“I’m sorry.”
“……”
Dylan stared blankly at the woman who had once been his master.
It was as if she was truly seeking forgiveness. With her head bowed solemnly, she was apologizing to him.
He found himself at a loss, witnessing such a scene for the first time.
“I only thought of you as a mere tool to get closer to Hera. In the end, I ended up hurting you. I’m really sorry.”
“…..”
“I guess it might look shameless for me to come like this.”
“…….What happened to you?”
Dylan felt puzzled at the sight of her face, so different from the last time he had seen her.
The woman gazed up at the sky for a moment, then replied with a sad smile.
“…Just. I had an opportunity to reflect on myself.”
“An opportunity, you say?”
“Yeah. I turned out to be quite a monster.”
The woman then pulled out a small sword from her hand, stepped closer to Dylan, and placed it in his palm.
Dylan looked up at her in bewilderment, holding the small sword that had been placed in his hand.
“What’s this?”
“What’s the point of forgiveness if it’s just words?”
“…..”
“I can’t die for you, but… you’re welcome to cut me until your anger is released. Or do you want something else?”
“…Athena.”
“Ah, that’s probably not it, but let’s not have any strange thoughts, okay?”
Athena briefly reminisced about the past, a smile filled with vigor flashing across her face.
“Someone said something last time. It wasn’t funny at all.”
While Dylan stared at her dazedly, Athena continued.
“Of course, I didn’t kill him. But I’d say his life as a man is over.”
Athena spoke those chilling words with a smile, still radiating an imposing aura.
Yes. Her energy still weighed down on the surroundings like an intense sun.
But it was different now.
Previously, it felt like a scorching sun that could burn everything; now it felt like an immense warmth capable of enveloping all life under its rays.
Dylan couldn’t help but smile faintly at her simultaneously unchanged yet remarkably different appearance.
He handed the sword back to her, saying, “It’s alright, Athena.”
“Dylan.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. I don’t resent you, Athena.”
“…What?”
At his unexpected words, Athena widened her eyes momentarily. Looking at her, Dylan had good news to share.
“I have a son now.”
“…Congratulations.”
“Seeing that bright little guy grow every day brings me inexplicable joy.”
Though Athena didn’t quite grasp what he meant, she listened to him with courtesy.
“…Since that day, I’ve done a lot of thinking.”
Without waiting for a response, Dylan continued speaking.
“I didn’t realize it at the time, but now, looking back, you were truly right, Athena.”
“What do you mean?”
“From the moment I first met you, I assumed you would undoubtedly lead a righteous life. You would protect us with your immense power. I thought you were a heroic figure. You were just a much younger girl, after all.”
“…”
“It wasn’t just me. Every citizen of the Empire thought the same.”
“I know. But it’s okay now.”
Seeing Athena accept this with such nonchalance, a wave of guilt washed over Dylan’s expression.
He moved closer to Athena and quietly knelt down.
“…What are you doing?”
“I also must apologize, for judging someone who was once my master without even looking at her properly and placing burdens on her with my expectations.”
Athena stared at Dylan, momentarily dazed by his words while he continued to speak silently.
“Athena, I have one request.”
“Say it.”
Dylan remained kneeling, drawing a long sword from his waist and extending it before her with both hands.
“Could you grant me the chance to serve you again?”
“…..”
“I wish to serve the Athena I have seen with my own eyes, not the image created by my foolish preconceived notions.”
Athena momentarily stared at Dylan, struck by his resolute words, before sighing and accepting the sword he offered.
“Do as you wish.”
“Thank you.”
“…Right.”
It seemed that the path back to the mansion would not be a lonely one after all.
*
“…What?”
Back in the mansion with Dylan, he went off to report to the knight order about his return while I headed deeper into the mansion toward my office.
At that moment, Alina, the brown-haired maid, rushed up to me, panting.
Her expression was filled with alarm as she urgently called out to me.
“Who came?”
“It’s the Hero. He’s come looking for you.”
I too felt a rush of surprise.
About a month ago, the Hero wielding the Sacred Sword was announced in the Empire.
He had risen to Grandmaster level at the youngest age, a genius they could barely call by that name.
The person who pulled the Sacred Sword once sealed away, undoubtedly the hottest figure in the Empire.
