Chapter 111 – The Hero's Return (1)

The world outside the city was fraught with danger.

That was why they had built walls around the city blessed by the goddess and never ventured out.

The city’s inhabitants called themselves safe. But from another’s perspective, it was no different from being trapped in a self-made prison.

However, today was different.

“Wow, is that him?”

A young woman, having heard an incredible story, came out to see a certain man.

When she arrived, she found that not only she, but many of her friends were there as well.

Their purpose was singular.

To see the Hero who had appeared for the first time in fifteen years.

The city was bustling for the first time in a long while.

People came out dressed in their finest clothes, their faces wiped clean of all anxiety and despair.

“Look, look.”

“What?”

Hyunbin asked in response to Olivier’s words.

“The Hero must look ridiculous. People are staring at us like we’re monkeys in a cage.”

“If you keep messing with me, I might mistake you for a fly and swat you.”

“Hmph, do you think I’d be pleased by a threat like that?”

“There’s really something wrong with your head.”

Hyunbin sighed in disbelief.

Olivier was teasing him mischievously, but inwardly, she was impressed.

She possessed a wide-range scanning skill, which was why she had come along to support the Hero.

The atmosphere of the city she scanned was gloomy. But the moment the Hero appeared, the mood of the people changed completely.

‘So this is a Hero.’

The Hero seen as an enemy was quite different from the Hero seen as an ally.

Everywhere he went, all eyes were on him.

People cheered.

The Hero’s name echoed continuously throughout the square.

A young boy, Theo, had also come out with his mother.

Theo’s mother, out for the first time in ages, clasped her hands as if in prayer and bowed her head.

Theo had never seen her look so moved.

And she wasn’t the only one.

Everyone who remembered the Hero was overwhelmed with emotion.

Knights and guards lined the inner castle.

The lord of Pandel, the city of the goddess, walked out, smiling brightly.

“Hero…”

The Lord of Pandel spread his arms as if familiar with Hyunbin.

“It has been a long time, Hero.”

“?”

Hyunbin looked at the Lord of Pandel with a puzzled expression.

The lord then opened his mouth with a hearty laugh.

“It’s me, Roystan. From the Invincible Special Cavalry that used to assist you.”

“Ah.”

Hyunbin let out a small laugh at the embarrassing name. There certainly had been a cavalry unit with such a childish name.

And he remembered its captain as well.

“But why have you gotten so old?”

“It is you who has not aged.”

“No, but still, how did you go bald in just fifteen years?”

“…Shall we head inside?”

The lord’s emotional face turned slightly sulky.

***

It feels strange to be in a medieval castle after so long.

There was no point in dragging things out, so I got straight to the point.

“You mean the Holy Sword?”

“Yeah, the Holy Sword.”

Everyone was cheering, chanting “Hero, Hero.”

Did they really think I was going to become their savior again and rescue the continent?

“Let me say this upfront. I didn’t come back to defeat the Demon King or save the continent like before.”

I had to draw the line now.

Their expectations seemed far too high.

Looking at the continent now, I could tell it wasn’t the place I once knew.

It was like an apocalypse.

Except for the cities under the goddess’s protection, the lands had become so desolate that they were nearly uninhabitable.

“I see. I understand. It would be shameless of us to burden you again.”

Lord Roystan murmured.

He didn’t seem disappointed and continued with a smile.

“We have already received so much from you.”

“How did things get this bad?”

At my words, the lord gave a grim, self-mocking smile.

“We simply failed to protect the peace you created.”

“No, not that. What happened to your hair? You used to have a pretty full head of it.”

“I thought we were done with that topic…”

“It’s finished, alright. Your hair follicles.”

Anyway, I already heard about the situation here from that elf, Ria.

The so-called Immortal Demon King was so skilled in necromancy that he grew stronger with every battle.

Of course, there were those who wielded divine power, but too many of them had died in the previous war.

