“Hero Kael is back!”
Those words spread like wildfire.
It had been an extremely long day for the townsfolk. First, their town was attacked by corrupted beasts. Then, an even stronger beast came after them and they were forced out of their town to move to a jungle and camp there.
It was one thing after another.
So all of them were extremely tired.
But despite that, the instant they heard the news, they all rushed out to see the Hero who had saved their town.
“Hero Kael!”
Little Selina rushed towards Kael again, hugging his legs. Kael knelt down and hugged her back.
“Selina.”
He patted the girl’s back as his eyes fell on her grandfather.
“Town Head Tobias, I am back.”
He nodded at him.
“I am glad you are, I really am.”
Tobias nodded with a big smile on his face.
Kael’s eyes glimmered as he saw that. He then lifted Selina up as he stood up, by then, the rest of the townsfolk surrounded him as well.
“Hero Kael! You are back!”
“How did you defeat such a terrifying beast!?”
“Why is that even a question? He is the Hero! How can he be defeated by a mere beast that has lost its mind!? The Hero is the strongest!”
“Exactly! The Hero is the strongest!!”
The townsfolk cheered in excitement.
Once again, the Hero had made the impossible possible.
The camp erupted with joyful murmurs, but then suddenly, a veteran soldier who had fought for the town for decades stepped forward and glanced at Kael.
“Hero Kael, did you really defeat that beast?”
The normal townsfolk may not know much, but the veteran was different. He could sense the disparity of strength between Kael and that monster.
With his strength, the Hero shouldn’t be able to take that beast down.
Of course, despite knowing that, the veteran decided to ask with a hopeful look on his face.
After all, the man in front of him was the Hero.
The Hero was blessed by Lord Feraos himself. He was supposed to pull miracles like these out of nowhere.
Kael, however, crushed the veteran’s hope.
“I didn’t. I hid from it until it went away.”
“You… hid from it…?”
The veteran blinked.
“I had no other option. As you know, it was too strong for me to face.”
Kael answered, but then…
“Then why did you come back…?”
Kael raised his eyebrow at that question. He knew what the veteran was thinking, so just as he was about to explain,
“I—”
“That thing was clearly after you!”
The veteran shouted.
He pointed his trembling fingers at the Hero and,
“It flew right past us! Ignoring us like the worms we are!
It clearly had no relation with us! It is you it was after! It was your problem to deal with!
Then why did you come back!? Won’t the Beast follow you here!? Did you not think of that!?
Why are you pulling us into your problem!?”
At his sudden outburst, the entire camp turned silent.
The initial joy faded away and turned into unease.
The townsfolk stared at the Hero with complicated looks on their faces. Some even stared at him with apparent disapproval.
Why was he here?
Shouldn’t he have tackled the beast on his own since it came here for him?
What sort of Hero puts the very people he is supposed to protect in danger?
What did they do to be put in a spot like this?
These sorts of whispers started all over the town, and Kael, with his enhanced senses, could hear them all loud and clear.
“Hero Kael…”
Selina, who had sensitive ears, heard them as well and turned towards Kael with a worried look on her face.
However, before she could complete her words,
“Selina, come here.”
Tobias took her in his arms.
Then, the Town Head turned towards the Hero and,
“Hero Kael, we will be eternally grateful for what you did today.”
The old man bowed his head, and at that scene, the people turned silent, looking forward to what the Town Head had to say.
“But as you can see, the people are panicking.”
With a difficult look on his face, Tobias continued.
“As shameful as it is, I ask you to leave.”
“…”
Kael turned silent.
“These people have already lost quite a lot and they are afraid to lose more, especially when the threat that had been haunting them for months is now finally dealt with.”
Tobias looked right into Kael’s eyes with moist, shameful eyes and,
“Please, Hero Kael, for these people and their safety, leave.
Return to the Capital.”
“You want us to travel at night?”
Kael raised his eyebrow.
After all, everyone knew how dangerous it was.
“…You can rest in the town if you wish.”
Tobias pointed in the direction of Estwyn Town, which was about 50 kilometres away from this place.
“But please leave first thing in the morning.”
Tobias requested, and then suddenly,
Rumble Rumble Rumble
Tobias’s tent, which was just behind them, fell as the ground beneath it shook, surprising not just the townsfolk, but even Kael.
“So you are telling us…”
Aria began as she stared right into Tobias’s eyes. Right now, there were no traces of her usual playfulness on her face.
“That you are going to stay at the camp WE set up, while we travel through the jungle and go to a town that is 50 kilometres away from here?”
“I—”
Before Tobias could answer, one man stepped forward and,
“I set up my own tent for my family! You didn’t do anything!”
“Is that so…?”
Aria turned towards that man and tilted her head.
Then, she raised her hand and,
Rumble Rumble Rumble
The earth shook.
Drak, the Swamp Drake, had moved, turning the ground beneath into a swamp.
Panic spread all over the place.
“What are you doi—”
Before the townsfolk could continue,
Lyra’s Bonds moved, forming earth spikes that destroyed all the camps that were formed. And as if that wasn’t enough,
Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh
Echo and Eye created a gust of wind with their wings, and all the canvases that formed the tents flew away, completely eradicating the camp.
Aria then stared at the same man and her violet eyes glimmered intensely.
“Why don’t you try setting up your tent again?”