101. Memories that never return
The festival was very luxurious and filled with joy.
In the city square, a play about a hero defeating the devil was held, attracting onlookers, and everywhere we went, there was plenty of delicious food and a lot of people.
As Alfred said, the prices were a bit high, but it was inevitable as it was a festival and the season was the right time.
“…”
As the sun began to set, Arcel was alone in the clock tower, staring blankly down at the Kingdom of Hermod.
Stella was enjoying the festival with Morian, but Arcel was just watching from the middle.
“What are you doing here alone?”
A crow flies to Arcel.
This is Alfred.
“…I’m just watching.”
“You can just go up close and see the sights. “But why are you doing this here?”
“I thought the world would still be in chaos even if I defeated the Demon King, but looking at this, it seems that’s not the case. “I just needed time.”
Seeing this, the feelings I initially had towards the Kingdom of Hermod began to fade.
Those who tried to condemn themselves to death.
Greedy nobles who ripped out the spines of their people and drank from them.
I thought that people were suffering especially because there were corrupt people at the head, but now it doesn’t necessarily seem that way.
“Isn’t everyone smiling? I feel blessed to be able to smile like that even in difficult times.”
“That’s why they also hold festivals. Hope is an important element that humans cannot live without. Even though I have a hard time today, I will get better tomorrow. After a long night, dawn approaches and the morning sunlight will welcome you. Etc…”
Alfred talked about hope.
In most of the driving forces that make humans behave like humans, there is an element of hope.
Greed and desperation are also the driving forces that make people move, but the former is just a dirty greedy person, and the latter is like being forced to stand in front of a cliff.
For this reason, it is said that hope is what allows people to move fully.
Like when Arcel defeated the demon king while singing hope.
“Of course, everything is relative, but anyway, there is hope so we can face tomorrow.”
Arsel smiled bitterly.
“I guess what you say is right. “If this is the case, it would be better to just go back.”
“You’re just going back? To be honest, weren’t you planning on going to the palace to make a fuss? “You looked dissatisfied until you came here.”
“It’s okay. “I don’t want people’s happiness and joy to turn into trembling and anxiety for no reason.”
There was no such thing as greed from the beginning.
He just wanted people to be happy, so he grabbed the holy sword and defeated the Demon King.
However, at this time when everyone is dreaming of a better life, I did not want to create unnecessary anxiety and confusion.
Although I myself will gradually be forgotten, Arcel was the one who sacrificed himself from the beginning and wanted everyone to be happy.
“I am done now. For now, I’m satisfied with just having you by my side. So, can’t you stay in your original form other than that crow for a while?”
“Well, I’ll give it to you. “Let’s go back to your original form for a moment without anyone watching.”
Alfred returned to his original appearance, and Arcel also lost his male attire and returned to his original appearance.
“As expected, after being a crow and then returning to a human, I have a hard time adjusting to my movements. “My shoulders are getting stiff.”
“Can I at least give you a massage? “I received something, so I can repay it to that extent.”
“I’ll decline. I don’t know if it’s any other time, but when you’ve recovered your strength, I think you’ll just crush my shoulder.”
“Ha, I guess I got caught.”
Arsel laughs helplessly.
It was only a short time, but the time spent up there was quite wonderful.
Until the sun completely set and the stars began to shine, Arcel was looking down at the city with a smile.
“Then shall we sleep here today? I think I can find a nice place to stay and maybe sleep there. Of course, it’s not like an inn, but I bought a new empty house. “There were quite a few items for sale.”
In the evening, Alfred showed a key and said,
“I’m not surprised now that you’re doing it.”
I followed Alfred’s words and went to a house located in a quiet place.
†††
Stella reacted in bewilderment when she saw the house that Alfred had saved.
“You’re only going to stay for a day anyway, so did you buy a house? Of course, it’s not my money so it doesn’t matter, but this is a bit surprising.”
