Those Who Leave and Those Who Remain (2)
June 1st, ten minutes before eight in the morning.
Since the last week of May, the royal capital had begun to swell with people. From the permanent residents of the capital to those from neighboring cities, travelers from distant provinces, and even visitors from foreign lands—they had all gathered to witness the second departure ceremony of the Hero's party, who were journeying to slay the Seven Calamities.
"It's only been two or three months since they defeated the Third Calamity, right?"
"It seems the Kairos Kingdom is truly gritting its teeth to eradicate the Calamities this time."
The crowd murmured. Of course, the atmosphere was not filled solely with curiosity and goodwill.
"There are rumors questioning the Hero's qualifications."
"No wonder. I heard some people were tilting their heads in doubt during the first departure ceremony."
"I don't like that Hero. Didn't he banish the Saintess with his own hands? How can anyone be so arrogant? You'd think he defeated the Third Calamity all by himself."
"You only like her because she's beautiful. Well, I'm not too pleased about him kicking the Saintess out of the party either, though."
Even so, whether they liked it or not, the movements of the Kairos Kingdom and the actions of the Hero were the focus of the entire world. For even at the very moment people gossiped about the Hero's expedition, the Seven Calamities were slowly tightening their chokehold on humanity from all directions.
I sat in the palace waiting room with my party members. The atmosphere was entirely different from when I had visited for the hearing.
Back then, the nobles, who judged Elroy based solely on rumors, had treated me with cold neglect that bordered on outright contempt.
"The departure ceremony will begin around 8:30 AM. We will depart from here at 8:00, so please finish your final preparations within the next ten minutes."
Maybe it would have been easier to act if they just ignored me, rather than showing such blatant wariness.
I narrowed my eyes and looked at Wallace Vigwan, the assistant to the Minister of Internal Affairs. Given what he had done to me, it was only natural for him to be this guarded. I didn't particularly care, but the assistant minister seemed anxious, terrified that I might be plotting revenge.
"Yes. I understand."
Count Wallace let out a sigh of relief, backed away from me, and practically fled the room. The clamor from outside slipped through the open door of the waiting room before being cut off as it shut. I frowned at the chaotic hum of that brief moment.
"It's a war zone out there, a total war zone, and it's barely morning."
"I thought the first departure ceremony would draw the most attention, but I was wrong. If anything, even more people have come to watch."
Georg said, glancing out the window. Today, Georg was dressed uncharacteristically smart in a neat navy knight's uniform. A couple of medals and a cluster of ribbons were pinned to his left breast. Perhaps polished by Georg's own pride, the ribbons gleamed in the morning sunlight.
"Slaying the Third Calamity must have piqued their interest. The more successful we are in subjugating the Calamities, the more attention we'll garner."
Following Georg's gaze, I looked out the bright window. The streets were out of sight; only the clear, sunny sky was visible. I turned my head to look at the rest of the members.
"Are you nervous?"
Daphne nodded slowly at my question. For the first time, she was fully dressed up. It wasn't an overtly lavish adornment as if she were attending a high-society ball, but subtle makeup and styling had been added to project the image of a beautiful and powerful mage. Though I wondered if she even needed makeup in the first place.
"...Since this is my first time, I'm a bit nervous."
Dressed up like that, there was no other word to describe Daphne but beautiful. It was a look that could completely erase any trace of the previous mage from people's minds. Under my scrutinizing gaze, Daphne's fair cheeks flushed a deeper red, and she lowered her head slightly.
"You'll do fine. Have confidence."
Daphne nodded at my words. I then turned my gaze toward Marianne. Marianne, looking simpler compared to Daphne, had leaned a spear taller than herself against her chair. I wished I could find even a trace of nervousness on her, but Marianne merely stared back at me with an unbothered expression.
"Are you nervous?"
I asked, looking into Marianne's shining golden eyes. Marianne blinked a couple of times and slowly shook her head.
"I am fine."
Just as I expected. I smiled bitterly and looked at the mirror across the room. An unfamiliar face stared back at me from the glass. I was dressed far more elaborately than Daphne, Georg, or Marianne.
