I Picked Up the Abandoned Hero

44 – 44. What is Destiny

Arsel recalled the strange things he felt about Alfred while reminiscing about the past for a while.

From one to ten, they were all strange men.

Even though he was a demon, he refused to follow the order of the demon king and secretly gave a lot of help even though he was hostile to him.

So I knew it wasn’t an ordinary demon, but it was like a sign of the end out of nowhere?

“Because the mother knew that well, she separated herself from the world and sealed herself away. But he couldn’t handle it even with the seal, so he decided to end his own life after that.”

This is a fact that I found out too suddenly.

Certainly Alfred was not an ordinary demon, and he vaguely noticed that he was something different from the demon king.

But he said that it would bring the end of the world.

That was completely unexpected.

What is it that even Alfred’s mother did?

In the place where the witch of embers went, only embers remained.

That’s why the name was also given to the witch of ash.

“Because having such a sickly body in the first place was what he himself wanted. He doesn’t seem to know, but…”

Said Clen, closing her eyes.

At first he couldn’t believe this was even true, but when he saw Clen’s reaction, it seemed unmistakably true.

“There is no need to worry too much though, he said. Just because he exists doesn’t mean the world will end overnight. To the end, that guy is like a crow that appears before the harbinger of the end, the so-called misfortune.”

At some point, a black crow appeared and sat on Clen’s arm.

When he strokes her hair with his fingers, he even acts cute by rubbing her hair like a dog or cat.

“Then isn’t Alfred dangerous? Just because misfortune comes, doesn’t mean the crow itself is misfortune.”

“Well, I don’t know that either. However, if it were so convenient, the Witch of Embers wouldn’t have to seal herself away and isolate herself from the world. Besides, he has a fate even darker than that of his mother.”

Arsel pondered for a moment.

I know what Clen said is true.

But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t imagine the world being destroyed by Alfred.

Destroying the world was not so easy, even though they were the children of the Witch of Embers.

Just like the Clan of the demon tribe, she is full of those who are strong enough, even if they are not demon lords and warriors.

Instead, sometimes someone with mysteriously strong asymmetrical powers like the demon king appears.

Of course, some beings such as the demon king or the witch of ash according to historical records seemed possible.

“Originally, destiny is full of vague things. However, it is clear that that fate must happen in one form or another. When I first read the fate of the demon king, I couldn’t believe that he would be defeated by humans.”

Clen said he didn’t believe in fate too much, but he shook his head at the fact that in the end he did what he was meant to be.

“Alfred…”

Arsel whispered as if he was worried about Alfred.

Anyway, as a warrior, he didn’t say anything, but Arcel didn’t want anything to happen to him or get involved in something dangerous.

He is also aware that if he is to remain a hero, he will have to be defeated someday.

‘I’d rather not.’

I also thought that I shouldn’t do it because of that.

Abandoning oneself.

He thought that there was nothing he could not do to deny the fate he had lived his whole life.

However, Arcel knew what would happen if he denied that fate, and what would happen with those words.

“There is no need to worry too much.”

When Arcel got serious, Clen poured her wine into a glass and gave her a slight smile.

“What do you mean by that?”

“There is bound to be another destiny opposite to that destiny. Even the demon king was originally born with the destiny of ruling the world. But that didn’t come true, because I fell to someone who was destined to stop the demon lord.”

For Clen, fate is a sure thing, but there are very few exceptions, she said.

“A person with the power to resist fate was called a hero in the past. The same goes for witches.”

Not everyone can resist.

But not all were irresistible.

“Humans simply called witches wicked people, but witches are all born with the destiny of destroying the world. That’s why we are also called witches. However, the world has not yet been destroyed by them. Isn’t it?”

Clen looks at the moonlight.

There was also a firm will in her eyes.

“…I, too, will never let such a fate go unnoticed. This land is my reason for being, inherited from my ancestors, and maintaining it is my destiny. Do you think you will let the world perish?”

The images of this land and its inhabitants were imprinted in the red eyes.

“So I’d like to deal with him if possible, do you have any sharp tips?”

“Why are the conclusions drawn like that?!”

Arsel had a good conversation, and eventually shouted at Clen’s words to deal with Alfred.

Then Clen laughed and said.

“As you know, resisting fate is not easy. For me, it’s only right to go the easy way. The problem is that I’m not comfortable dealing with him either… You know?”

“That’s right.”

Clen couldn’t kill Alfred no matter what, she says.

This is a fact that Arcel is well aware of.

Alfred showed an almost invulnerable figure, regenerating without incident even if his head was cut off and his head blown off.

Hydra, which are said to grow two heads when their heads are cut off, probably aren’t to that extent.

“Anyway, just a joke, ignore it, it’s getting late. Aren’t you tired?”

“Certainly a bit tired, but…”

When I looked at the time, it must have been close to midnight.

Then Clen took a step closer to Arcel.

“Human blood has been untouched for a long time, but if it comes from a warrior, it might be worth drinking.”

“…?”

That’s what he said, revealing his glowing fangs.

“Would you like to go to the bedroom together? We will surely have a sweet time.”

Seeing her face red, Clen must have been drunk.

At that time, Arcel remembered what Alfred had told him.

-This is something I almost did too, but Grandma Clen calls at night because she takes you to bed-

She was also a vampire.

