Chapter 18 |
Side Story 2 Chapter 18: The Person That I Admire
As a child, Allen often struggled to fall asleep. To help him sleep, his mother would read to him about heroic sagas, tales that Allen loved to listen to as it helped him drift off to sleep with a smile.
While listening to these stories, Allen felt like he became one of those heroes. He dreamed of becoming someone who would be remembered and celebrated, just like the heroes in those tales.
As he grew up, Allen then became a monster exterminator. In this line of work, one’s status didn’t matter; all that mattered was their ability to defeat monsters.
Many had made a name for themselves as it was a profession where anyone could rise up with enough skill.
Allen never gave up on his dream of becoming a hero. That desire led him to take up the sword and become an exterminator. His skills were decent—among the best of his age group—but still nowhere near the level of the legendary figures he admired.
He later began using a large sword, thinking that wielding a big weapon would make him stronger and more imposing. He believed that bigger meant stronger; that with a big sword, he could defeat large monsters and grow stronger himself.
But reality was harsh.
He couldn’t achieve success as effortlessly as the heroes who were famous across the continent.
That impatience led him to take on a monster that he knew, deep down, was one beyond his abilities. While driven by baseless confidence, Allen convinced himself that he could manage somehow.
And then—
“That person saved me,” Allen said.
As Allen walked through the forest country, he spoke softly while reflecting on his life.
Life is unpredictable.
The heroes he admired seemed capable of doing anything, possessing unmatchable strength. He had thought such figures existed only in stories; as life doesn’t always go so perfectly. But then he met someone who was so strong and unreasonable that even the heroes in the stories paled in comparison.
That person shined.
“You admire him, don’t you?” Patrician murmured while listening to Allen’s story.
Initially, Allen had been nervous about talking to Patricia but that had quickly faded. Patricia had asked him about how he met Silver and since he had spent most of his time with Silver, Allen hadn’t had many chances to talk about him. Oddly enough, talking about Silver with her didn’t make him nervous—and he knew why. His admiration for Silver was greater than his nerves from being around a beautiful woman.
“I wish I could be like him… We’ve only been together for a few days, but I want to be like him. Someone who never bows to any unreasonable force. I want to be the kind of man who everyone feels safe around while thinking, ‘As long as he’s here, everything will be fine.’”
“I’m envious. I have someone that I admire too, but they’re a historical figure. I wish I could have seen them up close. You’re lucky to be with someone like that, Allen.”
“R-Really? So… who’s the person you admire, Patricia?”
“Agnes, the Great Sage of the Elves. She’s my ancestor. Long ago, when a disaster struck the Elves, she sacrificed her life to protect us. I love this country, so I think Agnes must have loved it too. That’s why… I want to be like her.”
“Oh, I see…”
While listening to Patricia, Allen felt a sense of unease. Sensing this, Patricia gave a small smile and asked him another question.
“That’s just my opinion. What do you think, Allen?”
“What do I think?”
“What do you think of Agnes?”
“I hope this doesn’t make you feel bad…”
“Of course not. I asked, after all.”
Allen took a deep breath. It was something that had been bothering him, and while he knew it might not be the best thing to say, he decided to voice his thoughts to her.
“The heroes in the stories I read often sacrificed themselves to defeat evil. It’s amazing and I’ve always admired those kinds of people. But… after meeting Silver, I realized something… Returning alive is even more incredible than not coming back. I’m sure there are reasons why they can’t come back, but… just saying goodbye like that seems irresponsible of them. I rather prefer heroes who can always return. At the very least, I want to believe that they will in the end.”
“…”
Heroes always leave people behind.
But those who are able to come back are the ones Allen wanted to be like. He knew it wasn’t always possible, but still… he wanted to be a hero who always returned to his loved ones.
“Sorry… Did I upset you?”
“No, I just thought you were right. I’m sure Agnes would have wanted to come back if she could. She sacrificed herself because she had no other choice—for the Elves, and for their future. But I’m sure the people that she left behind were sad. So maybe… we shouldn’t glorify those who are not coming back. We should make them vow to always return.”
“Exactly! That’s what’s amazing—coming back. No matter who the opponent is, no matter how hopeless it seems… I know Silver will return. He’ll just show up one day while casually teleporting back like it’s nothing. That’s the kind of strength he has.”
“You really like Silver don’t you, Allen?”
Patricia laughed softly while covering her mouth with her hand.
Then she continued;
“Next, I’d love to hear more about the world outside!”
With those words, Patricia took Allen’s hand.
“In return, I’ll show you all around this country that I love!”
“O-Okay!”
While blushing from having his hand held, Allen nodded as he was gently pulled along by Patricia, walking with her through the elven forest.
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