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Since there was no proper means to transport them immediately, they gathered the bodies in a row on one side and covered them with a cloth. Then, they set up a barrier to prevent monsters, beasts, or insects from disturbing them.

It seemed that this series of processes went smoothly due to previous experiences.

Ian, who was watching quietly without anything to assist with, turned his head.

Abella, who had been reciting prayers for the dead, walked a distance away and sat down against a tree.

“……”

When they first met before the regression, she had an expression as if she had experienced all the world’s hardships.

But now, it was different. Her human side was apparent as she mourned the death of a comrade, making her seem rather young.

Ian thought about whether to let her have her time alone but felt that her somber expression indicated she had much to say.

Feeling an inexplicable sense of pity, he made his way over to her.

A few paladins watched him but did not stop him. In fact, they even showed consideration by allowing him to converse comfortably.

“……”

“May I sit beside you?”

Abella, staring blankly into space, turned to look at him and replied with a slight smile.

“Of course. That’s unexpected.”

“In what way?”

“I thought you would just sit down without asking.”

Her comment made it seem as though she knew his usual behavior, leaving Ian momentarily speechless, but he sat down next to her without showing any discomfort.

There was no conversation exchanged. He simply kept her company.

Abella quietly let tears flow.

Ian watched her for a moment, then took out a handkerchief and offered it to her.

“You didn’t have to, but thank you.”

“…Are you okay?”

As Abella wiped her tears, she gave a bittersweet smile.

“Of course not. But I will be okay. This kind of sorrow is only temporary.”

“It seems you’re getting used to it.”

“I think so. No, I might already be accustomed to it. In fact, I tend to shake off negative emotions pretty quickly. I’ve been like that since becoming a hero. At some point, I just started adapting and getting used to everything as if I had experienced it before.”

Ian was taken aback.

‘Experienced it before?’

Could it mean she essentially knew about the future?

Carefully, Ian opened his mouth.

“So, did you know about me too?”

“Hmm.”

Abella turned to him. Her ash-colored eyes sparkled, perhaps because she had just been crying.

Could a face without any makeup be this beautiful? It was embarrassing to realize that they were making eye contact.

For the first time in a long while, he felt his heart racing. After a brief silence, she spoke.

“Ian Berger. Is there anyone in the East who doesn’t know that name? The one who abandoned his duty, the wastrel, the good-for-nothing.”

Ian’s face turned red. He thought he was used to hearing such things from others, but hearing it from Abella was particularly embarrassing.

Seeing his reaction, she let out a small laugh.

“What’s this? Are you feeling shy?”

“A bit, yes.”

“Doesn’t suit you. Really.”

Seeing that Abella looked hurt, she immediately apologized.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to tease you. You know? But isn’t it funny? Why was the evaluation of you so stingy? Among the many nobles and clergy of the Empire, there are plenty who are more incompetent and corrupt than you. Why don’t they get scolded?”

“Well, perhaps there are circumstances we don’t know about, or maybe they just aren’t as famous as Berger.”

“Aren’t you resentful?”

“What is there to be resentful about? It’s true that I was incompetent. In the case of the corrupt, if they exceeded a certain level, they would be investigated and punished by the Imperial Inspection Agency. So, getting back to the main topic, you didn’t know about me?”

At Ian’s persistent questioning, Abella shook her head.

“Oh dear. You really won’t let this go, will you? You wouldn’t believe me even if I lied, would you?”

“No.”

“…I knew. To be precise, I realized the moment I heard your name.”

“What do you mean?”

Abella turned her gaze forward again and continued speaking.

“I mentioned earlier that at some point, everything felt familiar as if I had experienced it before. When I heard your name, I recalled our non-existent first meeting. I walked up to you, who looked much more mature at that time, with a fierce glint in your eyes, tearing into a piece of meat.”

Ian’s eyes widened. He could guess what her next words would be, and his heart began to race.

“Sadly, this world is facing its end. Do you know…”

A chill ran down his spine.

“Wait, does that mean—”

“Shh. Lower your voice. This is a secret.”

“…Do you know everything about the future?”

Abella smiled gently and shook her head.

“Unfortunately, not really. Most of the time, I just experience déjà vu, and clear cases like earlier are extremely rare. Even that is often useless or fragmentary.”

“Oh.”

“So, how should I put it? It feels empty. If I had known the future properly, as a hero, I wonder if I could have avoided their deaths.”

“…You don’t need to blame yourself. If it were possible, that would mean you were a god.”

“That’s why every time something like this happens, I renew my determination. I want to work harder and reach a higher level as soon as possible.”

“What will you do after you become that strong?”

“Isn’t that an obvious question? As a hero, my duties are clear, right? I must eradicate monsters, eliminate evil, and ultimately defeat the foreign powers. So that this beautiful world can achieve peace and stability.”

Ian nodded at Abella’s unwavering goals. She truly was a consistent person.

Once again, she would do her utmost to achieve that noble and grand purpose. Perhaps that was why he felt drawn to her.

“Abella.”

“Yes?”

Ian hesitated for a moment. He often thought about it whenever he had the leisure.

What was the reason for his regression? How should he live this second chance? What should he use as a guide to move forward?

These thoughts always led to one conclusion.

Hero.

He wanted to be a hero.

He wanted to be called a hero.

He wanted to fulfill the dream he had given up on as a child. To do so, he needed to grow stronger.

He couldn’t just stop at level 5. Before the regression, he had barely reached level 6 at the moment of his death, so he would aim to surpass that.

“Reaching level 7 is the minimum qualification, I suppose. If I’m with Abella, I can walk that path straight.”

“May I join you in your endeavors?”

