Ki-e-e-ek!!
Kyah-yaaaak!!
Like leaves swept away in a storm, the monsters were carried off by their own magic.
A month has passed.
The battlefield was littered with mountains of monster corpses, and rivers of their blood flowed across the ground.
The countless monsters that once seemed endless had visibly decreased in number.
Surely, the situation would soon come to an end.
“Wizard! We need help in the east!”
At the soldier’s call for support, I rode out towards the east.
Over the past month, I had fought countless battles and made tremendous progress.
I had reached the 7th circle in magic, and the path to mastering swordsmanship had opened before me.
No one, not even in the history of the empire, had ascended to this level at my age.
But I felt no joy at all.
All I wanted was to return home quickly.
I continued to slash through the constantly incoming monsters, washing my body with their blood.
As this life repeated itself, my heart gradually wore down.
Now, no matter how many monsters I tore apart, and even if my comrades died brutally, I felt no emotion.
Neither joy nor sorrow. Only the desire to return home.
I wondered if the goddess had truly granted such a wish of mine.
Not long after, the battle came to a victorious close.
.
.
.
“Wowaa–!!”
“I love you, Hero!!”
“Long live the Karaz Empire!!!”
On the way back to the empire, countless people welcomed me, throwing bouquets at me.
Before I knew it, I was no longer called a prodigy but the hero of the empire.
The emperor promised to grant me a title and said he would bestow a marquis title under any name I desired.
Having never really thought of a name, I said I would answer later and hurried back home.
Having been away for a month, I missed my mother dearly.
Surely, when I opened this door, my mother would greet me with a smile.
However, unfortunately, that did not happen.
Upon returning home, I was greeted only by hazy air and the wretched stench of tobacco.
Worrying about my mother, I went inside to find an unbelievable sight.
My mother, who had always greeted me with a bright smile, was lying on the bed with a man I had never seen before.
Losing half my senses, I felt the urge to drag the man out and kill him.
“Ugh!!”
“Ana!! What are you doing!!”
Though my mother tried to stop me, I couldn’t bring myself to cease my violence.
Ultimately, my mother was unable to hold me back and raised her hand high.
Slap–
She struck my cheek hard.
Having been struck by my mother for the first time, I fell into shock and stared blankly at the floor while she glared at the man and threw him out of the house.
Regaining my composure, I demanded an explanation from my mother.
Who was that man? Did she really get into cigarettes?
However, without answering my questions, she approached me lovingly and patted my back.
“You worked hard for a month, Ana. I’m sorry I couldn’t welcome you properly.”
“……”
Even though I finally saw the gentle face of my mother I had so longed for while rolling in the hellish battlefield, I felt no joy at all.
.
.
.
One year later.
Somehow, I had turned 15.
Much had changed.
My mother was no longer the kind and warm person I once knew.
She had become a woman ugly, addicted to power, obsessed with money and debauchery.
I even heard recently that she had resorted to drugs.
It wasn’t just her that had changed.
I, too, had changed quite a bit.
Perhaps everything had been worn down to the point where I could feel no emotions anymore.
Even if I achieved achievements with my power, nothing brought me joy.
Moreover, unlike in the past, I felt no sadness seeing my mother’s face devoid of love.
Looking at her, who had fallen to the depths of despair, I found myself even developing a hatred for humanity.
She was bothersome.
Not only that.
I was equally fed up with the countless expectations and admirations directed at me.
Why should I.
Why should I fight for these humans?
I didn’t understand.
People believed firmly that it was only natural for me to protect them.
What a joke.
I had already achieved accomplishments that more than paid back the favors granted by the emperor.
There was no longer any reason for me to fight for these people.
So, I quit.
I informed the emperor that I would now live as I wanted.
At first, he was taken aback, but then he accepted my wish as if he understood.
However, he suggested that if anything happened at the palace, I should help out, and since that kind of thing was not difficult for me, I agreed.
I felt a lightness on my shoulders.
.
.
.
“Why did you do this!!!!”
A woman with the same blonde hair as mine screamed.
Perhaps due to drug use, she looked indescribably pitiful.
I squinted one eye at her amidst the noisy clamor and simply said.
Because it was bothersome.
Then she frantically shook my collar as if having a fit.
“If you quit!!! Who’s going to pay for this enormous mansion’s upkeep!! My jewels!! My clothes!!!”
