I’m Not A Hero Like You After All

And it snapped.

More precisely, all the sights and scenes I was seeing and hearing came to a halt.

At the same time, my consciousness returned.

“…….”

So this is a sanctuary, huh?

And apparently, I owe this place a debt from before as well, right?

-What’s with your face? Did you try to fill your starving belly and get your food stolen or something?

“…….”

Looking at the Demon King floating there with his arms crossed, I realize once more that this is indeed reality.

“Why did it stop here?”

-Didn’t I show you enough for you to figure it out already?

“…….”

-Or maybe the next part requires the timing to be right or certain conditions to be met?

“In other words, my inability to observe what comes next is also part of some grand plan, isn’t it?”

It’s not because some calamity or problem has arisen.

-Who knows?

“…….”

This vague answer irritates me as always.

“And yet… you’ve become a completely different existence from what I remember.”

-Depends on what criteria you use to define difference, doesn’t it?

“……Hmm.”

I respond with a shallow nasal sound while keeping my mouth shut, expressing my frustration.

“…….”

That said.

“What exactly was the Guide of the Black Star?”

-Am I an encyclopedia? Why do you keep asking? Do you have no brain?

“…I just want to confirm my suspicions.”

That existence probably walked, or is walking, a path similar to mine or Grandeous’.

However, even that was ultimately… prearranged.

“…….”

Deep breathing, huh?

I faintly remembered learning it somewhere—was it here?

‘It’s different.’

But I feel a sense of incongruity.

I’m sure I first learned it here, but…

For some reason, it feels like I learned it from someone else too.

“…….”

Still.

I’ve now clearly recognized it, not based on unconsciousness but on certainty.

Because every time my mind wavered or my condition worsened, I unconsciously repeated and executed it.

“…….”

And now, it will be slightly different.

This deep breathing isn’t just about respiration.

It’s also a kind of mental resolve.

The Black Star.

The world originally started from a single point.

We return to the origin.

The beginning and the end, the seed, the tree, and the fruit—they’re all interconnected.

…Nothing in this world has a predetermined start or end.

“…….”

Dominatus Abnoddo (Dominātur abnōdō).

“…….”

Condensing again.

Ennea (εννέα).

Gathering scattered pieces and stitching them together.

Click.

Clank.

Thud.

Tock!

“…….”

Ultra-concentration.

With just one breath, the flow of space-time slows down significantly.

My consciousness awakens instantly.

‘This is…’

A little absurd.

Though it may seem trivial.

This trivial thing is a realm that others might strive for even at the cost of their lives.

A level attainable only in moments when death looms near.

And yet… I can handle it merely by recollecting it. This is truly an incredible feat.

But.

…this isn’t the end.

From there, it advances another step.

To put it metaphorically, this is like just entering the water’s surface.

As concentration intensifies further, things unseen and unfelt begin to emerge.

Suddenly, I sense gazes directed toward me.

Even though these beings are incredibly far away…

For some reason, their presence feels as if they’re right in front of me.

-Seems like you’ve arrived.

A familiar voice.

‘…Water User?’

Though I can’t see him, I faintly perceive his gaze and emotions.

And…

Another being opposite the Water User.

From this being, I sense something cold, piercing… yet warm somehow.

-Have you… heard of True Dark Celestial Lord (眞暗天君)?

Though I’ve never heard this language before, I strangely understand it immediately.

And…

Though their presence is fainter compared to them, I clearly sense other beings watching me from within.

…

No words reach me, but emotions do.

Fear.

Ambition.

Frustration.

Irritation.

Anger.

Affection.

…And malice.

These feelings come crashing over me like waves.

…

It was brief, but the sensation was unmistakable.

-You’re starting to catch people’s eyes, it seems.

The Demon King smirked, propping his chin on his hand.

“What was that just now?”

-Level? Rank? Something like that exists when you reach a certain point.

“…And that uninformative explanation is supposed to mean what?”

-Since it’s not particularly important.

The Demon King brushed it off.

-Just know that such beings exist and that you can now recognize them. That’s all you need to grasp. Like I said, it’s not really crucial anyway.

“I saw the Water User. And another being on par with him.”

-Not so much ‘saw’ as ‘felt,’ but close enough.

The Demon King turned his head and spoke.

“The world has finally begun to take notice of and guard against your existence. Keep that in mind.”

“…So until now, it hasn’t been doing that?”

-If ants eating away at a rock could collapse a dam, at best, it would only sink a village or city, right? That kind of thing has happened quite often throughout past, present, and future.

“So now…?”

-You’ve gained the ability to do more than that.

Saying that, the Demon King gestured toward the entrance and added,

-Anyway, if you’re not planning to stay cooped up here, we should move soon.

“…”

Finally, I sigh after opening my mouth.

Why does it feel like the more I dig, the more random stuff keeps popping up?

Such a hassle.

====

The Elven Kingdom of a Thousand Years.

