Chapter 244 – Choice (3)

This other world was developing once again.

“Isn’t this leather of the highest quality?”

“One gold coin. Not a penny more. It stinks too much.”

“Something must be wrong with your nose.”

The merchants bickered.

Children ran about, giggling.

A handsome couple, shyly holding hands, strolled through the market in step with each other.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

A leisurely carriage carried a noblewoman toward the royal castle.

Even after reaching such a terrible state because of the Demon King, as long as humans were alive, they would gather and grow again.

“Mister, that looks delicious, don’t you think?”

She spoke, her eyes glued to the scene outside the carriage.

She didn’t eat as monstrously as she did in the modern world, but her love for food remained unchanged.

“Yeah.”

I answered half-heartedly.

There was no need to eat such greasy food unless I was bulking up.

Today, I was heading to the capital with that Karin kid.

The reason was simple.

The only kingdom on a continent that had been on the verge of ruin. The princess of that kingdom, Diana, was getting married.

“Hero!”

Lord Pandel, who had saved the city but not his own hair, welcomed me warmly as I stepped out of the carriage.

“It’s been a while.”

“Haha, my. To see you again, Hero. Does this mean you’ve returned to this world for good?”

“Looks like your hair isn’t coming back for good, though.”

“…”

Lord Pandel was failing to keep a straight face. So, I mirrored his expression with a scowl of my own.

The lord’s eyes immediately widened prettily.

“Many people have been waiting for your arrival, Hero. Please, come inside.”

“Are you crazy? You think I’m going to that tedious affair? You’re planning on making me wear those weird tights again, aren’t you?”

These lunatics spoke of maintaining dignity and class while wearing spandex tights.

“Mister. You need to get used to this world now, too. Don’t you think?”

“Nope, I don’t. You go on ahead.”

“What? Then why did you come with me?”

Why else?

“You’re still my boss. I have to at least act as your escort, don’t I?”

I came to earn my keep.

“Aha, I see.”

Karin’s eyes crinkled into a smile. Seeing her grin so sweetly for some reason just rubbed me the wrong way.

“See? This mister follows me around everywhere. It’s so annoying, he’s a total stalker.”

I gave Karin, who was puffing out her chest and crossing her arms to show off, a firm noogie.

“Ow, that hurts! I said it hurts!”

I gave our young lord a lesson in discipline. After all, her father had originally asked me to be in charge of Karin’s safety and education.

This much was to be expected, wasn’t it?

“Jeez.”

Annoyed that her hair was now a mess, Karin shot me a venomous glare. Then, she barked an order at the knights who had accompanied us.

“Arrest this ruffian for committing treason!”

The knights, who knew me all too well, didn’t lift a single finger.

A mere glance from me was enough to make them flinch. All the time I’d spent bullying… no, training them as their instructor had instilled some serious discipline.

“Honestly, this mister. Dina-unni… I mean, Her Majesty the Queen, must be waiting. You have to come with me.”

“That’s right. When the knights heard you were coming, Hero, they all lined up to get your autograph.”

Lord Pandel pointed at a pamphlet with a bright smile.

On it were the words, ‘Welcome, Hero!’ and below that, an arrow pointing the way to the ‘Hero’s Autograph Session Hall’.

I instantly fired a shadowless projectile, tearing the pamphlet to shreds and shattering the sign.

“Ah…!”

Seeing this, Lord Pandel wore a look of disappointment.

He was over forty and still playing games like this.

“Anyway, have fun.”

“Fun? This is work.”

Work, my foot. She’d just go and stuff her face with this and that.

“Besides, what if I get into danger inside?”

“As if you’d ever be in danger.”

Truthfully, Karin was plenty strong even without me.

What did a master of healing magic have to fear?

Besides, there was no chance of danger inside the royal castle. It was likely the safest place in this world.

I left Karin and the scheming Lord Pandel behind and went for a walk.

The capital, which had been on the brink of destruction by the Demon King’s army just a short while ago.

To take in the peaceful sight all at once, I climbed a watchtower on a hill.

“Oh…!”

The soldier guarding the watchtower was startled to see my face, then snapped to a salute.

“Mind if I take a look around for a bit?”

