Chapter 86
The anticipated commotion did not occur.
Fortunately, unlike Eldisia, Knight Commander Kaius was a reasonable human being.
This was due in part to my status as a Hero and Erwin’s effective mediation.
Instead, Ophelia had to apologize for her rudeness.
“Ophelia, you should apologize.”
“B-but I’m the winner of the duel….”
“If you don’t, I’ll leave you here.”
At those words, her gaze wavered.
In the end, Ophelia approached Kaius and Eldisia, bowing her head deeply.
“I… I’m….”
Could it be…?
“I’m sorry.”
I sighed in relief.
Unlike what had happened with Erwin, this time was different. In her own way, Ophelia must be growing as a person.
“So, you had a duel and lost? To our vice commander? To the Saintess?”
After that, Knight Commander Kaius took Ophelia and me to the Knight Order Barracks. It was for clarification of the circumstances.
“That’s surprising.”
Kaius couldn’t hide his astonishment at the story he heard. In fact, if you looked at it objectively, it was an impossible situation.
Kaius scrutinized Ophelia’s appearance, and upon noticing the shield on her arm, he chuckled and nodded.
“Indeed. The Cathedral teaches Close Combat Techniques as well. Of course, the woman with the Divine Mark back when I was around was also quite good with a mace, you know.”
“Are you referring to the previous Saintess?”
“Humans call her that. We just referred to her by name.”
So, the previous Saintess also engaged in Close Combat, huh.
It seemed that Ophelia’s high proficiency in swordsmanship was not just a coincidence or a quirk of game mechanics.
“Anyway, if you are the rightful winner of a fair duel, there’s no need to blame anyone. Saintess, feel free to take pride. Vice Commander Eldisia is an outstanding knight even within the order herself. Defeating her makes you qualified as well.”
While the Fairy King, aged just like the others, was entrenched in a sense of superiority, Kaius was different.
He was a man of character, not fitting the typical Elf stereotype.
Ophelia’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Hey, are you an Ear Demon?”
“Haha. I do get that a lot.”
Kaius didn’t react to the derogatory term. His gaze soon shifted from Ophelia to me.
“So, you’re the Hero?”
“Yes.”
Kaius’s clear eyes examined my face. He noticed the veins in my forearms and smirked.
“Hmm. Quite a good physique. I like it.”
“…Elliot, that guy’s kind of creepy.”
“Please be quiet.”
I corrected my posture as I gave Ophelia a playful flick on the forehead. Kaius leaned back and gestured for me.
“Can you show me your mark?”
“Of course.”
Although Kaius maintained an Arrogant Tone, somehow it felt necessary to show him respect. More than anything, he was a member of the previous Hero’s party. That meant he possessed invaluable combat experience against the Demon King, something that neither Ophelia nor I had.
I removed my glove to reveal the Hero’s Divine Mark, and he examined it with keen eyes.
“Have you used the Mark?”
“Yes.”
“How many times?”
“Roughly… about six or seven, I think.”
“Was it manageable?”
“…Well, I’ve gotten used to it.”
Kaius crossed his arms.
His massive muscles flexed.
“I must warn you. If you continue to use the Mark, your body will eventually break down.”
“….”
Kaius was saying the same things as Ophelia.
“Your soul is not mature. It is an unworthy soul for a Hero. I can see it.”
“…You can see it?”
“It’s a mediocre talent.”
For some reason, Ophelia’s expression darkened at his words.
I furrowed my brow as I rubbed the mark on the back of my hand.
An unworthy soul for a Hero. That was only to be expected. I was just a disposable Hero after all.
So, what could I do? The Divine Being chose me as a Hero, and I had no right to refuse.
“What should I do then?”
“Don’t use it.”
“I can’t do that.”
The Hero’s Mark.
Without it, I could never breach the Demon King’s Castle.
In fact, this mark had saved my life several times already.
“Is there no other way? I need the Mark.”
“…Using the Mark tarnishes your soul. To call that a blessing from the gods is… nothing short of human and Elf arrogance on the continent.”
Kaius let out a deep sigh.
“Build a strong body. If you can at least hold onto it, some deterioration may be manageable.”
In the end, it sounds like training my body was the only option.
Even that seemed like a temporary measure.
As Ophelia tugged at my sleeve, shaking her head subtly, I raised a question that crossed my mind.
“By any chance, what kind of person was the previous Hero?”
