I’m Not A Hero Like You After All

I felt it took longer than expected, but by the locals’ standards, it was still incredibly miraculous.

The reason I felt this way was probably just because I was getting impatient.

…If only we could fly through the sky to travel, wouldn’t it be at least ten times faster?

That thought suddenly crossed my mind.

Rather than traveling on the ground, if we could move through the air, wouldn’t boundaries and limits like mountains and seas become completely irrelevant? It’s said that the great mages of old didn’t just fly through the skies for extended periods; they even managed to eat and sleep while doing so.

Above all else, there were tales of venturing beyond the heavens themselves into the cosmos.

However, according to the writings of one great mage, even ascending hundreds of times higher than the regular ascent from the ground to the sky would reveal a vastness so immense that it rendered such journeys meaningless. Thus, they concluded that both voyages and journeys were pointless endeavors.

To modern-day mages who can barely reach the heavens, let alone venture beyond them, these tales must seem like nothing more than dreams or ideals. And for those who can’t even reach the moon, they might dismiss such stories as mere fiction or illusions.

“What’s so big about this?”

In that sense, we can’t overlook the tales of giants, the Colossus Clan, that always pop up in mythology.

Nowadays, we lump anyone larger than humans in terms of build and physique under the broad term “Colossus Clan” or “Giant Clan,” but back then…

Maybe the giants in mythology were beings whose bodies were larger than the very continent we live on today.

Thus, whether metaphorically or literally, it’s possible their dismembered remains or remnants after death formed the world around us.

Beings so massive they could pluck the moon and sun out of the sky—though all of this is merely conjecture.

Perhaps it’s all fabricated myths spun from imagination, which people mistook for truth and came to believe in earnest.

But the traces spread across the hillock before our eyes were undeniably far too colossal to have been crafted by beings akin to us. After all, each step was several times taller than an adult human.

Even though little of the remaining architecture survives, its scale was undoubtedly extraordinary.

“Walking there would take all day.”

Zora grumbles.

From here, it almost feels like looking down from a cliff or precipice.

Thankfully, even if you couldn’t leap down from here and land there, that wasn’t the case. Zora transformed into a giant bird, grabbed me by the shoulders with her talons, and soared effortlessly through the air.

Below the ravine, beneath the hillock.

Still, that wasn’t all.

It was as if these traces led deep underground, to some bottomless abyss where light itself struggled to penetrate, yet somehow they had formed and taken root.

Truly, it was an expansive and monumental sight.

This kind of remnant of ancient civilization likely wouldn’t be easily found near the region we originally lived in. For instance, imagine a country or city where giants gathered en masse. The sheer size of such a place is hard to grasp even now.

-What we see here is just a fraction of it.

While flying alongside me and surveying the scene below, the Demon King added this commentary.

-Of course, the remnants of previous civilizations are often viewed as thorns in the side by the rulers and nations of newer ones.

This reminded me of historical turning points I’d read about in books.

Only we should be the greatest.

Thus, acknowledging that the defeated were greater than us is difficult.

Some conquerors sought to emulate or plunder relics and legacies as trophies of war, while others strove to inherit and preserve them faithfully.

Whichever path they chose, it was a given privilege and option for the rulers and conquerors of the time. And their decisions marked historical turning points.

A prime example is how the Great Empire of Bella fervently persecuted the followers of Irene’s Doctrine, until the emperors fell ill or died.

Later, when a new emperor ascended the throne and officially recognized Irene’s Doctrine, its status skyrocketed manifold, despite the fact that he himself was a believer in the Solar God Religion, which revered the God of War or Brightness God.

“Come to think of it, weren’t giants always the adversaries of gods in various mythologies?”

It’s easier to speak in mid-air, but Zora still understood perfectly and replied.

“Well, whether giants were real or not, they were often used symbolically to represent enemies or villains that needed to be defeated. Most importantly, defining threats or oppressors as evil gave existing rulers and authorities the justification to confront and overcome them. That way, their governance also gained legitimacy, much like military law.”

