Volume 4 Chapter 24 Choosing a Path
I felt a familiar sensation on my shoulders. A tense, large hand and a thin, long hand were holding onto me. It was a dream that should be impossible, even more so than Lisha.
Why are they here?
I tried to call out their name, but my stuck throat trembled.
"Glaive, Rist——"
'If you're feeling sentimental, Yuusuke, now is not the time. If you're a man, then fulfill what you've decided with all your heart and soul.'
'Besides, it's not a discussion if you only listen to the other person's claims. If you want mutual understanding, you should also communicate your own.'
I can't look back. Even now, the sword of hatred is piercing through my body.
But the loneliness I felt just moments ago was no longer there. Even though the pain hadn't disappeared, my heart was different.
The presence I feel from behind supports me endlessly.
'To be able to exchange words with a demon other than a warrior, who knows what will happen.'
'Hmph, I can't agree with that. It's only natural for there to be voices that hate the Hero, but there should be ten times as many voices praising him. If Yuusuke hasn't received that, then it's nothing but the negligence of the human race. What were the princess and the people of the country doing?'
'Don't say that, Rist. We, who died halfway through our journey, have no right to say anything.'
I knew that Glaive was laughing behind me. Even though I couldn't see his face, my memories told me.
'If you look at it differently, our role has come back to us, even though it should have ended. There's nothing more exciting than this.'
'...As he said, it seems that we're not the only ones who think that way.'
As if to prove those words, a red wind blew around me. Slipping between blades, it became a vague figure.
Even with its ambiguous form, I immediately knew who they were. Traveling together, they were the comrades I had parted ways with. Idols in memories that I would never meet again.
There are many people who have every reason to hate me. And yet, everyone, without exception, exposed themselves to the blades.
The storm of swords was stopped by them, and a path opened before me.
Why?
The words I was about to ask were drowned out by Glaive before they could become a voice.
'Go, Yuusuke! This is our collective will. Don't be afraid, even if it's a long and thorny path, a journey is never lonely!'
'Please go. Even though the Demon Lord has been defeated, it seems we can't be satisfied unless we can move you forward.'
The red figures around me also nodded.
"...Understood, thank you."
Once again, I couldn't see anything. There are those who hate me and those who support me. If I cling to something, I won't be able to see other important things.
Mistakes, wounds, failures. Even now, just like in the past, I crawl forward without changing and I continued to walk through the passage of blades.
What awaited me beyond the darkness was a serene space.
It couldn't be described as wide or narrow, a place where the center was occupied by a chair resembling a gemstone.
There was a man sitting there alone.
The man waved his hand in a fluttering and frivolous manner.
'Oh, I didn't expect you to come this far. The current Hero seems to be even crazier than I imagined.'
"I'm not crazy enough to come this far. Besides, I'm no longer a Hero."
'No, you're crazy. It's insane to seriously think about the people you killed.'
The man sitting in the chair had a familiar appearance. Even in the dim darkness, his long hair shimmered mysteriously, and he had a handsome face.
I couldn't help but think of the strongest Demon Lord, Julius Roderest.
But Julius doesn't speak like this. He was a man who spoke calmly, befitting his appearance.
I wasn't curious about who he was. It felt natural for him to be here.
The man placed his hand on his chin as if examining something and looked at Yuusuke.
'I suppose you don't expect to be forgiven, do you? The result was already determined when they were killed. It's meaningless to talk about it now.'
"That's right. What I'm doing might be meaningless."
'Then why be stubborn? Just don't think about it. If you don't see anything, you won't feel any pain or suffering.'
The answer to the man's question had already been decided. From the moment I decided to come here, it was already found.
"I do it to truly move forward."
'For yourself?'
"Yes. If their thoughts reside within me, then it is also a part of me. So I want to walk the same path."
'It's self-satisfaction.'
Contrary to his words, the man laughed.
'Well, the Demon Lord and the Hero are ultimately the same kind of existence. So, what lies ahead of the path you so desperately want to take?'
My purpose is to protect Lisha. That's why I stood on the battlefield once again.
But now that I have touched other people feelings, another light points to the end of that path. Protecting Lisha remains unchanged. But beyond that, I saw my definite dream.
"*****"
Upon hearing that answer, the man laughed again.
'Brilliant. Go ahead, that path is more treacherous than a beast's belly.'
In the end, without knowing who the man was, the world was engulfed in a mixture of red and black. Drawn by a strong force, my body was thrown upwards.
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