I Quit the Hero’s Party Chapter 279

〈 Episode 279 〉 The Man Who Couldn’t Die (5)

* * *

As the sun set over the horizon and darkness began to fall, Cariot came out of the Holy Grail. It didn’t jump out, it walked on its own feet.

Many facts can be inferred from that alone.

That he overcame a wall, that he passed an ordeal, and that he eventually reached the level of a superman at the end of his challenge.

Kariot, who came out of the platinum-colored well, smiled brightly, wiping her sweat-soaked hair. She seemed to have resolved a long-standing problem, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Kariot opened his mouth with a more relaxed expression.

“I brought the couple into a big fight.”

* * *

Rania blinked.

The ordeal of the Holy Grail is a marital quarrel? These words were difficult for Rania to understand because Kariot did not tell her what she encountered during the ordeal.

“If you are a lady, aren’t you a high priest? “He was martyred after being caught up in an unpleasant incident.”

“It’s known that way.”

Kariot laughed bitterly.

“My wife was a very famous and faithful priest in the church, so the church covered up her death. “Maybe the young lady knows?”

“I know what happened to Priest Is.”

Sarah said with an expression as if she had been bitten by a bug.

“Because of his influence, he was known as a martyr, but wasn’t he actually judged as a heretic? None other than Cariot, by your hand.”

“It did. In fact, rather than saying I killed her… it would be more accurate to say that my wife died for me.”

Rania, who had been quietly eavesdropping on the conversation between the two, touched her chin. High Priest, Is. Because I’ve heard that name somewhere.

“ah.”

Rania let out a short sigh.

“···Crazy fire witch?”

The moment she muttered that, Kariot’s expression hardened. Rania hurriedly covered her mouth, but she was unable to pick up the words she had spit out.

Crazy fire witch.

Rania also knew about the incident that involved her.

This is an incident that occurred more than ten years ago, before he was still on active duty. An incident known to the public as the battle to subdue the Mad Fire Witch. How did it end?

‘I heard that two superhumans and a hero were deployed, and it ended with one superhuman dying…’

Later, after being called a wise man, Rania was able to learn more about the crazy fire witch.

The mad priest, Ys.

It was the third superhuman born in the history of the Delohim Church, and the worst. Because he was a person who rose to the rank of superhuman with his hatred and madness for the stars.

‘But, that person…’

Rania glanced at Kariot.

Kariot smiled bitterly and answered.

“The Mad Fire Witch, that’s what she was definitely called. I also participated in that subjugation war. As a result, I was the one who pierced my wife’s heart.”

He touched the cross sword on his back.

“It was then that I faced a wall. “As expected of my wife, she was hot and not funny.”

“···Is that so?”

“Yes, from the beginning, my wife was a priest who could not be surpassed even by the Pope due to her faithfulness alone… It was absolutely ridiculous to criticize her. “Because an entire city was destroyed.”

Light voice, light tone.

However, Kariot’s expression as he said that was hard.

“I guess I couldn’t bear it. “I guess I couldn’t bear the fact that those children died, that God didn’t answer my prayers, that no salvation came…”

A priest who used to pray to God rose to the rank of superman by denying the existence of God. Even though she had just become a superhuman, not even a mature superhuman could stand in her way.

In the end, countless people were burned to death by her hands. In the middle of a city that had been reduced to ashes, she met her death with the derogatory name given to her as a witch.

“I regretted it. “A lot.”

Kariot let out a short breath.

“If only I had stopped her faster, if I had been stronger back then, if I had been able to keep my promise to her… I always regretted it.”

Cariot grabbed the cross hanging around his neck.

“Where is the will of God? That’s the question she asked me. “It’s a task I have to prove.”

This is the question she asked Cariot at the last moment, her heart piercing. After a journey of more than ten years, Kariot has long since found the answer.

‘God’s will is mine.’

God dwells in all my actions.

What I believe is right is God’s will.

However, that is an answer that has not yet been proven.

Because it has no value beyond just words.

This is because the ideal is proven through actions, not words. In order to prove the answer with his own life, Cariot aspired to become a superman.

Sigh.

Cariot smiled while clutching the cross.

“Now I can prove it.”

2.

Before leaving Kateron Castle and returning to his battlefield, Kariot summoned Galahal alone. The place where Galahal arrived after receiving the call was a field on the road to the north.

A place where cool winds blow.

Cariot, who was waiting there carrying the coffin, opened his mouth.

“I heard it from Heinkel.”

“···yes?”

“I heard that the hero is retiring. “I also have to fill in the hero’s absence for the time being.”

“Is that so.”

Galahal was silent.