“……”

Abella’s expression suddenly hardened. He wondered if he had made a mistake, but he didn’t truly believe that.

He had no doubt she would accept him, as she tended to welcome capable companions.

However, her next response was unexpected.

“No.”

It was a refusal.

“…May I ask why?”

“Because it’s dangerous.”

It felt like being struck with a blunt object to the head. He immediately wanted to refute, but the words wouldn’t come out. It wasn’t an incorrect statement, after all.

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not because you’re weak or lack talent, or because I dislike you. It’s simply that I repeatedly have this ominous dream.”

“What kind of dream?”

Abella smiled bitterly as she spoke.

“I don’t know exactly how many years from now, but everyone fighting alongside me against the foreign powers dies.”

“……”

“Oddly enough, I can’t remember the faces or names of those who were there. But what’s clear is that they were strong. I fought alongside them against the foreign powers, believing in them, but only one person survived. That person was on the brink of death too. Ultimately, he breathed his last in my arms as I woke from the dream. Perhaps you were among those who died there.”

I was the one who breathed my last in your arms.

Ian wanted to say that, but seeing her in front of him, he realized she would probably not understand, so he kept his mouth shut.

“Every time I have that dream, I think, ‘If this is a premonition of the future, I shouldn’t gather companions. They might be wiped out because of me. I should travel alone…’ As much as I want to shake off the paladins, they never allow it, probably because they find me unreliable. I can’t help it. I’m still weak. I lack social experience.”

She gazed into the void with a bitter expression.

“Abella.”

“……”

“Abella.”

Only after calling her name a second time did she respond.

“Oh, yes.”

“I want to ask one more thing.”

“What if I say no?”

“I’ll still intend to ask.”

“Do you think I won’t answer?”

Ian nodded.

“Then that’s fine.”

“You’re quite shameless. Alright, what do you want to ask?”

“If I become stronger, if I reach a level similar to yours, can I then stay by your side?”

Abella didn’t respond immediately. She merely gazed at him with ashen eyes, seemingly trying to comprehend his intent behind such words.

Eventually, she tilted her head, looking skeptical.

“What’s your reason?”

“Simply put, I want to help lighten the burden you’ll have to bear.”

His response was unexpected, as Abella widened her eyes in surprise, blinking several times before she broke into a chuckle.

“I don’t think so; there’s ulterior motive, right? Have you fallen for me?”

“…That’s not an incorrect statement.”

“Be honest. But are you sure about this? It’s not just heavy; it’s probably quite burdensome.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be a little lighter if we shared the load?”

“Alright. Since you put it that way, I’ll look forward to it.”

Abella stood up from the rock.

“I used the handkerchief well.”

And then she quickly left.

Left alone, Ian sighed as she walked away.

‘What did I just say?’

It was truly impulsive. At that moment, he felt a presence behind him.

Startled, he turned his head to find a blond man in worn armor, with a helmet tucked under his arm, standing there.

“Hehe.”

“……”

It was the chatty hero, Gailgron. Given his beaming smile, it seemed he had overheard the entire conversation.

“Ah, youth is wonderful, isn’t it? What about me? I’m carrying quite a heavy load too. Care to help me out?”

“Unfortunately, you’re not a beauty.”

“But I’m a handsome guy.”

“That’s not incorrect, but sadly, we’re the same gender, aren’t we?”

“So?”

“That means it can’t happen. If you were the opposite gender, I might have considered it, but it’s a pity.”

Gailgron clicked his tongue.

“Oh, I didn’t expect that. Are you discriminating based on gender?”

“You shouldn’t have eavesdropped on a private conversation in the first place.”

“What can I do if I can hear it? If you didn’t want that, you should have put some soundproofing in place. Like this.”

An unusual ripple emanated from him, enveloping a certain radius and blocking the gazes and sounds from the surroundings.

“If you can use it, why not?”

“Don’t you know how? Why not learn? It’s simple.”

Ian, who had been responding curtly, immediately changed his attitude.

“If you teach me…! I’d like to learn, but don’t you need to be at least level 6 to use this properly?”

Gailgron chuckled.

“What are you talking about? You’re a Wielder.”

“When did I ever claim to be a Wielder?”

“…Oh, right? Now that I think about it, your level was low when I saw you recently. So, how did you survive with Ollak, that woman?”

“By skill.”

“Unless you’re incredibly lucky, that’s hard to pull off. Do you know what level that lizard is? Level 7. Level 7. And it’s aiming for level 8. And you?”

“I’m aiming for level 5.”

“Really? That’s all you’ve achieved?”

“I don’t know what kind of delusion you’re under, but I grow quite quickly. I’m already aiming for level 5 less than a year after reaching level 4.”

Of course, it was thanks to hunting beasts and acquiring mana stones, but even considering that, most ordinary people would take at least several years to overcome the barrier of level 5.

If they lacked talent, it could take a decade. Given this, Ian’s growth rate could be considered exceptional.

However, this wasn’t purely because of exceptional talent; it was possible because he had walked this path once before.

“Hmm, level 4, huh….”

“Can you not learn it?”

“Just because I can’t learn it doesn’t mean I can’t use it. However, the mana consumption will be a bit high. The radius will also be narrow. But there’s no harm in familiarizing myself with it in advance. One day, I might find it useful.”

“Like what, for example?”

“You can have a secret conversation in front of others without any worries.”

“Can you also hide your presence?”

At Ian’s question, Gailgron raised the corners of his mouth in amusement.

“Not at all. It would actually give away your position. This creates a barrier using mana to prevent sounds from leaking out. It’s simpler than it looks, so you’ll learn it quickly.”

The hero’s teaching was a rare opportunity.

———-