I Picked Up the Abandoned Hero

88. Embracing the Stars

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I’m sorry.

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I’m sorry for acting without knowing the topic.

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I’m sorry that I survived alone.

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The girl who thought she had ruined everything with her own hands confessed her sins again and again.

She apologized to her grandfather who had left, to the elven elders who had left, and to the ancestors she had longed for.

But nothing changed even if she confessed her sin.

All that was left of her was the result that was right in front of her.

What can we protest against the imminent outcome?

Her sins filled her surroundings every moment, and only the thick scent of death passed her nose.

Then in the end, there is only one thing that can be done.

Accepting the sin sweetly and making atonement for it.

She endured the punishment of tearing her body and burning her heart for over thousands of years, and she never forgot that crime until the last breath of her life…

That was the curse and punishment the girl received.

This was also a curse that the girl could break if she wanted.

But she didn’t solve it.

I couldn’t solve it.

Because her own sins could not be forgiven no matter what she did.

†††

“I’m just curious since it’s just the two of us left. What are your intentions?”

Alfred asked as he was left alone with Morian in the cage.

Arsel and Stella left to get ready.

There were only two people talking.

“Even if you ask me if there is an intention… There is nothing like that.”

“I’m not asking you right now, I’m asking someone else behind you.”

“There’s no one behind me? “Why are you being so scary?”

“You really can’t see anything? “It seems like there’s a scary and terrible demon spirit clinging to you behind you?”

“Jin, you’re really scary?!”

At Alfred’s words, Morian trembled and protested that she was scared.

Unlike when she cut down humans and elves with her sword, now she just looked like a girl of that age.

“It’s okay, it’s nothing I really need to worry about. “If you don’t know, there’s nothing you can do.”

With that, Alfred placed the cage on the floor.

“If it’s going to be like this, I shouldn’t have sealed it in the first place. It’s just a bother to me.”

It was to break the seal on Morian.

-Can you really help me?-

-Yes! Anything that can help seniors! Rather, I’m looking forward to fighting alongside my seniors!

-…I understand. If so, give me your strength. This is a time when even the power of one person is very important.

Alfred was reluctant, but Arcel suggested that he get Morian’s help.

Of course, since Morian is the owner of the Holy Sword, there is no reason to doubt his skills.

At first, I understood that they were defeated by the High Elves and fled to the tomb after learning their true identity.

Isn’t it rather brave to come back alive?

The elders of the elves who had the most brilliant time were the elders of the branches, especially the one who was next in rank to the elders of the stem, and this is especially true considering the last.

Although he lost strength, he took care of all the remaining elders and even the stem elders.

It is truly a terrible monster.

In addition, this was also the reason why Zion eventually turned its back on the elves.

Perhaps it is thanks to the holy sword that Morrigan possesses.

Arcel A sword said to have been used by her former warrior and her demon lord who fought against her.

Like the Holy Sword of Arcel that purifies all sins, the sword gave its owner the strength to never fall.

“It will be a little dazzling. If you don’t want to go blind, I recommend covering your eyes with your hands.”

“Oh, yes.”

At Alfred’s words, Morian covered her eyes.

Soon, Morrigan jumped out of the cage with a brilliant light.

“Whoa… I almost went blind.”

“It’s temporary, so it won’t be a big problem even if it’s far away.”

I rub my eyes as if the magic light was stronger than I thought.

Then she turned her head and looked at Alfred.

“By the way… are you okay with your severed neck?”

“It’s okay, it’s not like I’m going to get cut once or twice anyway.”

“You don’t mean to get your head cut off once or twice?”

“I got my head blown off once by a certain knight, and once again by that earl.”

There were times when the Demon King had his limbs torn apart.

However, to Alfred, these things are all insignificant, so he doesn’t pay much attention to them.

Morrían didn’t give another answer, but just stared at Alfred more intently, as if she was interested.

Should I say that it feels strangely familiar, or should I say that there is something strangely attractive about Alfred?

Just looking at his appearance, he was a cute and handsome boy, so it was natural to like him, but it went beyond that and was bothered to the point where even Morian himself felt strange.

Also, Alfred seems to vaguely know the reason.

“Then I will now change the subject of the question.”

“Uh… To whom?”

“Now I’m going to ask you a question.”

Alfred yawned and briefly relaxed.

It’s soon time for Arcel and Stella to start.

For now, I am sneaking into the observatory without the elves noticing, but perhaps if I start targeting the World Tree in earnest and gather magical power, all the elves will be drawn to it.

At that time, there would be no time for small talk like this.

“What is your purpose in doing this? If you were a warrior, you wouldn’t have to do this. Rather, you might be hostile to your predecessors.”

Morian was very friendly towards Arcel and Stella.

It felt quite unnatural not only to the parties involved but also to Alfred.

“Your seniors are wonderful people who overthrew the evil devil. You can’t be hostile to people like that. Of course, it didn’t seem like it was the queen or other knights, but…”

“Is that really all it is?”

It seems that Morian is not everything she says.

Alfred looked at Morian interrogatively with narrowed eyes.

Her eyes were so blatant that Morian blushed and avoided her gaze.

“I won’t tell those guys, so tell me the truth. Even though it may seem like this, I’m very tight-lipped.”

“No! “It’s a secret…”

Morrían closed her eyes tightly and turned her head.

Still, she seemed to be holding back, as if she knew she shouldn’t say more here.

