I Picked Up the Hero Who Banished Me - Chapter 51



50 – [In the Elven Lands – 18]

“That thing on your neck, it’s probably a geas.”

I paused, considering what to say, then spoke.

“……”

“There’s no need to say who cast it, is there?”

A geas.

Back when slavery was still rampant, it was a kind of contract engraved on slaves.

The one bound by it couldn’t refuse their master, no matter what, and wasn’t even given the right to disobey.

But a geas was fundamentally a mutual agreement, requiring a kind of contest.

Or the use of a contract written with one’s own blood.

Usually, during the times of slavery, the latter was used. The contest version was a more powerful geas, but in that case, if an accident occurred, the master would end up becoming the slave.

“Let me be clear, it doesn’t absolve you of any sins.”

“……”

“And the reason for the cooperation isn’t just the geas… Hmm, by any chance, do you know about the World Tree?”

From noble mtl dot com

“……!! Why do *you* know, do you know?”

“Indeed, I understand.”

“I didn’t understand!”

“Alex must have put it quite eloquently. Alex must also know that the World Tree isn’t in good shape.”

But seeing that Reina wasn’t that surprised to see Livia alive, they must have been in contact.

Judging by how wary Alex is of Livia, he knows the World Tree is in ‘bad shape’, but he doesn’t know it’s so bad that we can’t make the World Tree sap.

“You…”

“Just so you know, I might be meeting Titania again tomorrow and entering the World Tree.”

“What? You?”

“Depending on the situation, I might contract with the spirit of the World Tree.”

He probably said that Alex would use the kingdom’s power to find a spirit mage who could contract with the spirit of the World Tree.

Since she was already under a Geas, Reina couldn’t refuse anyway, so breaking down her psychological defenses like that allowed her to create the excuse of ‘it can’t be helped for Elven Heim’, even if she felt unnecessary guilt.

I got to my feet.

“Let’s end the conversation here. …Please, don’t disappoint Livia. You betrayed Livia once already, and that Geas means you’re in a dangerous state.”

“…”

And it’s on her neck.

Putting a Geas on the neck was something they only did to truly irredeemable people, even back when slavery existed.

In other words, having a Geas on your neck is also proof that you’re living a rock-bottom life.

If he purposely put it there, he was a true b*stard, the worst kind.

And just so you know, a Geas isn’t a poison or a curse, so it can’t be undone with the World Tree sap.

“At that moment, when you betrayed Livia, think hard about whether the hand that drew the bowstring was truly for Elven Heim.”

“Why don’t you just curse at me or something?”

“If Livia won’t do it, I can’t either. Think about what you need to do now. As for me, I only see one path right now, but if you say you see many paths…”

“……”

“That just means you’re not in your right mind right now.”

He might have gotten hit with Gias, and heard the news about the World Tree’s condition.

And on top of that, his strength, which he believed was great, was utterly crushed by Livia, the Hero.

His mind is torn, his self-esteem plummeting.

It’s not that there’s nothing to understand, but what he’s done is just too wicked.

“Whether Livia will reveal your crime, or you’ll confess yourself… it’s the last chance Livia is giving you. I hope you understand what that means.”

“It’s… impossible. I can’t confess.”

“If you know who you’ve sinned against, you should know that your words are meaningless. You’re not stupid.”

“……”

“Then I’ll go ahead. Whatever choice you make, it’s your responsibility. If you keep making excuses about doing something for some reason, you’ll forget yourself before you know it.”

“I…”

“……”

“I don’t know.”

I rose without hesitation, and spoke.

“Thinking about that is the meaning of this time.”

With those words, I left Reina, who was shaking, behind.

I might have been a bit cold in my response, but compared to the crime she committed, I think I treated her rather gentlemanly.

Livia’s giving the last chance.

At least, until that chance ends, I’d decided not to say much.

Livia’s the victim here.

I should respect her choice.

Please.

