church, still—

He wanted to believe in this so-called deity, even if it had only been fabricated.

"Denolan... if you can... find somewhere safe and hide..." Tiadam's earlier words began echoing through Denolan's mind.

"I... don't even know whether I'm some kind of... hero..."

Tiadam's image resurfaced before Denolan's eyes. The dark red sky had reflected off Tiadam's body, and in that moment, Denolan had actually thought he looked rather like a hero.

"I have no confidence at all about driving back the undead monsters... If you keep hanging around with me... I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from dragging you along to your death..." Tiadam said with a bitter smile.

"If you aren't a hero, then... why not run away with me?" Denolan asked.

"I don't know—" Tiadam's answer was both confused and blunt. "Maybe it's because the blood of the first-generation hero runs through my veins... Or maybe I just don't want to retreat."

"Why?" Denolan asked. "You don't want to retreat... Do you know how terrifying the curse carried by those monsters is? Do you know the misery of being unable to live or die?"

"I don't—" Tiadam let out a soft breath. "But someone has to stand up against the monsters... Since those mages, witches, martyrs, and the rest aren't willing to step forward, since they all just want to flee using teleportation arrays, then—I'll do it."

"Catch—"

As he spoke, Tiadam tossed the pouch at his waist to Denolan. Inside were five Kralimaya Gold Coins and twenty Kralimaya Silver Coins. "I robbed you of a bag of gold coins and two rings before. Consider this compensation—"

"That money and those rings... weren't mine..." Denolan said.

"Fine, then—" Tiadam said as he jumped down from the windowsill. "If I really do drive back the monsters, return the money to me—"

"Tiadam... I-I'm sorry... I'm a coward..." Denolan's hands trembled without stop...

"Um... big sisters, you didn't make things difficult for my brother, did you..." Tiadam glanced out the window.

"No," the head maid said.

"That's good—" Tiadam let out a long sigh. "I was afraid you'd treat that kid the way you treated me. You know country folk can't handle being frightened."

"Quiet—" The head maid's voice grew even colder.

"Fine, then answer one last question, and I'll stop talking," Tiadam said.

"Ask—"

"Did Dilanna and Eliyi send you to escort me because they were afraid I'd run away, and wanted me to drive back the monsters?" Tiadam asked.

"No—"

"Then why are you keeping me pinned down?"

"You've finished asking questions—" The head maid pressed the Mithril dagger against Tiadam's face. "You can shut up now."

"How much longer until those undead monsters break the witch's barrier? I'm getting tired of waiting—" the elven grand duke Veil Nas said, swirling the wineglass in his hand.

"Judging by the situation, another one or two hours..." Yetara, who had just regained his youth, sat with Veil Nas atop the tall building of his estate, watching the monsters invade Canfor.

"XX, have you set up your teleportation array? You're complaining about waiting here." Yetara looked disdainfully at the elven grand duke Veil Nas. This sixteen-year-old boy made the lord feel uncomfortable all over.

"I set up a teleportation array to Alderbu three days ago..." Veil Nas took a small sip of wine. "What about you, Samara? Have you set up your teleportation array?"

"How many times do I have to say it?! Don't call me Samara. I abandoned that name long ago—" Yetara drained his wine in one gulp. "And thank you for your concern. My teleportation array has long been prepared. I hope we never meet again after this!"

"Mmm~ Your answer wasn't elegant at all~" Veil Nas said half-jokingly.

"I wonder what the gods of the north will think when they discover that something so terrible happened in Canfor under your jurisdiction. Will they drag out what happened a thousand years ago as well, add it to your crimes, and make an example of you—"

"Veil Nas, you!"

"I was only joking... Don't take it too seriously—traitor Samara."

"Hehehe—"

Yetara and the elven grand duke Veil Nas exchanged smiles.

"This power couldn't be mistaken—"

At that moment, the slime Talatala and its kin occupied the ruins of Labi Village. The slimes were clearing away sludge and curses. As the yellow-green rotten soil passed through Talatala and its kin, the decaying energy within became part of them, while the soil stripped of that energy turned into ordinary black earth.

"Tatapila, it's been a long time—I thought you were dead?" A massive humanoid spider arrived from the direction of Canfor.

"Honored Webweaver—Lady Risala." Talatala twisted its body and bowed to the enormous humanoid spider. "The Pipitala you mentioned was my father. I am his eldest child, Talatala, and these are my kin. We were ordered by the Demon King to cleanse this village of its curse."

"Memories lingering behind... that truly was characteristic of slimes..." Risala returned Talatala's bow. "I was ordered by the Demon King to lead my kin here and take charge of the repairs."

"Then where is your kin?" Seeing Risala arrive alone, Talatala could not help asking.

"My kin are still hiding beneath Canfor. The decaying power in this forest is simply too strong, and they cannot withstand such immense power. So I came here first to observe your cleanup work and prepare to bring my kin here," Risala replied.

"Please forgive my boldness, but I have a question..." Talatala twisted its form. "Since your kin are still beneath Canfor, who is responsible for the decaying power radiating from the city? Could it be the Demon King personally..."

"Though that decaying power is strong, it has nothing to do with the Demon King. It was produced by the new god manipulating causality, mainly for future plans."

"A new god?" Talatala asked.

"Yes—it is a new god born from within an Ancient One, meant to awaken the other Ancient Ones."

"In that case... thank you for clearing up my confusion..." Talatala twisted its form.

"You're welcome—" Risala returned the gesture.

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