Several days had passed since the Goddess regained her strength. To repay the villagers for their kindness, I spent that time assisting them with the Harvest Festival.
The festival took place in the central village square to celebrate the harvest. It was a time to thank the gods for this year's crops and pray for abundance in the next. Thanks to my physical abilities as an adventurer, the heavy labor felt like nothing; I helped decorate the village and prepare the food.
When I finished the bulk of the work and took a moment to rest, I went to check on the Goddess. Upon entering the house we had rented, I found Mr. Kadm standing beside her bed.
"Mr. Kadm?"
I called out to him. He was gazing at the sleeping Goddess with a calm, still expression. He turned toward me, startled. Surprise flickered across his face for a moment, but he quickly regained his usual gentle smile and bowed his head. The steady tap of his cane echoed through the silent room.
"Rest easy. I have done no harm to Her Divinity."
"O-Of course. Is... something wrong?"
I asked, sensing something strange in his posture; it seemed devoid of its usual vitality. Kadm turned his entire body toward me and spoke again.
"Bell, I wanted to speak with you. Could you spare a few minutes for this old man?"
I agreed, though his serious tone puzzled me. He invited me into his private room. We entered a barren space containing only a simple wooden table and a few chairs. I sat where he indicated. Kadm remained silent for a while as he sat across from me, then he began to speak slowly.
"Is this... a Familia emblem?"
"Yes. It dates back decades, to a time when I was a follower of a certain Goddess."
He produced a crimson emblem. Once vibrant, its color had faded with time. He spoke with a voice thick with nostalgia and grief. The emblem depicted a shadow resembling flickering flames. Despite its age, its excellent condition proved it had been preserved with great care.
Kadm began to recount his story as if reaching back for distant memories.
"I held deep feelings for her... and she loved me in return."
"What!?"
I could not hide my shock at the idea of a Goddess and her follower exchanging vows of love. Kadm continued with a melancholy smile.
"But despite my resolve to protect her, I failed. She sacrificed herself to shield me from a monster's claws. That act led to her exile, and she was forcefully sent back to the heavens."
Kadm told me this happened over fifty years ago. He coughed violently, clasping his hands and bowing his head like a man confessing his sins. That Goddess, who had no follower but Kadm, had been attacked by a pack of monsters. She chose to sacrifice herself to ensure his survival.
When the gods descend to the Lower World, they lose their divine powers. While they do not "die" in the human sense, if their physical forms are destroyed, they are forcibly returned to the heavens.
This meant the person he loved had perished before his eyes to save him. If I placed myself in Kadm's position with Lady Hestia, could I have endured it? What emotions did Kadm feel in that moment—being protected by the very person he was supposed to protect?
He must have blamed himself for his weakness. Even now, regret gnawed at his heart for losing the one he held most dear. I understood his feelings with painful clarity; I had suffered from my own weakness many times and felt the same bitterness. I found no words to comfort Kadm, whose agony far exceeded anything I had experienced. Simple words of consolation felt like an insult to the weight of his tragedy.
"After I lost her, I lost the will to live. I came to these Beol Mountains to end my life in total despair."
He told me he had wandered the mountains, searching aimlessly for a place to die. By chance, he reached this village, where he was welcomed by villagers who carried similar pasts. Thus, his life continued until now. Kadm glanced at the window with a self-deprecating smile. The sky had begun to turn the color of rubies as evening approached.
"The life she saved... in the end, I could not throw it away."
In the room bathed in twilight, Kadm closed his eyes and whispered with a voice dripping with regret. After a moment, he opened them and looked at me. His eyes held a resolve that a young man like me could not possibly measure.
"Bell, please... protect that Goddess with everything you have."
"Don't be like me," he said, coughing harshly while staring directly into my eyes.
The wish of Kadm, who saw his younger self in me and did not want me to walk the same path, was desperate and sincere. I felt I had to accept it with the utmost seriousness. Kadm left the room without waiting for my answer, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I clenched my fists tightly, feeling the weight of that sorrowful wish.
●○●○●
Hours after Al had left, I stood alone on a hill at the village outskirts. I watched the villagers prepare for the festival, lost in my own thoughts. Al's words still echoed in my mind.
If monsters had feelings or reasons to live like humans... I didn't understand why he said that.
"........"
I tried to calm my heart's turmoil by looking at the village. That quiet life, protected by dragon scales, looked like an oasis of peace.
But...
"Do you hate this village?"
"No... it isn't that."
I answered without turning toward the voice that suddenly came from behind me. It was Mr. Kadm, the village chief. He looked pale and frail, his body clearly exhausted by illness. I tried to dismiss the idea that I hated the village by shaking my head, but the words failed me.
"As you have learned, this village is protected by monsters."
"From the perspective of an adventurer who fights monsters daily, or someone who has lost something precious to them, there must be a bitterness in that."
I felt flustered. His words seemed to read the depths of my heart. Despite his calm smile, his eyes held a glimmer of sadness.
"I, too, loathed this village at first."
"What...?"
I turned toward him in surprise at this unexpected confession. He was looking at the distant horizon, where Bell and Al were visible among the villagers busy with the festival.
"I was once the follower of a certain Goddess."
He began to tell me his life story: how monsters tore his beloved Goddess away from him, how he lost hope and purpose, and how he eventually found a home in this village among others with similar tragedies.
"I pray that you meet someone who heals the wounds in your heart that have not yet closed."
He said this, then bowed and left. As I watched him go, I looked down at my palms. Under the crimson sky, I could not move for a long time.
I don't think anyone can fill the void of my wounds. A hero who saves me... that's impossible—
●○●○●
"Hmm? Is that a village dance? There seem to be many young people there."