According to Creek mythology, there was once an ancient deity known as the Primordial Celestial God, who was also considered a giant and an embodiment of evil.

During his tyrannical reign, the Earth Mother Deity conspired with her children to castrate him.

The child who succeeded in castrating him usurped his father, the Celestial God’s, position but received a prophecy-cum-curse from his father: “You will also be dethroned by your own offspring.”

Fearing this, the Celestial God proclaimed himself the God of Time and Sky, showcasing an even greater majesty.

Despite overthrowing and defeating his parents, the new ruler, driven by the prophecy or his own desires, continued his tyranny.

And so, this Celestial God devoured all his children who could potentially harm him, only to eventually be dethroned by his own son, fulfilling the prophecy of the Old Celestial God.

“Fathers often become the greatest trials and barriers for their children in mythology, don’t they? Some interpret fathers as symbols of eras, realities, or challenges to overcome. Or perhaps outdated times, the end of an era, or another predetermined fate.”

…Surprisingly, Zora seemed well-versed in these matters.

Then,

The subsequent Celestial God, who became the Supreme Deity, changed the traditional method of ruling and overseeing everything alone.

Instead, he took charge of the sky and delegated control of the sea and underworld to his siblings, further subdividing their domains and authorities.

That’s why he was called the King and Father, rather than a tyrant.

He was truly the god of justice, virtue, fairness, and integrity—a paragon of those concepts.

This was their Celestial God, Jeupse. In our terms, Father Yowis, or Yowis Patre.

“Some interpretations suggest that giants never truly existed and were merely exaggerated literary devices created to vilify enemies in history and myth. Ah, in the Middle Realm, such content was discussed mainly by theologians, scholars of magic, or nobles interested in the subject. Of course, since verification methods hadn’t matured back then, errors arose as they tried to infer based on imagination, old records, and creative works. Without clear evidence, they inevitably interpreted things subjectively. But reality proves that both giants and colossi genuinely existed. Even without showing what lies beneath us now, isn’t that enough proof? Though exaggerated expressions sometimes led to dismissal as falsehoods, like using a giant’s rib to form mountain ranges, creating continents, or imprisoning evil gods beneath mountain-sized giants—those parts are indeed hard to verify.”

I sort of understood, but most of it went over my head.

Nevertheless, flying down took quite a while, but the fascinating sights kept me entertained.

At first glance from above, it seemed like we’d arrive quickly, but maybe the perspective was off.

However, listening to the Demon King’s additional comments revealed otherwise.

-The space is compressed. Maybe ‘shrunk’ is a better term?

For instance, the space visible from the outside appeared smaller, shrunken down.

Indeed, as we got closer, the structures and traces looked several times larger than they did from above.

…Unless we’ve shrunk, meaning they’ve grown.

“This structure makes walking impossible for beings like us. Each stair looks more like a wall. A slightly taller one could pass for a fortress. And yet, this is just decorative roadwork. The discrepancy is ridiculous.”

Zora sounds exasperated.

…Though it doesn’t bother her much, considering the topic.

“So, what do we do here? It seems hard to distinguish one place from another.”

I wanted to check the surroundings from atop the shoulder of the massive red stone statue.

As long as the sun stays directly overhead, we can observe the structures clearly, but once it tilts, the interior will quickly fall into darkness.

Apart from the sculpted cloth draped halfway around its shoulder and waist, the statue is practically nude, lacking any significant ornaments or equipment. Yet, its sheer size alone commands overwhelming presence.

Ordinarily, symbolic statues strive for grandeur, but the simplicity here suggests they possessed abundant confidence and self-esteem.

“These guys must’ve made the earth shake during reproductive activities.”

It was a crude yet archaic-sounding remark.

“…Why would a species that doesn’t need reproduction care about such things?”

I chimed in after hearing Zora jokingly comment from atop the giant statue’s shoulder.

“We can, but we don’t need to. Didn’t you know? We satisfy all pleasures derived from eating and reproduction through blood-sucking. Severe blood addiction leads to madness among the young.”

