Hero's Sword (4): The Boy Was Nothing
A boy who was nothing at all. He didn't know his hometown, didn't know his parents—just a kid barely scraping by in the corner of a village, rummaging through trash. Penniless, with nothing but ragged hand-me-downs someone had discarded. An orphan who wouldn't raise eyebrows if he dropped dead one day.
The turning point in that short life came from the pilgrims of the Life Temple. Wanderers spreading the sacredness of life across the world. Healers who praised the Great Mother of Life and cared for other living beings. It was only natural that their eyes would fall on a small, withered child like him.
The pilgrims took him in. Sheltering homeless orphans was part of honoring life, after all. And some of those pilgrims had been orphans themselves, gathered in the same way.
And so, the boy began wandering the world alongside the pilgrims.
The boy thought to himself.
Why is the world so cruel? If people just helped each other a little, it could be a much better place to live. A tiny bit of compromise, a little understanding—that's all it would take.
But people didn't do that. They fought over limited resources, envied their neighbors, lived in greed. The boy couldn't understand it. Or rather, people couldn't understand him.
His innate goodness didn't mesh with this era at all. He might as well have been a heretic.
At least the pilgrims from the Life Temple had taken him in, preserving that goodness.
As he served as their errand boy during their travels,
"Find the one who will grasp the sword. Thus shall that person become the sword that protects humanity as the Hero."
The goddess's oracle spread to all the pilgrims.
It was a voice the boy didn't hear. The voice instructed them to find the one who would wield the goddess's sword, and the pilgrims rejoiced greatly.
Legends spoke of someone who once conversed directly with the Mother of Life, but that was rare these days. So this oracle from the Mother of Life sent the Life Temple into a frenzy.
"There's a sword in the temple depths we've never seen before!!"
"Is it the sword sent by the goddess?!!!"
"Spread the word! The goddess's sword is here!"
"The one who draws it will become the goddess's Hero!!"
The news spread like wildfire. Pilgrims scattered across the world carried it far and wide, and soon the entire realm buzzed with talk of the goddess's sword.
For the next year, anyone with the means flocked to the Life Temple's main sanctuary, all vying to pull the sword. And all failed.
Some whispered it was suspicious—so many failures. Maybe the goddess had placed it there with some ulterior motive, impossible to draw.
Others said the right person simply hadn't arrived yet. Somewhere out there, the chosen one was still on their way.
The malcontents grumbled it was all a goddess's deception. She'd created the monsters herself, then forged the sword to pit humans against them.
Of course, the last guy got beaten senseless, both arms broken, and chased out. Escaping with his life was probably the Life Temple's final mercy.
Anyway, once no more fools wanted to risk the embarrassment of failure, the boy stepped up to the sword that had defied countless others.
Thanks to trailing the pilgrims, he no longer starved—but he was still skin and bones, never eating his fill. As this scrawny kid approached the sword, the onlookers started mocking him.
"What does a weak little brat who can't even snap a twig think he's doing in front of that sword?"
"Leave him be. Childish folly."
"Looks like one of the Life Temple pilgrims' strays. Dreaming big won't hurt anyone."
Ignoring the adults' jeers, the boy stood before the sword. In his heart? Simple curiosity.
What did a sword handmade by the goddess look like? Were the rumors true—that it granted wishes? The one about marrying the goddess... probably nonsense. But if it was true, maybe he'd get to see the Goddess of Life herself?
With those thoughts, he gripped the sword.
Clank.
The sword didn't budge. Of course not. If burly adults couldn't pull it, how could a small, frail kid like him? The sword's wielder had to be someone strong and cool—not a weak child like him.
Even so, he gave it one last tug.
And then.
Clank. Shiiiing.
The iron chains unraveled, and the sword slid free from the rock.
The boy couldn't comprehend it. Why was the sword coming out? He didn't understand at all.
As the greatsword embedded in the stone began to emerge, silence fell over the crowd. Eyes wide with disbelief.
A sword that hadn't twitched in a year, drawn by this tiny child's hand.
"Y-You! Give me that sword!!"
"Money! I'll pay any amount! Sell it to me!!"
"Hey! Insolent fool!!! I am Orkus, Second Prince of the Acad Kingdom! Hand over that sword, and I'll spare your life!"
It was only natural their eyes went mad at the sight. Unknowingly, the boy stepped back, and the crowd surged forward. A frenzy bordering on insanity. Losing reason, turning beastly.
Terror gripped the boy as they loomed like predators ready to devour him.
What saved him was:
"That's far enough."
A silver-haired girl with horns sprouting from her head appeared out of nowhere.
I let out a small sigh at the sight of their greed-twisted eyes. Human avarice knows no bounds, repeating the same mistakes... but that's not the point right now.
No way was I letting the Hero I'd finally picked fall into human-hating cynicism.
Better to stop the fight. I'd planned to assign a dragon or Life Temple kid to guide him... but this was the first Hero. A bit annoying, but I'd handle it personally.
A human lifetime was just a few decades. Even with my busy schedule, I could squeeze that in with some stubbornness.
So.
"That's far enough."
I revealed myself.
"Those without qualification cannot wield this sword. The rest of you, give up and step back."
A low warning. Their footsteps halted. All eyes locked on me.
What? First time seeing a girl with horns?
But it was fleeting—they didn't stop.
My appearance alone couldn't halt them. Makes sense. A sword forged by a god? Its value was enough to blind any human.
Tsk.
"Come behind me."
"Y-Yes!"
I pulled the boy behind me and faced the approaching mob.
"Step back now, and we'll call it even. Your rudeness, your offenses, your mistakes—all forgotten. But."
I swung my right hand lightly. An invisible slash carved a long line into the stone floor.
"Cross this line... and prepare yourselves."
My cold words made them pause.
"A beastkin...?"
"No, female beastkin don't have horns like that..."
"Then a male with that face?"
"Gah, no way!!!"
"But with looks like that, maybe even a guy..."
What do you mean 'maybe'?!
I swallowed my rising fury and forced out the words.
"I am the proxy of the Goddess of Life. The sword's chosen has appeared, so I've come to guide him. The rest of you, withdraw."
They backed off bit by bit. Even crazed, no idiot would charge someone claiming to be the goddess's proxy.
"Out of my way! Move, you weaklings!!"
I used to think that too...
"The Second Prince of the Acad Kingdom, Orkus, commands it! Surrender that sword at once! Do so, and I'll spare your life!!"
Found the idiot. No, "idiot" doesn't cover it. The Acad Kingdom was the mightiest human realm right now, and its second prince was this brainless rampaging fool? Dark days ahead for that kingdom.
I sighed softly.
"Ho. The goddess's proxy, eh? Exquisitely beautiful! Good! Hand over that sword and the girl! Refuse, and face the might of the Acad Kingdom! A weak temple full of nothing but pilgrims would crumble in a single night!"
Line crossed. For real.
Part of me wanted to smash him flat, but this was in front of my first Hero. No ugly violence for a kid this young.
I took a deep breath, tamped down the rage, and spoke calmly.
"Stupid little shit with no manners. Is that how your parents raised you?"
Ah, slip-up.