“He was an exceptional individual. A true hero by all meanings of the word. He has since passed away.”
“….”
“Oh, it’s not because of the Mark. He died of natural causes. Human lifespans are but a fleeting moment, right?”
I felt a sense of relief at Kaius’s words and continued speaking.
“Then, did you confront the Demon King directly?”
“Yes.”
“What was the Demon King like?”
“…An incomprehensible, yes, an ambiguous existence.”
This time even Kaius hesitated slightly as he spoke.
He pressed his temples with a frown.
“…We stopped the Demon King’s descent and brought about peace. That’s how it’s often portrayed.”
“What do you mean?”
“Whether that peace was truly created by our will, I’ve never been certain. Perhaps one day, you, Hero, will understand in time.”
Kaius shrugged.
It was an enigmatic statement.
A moment of silence followed, and I cautiously suggested.
“If it’s alright, would you accompany us on our journey to the Demon King’s Castle?”
Elf Knight Commander Kaius has an upright personality and remarkable combat strength. He also has a history of having fought the Demon King once.
If he joins us, it would surely be a great help.
However, he chuckled dryly and waved his hand to decline.
“No, I appreciate the offer, but I must refuse.”
“Why’s that?”
“I don’t wish to meet the Demon King again. I have no confidence that I can maintain my composure in his presence.”
That statement was an unusual admission of fear from someone like Kaius.
It left me with a slight feeling of unease.
*
On the way back to our residence from the barracks, Ophelia had a tight grip on my sleeve.
Since she didn’t seem inclined to let go, we ended up walking hand in hand.
It was probably due to the terrifying words from Kaius about how my body would break down if I kept using the Mark.
“Ophelia, please be honest with me.”
I initiated the conversation, and Ophelia looked up at me with a sullen expression.
“What do you want me to say? That you might die? You know that, so what more should I say?”
Ophelia glared at me, puffing out her cheeks as if she were filled with dissatisfaction.
I poked her soft cheek teasingly and asked, “What exactly did the Demon King say to you that day?”
“….”
“I know. I heard that the Demon King entered Daniel’s territory that day.”
“Who told you?”
“Erwin.”
“That old hag. She’s utterly useless.”
Ophelia sighed deeply, leaning against me.
“So, what did he say?”
“Do I have to say it?”
“Yes. There should be no lies between us.”
As I emphasized the term “us,” Ophelia blinked in surprise.
After a moment, she began to speak, her face flushed.
“The Demon King said I was a divine envoy of the Celestial Being.”
“…You, Ophelia?”
“Yes. He said your soul is tarnished. That mine is the purest of all souls. And the Demon King mentioned something about me being truly pure.”
“Um….”
Purity of Soul.
Kaius had just mentioned something similar.
“Isn’t that utterly ridiculous?”
“What’s so funny about it?”
“I’m supposed to be an envoy. Gods are just pieces of trash to me. I wouldn’t even want that position.”
“…That’s true.”
“But the Demon King also said that the gods toy with us. That we’ll have to make a choice at the imminent crossroads.”
“That the gods are toying with us?”
Suddenly, the note from Mereba I saw in Nua Diel’s library came back to me.
Is the Mark truly a blessing or a curse?
The answer to that question might lie with the Demon King.
Additionally, in the original story, the Demon King approached the Hero. Now, that target has shifted to Ophelia.
Is it because I’m just a substitute, or is there something about Ophelia that I don’t know?
Whatever it is, we have one thing to do.
“Ophelia.”
“What?”
“Shall we grab something to eat?”
“Huh?”
Ophelia tilted her head in confusion. It seemed odd to her since we had just been discussing serious matters.
But it couldn’t be helped.
All I could do was steadily move forward.
The Demon King would approach Ophelia again in due time.
As Kaius said, perhaps when that time came, we would understand the Demon King’s intentions better.
“What would you like to eat? Since you struggled with the duel today, let’s have something you like. Though I’m not sure if Elves eat fish dishes.”
“….”
Ophelia stared blankly at me before asking, “What about the others?”
“Albrecht and Erwin? Is it really necessary? Isn’t it more comfortable for just the two of us? We used to do that often at the Cathedral.”
“…Yeah. I had dinner with that old man Belwin and the three of us.”
Ophelia nodded as if reminiscing about the past, then chuckled gently.
“I’d rather not eat that miserable vegetation.”
“That’s something I can definitely agree with.”
