I Picked Up the Hero Who Banished Me - Chapter 40



39 – [In the Land of Elves – 07]

The sins you committed won’t disappear.

The deeds you’ve done won’t vanish.

Punishment for those who sinned.

That’s only natural.

I was going to talk to Reina, but I had no intention of letting her go.

No matter how close we were… or rather, because I *thought* we were close, I wanted her to receive the punishment she deserved.

My dilemma was a balancing act: would I kill her myself, or bring her before the judgment of the law?

If, by some chance, she’d admitted her guilt and turned herself in, things might have been a little easier, but someone who’d chosen betrayal—a ‘use and discard’ move—wasn’t likely to change their mind.

Maybe I still don’t know the world.

No matter how much I agonize, how much I think, the question of good and evil isn’t easily solved.

If someone else had been through what I had, I would never forgive the perpetrator.

But because it was me, I wanted them to confess their crimes, to appear before justice and receive their due.

Something the hero, Olivia Reinhart, wouldn’t have hesitated about.

Agony.

Doubt.

It’s so complicated.

No, let’s push Reina’s matter aside for now.

“It’s been a while, hero Olivia Reinhart.”

“Yes, it has.”

“Only after taking that form do you use honorifics.”

“I’m not used to it yet, so please forgive me if my speech suddenly changes.”

The person in front of me was Titania.

She looked like a young elf, but in reality, she had lived far beyond the lifespan of any elf.

I didn’t know why she had lived so long, but she had held the position of the Elven Queen, Titania, for a long time, and held absolute power among the elves.

“Livia, what should we do? Should I speak?”

It was consideration.

But I shook my head.

“I’ll do it, if you think it doesn’t look right for Royce, you can step in.”

“Understood.”

Royce always asks my opinion.

Maybe the one who was actually most suited to the position of leader in that hero party wasn’t me, but Royce?

No matter how you look at it, he was much more suited to the leader position than I was, being forceful and dogmatic.

The more I think about it, the more I realize how foolish Olivia Reinhart, the hero, was.

“You look like hell.”

“First, please get the elves around us to move.”

“What!?”

“Are you telling us to leave Titania alone!? You’re not even human, you could hurt Titania, a person like you!”

“Quiet.”

*Thud*, a somewhat refined-looking elf struck the ground with his sword.

It wasn’t a common sight to see an elf wielding a sword.

I couldn’t remember who that elf was, but I was sure that among the elves here, he was the next strongest after Titania.

The refined-looking elf glanced at me for a moment, then turned to face Titania and said,

“What shall you have us do, Titania?”

“It doesn’t matter. Step back.”

“Titania!”

“This is an order. Step back.”

Other elves tried to speak, but the knight elf’s powerful command silenced them all. Though their faces showed displeasure, they retreated as if they had no choice. Soon, only my companions and Titania remained in the room.

I never imagined they’d accept without asking a thing.

What’s their intention?

It was so hard to read it.

I was bad at that kind of thing to begin with.

“There’s a curse on you.”

“You can tell?”

“I don’t know the specifics. Only that there’s a curse on your body, and that you came to Elvenheim. I’m not sure what information you could have gleaned in that process, but that you’re cursed and came to undo that curse… that much is the truth.”

“That’s right. I’m cursed by a Death God.”

“…….”

Titania’s previously impassive face momentarily contorted.

“What kind of madman used such a curse? Did they know the price they’d have to pay?… No, never mind. It’s not my concern.”

A price?

Come to think of it, curses are often said to come with a price for the one who casts them.

Is the Death God’s curse one that has a price?

I wanted to ask, but that wasn’t the most important thing right now, and besides, she wasn’t the kind who would kindly explain everything from A to Z if asked.

“I want to borrow the World Tree’s sap.”

“Borrow is a word used when you’re going to return something. To be precise, you should say ‘I want the World Tree’s sap.’”

“Yeah, well… right, yeah.”

Royce seemed to smile faintly.

Ah, my pride stings.

Silphy looked like she hadn’t been breathing properly out of tension for a while now.

“So, can you give it to me?”

“Hmm.”

Titania pondered for a moment, then said,

“No.”

“…Is it because I destroyed the forest?”

“That was certainly annoying, but there were circumstances, and it’s not something I’d severely scold you for. Especially not to a hero who defeated the Demon King and saved the world. I wouldn’t persecute you for such a trivial reason.”

Titania was indifferent, as if she were discussing something inconsequential.

“In the first place, Reina started the first attack on her own. After that, you certainly would have been treated as a guest of honor until you arrived here.”

“…Then why not? Is it alright to ask?”

Titania looked at me at my question.

Her eyes still seemed to see through everything, which, frankly, I couldn’t like.

“I can’t tell you the reason. You’re not an elf, and you’re positive towards half-elves. There’s even less reason to tell you.”

“Leaving aside that I’m not an elf, what does being positive towards half-elves have to do with it?”

“Can we be certain you’re not a threat to Elvenheim? Even a hero who saved the world, a collective doesn’t always exist solely within goodness.”

“….”

“I’ll have a room prepared for you. If you want to rest, you can. Like a hero who saved the world, we’ll see to it that your meals are taken care of and most of your requests are granted. However, the world tree’s sap, I cannot give you.”

I have no intention of telling you why.

That’s the kind of powerful will I felt.

Hostility.

Doesn’t trust me.

It wasn’t because I caused trouble, there seemed to be something else.