“Don’t forget. Currently, you are a wealthy noblewoman from a remote area and her escort knight. “I can’t promise that I don’t have the ability to see at all, so I have to show this level of use.”
In fact, there were quite a few cases of nobles from the border purchasing houses or land in the capital city.
This time in particular, there are a lot of items for sale on the market, so you can often find other merchants and nobles besides Alfred purchasing houses and land.
Even though there are usually not many vacant properties in the capital area.
“It looks like you have all the furniture.”
There was a lot of luxurious furniture inside as well.
“Because we carefully selected and obtained them all. “If you think of it as the cost of a one-day vacation, it is rather cheap.”
The merchants probably thought it was a suspiciously rich crow.
In fact, it was a rare occurrence for a trained crow to buy goods to run errands, but it must have been the first time in my life that I had ever seen a crow buy a house and its furniture with such great care.
“Hey… I’ll just go back now.”
At that time, Morian cautiously opened his mouth.
“Huh? Why?”
Stella, who was accompanying Morian during the festival, tilts her head and asks.
She suddenly heard that the Morrigan was returning and she wondered if something had happened.
“I thought that if I stayed here any longer, it would disturb the seniors while they were resting…”
Looking at her expression, it seemed like she wanted to stay here more.
However, I guess it was burdensome to keep staying here since I was being noticed.
“It’s okay. “Let’s be together at least until today.”
“Yes?”
Arsel stopped Morian, who was about to leave.
“If it weren’t for your recommendation, we wouldn’t have come here. Yes, thanks to you, I can enjoy the festival. So, it’s a bit hard to call it repayment, but even if we can’t, why don’t we enjoy the festival together today?”
“Ah… Really? “Can we really stay together?”
“…Okay, I heard that our hero is okay. What do you think? I wish I could send it too. Morian.
Stella, who was listening to Arcel, smiled and called Morian over.
Perhaps we may have developed a little bond while watching the festival together during the day.
“I, the person who bought this house, did not give permission, but you are allowing it as you please without any hesitation?”
“In the first place, it is good to show off with other people’s money.”
“Okay, do whatever you want.”
Alfred waved both hands at Arcel’s words and handed his key to Arcel.
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“If we just let them go anyway, it would be difficult to keep talking about how we came here. “As for us, I’ve prepared an explosive necklace, but you don’t have to use it right now.”
It didn’t seem like he really cared whether Morrigan was there or not.
Of course, Morian swallowed her saliva at Alfred’s words, but Arcel smiled and soothed her.
Even though I’m not very happy about it, I guess it’s at the level where I don’t hate it as horribly as before.
Seeing that, Arcel felt relieved and settled down on the sofa.
“Anyway, I’ll be back tomorrow, but until then, write whatever you want. I bought dinner so I can cook it myself. “I’ll just put up a simple barrier around the house.”
When everyone was sitting on the sofa for a while to relieve the fatigue from their legs, Alfred stood up and stretched.
It seems like they are trying to reach the barrier safely, as if they can’t just relax.
As they said, this was Hermod’s capital, and if things went wrong, there was a possibility that the kingdom’s elite knights and various mercenaries called in to guard the festival would flock there.
Neither Arcel nor Alfred wanted to cause a big fuss here.
“Yes, I will be waiting for you, so be careful.”
“What are you waiting for? Just have fun. “It will take a while because I have to take care of other business.”
Alfred nodded his head and turned into a crow and went out his window.
The three people looked at that blankly, but soon Alfred disappeared and everyone burst into laughter.
I don’t know why.
I just enjoyed returning to the Kingdom of Hermod after a long time, enjoying the festival and smiling brightly.
In particular, memories from the past came to mind.
After working together to defeat the dangerous monster, everyone gathered in front of the bonfire and toasted with delicious food.
At first, Arcel hated alcohol, but as he drank little by little, he came to appreciate its taste.
Past memories no longer return, but on the other hand, it is possible to build new memories.
†††
Now evening has passed and it is late at night.