Its crown prince, Ardisus, had actually been established as both the capital and the crown prince for not just a thousand years, but several millennia.

Once known as the race of Light, they are currently steadfastly the Tribe of the Forest.

Even among the Tribe of the Forest, however, the leadership and mainstream factions have continuously shifted over time.

Known as Tree Elves now,

Before that, they were Plant Elves, and before that, Lotus Elves.

Thus, they simply summarize their history in song for other races, saying they progressed from flowers to plants and then to trees.

Truthfully, there were Flame Elves, Fruit Elves, and Bud Elves before the Lotus Elves, but since the Lotus Elves were the dominant faction of that era, they don’t delve into specifics unless asked.

Even so.

By human standards, this spans generations upon generations of long history.

“…”

Only after over ten days of arriving here did Minette somewhat get accustomed to life here.

…Though her time in the Water User’s valley was quite long, this felt different.

Mostly because the sky here is almost entirely covered by the World Tree, which often gave her a stifling feeling in her chest.

“If we’re just staying…”

It wouldn’t have mattered much.

Including her, everyone else needed recuperation too.

It took six days to travel through the desert to get here.

Even after arriving under Hamren’s guidance, constant vigilance continued for a while.

As for Carriel…

I haven’t seen her face for a few days.

“How was last night?”

“A bit restless.”

It wasn’t uncomfortable, nor was it comfortable.

She just sort of rested.

Minette’s indifferent response made Hamren, who had approached unnoticed, nod understandingly.

“How’s the situation?”

“Not urgent, but we don’t know when or how it’ll change.”

“Is everything okay?”

Minette’s sleepy-eyed question prompted Hamren to shake his head.

“Yeah.”

The situation was this:

Although Carriel, along with Hamren, Minette, and Alesia, successfully reached Ardisus, the issue arose when the guardian of the east requested reinforcements.

What kind of reinforcements?

…Though the scale was insufficient, a dimensional portal opened, and creatures from the Demon Realm began spilling out.

After a day of fighting, Carriel managed to settle matters with the eastern guardian and proceeded straight to the center.

Even so.

There were problems at the center too.

The elves welcoming Carriel were extremely friendly,

But conversely, higher-ranking elves seemed notably pessimistic about him.

Still, thanks to the queen’s warm welcome, there were no issues with treatment.

“Could it be because of the Demon King?”

“Uncertain, but that’s likely the main cause.”

Currently, the entire elven territory is being disrupted by large and small invasions.

At first, it seemed like the whole continent was like this, but apparently, it’s not.

“They suspect the primary goal is to contaminate the Sacred Trees, or possibly steal divine equipment.”

“…”

Stories beyond Minette’s comprehension.

Thus, she kept silent.

Somehow, after traveling alongside Hamren, they arrived at a central city located far from the forest.

Minette, who moved almost as if flying through the sky, and Hamren, who traversed the trees, traveled at speeds comparable to a bird gliding at full power or an arrow released from a drawn bowstring.

After moving a considerable distance, they noticed many elves consolidating the situation where a battle had just ended.

Additionally, they discovered a woman using divine power to heal the elves.

Standing taller than the delicate elves, she naturally caught their attention.

“What? Is it shift change?”

Minette and Hamren, who had just landed nearby, were greeted with Alesia’s lackadaisical expression.

“While I’m dissatisfied with being used as mere manpower…”

Alesia grinned at Minette’s words.

“Think of it as payment for the food and shelter we provide.”

“…”

Minette wondered if she wasn’t too high-level for such arrangements.

Originally, fighting and protecting anyone wasn’t her style.

She endured unpleasant tasks only for her younger brother, and even that was enough.

Minette asked,

“Where are the enemies?”

“Simpletons.”

Despite the subtle mismatch, the gist was understood.

Glancing around, the traces in the surroundings clearly indicated that colossal and massive enemies had wreaked havoc.

Though corpses quickly turn to ash upon losing life,

…the battle scars remain intact, making it easy to deduce the situation.

Especially when dozens of trees are chopped down, shattered, or broken,

It wasn’t hard to imagine the scene.

Strangely fascinating, though, was how those damaged trees seemed to be absorbed back into the ground,

And how gaps were filled by surrounding trees, automatically restoring the area. It was quite miraculous.

“First, this is just my guess.”

Alesia rubbed her cheek thoughtfully and spoke.

“This feels less like an ambush and more like… pushing something away.”

“Pushing? What? The Daemons?”

“Maybe probing? Testing the waters?”

“Why would they do that?”

“I don’t know either.”

Given the ambiguity of whether this is an accident or an incident,

“…”

She’s sharp but rather careless in these aspects.

Minette realized this repeatedly.

“It makes sense.”

Hamren also seemed to agree with Alesia’s opinion.

“Actually, interpreting their movements as survival-driven actions or responses rather than attacks or ambushes aligns better with the overall picture.”

“That’s… ”

Minette didn’t object to that point.