Why would such a Hero come looking for me? It puzzled me, as there shouldn’t have been any connection between us.
“I’ve put him in the reception room for now.”
“Okay. I’ll head there right away.”
I needed to see his face to know what he wanted.
I dismissed Alina and strolled down the corridor toward the reception room.
As I walked alone, thoughts of her, once again, popped into my mind, and I murmured softly.
“Two years is too long, Hera.”
She had left, saying she would take some time, yet cruelly, it had been nearly two years, and I hadn’t heard a word from her.
I could tell she had been in contact with Alina, but why hadn’t she reached out to me at all?
‘…Am I still that detestable to her?’
If so, I had nothing to say.
What I did was a clear sin.
Yet did I still possess such selfish feelings for myself?
I missed her. No, I revise that.
I felt like I was losing my mind with how much I wanted to see her.
These two years felt more like an eternity.
This lonely place without her felt entirely barren of life.
I had borne this, fully accepting it as my karma, but lately, it felt like I was reaching my limit.
Every night, I dreamt of embracing her, and every time, I ended up sleepless.
“If you don’t come back soon, I might really lose my mind, Master.”
Once I managed to somewhat calm my anxious heart, I found myself at the entrance of the reception room.
Attempting to push aside my thoughts of Hera, I focused on the existence within that room.
The Hero.
The only being capable of defeating the Demon King, inheriting the powers of the Demon God, wielding the Sacred Sword blessed with the Goddess’s favor and strength.
The Sacred Sword was sealed by the Goddess’s power, making it impossible for anyone without sufficient qualifications to wield it.
Once, out of curiosity, I had tried to pull it out, but all that happened was the ground around it quaked, while the sword stubbornly held its place.
Well, even if I were a Goddess, I doubt I would have given the Sacred Sword to someone like me.
Looking back on past Heroes, they were all righteous individuals, so I could never have become one.
I chuckled softly and looked ahead, finding myself standing before the reception room door.
As I opened the door and entered, a girl radiating a powerful, holy energy caught my eye.
Her silver hair suited her beautifully, exuding an enchanting yet desolate aura.
Certainly, I had seen this familiar girl before.
“….You are.”
As I called her name with a trembling voice, her amethyst eyes rolled toward me, and then—
Kwaaaaaaang—!!
A massive wave of sword energy surged toward me.
.
.
.
“Unbelievable…”
Amidst the swirling dust and crumbling wreckage, I stood up, brushing off the dirt from my clothes as I looked at her.
“I can’t believe it. You were Carlos’s apprentice.”
A small smile escaped as disbelief settled in me.
“Moreover, you appeared as the Hero.”
“I’ve come to reclaim what’s mine.”
Her voice was so chilling that I could feel its emptiness.
In her dimmed eyes, devoid of vitality, a glimmer desperately craving something shone ominously.
The girl gently offered me a sword.
“Where is my sister?”
Even amidst the ruthless killing intent emanating from her, I couldn’t suppress a weary smile.
“I don’t know.”
“…..What?”
“I said I don’t know. And it’s driving me insane too, you know?”
“……”
I gazed skyward, muttering in a quiet voice, “…When are you coming back, Hera?”
Crack-
A bizarre sound as if my teeth might shatter echoed chillingly.
The girl glared at me, her face boiling with rage.
“I’ll kill you brutally.”
Her eyes sank into an unbearable void that words could hardly describe.
– How can such a young girl possess eyes so cold and empty? It’s heartbreaking.
An old friend’s words echoed in my mind.
A sharp pang of guilt surged within my chest, tormenting me.
“…Right. I must somehow seek forgiveness from you. But first—”
Before I could finish speaking, the colorless sword energy shot toward my neck at an unseen speed.
But when I merely tilted my head, the sword grazed my cheek, leaving a small wound and severing a few strands of hair.
“I’d say you need to calm down a bit.”
“Die.”
As the girl unleashed her mana into the surroundings, I thought I could hear shrieks, the wails of the dead, resonating from her mana.
With a sorrowful expression, I extended my hand into the empty air.
In an instant, it shimmered with light, and a sword with a golden blade formed in my grip.
“…..I never imagined I’d find myself fighting a Hero.”
Without uttering another word, I lunged toward the girl.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.