“Haah… Haah…”
– It’s better not to push yourself. It’s dangerous if more monsters come here.
Esther’s words had merit.
Thinking that I needed to take a short break, I immediately sat down and caught my breath.
Around Evan, the bodies of monsters that had just been alive were sprawled haphazardly in the deep valley under the Valley of Wailing.
“I’ve never eaten monster meat before…”
– It can’t be helped if you want to survive. Your predecessors, the heroes, all did the same.
At least it was a relief that Esther was there.
These were the ones who had set out on a journey to defeat the Demon King along with the previous heroes. Although most had only managed to seal the Demon King instead of completely defeating him… because the memories of their journey remained, I could receive help from Esther.
Receiving treatment from Aria would replenish my body’s energy through divine power, so my hunger would improve, but… it felt wrong to receive treatment when I wasn’t even that injured, contradicting my previous resolution.
I had vowed to protect Aria and not to seek help like this, yet here I was…
Evan turned to look at Aria.
He had covered her with torn pieces of his clothes to prevent her bare skin from touching the freezing ground beneath her, which could cause frostbite.
In front of her, a campfire was lit.
“Aria…”
Aria’s appearance could not even be called good, even as a compliment.
Compared to how completely cold she had been just moments ago, there was a certain warmth now, thanks to her life returning; however, she was still as cold as ice.
In fact, it felt more despairing, as she seemed to be in a state of losing life instead of having just been completely cold.
With her eyes closed, Aria was trembling slightly from the cold when she suddenly raised her hand.
It wasn’t a sudden movement.
It was a slow, almost groping motion as if she was searching for something.
“E-euh…”
“Aria?!”
Was she in pain?
Startled, Evan called out to Aria, but of course, she couldn’t hear him.
“What should I do…!”
Why was this happening? A quiet sigh escaped Esther as she responded to Evan, who was flustered.
– Evan… just hold her hand.
“Hand…?”
Expressing confusion for a moment, Evan followed Esther’s words and held Aria’s hand.
Then, it seemed as if Aria’s expression returned a bit, and her breathing eased.
– She’s a child with many wounds. As expected…
“…”
Many wounds…
Hearing that word, Evan suddenly felt a wave of curiosity.
He had heard that if one becomes a saint, any wound would heal instantly, but why was Aria, even after becoming a saint, still unable to see or hear?
“Esther.”
– Yes?
“Isn’t something… strange?”
– What is?
Had Esther not realized it?
Saying this made it feel as if Evan was doubting Aria, but he wasn’t doubting her.
Instead, he was worrying about Aria.
“I’m pretty sure it was said that all wounds would heal, so why is it that Aria, having become a saint, still cannot see or hear?”
– … Ah, I can see how you might think that.
“Huh?”
He had been thinking something was off, but was there such a reason?
If this was true, it was a level that genuinely warranted suspicion about the goddess.
However, Esther’s answer was slightly different.
– That can’t be helped.
“…What? Can’t be helped?”
What did that mean?
Evan asked, confused by Esther’s explanation.
She had just said it was a little strange, and now she was saying it might not be impossible. What did that even mean?
While he was bewildered by the sudden change in words, Esther continued her explanation.
– The recovery principle of a saint is, although they say it’s healing, it’s actually closer to restoring the original form.
“…Is that true?”
– I haven’t used it myself, but I’ve seen enough past saints, so my words should be correct.
Esther’s explanation was shocking.
What Esther said essentially implied one thing.
“Then Aria’s disability…”
– It’s a disability that Aria herself said she has had since birth, so it cannot be healed.
“…”
How could that be?
Wasn’t that something that needed to be addressed directly?
Evan recalled Aria’s usual demeanor.
Her everyday demeanor was so pure and diligent that one couldn’t find wounds on her.
Yet that demeanor was entirely the result of having faced unjust experiences since birth.
The smiles she had displayed during their small daily life were genuine, but Evan felt as if even those smiles were a lie.
‘It must be hard for Aria…’
He had thought that way even before.
Just because someone always showed a smiling face, it didn’t mean that person wasn’t going through pain.
If they didn’t directly share what kind of wounds they were harboring, one would never know.
Especially, Aria’s ability was incredibly peculiar and cruel.
To treat someone, it meant that she must pay the price of sacrifice, not just for another but for herself.
Her ability was one that required such pain and injury in order to heal others.
It was a power that an ordinary person couldn’t use, and even devout followers feared it.
– Even the previous saints often hesitated when using their powers…
Esther said with a sigh.
That made it all the more remarkable.
Using a power that everyone was reluctant to tap into, a power that required her to suffer for others, without showing any resentment toward anyone.
At first, Evan thought Aria was amazing.
She was a devout and kind person…
Someone who could endure pain to save someone else.
But that was not the case.
He had just confirmed it by witnessing her state moments before.
Aria was merely enduring.
Because she was a saint, she was unable to express her suffering heart to anyone.
The unjust experiences from birth meant that she had, in a way, grown accustomed to the absence of things she never had, so it was alright.
She had been enduring alone, not breaking even after experiencing such events and such pain.
Evan looked down at Aria with a sympathetic expression.
They communicated through thoughts most of the time, and he had forgotten unconsciously while observing her as she walked around on her own, identifying who was who.
The fact that Aria couldn’t see or hear, yet was desperately reaching out, seemed to stick in his mind.
‘What should I…’
Having become a hero… he had promised himself he would protect her, but he ultimately failed to do so.
Instead of protecting her, he had been the one needing protection.
To this young girl, who couldn’t see or hear and had devoted her life to others.
Evan felt ashamed of himself.
“I’m sorry…”
For now, the only words he could offer were this one.
Evan continued to murmur that as he held Aria’s hand tightly.
*
Below in the valley, inside a natural cave where nothing was confirmed, Evan sat down and began roasting the monster he had just hunted over the campfire.
“Is it true that the previous heroes ate stuff like this…?”
– Right now you have the opportunity to grow at the academy, but back then, there wasn’t an opportunity to do anything but head straight to hunt the Demon King.
“…”
‘The previous heroes must have lived a lot harder life than I did.’
Evan let out a tongue of amazement at this newly reminded truth.
Muttering that they were incredible people.
– Be thankful that there’s a place called the academy. That was the wish of your predecessors.
“Predecessors…?”
– … Ah, I shouldn’t be saying this…
The story of the predecessors…
If Evan had heard that it was a story that shouldn’t be told normally, he would have given up, but now the situation was a little different.
He needed to awaken his power as a hero as quickly as possible.
He thought that listening to the stories of the old heroes might help him a bit.
“Please tell me the story… I’m begging you, Esther.”
– Hmm… I really shouldn’t be saying this… I had promised Arhen not to tell this story…
Esther seemed to be struggling, then looked back at Evan.
– Well… it’s not entirely wrong to say that it might help you awaken faster. And since Arhen is absent, I suppose it’s okay to share it.
Really…?!
Evan’s face lit up with hope.
– But you must not let Arhen find out that I told you!
“Of course not.”
– Then I’ll tell you. It’s not a very long story anyway.
With that, Esther began to tell the tale.
The story of the previous hero and Arhen.
