episode_0005

“… Damn it.”

Allen wasn’t someone who enjoyed swearing, but in a situation like this, it was quite natural for him to curse.

The endless waves of monsters and fallen comrades lying exhausted.

Even Irene, the party’s strongest force, had collapsed while facing the oncoming monsters, leaving only Allen behind.

“… Run away.”

“If I run away, will you die here?”

“… There must be a way.”

“At least running away is not the solution.”

Allen took a deep breath again and raised his sword.

Knowing the cruel and clear fact that the world would perish if he fled alone, Allen couldn’t escape.

He kept cutting down the monsters approaching, but their numbers showed no sign of decreasing.

As if a fierce storm of despair was rushing in to extinguish the small candle of hope.

“Ugh!”

Desperately trying to overcome the monsters, Allen had no choice but to expose his flank to an attacking monster that hadn’t been stopped in time, risking his life.

Although not fatal, in such a perilous situation, each small injury mattered greatly.

Holding onto the injured area, Allen swung his sword wildly with one hand, sensing that the end was near.

“With my current condition, I can’t protect my comrades and handle this number of demons.”

Innocent citizens, the world he was bound to, precious comrades.

The moment he realized he couldn’t protect them all, Allen bit his lip until it bled.

Even in that state, relentlessly wielding his sword without giving up to reduce the number of monsters, was it the determination of one who never gives up… or the defiance of one who has given up everything?

At least Allen himself didn’t know.

Clang-

Finally reaching his limit, Allen could do nothing but let go of his sword.

The monsters, realizing he had dropped his sword, began to surround him as if mocking him.

At the moment when he felt that everything was coming to an end, light began to emanate from Irene’s holy sword.

Krrrrr-!

In the moment of hesitation of the monsters dazzled by the radiant light emanating from the holy sword, Allen instinctively reached out towards the sword.

Though it was a holy sword that deemed only those worthy could touch it, he had no choice left now.

“Even if it means taking everything from me, please, just this once!”

As if responding to Allen’s earnest plea, the holy sword was drawn from Irene’s scabbard.

Shrrk-

Before fully realizing that he had been acknowledged by the holy sword, Allen, almost unconsciously, raised all the remaining strength in his body and swung the sword.

Roar-!

In that moment, the world was filled with light, and when he could see again, there were only numerous monster corpses around him.

Staring blankly at the monsters turned into charcoal as if burned by something, Allen, exhausted, collapsed with all his strength.

Thud-

“…Still somehow managed to survive.”

…

His hand still clenched around the holy sword, Irene, conscious despite being exhausted, couldn’t even begin to fathom what she had witnessed moments ago.

Perhaps thinking it might all be a dream, Irene pinched her cheek.

“Ouch!”

Feeling the pain, it seemed like it wasn’t a dream after all.

Still, every situation was questionable, but at least Allen could instinctively feel that if more people knew about this situation, he would be in trouble.

Therefore, Irene, who squeezed out the remaining strength and retrieved the Holy Sword from Allen’s hand to put it in her sword collection, sighed.

“…What a strange fellow.”

The chosen hero of the Holy Sword was Irene.

It was like an immutable law.

But what was the meaning of the recent situation?

“…Idiot.”

“…Yes.”

As Ekwat cursed Allen, Irene vowed to find out the criteria for the selection of the Holy Sword if the opportunity arose.

Feeling a sense of relief at having somehow survived, they relaxed and faced each other for the first time, smiling.

“Saint. Do you really have to leave?”

“Saint. We haven’t even properly repaid you yet…”

Not long after Allen informed the people he usually took care of that he would soon be leaving.

Many people had gathered in front of the small inn.

They were people who had received help from Allen, either themselves or their families.

“I’m sorry. I have to leave.”

“Oh… Saint. Please reconsider.”

“Saint…”

As if not ready to let Allen go, they tried to block his path with tears, but Allen’s determination was firm.

“I am not a saint. Just a wanderer like anyone else.”

“Please don’t say that! You are a saint!”

People throwing sharp words that pierced his heart like daggers.

Allen let out a small sigh.

“If I am truly a saint as you say, shouldn’t I go and save more people?”

…

They couldn’t bring themselves to speak.

He had received countless things from them, but the greatest was hope.

Hope of being able to live a better tomorrow than yesterday.

At least, it was the most important value in human life.

And they were afraid of losing it.

“People. The powerful monsters around the village have all disappeared. Also, those who were starving enough to worry about meals in this village can no longer be found. However, many people elsewhere are still suffering. People say the Demon King has fallen and peace has come, but there are still those who are marginalized and ignored. Even for my own sake, I must go to them.”

“Saint…”

“I am not a saint. Please understand my intentions.”

Saying so, Allen bowed his head to the people.

…!

Could it be that they couldn’t bear to see their saint bowing his head?

The people began to kneel without hesitation.

When everyone knelt and looked up at him, Allen spoke firmly.

“Let me go.”

“…How can we ignore your will, Saint.”

In essence, a declaration of defeat.

In the end, the villagers realized they could not hold him back from leaving.

“Please accept this.”

“…This is?”

What the residents handed to Allen was a small pouch.

“It may be insignificant compared to what you have bestowed upon us… but it is what we have gathered in the hope that the future of our Saint will be blessed by you.”

…

Allen slowly opened the pouch.

Inside the pouch were small items that they cherished.

From small pieces of metal to a silver ring.

Each item contained its own story.

“I… cannot accept this.”

“No. The saint must accept it.”

“But…”

“What the saint has given us is not just material wealth. It was hope. That’s why we are only sharing a small hope with the saint.”

“I will gratefully accept it.”

“May you be blessed.”

“May you be blessed.”

“May you be blessed.”

Eventually, the villagers began to clear the path.

The path that the saint wanted to walk.

“I hope everyone is happy.”

With a brief and simple farewell, Allen walked away slowly.

Irene’s journey to the church was faster than anything else.

If the horse got tired, she sold it in a nearby village and bought another one to continue her journey.

In this way, buying and selling horses whenever they got tired, without stopping, Irene finally arrived at the church where Allen’s letter was kept.

“Irene!”

“Jenny!”

The two finally met and embraced each other unknowingly.

After living apart for a few years and being separated for a month, their joy was doubled.

“The letter?”

“Safe.”

“Thank goodness…”

“But that priest is totally stubborn. No matter what I do, he never gives me a letter, right?”

“That could be… Wasn’t there anyone sent by the emperor?”

“Oh, there was one. I kicked him out quickly, so don’t worry.”

“Thank goodness.”

Irene breathed a sigh of relief and walked trembling steps towards the church.

“You’ve come.”

“…Yes.”

As if waiting for her, the priest took out a letter from his bosom and handed it to her.

Even though she had longed for the letter, Irene couldn’t readily reach out her hand.

Above all, she was more worried about what might happen if the contents were different from what she hoped for.

“If you keep acting so anxious, I’ll read it first.”

“!”

At Jenny’s words, Irene hastily received the letter from the priest.

“Just a moment.”

“…Yes?”

“I have something to say before you read the letter.”

Irene suppressed her anxious heart and waited for the priest’s words.

“Brother Allen, who left the letter… He suffered a lot. I don’t know the reason, but he blamed himself and was in agony.”

“…”

“Whatever the content of the letter, please don’t hate him too much. In fact, Brother Allen might have hoped that the hero wouldn’t read the letter.”

“…Yes.”

Her once cold heart beat slowly.

It was time to face the truth now.

Why did Allen blame himself so much?

All the truth was in this letter.

Slowly, very slowly, Irene tore open the envelope and took out the letter.