Chapter 19: Regret

I returned to the house and met with the three family members. Everyone dared not to make a noise as soon as I arrived. Upon entering the room, all of their eyes shifted towards me. Some orbs had glitters inside, while a single man stared with regret at the sight of me.

Rain and Afenos had the looks of curious cats wanting to know what I've seen from the scene. However, Aferous had a different gaze on his eyes while shaking his head.

That guy did not want me to see that scene, knowing that it would scar my mind for life. But I was an adventurer meant to save this town… a hero that everyone relied on. Aferous did not have any choice but to give me freewill of looking at the place or avert my gaze over to the opened graveyard.

He could stop me at any time he wanted, but Afenos stayed neutral for me. That man did not want to push the responsibility of becoming the savour of this time, granted the risks that it had. We were dealing against frenzied monsters that would kill anyone who obstructed their way. Humans that formed a party had a better chance of survival and winning against a monster.

A horde of them required multiple parties to kill those groups… However, I was alone. Afenos and I had trouble dealing with an ogre that had a bough as its weapon. I couldn't imagine facing against ten of them at once, with my level 1 character.

"Arthur, tell us what you saw! Dad doesn't want to tell us the details. Maybe you could explain to us everything that happened in that land!"

"I hate to admit it, but you need to tell Rain about it… and make your voice louder so everyone can hear… "

The two siblings urged me to disclose the disturbance I saw on the hill. If only I could, I would have told them sooner, and Rain and Afenos would be the first to know about the place. But I couldn't.

Aferous, their father deliberately pulled them away from the scene. But this time, he remained silent. He uttered not a single word from his mouth and continued watching the scene unfold in front of me.

I, who felt something squeezing in both of my arms, winced out and opened my mouth.

"I saw dead people… Countless of soldiers that came from Camelot… They're all gone. The chief announced the monsters would attack tomorrow or the following day. We don't have three days to prepare anymore…."

Everyone present inside the room felt silent upon hearing my words. Afenos, who always acted brave, wiggled his legs like noodles, falling on the ground.

"Arthur… is that true?" Rain asked.

I gave her a nod, answering her question. There was no point for me to lie, anyway. And even if I lied, that would change nothing. I would just make matters worse, as it was right now. We had little chance to survive that assault, and I wanted everyone to know that.

"Aferous. I know you're the one who gets to decide, but what do you want? Do you want to leave this town and find a shelter, or remain here and… expect the worst to happen."

Rain, Afenos, and I all stared at the man seated on the chair. Aferous had his face buried in his hands, with tears cascading on his cheeks. Afenos and Rain went to his side and tried comforting the old man…

… But it would take more than a hug to calm Aferous' senses down.

"What do you want me to do?. I trust you like I trust my children. You're part of our…," Aferous said, but he immediately cut off his sentence.

With a lengthy exhale, the father resumed his statement. "You're the adventurer that could save this town. You could save all of us if you try… So what do you think? Do we leave this town or remain here in the village? What choice do you think would save my family better?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" I exploded. "Who am I to decide what you guys planned to-?"

"Because you're the only one I could trust. Roger told me to listen to your words. He told me you could use a system… I want you to teach me that so I can learn it too. You could also teach the villagers about the system. If that power could save everyone, please lend us your strength. Everyone is counting on you…, Arthur." Aferous cut me off as he explained everything running inside his head.

I froze in place like a statue upon hearing those words. I knew Aferous meant no harm, but all these responsibilities got tossed to me. The sensation of pain that I received from before resurfaced inside my head. It was like a phantom pain that appeared all over my body.

"Do you really want to run away?" A voice whispered inside my head. That sound also came from my conscience… It was begging for me to change my mind.

However, I was not a hero. Although I saved these three from a monster, all of my appendages shivered while doing that deed. I regretted charging in front without thinking of a plan. I had no benefits in helping these people.

"I will teach all the villagers about the system tomorrow morning. However, I will train alone in the afternoon. The rest of you should train on your own before the worst happens. Until then, wait for me to come back…"

I planned on levelling up in a dangerous place and unlocked the Easter egg reward hidden among the caves. That cavern was close to this village. Since I knew my way outside and inside this town, it would be two times faster if I had no deadweight following me around.

However, my scheme did not stop from there… As soon as I was out of the village's radar, I would leave this place and carry out my more prominent goal… Saving this village with my low-level character would do nothing good to me.

I would only die in vain before I could even kill the demon lord wielding Excalibur… Whether or not I saved this town, the results would not affect my main quest…

... This setting was the perfect time for me to escape this town. I could only hope that thought would prove me correct.

Aferous tried to retort, but he kept those words inside his stomach. He stood up from his chair and went inside the room. Before he shut the gate, he glanced at me for the last time.

"Thank you, Arthur. For reconsidering your decisio-,"

"But, father! Aren't you mad about him!? Adventurers had the job to stop these monsters from attacking the village! Why would you feel like this, father!" Afenos snapped as he growled at me with teary eyes.

It was my first time to see his expression. Even Rain, who was usually the calm person, had her eyes widened in fright.

"Brother, calm down…"

"Calm down? Calm down?! Why? Arthur is the adventurer, the last of his kind! Despite his ugly looks, he taught me about this system… And now he's going to leave without bringing us back. We don't even know when he will return to the village! It was like Roger had said!"

"Enough, Arthur!" Aferous shouted. "Arthur doesn't have the responsibility to save the town. He can decide on his own. If the situation were reversed, what will yo-,"

"I will save the town."

After their exchange, Afenos glared at me for the last time before going to his room. Aferous tried stopping him, but Afenos was quick enough to slam the door behind him. Instead of getting mad, Aferous turned around and flashed me a faint smile.

"Kids… they're growing up…"

I did not know what to reply. So I gave Aferous a nod and watched him go on his way to the other side of his room. Rain, who finally understood what Afenos meant, looked me in the eye.

"Are you planning to abandon us, Arthur?"

I kept my mouth shut and silent, unable to answer her question. My heartbeat beat a million times as I lied to the girl in front of me. Rain, who received no answer from me, lowered her head and walked away.

She knew about my answer. Me saying nothing was the reply she received.

The world left me all alone once again inside the vast room. My body finally felt the fatigue as I wobbled my way towards my room. It was as if someone punctured me with a tranquilliser, making me sleep for the rest of the night.

When I was still awake, I visualized a map in front of me. However, to my amazement, I didn't even have the time to imagine it. With the help of my system, I did not have to imagine the map. The system charted all the places that I had visited and created a map on its own.