"That is..."
After completing the festival preparations, young men and women began to dance in pairs around the campfire burning in the center of the village. Their movements didn't follow strict rules; it looked free and spontaneous. Amidst the cheerful singing and the melodies of musical instruments, people of various races danced with smiles on their faces, bringing an unexpected joy to the soul.
An elderly man answered the Goddess's curious question. He told us that this dance was an old tradition in the village, where men without partners invited girls to dance. In short, it was an occasion to confess one's feelings; inviting someone to dance was a declaration of love.
Upon hearing that, the Goddess began to murmur with interest, her eyes gleaming. She approached me and grabbed my arm.
"Um... Bell? Regarding this... if you don't mind... I mean, if you have no objection..."
She looked up at me with flushed cheeks. She looked so incredibly cute that my heart pounded, and my mind went blank for a second. I quickly regained my balance and said with a shy smile:
"Alright... I understand. Would you care to dance with me?"
Despite my shyness, I could not refuse the Goddess's invitation. I took her hand and spoke the invitation awkwardly. Her face lit up, and she answered with great joy: "Yes!"
The villagers watched us with kind gazes, which only made me more embarrassed, but in this unavoidable situation, I had no choice but to move forward. I took the Goddess's small hand, and we joined the dance.
"Mmm, this is a bit difficult..."
"Ahaha........"
Her jet-black hair fluttered with every step. In her traditional attire, which differed from her usual clothes, the Goddess radiated a unique charm.
"Bell, lead me skillfully!"
"O-Of course."
Despite my stiff movements, I did my best to lead her. As I looked at her innocent smile, our eyes suddenly met. She smiled shyly, her cheeks turning even redder. I felt a warmth spread through my chest and smiled back, which seemed to make her immensely happy.
The pleasant time passed quickly. Those who were tired gradually withdrew from the fire until only the Goddess and I remained in the center. In the final moment, the music surged loudly, and the crowd's cheers rose.
"Right, where is my brother and..."
I turned toward the source of other cheers at the corner of the village and saw an awe-inspiring sight: a handsome man who looked like a polished blade, and a girl of such exquisite beauty she seemed an ethereal spirit.
Their white and golden hair sparkled under the firelight. They looked as if they had just stepped out of a painting, drawing sighs of admiration from everyone. They were performing a stunning dance, utilizing their physical abilities as first-class adventurers; it was a captivating sight.
A scene that looked like a chapter from an ancient legend: my brother with his charming aura and Ais as his delicate heroine. Their dance was truly fantastical. Even Ais, who had initially reached out her hand shyly, seemed to be enjoying herself, harmonizing with the festival atmosphere as she smiled softly—like a sacred spirit manifesting in that place.
●○●○●
"Alright... I understand. Would you care to dance with me?"
"Yes!!"
Bell and Goddess Hestia danced in the center of the village under the firelight. To the upbeat melodies, they continued to dance with simple but joyful steps, their hands intertwined.
Seeing the villagers clapping and singing folk songs amidst that atmosphere of joy made my heart ache. I felt black flames igniting within me, and I reflexively placed my hand on my chest. I ground my teeth and looked away from them, trying to quiet my soul.
Why? Why did I feel all this pain? Simply seeing them laugh together filled my heart with an unbearable darkness. What was this feeling? I didn't know. But I realized perfectly that it was a loathsome feeling.
"..... So that's it."
I feel lonely. A sense of isolation gripped me amidst the festival's noise, and that is what brought me pain and sadness. I, who know nothing but fighting, must be an outsider here.
(I don't belong here)
I pulled away quietly so as not to spoil their fun and turned my back on the noisy square. As the sounds of laughter faded, my mood grew worse. I searched for an empty spot to avoid disturbing any groups of villagers.
I walked, holding my breath, until I hid behind the shadow of a large tree and sat there, pulling my knees to my chest. The quiet night forest helped me regain some peace. Silence enveloped the area, with only the rustle of leaves in the breeze. I sighed in relief after moving away from the noise.
Hiding was a skill I had mastered long ago. In the end, no one found me—not even a single hero. I laughed bitterly at myself for this dark thought, which was unlike me.
Suddenly, I felt a gaze fixed on me. I turned to see...
"Al?"
My heart leaped. Al was there, wearing festival clothes he had borrowed from the villagers, though they looked disheveled.
"What are you doing here alone?"
He looked at me as though he were watching a pathetic creature. Although sitting alone under a tree at night while the festival was at its peak might seem strange, I would not accept being looked at that way. My gloomy feelings vanished, replaced by annoyance. I looked at him sharply.
"It's none of your business what I do, is it?"
"Well, that's true, but..."
Al hesitated, rubbing his cheek awkwardly. I tilted my head in question. Usually, he would have said, "I see, goodbye," and left.
"Everyone seems happy."
"Ah... yes, that's true. Isn't it good to enjoy this kind of atmosphere once in a while?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
Silence fell again. What was this feeling? It was strange and uncomfortable. His look was exactly like the one Riveria gave me when she was unsure how to handle me. I kept staring at him without a word until he let out a long sigh and opened his mouth to speak.
"Haaa..."
"?"
Al tilted his head as if exhausted, then suddenly reached out his hand toward me.
"Will you dance with me?"
"What? Oh... Yes!!"
●○●○●
No, no, no... although I wish for her to drown in gloom, this is happening far too early. The Xenos arc hasn't even started yet—are you acting like a child unable to blend in with others?
Fine. One dance, and maybe the others will be encouraged to invite her.
Come on, let's dance. I have no experience, but I'll rely on my physical abilities; it will work out somehow.
Once I'm finished, I'll go to sleep, so I'll leave the rest to you.
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