The white ceremonial Hero uniform. My mouse-grey hair had been styled with pomade into a comma shape, draping over one side of my forehead while the other was swept back. Lightly powdered, my face had deeper shadows than usual, making my features appear much more pronounced. In the mirror, my deep teal eyes, heavily tinted with green, sank quietly.
*[They have dressed you up quite handsomely. It seems the time spent was not in vain.]*
That was the Holy Sword's brief review after staying quiet. Fortunately, it wasn't an insult.
The waiting room door rattled open. Wind and clamor flooded inside. I stood up, and the other three rose behind me. The gazes of nobles and knights darted toward me. I did not return their looks.
Let's go.
I took my first step toward the bright sunlight spilling in from the end of the hallway.
"There are a lot of people," Aryen muttered.
From beneath her pitch-black hood, Isis observed the crowd of onlookers, which had grown vastly larger since the first departure. Though they had ridden for three days without rest to reach the capital, she felt almost no fatigue. Having finished an early breakfast, they were pushing through the capital streets, which had been bustling since dawn, heading toward the palace where the ceremony would take place.
"It seems interest in the Hero's party has surged after they defeated the Third Calamity. Do you remember when they returned from the expedition?"
Aryen nodded. Bunting bearing the kingdom's crest hung from every streetlamp, and a military band was playing a hopeful march. Frowning as if the music displeased him, Aryen steered away from the band. Street vendors had opened early all along the roads, and the occasional shouts of innkeepers soliciting customers could be heard.
"Overflowing with hope, indeed."
Disillusionment dripped from Aryen's voice. Isis looked at Aryen and pressed her lips thin. She knew it too. They couldn't afford to indulge in such hopeful optimism. She knew that the current Hero's party alone might struggle to defeat the Calamities.
"It would be best to watch from a distance."
Aryen closed his eyes slightly and shook his head.
Just then, the murmuring of the crowd grew louder. Onto the palace balcony, toward the podium, stepped the Queen. Isis and Aryen looked up.
The Queen was dressed not in a ceremonial gown, but in military uniform. Red and gold embroidery adorned her pitch-black attire. As the wind blew, her red-lined cape billowed. The Queen swept her gaze across the tens of thousands gathered in the capital's streets, then spoke in a clear, resonant voice.
"Beloved citizens of the Kairos Kingdom."
Hearing the Queen's speech, Isis's expression grew clouded.
"The time to strike down the Fourth Calamity draws near. The 'Giant,' who watches for any chance to advance from beyond Evernode, the shield of our kingdom, must prepare to face the Hero's blade."
The Queen cast a brief glance back toward the interior of the balcony.
"...The Hero will prevail. Just as he succeeded in subjugating the Third Calamity, which everyone doubted. He will grow stronger with every battle and bring us news of victory. Just as I believe so firmly, just as I believe in Hero Elroy's struggle, I ask you all to believe in the Hero as well."
The word 'belief' was heavy. A weightier silence settled over those listening quietly to the Queen's speech. They seemed to chew on the words 'Hero' and 'belief.'
"If so, the Hero shall also bring us our reward."
The Queen concluded her speech briefly.
Aryen continued to glare at the palace with narrowed eyes. He surmised that the Queen's emphasis on 'belief' stemmed from anxiety. Anxiety over a half-disbanded Hero's party. Anxiety regarding the Hero himself. That was the only reason she repeatedly stressed the word 'belief.'
"She must find the current Hero's party terribly unreliable," Aryen muttered.
Isis nodded in agreement with Aryen's words.
"'Unreliable,' is it?"
The voice came suddenly from behind them. Isis flinched, and Aryen's expression sharpened instantly. Shielding Isis, he swung his hand backward.
Thud! And yet, it was blocked.
He blocked my strike? Aryen's pupils shook with shock. Peering over Aryen's shoulder, Isis could not hide her bewilderment upon identifying the figure.
"My thoughts differ slightly."
Creak. Force clashed against force. Aryen gritted his teeth against the sheer physical strength of the intruder, which did not yield to his own. Dressed in priestly robes, the uninvited guest's grey eyes gleamed through his narrowed eyelids.
