Chapter 16: The One Who Could Not Become a Hero

“The luggage also appears to be safe, for the most part.”

“It seems like I came before they could rummage through it. Well, even if they had stolen anything, it probably wouldn’t be too much of a problem to take it back.”

After Alhart and Syltina had confirmed the contents of the carriage, they turned their gazes towards Akari, Tedla and Fract, who were trudging towards them dispiritedly.

“What do you think?”

Alhart suddenly asked Syltina. His eyes still remained on the three people.

“No matter how I think about it, if we bring them (Tedla and Fract) along, they’ll end up destroying themselves because of the Saintess dragging them into things.”

“No doubt. As I thought, we don’t need those guys.”

“It’d be better if they could be even a little bit helpful, but if they can’t hunt a single animal on their own, then it’s pointless to even talk about it. I wonder, just what is the Knight’s Order teaching their apprentices?”

“I’m surprised the King allowed such weak guys to tag along.”

“He probably thought that it’d look bad if not even a single person from their country came along on the journey.”

“And while he was at it, he had to send someone with a certain degree of status, or else they’d be setting a bad example for the people.”

“Indeed. No matter how weak they are, since the two of them hold the titles of ‘the country’s Prince’ and ‘a Ducal house’s second son’, some of the country’s dignity would be protected by having them go. The King is someone who values the country’s appearance and pride more than people’s lives after all.”

“And even if the two die on the way, he probably intends on propping them up as heroes or something; saying that ‘it’s an honourable thing to die protecting the Saintess’. This country’s royalty probably doesn’t even realize that it’s because they’re like this that they ended up in this situation.”

“They were always fools. The arrival of the Saintess simply spurred things on.”

“Ahh, but they might be martyred as ‘heroes’ earlier than expected.”

“Eh?……ahh, it’s true.”

It was the moment that Syltina showed her agreement with Alhart’s words.

“Stop right there!!”

“ “ “!?” ” ”

Standing in Akari and co.’s way was a young boy holding a dagger with both hands.

“How dare you guys do that to my father?!! I’ll never forgive you!!”

“-!?”

“Kyaa!!”

“Ohh, he avoided the woman? How admirable of him.”

Without even looking at Akari, the young boy charged towards Fract, who was standing next to her. Seeing that, Alhart expressed rather inappropriate words of praise.

Though Fract promptly closed his eyes and protected his head with his arms, no matter how long he waited, the expected pain didn’t assail him.

“Tedla…………”

What was reflected upon his eyes after timidly opening them was Tedla’s figure, protecting him against the young boy’s dagger with his sword.

With a shrill clang, the young boy’s dagger was deflected out of his hands and sent flying into the air.

During the small opening in which the young boy’s eyes followed the dagger, the sharp blade of Tedla’s sword cut the boy down mercilessly.

“ “……” ”

“……hou.”

“He killed him willingly.”

Unlike Fract and Akari, whose eyes were wide open as if they couldn’t believe what they just saw, Kuroitsu and Alhart let out voices of admiration.

“Prince, are you hurt?”

“Ah, ahh, no. I’m fine.”

“That’s good.”

After turning around and confirming that Fract was uninjured, Tedla once again turned his eyes towards the young boy.

“……”

Fallen to the ground as blood unceasingly flowed out from his gaping wound; the young boy, who somehow was still alive, glared at Tedla.

Seeing the young boy before his eyes, Tedla opened and closed his mouth several times, as if he wanted to say something. However, as if he had resolved himself, he met the young boy’s eyes directly.

“I do not feel bad about cutting you down. I do not regret it. However, I am sure that I am indeed related to the reason why this happened to you. That is why, that alone……I feel bad about having driven you all to this point, and regret that. I deeply apologize.”

He lowered his head very deeply.

“Ha…haha……hahahahaha…ahaha…AHAHAHA!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

In exchange, the young boy laughed as though he had gone insane.

“Haha, at this point……to apologize at this point………an apology that’s just words…I don’t even want it!! Give back everything I lost!! My village, my home, my sister, and my dad!! Give it all back!!”

“…………”

Seeing Tedla go silent at his words, the young boy made a scornful expression.

“Haha, even though you won’t give anything back, don’t just apologize because you want to be forgiven……this kind of country should just disappear……”

Those were his last words.

“……”

At the words of the dead young boy, who continued to gaze up at the empty sky, Tedla made a bitter face. Even so, he did not look away until the very end.

“……that really might be true.”

Just what was he agreeing to with those lightly murmured words……?

Leaving the place shortly after, the party was engulfed by a strange silence that had never occurred up until now.