Did this woman not realize how shameless she was? Her disgusting appearance made me feel nauseous.
Yeah, it was time to wrap things up with her.
I no longer wanted to be bound in a family relationship with this woman.
I commanded the surrounding maids and butlers to throw her out.
There was hesitation in their eyes, but after all, I was the one who had received the title of marquis.
In the end, they had no choice but to obey my orders.
Did she really think I wouldn’t abandon her?
The foolish blonde woman stared at me in disbelief.
Had she grasped the situation?
With trembling eyes, she ran to me, repeatedly apologizing.
“A-Ana… I-I’m so sorry… It must have been the drugs… I let my guard down for a moment.”
Heh-heh.
I found myself accidentally letting out a laugh at her desperate state.
It’s been so long since I’d laughed like this, and in such a way—it felt quite strange. But who cares.
I pushed her off, breaking free of her grasp.
She was taken aback by my unexpected action.
Then she contorted her face like a demon and began to shout at me.
“How can you do this to your mother!! Who raised you all this time! Is this how you repay a parent’s debt that you could never repay even in a lifetime?!!”
I didn’t even want to engage in conversation anymore.
After informing the guards to ensure she could never step foot in the mansion again, I turned my back and walked toward my room.
Realizing it was too late, she revealed her true, ugly nature.
“You heartless monster!! You should have realized it from the moment you didn’t shed a single tear when your father left!”
She wailed, bleeding tears as she struggled with all her might, but ultimately, she was dragged out by the guards.
“You wretched child!!! You’ll never be happy—”
Bang—
As the door slammed shut, the noisy voice faded away, and an eerie peace descended over the mansion.
As expected, even after having discarded the being that was once my mother, I felt no guilt.
I was rather relieved.
It felt like I had finally shed a heavy burden.
Smiling at this rare feeling of joy, I noticed the servants around me flinch in surprise.
I ignored them and continued to bask in my delight.
The next day, a significant number of servants quit.
Perhaps they saw me expel my own mother and were frightened.
How amusing.
It felt like just yesterday that they looked at me with admiration, and now they changed their attitude in the blink of an eye.
I scoffed.
Yeah. This is what humanity is.
Innately evil.
Weak and selfish beings.
They rely on me, expect from me, and then let me down of their own volition.
The kindness they offer is nothing but hypocrisy.
The praise and desire they send my way will flip to disdain the moment I betray their expectations.
It’s laughable that they think I’ll sacrifice for them, as if they were some collateral.
Just like this man who suddenly ran up to me, begging desperately.
“A… Ah… Oh my God… Thank you so much… Hero, please save our village!! The townsfolk are dying at the hands of demons!!”
This middle-aged man, gasping for breath and shedding tears.
I laughed derisively at him and said.
“Stop bothering me and get lost.”
At my words, the hope that had filled him began to transform slowly into despair.
I could see the resentment on his shadowed face directed at me.
Yeah, I guess so.
Ignoring the man muttering in futility, I headed towards the palace.
.
.
.
“So, you’ve decided on a name?”
“Yep.”
The emperor’s brow furrowed.
It must be because I spoke informally.
There was no longer any need to address him with honorifics.
After a long silence, he calmly stared into my eyes before sighing and speaking.
“……It seems there has been some change.”
“Is it bothering you that a little kid like me is speaking informally to you?”
“To say no would be a lie. But I think you have the right to talk that way to someone as strong as yourself.”
“Heh.”
Surprisingly, the emperor responded calmly.
I guess kings aren’t held to just anyone.
He reached out his hand towards me and asked.
“So, will you tell me your name, Hero?”
“Kaladbolg. Athena Kaladbolg.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, I replied.
“Hm, you also intend to change your name?”
“That’s right.”
The girl named Ana, who chased after happiness, was no longer present.
I smiled at him and said.
“This is a name I no longer need.”
*
I gazed at the bright white moon rising.
As I struggled to recall the memories I had tried so hard to bury, only a hollow laugh escaped me.
“Like mother, like daughter.”
Just as she did, I used people recklessly, hurt them, and shattered them.
Do I really have the right to laugh at that woman?
With a hollow smile, I looked up at the sky, resigned.
This is a punishment.
The punishment for trampling over others’ feelings without regard.
“….Yeah.”
Ironically, as I fully let go, the pain that once felt like death slowly eased.
This must have been the answer.
Let’s release it now.
Even Hera.
And even my utterly disgusting self.
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