In fact, there were numerous instances where chasing fleeing enemies proved more challenging than simply blocking them.

Had they blindly charged in, it would’ve been easier to counter.

“Perhaps something’s wrong in the Demon Realm?”

“Carriel mentioned it. Ellie inflicted a fatal wound on the Demon King and drove him off.”

“The question is, what connection does that have to the current situation?”

Complicated.

“Thus, speculatively, the upper echelons believe they aim to contaminate the Sacred Trees to open a large-scale gateway. And the intermittent, sporadic attacks we’re experiencing now might be intended to divert our attention.”

Hearing this, Alesia tilted her head.

“Divert attention from what?”

“I don’t know exactly. That’s why we’re deliberating.”

“Does this involve Carriel?”

“…”

An even more complicated situation.

While catching her breath, Minette furrowed her brow in puzzlement.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“…Something’s coming.”

“What?! Don’t say ominous things like that!”

Alesia panicked.

…And at the same moment,

“Did you say it’s impossible to verify?”

“For now, yes.”

Upon Carriel’s words, the queen who greeted him in the reception room sighed deeply, stroking her blue lips.

“At least we’ve grasped the general situation.”

“Memories… records remain from shortly after my arrival here.”

“And since you’re human but can still perceive these things, that must be it, right?”

The queen, with her white-gloved hand clasped, tapped her forehead lightly.

“Carriel. Whether you’re the person I knew or not, you’re less human now… You’re closer to us.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. But even that isn’t entirely clear.”

“…”

“Moreover, in terms of perceptive abilities, you surpass us greatly at this moment.”

“Must be related to the World Tree.”

“It certainly is.”

The queen seemed to know the past Carriel very well.

Though I could only glimpse filtered content through the World Tree, it wasn’t enough to fully deduce everything.

“Still, thanks to your preparations and strategies, we’ve managed to achieve stability and unity simultaneously. And the Absolute Adherence Contract binding you, which controlled and governed our race, vanished along with that event.”

But.

“…We also don’t know about that. Perhaps the past you believed ignorance was the best course of action.”

“…”

Everything has meaning.

Based on what I observed, the past me operated under such premises.

“Presumably, our engagement was purely formal, wasn’t it?”

“Cardiel. I’ve never viewed it that way. It was sincere in its own way.”

“…”

“When you reach my position, every word and action carries responsibility.”

“Yes. Hence, it held significance.”

“…”

Even without my explanations, she must’ve understood.

“Perhaps the purpose was to provide legitimacy so that my father wouldn’t interfere, correct?”

“…That sounds right.”

By marrying the Elven Queen, how many advantages could have been utilized? Even if Father didn’t know, surely others had plenty of thoughts.

Regardless, Father eventually took me back to the Empire.

This too, in some sense, was part of the plan.

And within it lies a trap that isn’t really a trap.

“If the past me knew or accepted that I would become this way, things start to make sense.”

“That might be stretching it, Cardiel.”

“…I hope so.”

His words carry merit because the young me I witnessed at the end possessed an unexpectedly overwhelming aura of strength.

Was it merely at the level of a dull legion commander?

It’s unlikely.

Yet, I can make rough estimates.

‘Unless that official or whoever kills me, they’d probably switch to protecting or cooperating with me there.’

It doesn’t make sense for a Daemon to intrude so openly indoors and deal with me.

In that case, the Daemon remnants and the elves must have clashed.

Then, did I just watch? Or did I join one side to pursue another path?

‘…’

I have many guesses, but nothing is certain.

What’s definite is that the me from that era was an enigma to the current me.

‘Instead.’

What exactly did you intend to accomplish?

Just as I was about to ignite doubts with these thoughts,

A chilling chill ran down my spine.

“…Cardiel.”

“Yes.”

The queen must’ve sensed it too.

“Outside the palace.”

An unexpected presence.

Even locked inside the building, it feels like being battered by a sudden gust of wind.

“I’ll go check.”

“No. Come with me.”

As soon as we stepped out the door, guards followed closely behind.

Two men known as Wardens joined as well.

Rushing forward, we opened the main gate of the queen’s palace.

In a corner of the stark white square-like entrance, it was there.

“What the hell? Damned brat. Were you here too?”

Completely pitch black.

Other than that, there’s no way to describe it.

A being emitting thick, dark smoke, light, shadows, and darkness from its entire body.

He plunged a branch into the ground where he stood and said,

“What? Why are you looking at me like it’s the first time? Don’t you know me?”

“…”

This individual was clearly addressing Carriel.

“Or are you still clueless?”

“…”

“You dumb dropout can’t even understand simple words. Tch.”

Through his coarse tone, I sense an alienating dissonance.

Familiar yet distant… such dissonance.

“Cardiel… ”

The queen softly called my name.

“What?”

“…”

While maintaining eye contact with the opponent, I slightly turned my head toward her.

Meanwhile, he responded aggressively.

In short, that’s it.

His exact reaction to her call indicates…

What it implies is…

---