“O-Of course not! It is an honor, Hero!”

The city came into view. People looked like ants, and the houses were clustered together like matchboxes.

How long had it been since I’d seen this view?

—I don’t trust anyone. Not you, not the world.

The young, platinum-blonde girl had trusted nothing.

—The Hero, you?

The image of the platinum-blonde girl’s surprise when she first learned my identity was still vivid.

—I’m not asking you to protect me. Teach me how to fight.

I taught her swordsmanship.

It was probably the first time I had ever properly taught anyone.

It was a stretch for a young girl to learn my sword style. But that child, with her prodigious talent, sublimated my techniques into her own.

—How’s this? I’m strong now, right?

The girl’s bright smile as she wiped the blood from her cheek.

I taught her how to fight and guided her on how to stand above others.

I watched as that child followed her bloodline and became a queen.

I wondered if I had truly done the right thing.

Because that child, too, had to witness countless deaths.

Diana, and Karin.

One a queen, the other a lord.

I still don’t know if I did the right thing.

I wonder if they could have found their own happiness in a different way.

I often questioned my choices.

Wondering if there might have been a better option.

But I don’t regret it.

The city that had been shrouded in death was now colored with peace.

The laughter of those people living together—I created that.

“Hero…!”

Just then, I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

Turning around, I saw a woman with platinum-blonde hair, dressed elegantly, panting for breath.

“Hero…”

“Noona.”

“Don’t… do that.”

I was originally older, but now she was.

Dimension-hopping had its perks. If I had stayed here, I’d be around forty by now.

“Is it right for a queen to wander around a place like this alone, without an escort?”

“Did you forget I’m a Sword Master? There are only a handful of people in this kingdom who can beat me, you know.”

That was true. In any case, she must be busy with her wedding coming up, yet Diana had come all this way to find me.

“How could you come all this way and not even show your face?”

“How did you find me?”

“This is my country. Every person is my informant, and every place is under my watch.”

Having caught her breath, Diana placed her hands on her hips and continued confidently.

“And you protected all of it.”

Yes, I did.

But if there was one thing she was wrong about, it was that I hadn’t protected it alone.

The blood and effort of countless people were mixed in.

“Congratulations on your marriage, Diana.”

Hearing my words, Diana’s eyes widened for a moment. Then, a smile graced her lips.

She’d grown up well. The little princess. Someday, Karin, too, would get married like this.

“Did you know? I truly loved you, Hero. Not as admiration, but love.”

I knew. I wasn’t an idiot.

“My husband now is a very good person, too. Though his dorkiness is a flaw. Ah, even now, when he heard you were coming to the castle, he put on a headband and went to the hall to get your autograph. He’s probably moping right now.”

Diana spoke of her husband, genuinely happy.

“He’s a huge fan of yours, Hero.”

“Hah.”

How absurd. Why him too?

From what I’d heard on the way, Diana’s husband was a man who had achieved great merits.

He was also a prince from a neighboring country before the Seven Kingdoms fell.

He had fallen for Diana at first sight and proposed continuously, only to be rejected until they finally clicked.

“I want you to be happy too, Hero.”

I’m happy enough.

“You should get married too, Hero, and settle down here.”

Marriage. I’d never once thought about it.

Ah, now that I think about it, being single my whole life is a bit unfair.

All that time spent swinging a sword, and my best years just passed me by.

“What about Katrinne?”

“What about her?”

“As a marriage partner.”

What was she talking about now?

“With a girl who’s like a daughter to me?”

At my words, Diana let out a soft puff of air.

“I don’t think she sees it that way.”

Even if she did, I didn’t.

“Hero.”

Diana, in her wedding gown, smiled brightly at me.

“Thank you for saving us.”

Her eyes, filled with a mix of complex emotions, were fixed on me.

Was it right to say that I saved them?

It could have been a simple war of attrition between humans.

Because of me, the scale had grown, and the number of casualties in the war had increased.

At least, that’s what I believe.

“I’m grateful, too.”

I was sending off my first daughter.

The wedding was about to begin.

I was grabbed by the hand by Diana and dragged down.

Many people had gathered to celebrate the queen’s wedding.

A great many.

