The Hero Who Returned From Death Quits

EP7. At the End of Darkness

It was a starry night. Ainzel looked at the holy sword shining in the starlight. The sword of God that God had created to kill the Demon King and protect humanity.

And a sword that was supposedly made to protect humans, but then humans told it was useless, so it lost its meaning.

Ainzel thought. If the Church Senate could really unite humanity and save it, and if he and Beatrice were really standing in the way of that, what should he do?

As the starlight disappeared behind the darkness and light began to illuminate the ground, Ainzel broke free of his distracting thoughts and looked up at the sun that was coloring the sky.

There was a shuffling sound. He looked back.

“Are you awake? You must have been uncomfortable because there was only one room left. Are you okay?”

Ainzel looked into those sky-blue eyes. Those eyes that shone like water-blue glass beads. Ainzel stared into those eyes quietly.

“…Yes, sir, did you sleep well?”

Ainzel forced a smile at her and said.

“Yes, I slept well. Next time, I’ll have to get a separate room.”

He couldn’t sleep a wink, staring at the sky reflected outside the window in his shabby inn room, and calmly told lies.

“okay.”

Beatrice smiled and said.

“So, where should we go now?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

Beatrice said in a sad voice.

“I don’t know what to do or anything.”

Beatrice closed her eyes, and Ainzel asked her.

“Just… live like a normal person. Or is there something else you want to do? Unfortunately, I don’t think you can do anything that will catch people’s attention.”

“…How do ordinary people live?”

“yes?”

Ainzel asked back in a dazed voice. Beatrice spoke to him again.

“What do ordinary people think and do in life?”

As Ainzel stared at her, Beatrice lowered her eyes and said.

“I have lived my whole life only looking at God. I have lived my whole life for God and for faith. I don’t know how to live an ordinary life.”

“…What about your childhood? Wasn’t it different before you became a saint?”

“Well, I was an orphan since I was young, and I grew up in a monastery that takes in orphans. So, I don’t really know. What ordinary people think, what they want.”

Ainzel scratched his head.

“…okay.”

“What do you think, warrior? Is it possible for you to live a normal life like this?”

Ainzel paused for a moment at that question.

“Hearing that, I don’t remember very well either. It’s about how to live an ordinary life.”

“Why are you like that, sir?”

“It’s just… I think my perspective has changed. I guess I can’t go back to the past. But, now I have to learn how to live normally again.”

“Again, I have to learn… Yes, that seems right. I have to learn how to live normally, too. If it becomes a hindrance to humanity… If it becomes a hindrance to my own faith, paradoxically, I can’t help it.”

Ainzel took her hand and helped her up.

“Then, let’s first decide where to go.”

“It’s a destination… Even if you say that, I don’t know…”

“Hmm… Then how about taking a tour of the cities around the Empire? Come to think of it, I guess I’ve never really thought about seeing the sights since coming to the Empire.”

“Ah, yes. That’s good. But I understand that you were in the Empire before you were chosen as the Holy Sword. Why haven’t you seen it?”

“When I was back home, I came to the empire relying only on my body, hoping to succeed. I was busy working whatever I could and earning money to live day to day, so I couldn’t even think about doing that.”

“…I see. Then, would you like to go see it with me?”

“yes.”

Ainzel nodded slightly and stood up.

Beatrice also followed him.

After that, Ainzel and Beatrice went around to different places. Those who introduced themselves as the Twilight Brothers gave them travel expenses, and Ainzel and Beatrice spent their time in peace.

Beatrice went on a journey she had never experienced before and saw a world she had never known before.

Ainzel was considerate of her so that she would not feel uncomfortable, and Beatrice gladly accepted his consideration and smiled in front of him.

The first festival she had ever seen since she was born. The beauty of the snowy mountains she had never seen since she was born. Beatrice enjoyed the beauty hidden in various parts of the world that she had never known about, which she had never seen since she was born. Ainzel was always by her side.

