I Picked Up the Hero Who Banished Me

14 – [The Hero Who Defeated the Demon Lord – 11]

*Shwiiing!*

I slash, slash, slash my way through.

My vision wavers, turning crimson.

Even with half my vision gone, unsteady, my heart felt calm.

*Squish!*

“You, just now…!”

“…….”

It was the soldier who’d saved me earlier.

He was alive, thankfully.

But he couldn’t open his mouth.

His mouth was full of blood, so I just bowed my head and kept moving forward. *Squish! Squish! Squish!!* I kept hacking away, even if they were only lesser demons.

If the Reaper’s poison became dangerous when mana nerves were activated, then all I had to do was fight without activating them.

‘Even if I don’t use mana, the time I’ve spent training doesn’t lie.’

My body, born a hero, raised a hero, and fighting as a hero, had trained every single day without rest.

I trained so hard that an ordinary person’s body would break down, but my body had endured it, becoming even stronger.

A body born of talent.

That was the only thing I was born with.

I didn’t have a single hero-like feeling.

Just a fake hero who became a hero because I happened to be in the right place.

The goddess was clearly blind when it came to choosing people.

There was no anguish in my swings, no obligation to protect, no responsibility in my fighting.

My holy sword was too light, and even without the goddess’s pearl, I was a hero who didn’t deserve to wield it.

“Cough! *Hack*… Ah, damn it. …Even if I’m weak, there’s a limit.”

I spat out blood.

Just how much did I move to cough up blood like this?

“Lo, is…”

If only Royce can handle the higher-ranking demons, maybe we can sort out this mess.

You saved me.

Not me, the hero, but me, the person.

You always see me as a person.

That used to be something I hated, something I recoiled from. I thought I had to be a hero, and I couldn’t accept you not seeing me as one.

But.

You’re a good person.

You believe in the goodness of people, you expect people to be good, and you want people’s goodness to be properly rewarded.

‘But, I’m not as great as you think, or as noble.’

I just picked up the sword because I had to.

Even if I saved countless people, even if I caught the Demon King and saved the world, it carries no weight. It’s so light it would disappear with a single gust of wind.

How can I be called a hero when I don’t know the weight of the weapon I wield?

Maybe I didn’t want to save people as a hero, but wanted to die quickly as a hero. My journey was nothing more than a ridiculously roundabout suicide wish, trying to end everything by dying instead of living.

“Kaaah!!”

“Kaaah!!”

*Crack! Crack!!*

Your words and actions became a mirror for me.

A mirror that allows me to see my own face.

That foolish woman, who never once took off her hero’s mask, was able to see Olivia Reinhart through that mirror.

And then, the face of a truly filthy, idiotic, self-righteous, and arrogant woman appeared.

Still, you call me noble.

Is it because I’ve saved more people than I’ve hurt and spoken ill of?

I think it’s a little different from that.

“Th-Thank you…”

“Thank you. Thank you.”

As people thanked me, I could manage the smallest of smiles through the pain.

In this sensation where even my face felt paralyzed, I couldn’t tell if I gave them a reassuring smile. Maybe I wore a face that only made them more anxious.

– I hope Olivia Reinhart can be kinder to herself.

Did your good will reach me?

I hope it did.

I hope that your good will reached me, so that I can wield my sword as Olivia, not as a hero.

I hope that the fake hero who was stained black, unable to see anything, was stained white, even just a little, by that good will.

“Cough.”

I coughed up blood.

My vision was shaking so badly, I couldn’t even see properly.

Sensing where to cut was one method, but I might end up cutting down civilians.

I’ll reach where Lois is soon.

“At least.”

I smiled.

“I’ll repay my debt to you, Lois.”

I owe you my life.

I’ll pay you back with my life.

Right?

*

CRASH!!

“Ah, seriously… I can’t take this anymore.”

I muttered, sprawled out on the floor, still lying down.

Ah, seriously.

I felt like I was going through the process of grilling meat over a low flame. At this rate, I’ll be the one who dies first.

“What, giving up already? …Well, it was pretty fun. I’ll stop killing you then.”

“…….”

The wounds weren’t severe, and I hadn’t taken any direct hits, but if I did, it would probably be game over.

There was no one around, but surely someone would see.

Explaining myself later would be a pain, but it was probably better than dying like this. If I were lucky, maybe Madam Florence would somehow take care of it.

Shhhk.

“……!!”

The higher demon suddenly backed away and went on alert.

Even though I wasn’t getting younger, I guess my instincts were still sharp.

I really didn’t want to use this, and it wouldn’t do me any good, but it wasn’t the time to be picky about that.

If I fought without it, I’d probably die of old age before he even got a burn injury.

I gripped my chest hard.

This isn’t going to last.

I have to finish it now.

“Spirit Fusion…!”

*KWAANG!*

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed as someone burst into the ruined park.

Reinforcements?

I could tell they’d arrived with incredible speed, and it didn’t take long to recognize who it was.

“Ms. Livia!”

