Chapter 23 The Elf's Regret 3
Chapter 23: {The Elf's Regret} 3
{The Elf's Regret}
"What... what are you all saying...?"
Yu Ji-hu tried to speak, but Yenia refused to listen.
Scarlet's offensive spells rained down, and Mine's holy-powered strike landed squarely on him.
"Guh—!"
His body, already scorched by Scarlet's magic, now coughed up blood from Mine's attack.
Yenia, too, steeled herself and drew her bowstring.
Whoosh!
Ji-hu raised a barrier to block her arrow, but his weakened shield shattered on impact. The arrow pierced straight through, embedding itself in his shoulder. Then, Yenia commanded her spirits to attack.
BOOM!
CRACKLE!
HOWL!
Fire, lightning, and wind ravaged his body until he collapsed, battered beyond recognition.
Looking at his pitiful state, Yenia couldn't bring herself to deliver the final blow.
Cowardly as it may be... I'll let Iris finish it.
She stepped back, resigning herself to watch.
Ji-hu... why? Why did you do this?
Though she gritted her teeth in betrayal, she still wanted to ask him—how could he have planned to sacrifice them all just to return home?
The promises he made to stay with them—had they meant nothing?
Resentment, hatred, and contempt for a traitor burned inside her.
"I'll end this now. Ji-hu... I truly loved you. That's why I can never forgive you."
As Iris raised her sword to strike him down, Yenia forced herself to watch.
A part of her wanted to stop it.
But the thought of his betrayal smothered that impulse.
Even now... I still love him, don't I?
She knew, then, that she would never love anyone else again.
For thousands of years, she would live with only his memory.
But then—
Something impossible happened.
Iris's blade stopped mid-air, blocked by an invisible wall.
"What—?!"
[Ding~! That's far enough.]
A translucent figure materialized—a stunning woman with platinum-blonde hair.
Yenia's breath caught.
She recognized her.
The Demon King... Reisir?!
But Reisir had just been slain moments ago. How was she here?
Her shock only deepened as the Demon King spoke.
[Pathetic. How does it feel, Hero? To be betrayed by the women you trusted... to die by their hands?]
"...What did you do?" Ji-hu's voice was weak, strained.
No... it can't be...
All at once, Yenia's hatred, resentment, and sense of betrayal—washed away.
A horrifying realization crept into her mind.
And she wasn't the only one.
Beside her, Mine muttered in disbelief.
"What... what does that mean? She's talking as if... we betrayed him?"
A terrible suspicion took root in Yenia's thoughts.
The oracle... was it all—?
Before she could finish that thought, Reisir laughed—a cruel, mocking sound.
[Ahahaha! You fools—no, the whole Empire too! Did you really believe that vision was real? That after killing me, the Hero would use my heart to sacrifice this world just to go home?]
"W-what are you saying? Then... you mean—?" Scarlet's voice trembled.
[Exactly! The 'oracle' was my doing! I faked it all! Ahahaha! I let myself lose on purpose—just for this moment!]
Yenia's body shook as she whispered, "Then... that means...?"
[Correct! You—all of you—betrayed your own Hero because of my lies!]
The truth crashed over her like a tidal wave.
What... have I done?
Ji-hu had never betrayed them.
They were the ones who betrayed him.
And yet... she had—
She had accused him of betrayal.
She had attacked him, despised him, tried to kill him—when she was the traitor all along.
Her bow slipped from her fingers.
Ji-hu...
Self-loathing, thick and suffocating, drowned her.
Just minutes ago, her heart had been full of hatred—for him.
Now, that hatred turned inward.
She had doubted the man she loved.
She had tried to kill him.
"N-no... NOOOOO!"
Beside her, Mine screamed, desperately trying to heal Ji-hu—but Reisir's barrier blocked her power.
Then, the Demon King made an offer—for Ji-hu to punish his betrayers.
Revenge...
If he became the new Demon King and took vengeance on them...
...I wouldn't care.
If dying by his hand brought him even a sliver of peace, she would accept it.
But her ugliness was never given the chance.
"I'm returning to Earth. Coordinates—"
[What?!]
Ji-hu's figure vanished.
He was gone.
[NOOOOOOOO!]
Reisir howled, as if this outcome had never crossed her mind.
He... left.
Yenia stared at the empty space where he had been.
Instead of revenge, he had simply... gone home.
And once again, she despised herself for her own wretched thoughts.
Of course... that's the kind of man he was.
The kindest, gentlest man she had ever known.
Even after their betrayal, he chose not to retaliate—just to leave quietly.
Tears streamed down her face.
What have I done to him?
She fell to her knees, the world around her silent.
Once, she had prided herself on fighting for justice.
She had believed in saving the world from the Demon King's forces.
But now?
All of it was ash.
She had betrayed the most righteous man she knew.
And in doing so, she had destroyed everything she once stood for.
[Yenia, fighting for the world is noble... but don't push yourself too hard, okay?]
She remembered Ji-hu's voice—gentle, concerned for her.
Now, all she could do was weep.
She missed him.
She wanted to kneel before him and beg for forgiveness.
She didn't want to be remembered as the woman who betrayed and hurt him.
Selfish as it might be... she couldn't suppress this desperate need to apologize.
Two Weeks Later
"Half a month already..."
Yenia stood in the forest, murmuring bitterly as she recalled the Day of Betrayal.
Two weeks had passed.
Two more, and she could finally go to Earth—to Ji-hu.
I'll see him again!
That hope alone kept her going.
She wanted to meet him. To apologize.
Even if he never forgave her.
Even if he chose to kill her.
She would accept anything.
No suffering he inflicted could ever match the magnitude of her sin.
Ji-hu... In two weeks, I'll see you again.
Whatever judgment he passed, she would obey.
As she steeled herself, a group of elves approached.
"You're here again."
Yenia glared at them, her expression cold.
Their purpose was obvious.
"Lady Yenia, now that the Demon King is dead... please return to the forest."
"Abandon this idea of going to Earth. Come back to us. Everyone is waiting for you."
They wanted her back.
As a High Elf, a veteran of the war against the Demon King, and a former member of the Hero's Party—despite her fatal mistake—she was still revered.
The elves hoped she would return and live for their kind.
But Yenia's response was icy.
"Clearly, my politeness before was wasted. Deliver this message: if you bother me one more time, I'll burn the entire forest down."
"W-what?!"
"Burn the forest?!"
Such blasphemy was unthinkable for an elf.
"From the moment I made that irreversible mistake, I was already dead. So don't provoke me. Unless you want to see what happens when I snap."
She meant it.
If she couldn't go to Earth—if she couldn't see Ji-hu—she would lose her mind.
And she would drag every last one of them down with her.
"U-understood..."
The elves retreated, fear in their eyes.
Once alone, Yenia closed her eyes and pictured Ji-hu's face.
If my death could bring him even a little peace... if it could atone even slightly...
She would give anything.
Even her life.
She wanted to make amends.
But... would he even want that?
She didn't know.
As she thought of him, the memories of that day resurfaced, and she began to sob.
"Hic... Ji-hu... I'm so sorry... How could I... ever doubt you...?"
The weeping of the former Hero Party's elf grew louder, echoing through the trees.