NOVEL NEXT Chapter 59
<59 - Adventure Stories of the Retired Legendary Hero>
In this world, there exists a being known as a hero.
– You, child of humans with unparalleled talent. The one and only god of the continent, Sofemia of the Sun, has chosen you. Go forth, become a warrior, and embark on your journey of exorcism.
Gods possess the discerning eye of talent, able to pierce through human potential. Thus, upon discovering a child with the qualities of a hero through their priests, they swiftly bestow the hero’s blessing.
The blessed hero grows stronger, viewing their Status Window and accepting Quests just like a player.
And there’s one more thing.
A powerful Privilege granted only to heroes exists.
It’s the ability that allows them to declare, “You, become my comrade!” and recruit other NPCs as companions.
These companions, selected by the divinely chosen hero, are initially called heroes themselves. Yet, unlike true heroes, they do not receive the ‘Quests’ referred to as the goddess’s guidance.
If a true hero dies or completes their journey, it means they are lost, not knowing where to strive next.
The retired legendary hero, the Destroyer, was one such lost shadow of a hero.
“Are you not exhausted? You just came from being tormented by that crazy statue, right?”
“Not at all! I took my time hopping here.”
The student checked their magic watch, which didn’t display a mark of skipping lectures but rather a sign of excellent performance.
They were well aware of how to expend their stamina to the limit while having exceptional recovery abilities.
‘So, this is what’s referred to as the qualities of a hero. A talent possessing the minimum requirements.’
What’s more, not a single frown crossed their face; they looked genuinely happy.
They exhibited the masochistic Mental Power unique to heroes, finding joy in arduous Trials.
‘Above all, they chase what they want more clearly than anyone, just like a real hero.’
Their confident movements reminded the former hero, Ni’alatotep, of his own peculiar antics.
‘That hero was quite the free spirit as well. Perhaps all heroes loved by the gods share such traits?’
With a thud, he closed the book, casting aside his unnecessarily complicated thoughts.
“Alright then, if you want the lecture, I’ll give it.”
“Wow~”
The child, Oknodie, cheered and clapped, while the Destroyer, wearing a grim expression, began his tale.
“[Adventure Stories of the Retired Legendary Hero] is a class where we share strange stories experienced directly by a hero party during their adventures along with related Assignments.”
“The first story to grace our first lecture is [The Sheep That Doesn’t Decrease]. It’s a tale that sent a shiver down even the spine of the reversal hero.”
The Destroyer recalled tales from his distant past and began to speak.
*
About 15 years ago, in a desolate Hinterland Village on an open plain, shepherds gathered to graze their sheep.
Strong Monsters would appear in the rugged terrain where humans seldom tread, but in the livable fields, lords’ plundering was rife. Thus, the shepherds chose to inhabit this village, becoming neighbors with the monsters.
[Extermination Commission]
Please find the reason for the disappearance of our village’s sheep and resolve it.
Reward: 5 gold coins, a Guild’s appreciation plaque, Title [Savior of the Mountain Village]
The newly formed hero party, which had just begun its activities with their names on the guild, needed more achievements for their own sake, but money was also important.
To have a splendid adventure befitting a hero, it was quickest to gather titles of village saviors to earn the title of [Savior of the Hinterlands] for promotion in the Adventurer’s Guild.
“Could it be wolves causing this?”
“Boring. The wolf fur is already out.”
“Hmmm~ This request is quite interesting.”
Chosen by the gods, the hero and shaman, Ni’alatotep. His first comrade, the outstanding warrior, Alpha. The second comrade, the apathetic rogue, the Destroyer.
The three swiftly located the wolf den and killed five of the twelve wolves that had gathered to prey on the sheep while driving the rest away.
The strange point was that all the wolves were so skinny that their ribcages were visible, and there was no trace of sheep hunting anywhere.
“Could it be another monster?”
“This is troubling. There are no signs of other monsters.”
“Fun. Just as I expected. Hehehe.”
Ni’alatotep spoke.
“Didn’t everyone notice?”
“What about?”
“The monster, I mean.”
“Could it be that instead of wolves, you mean people?”
“Destroyer’s suggestion isn’t bad, but it has a more intriguing angle. Why are there no traces of other monsters? There are a hundred delicious sheep around in this Hinterland Village.”
“Now that you mention it, that is strange. If this were a village where the lord periodically exorcised monsters, it wouldn’t be such an applicable situation. There’s no way they would have such benefits in a village of runaway tax evaders.”
