The Hero Who Returned From Death Quits

14 – EP1. Dawn Approaches

“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”

She said that.

“…No. It’s not your fault.”

He said that.

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She wiped his cheek and said,

“…Thank you. Thank you for fighting so hard just for me.”

“It’s okay. I can fight this battle a hundred more times if I have to.”

“Idiot.”

She said that and smiled.

“I have something to say. I want to say it when my mind is a little clearer.”

“Tell me.”

She hugged him tightly with a bright smile.

“Thank you.”

She wrapped her arms and legs around his body fervently.

“I love you.”

She kissed him.

“I’ve always wanted to say that.”

She said so. Blood was dripping from her abdomen.

“Ah, my mind is getting… hazy.”

She squeezed out her last smile.

“But still, I’m glad that you’re the last person I see.”

“hahahaha, when did you start liking me that much?”

He smiled slyly.

“It doesn’t take a long time to fall in love with a human. Look at me, I fell for you in an instant.”

“…Wow, that’s impressive.”

“If there’s another life… then…”

Her words faded away.

She took her final rest, her bloodstained sheets and the sword as her tombstone.

He laughed brightly and bitterly.

“Don’t worry, the next time will be better, so rest.”

He said with a smile. Blood flowed from his body.

Consciousness faded.

He briefly swam in the sea of peaceful rest, thinking about the future when he would return to the battlefield.

“I will definitely save you this time.”

He lay down beside her.

That’s how he died.

…

…Lately, old memories keep coming in dreams. Even the ones that have already ended.

What’s going on? Is the dark magic affecting even my head?

When that thought crossed my mind, I felt like bugs were crawling all over my body.

Damn it, bring me a club. Once I die again— ah, this time it will really be the end.

I felt a subtle feeling in the face of this newly realized reality. My way of thinking is still stuck in the days when I was a warrior.

Come to think of it, rushing into this place was also a side effect from those days. If things went wrong, I would just die and that would be the end, so I didn’t bother with things like scouting.

It seemed impossible to regain a normal life without changing my way of thinking.

I let out a deep sigh.

…

“It’s war.”

Aingel asked the saint. Beatrice replied with a compassionate smile.

“Yes, it’s war.”

A clash occurred at the border.

It was just one legion of demons.

It had been five months since Aingel became a warrior.

“When war breaks out, what exactly should we do?”

Angel didn’t have a clear understanding of the role that heroes should play in a war.

If you were to categorize what heroes did, it could be defined as assassinating the Demon King. In a war against the demonic forces, they didn’t provide immediate significant help. Instead, they strengthened their power through battles with promising individuals possessing exceptional talents and authenticity. Then, they infiltrated the Demon King’s stronghold and defeated him while the demon army was tied down in the struggle against humanity’s forces.

Therefore, direct involvement in war was somewhat limited compared to its symbolism. In essence, they were inexperienced in small-scale battles against monsters compared to their involvement in wars. After all, the primary goal of a hero leading a party was to effectively eliminate strong opponents.

Hence, it was quite unusual that the hero’s first step wasn’t exploration but participation in the battlefield.

“First, we will have to join the battle, but we won’t take on major roles. What’s important is for our hero to gain experience and boost the soldiers’ morale.”

“But won’t it be risky? I’m not sure if the Commander can make a difference in a war.”

Beatrice grinned mischievously.

“Don’t worry. This is a siege war, so we’re in an absolutely advantageous position.”

Indeed, that was the case. The city wall was one of the most critical elements in war, and the defense was undeniably challenging compared to the offense.

But was that always true?

They didn’t know.

“Liar!”

Angel exclaimed.

“Are you joking!?”

Sane yelled.

Angel and Sane glared at Beatrice with resentful eyes as if they were trying to tear down her argument.

“If we’re in an advantageous position, where is it?”

Seeing the enemies climbing up even after falling from the ladders, Beatrice thought, “What’s so advantageous about this?”

“Now, what did you say-“

“Please be quiet.”

Angel and Sane fell silent.

Beatrice clenched her teeth and began to pray.

Finally, a massive mace descended from the sky and cleared away all the ladders.

Beatrice wiped the cold sweat from her brow.

