110. Drawing memories
‘Not much has changed here either.’
Arsel moved underground to the refugee camp outside the capital city of Hermod, outside the walls protected by knights.
He was here when he first came to Hermod.
At that time, there were still many people who lost their homes because of demon lords and monsters, so they gathered little by little what they had and created their own villages.
‘There are more people living here than before.’
Arcel closed his eyes for a moment and lost himself in his thoughts.
The most recent time I came here must have been at the request of a wizard a few years ago.
“Thank you, warrior. “My request may be annoying, but thank you for being with me like this.”
“I decided to rest in Hermod today, so this is okay. But is something going on? “I brought a lot of food like that.”
A magic school established by descendants of the Terrarium Kingdom.
It was unexpected that a wizard who had graduated at the top of his class suddenly asked to come to this refugee camp.
Plus, we brought way too much food for a picnic.
“Actually… This is my hometown. My mother gave birth to me here and died shortly after birth. Still, the people here raised me as a newborn, even in poor circumstances, so I was barely able to survive.”
“You were born here?”
“Yes, I grew up here. “It was on this earth that I first saw the sky.”
What I heard later was even more unexpected.
Magic schools are places where even wealthy nobles spend tens of thousands of dollars to put their children there.
However, even with a bribe, it was difficult to get into that school unless you had an aptitude for magic, and since magic costs money, it was famous for paying attention to the family’s wealth.
But the wizard who graduated at the top of his class was from this refugee camp…
If something is unexpected, it is bound to be unexpected.
“Originally, I had to live here, but I was able to go to school after being noticed by the principal who visited the Kingdom of Hermod. “Did you say that your aptitude for magic is so good that it can be felt from far away?”
Of course, I heard that if your grades are good, they will provide you with a scholarship and all necessary travel expenses.
Still, it is very surprising that someone from such a low background graduated at the top of his class.
“…I hope that when the war is over, the people who live here will be able to return to their hometown. To that end, I decided to join the warrior on his journey.”
The wizard entered the refugee camp with a bitter smile.
“It’s been a while! How have you all been?”
“You, you can’t believe it…! It’s so nice to meet you! “I was worried because I was noticed by wizards and all I received was a letter after I went to school, but I’m so glad you’re healthy!”
Then, people who recognized her welcomed her greatly, and her young children stuck their heads out of her shack out of curiosity.
The wizard soon appeared to be distributing the food he had purchased to the people.
It seems that the food they bought was to be distributed to the people here.
“…Is the knight next to you the warrior I’ve only heard about?”
Then people also became interested in Arcel, who was sharing food with them.
“That’s right. This is the warrior rumored. “He is a kind-hearted person who helps me like this even on his days off.”
“I never thought the hero would be such a beauty…! Thank you. Please take care of our child. “This is a child I have raised with care since he was a newborn.”
Do you mean a wizard?
The wizard turned his head with his face turning red, as if he was a little embarrassed.
“…Yes, don’t worry. And I will do my best to help you return to your hometown someday. “We will definitely defeat the devil and restore peace.”
Arsel said, holding their hands tightly.
The wizard and the people seemed a little surprised.
This is because they did not even think that the warrior Arcel would hold their dirty and dirty hands.
“Hero…”
I wonder if the wizard even shed tears of emotion.
“Until now, even when I talked to nobles and ministers, they only pretended to listen and took no action…”
After the wizard graduated from magic school at the top of her class, many nobles and ministers came to see her.
Every time we listened to their demands, we asked for protection for war refugees, but they only pretended to do so and never truly listened.
On the contrary, there were frequent cases of people noticing someone’s background as a wizard and gossiping behind their back.
But Arcel was not like that.
Her reaction was only a little surprising, but she did not look at her with prejudice and had no hesitation at all, such as holding the hands of her refugees.
“Anyway, I grew up in a rural village. The environment there wasn’t much different from here. “It was just a village where people lived by farming and hunting in small fields.”
But the nobles and ministers were not like that.
Everyone was wealthy from birth and had no difficulties.
Perhaps that’s why he hated people living in poverty and refugees, and thoughtlessly treated them as the scum of society simply because they didn’t make an effort.
How much bullying did the wizard receive because of her origins during her school days?
No matter how high her grades were and how much her name was raised, there were still people who looked down on her and spread rumors about her.
“Besides, isn’t this your hometown? Stella also said she misses her hometown, and I also want to go back sometimes. “It might be difficult because it’s so far away, but…”
Arcel spoke while looking at her distant hometown.
What are my parents doing right now?
I heard that her friends in her hometown are already married, but is she living well?
It seems like you’ve been thinking about those things for a while.
“I will somehow learn long-distance movement magic. Perhaps you can find out by looking at the elf books. And we will do our best to ensure that the warrior can go home whenever he wants.”
The wizard noticed Arcel’s thoughts and spoke with his eyes flashing.
“Oh, no. There’s no need to do that. Anyway, if I defeat the demon lord, I will be able to return to my hometown.”
“The warrior was already worried about the safety of the refugees. “If he can move a lot of people to safety at once, he can protect them with a minimum number of people.”
Refugees are often killed and injured when they are attacked by demons or monsters while taking refuge, and Arcel seemed to be in great trouble recently.
I no longer despaired because so many people died like in the past, but death was never something I could take lightly.
“It would be great if I could do that, then I would like to ask you a favor. But don’t overdo it. “It’s not for me, it’s for saving people, but there’s no need to overwork yourself.”
