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“I’m not looking for that right now…”

Zion’s unexpected reply took me by surprise.

I widened my eyes in shock without even realizing it.

Since we were facing each other, I wondered if Zion noticed my surprise, as he lowered his head and subtly turned away to avoid my gaze.

“I don’t want to return to my everyday life. In fact, I think… I wouldn’t care what happens to me.”

“Zion…”

“Why? Is it unexpected?”

“……”

“Even if I break, collapse, shatter… or even die, I want this world to have a peaceful everyday life. That’s my reason for living and what I truly desire.”

I couldn’t say anything in front of Zion, who was even uttering the thought of death.

He truly desires the safety of the world, not himself.

If this is what it means to be a hero, then indeed, it shows.

“Is this what being a hero means? Thinking like this… is considered heroic?”

Such thoughts aren’t normal in any sense. And it’s not even just a trivial lie; it feels so genuine?

Then could it be that heroes are perhaps broken from the moment they are born…

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“I… I am…”

I am a hero. The chosen one born into this world with special powers, timed with the Demon King’s resurrection.

The one who banishes darkness guided by the Holy Sword and divine revelations.

There is no ordinary life for me in this world.

Everything I do is to save and protect.

Hop Harvey always says I am the most important, but that’s only because I am a hero.

I have lived up until now, accepting these truths without a hint of doubt.

My life has been dark, yet I had no fear,

It has been tough, yet I never collapsed,

I wandered, yet I had no hesitation,

I was challenged countless times but never bent.

I thought I was born with a strong heart that fits my destiny as a hero.

But why is it that now…

Why am I trembling and feeling so scared?

Pushing away Hop Harvey’s words of giving me a normal life feels like such a torment.

I fear rejecting the teacher’s heart.

I fear seeing that surprised expression because of me.

Now that I have only Hop Harvey, what if he comes to dislike me?

Everything feels so terrifying that I feel like I might go crazy.

The looming threat, being hated by Hop Harvey, and… losing myself more and more.

The thought of my last heart as a hero being shattered terrifies me deeply…

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“Thank you for your hard work these three days, Senpai.”

Thus concluded the short but long three-day business trip to the Holy Magic Nation.

As I and Zion boarded the wagon heading towards the Magic Tower, Hanamana came out to say farewell.

“You worked hard too, Hanamana. Oh, did you only suffer for two days?”

“Uh, I’m so sorry… it’s just that I couldn’t do much to help you, Senpai…”

“What you did was not ordered by Hanamana; it was my choice, so it’s fine. And you’ve worked hard until now and will continue to, so don’t worry about it.”

“Ugh.”

Being the director of the Rehabilitation Medicine Center in this world means dealing with the most honorable yet busy people.

Should I have taught Hanamana something other than making a sleep routine?

“Cheer up, Hanamana. I’ll always be rooting for you.”

“Zion…”

Hanamana slowly approached and hugged Zion, who was sitting in his wheelchair.

After a moment, the wagon was set to depart, so I called out to Hanamana to break them apart, and I helped Zion into the wagon.

Inside the wagon, we couldn’t say a word.

As we looked out the window at the scenery of the Holy Magic Nation, I reflected on my thoughts with the breeze that wafted in.

The comment about returning Zion to a normal life came up in our conversation, but it felt wrong to leave it with a rejection like this.

Maybe I imposed too great a burden on Zion.

If Zion can’t look forward to a normal life because of the fabricated existence of the Demon King…

“Zion.”

“Yes?”

“When we get back, ask Serin, and let’s plan to check out some good restaurants this weekend.”

If the goal of Zion’s rehabilitation isn’t to return to normalcy, then at least the path there should be an ordinary one.

I couldn’t lighten the burden I placed on Zion, nor could I share that burden with him.

What I could offer was merely creating time for Zion to forget that burden for a moment.

Although this could be seen as an incredibly inadequate form of atonement for her.

“…….”

Fortunately, Zion turned his head to look at me.

His black hair, having been away from Serin for a few days, danced in the wind coming through the opened wagon window.

Zion’s hair glowed softly, a deep purple almost as dark as the universe itself.

Zion raised a hand to brush his hair from his forehead behind his ear, ensuring it wouldn’t cover his face, and then looked at me with a faint smile.

“I get it. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Silence fell in the wagon once again.

We remained silent.

I wasn’t too fond of heavy atmospheres.

But as I had nothing else to say to Zion, I could only wait quietly for the time to come when we would say our farewells.

 

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