The Goddess Sent Me Back
I definitely died once.
Abandoned. Hated with every fiber of their being.
The gentle voice that once embraced me had twisted into a venomous command. The encouragement and cheers for my hard work became mockery and contempt for someone without talent. And worst of all, after hearing the sincere, cutting words from the one who had shared my circumstances, I could no longer move forward.
The chosen hero. The woman blessed by the gods. The greatest archer among the elves.
All I could do among them was try to lighten their burden, even if only a little. I struggled to carry more of the load, searched for slightly easier paths on the journey to slay the Demon King, and while everyone else slept at night, I fought off my own drowsiness to keep watch and ensure they had safe rest.
I learned cooking from travelers and chefs so they could eat the best meals possible. To avoid becoming dead weight, I watched the hero’s movements and practiced swordsmanship whenever I could.
“No matter how much you practice, you’ll never even reach my feet.”
I know. But I didn’t want to be a burden.
“I never needed food like that in the first place. You know that, right? Or maybe a lowly creature like you didn’t even realize?”
I knew. I knew elves didn’t care much for food and didn’t need as much as humans. But… you used to enjoy the taste of it, didn’t you?
“I cannot even begin to understand why the Goddess summoned someone like you.”
I don’t know either. If I had known it would hurt this much, if I had known you would all come to despise me, I never would have found the courage. If only I had died that day from the beginning.
Driven out of the Demon King’s Territory, I was surrounded by monsters lying in wait. After cutting down three of them, my limbs were torn apart. I died while still alive, devoured piece by piece in unimaginable agony.
Only peace should have waited for me.
Why?
Why, Goddess, did you send me back?
YOU HAVE DIED
The question burned in my mind even as everything faded to black.