272 Heroes Reunited
—–
Heroes, what are heroes? From what I’ve always understand, from my previous life and from this life, they’re those given special abilities and blessings, people born with incredible talent, capable of leading the masses and bringing victory, the hope of people’s hearts... But is that really the truth?
What are heroes, truly? In this world so driven by conflict between the races, especially humans against demons, heroes were figures idolized by everyone. As humans experienced so much pain, so much suffering, and lost so much hope through the wars against the demons, heroes were chosen by the gods to defeat the demons and ultimately their leader, the demon king.
The peoples’ despair, their suffering, and everything else they went through was concentrated into the heroes, the burden that they had to hold into their shoulders. Granted supernatural talents and powers by the heroes’ blessings, they were given the task to carry humanity’s burdens and defeat the demons, they were the hope of everybody’s heart.
Are they... still the hope? Seeing how people reacted in the town, they still are. To think that my mother and my father are beloved so much by everyone, honestly, it makes me very happy that they are admired so much, they worked very hard to reach this point after all, they deserve the praise and the love.
But... there is also a bad side to it, being an idol is not a good thing, especially for the people behind the hero title, they... my father, my mother... despite being so strong and amazing, they really can’t do everything.
They’re idolized as the hope of everyone’s hearts, but they’re also people, they cannot really save everyone, they are prayed like gods in some villages, people ask for their miracles, some even make statues of them and offer prayers to them.
But my parents know they cannot bring miracles to people, if someone far away is getting killed by monsters, they cannot do anything about it. In fact, they often say how hopeless it was when the demon king died. They always said... that nothing ever changed.
My father seemed to have always believed the entire hero thing, and even said he was brainwashed by those nations in this continent to believe on himself as someone as great as the tales said. But after what they did, after their journey ended, but nothing changed, they realized, everyone, that they had been playing in the palms of these rulers.
.....
They were tools used to control the masses, to defeat the demons and to make atrocities, they were weapons, even, forced to slay the leaders of the demon nations and slay... even civilians, as Shade laments all the time.
Heroes... don’t exist, they’re merely a fabrication.
Is that... what Arafunn is trying to tell? He’s trying to use his songs and his stories to tell the truth of what happened. Perhaps... he just wants people to understand that they were merely people with dreams that came together for the greater good, but that they were not near as perfect or indestructible.
After all, many heroes perished through the journey, sacrificing themselves to continue such a hopeless crusade into the demon continent... Sigh.
“Well, that’s sort of the past now! Over ten years has it been already? I couldn’t even tell.” Said Arafunn. “Traveling around the world is really fun, so my perception of time gets lost. Haha...”
“Arafunn... Sir...” I asked.
“Hm? Yes, dear?” He asked.
“...Do you feel regret for what you did?” I wondered.
Arafunn’s smile disappeared, as his eyes slowly began to lose their light. He walked around the house as he seemed to sorrowfully smile. His eyes seemed to be reminiscing of something, remembering something...
“I wish I could... But the things I experienced, and the friends I made along the way... They make up for it. I don’t regret the journey we made... But perhaps, I do regret some of my decisions.” He said rather seriously.
“I see...” I sighed. My mother caressed my head gently as she looked at me.
“Sylphy, don’t ask so many personal things to this old elf. He’s actually older than me.” Said my mother. “He’s too old so he might even have Alzheimer now.”
“Eh?! How rude! I am only 873 years old, I am still in the prime of my youth!” Said Arafunn.
“Hahaha! My bad, I guess you’re still a young adult.” Said my mother. “In the other case, I am quite young.”
“You’re still quite old, I am merely 250 years older.” Said Arafunn. He crossed his arms rather angrily.
“Heh, you never change, old Arafunn...” Sighed my mother.
“I never thought he was so old! 873 years?! Are you serious?! My wife is way younger than you, old man.” Said my father.
“He’s the oldest of the group after all.” Said Nepheline.
“Somewhat, it doesn’t feel like it.” Said Shade while crossing his arms. “He’s too childish. How come someone so old can be so childish?”
“O-Oi! You’re an edgelord, this is why you think anything that is not about darkness is childish!” Said Arafunn.
“Haha, it is easy to provoke you as well.” Laughed Shade.
“Shade! Stop messing around with me!” Said Arafunn.
Is this my idea or is this the first time I saw Shade smile and laugh so easily like now? I guess Arafunn was the member of the party that always lightened the mood of everyone... I suppose that’s the job that a bard must do.
“A-Anyways, Sylphy, Aquarina, do you want to see how I make my meatloaf? Maybe we can also bake some bread while we are at it, we are dining like kings tonight!” Said Arafunn, quickly wrapping a white apron around his waist.
“Eh... You’re still using that apron?” Asked Ninhursag. “We only meet for a while but every time you cooked you used it.”
“This is the apron of my mother dearest! Why wouldn’t I use it to cook? Do you want my expensive clothes to get nasty or something?” Sighed Arafunn, he changed his attitude and nature a lot. It seems he... relaxed a lot with his friends.
—–
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnovel(.)com