Chapter 9 – Heart of a Hunter
In a quiet, empty part of the forest, Sheto awakened by the roots of a tree.
He had placed his things there before, and his bow and hatchet remained.
‘…You’re up.’
“Mm…”
He had run all night in order to escape the Hero. And while he had finally managed to come here, he did not remember what happened after that.
In tattered clothing, with bow and quiver over shoulder, and hatchet in hand, he left the hole.
‘You managed to survive.’
“…Yes.”
The sun was already high in the sky. From the gaps between the tree branches, rays of light shone down.
‘I’m sorry.’
“For what?”
‘I used your lover. Your memories.’
Suddenly, he recalled what had happened yesterday. In the burning world, the last words that were said to him.
“Lu. I didn’t want to forget her.”
‘No… Uh, really…’
“I’m not angry. I, understand.”
The reason that he had been brought back from the brink of death.
“Everything is gone when you die. The bad, painful, fun, happy. All of the memories.”
‘…That’s true. Even we cannot revive the lives and souls that were lost. The best we can do is attach the rope, and pull them out.’
How easy it would have been to die there. But the important memories would fade.
“And so, I did not want to die.’
‘Yes.’
“You, also said this. That you saw my heart and chose. What did you mean?”
The goddess laughed.
‘I’m sure you have noticed it, but I am the weakest among the gods. If I wanted to make someone my subject, it had to be among the weakest of monsters. Goblins, orcs, and kobolds.’
When it came to strength and combat ability, kobolds were much weaker. Normally, they would never even be considered.
‘However, kobolds have something that the others do not.’
“We do…have such a thing?”
‘The emotion you felt for your parents, family, friends. Lu. The camaraderie, love… The power to create connections with others.’
She was talking about difficult things again. Sheto sighed and sat down. She chuckled, and a sweet scent filled the air.
‘Beings that only care about violence are easily broken when faced with something stronger. I would never be able to build a trusting relationship to begin with. In this game, the beginning strength is not as important. If the weak becomes stronger, then there is a possibility of reaching the heights eventually.’
The kobold shook his head.
“We, have this saying. ‘Arrows knock down high birds, but do not become birds.’”
“Flying and reaching the heights are not the same, eh? You truly are a realist.’
“We are weak. Cannot be reckless. Cannot fight. You, chose the wrong monster.”
‘However, you stood up at that time. And you got away from the Hero.’
Something shifted in his heart then, but he quickly shook his head.
“Yo-you can’t flatter me! The Hero is strong! That will never happen again!”
‘I know. I realized it yesterday. I was about to make the same foolish mistake.’
Salia laughed.
The air was cool and clear, like a winter sunset.
‘Let’s quit the game. Sheto.’
The dog-like mouth dropped open. Stunned, he looked up at the sky.
“You, are fine with that?”
‘We were too reckless from the beginning. It would pain me to put you through any more struggles.’
“What…will happen to me?”
‘Do not worry. We just need to wait until there is only one Hero remaining, and then your withdrawal can be announced. Until then, I will keep you alive.’
It was an incredible offer for him. Getting to leave was like having his life returned to him.
However, his heart rejected it immediately.
“Salia, can I ask you something?”
‘About the last Hero? Do not worry. I believe my brother will lose before the end. It is always won by the highest-ranking gods. And they will be merciful if I apologize sincerely.’
“That is what I wanted to hear. But right now, was going to ask something different.”
Something he had been wondering for a while. Perhaps now, she would tell him.
“You, what made you want to join the game?”
‘…That is another thing I should apologize to you for.’
“Why?”
‘Because the reason that I wanted to join…was for revenge and atonement.’
Salia explained calmly.
Her world was not the largest, but it was full of life and rich with resources. She had worked hard to maintain it, and loved it dearly.
‘However, the gods never cease to fight. There would be monster invasions. I would mediate with the gods or use my own power to help fend off the outside enemies.’
Fighting hurt the worlds, turning stars into wastelands that were abandoned.
It was then that the leader of the demons made a suggestion, and the gods considered it.
‘A representative war. A game of Heroes. While the wars of the games are indeed large, they result in much less damage than the disasters of gods against demons.’
“But, you…did not join?”
‘Aye. Even if they did less damage, they still robbed the worlds of strength. It is always better to have no fighting at all. It was around that time that they started to call me the Goddess of Peace.’
What a ridiculous name. Salia chuckled. But her voice was as dry as a dead leaf.
