Chapter 330: An Unexpected Reunion and a Hero’s Confession

January 3rd.

I’ve walked all the way here, accurately calculating the days spent. There’s no mistake.

Which means exactly one month from now is hyung’s birthday. Deon, following the stream of his consciousness, let out a hollow laugh.

‘Birthday or death anniversary, I’ve never properly observed either. What’s with this sudden sentimentality?’

How many death anniversaries and birthdays had passed until now?

I won’t insultingly call hiding in my room while pretending otherwise ‘observing’ them. Without even thinking of pathetic excuses like being in the middle of a war or something urgent happening, I just stared blankly up at this nightmarish sky.

“…I’m not going to visit the grave now.”

What face would I even have to go there?

I gave my last greetings when I made the grave, so this much should be acceptable, right? Even if it’s not, it doesn’t matter. No matter how much more sin is added to the sins I already carry, it won’t even be noticeable.

I thought I was fine, but seeing the snow fall in this place, the past gradually paints over me, and my head throbs as if it’s breaking. Deon frowned, yet stubbornly muttered into the air.

“Still… birthdays might be tough, but I’m thinking of at least observing this year’s death anniversary.”

I hope he’ll understand with that. It would be nice if I could observe his birthday too, but I can’t guarantee I’ll even be alive by then.

It’s a relief the death anniversary hasn’t passed yet. Deon thought so and gave a faint smile.

“The Demon King’s head should be enough of a gift, right?”

I must end all revenge today. The sun is still in the sky, so if I hurry, it might just be possible. His hesitant steps gained speed.

Deon walked forward, eyes fixed straight ahead, following the familiar path once more. Even though he knew Cruel’s grave was near this border, or rather, precisely because he knew, he avoided looking in that direction.

Then, as the foot of the mountain, the entrance, came into view, he reflexively stopped walking. As if encountering an unexpected situation, his red eyes widened.

“…Huh….”

At the end of his gaze, a man with green hair and neat attire stood. Moreover, he was gripping a man’s neck, who was in a rather disheveled state.

What on earth is going on?

“…Senior?”

It was a small call, almost a murmur, but the man, who immediately turned his head and looked this way, dragged his captive along as he approached.

His gaze fixed straight ahead, a serene expression as if he were taking a stroll, he spoke words utterly out of place in this strange situation with a composed voice and tone.

“It’s snowing. Worst for war, but not bad to look at, don’t you think?”

“…….”

Why?

Deon Hart knew the man who was now called the ‘Wandering Hero of the Continent,’ no longer the ‘Empire’s Second Hero.’ But that wasn’t a reason to encounter him here.

What reason could he possibly have to come? He glanced at the man held in his hand, but it was a completely unfamiliar face. His pupils, feeling unease at the incomprehensible situation, shook violently.

“Junior?”

“…I hate snow.”

“Oh dear. That’s a shame. Shall we talk about something else then?”

I don’t have time for this. I need to confirm his purpose and go to the Demon Realm soon.

But still….

“I heard you turned the Human Realm upside down.”

“That….”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“…….”

Deon closed his mouth for a moment.

“…No, I’m fine. You know that, senior.”

“That’s true. Still, that’s a relief.”

“Senior….”

Why did you come here?

It’s natural to have much to talk about after a long time, but I don’t have the leisure to chat idly right now. Holding back his apology, his question, and his impatience, he called out to him, urging him on.

There’s no way Stigma Primiero wouldn’t have noticed the question in his call. Yet, he feigned ignorance and casually kept talking.

“Judging by this, those bastards… no, the Lofty Knights didn’t come with you, did they? Did you leave them behind? They’re not the kind to just let you go, so I figured you must have done something….”

“…I sent them to a safe place. It’s far away, so they won’t be able to arrive until after my business is done.”

“Magic, perhaps? Resistance must have been considerable. In that case, wouldn’t it have been better to just bring them along…?”

“They’re guys who followed me just looking at me. I need to at least ensure their lives are safe.”

At least, I must prevent them from dying entangled in my affairs.

“True, it’s not my place to meddle in junior’s business.”

As if it was just a light question, he casually brushed past the topic and held out the man in his hand. Red pupils, filled with nameless emotions, questioned him and followed his fingertips.

“This is a gift. Or should I say, an apology? I was a bit late catching this guy, but I’m really glad I met you before you crossed the border.”

“What is… this?”

“This guy’s name is Senze… Ah, junior might not know him. The cause of Cruel Hart’s death.”

“……!”

Grasping the meaning of those words was instantaneous.

Noticing something, Deon quickly turned his gaze to the man Stigma was offering. Harboring a ‘no way’ kind of hope, he stared intently at the guy, and as if confirming his speculation, Stigma’s voice continued.

“This guy betrayed Cruel Hart and sided with the Duke. Because of that, your hyung, who was trying to protect you, was exposed and died.”

“…….”

“I’m about to do something to junior that I’ll feel sorry for, so I caught him beforehand as a form of apology.”

“…Thank you for this, at least.”

He’s definitely still breathing.

I still didn’t know hyung well enough. Amidst the fleeting complicated emotions, a murderous intent flared in his eyes.

Deon stared blankly at the man named Senze before reaching out. The person gripping the guy’s neck changed, as if exchanging an item, and soon the man’s body was thrown to the ground.

“By the way.”

Deon, who crushed the opponent’s hand bones as he stepped on them, raised his gaze. Brown eyes met his, and the question that had been temporarily suspended by the word ‘at least’ came belatedly.

