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Hero.

In other contexts, this term refers to individuals needed to defeat the Demon King or divine agents, but in this world, it specifically points to one singular person.

The first Emperor who descended from the divine, expelled the Foreign Beliefs, and founded this vast Empire that governs all of humanity—none other than Altair.

Divine Lord Altair did not grant power to someone else to create a hero; she personally descended with the Sacred Relics in hand, becoming the people’s hero, the hero herself. Thus, the title of hero solely refers to Altair.

Since her day, no Emperor has ever used the title of hero.

Is it some sort of divine inviolability? Since it was a title given by the God, only Altair has borne it this entire time.

At least, that was the case until she spoke to me just now.

“What did you just say…”

[You are my hero.]

What on earth did I just hear?

Of course, the title of hero is merely a name or title, so if the hero herself states she wishes to pass it on to another, I wouldn’t have much to say about it. The problem lies in the fact that I am the one receiving it.

If I were a member of the royal family wielding divine power, it might be different, but I’m just a complete outsider.

Why on earth would someone so disconnected from Altair be called a hero?

Well, if the God above the Emperor, Altair, is claiming so, then perhaps it’s true, but even so, I couldn’t understand it. After all, I am Damian Kraus.

The villain and antagonist of the story, Elena. How on earth could I, in such a role, possibly be seen as a hero? Just considering my talent for martial arts, there were already Noel and Reinhardt, and above all, the protagonist, Elena—why on earth would they call me a hero?

Seeing my disbelief, she looked at me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

[Because it’s you.]

“What do you mean by that…?”

[It means exactly that. It’s solely because it is ‘you’ that you are the hero. Take up the sword.]

The moment her sky blue eyes illuminated me, I realized she was not seeing Damian.

She was looking at the existence behind the role of Damian Kraus.

Altair knows who I am.

As soon as I realized that, a multitude of questions flooded my mouth, but I had to keep it shut.

Though this divine descent isn’t perfect, it is indeed a descent from a god. A being from above can’t linger in the mortal realm forever. Even so, perhaps realizing time is short, Altair no longer hesitated to use her power.

Seeing that I had no intention of taking up the sword, she sealed my mouth with her divine might and urged me to pick up the sword.

[Time is running out. Quickly, take up the sword.]

“….I still have questions.”

The pressure intensified.

This time, it seemed she exerted her power more seriously, making it difficult to dispel the pressure weighing down on my body. Yet, it’s fine. It’s still manageable. Altair doesn’t intend to harm me, and that fact granted me some leeway to resist.

The overwhelming pressure now laid upon me was truly staggering.

It felt as if I was carrying a mountain; no matter how much I exerted myself, my legs felt like they would buckle at any moment. Still, I remained standing.

“Do you know about me?”

[There’s no time. Take up the sword.]

“Why am I here?”

[Now… really… I can’t. Please, take up the sword.]

“Answer me.”

Her voice now sounded more pleading than before.

However, the force upon me became stronger, not weaker. Despite this, she kept insisting that I take up the sword. I just couldn’t comprehend why she kept urging me to do so, but I continued asking her questions.

Perhaps it was behavior I wouldn’t have engaged in back in my original world. The questions I possessed were things I could have buried anytime I wanted. If I truly wished to know, perhaps I should have taken up the sword as Altair wanted and continued the conversation.

But why did I feel so resistant to her words?

I didn’t know why.

For some reason, I just felt repulsed by the idea of taking the Holy Sword.

I sincerely didn’t understand…

I just now realized I could be so fickle. Moments ago, I felt a strange allure to the Holy Sword, and now I was averse to picking it up.

“Urgh…!”

Those were my last words before a colossal force silenced my mouth. Resistance was meaningless now. The power imposed on me had surpassed my limits, and with a grim face, she moved me and said,

[I didn’t intend to force you like this. I’ll apologize later.]

Following Altair’s command, my body moved closer to the Holy Sword. At the same time, the sword began to resonate with me, giving off a sound of joy as if it were meeting its master after a long time.

The Holy Sword might be hurt by this, but I felt no urge to grasp it despite its reaction. It was not revulsion; I merely hesitated. Even now, I’m not sure the thought itself is truly my will, but I didn’t feel unpleasant either.

It felt as if someone was warning me about something.

And that someone felt very familiar.

Anyway, there was nothing more I could do at that moment.

My hand was nearly touching the sword, yet I couldn’t even nudge it.

I was convinced I would become a hero just like that, but just before my hand could grasp the sword, an unforeseen event occurred.

Boom—

[That’s…!!]

The necklace that had quietly rested against my chest suddenly emitted a pure white light and floated into the air.

