The Price of Trust (2)
The Hero commands, the knight charges, the elf provides cover, and the Saintess offers support. And me, the porter? I stay back out of the way. That was our party's battle formation. As long as we stuck to this golden pattern, we never lost. The party members rejoiced in our repeated victories, their pride swelling with each win. "Our party really is the best!" they would often say. Followed immediately by, "Well, except for one person."
"We all have our roles, but it feels like one person is just freeloading, doesn't it?" The one who usually brought this up—or rather, the elf who did—was Stella. Cara and Lora would chime in immediately.
"He has no shame, just riding on our coattails and taking credit for our achievements."
"And despite that, he's more than eager to hit on us girls. Ugh, it's so embarrassing. If I were him, I would've left the party on my own two feet by now."
Right around this point, Kim Hyungkeun would step in like a mediator.
"Now, now. Calm down, everyone. Youngho is trying his best in his own way... It's not his fault he has no talent, right? Besides, Youngho supports the party from behind the scenes. He cooks, does the dishes, and handles the laundry, which makes things a lot easier for us."
He was the only one in the party who ever took my side. At the time, I actually felt grateful to him.
But looking back... something was off. As the party leader, Hyungkeun could have taken a much more active stance to stop them from bullying me. Instead, he always chose to remain a bystander. It felt as though he watched me suffer to his heart's content before finally stepping in, acting as if he had no choice. Always... it was always like that.
Now that I was freed from the Love Rune, I could see it with crystal clarity. I could see just how much Kim Hyungkeun had deceived me under the guise of friendship.
On the eve of our battle with the Demon King, I made Hyungkeun promise me one more time.
"Hey, Hyungkeun. You promised, right? Once we defeat the Demon King, you'll tell them everything. About the Rune of Sacrifice, and the Love Rune."
"Of course. Trust me, Youngho."
"This is the last time... the absolute last time."
Trusting you. Thinking of you as a friend. And staying in this godforsaken world. This would be the last time.
With that resolve, I entered the final battle.
After a year-long journey, we finally reached the Demon King's castle. Thanks to Hyungkeun, who had read the strategy guide beforehand and knew the secret routes, our surprise attack on the resting, solitary Demon King succeeded flawlessly. Caught completely off guard, the Demon King struggled as he fought the entire Hero Party all by himself.
"Pant... pant... How is this possible? How did you break through the blockade of the Four Heavenly Kings and reach this place? I received no word of their deaths."
The Demon King seemed utterly shocked by the mere fact that the Hero Party was standing together in harmony.
"Furthermore... how... how have you journeyed together for so long? The average lifespan of a Hero Party is less than a single month. Hero Kim Hyungkeun... how did you keep your party together?"
"What nonsense are you spouting, Demon King?"
Hyungkeun raised his sword like a true Hero, confronting the foe. But then, a shocking term slipped from the Demon King's lips.
"The Rune of Sacrifice..."
"?!"
Startled, I strained my ears to listen. Hyungkeun's brow furrowed, his reaction sharp and tense. The other party members tilted their heads in confusion, wondering what that meant.
"As long as the Rune of Sacrifice exists, discord among party members is inevitable... Yet, how strange. I see no trace of hatred toward you, the Hero. You all seem to get along remarkably well. This is impossible. You grew this strong without the Rune of Sacrifice? Absurd."
It seemed the Demon King knew everything about the effects and side effects of the Rune of Sacrifice. If so, his profound confusion made perfect sense.
While the Rune of Sacrifice granted immense buffs, its side effect forced the user to bear the absolute hatred of their party members. If the Hero held the Rune of Sacrifice, the party members would grow to despise him so intensely that the group would naturally fracture and fall apart. Knowing this, the Demon King couldn't comprehend how a fully intact Hero Party had managed to reach his castle.
"Hyungkeun, what is the Demon King talking about?" Cara asked, her sword pointed at the Demon King. Stella and Lora expressed the same curiosity.
"Yeah. The Rune of Sacrifice? What's that?"
"Do you know what it is, Hero?"
I watched Hyungkeun closely, waiting to see how he would respond. He stole a quick glance at me, then spoke with a flat, expressionless face.
"Well... I'm not sure either."