A continent that had been on the verge of ruin. I could see human civilization blossoming once again as the sole remaining kingdom prospered.

Here, there was proof that I had been here.

The people I love.

My precious people.

They still remained here, growing, making families, and living.

I plan to live here, too.

-Beep.

Just then, a system message popped up in my vision.

“…”

-The Knights are under attack.

For a moment, I felt my blood run cold.

***

Washington D.C., USA, had vanished.

At first, the monsters that rained down from the sky like a storm seemed to be getting handled by special forces and allied hunters.

But they soon learned that this was merely the appetizer.

The Demon King’s main army had marched.

Led by Giant Soldiers.

Fighter jets were shot down by wyverns spitting poison, and the Giant Soldiers destroyed everything in their path.

Of course, America’s hunters didn’t just stand by.

American hunters found a way to defeat the Giant Soldiers and began to kill them.

The citizens rewarded their heroes’ triumphs with cheers. But those cheers didn’t last long.

The legion commander leading the army, and the Demon King who ruled them, slaughtered the heroes.

To show America’s strength, hunters from other states also fought to protect their country. But the Demon King’s army was unexpectedly numerous.

Hundreds of thousands.

Literally enough to wipe out the entire United States.

The problem wasn’t just in America.

All of the world’s top-ranking countries were being invaded by the Demon King’s army.

They had thought another epic-level gate would appear someday, but no one could have known it would be an army from another world.

Only one group had anticipated it.

“Aaargh!”

A Goblin Warrior, the lowest-ranking soldier of the Demon King’s army with dark skin, was swiftly chasing down citizens, engaging in a one-sided massacre.

“Wow, they really swarmed in here, didn’t they?”

Lee Hyun-ah muttered, looking at the pandemonium of fleeing citizens.

Rat-a-tat, tat!

Gunfights erupted everywhere, and screams filled the air.

Thud, thud!

A Giant Soldier was advancing, crushing a tank underfoot.

Seeing this, Kang Cheol drew his sword and said.

“Hyun-ah, buff me.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”

Lee Hyun-ah nonchalantly grabbed Kang Cheol’s shoulder and cast attack and defense buffs on him.

Fwoosh!

Kang Cheol sprinted in a straight line, mowing down goblins.

Graaah!

The Giant Soldier swung its mace to pulp the human charging bravely toward it.

Craaash!

The ground crumbled like tofu. The Giant Soldier was puzzled to find no chunks of human flesh on its mace.

Slish!

Just then, Kang Cheol appeared out of nowhere and slit the giant’s throat.

The Giant Soldier collapsed to the ground, unable to even put up a proper fight.

“He’s already strong, but with your buff, Noona, he’s on another level.”

Kim In-ho muttered as he watched Kang Cheol’s rampage.

Lee Hyun-ah tapped Kim In-ho on the shoulder and chided him.

“An older guy is working that hard, and you’re just slacking off?”

“No, it’s time to start.”

Kim In-ho channeled the buff Lee Hyun-ah had casually transferred to him and readjusted his grip on his spear.

This was the final stage of the plan.

To fight the Demon King’s army without Lee Hyunbin, the strongest of them all.

Swoosh.

Kim In-ho ran like the wind, swinging his spear.

Splish, crack!

The goblins that came into contact with his spearhead began to shatter like broken blocks.

Seeing this, Lee Hyun-ah let out a whistle.

“That blockhead is finally getting the hang of it.”

After a month of training under Kang Cheol, Kim In-ho’s skills had improved by leaps and bounds.

“Alpha team, all units reinforce!”

“No, we need the hunter team!”

Thump, thump!

A hairy elephant the size of a building was rampaging, swinging its trunk and destroying houses.

It would be easy to mistake it for a boss monster, but it was just a common soldier in the Demon King’s army.

“I hope the contract gets finalized soon.”

Lee Hyun-ah said, looking up at the woman floating in the Seoul sky.

A woman with a black ring above her head and flapping black wings was clasping her hands to her chest in prayer.

Drip, drip.

Her tear-streaked face was holy and beautiful.

‘The Demon King.’

Without Lee Hyunbin, the strongest hunter, Korea’s dream team moved to subjugate the Demon King.