That expression wasn’t comfortable. Galahal said he was not very comfortable facing those who had heard that he was retiring. Even if they don’t ask, there’s only one thing they’re curious about.

“Is there any other reason for your retirement?”

That’s the question.

Galahal is not good at lying. He ponders how to respond, but what Galahal ultimately decides is to avoid answering altogether.

While he was wondering if he should do it again this time, Kariot’s bitter laughter echoed in Galahal’s ears.

“I have no intention of asking. “It’s all visible on your face.”

“···You can see everything?”

“If you live your life in the magic world, you will meet so many people. “There are many people who are addicted to demonic energy and do not have much time left to live.”

While Galahal was shaking his shoulders in shock, Kariot asked a question.

“Hero, do you know what kind of expression those guys make?”

“I don’t know, but…”

“It’s one of two things. “They either walk around with blank eyes, completely resigned, or with their eyes wide open, trying to achieve something with the remaining time.”

So, warrior, said Kariot.

“Which side do you think you are?”

“······.”

“I think it’s the latter.”

Galahal, who had been silent, opened his mouth.

“Actually, I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I’ve been thinking about what to do and what I can do with the remaining time, but I can’t find an answer.”

“okay?”

Hmm, Kariot nodded.

“How much is left?”

Everyone has already been caught.

Galahal thought for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“···Three years.”

“It’s short.”

Kariot sighed.

Sighing, he took out a cigarette and lit it. After inhaling the smoke once, Kariot opened his mouth. There is no trace of laughter left in that voice.

Kariot said in a heavy voice.

“Ask me one question.”

“yes.”

“Is there something you want to achieve?”

What I want to achieve.

“there is.”

“Can I ask something?”

Galahal nodded and answered.

“I wanted to become the perfect warrior.”

“A perfect hero… for example?”

“He’s like a warrior in a fairy tale. “Standing in front of everyone, becoming a support that they can lean on… that kind of thing.”

“is it. “What a great goal.”

Kariot extinguished his cigarette by rubbing it on the back of his hand.

Then he looked back at Galahal and blurted out.

“I think that’s already been achieved.”

“···yes?”

Kariot pointed to Galahal.

“The most heroic warrior.”

It is a nickname that has never been given to anyone.

“If it’s called that, hasn’t it already been achieved?”

“···I think it’s still not enough. “If someone other than me had received this power, a little more…”

“Probably not.”

Kariot spoke clearly.

“Do you know what the first thing I thought of when I heard from Heinkel that I had to fill your shoes?”

Kariot looked at Galahal and smiled bitterly.

“I can never fill your empty space.”

“······.”

“It’s not simply because you are a hero. “You are already a symbol, and no one can fill your empty spot.”

What Galahal has accumulated is by no means small.

“You are already that, Galahal.”

The fact that he saved so many people and is considered a symbol on the battlefield means that many people recognized Galahal’s life.

“You did what only you can do, and everyone knows it. “Is there any need to put yourself down?”

“that···.”

“It’s okay to be a little more proud.”

Kariot stood up and tapped Galahal on the shoulder a couple of times.

“Relax your shoulders a little. “If you exert yourself too much, life gets tiring, young friend.”

While Galahal remained silent, Kariot took a step forward. said Kariot, as he passed him.

“It may not be enough… but until the next hero appears, I will try my best to fill your vacancy.”

So, Kariot continued.

“For the remaining time, don’t worry and do what you want.”

“Are you talking about what you want to do?”

“okay. What I want to do “It’s about meeting some women and enjoying everything you can.”

Kariot looked back and smiled mischievously.

“Oh, but don’t get married. Marriage is the grave of life. “Don’t live tightly like I did, live freely young man.”

Galahal laughed bitterly.

“Is this advice from experience?”

“That’s the way it is.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

3.

Eastern 3rd Front, Haprion.

After the incident was over and Rania arrived at Haprion to pick up Chloe, she went straight to Destel. Because he had a story to share with him.

“I heard the story. Kuntel and I were attacked by a crustacean, right?”

“It’s not Kuntel, it’s the undead.”

“···That’s right. “To express it this way would be an insult to Kuntel.”

Destel was waiting in the office.

Next to it, there were pieces of paper that looked like letters scattered around, and the patterns engraved on them were all different.

Rania asked a question, pointing at it.

“What is all this?”

“This is a letter from the place where the castle of Kateron was attacked by the apostate’s demons that day. “I couldn’t find out everything through reports, so I sent a separate letter to get information.”

Destel sighed.

“You asked me last time, right? “What do you think the intention of this attack was?”

“It did.”

On the day she was attacked by Kuntel, the first thing Rania checked when she woke up from her bed was Chloe’s well-being. Fortunately, there were no incidents in Haprion.