She was covered in blood.

But it wasn’t from being attacked.

It looked like she’d been swinging her sword, pushing her body to its limits until wounds burst open.

Her magic was clearly depleted too; blood streamed from her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

Her altered skin pulsed strangely, like she was a different being from the hero; she looked like an undead creature, and then the hero spoke.

“I’m going to fight.”

“No, with that body, what are you saying?!”

“You said it yourself! Even if you save someone who’s been murdered, you don’t save someone who commits suicide! It’s my life, I’ll use it how I want!”

“…!”

No, I definitely said something like that back then.

But I only said it to try and persuade them, hoping they’d choose to live.

“A dying corpse joining the fray changes *nothing*!!”

“Ms. Lybia!”

The higher demon lunged quickly at the hero, throwing a punch.

*SWHACK!* The hero dove in, deeply slashing, and the higher demon, surprised by the wound on his own body, recoiled, regaining his stance.

“You, you cut me?”

“Never seen a sword before? Of course it cuts, you moron. …Haa, haa. Hurry and attack. Or are you gonna take some pathetic victory with me dying?”

I’d been thinking it since we were in the party, is this a taunt?

He seems to have a talent for trash talk.

“Kuh-hah! HAHAHAHAH!! Finally, someone worth fighting! My name is Sajya!! By killing and devouring you, I shall!! Join the Seven Great Demons!!”

“You have a name?”

“A named one, troublesome.”

Named.

Monsters usually don’t have names, they’re generally called by their species, but monsters that grow beyond a certain strength give themselves a name.

And for reasons unknown, a monster that’s been named becomes a completely different existence, with a power that’s on a different level.

There was a theory that a name was the attachment of a soul, but the exact reason hadn’t been discovered.

The only thing known is that even a low-ranking monster with a name is not one you can underestimate.

Sajya declared his name, pulling in even more magical power as he charged, and the hero steadied himself.

“Ku, hoo!”

The hero suddenly deteriorated, coughing up blood, and Sajya pounced, as if not wanting to miss the opening.

They only talk about martial arts pride when they’re winning! Seriously! That’s just like monsters!!

* * *

Fwoosh!!

I kicked up flames behind me and darted forward, grabbing the Hero.

*Crack!* I blocked the lion’s attack with my arm, and it twisted in a way it shouldn’t, but I didn’t even have time to scream before I tumbled to the ground with the Hero.

“Royce!”

“…If you’re gonna do something, do it right? Is dying together your wish?”

“…!”

My arm was completely broken.

No, considering the lion’s strength, the fact my arm was even still attached was a miracle.

“I… I’m sorry… my body, it’s not…”

“You’re the Hero, aren’t you?”

“No, I was a fake. I…”

“Want to test that?”

“What?”

“Save me.”

“…!”

I had to bet on this now.

Fighting a named, upper-tier demon was suicide, plain and simple. I had my trump cards, but I wanted to do this first.

If even *this* didn’t work, then I’d just wipe them all out myself.

But.

You came to me.

With the legs that fled in terror, you’ve returned here, emboldened once more.

What else would you call that if not bravery?

If there truly is a will of the world, and a goddess truly watches over all, then she *must* answer in this very moment.

‘If you truly exist, you have a duty to respond to this woman’s courage and every sublime act she has made. You can’t just look down from above and act so high and mighty; you *must* acknowledge her sublimity, and sing praise to all she’s done!’

Even if no one else does, shouldn’t the goddess, who sees all, do it?

Whether it’s a dream or whatever, appear and at least say something convincing like, ‘Well done, my warrior.’

If you truly are a good goddess.

Choose this woman again.

“I don’t want to die. Hero, please, save me.”

“…….”

The hero’s eyes widened.

If it still doesn’t work, then I’ll just kill that demon myself.

I don’t know what face the hero will make at that time.

It wasn’t the time to worry about that, anyway.

“Whether you’re a hero, or Olivia Reinhardt…! You saved people! Whether you’re a fake hero or not, none of that matters!”

“I…”

*Thump!!*

The lion leaped.

“You save people because you’re a hero!? That’s wrong! Completely wrong!! It’s because you’ve saved so many people that everyone calls you a hero!! Olivia Reinhardt!!”

“Even if it’s a fake hero.”

The hero smiled at me.

“I’ll protect you.”

“……!”

No response.

“Die!!”

Guess it’s not working?

No choice!

I… !

*KWA-BANG!!*

“What!?”

Like a bomb detonating, a violent gust of wind erupted, sending me and Saja flying.

I finally stopped after crashing into a tree in the park, and quickly raised my head to look ahead.

“Whoa.”

Golden light soared into the sky, seeming to touch it.

A hole appeared in the gloomy grey sky, revealing the blue sky beyond.

And.

“…….”

Before the hero’s eyes was a holy sword.

The holy sword was more familiar to the hero than anyone else, and it shone as if to urge him to take me once more.

I stared at the scene, a painful smile stretching across my face because of my broken arm.

“This actually works.”