The Hero Who Returned From Death Quits

11 – EP1. Dawning Day

I consider myself like a stone.

Not because I can support something firmly.

It’s because I know that ultimately, I’m destined to be worn down to sand and gravel.

And that sand and gravel will, someday, be crushed into solid rock again by endless storms.

But will the rock that has changed in this way be the same as before?

Won’t the soul within it shatter into pieces and be replaced by another?

I’m no longer afraid of death.

I’m afraid of no longer being afraid of death.

(Someone’s journal. It’s difficult to read anymore due to the bloodstains.)

…

The hero looked at his own hands. He had killed two.

Two humans, he had killed with these hands.

And, he had died twice.

He couldn’t trust anyone.

A priest of the gods had attacked him, and he had been overwhelmed by an unbearable shock.

He had stained his hands with human blood.

He sent a wry smile at the sudden thought that occurred to him. He had killed more humans than monsters or demons, and there was no comedy like this comedy.

“I am….”

Why did I become a knight? He sighed and went to sleep.

Morning came as usual, and the sun, no different from yesterday or tomorrow, shared vitality with the earth.

As the shining dawn swept across the land, the knight got out of bed, leaving behind the cradle of dreams.

Today was the day he would learn about miracles from the saint. His companions said they would recruit another archer, but they said that the arrival was still delayed.

The knight put on his clothes over his skin. Whatever had happened, he was a knight and he had a duty to act like one.

He opened the door and went out into the hallway. The dawn of the sanctuary was still quiet.

“I have tried manipulating divine power before. Even if the knight can release divine power with the blessing of the knight, using divine power to create spells and perform miracles is different from the blessing of a saint. This is when it really begins.”

Beatrice smiled and said.

“There are two ways to manipulate divine power. Accumulation and release. Accumulation is infusing divine power into objects such as weapons, and release is releasing divine power from the body and handling it externally.”

Angel nodded.

“In addition, there are three attributes to divine power. Healing, protection, purification. It’s not good to focus on just one, but since the knight is often in the front line, studying protection would be the most ideal.”

Beatrice grabbed Angel’s wrist and said.

“Try releasing divine power.”

A small burst of light sprang out.

“Yes. Think of this as spreading it wide…yes, like that…”

…

“This time, there wasn’t much content.”

Peria sighed and spoke.

Was it a good thing or a bad thing? The fact that nothing happened meant that time was wasted. But it was not easy to notice their disappointment.

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And Sain noticed it. She and everyone else had already become afraid. They were witnessing his death, his suffering. Although it was difficult to see him suffering mentally, it was not as difficult as seeing him die.

Watching the process of a person deteriorating is inevitably unpleasant. It is even harder to see that the person you thought you knew well, even the person who seemed fine, had rotten to the core. Even if that person is evil.

“Yes. Even if there wasn’t much content this time, I think we should look into it thoroughly just in case.”

When Beatrice spoke, a voice burst out from Lena.

“Wait, now that I think about it, isn’t my arrival seen in the next record? It should be around that time when I calculate the dates.”

“That’s right. It seems like your arrival will be shown.”

Everyone deliberately ignored one possibility. That he could have died one more time during that time.

And as the girls were talking, Vibo arrived.

“We will organize a pursuit team to capture the knight!”

The hero became the prey.

…

“…And thus, Jim was finally expelled, his accomplishments acknowledged as a hero. However, he could not turn a blind eye to the voices of the nobles calling for justice every day. So, Baron Serindel, you were ordered to pursue the hero?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Lead the troops yourself and go after the hero.”

Baron Serindel became the hunter, and the hero became the prey.

“In order to prevent evil that threatens humanity, Jim expects great cooperation from the countries. To avoid aligning with the Empire, send a letter requesting cooperation.”

The hero’s transformation into a villain happened in an instant.

The people resented the hero who had condemned their sons to death.

The Emperor smiled quietly.

“…Last time, it seemed clear that I would end with an expulsion order acknowledging the hero’s achievements.”

As Seyn began to speak in the Empire council, the gaze of the nobles turned to her.

Why is she doing that? Objecting to the Emperor’s words? The hardliner who was more resolute than anyone else about the hero’s actions?

“Oh, that’s right, Duke Ludran. But, when will the hero… or rather, the villain who used to be the hero, threaten the Empire?”

Seyn frowned at the Emperor’s words.

“No matter how powerful and cunning the hero may be, he cannot be a significant threat individually. The problem lies with Grandidis in the north, not to the extent of sending troops to other countries.”

“Hmm… No, the hero has higher priority. What if I use the name of the hero to sway people?”

It’s a sophistry. The name of a hero holds value but cannot affect the Empire, the hegemonic country with a saint as its ruler.

“…We are investigating the hero’s records to find out why he betrayed.”

Although Seyn spoke, it seemed that the Emperor did not hear it.

It was Feria who used blink magic to make the sound unheard.

“There’s no need to mention that we are investigating the hero’s records. Let’s skip that part and get to the point.”

Seyn couldn’t understand, but she decided to follow Feria’s words for now.

“I think it’s urgent to understand the hero’s motives.”

The Emperor’s mouth revealed a faint smile.

“Well, investigating the hero’s motives might lead to losing him and causing sacrifices. For now, it is imperative to keep the hero in custody.”

In the end, even Seyn, the highest authority in the Imperial army, had no choice but to bow down before the Emperor’s strong will.

Seyn trembled quietly with an inexplicable sense of unease.

…

“Finally, the opportunity has come. I can cut the neck of the corrupted hero and become a hero myself!”

Lord Devos Serindel, stroking his mustache, called out to the proud knights of the glorious empire.

Following Duke Sein Rudan, Serindel, the second-in-command of the army, had been appointed as the leader of the pursuit unit chasing the hero.

It was a serious overinvestment to capture just one hero, but no one paid it any mind.

The hero was considered a traitor who had thrown the empire’s sons into the witch’s cauldron and offered the empire’s glory to the witch.

People believed what the empire’s intelligence agency announced, and the rumors continued to swell.

They said the hero was the man who kissed the witch’s lower lip.

The witch and the hero joined forces and seized the demon’s dominion.

Only a few months ago, the hero, Angel Leonhardt, who was the only one capable of challenging the demon king, had fallen.

The empire announced the retrieval of the adult Leonhardt, and everyone considered it a lawful and appropriate measure.

“We inform you that we have no choice but to cross the borders of our homeland to apprehend the traitor to wicked humanity.”

Count Serindel informed the king of the Deltan Kingdom, and Theodore Deltan’s face contorted in anger, trembling all over.

“On what grounds does the empire’s army think it can cross our borders?”

“The grounds are not important. What is important is that if you do not cooperate, we will have no choice but to report that the Deltan Kingdom has joined hands with the traitors to humanity.”

Listen or face war.

It was a threat that was too powerful and easy.

Count Serindel smiled inwardly. If he could present results that would satisfy the emperor, then becoming the leader of the army by defeating Duke Rudan was not just a dream.

The king of Deltan could only bow his head and grant permission for the empire’s pursuit unit to tread on his territory.

…

I gazed at my reflection in the pond.

The pattern on my body seemed a bit larger, perhaps due to my mood?

I tilted my head in curiosity.

Well, it wasn’t a big problem if the demon king’s magic eroded my body a little more. After all, the owner of this magic was now deceased.

I washed my face and looked around.

The surroundings were strewn with blood and corpses.

“Damn, these damn necromancers are such a pain.”

I began to burn their bodies with flames.