“This place is said to be the ruins of an empire from before the Pope was driven out, when the Pope still had influence over the empire. I believe these ruins are even older than the Phoenix Empire.”

Beatrice looked at the moss-covered, ancient ruins.

“These relics… are relics from before the first saint appeared, before even the Golden Age.”

“Yes. Although we cannot find the past appearance, we can guess at it. The past’s brilliant appearance.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Yes, it’s beautiful.”

Ainzel and Beatrice gazed at the ruins blankly.

In a restaurant, Ainzel and Beatrice were smiling and talking.

“It appears that the Senate has succeeded in uniting humanity.”

“Yes. It is said that even countries that are not suffering from the Demon King’s damage are gathering together in the name of faith and the name of the religious order.”

“That’s amazing. Humanity uniting to fight evil. That’s really… really amazing.”

“Yes, it is a great thing. They say we are revered as heroes. As warriors and saints who fought against the enemies of humanity to the end.”

Beatrice said with a subtle smile.

“Excuse me, could you please hand me what’s over there?”

“What… Oh, you mean wine?”

“Yes, I’d like to try it.”

“…You usually say you’re so out of it that you don’t even try to put it in your mouth.”

“Hey, so what? It’s not like there’s a rule in the church doctrine that says you can’t drink alcohol. I just… I wanted to try it once. That’s all.”

“Then, since it’s your first time eating it, you should adjust the amount you eat.”

“Yes. But when did you start drinking, sir? You’re younger than me. When you were eighteen, I think?”

“Yes. I’m eighteen, but I started drinking when I was fifteen. It made me feel like I had become an adult. But there was also a certain sense of rebellion.”

“Hmm.”

Beatrice picked up her wine glass and tried to tilt the bottle.

“Oh, I will follow along myself.”

Beatrice looked at the wine Ainzel was pouring against the light.

“It’s red. It looks like blood.”

“Yes. It’s red. It’s red wine.”

“Come to think of it, there was also a saying that this wine symbolizes the blood of God. Well… I should try drinking a drop of the blood that God gave me.”

Beatrice tilted her glass.

One glass, two glasses. Beatrice continued to pour her glasses.

“Please stop drinking. You drank too much for your first time.”

“No, it’s okay. So, give me more… more.”

Ainzel held on tenaciously, never letting go of the bottle of alcohol until the very end.

Beatrice said with a flushed face.

“You’re really not going to give it to me? Well, then that’s fine. I can just pour it and drink it myself.”

Beatrice snatched the bottle of wine from Ainzel’s hands, poured herself some, and gulped it down.

“Hehe, it feels good.”

As Beatrice’s eyes opened, Ainzel approached her and helped her up.

“Oh, it tickles… .”

Beatrice was completely drunk and clung to Ainzel’s body.

“…Let’s go now. You’re really drunk.”

Ainzel supported Beatrice and led her out of the restaurant.

“Euuung… Sir…”

“Yes, I am here.”

“I feel dizzy… .”

“That’s because you drink so much. It’s my first time drinking, so I thought you should drink moderately.”

“Me too… I know that… but I just can’t do it properly…”

Ainzel continued to lead her to her quarters and said.

“What does that mean?”

“Um… Seriously, up until now… I’ve lived only following God’s words… But God said he didn’t need me… So I couldn’t come to my senses.”

Ainzel kept his mouth shut.

“I’m glad that humanity has succeeded in unifying because I’m not here… It’s something to be happy about… Why am I doing this?”

“well.”

Ainzel opened the door. It was Beatrice’s room.

“Here… lie down.”

Ainzel laid Beatrice on the bed.

“I’m getting better… I’ve been acting as a saint up until now… and living only by faith… but I’m so, so upset… I feel like I’m going to die…”

“…I’m going to go now. You should go to sleep now.”

As Ainzel tried to leave the room, Beatrice grabbed Ainzel’s wrist.

“Don’t go.”

“…You’ve had a lot to drink.”

“Don’t go… Can you hug me?”