I heard that when a vampire finds a tooth she likes, she takes it to her bedroom and savors it until the sun rises.

“Ah, I’m going to go now. Because it was definitely late. Thank you for today’s work. I will return it someday.”

Eventually, Arcel left her room as if running away from Clen.

She was an Arcel who had gone through all kinds of prenatal trials, but she couldn’t stand it and she wasn’t used to it.

I touched the nape of her neck for no reason.

“…What a cute human being, I think I know why you like him.”

When Clen saw Arcel gone, she smiled happily.

“Now, the preparations are over. Now I just have to wait for the stars to come down… I don’t know about this one.”

Then she looked at herself in the mirror and frowned.

It’s because I saw a fate I had never seen before.

“It was almost dangerous.”

As if running away from Clen, Arcel headed straight to the room he was shown to.

For the time being, I couldn’t leave this territory.

So Clen got her a room to stay for a few days, while she slept there.

“Are you here? Clen’s grandmother and her interview were kind of interesting?”

Alfred, who was reading a book in his room, greeted Arcel by waving his hand.

Looks like you’re perusing the books you just bought.

Seeing Alfred like that reminded Arcel of what Clen said.

That means that Alfred is a harbinger of the end.

It was a story that one day it was like a crow bringing an end to the world.

“Alfred…”

“What, what’s wrong all of a sudden?”

Arsel took a few glasses of wine from Clen.

Perhaps that’s why, perhaps because of the drunkenness, as soon as Arcel saw Alfred, he approached Alfred and sat on his lap.

Seeing Arcel suddenly come out so boldly, Alfred shakes his head in a puzzled way.

Soon after, Arcel leans on Alfred.

“Did Grandma Clen do anything to you?”

Alfred, who was reading, decided to stop reading because of Arcel’s strange behavior.

“Have you ever been in danger?”

“No, it’s not like that. I just… want to stay like this for a little while.”

Arcel leaned against her and buried his head in silence.

I felt a pleasant scent.

It was just like the scent of peaches.

I don’t know why, but I liked it, and I was full of thoughts that I wanted to stay like this forever.

“I don’t think I’m drunk, but it doesn’t matter.”

At first, I thought about telling Alfred what I heard from Clen.

But it didn’t seem like something to say.

Clen and Alfred had known each other for a long time.

Still, if Clen didn’t tell him, maybe there was another reason.

So I decided to stay like this for a while.

Alfred also didn’t bother to ask anymore, so he wouldn’t have to tell himself either.

Time has passed since then.

Clenn sipped his wine and looked at the moonlight.

Arsel fell asleep in Alfred’s embrace.

†††

The sun has risen.

The night that seemed to last forever is over and dawn is approaching, and now the dawn has arrived.

“Oh, are you awake? Did you have a good night?”

“Alfred?”

And Arcel was stiff for a long time.

Against the fact that Alfred was right in front of my eyes when I opened my eyes, the fact that I had been attached to Alfred all night was not enough, and I even fell asleep in his arms.

A shameful act of falling asleep while sitting on your lap.

That was unimaginable.

“My, what the hell did I do?!”

Arcel fell and grabbed his head.

He can’t even remember why he did it.

All I did was drink a glass of wine last night while talking to Clen.

Even if you think it was because she was drunk, she didn’t get drunk at all.

Because she was trained to be a warrior, and from a young age she was also trained to become resistant to alcohol.

Even so, I can’t remember what happened last night.

‘Couldn’t he have done something worse?’

Looking up at Alfred cautiously with trembling eyes.

Alfred was smiling with a satisfied look on his face.

It seems that he liked the fact that he stayed close to Arcel all night long.

“I have a little numbness in my legs, but it’s okay. Would you like to sit more?”

She tapped her knee as if it would be nice to hold her more.

“Got it! Rather, why didn’t you wake me up!”

“Stop sleeping so peacefully… How can I wake you up?”

Alfred smiles sinisterly.

Arsel trembled, unable to keep his mouth shut.

“Grandma Clen’s drink is special, so you can’t help but get drunk, maybe it makes the dragon drunk too?”

If so, it was a problem.

It is said that when people get drunk, their true intentions appear.

Without moderation by reason, and without being bound by usual morals and ethics, you can freely convey only your sincerity.

That meant that her true intention was to fall asleep with Alfred in her arms like last night.

Thump! Thud!

“…Then the wall will break.”

“Even like this! If not! I! I can’t stand it! Does not exist!”

In the end, Arcel banged his head against the wall again and again.

Fortunately, there was no blood from a cracked forehead, but Alfred managed to see that the wall was about to collapse.

The wall went to crack because it couldn’t go in.

Alfred thought deep down that he was fortunate that the castle was built well.

“Have you calmed down?”

“…Yes.”

Arsel said as if he was apologetic as he knelt down.

Alfred, who liked last night, says he doesn’t have to, but Arsel himself doesn’t seem to.

“What?”

Then suddenly Alfred looked out the window.

It seemed like a message or something had arrived.

“Is something going on?”

“Grandma Clen is telling me to go something, but she wants me to bring you too… Wait, the story isn’t over yet.”

It seems that Clen is telling Alfred something of her own.

I heard that an excellent wizard can transmit words to others from a distance.

“Grandma Clen says she found a stolen holy sword in the middle of the night?”

“What?”

I couldn’t help but be surprised by the story.