“…”

“Of course, embracing someone while drinking is far superior. Hugging is good! The sensations vary depending on where hands touch or arms press against. Physical differences matter too. This is subjective preference. What’s crucial is consuming heated, fresh blood. For those who favor this, other things may hold no significance. In my case, blood that’s lost vitality is merely survival fuel… not very enjoyable.”

“Fun, huh.”

“You guys put effort into eating too, right? While long-term preservation or nutrient-rich diets may be necessary for survival, cooking isn’t really essential, is it? For us, it encompasses sexual desires as well. Losing control leads to losing rationality. Everything has a reason, including insanity. Some even suffer from magical power addiction, desperately seeking blood rich in mana. Once they taste it, they go crazy for it.”

“So, it’s quite a problem? Your tone already implies handling it isn’t easy.”

Zora smirked, indicating no need for elaboration.

“Therefore, internal punishments are severe. Plus, countless restrictions are imposed. Otherwise, we might discard the ultimate pleasure due to madness. Ultimately, life devoid of the greatest joys becomes bland and uninteresting. This is quite harsh unless survival or purpose outweighs everything. Still, immortality allows certain challenges.”

The title “Noble of the Night” and the pursuit of praise might, paradoxically, be another form of constraint through dignity and decorum to instill self-worth.

Simply put,

“That makes sense. Being hated and persecuted is worse than this… if survival or achieving specific goals requires it.”

“You’re right. Unless we aim to rule the world, we should conduct ourselves accordingly.”

In other words, if domination were possible, they’d indulge freely.

Even if she doesn’t desire it, someone might claim it as a natural right.

That’s the essence of power and desire.

Some mistake such rights for freedom.

Whether human or non-human,

“Curiosity is good, but let’s wrap up the chatter. So, where should we go? Setting up temporary camps or bases seems necessary.”

Even from the vantage point of the statue, there are already several larger structures visible in every direction.

“At this scale, exploring will take a while. Should we establish separate camping zones?”

“…Troublesome.”

By now, I’m breaking a sweat inwardly.

Freedom can feel heavy at times, like in situations like this.

On the bright side, I couldn’t help but smile a little.

“And part of the treasures found here belong to me, right?”

“…Yeah. You’re fully qualified for that.”

“Now I’m motivated. Treasure hunting is one of life’s rare delights, isn’t it?”

“Is it?”

Perhaps.

Back in the day, Karriel might’ve gotten excited about being in such a situation.

Unfortunately, not now.

…Not now.

Alright.

Let’s walk across the broad shoulder toward the neck.

“If moving around isn’t a problem, this spot might work, right?”

“Certainly… It might. There’s a ceiling too.”

Though it’s funny calling the statue’s head a ceiling…

The wind blowing fiercely due to the height is something we’ll just have to endure.

“…”

Let’s give it a try.

No one can glimpse the past from the present, but I can.

So, leaning against the wall, I raised my left arm and attempted to read the memories or traces contained within this place.

“…”

Suddenly, the desolate, yellowish-red world disappeared.

The golden fields and numerous intact buildings reappeared.

Together with countless vibrant lives blending harmoniously, faintly entering my vision.

The lush greenery and clear blue streams flowed through facilities resembling walls and cascaded like small waterfalls everywhere, filling the entire city through conduits far below and continuing to flow. This scenery, despite Karriel’s limited knowledge, instantly revealed itself as the pinnacle of civilization technology—extremely intricate yet organically interconnected.

“…”

Such a vastly different landscape.

It was undoubtedly a magnificent spectacle.

Just then, an unfamiliar presence suddenly appeared behind me.

“Finally.”

Turning instinctively at the sound, I saw someone leaning against the wall, greeting me with a wistful yet sorrowful smile.

…This is definitely a speck born from the past.

More likely, it’s a fleeting remnant or illusion.

She stood there, her sand-colored eyes partially obscured by shadows, gazing straight at me.

Her pupils reflected my somewhat vacant, rather awkward appearance, but…

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