"Am I… saved?"
Although the blue-haired, thinning-haired uncle had just pulled him up from the cliffside, Mut, now sitting limply on the ground with legs weak as jelly, still couldn't believe it.
Did I actually survive that?
The fear he didn't have time to register during his fall now came crashing in all at once. Though already safe, Mut broke out in a cold sweat, trembling from the aftermath of his brush with death.
It took a good while before he could calm down from the brink of death. As soon as he regained clarity, he looked up at the man who'd saved him, bowed deeply, and expressed his heartfelt thanks.
"All right, all right."
Himmel stepped forward, helped the young man up, and advised, "Be more careful on your journey next time—especially for a solo adventurer like you."
But when he saw the youth's face clearly, Himmel paused for a moment.
"I feel like… I've seen you somewhere before?"
"Funny, I was just about to say the same thing," Mut responded.
"And I just remembered—uncle, you look a lot like the statue of Hero Himmel. Even that sword of yours, the Hero's Sword, is exactly the same."
"Well of course."
Himmel gave his thinning hair a casual fluff and struck a pose. "Because I am—"
"But you still look different from the statue," Mut interrupted. "The statue is taller and more handsome, and… the hair wasn't, um, this sparse…"
Himmel's eye twitched. His fist clenched slightly.
What an irritating kid.
But Himmel was no longer the spirited youth who once stormed the Demon King's Castle. Now fifty-five, he possessed the composure of an adult.
So, he simply shook his head and chuckled wryly.
Then, crack!—a knuckle flick landed squarely on Mut's forehead, leaving a glowing red welt.
"Ow—ow—ow!" Mut grabbed his head, his face twisted with grievance. "Uncle! I was just being honest!"
"Kid, people get old. When you grow up, you'll understand the pain of hair loss."
"Huh?"
Something in that sentence startled Mut. A plausible thought dawned on him.
"Wait, uncle, you're not really the Hero Himmel… are you?"
"I am."
Mut: !!!
"You're really him?! Hero Himmel! What an honor! I grew up listening to your stories! Every battle you fought, every demon you defeated—I remember it all!"
Mut danced around Himmel, gushing with emotion.
In the Northern Nations, where demon incursions were common and villages were frequently razed, hope was a necessity. Tales of brave adventurers became a spiritual lifeline, helping people resist the crushing weight of fear and despair.
And among them, Hero Himmel—the slayer of the Demon King—was the brightest star. The younger generation of warriors revered him like a god.
So much so that even the ruling Empire came to fear the scale of his influence.
...
"Grew up with my stories, huh…"
Himmel repeated the words to himself, his gaze dimming slightly with melancholy.
"Yeah, the Demon King was slain thirty years ago. Time flies."
"But to her, that much time probably means nothing…"
Recalling that figure from his memories, the sorrow in Himmel's eyes deepened.
Yet, when he remembered how—within the Paradise Relay Spell—she returned from the future and silently accepted his feelings, the sadness in his eyes quietly faded.
Though his fleeting lifespan couldn't give her eternal love, just knowing she felt something across time… was enough.
Mut, watching Himmel's shifting expression from the side, grew confused.
But still filled with admiration, he mustered the courage to speak.
"Hero Himmel, my destination is the Central Nations, the Voll Basin. If you're headed the same way, would it be possible for me to travel with you?"
Himmel's memories were interrupted by the question. Shaking free of the past, he nodded.
"My destination is the Holy Capital—Strahl. The Voll Basin is sort of along the way."
"But kid, can you keep up?"
"If I get to travel with you, Hero Himmel, I'll chase after you even if it breaks my legs!"
"Good resolve."
Himmel nodded. Then, with a blink, his figure flashed far ahead in the distance.
"Wait for me!" Mut shouted.
At that moment, he really wanted to smack himself for boasting. With gritted teeth, he sprinted after his idol.
...
Nightfall – Schwer Mountains, Mountain Cabin
As a public rest stop in the Tiek Region, reaching this place signified that most of the mountain trek was behind them.
Dragged half to death by Himmel's relentless pace, Mut finally stumbled into the mountain cabin and collapsed.
Himmel, having arrived ahead, had already lit a fire and, to his surprise, found pickled fish and vegetables left by the previous lodgers.
A few whiffs confirmed they were fresh enough to eat.
"Lucky."
While Himmel busied himself with prep, he silently offered thanks to whoever had left the food behind.
Soon, the aroma of cooking filled the cabin. Mut, reviving with the scent, crawled over to the fire and looked toward his idol with starry eyes.
"Just a bit longer," Himmel said. "The mushrooms need to cook through."
"Mm-hmm!"
Knowing there was a portion for him, Mut eagerly nodded.
In the final moments of waiting, a question popped into Mut's mind.
"Hero Himmel, I heard that after you defeated the Demon King, you mostly stayed in the Holy Capital—Strahl. What brings you back to the Northern Nations this time?"
But contrary to his usual warmth, Himmel shook his head.
"Sorry, I can't go into detail."
"If I had to say… It's about a promise I once made to a comrade. And now, it seems there's finally a lead to fulfilling it, here in the Northern Nations."
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Powerstones?
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