The wizard couldn’t tell who was worried about whom, considering he said such things when he himself didn’t sleep even 10 hours a week.
Still, I felt very fortunate that Arcel was a warrior like that.
A warrior like Arcel would have been willing to sacrifice his life.
The wizard believed that if he were Arcel, he would definitely bring peace to this world.
‘…Was that already years ago?’
Arcel, who was looking at them from the castle wall, was momentarily recalling memories of his past.
It was only a handful of memories of a journey I had devoted more than half of my life to.
However, it was also a precious memory with a colleague that he could never forget and should not forget.
‘I haven’t returned to my hometown yet.’
Although the devil was defeated, the damage from the war had not yet completely disappeared in their hometown.
There would still be hungry monsters wandering around there, and it seemed that many countries were not paying attention to these refugees as they were busy recovering from the damage in their home countries.
Arsel remained silent and dropped off the food and gifts he had purchased at the festival in the refugee village.
Ordinary refugees would be so angry that they would kill each other over food, but the people there were not like that.
From Noble mtl dot com
Especially if you leave a letter with her name on it…
“…I’m sorry.”
Arsel left without leaving behind only those words.
If possible, I wanted to say hello to them one more time, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so.
Because they cut off a child like her with their own hands, despite the hope they had cherished.
I didn’t have the courage to see their faces again.
†††
Dawn broke before we knew it.
Today was the last day of the festival, so many people showed up little by little in the morning.
Arsel quietly returned to the shelter that Alfred had created, avoiding their eyes.
But unlike the outside, it was quiet inside.
It seemed as if it had been neatly organized and there were no people in sight.
“…I guess so.”
Alfred said it was common for him to leave his seat, but he personally pushed Stella and Morian out.
If you think about it, what he did to Morian was nothing more than a way to vent his anger, and Stella, who had been worried about him, just kicked him out.
I regret the actions and words I did back then, but regret is something that comes when you have already crossed an irreversible river.
“I wonder what I’m doing…”
Arsel sat down on the sofa and muttered to himself.
If it had been any other day, I wouldn’t have done that this time.
A festival is about everyone forgetting about their worries for a moment and having fun together, and she hoped that Morian would do the same, which is what she encouraged herself to do, but what on earth did she do?
If I had to make an excuse, I was just angry that everyone couldn’t be happy.
Rather, I was angry that others were happy.
The people I saw underground and those who are still missing their hometown in the refugee camp are still not much different from before the demon king was defeated.
I only feel betrayed by the nobles and ministers who promised to solve their problems if only the Demon King disappeared.
‘I’d rather just end it with my own hands.’
Arcel took out his holy sword and looked at it.
This is a sword that has already been cruelly stained with blood once.
It’s difficult the first time, but it won’t be difficult the second time.
In addition, now that he has lost his curse, he can easily take over Hermod’s kingdom, even if not completely.
‘Especially if we get rid of the rotten leaders…’
But I was also hesitant about that.
Anyway, they are the ones who have been there for a long time and have maintained this kingdom.
But if everyone disappears overnight, this city, which is relatively peaceful, is sure to fall into chaos.
“…It would be easier to defeat the Demon King one more time.”
Until now, we have tried to achieve peace only with the sword.
However, there are limits to what can be achieved with a sword, so Arcel, who had only held a sword his whole life, fell into deep trouble.
What can he really do?
What on earth should we do to change this world?
Arsel thought while looking at the mirror.
In the past, if you had a problem like this, there was someone who would listen to it and solve it.
However, unfortunately, it is no longer…
“What, are you still fine?”
At that time, the mirror suddenly became distorted and a familiar voice was heard.
“…Alfred?”
“Hmm, I thought everything would have been blown away by now. “You’re more patient than I thought, huh?”
“What are you talking about? Or rather, what are they all?”
Alfred said as he came out of the mirror.
“Oh, this?”
There were quite a few arrows stuck in Alfred’s head and body, just like his porcupine.
But the arrow seemed somehow familiar.
“It’s no big deal, I just touched a certain ogre and he got so angry that he started shooting arrows.”
“What on earth did Stella do that…?”
Arsel’s eyebrows furrowed when he was told he was a nerd.
“When I heard that they made a bonfire with twigs of the World Tree, they screamed and shot arrows? He actually cut down the world tree himself. How good of a firewood is the World Tree? It burns very easily. “It smells good when used as charcoal.”
“…Do you know that starting a fire with the World Tree in the land of the elves is punishable by death or life imprisonment?”
“What do you know? “Anyway, you and that little bastard joined hands to cut down the world tree, right?”
Alfred smiled brightly, but the more he heard, the more Arcel frowned.
In particular, when the news that the World Tree had been cut down was relayed to the elves who had taken refuge, didn’t he hear that a group of people grabbed their heads and fell to the ground?
“Yes, if it were you…”
Arsel smiled and laid down on the sofa.
After listening to Alfred’s words, he relaxed for no reason and it seemed as if all the strength in his body had disappeared.
“By the way, now that I think about it, where is Stella?”
“Well, I’m on the run. “He’s probably rushing to get water and put out the fire by now.”
“What the hell…”
Still, thanks to this, I felt like my heart was a little lighter.
When I was with Alfred, it was nice to be able to forget my worries about reality even for a moment.
Because it’s not bad to escape reality sometimes.
It was the same in the past.
“Oh, and most of the furniture in this house is also made from world trees. “When carpenters heard that it was the world tree, they drooled and were so excited?”
Although it seemed a little too forgetful.