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Chapter 20
Hero Flash of Memories
Translated by AmaLynne
Power completely drains from my body and I can’t move a single finger.
The next thing I know, I can’t see and I feel『something』slipping away from me.
「…Hey, get up, you goofy hero! Hey, are you listening to… Oh, hey. This guy ain’t breathing.」
「…Huh? Hey, hey, hey, did I hit her wrong? Damn, that’s not good…」
「I ain’t got time for this! Go get Gale-sama, quick!」
Hearing such voices, I was relieved.
Now I would never have to go through that hell again. I could finally die.
I can die knowing who I am, while my mind is not broken, while I can still think.
That’s strange. Something is pouring into my head.
It’s from…Is this me, before I became a hero?
All the memories I’ve been having are kind of jumbled up in my head…
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I was born in a village with no name, in a remote part of the Holy Land of Mercurius.
My mother and father were ordinary farmers. The only difference was that they had a daughter so beautiful that even my parents wondered where they got such genes.
It was not me. It was my sister.
My sister, who was two years older than me, became more beautiful with age.
Furthermore, she had a very high number in the『Ability Descent』when she was five years old, which made my parents jump up and down.
In response, most of my parents’ love went to my sister… I found myself being treated as if I no longer existed.
But I was fine with that.
Some people in the village were very kind to me, who were reluctant to talk to those parents, and they weren’t being rough with me.
It was sad that my parents didn’t look at me, but I didn’t have to live with them.
The turning point came on my fifth birthday.
『You have just celebrated your fifth birthday. Congratulations! Therefore, as a gift from God, you will be granted status.』
With these words, which I heard with fanfare, my『ability』was unloaded.
I still remember the feeling I had at that moment. It was as if I was no longer myself, yet strangely enough, I felt no sense of discomfort, as if I was filled with power.
I showed my parents the numbers that were written at that time. My parents looked at me with a hint of annoyance, and then their eyes widened to the point where I thought they were going to pop out of their heads.
After that, all hell broke loose.
It seems that my parents bragged about my『Status』to the whole village, and many people came to see my status.
I still don’t understand that one. There’s a level 1 and a bunch of other numbers… Other than the level, there were no numbers below 100, but what was the fun in looking at those numbers anyway?
After that, my life changed completely.
My parents started smiling and laughing at me, and I felt like everyone in the village itself was smiling.
I thought it was strange, but I thought that if everyone was smiling, that was fine.
My only sister, who was no longer treated like a princess, tried to bully me, but she was so weak that I didn’t mind at all.
But that time only lasted for a month.
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A month after my birthday, many knights came from the holy city.
They seemed to have come looking for me.
The fortune-teller at the castle had found me.
『You are a girl with the qualities of a hero. Come with us and together we will defeat the evil demon tribe.』
The knights said this to me in their mouths.
I didn’t like it. I didn’t need the qualities of a hero. I want to live in this village forever.
Yes, when I told my parents…
『What are you talking about! You can help defeat the demon tribe that Misery-sama hates!』
『That’s right! Go! If you don’t go, I’ll make you leave this village!』
With that said, I had no choice but to work as a hero in the holy city.
The night before I left for the capital.
I woke up feeling hot and went into the living room to drink some water.
Then I saw that my father and mother were still awake and there was a lot of golden『something』spread out on the desk… They looked so happy and laughed when they saw it.
I couldn’t quite hear what they were talking about, but I heard words like「going to one’s fate」,「my dear fellow」,「play and live」, and so on.
I understand now. My parents sold me.
I knew they were going to turn me into a puppet to fight against the demon tribe, and then they gave me away for that money.
On the day I left for the holy city, I went to greet everyone in the village.
Many people told me that they would miss me and that they were sad.
But somehow, their eyes were not the same as the way they used to look at me.
They looked at me as if they were looking at a very important『tool』.
Ah, I see. Those people must have been paid by the knights.
They all sold me for money… As a『tool』.
After all, there was no place for me in that village.
And I, at least at that time, I was a pure and innocent girl who knew nothing, at that time, I was sad and depressed about leaving the village and heading for the divine city.
And then I tasted the hell of this world, leading up to the present.
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「…Oh dear, be careful next time, okay? It is fine to break her heart, but if you break her body, it is a matter of great concern for mankind. I can’t use revival magic more than once, you know.」
「Yes, I am sorry!」
「How can I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused you?」
「No, no, what has happened can’t be helped. More than that…」
…What is that voice?
I thought I was dead…?
So is this heaven or hell?
I forced my head, which was not working well, to get up and try…
A large foot was thrust into my stomach.
「Gebo…!」
「I am angry at your fragility, dying at this level. You should have been fine in terms of status, but you died once. I can only assume that you were trying to give up your life.」
I thought I should say something, but the shock I received in my stomach made me puke up blood mixed with vomit and I couldn’t say anything.
「You are a hero, you know? It is your job to help Misery-sama and protect us humans. What is such a being to do with such a spirit? …You goof!」
「Hii!」
I was kicked in the head and hit the wall on the other side.
It hurts, it hurts, but my high status keeps me alive.
…Keep me alive? Does it hurt? …I should be dead.
Then, finally, I saw the face of the man who kicked me.
It’s a face I’ve seen a few times before.
He was a huge man, probably over two meters tall. A Bible in his hand. There was no doubt about it.
Third in the order of the《Twelve Holy Apostles》―――Gale of『Heavenly Life』.
He is said to be the best in the world in terms of recovery and support, and even manipulates revival magic.
Yes, revival magic. Magic that brings living things back to life.
Then I understood. I was brought back to life. Forcibly, by this man.
I thought I could finally die. I thought it would be easy.
「Oops… If I do any more, I’ll have to resuscitate her again. Well, gentlemen, I’ll leave the rest to you.」
「Yes, Gale-sama!」
「Damn, the kid, she died like that… Don’t you feel sorry for Misery-sama because you’re so weak!」
Yes. I am weak.
I don’t have the strength to get out of here, nor the courage to die myself.
And even if I did, I would be revived. I have to keep doing this.
Oh, let me die, quickly.
Or else…make me crazy fast.
Make me unable to think. Don’t feel anything.
I don’t care if I become what they want me to be, as long as I can get out of this pain.
So be what they want you to be.
Let my heart break quickly.