“It’s okay if you don’t like it, I think I roughly know what it is anyway. You shouldn’t expect too much from a child who is not yet 10 years old. “Are you about 7 years old?”

But after hearing Alfred’s next words, her Morian’s eyes widened.

“Huh, how do you know my age?!”

Based on her appearance alone, she looked like she was in her mid-teens.

Because of this, Arcel and Stella also thought that Morian was a girl of exactly that age, and although she was young, she was actually much younger than that.

This was a fact that she had kept secret until now, known only to Morian and one other person.

Unlike her appearance, Morian is actually younger.

“Well, I know someone who was exactly like you at that age, and she looks just like you.”

“Who on earth…”

Morrían heard Alfred’s words and she wondered who she was.

Unfortunately, she didn’t know who it was.

“But it’s not really important. It’s all irrelevant anyway and it’s not my concern.”

“Is this really unrelated?”

“Just forget everything I said, because what I said was just a bit of bullsh*t due to past bad relations.”

Alfred’s eyes pierced into Morrían’s blue eyes.

I couldn’t tell what Alfred saw in those eyes.

However, there seems to be something about the Morrigan that makes Alfred feel more unpleasant than the elves.

“Oh, and I have one piece of advice. “I don’t feel like that right now because my mind and body are weak, but…”

Alfred smiled broadly and shared his last small talk.

“If I return to my original form, it would be better to run away immediately. This is also my old affection for you. “If you don’t, you will never die happily.”

Morrian’s body trembled at that creepy smile.

Just now, I felt as if the cells in my body were being torn apart, one by one, slowly, very slowly and painfully.

It seemed like a warning that her entire body would be stripped naked and burned, or her limbs would be separated and fed to animals.

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“Of course, I will play the role of a meat shield well for now, and until then, I will support you with all my might, so please do your best. “The next hero of humans.”

Alfred turned his body and waved his hand.

It looks like it’s going to start soon, so it looks like it’s heading towards where Arcel is.

“…”

Morian also followed Alfred without saying any more.

But this is truly unfair to me.

He was only doing this because he wanted to be of some help to his seniors who had truly made great achievements, and to express his gratitude, but Alfred was blatantly hostile.

But what would that say?

Strangely enough, I didn’t dislike it.

Rather, I felt strangely familiar when Alfred, whom I met for the first time today, did that.

Why?

†††

Climb the observatory tower.

After leaving the barrier and moving secretly, avoiding the eyes of the elves, there was no special reaction so far.

But I know.

The moment you show even the slightest bit of magic here, all the elves and shadows in this land turn their attention to this place.

The estimated number is approximately hundreds to thousands.

If you fight head on, you have no chance of winning, and if you are surrounded, there is no hope of escaping alive.

This situation was strangely familiar to Arcel.

It was like when dealing with the Demon King’s army in the past.

It was hopeless to deal with the Demon King’s army head on, so they risked their lives to overthrow their king, the Demon King.

Thanks to heavenly luck, he managed to defeat the Demon King back then, but it is unclear whether such luck will still follow him now.

Arsel’s hands trembled at the knowledge that if he failed this time, it would be the same as death.

Stella quietly asked if that bothered him.

“Are you okay?”

“What do you mean it’s okay?”

“Your hands are shaking…”

Only then did Arcel check his shaking hands.

It seems like I didn’t even notice that my hands were shaking until now.

“It’s okay, I’m used to it. Because I was so scared, I always trembled whenever we fought. “It would be strange not to tremble when your life is at stake in the first place.”

Stella silently agreed, saying that she understood that feeling.

Since she had been on the same journey in the first place, she had no choice but to know Arcel’s feelings well.

But because Arcel was a warrior, he was unable to reveal his fear to others until now.

“Don’t try to carry everything on your own. It seems like you have me and that unlucky demon by your side.”

“You mean Alfred… hahahaha, that’s right. But Stella, wouldn’t it be okay for you to call him by his name too?”

“I don’t like that, that’s the last bit of pride I have. “Even though I am now willing to let go of everything and even cut down the World Tree with my own hands, I will never do that.”

Stella shook her head several times.

It was a bit funny and it was great for relieving the frustrating tension.

“To begin with, you are really strange. When did you become so close to that demon? “Why on earth did we become friends?”

Even Arcel did not take a unilateral approach.

Alfred showed favor to Arcel and extended his hand, and Arcel held the hand and walked together.

Considering the relationship between the two, it wouldn’t be surprising if his hands were stained with blood.

“I don’t know about that either. “I’ve always thought that way, but I couldn’t figure out why I was with him.”

“…You haven’t been subjected to some strange brainwashing or something, right?”

Brainwash.

He couldn’t guarantee that Alfred would never do something like that to him.

Honestly, Alfred could have done it.

In addition, it is difficult for the person being brainwashed to notice, so perhaps he or she may have been truly brainwashed at some point.

But I didn’t particularly dislike it.

“Well, I’m not sure.”

“What is that?”

Rather, this kind of brainwashing might not be so bad.

As we climbed the stairs and chatted, Arcel soon reached the end of the observatory.

I can feel the hot wind in the heat that has not yet cooled down.

The wind caressing my skin felt like my lungs would burn if I took a deep breath.

‘Is that the target world tree?’

And the target was clearly visible even from afar.

The tree is the center and owner of this land.

The World Tree was proudly revealing itself.