Quit The Hero Party

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EP.515 Improvement, The Way Back (2)

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“What are we going to do about that temple?”

Kyle pointed behind him.

The temple of shadows located at the edge of the continent. Surrounding the massive temple where the Demon Lord once resided, black fields sprawled across. As he indicated that way, Kyle tapped the hilt of his sword.

“Should we tear it down?”

“No, let’s leave it be.”

Raniel shook her head quietly.

“I made a promise.”

“A promise?”

“Yeah, a promise. So I thought we could leave this place untouched.”

Raniel gazed at the temple of shadows.

Perhaps it was due to the clouds obstructing the sunlight, or the high pillars casting shadows, but the sunlight around the temple was dimmer than elsewhere.

It’s a good place for those not used to light to live.

No matter when it may be, if those forsaken by the stars are reborn again… she had a gut feeling that this place would surely be it. For them, it’s a place akin to home, as it’s where their master was buried in ashes.

“Let’s go.”

Raniel turned her head.

With her gaze forward, she started to walk.

*

The way back to the kingdom was long.

The place where the temple of shadows stood was at the edge of the continent, whereas the kingdom lay near the center of the continent… No matter how superhuman the two of them were, reaching the kingdom on foot was quite the challenge.

“I think we really need to take a carriage. The distance is a bit savage to walk. More than anything, I feel like I’m going to die from the effort.”

Raniel moaned.

Before fully recovering from her injuries sustained in the battle with Ganikalt, she had fought the Demon Lord. Considering she had unleashed magic that strained her body in that battle, it was only natural her whole body was screaming in pain.

“I really want to lie down right now.”

“I’m not carrying you.”

“Hey, do you remember how many times I carried you when you were lying down? You ungrateful jerk…”

“Carried? Please, I remember how you grabbed my ankle and dragged me along, so don’t twist the facts.”

Kyle ran a hand through the back of his head.

Whenever he collapsed and exhausted all his starlight on the battlefield, Raniel would grasp his ankle and drag him across the battlefield. The number of times his head had hit a rock was definitely in the double digits.

“…Really? Did I do that?”

“You did. So know this, if you lie down, I’ll grab your ankle and drag you too.”

“Isn’t that a bit much?”

Raniel, sulking, kicked at an innocent rock while Kyle shook his head and smiled bitterly. He didn’t voice it aloud, but there was another reason for his hesitance. If he happened to carry the current version of her, and if word got to Sara…

「Kyle?」

「Kyle? Look at me.」

His back would probably end up in shambles.

Sweat trickled down Kyle’s back.

Of course, he knew that beneath the current appearance, it was still Raniel inside. Therefore, not a single personal feeling muddled his sword (劍) swearing, but… that was his perspective—it might be seen differently by others.

‘Meanwhile, she seems oblivious…’

What could he do about that?

Even if he was aware, he had to keep the line. Kyle stepped back slightly from Raniel. Regardless, she sighed heavily, whining.

“My legs hurt. My arms hurt. I think my ankles are going to snap.”

“Well, you did just fight Ganikalt and the Demon Lord in succession, so it’s natural to be tired.”

“…You don’t look tired?”

Kyle chuckled, pointing to his right arm.

“Can’t you see my arm isn’t even moving?”

“Oh.”

Now that she mentioned it, during the fight with the Demon Lord, he had only used his left arm, right?

The backlash from Yeocheon seemed pretty severe. As Raniel pointed at Kyle’s drooping arm, she asked.

“Will that arm be okay?”

“It should get better with enough rest. For now, it might be tough, though.”

“How long will it take?”

Kyle flinched and looked at Raniel.

“…Are you thinking of heading straight back?”

“Not exactly straight back, but I do intend to get there as quickly as possible. We can’t afford to waste time on idle chit-chat.”

“Well, I guess I should ask Sara for help.”

“Right. Sara.”

Raniel sighed briefly.

“…Is she alright? I heard from Cardi that there was some issue with her memories.”

“It’s complicated, but she seems fine. The contract is just entangled in a strange way. You can ask her directly later.”

“That’s a relief.”

Raniel smiled.

When they returned, it would be nice to gather all four of them after a long time. As they walked along, discussing such trivial matters, the sun set, and they camped for the night, making a fire. While the sun was up, they diligently continued on their way.

“This still tastes disgustingly bad.”

“Who eats for flavor anyway?”

It had been two days since they started trudging along eating rectangular tasteless combat rations. Only now had they arrived at Gehete.

The place where Death remained silent, Gehete.

The endless wasteland stretched long beyond the horizon, filled with sword scars. The ruins of the tower Raniel had erected were sprawled out, and the rocks thrown by Yeocheon were scattered chaotically.

“It’s quite a sight.”

Muttering that, Raniel gazed at the center of the wasteland. There stood a single sword plunged into the ground. The only item left by Ganikalt, a relic promised to be recovered by Kalt someday.

“Speaking of which, wasn’t a carriage around here?”

There should’ve been the carriage they rode here.

‘Carriage will move automatically if you just pump in some mana…’

Could they finally sit down and ride? Comfortably?

With that hopeful thought in mind, Raniel started to hurry her steps. The closer she got to where the carriage should be, the faster her pace became, a smile forming on her lips.

