章 66: Chapter 65
Chapter 65: Holding Hope, Believing in Reunion: Bad News
____
When Heiter stepped down from the host's seat to let the local bishop take over, he stood beside Ash and overheard his quiet sigh.
It was a sentiment that didn't sound like something a demon should say, but it made Heiter smile. He offered his answer on behalf of his late childhood friend and closest companion:
"Ash, you're mistaken... I think this span of life is just right, and I'm certain that Himmel's ending was a happy one."
"...It would be nice if that were true."
Ash nodded vaguely, not entirely convinced. Heiter emphasized his tone:
"It must be true, because in the end... we were all there with him, so he left without regrets. I know I would have no regrets if I were in his place."
"...I'd rather not think about it. I don't want to attend two funerals in one day."
"Haha, I'm just teasing. After all, I'm different from you. The goddess still watches over me."
The heavy, mournful funeral gradually came to a close, lightened by Heiter's offhand jokes and his aged laughter, which, though out of place, gave a bittersweet warmth to the proceedings.
---
After a night of rest in the capital, everyone gathered at the city gate the next morning, though now one friend short.
A church carriage awaited Heiter by the gate.
Before stepping into the carriage, Heiter turned back to the remaining three, taking a long, final look, with a warm smile that was far gentler than his usual one:
"...Let me have a good look at you. This may be the last time we meet."
"Are you feeling unwell?" Frieren asked, worry visible in her eyes. But Heiter only smiled and replied, "Must be retribution for years of drinking."
"That truly sounds like divine punishment."
Just as Heiter would often call him "disgusting," Eisen's words toward Heiter were equally cutting. Yet it was clear neither took offense; their barbs were simply part of their camaraderie.
Heiter just laughed, climbed into the carriage, and asked them to bring wine to his grave if they ever visited the Holy City.
Frieren felt puzzled by Heiter's easy acceptance of death. When she pressed him, he gave only this answer:
"We're the heroes who saved the world. After we're gone, we'll surely live the high life in heaven. That's why I fought alongside you all!"
Ending with that playful remark, Heiter flashed them a contented smile, then shut his eyes as the carriage carried him away, leaving them all in silence.
"Heaven...?" Ash muttered to himself, while Frieren laughed.
"For someone like Heiter, maybe. But you, a lazy wall-climbing hooligan who even vomited on the goddess's statue—forget it."
"No, I never expected it."
"Really? At least you're self-aware."
"Of course."
The goddess was the demons' sworn enemy; even the thought of him reaching heaven seemed absurd. He merely shrugged at the idea, which prompted Frieren to study him, worry shadowing her expression as if she feared she'd offended him.
"...I was only teasing. You haven't given up on yourself, have you?"
"...Why would I?" He chuckled, patting her head. "You're the one who should figure out what's next."
"How many times have I told you not to touch my head?" Frieren batted his hand away but, for a fleeting moment, held her suitcase a little tighter. Her usual calm gaze softened as she looked at the two of them.
"As for me, I'll keep moving forward as before... what about you?"
"...I'll go home. There's nothing else keeping me here."
Eisen's tone was as flat as ever, but it had been that way for so long that no one minded anymore.
Yet Ash, recalling his one visit to Eisen's home, couldn't help but pull a wry face.
"...Honestly, you'd be better off becoming an adventurer to earn some money. Maybe then you could spruce up that cave a bit. Last time I was there, I thought I'd stumbled into an open-air tomb."
"At least there's no worry about being robbed. What's wrong with that?"
"Because there's nothing worth stealing in the first place… Is that really a benefit?"
"Forget it. These old bones can't handle that kind of life anymore," Eisen replied, stroking his absurdly long beard as he shook his head slowly. "Besides, I'm used to it. I can fill my belly by hunting. What's wrong with a carefree life like this?"
"You all really have no ambitions…"
In truth, as a member of the hero's team, aside from Heiter, everyone else was rather unremarkable. It made Ash, as a demon, feel that humans had been far too stingy in rewarding them. Thankfully, none of them seemed to care.
