Chapter 4: Fall of the Great Tree
Translator: Soafp
“Huh…?”
The lingering traces of death I had just faced were still in my mind.
I reached to touch the chest where I had been stabbed… but there was not a single scar.
“That's strange…”
I muttered to myself and got out of bed. Something about my vision felt… off.
(Somehow… a bit lower? No, maybe it's just my imagination.)
Stepping out of the room, I saw my familiar mother. She smiled at me and spoke.
“Erius, it's finally time, isn't it? You're leaving today, right? I've prepared as much as I could.”
“…Huh?”
“What's wrong? Did I say something weird?”
Still confused, I listened to her, and realized that today was the day after I had turned fifteen, completed the coming-of-age ceremony, and obtained the “Guide.”
“Was I dreaming?”
No, that couldn't be. I had definitely died… or so I thought.
When I summoned the “Guide,” it seemed to confirm it: on the first page was the phrase, “Applied to the Kingdom Army.”
Still bewildered, I set out once more on the journey to defeat the Demon King.
“Were all those events just a dream or an illusion created by the book?”
I couldn't help but wonder, while feeling that joining the Kingdom Army wouldn't be right.
The Kingdom Army was full of complications.
And the “Swordmaster” skill was most effective in one-on-one combat or against a small number of enemies.
In the army, where large-scale battles were the norm, it only made me a slightly stronger foot soldier.
A wasted treasure.
To make full use of my skill, I decided to become an adventurer. I joined the party “Fall of the Great Tree.”
Strangely, I was welcomed by Ignis—the same one who should have been dead—just like before.
That night, when I opened the “Guide,” on the second page it read: “Joined Fall of the Great Tree.”
“…Second page… meaning this is the ‘second time'?”
The first time was joining the Kingdom Army. Now this was the second time.
The timeline matched, but…
“What's the point of the book explicitly recording that?”
I didn't know, but there was nothing to do except continue with what needed to be done.
Five years had passed since joining “Fall of the Great Tree.”
Together with Ignis and the other members, we had cleared four small-scale labyrinths.
One of them was the same labyrinth they had failed to conquer before.
I now understood, more or less, why they had failed last time.
The party was considered one of the most promising among S-class adventurers, treated almost like the embodiment of the “Tree of Hope.”
From an outside perspective, everything seemed smooth.
But I was anxious.
“Again with that, Erius?”
During a meeting with the party, when I suggested that we should attack the Demon King's Castle, Ignis replied with an exasperated look.
“I haven't said anything new… I've been saying the same thing since I joined.”
I had always wanted to defeat the Demon King. That was why I joined this party.
I had made that clear from the beginning.
“Anyone with that kind of drive is welcome.”
That was the line Ignis had said when I joined.
And yet, every time this topic came up, he evaded it.
I had reached my limit.
“When are you going to actually go and kill the Demon King?!”
Grabbing him by the collar, I pressed him.
“Enough… already! Erius! How long are you going to keep talking about these fairy tales?!”
He shook my hand off and shouted.
“Fairy tales, you say?”
“Yes. There's no way you can defeat the Demon King! Have you ever seen a Majin?”
A Majin.
I had seen one. I had even been killed by one, though I wasn't sure if it was real.
But even if I said that, he wouldn't believe me.
While I hesitated on what to say, he seemed to assume my answer was “no,” and continued.
“I have, you know. Back when I was just starting out, I teamed up with another party considered the most promising at the time, and we entered a labyrinth. Their leader was about as strong as you. But against a Majin, they didn't even last ten seconds! I abandoned all pride and ran. I was the only one to survive! I still dream about that time!”
“…”
“The rest of these guys are no different. Everyone else joined just to make money! Once they've saved enough, they plan to leave this country and live safely! Every time we enter a labyrinth, they pray not to encounter a Majin, shaking with fear!”
I was shocked by those words. Looking around, I saw the other members averting their eyes, silently confirming Ignis's claim.
It was a confession of betrayal.
“Let's all, someday, defeat the Demon King together.”
“Let's show everyone the blue sky.”
During our activities as adventurers, we had talked about this many times.
But in their hearts… they had been laughing at me for saying such reckless things.
“You deceived me.”
“No, listen, Erius!”
“What more…?”
“I thought eventually you'd accept reality! That defeating the Demon King was impossible, and that one day you'd come to terms with it! You're straightforward and a good guy, so I thought there was no need to let you die for nothing!”
“For my sake…?”
“Yes. Understand that, will you?”
Saying that, Ignis placed a hand on my shoulder.
It might have been his way of showing kindness.
But even so, I—
“Don't you dare!”
I couldn't forgive them. My anger surged, and a dull impact ran through my right hand as I shouted.
Before I knew it, I had punched Ignis.
“You've wasted my… precious five years…!”
They didn't know.
If I didn't act within five years, many lives would be lost.
It wasn't their fault, but still, I couldn't forgive them.
Unable to calm down, I tried to strike Ignis again, but the party members who had been watching intervened and restrained me by force.
“Let go!”
“Enough already! Erius!”
“Calm down!”
Pinned from behind, I continued struggling.
Ignis, having fallen to the ground from the hit, looked up at me and said:
“Erius, I don't care anymore. You're banished! Get out! Go ahead and challenge the Majin or the Demon King and get yourself killed!”
“Fine by me, you b*****d! But first, I'm going to kill you!”
After shouting for a while, an overwhelming drowsiness suddenly struck me.
Looking around, I saw the party's mage pointing his staff at me.
“Sleep… magic…”
Normally I could have dodged it, but restrained as I was, there was nothing I could do.
My head grew heavy, and I could no longer resist closing my eyes—
When I woke up, I was back in my room.
I didn't know the cause of death. Maybe I hit my head when I collapsed asleep, or perhaps the members, fearing my retaliation, had killed me.
Either way, I will never join “Fall of the Great Tree” again.
After that, they followed the same fate as when I had been in the Kingdom Army.
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