“You said you’re going to do something you’ll feel sorry for?”

“Yes. Where should I start explaining….”

Talking at length is not really my thing.

While diligently torturing his enemy, his gaze hardly left Deon. Sensing the unwavering attention, Stigma chuckled and slowly opened his mouth.

“Junior must know that I’ve gained considerable fame, right?”

“If you’re talking about how the word ‘Hero’ among commoners has become synonymous with you, then yes.”

Stigma Primiero traveled around, defeating magical beasts and gaining fame. Unlike other fragments of the Heroic Spirit who focused solely on wars, he prioritized resolving urgent civilian matters, thus becoming not just famous among commoners but the very embodiment of ‘Hero.’

He is well aware that he’s being called the true Hero of the continent itself, but what does that have to do with me?

“Fame naturally leads to honor. But, when you think about it, all these things usually vanish when the person dies, don’t they?”

“That’s true. Unless it’s a contribution significant enough to be recorded in history… Ah.”

Could it be…?

Stigma smiled silently at Deon, who wore an astonished expression.

“Indeed, it’s junior. You’re right on the mark.”

People’s memories are fickle things; the topic of someone fades and is buried in an instant. Right now, they praise me as a true Hero, but if I just pause my activities, they’ll soon forget my existence.

Only records remain.

“There’s also the saying that you can’t beat a dead man.”

Honor is everything I’ve built.

Money can at least be passed down, but honor can’t even do that. Not wanting his everything to vanish in vain, Stigma finally made a decision.

“Senior… you’ve come to die at my hands.”

“Correct.”

To leave honor for a long time, no, for eternity, it must be recorded in history. Standing alone against a disaster that drove the Human Realm to the brink of destruction should be enough, right?

So that’s why he said he was apologizing beforehand. Deon wiped his face with a troubled expression.

“…You’re not planning to kill me, are you?”

“How could a mere Hero defeat a Heroic Spirit?”

“Then, can’t you just stay alive? There are other ways, aren’t there?”

Again… I have to kill again.

And even the opponent is one of the few friendly connections left in the Human Realm. Faced with this terrible situation that had come unprepared, Deon gritted his teeth.

He aimed for composure, but in the end, a voice that sounded almost pleading came out.

“Senior, you have plenty of time left. You’re still young.”

“Hearing you say that feels strange. But to answer, I’d have to say… I lack confidence.”

Confidence to further build or even maintain my fame by continuing to live. It’s more likely to decline, if anything.

“As you know, war breeds Heroes. Many Heroes will emerge from now on, and maintaining ‘me’ among them won’t be easy. Rather than stepping forward with foolish confidence and failing, it’s better to end cleanly now.”

“That’s unlike you, senior, speaking so weakly.”

“I’m just saying what I think is the best course of action.”

It’s better to be the only one than one among many. Rather than devaluing my worth by pointlessly staying alive, it’s better to die now.

“I believe I’ve raised ‘myself’ as high as I can. Before it falls any further, I intend to nail it down in history as it is.”

Using death as an offering, creating a single achievement that even those with fragments of the Heroic Spirit cannot easily accomplish. That will be the definitive marker.

“…….”

Noticing the resolute attitude, Deon realized that persuasion wouldn’t work and repeatedly rubbed his face. The question of whether he even cared about me, the one who has to kill you, rose to his throat, but he held it back.

No matter how kind and gentle the opponent was to him, the time they spent together wasn’t that long, and it wasn’t a relationship where he could act spoiled.

Instead, he tormented the ‘apology’ he had received in resignation and spat out a question that came to mind.

“Then… wouldn’t it be better to fight in front of many people? Why in a place where no one’s watching….”

“I’m already troubling junior enough as it is; I can’t make junior a public spectacle just for my personal desire. And I don’t know why you say no one’s watching. There is one person.”

“Long time no see.”

As if waiting for those words, Rememver revealed himself from one side.

The owner of the presence I had been feeling all along was him. Deon, who had heard in their conversation before parting after making the grave that he would compile a history book, immediately grasped the situation and understood.

“Indeed. Long time no see, Rememver. Looks like you came all the way here to create a history book.”

“Yes. I think I spoke lightly at first, but at this rate, even the existing history books will be erased. So, what else can this old man do but try my best?”

“In that sense, Rememver and I have very well-aligned interests.”

Rememver’s purpose is to record history, and Stigma Primiero’s purpose is to be recorded in history. Where else could such a perfectly matched relationship exist?

So, with the promise of reliably recording his last moments, Stigma had protected Rememver and traveled the continent to aid in historical recording.

“Well… fine. I don’t know why it has to be today, but….”

Now that the future is set, there’s nothing more to say. Deon simply nodded.

Even if I asked him to just let me go, he wouldn’t. Time is pressing, but I can’t just brush him off and leave. From his perspective, this is his last chance.

So, to end it quickly, he drew the dagger he was most familiar with and twirled it around.

“Shall I show you how much junior has grown in the meantime?”

“More than enough.”

“But.”

Deon, who lightly stabbed and removed the dagger from Senze’s neck for the last time, slowly stood up from his seat.

“It’s the last time, and also because I’ve heard something from senior….”

Stigma’s remark was about exposing his own true colors.

The true colors shown by the noble who had thoroughly packaged himself. It came out as if casually explaining, pretending it was nothing, but Deon knew how important that was to him.

He had put his ‘life’ on the line in another sense as well.

So, I should also pay a price, shouldn’t I?

“I’ll tell you my story too.”