I hope she reaches the ending she desires.

*

“Wahaha-HA! I knew it, but seriously, no one can beat Silphy! This is a masterpiece!”

“Kuh!!”

“Damn it! We trained so hard too!!”

“S-Silphy-nim! Teach us some archery!”

“Do you not have pride as an elf guard?!”

“I do! Which is why you should treat us as promised!”

“Hahaha-HA!!”

“Olivia-nim, don’t just laugh, stop them.”

Me? Why?

I was in a very cheerful mood.

Whatever happened, we traveled together, and shared a lot of small talk too.

If you consider it just personal small talk, then I feel like I had more of it with them than with my comrades in the hero party.

No, come to think of it, it really feels like only I thought we were close.

It’s kinda sad.

“…….”

I fell silent, staring towards the training grounds’ door.

Was Reina not coming?

I’m silent right now.

Only passing it along to Titania, not doing anything.

You of all people should understand what that means.

Why aren’t you coming?

It’s not like I particularly want to cut you down.

But if you’re going to come out like this.

I’ll have no choice but to cut you down as a criminal.

At the very least, *I’m* the victim here.

This is the last chance I’m giving you, as the victim, Reina.

‘If you don’t come before I’m healed at Elven Heim, I’ll have to erase you from my mind.’

It’s possible to commit a sin.

Everyone makes mistakes, and even if the mistake is huge, it’s okay, because *I’m* the only victim.

If it had been done to anyone but me, I might not have been able to forgive it.

I still had the bad habit of prioritizing others over myself, so I was somewhat lenient about the things done to me.

But I think of that as a bad thing and also a good thing at the same time.

Anyways.

You can commit sins, you can make mistakes, and I understand the urge to run from those sins and mistakes.

But you have to face them.

Come to me.

Come and beg.

Cry that you’re sorry.

Apologize.

Tell everyone your sins.

Promise to accept judgment.

Take your punishment.

Then, at least, I’ll remember you as someone who was once a comrade but went down the wrong path.

But.

If you don’t come.

I.

Will only kill you as the piece of trash you are.

And all the truth will be revealed by my hand, not yours.

Choose what you want.

I wish that this story would start because of you, not me.

“Lady Olivia? What’s wrong?”

“Huh? It’s nothing. More importantly, everyone here is so tenacious! The royal guards protecting our country have to be like this!”

“W-we’re not that good to be praised by the hero.”

“It’s just that, against the Hero, I was utterly and completely defeated, even more so than against Silphy…”

Actually, some people could keep up a bit with Silphy, but in the end she lost. But in my match, no one could even make me take a single step.

If Silphy and Les teamed up, I might have to get somewhat serious.

But in a one-on-one, I didn’t even need to move.

Frankly, there were some guys who, even if I didn’t defend and just took their hits, I could probably just block with the magic naturally flowing through my body.

“H-Hero-nim! How can we become as strong as you?”

“Talent.”

“Hmm.”

Ah.

Was that a bit too blunt?

But it was the truth.

“Well, I could give you some speech about dreams and hope here, but you guys are soldiers who already know reality… To be frank, I had talent, overwhelmingly more than others.”

There was talent.

There was a burning desire.

The moment I held a weapon, I instinctively knew how to use it.

For me, using a weapon was less about application and more about a sensory understanding.

* Use it this way, and it’s more efficient.

* Swing it this way, and it’s faster.

* Attack like this, and the opponent can’t block it.

Just that sort of intuitive something.

So, to follow my swordsmanship, you’d need reflexes and physical abilities on par with mine, or you simply couldn’t.

“But it’s not like I haven’t put in the effort. It’s as if I was destined to be a hero from the moment I was born; I’ve swung my weapon my entire life, to become a hero. Not a single day of rest, every single day.”

I also used to get hit by my father if I didn’t.

The pressure from those around me was so intense that I found it easier to just train myself.