‘One day, a group of monsters invaded my world. But it was just a small group, and they were weak. I thought that there was little harm, and let them be.’
“Really?”
‘Monsters can be as diverse as any other. Some may be truly evil, but some are not. Back then, I did not really think about what it meant. To truly accept them.’
Of course, she had some ideas.
She could accept them partially, and eventually open her world as a neutral territory.
In fact, among the high-ranking demons, there were those who used to be gods. She could work with such people, and slowly expand her influence.
‘However, these monsters had a certain characteristic. They ate worlds.’
“Words…can be eaten?”
‘Not literally. But as long as they are there, they eat all manner of things. Life, spiritual energy, mana. Things of that nature.’
But Salia had not been aware of it.
The god that had introduced the monsters then disappeared from the god world, and the other gods realized that this was an invasion.
‘That being said, it was known just how much the monsters ate, and the power stored in their bodies would be condensed, and after they died, they would help make that world a richer place.’
“So, they are not bad?”
‘If anything, in some demon worlds, they are hunted for this rare power. And they were on the verge of extinction.’
The demons claimed that the gods had stolen their beasts and were using them for their own gain.
Unsurprisingly, this led to more chaos.
‘Both gods and demons demanded that I open my world for the games. I refused. I tried to get them to stop the fighting.’
Salia said, and was silent for a moment.
The smell of the god faded from the air. The forest was quiet except for the sounds of rustling leaves.
‘Yes, Sheto. I was unable to protect my world.’
She said in a flat voice. As if she had no power to say anything else.
‘After that, a lot of time passed. My world was broken and rusted. I could do nothing, and spent my time without purpose. It was then that I found this world. Your world.’
A young world brimming with life.
It had been affected by a few gods, but still felt pure, like an infant.
‘And so I traveled around the world, enjoying its healthy beauty. However, the seeds of war were already being sown.’
“You mean…us?”
‘Aye. Monsters were taking root here, and making preparations. I felt like I was going mad as I watched. I hated that I could do nothing.’
Predicting the greedy battles of demons, and the coming of Heroes, Salia went up to the hall of gods. She hoped to prevent the continuing of senseless fighting.
‘But no one wants to listen to someone who caused such chaos between gods and demons, and could not protect their own world. Well, except for the dragon god and Goddess of Judgement, who had always been kind to me.’
And so they gave her some advice.
First, in order to revive her world, she must receive the help of the other gods, and start from the beginning.
‘The other was the road of revenge.’
“Revenge?”
‘To find the god that sullied and ruined my world. On the night of your victory in the games, the god will be granted one wish. I was going to use it.’
The Goddess of Judgment had told. It was possible to win.
Indeed, it was a one in ten thousandth chance. But a weak monster could gain experience and abilities, until it had enough power to defeat a Hero.
‘And I chose revenge. Though, that was not the only reason.’
“Atone…something?”
‘Repent for my sins… I did something bad. I wanted forgiveness.’
Perhaps she could protect this world, to make up for the one she had failed.
It was a selfish reason. Meaningless.
And yet, she had still chosen it, because…
‘I suppose being selfish and ugly is just who I am. Until the very end, I spoke against fighting. But perhaps it was only because I didn’t want to get my hands dirty? Perhaps things would have been different, had I participated in the games when I had the chance. I could not stop thinking about it.’
“And so…you used me.”
‘Yes.’
There was a lot there that Sheto did not understand. But he thought he could understand the last part. He could relate to it, a little.
“I am the same. I want to kill the Hero. For myself. Even if I get revenge, everyone will not come back.”
‘Indeed… And the game is finished.’
That was the conclusion.
There was no need to fight. Before it even began, the journey of revenge ended.
Just then, the kobold’s ears heard a small noise.
Kyuuu…
“Ah…”
‘What is it?’
“So much talking. Forgot that I am hungry.”
‘Ha…hahahaha. I see! Sorry for taking so long!’
The air seemed to relax. The smell of Salia being in a good mood.
“You, do you always smell like this?’
‘Ah, aye. A characteristic of mine. When my emotions are manifested… Does it bother you?’
“No. This smell. Not bad.”
‘I see. Thank you.’
“Probably, the people of your world. Liked your smell.”
After that, the goddess was silent.
Sheto had always hated it when females became quiet. He recalled the times when Lu would not say anything.
Whenever that happened, he would also be quiet, and tend to his bow and hunting tools.
And so Sheto did the same now.
And the goddess’s silence did not end.