“Do you have any more detailed information?”

At that time, we exchanged a few words by letter, and Destel left a reply saying that he would investigate separately. Today I came to hear the answer.

“Did you find anything?”

“Not yet. “It’s in the investigation phase.”

Destel rested his chin and glanced at Rania.

“How much do you know about apostates?”

“I know she’s crazy.”

Rania knew more, but it was not information she could share with Destel, so she kept quiet. In fact, apart from that, there wasn’t much Rania knew about her current apostate.

‘All I know is the past.’

That she was the first saint, and that she was obsessed with the gray man who resembled Cardi Van Armiel. What Rania knew was mainly related to the apostate’s past.

What about today’s apostates?

The apostate Rania faced was nothing more than a madman in human form. He is a character whose thoughts cannot be read and what he dreams of.

“You crazy bitch. “In fact, it is a disaster that cannot be described other than that.”

Destel sighed.

“The same holds true even if we collect records of apostates’ activities over the past hundreds of years. “Its existence itself is unknown, and its purpose is unknown.”

However, Destel touched the table.

“It is not a disaster driven only by madness without purpose. “It means it’s different from the black dragon.”

Destel has encountered apostates several times.

Destel, who had the experience of holding her captive and talking to her for a few words, spoke clearly.

“You have a purpose, you move towards something. “It’s just that I can’t understand the process… The apostate always moved with some purpose.”

“···so?”

“The fact that you contacted me immediately after the attack wasn’t because you had some idea of ​​its purpose?”

Destel opened his mouth.

“Chloe.”

A girl who resembles an apostate.

“The battle to defeat the apostates in the city of night. If you dig into the confidential information enclosed… the name Chloe appears. “I heard it was actually a rescue operation?”

Rania sighed and sat down on the chair.

“that’s right. “It is true that the apostate is targeting that child and that he is obsessed with her.”

“The reason is?”

“Would you be doing this if you knew?”

Even if the apostate has a purpose, there is no way to find out. Rania recalled the words she had heard from her apostate that day.

“I needed a child who looked like me… but even that failed.”

Last chance, and a child who looks like him.

I don’t know what that means. Destel, who had been silent, opened his mouth.

“Then why didn’t you just aim for the eastern part?”

“···That’s the question.”

While targeting Chloe, the apostate did not actually touch the eastern part. If the apostate herself had come forward… no, it would have been possible to obtain Chloe simply by loosening her hold on her. But the apostate did not do that.

For what reason?

“We are looking into it, though.”

Destel unfolded the map.

There, on the day when the Kateron Castle collapsed, the bases that had been attacked by the apostate’s demons were circled in red.

“Deltaon Castle, Karmat Gorge, Hartel Plain, Ornfelstein Temporary Base, Kimmelt Base.”

Six bases were attacked, including Kateron Castle. And, the apostate did not appear anywhere. Only the crustacean left the battlefield in ruins.

The six points have nothing in common.

Even if you connect them, no shape will appear. Even to Rania, who had all the circuits in existence in her head, it was not a magical symbol.

“···What on earth is this?”

“We need to do more research, but I don’t think we’ll get a meaningful answer. “It seems better to just return to the royal capital quickly.”

Destel sighed and looked at the map.

Six red dots stretching out.

That’s because the shape wasn’t unfamiliar.

* * *

“Skebal.”

『What is it?』

“You once studied the stars, right? Didn’t you shout out that the way to get closer to the truth is to read the flow of stars? “That’s what I remember.”

『It was a long time ago. This happened when I was a foolish person. Back then, I used to spend my time doing useless things. Reading the flow of stars is one of them…』

“You talk a lot.”

『······.』

“Can you still read?”

『I can read. There is knowledge.』

“Can you read it clearly? Even the date and time.”

『···What on earth do you want from me?』

“ruler.”

『···Are you asking me to predict the day this star will appear in the sky?』

“I made a rough calculation, but I don’t know if it’s accurate. “Is it possible for you?”

『It’s not a difficult task.』

······.

···.

············.

“Oh, and Skebal.”

『What else?』

“What you said in the past that there is truth in the flow of stars is not wrong.”

『Isn’t that wrong?』

“The church says thirty-seven is the perfect number. But that’s a bit of a wrong interpretation. Three and seven are perfect numbers. “Maybe that’s why.”

The woman abandoned by the stars smiled.

“Six is ​​the most unstable number near completion. “I feel the most shaken right before I turn seven.”

A woman who once heard the voice of a star.

A priest who knows more about the stars than anyone else.

“So, you can squeeze in.”

Apostate (??者), Gletus.

The first saint smiled as she looked at the stars.

* * *

fantasy,