Chapter 42: The Answer after Fifteen Years

He was so bewildered he couldn’t express his words well, but he tells me with a sad expression.

“That technique is… it once…… destroyed Sadiz’s hometown…. it was used to kill Sadiz’s parents….”

“Eh!?”

“As we were rushing to the scene, a huge spiral rising into the heavens… eh …. It’s… that was the technique that the Great Demon King Tre’ainar showed.”

It wasn’t just my father. To my mother, I’m… far from disappointing. I’m sad.

I…… I used that technique, so…

“Anyway, come. Tell me all about how you got this stuff…. what were you doing without your father or mother’s knowledge?”

Saying that, my father grabbed my wrist tightly and tried to take me away with him.

Wait a minute… my match… you watched me, didn’t you? Father, I…

“Father!”

“…… What?”

“How, how was I? I got stronger…. I, I’m much, I got much…”

It’s true that technique wasn’t a good one for my father.

I didn’t know. About Sadiz.

But I did my best.

A lot of sweat, endured severe pain, and I rose to the challenge today.

So it’s okay to just say one word.

Father, to me–

“Idiot!”

“Heh!?”

“What got stronger… if you want to be strong, is anything acceptable?”

“…… What? No, what ….”

Oh… I see…  So that was it……

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“Is it true that the technique he just used was the Great Demon King Tre’ainar’s?”

“Idiot, why would the son of a hero use the Demon King’s skill!”

“If that’s the case… it’s a shame!”

“You have no pride as a son of a hero!”

“Hey, isn’t that funny in the first place? That failure of a son was so strong…”

“That’s right. No matter how much, I thought it was funny when he was overpowering that Rebal!”

“Oh, maybe he got his hands on some vile power!”

“What? That kind of…… such a guy is the son of a hero…. and you’re trying to be a warrior!?” 1

Fifteen years… I’ve been in this country…. didn’t I realize that simple thing until today…

“So what, don’t mess with me!!”

I was screaming before I knew it.

“Oh, Earth! Hey, just come quietly now!”

Father grabs my wrist and tries to take me in.

However, I could not agree to that.

As if I would be taken in like this, so I waved off my father’s hand.

“Tell me everything? What? Like there’s anything left to say now? When you finally looked at me, you’re looking with such eyes …. if my father and mother looked at me better, they’d understand! If you two actually looked at me…. what I bumped into, struggled with, agonized over… if the world hadn’t imposed a convenient title on me… it would have been things like that!”

“Earth…”

“So, what’s wrong with me right now? I didn’t cheat, I didn’t have a hand in anything suspicious! I trained and studied, I fought with my own strength! Only to have you have to look at me like that! I hit a wall, and I didn’t know for a long time that everyone says the second generation is a lost cause, or that we’re not enough. Even though I finally got here… Why!”

I didn’t know what I was talking about from there.

“The war ended before I was born… don’t drag my generation along, push us forward!”

I couldn’t calm down, and I put into words everything I had emotionally bottled up.

Because I already know…

“Now I understand. This country…… including my father… me… no one cared about Earth Lagann.”

“Earth! What are you …?”

“What you were interested in is the son of an ideal hero who is convenient for you…. as for me…… Earth Lagann…… I didn’t matter.”

“Heh!?”

Yes, the wish I’ve had until today, to make everyone recognize me as ‘Earth Lagann’ instead of ‘Son of the Hero’.

That was impossible from the beginning.

Because the world is not interested in Earth Lagann.

“N-No! You’re wrong, Earth! Calm down! Your dad and mom don’t think that at all!”

My father, who changed his expression, grabs both my shoulders and shouts.

But the words couldn’t reach my heart anymore.

“Your father, your mother, and Sadiz love you from the bottom of our hearts! Believe me! We’re a family!”

Family. Yes, even though we’re family…

“That’s why I’m worried about you! I’m not doing this because you’re not good enough! If you… If you’re involved with relatives of Tre’ainar or the remnants of the Demon Army…”

I know.

“…… I already… okay.

“Earth?”

My father is right.

“Anyhow… I can’t believe you said that.”

“…… What?”

My father is a hero.

The hero who protected the world cannot overlook me using the technique of the demon that was the nemesis of mankind.

But……

– What got stronger… if you want to be strong, is anything acceptable?

Words of my father ….

― As expected, he’s the son of a hero!

Words of the world…

– Show it to everyone! Go, Earth!!

Words of Tre’ainar, who lit my heart on fire and pushed my back… for all this time…… However, because Tre’ainar is the Great Demon King, that power will not be recognized no matter what.

“If I knew it would be this hard… I would not want to be born as a hero’s child… Father”

“Heh!?”

At that time, my father… What my father looked like… I couldn’t see it anymore.

“Let go…”

“Earth… Gu!?”

I just shook off his clinging hand and put the last blow to my defenseless father’s face.

It was either what I said, or that he was surprised at being attacked, that my fist connected with my father’s face, which would usually not happen.

The face of my father, who I hit for the first time in my life.

Rather than being refreshed, I just felt worse.

“Hiro!? Earth…… wait, Earth! Please, calm down!”

My mother, who was taking care of Sadiz, cried in tears.

But as if to drown out that cry……

“Hey, that guy! He hit Hiro!?!?”