“I’ll be back.”

“Even if you come again, the answer is the same. You’re free to do anything in this Elvenheim.”

“……Even if I were to forcibly tear out the World Tree, you’d still call that freedom?”

“Olivia Reinhart, I dislike you, but you are a proud hero. ……Someone who would do such a thing to survive wouldn’t become a hero.”

“……”

This time, the gaze was slightly more favorable.

I don’t know.

I can’t read it.

Did Royce read something?

Royce was just observing Titania, as if studying her. Since I’m not dying tomorrow anyway, it seemed best to go back, talk to Royce, and try a different approach.

“Even if this curse was brought about by Titania’s daughter, Reina?”

“……Reina, did that?”

For the first time, Titania looked flustered.

“She didn’t do it herself, but she tried to kill me by putting me in this state. The curse of the Reaper, she said Reina doesn’t know about it.”

“……That’s the first I’m hearing of it. I could understand me, but Reina isn’t one to be like that. It’s strange.”

I grapple with the same question I felt before.

Did she think, more than that, she *might* be able to do it?

What a goddamn hag.

Does she think being young and pretty on the outside excuses everything?

“Okay. I’m done with what I had to say today.”

“Hmm, then who has more to say?”

“Sylphy.”

“Ah, yes!”

“You said you had something to say.”

“……!”

It wasn’t like I was going to die tomorrow, so it was okay.

Stalling wouldn’t help, but I had to find a way to resolve this peacefully somehow.

More than that, I didn’t recognize this Elvenheim when I came last time, but maybe I’ll have a chance to learn about it this time.

Even if the world is saved, a new wind has to blow through this prison of elves, living closed off in their forest.

I don’t know if Sylphy can play that role, but at least I have to try something, right?

“……”

“……”

Sylphy stood next to me, looking at Titania, and Titania looked back at Sylphy.

“It’s been a while.”

“It has been a while, Titania.”

When we were together, you just called her “Grandma,” but now you call her Titania.

Still, Royce didn’t say anything, just stared at Titania.

“I apologize for not visiting for so long.”

“I refused you, why are *you* apologizing?”

“…….”

“If you hadn’t come as the hero’s companion in the first place, you wouldn’t have been able to enter Elvenheim to begin with.”

“Do you hate me that much?”

“…….”

Titania was silent.

She couldn’t answer the first question she’d been asked.

Was it just a feeling?

Right now, Titania looked very troubled, and unlike before, she seemed to be reacting emotionally, like a human being.

“I can understand that you hate me. I am the very mark of Titania’s daughter having been a slave, I understand that my very existence is a disgrace to the elves. Especially for royalty, the bloodline of Titania, such an existence is surely unforgivable.”

“…….”

“That’s why I don’t resent Titania. That feeling is extremely human, and I don’t think it’s wrong. It’s not like we’ll die if we don’t see each other, and we elves who carry that blood have quite a bit of time to spare, don’t we?”

Titania looks at Sylphy.

Her pupils seemed to tremble, just a little.

“But! Could you please show mercy to other half-elves who are not me? They haven’t done anything wrong.”

Her pupils trembled, but she didn’t look away from Sylphy.

“I may be guilty of defiling the royal bloodline, but the others aren’t! Titania!”

“……Are you saying that in earnest?”

Titania’s bewildered tone was unmistakable.

Clutching her head with one hand, her trembling eyes made her seem like a completely different person than when she spoke to me.

“That wasn’t what you were supposed to say.”

“No! I have to say this! Please, have mercy on the other half-elves! You must know what kind of treatment half-elves receive outside even as we speak!”

It was a plea.

A pure plea from one who held affection for their kin.

“I wasn’t weak because I have royal blood! I was lucky enough to meet good people!”

The reason Sylphie said she would follow me was solely for the sake of other half-elves.

She didn’t mention a single thing about the pain she suffered, only spoke for other half-elves.

She was a magnificent one.

“But other half-elves are suffering. Some have already died, and others are still wounded in their hearts from the hatred. If not other elves, who will accept them?”

“…….”

“So I beg you! Change your view of half-elves! Titania, revered by all elves! If you say so, many elves might change their minds! No, it’s because you continue to hate half-elves that even elves who think differently can’t speak up!”

Sylphie lowered her head.

“So please… Please let it be believed that my grandmother was just a victim with a tormented heart. If you unilaterally hold such hatred, you become a bad person.”

It might already be too late, but change now.

Elves have plenty of time, so make amends from now on.

She was speaking politely with honorifics, but the content she was uttering was too audacious to be believed as being directed at a queen of a nation.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

An awkward silence hung heavy before Titania finally spoke.

“Withdraw.”

“Titania!”

“Withdraw.”

She repeated the same word, then closed her eyes as if to end the conversation.

I grabbed Sylphy by the shoulder and said,

“Let’s go back for now, we have time. …We’ll come again!”

“…….”

I muttered as I led Sylphy out of the audience chamber.

“That damn hag…”

“Lady Olivia, please. Elves have good ears.”

“It’s okay, I said it loud enough for her to hear this time.”

“…….”

“Let’s go! Royce!”

“Yes.”

I hurried out of the audience chamber, keeping a close eye on Sylphy.

Anyway.

What the hell do I do now?

Neither my words nor Sylphie’s got through?

Am I seriously gonna die like this?

Am I gonna have to break into the World Tree like some damn thief and drain its sap?