Thanks to that, they couldn’t properly stop the undead legion, which ultimately led to the fall of the Seven Kingdoms.

“There are seven cities blessed by the goddess.”

As long as the cities, imbued with the power of the seven goddesses, kept their gates sealed, evil could not enter.

Though there were always exceptions.

“My hair couldn’t survive trying to protect a city like this. I lost it all to stress.”

Ah, I see.

Stress truly is the root of all evil.

“The Holy Sword.”

Lord Roystan muttered, lost in thought.

“Do you know where it is?”

The old man had definitely said it.

That the Holy Sword was calling me.

He said he would guide me to its location with a portal, but now that I was here, there wasn’t even a shadow of the sword to be seen.

“All traces of the Holy Sword were lost long ago.”

“But you guys kept summoning Heroes, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but I’ve heard that none of them were able to use the Holy Sword.”

Then where in the world is it?

“What about you, Hero?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Didn’t you return to your original world?”

Roystan smiled kindly.

He had aged, but I could still see traces of his old self.

For me, it had only been a few months, but for them, it had been a long fifteen years.

It must have been a hellish time.

“I’ve been well.”

Yeah, I’d been doing really well.

It was a bit of a pain when Katrinne followed me, but I’d grown fond of her over time, so it wasn’t a bad feeling.

Family. Yes, that’s a word that could describe it.

I got new teammates, and I even joined hands with that Demon King guy.

Ah, I probably shouldn’t mention that the Demon King is in the other world.

I’m afraid they’d get a double dose of PTSD.

“I’m glad to hear that you’ve been well.”

Roystan was genuinely happy.

Fifteen years ago.

I remember his face as he blessed me when I crossed through the dimensional gate to return to my world.

“Do you remember Her Highness, Felt?”

Diana Ludwig Felt.

A royal who had lived hiding her bloodline.

She was also a friend I had trained to become a Sword Master.

I helped Diana become the rightful queen, and after taking the throne, she became my ally, keeping the other six kingdoms in check.

“I remember. But why bring her up?”

She wasn’t as strong as me, but Diana was pretty tough.

One of the best among those I taught.

“She was furious when she later found out that you had returned to your world.”

A small laugh escaped my lips at Roystan’s words.

Just like her stubborn self, she must have whined a lot.

But if I had to say goodbye to everyone one by one, it would have taken years.

I had more than a few connections here.

“Thanks to that, I was nearly executed for treason. Haha.”

“Treason?”

“Yes. For seeing you off without telling her.”

Well, I was the one who told him not to say anything.

But that’s a pretty petty reason to be accused of high treason.

It was interesting to hear stories about people I knew after so long.

They were friends who had fought alongside me on harsh battlefields.

I actually wanted to ask about them.

But there was one reason I couldn’t bring myself to.

The Demon King’s rule. A desolate continent.

It was probably safe to assume that the majority of the continent’s population was dead.

Yeah, I just couldn’t stomach it.

“Don’t worry. Her Highness is alive.”

“Worry? Who could possibly take her down?”

I said with a smirk.

“Where is she?”

“She’s in this city.”

I almost spat out the water I was drinking.

She’s so clingy, it’s a real pain.

Diana. I met her when she was a princess. I knew her when she was a teenager, so she was incredibly attached to me.

“Don’t worry. Her Highness is outside.”

“Outside?”

“She’s out dealing with the remnants of the Demon King’s army.”

Even with the world in this state, she’s personally leading troops on expeditions?

Wow, just what I’d expect from someone I trained.

She must have gotten stronger.

“She is striving to expand the lands where humans can live, even by a little. She is a truly remarkable person, much like the Hero who influenced her.”

“Well, as long as she’s healthy and doing well, that’s all that matters.”

“She hasn’t married yet.”

“She hasn’t?”

Don’t royals usually marry early?

She was eighteen when I left. Fifteen years have passed, so she must be thirty-two now.

Huh, that’s a bit surprising.

“How old are you now?”

“Ah, me?”