“…….”

However, that hope was mocked at the edge of the wasteland, where the shattered remains of the carriage lay. A massive boulder, seemingly thrown from the sky, crushed it.

“…….”

Raniel looked silently at Kyle.

It was evident that this debris was thrown by Yeocheon.

“…I’m really sorry.”

Kyle quietly averted his gaze.

At that moment, as the two sighed heavily near the ruined carriage, a sound echoed.

Clatter-clatter.

From somewhere, the sound of wheels rolling could be heard.

Kyle and Raniel turned their heads toward the source of the sound. Carriages were approaching from afar, adorned with the symbols of the Knights Order.

Found it, found it!

Halt!

As the carriages drew near, voices called out. Soon, the carriages came to a noisy halt, and knights began to dismount from them. A search party dispatched to assist Raniel’s return.

“Wow.”

Raniel admired the luxurious carriage that looked like it would provide a pleasant ride. She had been longing for a carriage. The thought of being able to return comfortably made her smile.

“We’ve come to escort you; if you have any injuries…”

The knights approaching Raniel paused for a moment.

They blinked in surprise as they saw Kyle standing beside Raniel. They hadn’t been informed of anyone else’s presence here aside from Raniel.

“Oh, I’m…”

Before Kyle could speak, the knight’s eyes widened, and he exclaimed, taking a breath before saluting Kyle.

“We greet the legendary warrior, Kyle Toven!”

Even if he wasn’t wearing the conquests of a hero, even if the emblem of the sacred sword had long since fallen off, even if he had spent a long time away from the battlefield…

The world had not forgotten Kyle Toven.

It had not forgotten the feats he had accomplished.

As the knights who recognized him began to salute one by one, Kyle slowly closed his mouth, which had been opened wide. Observing the scene, Raniel couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Feeling good?”

Raniel suddenly gave Kyle’s shoulder a playful jab. She whispered in a voice low enough just for him to hear.

“Isn’t this the scenery you always wanted?”

“…This is just scenery I’ve seen a few years ago.”

“Playing it cool, huh? Your mouth is practically grinning.”

Kyle adjusted the corners of his mouth.

It wasn’t particularly curled up.

When he glanced over, he found Raniel trying to suppress a laugh.

“You…”

Raniel chuckled quietly, taking a deep breath.

Then, stepping forward, she began to explain the situation to the knights who were inquiring. The Demon Lord and Death’s Blade had been defeated, and teams on the opposite side of the continent were likely returning as well.

In summary, she proclaimed,

“It’s humanity’s victory.”

The long struggle had come to an end.

All calamities had fallen, the Braver had shattered, and the Demon Lord had burned along with the black sky. At her affirmation, the knights erupted in cheers. They shouted the names of Ranial van Trias and Kyle Toven.

The warrior had triumphed.

It was time to celebrate victory and make a grand return.

As Raniel boarded the carriage heading towards the kingdom, now destined to be an empire—Cartedia—she absentmindedly looked up at the sky. Despite the sun being high, she could see constellations. The constellations in the blue sky twinkled fiercely.

As she gazed at the constellations, it felt as if the constellations were gazing back at her.

In the ancient capital closest to the heavens.

The place known as the city of Ancient Dragons, guarded by a long-lost ancient dragon, whose name had faded from memory. At its center stood a temple made of platinum.

Whether it should be called a temple or a palace was debatable. Perhaps both were accurate expressions.

It was a temple, as it housed the being closest to a god in this land, and it was a palace, as it held a throne for that being to sit upon.

…….

In the Platinum Temple, or the Platinum Palace, the ancient lord of the capital opened his eyes slightly as he gazed at the void, resting his chin on his hand. His golden eyes, observing all the world, gleamed brightly like those of a dragon.

The envoy of the stars.

The man who made the gods tremble.

An immovable deity.

The wizard who ended the age of many gods, etching a single decree into the heavens, opening up an age for humankind. The oldest mage broke the rules he had set himself and slowly started to rise.

The Mage of Ancient Dragons.

Yormun van Dragonik stirred.

The shimmering golden waters that flowed throughout the city of Ancient Dragons, following the grooves carved in the temple, surged violently. The tremors that began in the temple extended through the entire city. The overflowing waters began to flow through long-dormant canals that hadn’t seen water in thousands of years.

The flowing waters soon became constellations.

That was the constellation he had dropped from the heavens, the day he made all the gods tremble. The radiant constellation, along with the mage’s deity, the immovable god, and the slaughterer who had taken the divinity of all deities slowly opened his eyes.

In the moment he reopened his eyes.

What stood there was not Yormun van Dragonik, but rather a man once called Yormun. An arrogant human who had torn the sky for the woman he loved, shedding thousands of stars shining above.

From the highest point closest to the heavens.

The man seated in the place of the gods looked up at the sky.

The shifting constellations engraved in the heavens, he recalled the day he inscribed those constellations in the sky with her. Reminiscing about that distant past when time had halted for him, Yormun smiled bitterly.

That solitary constellation carved in the sky.

That constellation was all that remained for him.

‘Therefore.’

This time, he shall not let anyone take it away.