“Stupid, to hit your own parent… What a guy!”

“Fallen to the point he would sink so low!”

“Domestic violence?! I can’t stand it anymore!”

“Somebody, get that trash!”

Again…I heard a terrible noise…

“Ah, Earth! What… Sir Hiro… Anyway, now…”

“Shut it, Rebal. You’re not involved…… just leave it.”

“Heh!?”

Nothing mattered anymore.

『…… Calm yourself…… child. …… Not yet…… you may still return. Besides, I am at fault in this.』

Tre’ainar, what are you talking about? Return? Where?

『What was today for? Do you truly intend to throw everything away here, you cannot get it all back if you do, can you?』

“What…”

『Reveal everything about me to the world. They may not believe it at first, but… I will tell you all that I know, what only Hiro would know. Reveal that, perhaps they may yet believe in the existence of ghosts.』 2

Really, you… it’s fine…… ha ha…… At such a time, you were the only one who gave a little warmth to my heart.

But…… It’s okay.

“It’s okay… I already… I don’t need to go back.”

『Child!』

Feeling a little guilty, Tre’ainar tries to sway me, but that’s enough.

Thank you, Tre’ainar. And I’m sorry for ruining it.

“Hey… Earth? What…… What are you talking about? Talking to yourself…. who are you talking to?”

Without answering my bewildered father’s question, I turned to Tre’ainar.

“You are at fault? Why would you say that? What’s wrong with me being your disciple?”

『Heh!?』

Yes, I told him how I felt.

“Hey… I can’t stand it anymore! What the hell is going on? Earth, what are you doing?”

“Hold on, princess! Ah… enough!”

Here comes the outfield to intervene further.

The princess starts running in an angry state followed Fu.

“Earth, what are you doing? And why did you hit Lord Hiro? What is the technique of the Great Demon King? Calm down, explain it from the beginning and convince us!”

“That’s right, Earth. As it is, even if it’s self-abandonment, will anything be gained? Everyone’s anger will be directed at Earth.”

Explain it. From the princess’s point of view, it’s natural to explain everything about my ability because she knows them the most in a sense.

Fu, I guess he’s genuinely worried to be saying that.

But the words that came out of my mouth…

“Enough… I don’t care….

Reckless, such an irresponsible way to speak.

“‘I don’t care.’ Don’t be silly, Earth! It doesn’t matter…”

“Don’t touch me!”

“Eh, ah…”

Yes, it doesn’t matter. That’s why I brushed aside the princess’s hand as she reached out.

As a result……

“He pushed away the princess!”

“Have you fallen that far!”

“To raise your hand to a woman, the lowest!”

“Kick him out of school, that guy right now!”

“Warrior disqualification!”

“Permanent expulsion from the warrior world!” 3

Oh, I know. I knew this was going to happen.

“Eh, be quiet! Everyone calm down!”

His Majesty also tries to calm everyone down, but his voice is drowned out.

Well, that’s enough.

“Gu, everyone… hey, Earth. Let’s talk later, come with your father now and…”

“Dad… enough… it’s okay.”

My father rushes to take me away to protect me from unstoppable jeers and things being thrown.

But I’ve already refused that hand.

“Earth…”

“Father, I’m just… just once… my dad… everyone… not as a son of a hero. I just wanted you to praise me…. that’s all….”

“Heh!? Earth…… wait…… why such a thing…. don’t just say ‘that’s all’. Your dad is…”

“…… Sorry…… I couldn’t be the son of a perfect ideal hero … I’m sorry….”

“Earth!?”

“Mother… Sorry…… Sadiz…… I’m just annoying…. I’m sorry….”

From that point on, I lost myself.

“Wait, Earth…!? Hey, wait, Earth! Where are you going?”

However, because I was surrounded by everyone, I summoned the 【Great Magic Spiral】 in my right hand, and I dug underground.

“Eaaaaaaaaaaarth!!!!”

Using all the magic I had left, shocking my father before me, I ran away.

Run away, run away, just run away.

I jumped out of the ground when I ran out of magic power.

After passing through the Imperial City gate, I ran out of the Imperial City alone for the first time.

Because of what was overflowing from my eyes, I couldn’t see in front of me.

Even if I try to shake it off, it will overflow.

– Me, in the future… Become a hero like my father!

– That’s it! Oh. If it’s Earth, you can be a Great Hero!

Damn it……

– Mother… you’re late today too…

– Earth…… Yes, today was my day off too! It’s okay to be mad! Today I’m going to make anything you like, for Earth!

Damn it……

– Sadiz…… Are you leaving?

– No, I’m not going anywhere, am I? I’ll always be with Lil’ Earth.

Damn it!

“Uh, uuuh, uaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!, aaaaaaaaaaah, ah, ah, ah, ah, —–“

No one was there anymore, I ran all the way to the meadows where no one was around, and finally I cried.

I cried so much that I couldn’t even know how many years I had been there.

[S1]I guess this is the straw that broke Earth’s Patience!!

[S2]Seriously man! Tre’ainar with dem feels!!!

[S3]What did these people think would happen if these 2 meet in a tournament bracket? A tickle contest? It’d definitely be worse than just brushing her hand away! Hypocrites!!!

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