Lord Roystan laughed sheepishly.

“I’m forty this year.”

“You’re my elder now.”

“What are you on about, Hero?”

“My elder.”

I haven’t changed at all, but they’ve all gotten older. No wonder his hair fell out.

“Why don’t you rest for a few days, tour the city, and meet Her Highness before you go?”

“I don’t know.”

I wasn’t sure if I had the luxury.

Normally, when a legion’s commander disappears, the undead army moves on instinct.

However, the legion hadn’t disbanded.

That meant only one thing.

*Tap, tap, tap.*

The sound of someone rushing over could be heard.

Soon, the door burst open, and a knight hastily dropped to one knee, bowing his head.

“My lord, we have a problem!”

“A problem?”

Even without hearing the report, I had a feeling I knew what it was.

“The-the legion. The Demon King’s legion is attacking!”

“Attacking? The legion?”

Roystan couldn’t comprehend what he was hearing.

I had a feeling something was off.

The undead legion couldn’t attack the castle because of the barrier.

And yet, they had apparently continued a pointless siege.

Today, they had even persuaded terrified soldiers to open the gates.

After hearing the knight’s report, Roystan went out to the terrace. He stared at the unfolding battle with agitated eyes.

“That’s, that’s impossible…!”

The undead were beginning their siege.

“Summon the soldiers at once! All knights are to assemble, without exception!”

“Yes, sir!”

The once-quiet inner castle was thrown into the height of confusion by the sudden war.

I can see it.

Why the goddess’s barrier was broken.

“Hero.”

“Yeah. I know.”

I said to Olivier as I muttered under my breath.

“Why is that over there?”

The Holy Sword was calling to me from the battlefield.

***

The woman with luscious platinum blonde hair wiped her sweat and brought a waterskin to her lips.

‘Something feels strange today.’

She felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

The lands where humans could live on the continent were now limited.

In other words, the world had become filled with monsters roaming in search of flesh as part of the Demon King’s army, or masterless skeletons and zombies wandering aimlessly.

Even the animals, due to the curse of undeath, climbed trees and dug the earth with nothing but bare bones.

It was a cursed world.

As one who held the destiny of a kingdom in her hands, she never ceased her fierce battles to fulfill her duty.

Even now, at this very moment, she had left the safety of the goddess’s city to exterminate the surrounding monsters.

All to expand the land where humans could live, even by a little.

“Your Highness, there is a strange rumor.”

Her Royal Knight spoke.

“They say a Hero has appeared.”

At her knight’s words, she let out a snort.

“A Hero? Is this the eleventh one? We’d better hope he dies quickly, before he holds a knife to our throats.”

At her sharp words, the Royal Knight spoke again.

“No.”

She looked at her knight.

There was something strange in his eyes.

They were masters of combat, always calm and meticulous.

But now, they seemed excited, as if thrilled by something.

“They say *he* has come.”

“He? Don’t tell me…”

Diana’s eyes wavered.

Fifteen years.

It was a long time, long enough for the willful princess she once was to be called the Iron Empress.

And yet, his face was as vivid as if she had seen it yesterday.

Could it really be him?

Just then, an urgent report arrived.

“Your Highness! We have a major problem!”

I knew I had a bad feeling about this.

Diana narrowed her eyes and waited for the report.

“The city, the city is under attack by the Demon King’s army and is burning!”

Princess Diana closed her eyes.

She had been told the goddess’s blessing was weakening, but she never expected something like this to happen.

“What’s the situation?”

“They say the city is on the verge of being conquered at any moment!”

“All troops, prepare to move out. We are returning to the city!”

Even at full speed, it would take several hours to reach the city.

The elite white knights following her ended their short rest and headed towards the city in crisis.

‘Please…’

It was one of the few remaining havens for humanity.

If this place fell, humans would have nowhere left to live.

She prayed.

That the lie about the Hero’s appearance was true.

Because if it was, he would surely bring about a miracle.