Episode 3: Another Corpse
Faye…
Why…
What am I supposed to do now…
I always dreamed that… one day… we would be together…
Faye… without you… what am I wielding my sword for…
To save people?
To defeat the Demon Lord and bring peace to the world?
What's the point…
I can't wield a sword for the sake of a future without Faye…
Faye…
If I wasn't a Hero, if she wasn't the greatest healer… we'd probably be married by now…
We could plow the fields.
We could be adventurers and hunt together…
It may be out of character, but we could live a life selling items in a shop …
Whatever life we want to lead, that life is much better with 'Faye's presence'.
That's why…
"Faaaayyyye, why, why did you die… I loved you, really… why, why didn't you talk to me…"
I hugged Faye, not caring that my clothes were dirty.
The tears just kept flowing and wouldn't stop.
No matter how much I cry, the tears won't stop.
"Higu… I beg you… stay with me… don't leave me alone… Faye… Higu"
I don't know how long I cried.
In my mind… has been long enough… to have cried my heart out.
Faye was smiling when we met.
But now she doesn't say anything.
That's right, her hand … I have to find Faye's right hand…
It's not there, it's not there, it's not there, it's not there, it's not there… Faye's hand is nowhere to be found…
Faye, I'm sorry… I can't find your hand…
I tried to find her right hand, but it was nowhere to be found.
Her staff, her weapon, is nowhere to be found…
Who cut off Faye's right hand…
Faye must have had a staff.
She would never leave her staff in a place like this, let alone in the city.
Faye would never be so careless.
There is no one who can beat Faye with her staff.
If anyone could take the staff from Faye's staff and amputate her right hand… it would be one man… one man who could take her by surprise… one man as skilled as she is… only Jamil.
When you think about it, it makes sense.
The cut surface of Faye's hand looks like it was cut with wind magic… Wind Cutter.
Jamil's specialty is wind magic…
Jamil… I don't know why… but it was Jamil who cut off Faye's right hand.
Faye, one of the Three Hopes, is dead…
If Jamil had something to do with Faye's murder… he probably won't be punished…
The world doesn't want to lose another "Hope"…
But… I don't know… such a world.
I don't want a world without Faye… so I'm going to kill you, Jamil!
I carefully put Faye's body into a storage bag… I didn't notice it, but there was another body near Faye… it would be a shame to leave it here, so I'll take it with me…
I buried Faye on a hill full of flowers near the city.
I also buried an unknown body next to her…
You can see the city from here, so they won't be lonely…
"I'll be back."
I said that and left.
◆◆◆
I have to kill Jamil… but not in the city…
I have to get him the moment he leaves the city…
But there was no need to worry.
In the evening, Jamil walked out of the gate, just as he had done before, and stopped just before the forest.
"Jamil… the demon will not come."
"Kane, what are you talking about… I…"
Shameless…
"I have proof… I won't listen to excuses… I will avenge Faye's death."
I pull out Onyx and slash at him. Mages excels in long-range battles, so I must approach my opponent, and only fight once in close quarters.
"Wait, wait."
In the end it's Jamil, he could dodge this…
"In that case, my secret technique…"
"Wait… just a little bit longer… I don't mind getting killed in a little while… so wait."
I doubt he's lying under these circumstances…
"Talk then."
"In a little while, a little more, my little sister will come back… if I can confirm that… I won't need this life anymore… wait until then…"
"What do you mean?"
"I made a deal with the demon… if I offer Faye… they'll give my sister back… so I… I know I did something terrible… but I had no choice… my sister, Lily, was more important to me than life itself… so when my sister comes home, you… you can kill me… so just wait a little longer…"
This is ridiculous.
What an idiot…
Humans do not keep their promises to demons.
That's why the demons won't keep their promises to humans either…
"Demons don't keep their promises to humans."
"Hey…"
"What are you doing…"
I grabbed Jamil by the hair.
"Come here!"
"Argh… let go… I have to wait here!"
I understand… I understand…
"They told me to come so I could see my sisteeeer."
"Really?"
"Aah."
Jamil the Sage … what an idiot.
I grabbed Jamil's hair and dragged him along…
Jamil felt no more pain.
◆◆◆
"Where is this place?"
"It's Faye's grave, she died because of you…"
"It's my fault…"
I punched Jamil as hard as I could.
"You knew that if you gave her to the demons, she would be killed… you scum…"
"Say what you want… if you want my life, you can take it… but my sister, let me see my sister… let me bring her home."
I silently pointed to the grave next to Faye's grave.
"Wh… what is this mound…"
"Go on, just dig it up and see…"
What an idiot… the demons don't keep their promises…
"What are you talking about, Kane!"
"Go on, dig ―― "
Jamil finally understood the situation and started digging with his hands.
And then… the moment he saw the clothes on the body…
"LILLLLYYYYY! I kept my promise… and yet…"
"Jamil the Sage, doesn't realize that demons don't keep their promises? Half-witted bastard!"
"Lily… Lily, LILLLLLYYY… UUUUUUUUUUUUUHHH!"
"Don't you cry! You murdering bastard… you're an idiot, aren't you? Don't you know that if the demons kidnap you, they'll kill you! You're a Sage… what a wise man! You're such a fool. Enough."
"If Lily is dead, then fine, I promised… so kill me."
I want to kill you … I want to kill you, but… I won't.
The one who will die… is me.
"Killing you now will only make things easier… so I won't kill you… instead, from now on… you alone will protect this world until the day you die."
"Kane… what do you mean…"
There is only one demon who could come up with such a scheme.
I suspect it's one of the 6 Demon Archdukes, "Adrela, the Demon of Wisdom".
"The 'Hero Kane' is no more… from now on, I'm merely Kane the Avenger. I want to kill you, but I won't… I'm going to kill Adrela, one of the Six Archdukes… even if we have to fight each other… I will avenge Faye! So you, who killed one of the Three Hopes and drove the other to revenge… take responsibility and protect the world by yourself!"
"I didn't kill Faye."
"Do you not understand what happens when you deliver her with her arm cut off? You killed her… shut up, you bastard."
I left Jamil, who looked like he wanted to say something.