“With this, we might buy some time,”

Angel and Sein looked away from the chaos of pushing back the enemy climbing the ladder and turned their gaze elsewhere.

Feria reduced the number of catapults with flames, and Lena shot down the enemy’s commander with her bow.

“…What should we do in a situation like this?” Angel said.

“I don’t know. Maybe fetch some popcorn,”

Angel and Sein had no choice but to stand there and watch the enemy.

With the ladder gone, their options disappeared. The catapults that used to bombard without the ladder were already taken care of by Feria, and the enemy commander was dying under the castle wall from archer fire.

Angel made a disgruntled sound and sheathed his sword, preparing for magic.

Sein, thinking they were in the same boat, felt a sense of betrayal.

Angel poured another drink, and the so-called ‘brave’ sheathed his holy sword and began firing arrows.

Sein could only stand there, feeling powerless.

Angel looked at her and said, “Fetch some popcorn or something.”

“But, something feels strange,”

A few hours passed, and Angel raised his head in bewilderment.

“Strange?”

Sein asked, and Angel replied, “They definitely mentioned the Legion Commander leading the charge… but it doesn’t seem like he’s even showing his face.”

…That was indeed the case.

On the Legion’s most powerful day, the Legion Commander wasn’t even visible, and the command seemed to be taken over by the enemy’s lower-level commander.

Sein approached Beatrice.

“Um, something seems strange, Lady Beatrice.”

Beatrice looked at her with her blue eyes.

“Strange?”

“I can’t seem to find the Legion Commander, no matter how hard I look.”

“The Legion Commander?”

This isn’t good.

The Legion Commander wasn’t staying out of the front lines because he was a fool.

“Definitely there’s a target,” the holy maiden instinctively realized.

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And then, at that moment.

A figure of a maroon-haired demon in splendid attire appeared.

Second Legion Commander, Genome.

He was renowned for launching powerful area attacks on the enemy, based on dark magic. Though he couldn’t handle dark magic as well as Grandis, even with just the skill of managing dark magic, some would argue that Grandis could not surpass him – he was that proficient in dark magic even among the demon king’s forces.

And when he secretly aimed a powerful strike, the impact it could deliver was sufficient to shatter the fortress’s iron gate.

Black flames soared.

These flames quickly melted the iron, scorched the air, and then erupted.

The gate was breached.

The demons began pushing their way in.

Angel quickly descended below the wall, brandishing the holy sword. It was pointless to stand on the wall with the Legion Commander now inside.

In an instant, the valiant warrior descended into the chaos of the burning town and confronted the enemy’s Legion Commander.

Genome’s eyes gleamed.

“A hero? Are you a hero?”

Angel stiffened his face and replied, “Yes.”

Genome cracked a smile.

“You have quite a heroic face.”

“Huh?”

Out of nowhere, he received praise from the enemy.

Angel looked at Genome with a baffled expression, as if he was dealing with a madman.

“The strong determination in those eyes… the spirit that can be felt in every facial muscle and cell. It’s truly ideal.”

Genome said this and took a step forward.

“That’s why I have no choice but to kill you.”

With a snap, Genome was suddenly right in front of Angel.

“I have to kill you for our demons to have hope.”

Genome muttered and began his incantation.

“Neither the demon king, nor the great Grandis, nor the colossal Malekidus. There is no one who is unnecessary for the demons, and eventually, you will have to kill them all. If you are given an infinitely long time to grow, that is.”

Angel swung his sword randomly, but none of his attacks made it through.

“Do you think you’ll get through? That’s a delusion.”

Saying so, Genome leisurely taunted him.

“But truly, a hero is quite astonishing. Even though you are so feeble, you will eventually become the dagger that kills the Demon King.”

Having said that, Genome opened his mouth again.

“That’s why, killing you is more important to me than this petty castle.”

“Ridiculous.”

Ainzel frowned.

Genome showed no sign of vulnerability.

Ainzel tried to find a gap, but Genome spoke as if he understood.

“Trying to glare like that is just a waste of time. I don’t let my guard down. I only have the thought of killing you.”

Genome cast dark magic at Ainzel, and the dark magic engulfed his body before he could react.

“aaah!”

His vision began to dim.