Chapter 329: Side Story (3)

Chapter 329: Side Story (3)

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HELHEIM SCANS

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Side Story 3 - Hymn

Swoosh—

It was a day when dark clouds hung low, pouring rain like a curtain.

As usual, I found refuge in an abandoned barn.

The musty smell of rotting wooden planks and damp earth assaulted my nose.

"Filthy... yet cozy."

Cobwebs filled the corners.

The floor was a muddy mess from the rain seeping in through the roof and walls.

Soon enough, the water would rise to my ankles.

But I couldn't move an inch from the haystack.

...There was nowhere else to go.

And no place I wanted to go either.

I lay down and counted the days.

Today marked roughly five years since I intentionally distanced myself from humanity.

"It's still lonely."

But the thought of returning to human society didn't cross my mind.

It was just as lonely there.

"Sometimes, it's even lonelier."

My polymorph was incomplete.

No matter how well I understood my target, my form would break if I let my guard down or reached my mental limit.

If my understanding of someone was low, I couldn't even replicate them.

In other words, I was in a state that made it very unsuitable to stay anywhere for long.

How often had I let my guard down, only to be nearly exposed?

The experience of seeing eyes once filled with love and friendship suddenly turn to fear and disgust... no matter how many times I went through it, I never got used to it.

‘I deserve a break.’

...Despite knowing that such an ending awaited me, I still craved warmth and threw myself into their midst.

Like those raindrops squeezing through the rotten wooden planks of the roof.

I struggled to dream a sweet dream, even for only a few months.

Plop—

The sound of the rain echoed in my ears.

I stared blankly at the muddy water pooling on the floor.

‘Is this the limit of a doppelgänger?’

A life like floating duckweed.

Empty relationships.

Frail hopes and inevitable disappointments.

Humans often say that true death isn't physical death but being forgotten and denied by everyone.

If that's true, how many times have I died already?

...And how many more times will I die?

Step—

A sound reached my ears, cutting through the rain.

My head snapped up in an instant.

‘A person?’

In an abandoned village on the northeastern frontier?

An unpleasant chill ran down my spine.

I grabbed my sword next to the haystack and stood up.

‘Bandits? A merchant group? Thugs?’

I soon realized all those guesses were wrong.

There was only one set of footsteps.

And, as if the destination had already been decided, they were heading straight for the barn without hesitation.

Were they just seeking shelter from the rain?

Or...

"...This could be troublesome."

I peeked through the gap in the wall at the uninvited guest.

Their hood was pulled down deep, making it impossible to see their face.

But their overwhelming height and massive build were unmistakable, even through the downpour.

And... was that a sword on their back?

What kind of sword was that huge?

It looked like wielding it would break their back and shoulders.

‘A hero, perhaps.’

I’d heard rumors that warriors using enormous swords had become popular following the Hero since a few years ago.

I never thought I'd see one in person.

‘What a ridiculous sword.’

I shook my head and extinguished the lantern's flame.

Whoosh—the barn was instantly swallowed by darkness.

I hid between the pillars, concealing my presence.

Step—

The footsteps grew louder.

I calmed my breathing and slowly drew my sword.

Was this a traveler seeking shelter from the rain?

Or a thief drawn by the light?

‘Or maybe a monster hunter?’

If rumors about a shape-shifting monster had spread, and they'd tracked me down...

The odds were low, but as a doppelgänger, I couldn't ignore the possibility.

Besides, I'd never killed a witness before.

I just ran away, hoping people would dismiss their testimony as nonsense.

That fear of pursuers was always there.

Shing—

That's why I aimed my sword at the uninvited guest's neck as soon as they entered.

‘Sorry, but I have no other choice.’

They froze, seemingly startled, unable to react.

I quietly sighed in relief.

‘A guy who can't even handle his size. Lucky me.’

I lowered my voice, trying to sound threatening like a gangster boss.

"I have already booked this hotel. I'd appreciate it if you quietly left."

But it was no use.

Despite my eviction notice, the uninvited guest just turned their head towards me, standing still.