"There is a large crowd here. Please refrain from causing a disturbance during the Hero's departure ceremony," the priest spoke in a calm voice.
Aryen furrowed his brow at the term 'the Hero.'
"...And if I refuse?"
"Then the Saintess you are shielding will be swept up in the commotion. And it won't end as a mere brief disturbance. If that is what you desire, feel free to make as much noise as you like."
As he spoke, the priest slowly released his grip on Aryen's elbow. Aryen ground his teeth and relaxed his arm as well. Their arms lowered slowly, and Isis stepped forward, gently pushing Aryen's arm aside.
"Bishop Andre."
Bishop Andre greeted Isis with his usual gentle smile. Though the bishop's smile was warm, the emotions hidden behind it remained unreadable. As Isis acknowledged him, Aryen stepped back from her with a displeased look.
"Isis, it has been a while. Have you been well? Looking at you, it seems you've been through quite an ordeal."
At Bishop Andre's words, Isis frowned deeply.
"Yes, I've been well. It's much better than living under that Hero."
"That is a pity. I had hoped you would get along, helping each other without conflict."
"Some people in this world simply make that impossible. Just like Aryen here."
Bishop Andre looked at Isis, then at Aryen, and finally turned back to Isis with a deep sigh. Isis was not ignorant of the meaning behind that sigh. However, her immediate reaction was a surge of defiance.
"Isis, I must offer you some harsh words. I am quite disappointed in your conduct this time. It makes me wonder if we sent you out into the wider world too early."
Isis bit her lip.
"I did this after steeling myself for the consequences—both the Holy Kingdom's reprimand and the public's scrutiny. But people don't know how selfish and incompetent the Hero was during this expedition. And yet, he dismissed a mercenary far stronger and more experienced than himself out of sheer jealousy."
"That is precisely why I am disappointed, Isis. Why are you acting like such a child? Have I spoiled you too much during your time in the Holy Kingdom?"
Bishop Andre's voice grew remarkably stern.
"Your position was, first and foremost, dispatched to assist the Hero. Therefore, even if he made a wrong decision, it was your duty to stand by him, explain why it was wrong, advise him, and compensate for his shortcomings. Why, then, are you throwing a tantrum like this?"
At the bishop's reprimand, Isis hung her head. Aryen stepped forward to shield her.
"I believe it was made clear that the Holy Church and Isis are separate entities."
"Take your hand off her first, mercenary. She is not someone you can touch so casually. Furthermore, the conversation we are having is not a matter for an exiled outsider to interfere with."
Bishop Andre's voice turned ice-cold. A similar battle aura flared from Aryen's body. But soon, as if fighting was pointless, the bishop withdrew his hostility and looked back at Isis.
"The Hero announced that you did not leave the party of your own free will, Isis, but that he banished you himself."
The expressions of both Aryen and Isis froze simultaneously. Soon after, Isis's face contorted with sheer disbelief. The resolve she had steeled when leaving the party had vanished into thin air in an instant, turned into the Hero's fault. Confusion and irritation boiled up inside her at once.
"Why on earth would he do such a thing...?"
"He also provided the reasons why you no longer needed to be in the party, Isis. What exactly have you been looking at while traveling with the Hero all this time?"
Silence fell. Bishop Andre turned his gaze toward the palace.
"The Hero is coming out."
Isis and Aryen looked toward the balcony. Dressed just as he had been on the day of his first departure, the Hero exchanged greetings with the Queen and stood at the podium. Without turning his head, Bishop Andre spoke to Isis.
"Look at the Hero once more, closely. See what you have been missing all this time."
"...If so, the Hero shall also bring us our reward."
The Queen concluded her speech, brief and powerful. Leaving the applause and cheers of the crowd behind, the Queen walked slowly back into the castle. She curled the corners of her lips slightly as her eyes met mine. The Queen's crimson eyes shone with a faint trace of anticipation.
"Now, Hero Elroy. It is your turn."
I nodded with a firm expression.
"I look forward to a performance as splendid as the one at the hearing."