The shepherds appeared oblivious to the reason, and the inexperienced hero party failed to reach the core of the problem before completing the request.
As they had captured the wolves threatening the sheep, they could find solace in having resolved the request at that time.
“It’s been ten years since I returned to this village.”
The Destroyer returned as a lone figure to the village of shepherds he had once visited with two others.
Reflecting on his adventures, memories of the past came flooding back, prompting his curiosity to resurface.
The request for the disappearance of sheep still hung and the village chief wore a worried expression.
“Hmm?”
The veteran hero, the Destroyer, felt a strong sense of discord in the village’s atmosphere.
He decided to ask the village chief several questions.
The chief stated he could only answer three due to the late hour and then he would take care of his business.
*
“Now it’s time for the new student, Oknodie, to step up. Imagine you are the veteran hero, the Destroyer, and ask the chief three questions.”
“I’ll answer as the chief, thinking about the position.”
This is indeed intriguing.
The lecture of [Adventure Stories of the Retired Legendary Hero] adopts a strange format where students immerse themselves in the hero’s stories and respond as though they are heroes themselves.
It may be a time of brain torture after unrelentingly abusing the body, yet for veterans, it’s even better because of just that.
‘The Destroyer’s stories change every time.’
You’d think once in a while, the tale would unfold the same way, but strangely, it’s always different.
In fact, every time, it’s interesting.
“The hint is already given. This is a story about ‘the sheep that doesn’t decrease.’ The hero’s perceived discord is likely related to the sheep. The fact that the same request from ten years ago remains pending also suggests the root of the incident hasn’t been resolved.”
The Destroyer, scratching his chin, looked at the student as if to say, “Look at this one, huh?”
“Are the shepherds from back then still around?”
“Is that a question for the chief?”
“Correct.”
“The chief would probably respond: Most of them have left the village, and new shepherds have filled their places.”
A quite valuable answer.
“So the new shepherds didn’t know what was happening in the village. Same goes for the lord. The incidents here have been occurring quite secretly.”
He spread his index and middle fingers simultaneously.
“Second question. How many adventurers have come in the past ten years, how did they fulfill the request, and what was their survival rate?”
“It’s a hassle to come to the Hinterland for the mediocre reward, so barely one or two show up each year. Some catch the nearby wildlife or monsters, while others teach how to put up fences and thorns. Occasionally, some adventurers don’t return after encountering monsters deep in the woods.”
“May I see the request sheet?”
“Is that the third question?”
“Umm… No! I thought the latest request still hanging in the village could be seen without asking.”
“I see. Here, take this.”
The professor reached into his pocket and pulled out a coated sheet of paper.
What was blank as he pulled it became a creased request of a faded adventure upon being handed over.
[Extermination Commission]
Please find the reason for the disappearance of our village’s sheep and resolve it.
Reward: 6 gold coins, 15 silver coins, a Guild’s appreciation plaque, Title [Savior of the Mountain Village]
For a player, it might seem an easy [Repeat Quest] to overlook, but this is the experience of an NPC hero party.
There’s a reason such a perplexing request has been handed down repeatedly for ten years.
Most importantly, the reward has increased.
Considering the same number of sheep as before and that most of the original shepherds had left the village, this amount must have been paid continuously for each request, which is excessive.
“Final question. Who is the merchant that buys sheep from this village, and when can we meet him?”
“There’s a friend named Benjamin – you’ll get to meet him in winter. Will you stay until then?”
Got it.
“This question is peculiar. And after going around the village, the Destroyer solved the incident. Can you, new student Oknodie, resolve the matter?”
“I’d like to check one thing.”
“What do you want to verify while going around the village?”
“I want to observe the sheep directly.”
“Then you’ll see it. Sheep lying on the plains, either sleeping or standing idly, occasionally waddling about, along with the leisurely lifestyle of the shepherds.”
Well, it wasn’t a particularly hard problem for a first lecture.
“Were there any sheep grazing?”
“You’ve got a sense.”
“Can I say my answer?”
“Absolutely.”
“What initially decreased might have been the sheep, but as time passed, what decreased were the shepherds. They probably devised quite a chilling strategy to avoid getting their tails stepped on by adventurers.”
“And what might that strategy be?”
“Placing human corpses or missing persons inside the sheep’s skins.”
The Destroyer grinned widely.
“You’re correct.”