My resolve to kick them out solidified.

‘It's too risky to share the same room.’

I tightened my grip on the pommel.

"Guess you need to see the coffin to wake up."

The departure was immediate.

With only a single word, "Follow me," the Hero hastened his steps without delay.

He headed southwest... the road leading to the capital.

I hurriedly chased after him.

His legs were so long that I almost had to run to keep up.

As I stared at his broad back, I impulsively spoke.

"I... have a question too."

The Hero's pace slowed just a little.

"I can't explain right now how I came to know of your existence or what you'll be doing."

"...That's fine."

His pace slowed a bit more.

"Really? Then what do you want to know?"

"How do you fight like that?"

The Hero came to a complete stop, turning halfway to look at me.

"Repeat that."

I rephrased my question.

"How can you fight so hard for something without the promise of certain rewards?"

That was always my question.

From reading about his life and following his actions through written records, I was always curious.

Justice, salvation, virtue.

Where does the courage to embark on such an uncertain journey come from, without guaranteeing a definite reward?

...From everything I've seen and felt over countless years, one thing is certain.

Humans are beings who cannot commit wholeheartedly to something without the assurance of a reward or success.

They harbor both good and evil within, making it impossible to pursue only pure ideals.

Yet the Hero was an exception.

All his actions converged toward a single goal.

Thus, there were two possibilities.

Either everything was meticulously crafted for public image, or there was a part of him that I didn't understand.

Before I took his place, I wanted to know the answer.

The Hero remained silent for a moment, then spoke.

"Is that question necessary to raise your understanding?"

"...You could say that."

"Then I'll gladly answer."

The Hero, who had been facing forward, turned to me.

Nothing but empty plains surrounded us.

The sky was a murky navy blue.

It was long past the time for the sun to rise, but the clouds were too thick.

"Your question suggests that for our fight to have meaning, it must yield corresponding results. Is that right?"

"...Yes."

That was exactly it.

If I were the Hero, I'd be terrified to my core.

Realistically speaking, humanity's chances of defeating the demons were close to zero.

One could even say the demons were slowly strangling humanity.

...Victory was so distant it seemed unattainable.

All his hardships, efforts, and sacrifices were in danger of being in vain.

That's why I admired him but found it difficult to understand.

A Hero who could throw his entire finite life into the shining yet elusive goal of saving humanity.

"You're mistaken about one thing."

"Pardon?"

...But the Hero gave a clear answer.

"Rewards don't come from results. They are found in the process itself—in the moments when we fight, suffer, question, and doubt."

"...Those moments are the reward?"

"Yes."

The Hero said.

"There is no certainty in this world. Accepting that is the first step. Then, within that uncertainty, you decide what to believe in... and what to protect."

"......"

"Through endless choices, we define who we are."

The path we choose defines who we are.

That was what he was saying.

"I chose to believe."

"......"

"Even if I fail, someone else, and if they fail, another will prove my choice was right. They will lead humanity to salvation."

He murmured softly.

As naturally as the night turns to day.

As flowers wither and bloom again.

As winter ends and spring arrives.

Just like those inevitable facts.

"Humanity, no matter the circumstances, will eventually lean towards good. I chose to believe that."

"......"

"That's why I can fight."

The Hero turned and started walking again.

The morning sun, peeking out, softly illuminated his back.

...I watched him endlessly, replaying his final words in my mind.

"I wonder what you'll choose in this process—someone who is not human, yet possesses a human heart."

That must have been when it started.

* * *

I opened my eyes again.

An empty, endlessly vast space surrounded me.

My sense of time was completely jumbled.

It felt like decades had passed, or perhaps not even a second.

'The memories...'

Almost all of them had faded.

The dazzling light that once filled the area had now left only one light in the empty darkness.

That light was quite different from the others.

'...What is this?'

Whose memory is this?

I had already reviewed the memories of all the significant people.

"......"

...I didn't hesitate for long.

I reached out my hand.

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HELHEIM SCANS

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