I am back – Chapter 123

The story that Arna shared had a completely different atmosphere compared to the one Siyun recounted.

Perhaps it’s because the way they view the world differs.

No, it’s probably that Siyun sees himself differently when viewed through the eyes of others.

From Siyun’s perspective, he always fought for survival. He hardly mentioned helping others; most of his words revolved around minimizing damage while battling the Demon Race.

I could imagine how much Siyun must have struggled with just that. It goes without saying that I’ve never experienced war. I’ve never been in such extreme situations. Even if I had faced war in this world, it would likely be a very different experience from what Siyun endured.

I can barely imagine what kind of courage it takes to swing a sword amidst monsters that don’t even resemble humans.

“The Kingdom didn’t want us to venture down dangerous paths. Sadly, I had mentioned several times that it might be better to return to places with fewer enemies instead of exploring cities or towns that may already be lost.”

But Siyun did not do that.

First, he would go to the occupied areas to check for survivors. If even one person could be saved, Siyun wanted to save them.

And, as it turned out, that was indeed the right thing to do.

The Demon King’s army only occupied places deemed valuable. Any locations judged otherwise were thoroughly destroyed and left behind. The fact that even one survivor was alive meant that the place was still worth something.

And the existence of survivors also meant that they were valuable to the Demon King’s army, whether as sources of information, prisoners, or laborers.

No matter how many demons and monsters the Demon King’s army could summon for battle, they couldn’t wage war with mindless beings alone. To establish bases and produce weapons, they needed minimum intelligent slaves, and so some of the captured humans… managed to survive.

Thus, the ‘remaining cities and towns’ were already playing a crucial role as important strongholds.

“Our mission wasn’t just to crush the enemy; we also had a reconnaissance role in observing the battlefield itself. If there was a place that we simply couldn’t win, we would retreat and call for reinforcements.”

And Siyun’s action of prioritizing ‘rescue’ had a tremendous effect on the morale of those who had family, friends, or relatives left behind in the occupied areas.

If that person can go, then my family might return alive.

Of course, they might have already died or suffered permanent disabilities. The soil contaminated by demonic energy is harmful to humans, and if they had to endure forced labor without proper food on such land, their bodies would weaken drastically.

But the difference between ‘there’s no possibility’ and ‘there could be’ is enormous.

The hero party, including Siyun, became a ‘hope.’

Except for the stuffy, stubborn nobles, the places where the hero party went welcomed them. They could always receive maximum supplies and easily gain labor if needed. The soldiers’ morale soared in battle alongside the hero, which served as a decisive factor on the battlefield, even beyond the Kingdom’s robust provisions.

“It can’t just be a coincidence. The Prophet had a reason for sending Siyun instead of anyone else.”

“I see…”

Well, it didn’t feel real.

It’s not that I couldn’t believe it. It’s just that the scale was so big, imagining him coming back from another world after leaving such a legacy seemed hard. The Siyun I knew was definitely a gentle and kind child.

That doesn’t mean I feel negatively toward him now. Just literally, I needed time to accept it.

As Arna noticed my expression, she grinned and slowly continued her story.

Arna was the only elf who participated in the ‘battle.’

But that doesn’t mean the elves just sent out Arna and did nothing.

Elves are more susceptible to demonic energy than humans. However, if the clerics with divine power stood firm behind them, they could endure and fight on that contaminated soil to some extent, and when tired, they could retreat and recuperate.

That’s why the elves channeled the power of the World Tree to Arna and joined the hero party as a representative of the elves.

Even though they entrusted most of the fighting to humans, the elves knew that humans alone wouldn’t last long against the Demon King’s army. The elves did everything they could to support. They generously supplied the food they had stockpiled. Unable to endure the demonic energy, the elves couldn’t directly join the battlefield, but they helped replenish the empty labor force in the capital and dispatched spirit beings to support the crops.

“Honestly, it was such a dire situation that they had to take that gamble.”

“A gamble, you say?”

In response to my question, Arna gave a bitter smile and said, “For me to be granted that power means they were willing to take that risk.”

As long as Arna didn’t die in the war, there wouldn’t be a problem. Even if all the power of the World Tree was bestowed upon her, Arna wouldn’t be using all that power alone. There was no way for all the power to dissipate, and obviously, the World Tree had no reason to lose its strength.

But if Arna were to die during the war, that’s where things would change. The power of the World Tree residing in Arna would vanish, and at that moment, the World Tree itself would be exposed to danger. The ability to protect its roots and trunk from the demonic energy that had already infested its small roots would disappear, and it would probably wither almost instantly due to contamination. Normally, even if such power were to vanish, it could recover again soon, but the demonic energy was incessantly spreading while the Demon King was alive.

The elves who had been receiving power from the World Tree would likely face extinction.

“Well, that’s something Siyun doesn’t know. Honestly, no one in the party knows this. I can only say this now because it’s over. Otherwise, everyone would have opposed my joining the party.”

“But… why take such a dangerous step?”

No matter how you look at it, if Arna were to die, the entire elf race would be in peril. It was essentially a gamble.

“If the hero dies, everything ends anyway. The Demon King’s army will win, and eventually, the elves will face extermination at their hands. So it was better to pick the most exceptional person to send by the hero’s side, reducing the likelihood of him dying and increasing the chances of victory. It wasn’t just a blind gamble.”

Arna spoke with pride evident on her face.

“And… although a lot of elves have this terrible habit of treating humans like children, they are still a race that understands how ugly it is to sit back and do nothing while someone else fights in your place.”

Arna added with a smile.

“And they wouldn’t hide while looking at a powerful evil right in front of them. That’s the kind of pride that elves possess.”

“…”

I paused for a moment, gazing at Arna.

Somehow, she appeared radiant.

I thought she resembled a fairy from the story, but after hearing her story, it felt genuinely true.

It was like something out of an old fantasy novel about noble elves.

And here was that elf directly calling Siyun noble.

“…”

Ironically, after hearing the story, I felt quite small.

Of course, it was a story I wanted to hear. If given the chance, I would probably ask others, apart from Arna, to share their stories about Siyun. I wanted to know just what kind of person he had been during those five years.

But the more I learned, the more I kept recalling how remarkable Siyun truly was.

Even in this world, Siyun died trying to save someone else’s life. That death could undoubtedly be considered noble. Even if there were political motives behind it, he was highlighted in the newspapers and had prominent politicians and businesspeople seeking him out.

In comparison, all I’ve done over those five years was wallow in regret and self-blame. I had basically locked myself in my room, unable to even graduate properly, and only managed to get a job with the pastor’s help.

As if she read my thoughts, Arna, who had been watching me quietly, opened her mouth.

“I’ve shared my story, so now I’d like to hear yours.”