In that instant, a sudden wave of anxiety washed over me, and I stepped forward without thinking.
"Hey! Kim Hyungkeun! What do you mean you don't know?!"
"Calm down, Youngho. Defeating the Demon King comes first. I promised I'd tell you everything after he's dead."
"You bastard..."
He was right, technically. But why was I so uneasy? I got the distinct impression that Hyungkeun was trying to sweep the Rune of Sacrifice under the rug.
"What? What are you two talking about?"
"Hey, you stinking piece of trash. Watch your mouth when speaking to the Hero."
"Even if you're friends, you should still show some respect, Youngho."
"Ugh...!"
Cowering under the glares of the party members who blindly defended their Hero, I had no choice but to shut my mouth again.
Just then, the Demon King stared intently at me, a knowing smile spreading across his face.
"Ah... I see. You forced the Rune of Sacrifice onto someone else. Unbelievable... In my thousand years as the Demon King, I have never seen a 'Hero' who shirked his own sacrifice and dumped it onto another. Is that how a Hero behaves? How utterly pathetic. To think I am being defeated by a piece of garbage like you."
"Enough! That's enough nonsense, Demon King! You're rambling because your end is near. Fine, if you're so eager to die, I'll end you right here!"
"Hehehe... I would love to stay and watch the chaos that unfolds after my death... but what a pity. If there is a hell, let us meet again, Hero! Hahaha!"
Hyungkeun charged forward, driving the tip of his sword straight into the Demon King's heart. It was at that exact moment that the Demon King burst into a fit of hysterical laughter.
"Bwahahaha! To think the one who shares my exact mindset would be the Hero! Hahaha! If you thought this was the end, you were sorely mistaken, Hero!"
"What do you mean?"
"To ensure my survival, I split my soul into four parts and distributed them among the Four Heavenly Kings. Until you slay every last one of them, I will not die! Bwahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!"
Leaving behind those chilling final words, the Demon King collapsed. His corpse instantly swarmed with maggots, dissolving into nothingness without leaving a single shred of flesh behind. We had finally killed the Demon King. It was the moment I had been desperately waiting for. I wanted to settle the matter I could no longer afford to delay.
"Hyungkeun. It's time to tell them everything. Tell Cara, Lora, and Stella the truth. And send me back to Earth."
"Wait. Something's wrong, Youngho," Hyungkeun said, his expression turning grave. "If the Demon King is dead, the clear rewards should have appeared. But there's nothing."
"...And?"
"Do you remember what the Demon King said before he died? He said he split his soul among the Four Heavenly Kings. That means... the Demon King isn't dead. He's still alive inside them."
"Sigh... Fuck... Are you telling me our quest is extended until we hunt down every single one of the Four Heavenly Kings? You expect me to wait even longer?"
My patience had worn thin a long time ago.
"There's nothing we can do, Youngho. This was completely unexpected for me, too. Who would have thought the Demon King had a contingency plan to cheat death? I wanted to kill him and end this journey here just as much as you did, Youngho."
"Hyungkeun... Hyungkeun, you son of a bitch! Then at the very least, tell the party about the Rune of Sacrifice right now! Tell them about the Love Rune, too! Clear my name, goddammit! Why can't you do that? There's absolutely no reason you can't!"
"...Can't you just wait until we return to Earth?"
"No, I fucking can't! Unlike you, who lived like a revered Hero, the past year has been a living hell for me! When are we even going to hunt down the Four Heavenly Kings?! This adventure could take years!"
"I believe we have to embark on a new journey to subjugate the Four Heavenly Kings. But you're saying you can't hold out?"
"Yeah. I can't take it anymore. I've already sacrificed more than enough."
"Okay. I get it."
Hyungkeun looked at each of our faces in turn, as if making up his mind.
"Cara, Stella, Lora. You've probably noticed by now. That Youngho and I share a secret."
"Well... we had an idea."
"Since you both come from another world, we figured you had your own circumstances."
"Does it have to do with that 'Rune of Sacrifice'?"
Hyungkeun continued.
"I pride myself on having thought and acted in a way that would benefit the survival of this party and the peace of this world. However, it seems my choices have deeply wounded Youngho. That's why I'm going to reveal the secret I've been keeping all this time."
Finally, the moment to clear my name had arrived.