Stella, who had been drinking to her heart’s content for the first time in a long time, was fast asleep on the sofa with Morian.
Seeing that, Arcel smiled happily without realizing it, and went up to the second floor, closing the curtains to see if the moonlight would disturb their sleep.
I couldn’t particularly sleep.
Because he doesn’t usually sleep well, Arcel went up to the roof alone again.
Right now, I just wanted to capture this scenery of Hermod in my eyes for a long time.
I don’t know when I’ll be able to come here again, and I could say that this is the peaceful world I so longed for.
‘I’m sorry for living so happily alone.’
She then looked at the moon and prayed to her departed companions.
Perhaps, if such a terrible thing had not happened, her departed colleagues would have been able to enjoy this festival together, but Arcel smiled bitterly, imagining happiness in her head.
If she had known this would happen, she would have brought alcohol with her.
I didn’t drink because I didn’t want to mess with my mind, but now I was thinking about drinking a little.
The reason why Stella drank so much alcohol for no reason was probably for the same reason as Arcel.
‘I will follow you as long as I do my part, so I hope you don’t wait too long for me.’
Of course, I said that, but I know this is an excuse.
If the world has already become peaceful and the hero has defeated the Demon King, what is left to do?
There were things that bothered him, but they couldn’t be said to be important. It was just Arcel’s personal greed, and he just wanted to spend the remaining time with Alfred and Stella.
Still, he tried to rationalize it, saying that it was okay to be this greedy after making sacrifices all his life.
‘I really don’t know what you’re talking about either.’
Arsel smiles bitterly.
Whether or not, the bright moon felt mischievous.
I feel a little embarrassed because I feel like I have become stupid for no reason.
Should I go back soon?
The night wind was cold, and I was about to get up slowly because I was worried that someone might worry about me if I woke up after being away too long.
“aaah!”
But suddenly, a woman’s scream was heard from some distance away.
‘What is it?’
A sudden scream broke the silence that had fallen on this city where everyone was sleeping.
Arsel stood up and looked around.
‘This smells like blood…?’
I could feel the smell of blood on the wind.
Screams were heard along with the smell of blood.
What more is there to think about here?
Arcel frowned and ran straight to where the scream came from.
She hoped it wasn’t what she thought.
It only took about 5 seconds to arrive.
The scene Arcel saw when he arrived there was that a shabby-looking man was pointing a knife at a woman who was trembling with fear.
“Please, please… save me…”
The woman just sat down, probably because her legs were weak, and just begged.
There was even a person behind the gunman who had been stabbed and fell to the ground.
It was clearly visible from a distance that the amount of bleeding was unusual.
If she is left like that, she will definitely die.
“Please…”
While she was reminiscing about her past memories, she saw something like that.
-Please save me… Please…-
I felt like I heard a somewhat familiar voice.
A person who begs and sheds tears, and someone who holds a blood-stained holy sword in front of him.
But as if the earnest plea was in vain, the holy sword was mercilessly stained with blood once again.
Even though her curse is now gone, Arcel feels her heart tightening.
“It’s noisy!”
In the end, the gunman tried to stab the woman with a knife, but she was immediately embarrassed and backed away.
“What on earth-“
This is because Arcel caught the knife that was trying to stab the woman with her bare hands.
The stranger and the woman seemed very surprised when they saw Arcel suddenly appear.
Blood is flowing down my hand.
However, the blood was not Arcel’s blood.
The blood of the person who had previously been stabbed ran down the blade.
Arsel’s hand holding the sword trembled.
Click!
In the end, not long after, the sword shattered into pieces.
“…Damn you.”
Arcel shines her blue eyes and glares at the monster in front of her.
That’s not all.
The ground she was standing on was starting to crack.
“Huh, huh…?”
At the sight of those harsh eyes, the gunman lost all strength in his legs and fell down.
It was clearly a strange man glaring, but what Arcel saw was not a strange man.
Memories are something we miss and sometimes feel painful.