With those encouraging words at my back, I stepped onto the balcony. How many were there? The streets of the capital were so packed with people that counting them seemed utterly pointless. Just looking at the massive crowd was enough to make me feel suffocated. I let out a heavy breath and gripped the hilt of the Holy Sword.
*[Are you nervous?]*
As if reading my mind, the Holy Sword spoke. Her voice was slightly gentler than usual. Instead of formulating words in my chaotic mind, I murmured my reply.
"Yeah. I am."
*[It is fine, as long as you do not let them see it.]*
I chuckled. So it's all a show in the end.
*[Of course it is a show.]*
The Holy Sword caught my thoughts. I looked down from the balcony. People looked up at me with all sorts of expressions. Eyes filled with expectation, eyes of doubt, eyes of envy, eyes of hatred and jealousy, eyes shining with belief, and eyes of desperation.
There were quite a few negative gazes. The commotion of the past few weeks had certainly taken a toll on the Hero's reputation.
*[Do you see their eyes?]*
"Yeah. I see them."
I nodded slightly. I think I finally knew what kind of figure I needed to present to them.
*[Stand tall and proud, Elroy.]*
A handful of the Holy Sword's mana seeped into my body. Guided by it, I straightened my posture and looked ahead.
*[A Hero's role is not to abandon those who doubt, but to turn their doubt into belief.]*
The Holy Sword's voice supported me firmly.
*[Plant hope in them. Instill belief and conviction. Make it so that their hearts, currently steeped in doubt and distrust, can be set right by you alone.]*
I squared my shoulders. I regulated my breathing and calmed my racing heart.
*[Become the single ray of light shining faintly at the end of the dark cavern of the Calamities.]*
I drew the Holy Sword and held it low.
*[Become a radiant existence, Elroy. So that they may live by looking at your light. Even if they doubt you, even if they cannot trust you. As long as you continue to shine there, people will look to you and move forward. They will believe that there is a tomorrow.]*
I exhaled. The hot pulse of mana trapped inside my body was released.
*[Raise me up and show them. Let them hear hope.]*
Even if it's just an act.
*[Yes. Even if it is just an act.]*
I raised the tip of the Holy Sword high toward the sky. As the first stage of the Holy Sword was unleashed, a halo of light as brilliant as the sun gathered around it. The pain I used to feel when unleashing the Holy Sword was gone.
The murmuring crowd fell silent, their expressions turning blank as they stared at the radiant Holy Sword.
"I am heading to the battlefield," I spoke. My voice, amplified by mana, echoed across the dead-silent plaza.
"I will not make a long speech, but I will leave you with one promise."
Suddenly, far in the distance, I spotted someone wearing a pitch-black hood. A sharp blue light seemed to glare at me from beneath it. I spoke clearly and with emphasis, ensuring that every single word would reach even that person.
"I—the Hero—will not be defeated."
I raised my voice. The resonance of the Holy Sword spread alongside my words.
"The next time I stand here, it will only be with the news of victory."
She had seen the light of the Holy Sword.
Even after the Hero finished speaking, Isis remained staring blankly at the spot. A sacred and powerful force, unlike anything she had ever witnessed before, lurked within that light. When on earth did he obtain such power...? No, the power was one thing, but the Hero's attitude and appearance were entirely different from what she knew.
Dignified, confident—the image of a true hero.
Of course, considering his usual self, she had to assume it was fabricated, but Isis could not reconcile the cognitive dissonance. Meanwhile, the Hero had already begun to march alongside his new party members. With every step the Hero's party took closer, the murmurs of the crowd grew louder.
"Brief, but fitting words for someone heading off to war."
Bishop Andre's voice drifted over. Seeing Isis's reaction, he wore a hollow, mechanical smile. On the other hand, Aryen's face remained twisted in a scowl.
"What do you think, Isis?"
"...That is..."
Isis lowered her head and shook it in disbelief. Bishop Andre let out a soft chuckle as he looked at her.
"Now, Isis. Let us not stand here in a daze. Shall we move elsewhere?"
Isis raised her head to look at the bishop. He glanced briefly at the approaching Hero's party and spoke.
"A new duty has arisen for you to undertake as the Saintess."