“If this world really allowed you to achieve anything with effort, then the long-living elves would’ve conquered everything.”

A hero would’ve been born from the elves.

But that didn’t happen.

“I’ve had overwhelming talent and I’ve put in overwhelming effort. …But even so, I’m not telling you to give up just because you lack talent. Well, maybe…if you’re aiming to be the strongest and you don’t have talent, I might try to discourage you a bit.”

But in history, sometimes there were people, regardless of race, who were thought to be without talent, but it turned out they were late bloomers and suddenly became strong.

So, just because you don’t have talent now doesn’t guarantee you won’t have it tomorrow.

Still, to state that as a general rule would be ridiculous; it happened on such a rare level.

“You’re soldiers. It’s your role to protect the country, not be the strongest.”

“…….”

“I’m a hero, so my role was to become the strongest. That’s all it is.”

“Lady Olivia…….”

“Huh? What is it?”

“For the first time, you seem like an adult…….”

“Silphy, what do you mean by that?”

What did I seem like until now?

“Uh, anyway! Alright! From now, if any of you can land an attack on me within 3 minutes, I’ll teach you a fun technique.”

“Alright! Charge!!”

“Huh? No, you’re supposed to come one at a time!!”

“There were no such rules! This is our chance to learn a technique from the Hero! Full charge!!”

They’d already abandoned their pride and all, it seemed they were trying to squeeze out any secret to getting stronger from me, even a tiny bit.

That’s a pretty good attitude.

I like it.

I moved lightly, dodging all the attacks, and using my wooden sword, I tapped their heads just enough to make it slightly painful.

“Ouch!”

“Ugh! I got hit in the same spot again!!”

“Where, where is it!?”

“Agh, I tripped!”

“Hero! At least move at a speed we can see!!”

A few of the soldiers were roughly tracking my movements with their eyes, but their bodies couldn’t keep up, while Les and Silphy were naturally pinpointing my exact location.

Still, I could see a few elves among the soldiers who seemed like they could get stronger.

Not with explosive strength, but guys who, given time, would be revered as famous soldiers among the elves.

*Whack!*

*Whack!*

*Whack!*

“Hahaha! With that, do you think you can catch me? Even if you all attack at once, it’s pointless without coordination!”

“Krrk!”

“Hahahah! Haha… ha?”

I was laughing like that when I saw someone standing at the entrance.

It was Royce.

Royce was there, smiling.

“Royce?”

I froze solid, and naturally, the elf lying on the floor grabbed my ankle.

“Gotcha.”

“Gotcha!!”

“Whoa!! We got him!”

“So who is that guy? A human?”

“That’s him, the hero’s companion.”

“He’s handsome…”

“As an elf, that’s kinda not right, is it?”

Everyone was chattering among themselves, but I was completely frozen, staring at Royce who was still smiling.

I instinctively knew that his smile was to mask his rage.

Slowly, Silphy and Less started to move away, creating some distance.

Why.

Why are you moving away from me?

The elves, sensing the strange atmosphere, also naturally moved back, leaving me alone in the center of the training ground.

“……”

“Livia.”

“Yes.”

“Why don’t you just rip off the bandages and start running wild?”

“…….”

“Looks like you’re forgetting you’re a patient. Huh?”

“No, um… I thought I’d be okay….”

“Okay until you have a seizure? Didn’t you say you’d just do light exercise? You’ve broken a sweat, too.”

“…….”

It felt like a different kind of sweat was pouring from me, not the kind from a casual workout.

“Well, um… I got carried away, everyone seemed to be enjoying it… And getting on good terms with the elves would be beneficial in many ways… The soldiers were enthusiastic too, and….”

“Livia.”

Her voice, light yet firm, sent a shiver down my spine.

And.

“I’m sorry.”

I understood clearly that I had no other choice in that moment but to bow my head.

After this, rumors spread in Elvenheim about a human man stronger than the Hero.