I Will Eventually Embark On The Path Of No Return Called A Hero

[Arc5] - A Hero is Always a Hero

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"How do you like my kingdom?"

Bartra boasted as he draped his arm over Cyd's shoulder, striking a confident pose as if he were overseeing his empire. However, after blurting out this line, Bartra fell silent, unable to think of any grander words to follow.

Seeing Bartra frozen like time had stopped, Cyd knew Bartra had wanted to show off with more grandiose words but couldn't come up with anything impressive, leaving him awkwardly stuck.

Cyd and Bartra remained motionless, as if the world around them had frozen in place. The knights behind them also stayed still, trying their best to avoid embarrassing Bartra by making it seem like not much time had passed.

Just as Bartra was beginning to believe not much time had actually gone by and that he could still find the right words, someone oblivious to the atmosphere arrived.

"Yo, Your Majesty, why are you all standing here like that?"

A white-haired man clad in golden armor approached them. He was the heart of the kingdom's defense, a man akin to a war god. Yet, with that silly grin and carefree demeanor, it was clear he was somewhat different from his reputation. However, his steady gait and overwhelming presence made people feel incredibly reassured.

This was the kingdom's absolute strongest, the Great Holy Knight, Zaratras.

"Huh! Has it been that long?"

"Yeah, about ten minutes or so. I saw you all standing still like statues and thought maybe you'd been cursed or something. Were you struggling to find the right words to describe your kingdom, Your Majesty?"

Zaratras ignored Dreyfus' subtle hints and directly exposed Bartra's hidden embarrassment. But you couldn't really blame Zaratras—this hard-as-stone man's face rarely showed any expressions other than a frown. Even close brothers found it difficult to read his thoughts from his expressions alone.

"Oh, well, I never really cared much about what the kingdom looks like. As long as people are happy, that's what matters, right? Ahahaha…" Bartra scratched the back of his head and laughed heartily. This was a man who truly overlooked the superficial, caring only about whether his people lived happily.

That's why he was a great king, someone everyone followed from the heart, though he himself seemed unaware of it.

"Seriously, this feels like I've been tasked with quite the troublesome job."

It seemed like a long-standing promise, but it wasn't too bad.

Cyd raised his head to look at the sky. The glaring sunlight didn't bother his eyes at all. The sun's rays would always shine upon this nation, and as long as this sun didn't set, no darkness would tread here.

"It looks like you're the guest His Majesty hurriedly brought here. So, what do you think? Interested in becoming the Great Holy Knight?" Zaratras enthusiastically grabbed Cyd's hand, grinning like a bystander eagerly waiting for a competition for the position of holy knight commander.

"Aren't you already the Great Holy Knight? Is it really okay to hand over such an important responsibility so casually to someone else?" Cyd sighed, feeling that the key figures in this place were all particularly naïve, and now he felt an added weight on his shoulders.

"No worries, no worries. A man like me isn't suited for such a serious job. Putting on a serious face is exhausting," Zaratras openly complained about his job in front of the other knights, who, especially Dreyfus, looked exasperated as if they were already used to this frivolous behavior from their commander.

"His Majesty has his 'Vision.' He must have seen something in you and deemed you reliable. And as for me, I can sense your soul. It's definitely a soul worth trusting, so..."

Zaratras pulled out a small pouch from behind him. Even before it was opened, a delicious aroma filled the air.

"The signature fish pie from 'The Black Cat's Yawn' tavern. Fresh out of the oven, crispy and piping hot. Let's share it as colleagues."

"Brother!" A hand grabbed Zaratras' arm. The veins bulging on the arm revealed how furious the owner of that hand was.

"Oh dear, my beloved brother. I bet you're about to ask where I got the fish pie from, right?" Zaratras said sheepishly, glancing at the stone-faced but fiery-eyed Dreyfus. "And you're probably going to ask why I accepted it so easily, right?"

"So you knew I was going to ask, Brother? Then please, answer me."

Cyd couldn't help but admire Dreyfus. Even while burning with rage, he managed to maintain some semblance of rationality. But he swore that whatever Zaratras said next would surely push Dreyfus over the edge.

"Hendrickson gave it to me as a gift!" Zaratras shouted, sounding like a defendant in court who knew the evidence was damning but still tried to argue.

"I just finished a night shift, how could I refuse? A Great Holy Knight is human too, and humans get hungry!"

Instead of defending himself, Zaratras fully admitted his wrongdoing. Dreyfus' eyes widened, his fierce expression prompting Zaratras to shield his face in fear.

Dreyfus took a deep breath and relaxed his fists. Everyone, including Cyd, widened their eyes in surprise. Dreyfus actually managed to hold back his anger? This irresponsible Great Holy Knight showed no remorse at all! His demeanor made it clear that he would gladly accept another fish pie in the same situation!

At this point, not punching him would be akin to allowing a mischievous dog to tear up the house, leading to even more reckless behavior next time.

"Brother," Dreyfus said, regaining his composure and sounding as calm as ever, "Every time I speak with you after work, my resolve gets tested countless times."

Wow! So Zaratras makes Dreyfus angry every time they finish work.

Cyd rubbed his chin and muttered, "I wonder if Dreyfus took all the seriousness when he was born, leaving none for Zaratras."

"Unfortunately, my brother and I are half-siblings," Dreyfus shook his head helplessly. He had tried everything—punching, kicking—but nothing worked on Zaratras. This combination of being unreliable yet dependable seemed to be his natural state.

Dreyfus walked over to Cyd and bowed slightly. "Cyd, I beg you, please teach my brother how to be a serious person!"

"Huh!?" Zaratras jumped up like a dog that had just been told it would have to wear a collar, shouting in protest, "I'm the Great Holy Knight, the Commander of the Holy Knights! How could you ask someone younger than me to teach me how to be serious?"

In other words, he was admitting he wasn't a serious person.

Cyd raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"I'm much older than you, kid."

"Hahahaha!" Zaratras burst into laughter, clutching his stomach as if Cyd's words had amused him to no end, unable to even speak.

Thinking of what was about to happen next, Cyd's smile brightened even further. Dreyfus sighed and, along with the other holy knights, stepped aside to clear an open space.

Dreyfus had considered punching Zaratras himself, but the problem was that he couldn't beat him. Now, it seemed he had found a suitable candidate.

Still laughing, Zaratras didn't realize what was about to unfold. He wrapped an arm around Cyd's neck, completely unaware of the "enthusiasm" coming his way. Cyd merely smiled and looked at the gradually setting sun.

Without his armor, Bartra looked like an ordinary person, sitting on the ground with no regal presence, watching cheerfully as Cyd proposed a sparring match with Zaratras.

Through the eyes of the goddess, he saw the pure white one walking toward the purgatory, and he also saw the prophecy.

[A hero is always a hero.]