Though Ash had tried to steer the conversation with Eisen, Frieren continued to watch him, waiting silently for his answer.
It was a question he had no desire to answer, one he couldn't easily respond to. He scratched his head in frustration and sighed.
"I'm not really sure. Maybe I'll just wander around? I have to head south before I leave, and I need to visit an old friend on the way."
"...Oh?"
"Yeah."
"So… goodbye?"
"...Maybe we'll have the chance to meet again."
They exchanged their farewells, and a quiet Eisen nodded.
A faint smile mixed with a touch of barely perceptible sadness drifted between them, lingering in the air for only a moment before dissolving.
Ash was the first of the remaining three to depart.
Watching the figure she'd known for a thousand years, so familiar it could not be more familiar, Frieren stood still, sensing, perhaps for the first time... the true feeling of farewell.
A faint ripple stirred within her heart—a subtle sadness at the thought of the upcoming separation? She wasn't sure.
But then she thought again—this was hardly a final goodbye. Surely, it was just the prelude to another reunion.
After all, he always appeared when others thought him gone.
With that belief, she quieted the emotions rising within her, holding on to the hope that they would meet again in the near future.
Even though reason reminded her that, this time... there was no promise, and perhaps they truly wouldn't meet again.
But meetings and partings were the rhythms of life, and she had grown used to it. This, she thought, was how it was meant to be.
The thought that they might never meet again made her unconsciously tighten her grip on the suitcase as she stood there, letting the sudden gusts of wind tangle her beautiful silver hair.
...
...
When Ash arrived once again in the long-lost southern region, where the Kingdom of Tad lay, he found that the boy he once knew, Anderson, was now an elderly man with white hair. Yet, when Anderson saw Ash, his initial surprise quickly turned to joy, and he rushed over like an excited child.
Despite having lost his parents and now living with a great-granddaughter old enough to help with the household chores, Anderson welcomed Ash as warmly as he had 59 years ago, even inviting all his relatives over to meet him.
Though slightly uneasy, Ash accepted the invitation, and when he couldn't decline, he picked up Anderson's great-granddaughter, playing with her for a while. But he only stayed briefly, ultimately choosing to leave. Throughout his short visit, Anderson surprisingly didn't ask any questions about Ash's unchanging appearance.
Did the old man lack curiosity, or was there another reason behind his silence? Ash couldn't be certain, his mind hadn't aged as gracefully as his unchanged face.
"...It would be better if I didn't come here again."
Satisfied that Anderson's family was well off and wouldn't need his help, Ash decided not to visit this place again.
After all, the next time he returned, Anderson would no longer be here.
With that thought, he took one last look at Anderson and his family, then lowered his gaze sorrowfully, disappearing from their sight before nightfall without staying the night.
And then... just like that, about eighteen years later...
While eating in a city square, he overheard unexpected news from a nearby table where a traveling merchant was talking, fresh from a journey outside the city.
"...The war has erupted again in the South."
"Hasn't the South always been at war? Or rather, wasn't it just the North that saw a pause during the Demon King's invasion? Haven't things been turbulent again since then?"
"It's different this time! Three southern nations have formed an alliance, and the Kingdom of Ermus—the first to be struck—has already fallen. Even the Kingdom of Tad may not hold out much longer."
...
The merchant's conversation revealed that the southern countries, which had long been unstable, were now engulfed in a larger conflict.
The Kingdom of Tad, where Ash had once served as a general, had been forced to retreat, abandoning several towns and cities in the process—including the one he had helped establish years ago.
He'd resolved long ago never to return to that place.
But hearing that familiar name stirred a worry he couldn't ignore.
After confirming the news, he immediately took flight, heading south without a second thought.
Along the way, he saw countless refugees scattered on the roads below, and several cities had been reduced to ruins.
The once vibrant town he had called a second home now lay in devastation.
Countless homes had been engulfed by flames, leaving only charred remnants to bear witness to the disaster. Others stood as hollow frames barely clinging together.
Some had crumbled completely, piles of rubble scattered across the ground like silent tombstones, marking the remnants of past prosperity and the haunting desolation that had now settled over this place.
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