Resurrection of the Dead (3)
The Hero and I stayed in the village for a few days, helping with the reconstruction. We rebuilt the shattered buildings and recovered the food that had been swallowed by the snake. Honestly, I got too lazy for hunting, so butchering that giant snake and stripping it for meat to use as rations was no big deal. I'd purified all the venom anyway, so aside from a slight grimy aftertaste, it turned into clean meat. It should be enough to feed the villagers for days.
After about seven days like that, the village was somewhat sorted out and looked livable again.
"Well then, it's about time we head out."
"Mm. Finally feeling motivated to move?"
"Yes. I realized bone-deep that if I don't keep going, lots of people end up suffering like this."
I nodded at the Hero's words. With great power comes great responsibility, right? That line from some famous hero story. The Hero has immense power, so he bears an equal weight of responsibility. Well, the same applies to me, but my duty is probably just keeping this world spinning somehow. Mm-hmm.
"By the way, that dragon thing... It breathed fire from its mouth and flew around at will. If we hadn't severed its wings, it would've been tough to beat. As expected of the strongest creature on land."
"Dragon?"
Was he still mistaking that wyvern for a dragon?
"You mean the monster you fought?"
"Yes? Wasn't that a dragon?"
I shook my head vigorously at the Hero's question.
"No way something like that is a dragon. Dragons are far more noble, more beautiful, more majestic creatures." Unlike that brainless wyvern that didn't have a speck of intelligence! Of course!
"Pardon...? That wasn't a dragon...?"
"The flying lizard you fought is called a wyvern. It was a bit strong, but ultimately just a failure that never became a true dragon."
The Hero looked a little disappointed at my words. Honestly, even with the Hero's power, taking down a real dragon would be no joke. Of course.
"Anyway... let's take the wyvern's corpse with us. Its hide can make some sturdy armor, and the wing membranes, teeth, claws, and bones will have their uses too."
A wyvern's materials were top-tier, second only to dragons. I should make some clothes out of that hide and get the Hero to wear them. His silver armor protects almost perfectly where it covers, but there are gaps unprotected.
I cut off a wing membrane, shaped it into a bag, enchanted it with a connection to my subspace pocket, and stuffed the entire wyvern corpse inside. Mm. A bag that swallows something way bigger than itself. Weird, but practical. And since it's made from wyvern wing membrane, it won't tear easily.
"Alright, let's get going."
"Mm... No final farewell?"
"Pardon?"
"That girl. Seemed like she had feelings for you."
The Hero's face flushed red in an instant at my words.
"F-feelings? But I have my duties as the Hero."
"Sure, but you won't be a Hero forever. Someday you'll have to set down your sword and live a normal life."
The Hero had no real retort to that.
"Well, you've got time, so think it over slowly. And don't forget to say a proper goodbye. Parting without closure always leads to regrets."
With a look of grim resolve, the Hero dashed off toward the village. I wouldn't stoop to peeking on his private moment with the girl. Personal privacy... mm... I've already invaded it plenty, but the last one deserves respect. Of course.
Now then, while the Hero finishes his farewell, I can whip up some clothes from the wyvern hide. I know all his measurements. Should be quick!
Boots from the thick parts, gloves from the softer sections. Each piece will protect his body. Gotta work hard on this.
"You're leaving, then?"
the girl said to the Hero.
"Yes."
"I figured. A Hero like you sticking around our little village forever didn't make sense. You could've left anytime, and it wouldn't have been weird."
The Hero couldn't muster a reply.
"Mm. Kinda disappointing, though. For some reason, I really took a liking to you. Felt strangely familiar? If you weren't the Hero, I might've proposed first and asked you to stay."
"I..."
"But it'd be tough. The way you look at that Dragon Priestess... well, the answer's obvious."
The girl gave an awkward smile.
"You like her, right? That Dragon Priestess?"
"......"
The Hero stayed silent.
"Hmm... Silence can be an answer too. Guess that makes it easy to give up cleanly. No one could compete with someone that beautiful. Especially not a girl from a backwater village like me."
At her slightly self-defeating words, the Hero finally spoke.
"It's true I like her... but it's a feeling that can never be fulfilled."
"Oh? Even the great Hero has an unattainable love?"
"She only sees me like a child. And... no one person can monopolize her vast heart."
"Monopolize...?"
The Hero just shook his head slightly.
"Anyway. I'll be off now."
"Yes. Safe travels. Thank you for helping our village."
The Hero gave a small bow and walked away. The girl waved at his retreating figure. Even as he grew distant, she kept waving, waving endlessly.
Her hand slowed gradually, dropping only when his silhouette faded into the haze. She was holding something back. Staring at his back, holding it in desperately. No, she couldn't hold it anymore.
"Hero!!! If! If after your duties are done and you have nowhere to go!!! Come back to the village!!!!"
Would her voice reach him? She didn't know. But she shouted anyway.
"I'll prepare a place for you to stay!!! A place you can always return to!!! So! Please come back someday!!!"
A promise without a date. Words that might never reach. But all she could do was shout. Pouring her heart into the cry, hoping it found him.
"A place after my duties are done, huh..."
"Mm? What's that?"
The Hero shook his head lightly.
"No, nothing."
"Hmph, such a lame guy. Here. Made this while you were saying goodbyes. Try it on."
I handed the Hero the gloves I'd crafted from wyvern hide. A bit rough around the edges, but the material was premium leather, so it turned out pretty good. Clothes and boots will take more effort—better take my time.
The Hero slipped on the wyvern leather gloves and clenched and opened his fists a few times.
"No issues with movement?"
"No. Fits like a glove."
Mm. Eyeballed the size, but it suits him well.
"Alright, let's hit the road. The faster we move, the more people we save."
"Yes. Let's hurry."
Our next destination was already set. I'd gotten the locations of other dangerous monsters from the wind spirit.
And so, the Hero and I set off.
The nameless Hero and Dragon Priestess wandered the world, vanquishing monsters that preyed on the people.
Ever-changing forms: subduing shape-shifting beasts, shattering ice giants from the north, severing the necks of massive brutes wrapped in stone, dismembering giant fish-like horrors swimming in poison swamps. The Hero's relentless advance crushed all before them. Nothing could bar their path.
Many praised their adventures and lauded their feats. Word of them spreading was inevitable.
Hero. That title would forever remain sacred.
Word reaching other races was only natural.
After incinerating countless swarms of locusts, as the Hero and Dragon Priestess rested in a village, two envoys arrived. One from the elves, one from the dwarves.
"As proxy for the noble elven kin, I invite the human Hero. Better to take the hand of us elves than that dwarf's mud-caked paws."
"A Hero surely knows the importance of weapons and armor! We'll give you dwarven gear—ignore those pointy-eared fools' empty chatter!"
Why were these two on such bad terms? Had they fought or something? Yggdrasil and Sagarmatha never mentioned anything. Ahem. First, assess the situation. Decide after.