The necklace radiating light illuminated the world as if a flash grenade had gone off as it escaped my clothing. The moment the light enveloped my entire body, I felt the pressure weighing on me lessening.

Along with the light, an unprecedented power began to seep into my body.

It was a power I had felt once before—during the previous day’s Hunting Tournament, when I had saved Noel and transcended my limits. That very power was now emanating from the necklace Elena gifted me.

As it slowly began to circulate within me and merge, my consciousness started to fade. I tried to keep my eyes peeled and maintain awareness, but having already used my strength to withstand Altair’s influence, I felt fatigued all over.

[Elena!! How cowardly of you to use such tricks…]

In my dwindling awareness, I saw her crying out towards someone, and I closed my eyes.

*

“Who’s calling whom cowardly…”

Brushing back her shimmering white hair in the moonlight, Elena muttered softly.

It was her who first touched someone else’s property, yet calling the other cowardly is a bit much, isn’t it?

She could tell that Altair would take action. Ever since Damian stepped into Ruden—that is, as long as he exists in this world—Elena had prepared herself for the inevitable contact with Damian.

Though it has now become a non-issue, he was undoubtedly the rightful master of the Holy Sword.

Thus, she had previously entrusted her Sacred Relic to Damian as a precaution. Even if he were the Divine Lord Altair, it would be impossible to interfere with a being whose divine nature was deeply embedded in an opposing Sacred Relic.

While it was inevitable that Altair would detect this power during her involvement, leaving a trace of Altair upon him was a far worse outcome. Cutting off all chances for her interference was the best option.

“Hah…”

Having set things in motion, Elena felt an unsettling discomfort within her.

Though he would discover it someday, it was true that she wasn’t ready to speak of it yet. Modifying memories isn’t difficult, but if he wishes for the truth, she should provide it, so she refrained from any further interference using the Sacred Relic.

Explaining the Foreign Beliefs, reincarnation, and regression would require her to share far too much. How would he react after hearing it all? Would things change from how they are now? That was Elena’s greatest fear.

Even as she trembled with anxiety, thoughts of their shared time together calmed her shuddering body. Whether she had regressed or not, the time and feelings she shared with him were not lies.

Thinking like this, Elena finally felt her heart ease a bit.

Steeling her emotions, she refocused on the matter at hand.

Though she had managed to turn Altair away, she also needed to think of measures for what would come next. The Sacred Relic she had given to Damian aimed not only to protect him but also to keep him out of Altair’s sight, so she needed to understand why such an issue arose.

As she pondered, she recalled that the first Sacred Relic she had resonated with was indeed the Holy Sword.

Could it be because it remembers its owner? The resonance with the Holy Sword was stronger than expected, so Altair likely recognized Damian through it.

“The Holy Sword…”

Having infused her divine nature into it, she believed something like this wouldn’t happen again unless he wielded it, but the fact that the Holy Sword resonated with him was quite impressive. Elena recalled once again the image of him wielding the Holy Sword as she thoughtfully envisioned it in her mind.

His figure, freely traversing the battlefield with the golden blade, remained vivid even after the passage of time.

Among the many divine artifacts he wielded, the Holy Sword was especially remarkable, and Elena was accustomed to witnessing Damian skillfully handle it.

Reflecting upon such scenes, Elena understood why Altair spoke those words to Damian. It was because he truly embodied the hero with the Holy Sword.

With the regression that tilted the scales, he indeed fit the bill for a hero.

After reminiscing about the past for a moment, Elena opened her eyes once more and looked down at her own Sacred Relic in hand with a faint smile.

“Certainly, the next Sacred Relic should be the Holy Sword.”

To take away from him the chance of becoming the master of the Holy Sword, all she needed to do was give him a new Holy Sword. One not of Altair, but her own.

Finding that to be a rather good idea, Elena smiled softly at the air while glancing at the Sacred Relic held in her hand.

“Is this enough, I wonder…”

The skull made of crystal she was holding wasn’t particularly large. Even if she were to use it as material to make a sword, she doubted it would yield more than a small dagger at best.

However, the nature of Sacred Relics is to mold the divine nature of a god. The visible size is irrelevant; what counts is what is contained within. Of course, the power residing within the Sacred Relic in her hand far exceeded that of general divine natures, yet to Elena’s eyes, even that seemed insufficient.

There could be no shortcomings in the sword she wished to present to him.

Elena turned to the one she had brought this to and asked.

“I think I’ll need more Sacred Relics.”

Upon her succinct request, the figure who had been quietly kneeling and lowering their head bowed once more and responded to her inquiry.

“ As you command.”

With an expression of ecstasy, the being known as the Archbishop of the Foreign Beliefs vanished into the darkness.

 

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