“The Way I Die” In This Hopeless World…

Isino Yas-san

Episode 1: The Three Hopes

My name is Licht… I am a Hero in this world.

Needless to say, I am tall, blond, blue-eyed, and quite handsome.

The only hero in this world, officially recognized by the Calvin Empire, and with my trusty partner, the magic sword Raven, all demons will perish.

Right now, the world is at war between demonkind and humanity, and humans are at a disadvantage.

But, even in such a situation, there are existences called the “Three Hopes”.

First of all, there is me “Licht, the Black Hero”.

Considered the Hero of the Empire and the Savior of Mankind.

The most proficient user of Healing Magic in the Holy Church, “Milka, the White Saint”.

She is called a goddess with beautiful long silver hair, white skin, and almond eyes.

She is the best healer, said to be the second coming of the Saint.

The Kingdom’s Greatest Wizard, “Jamil, the Blue Sage”.

He has black hair and red eyes, is tall, and his complexion is always blue.

The most powerful wizard who uses a thousand magic spells like a Sage.

The three of us are humanity’s strongest warriors.

In this world, no hero, no saint, no sage has been born yet.

Both Milka and Jamil are called saints and sages because of their strength, but their true jobs are Healer and Mage.

In this world where the “Hero” is yet to be born… I am its strongest member.

◆◆◆

“Hero Licht, for your valiant defeat of the Demon Leader Burdo, I bestow upon you the Most Distinguished King’s Flowers Order of Merit.”

“I am honored.”

“As expected of Sir Licht, this is his 13th medal.”

“Most people receive such decorations only once in a lifetime, but to think that he’s earned such medals in succession…”

“That is the savior of mankind… the Brave Hero Licht.”

It’s the usual scene.

It’s a natural thing for me who fights on the front line.

“You’re still as amazing as ever.”

“What was that, Milka?”

“It’s nothing, don’t overdo it.”

“That being said, the world will be in trouble if we don’t step up here… we have to do it, don’t we?”

“My goodness, you, just don’t listen to what I say, it can’t be helped.”

“But you’re so amazing… you’re doing an incredible job, so no matter what achievements I make, they’ll fade away.”

Sometimes we fight together, sometimes we fight alone, and we keep a proper distance.

I would really like to form a party, but it’s not possible because of the national situation.

Fighting the demons should be the priority, but our countries are not united due to conflicts of interest… it’s ridiculous.

◆◆◆

I have one thing to hide, or rather, we don’t tell anyone.

That is, me and Milka are lovers.

A hero and a saint, if you think about it normally, that’s a good match, right?

But I am from the Empire and Milka is from the Holy Church in another country.

If we were to talk about getting married, both countries would probably have a dispute over ownership.

That’s why our relationship is a secret.

Jamil is the only one who knows about it besides the two of us.

I disguised myself as usual and waited for Milka, but she didn’t show up at the meeting place.

It’s unusual for the punctual Milka to be late… while I was waiting, a child adventurer brought me a letter.

“For me?”

“Yes, the Saint gave it to me.”

“Thank you.”

I gave him a copper coin as a reward and took the letter.

The letter said…

[There is a village being attacked, so I’m going with Jamil to subdue them.]

That’s what was written.

Odd.

If demons are attacking the village… why didn’t they call me?

Today is the day I’m meeting with Milka, so she should know I’m available.

It’s odd that they didn’t call me in this situation.

But… is that what you mean?

There are only a few demons, so we can defeat them ourselves… is that what you mean?

That’s odd too.

If such a small group of demons can be easily defeated, then Jamil’s personality would be to go alone.

If Jamil wants to take credit, there’s no way he’d invite Milka to join him.

“Those two”

This really stood out to me.

But they are two of the strongest people in the world.

Even if they are demon leaders, they will easily defeat them.

I thought so.

“I have no choice but to cancel today’s date…I’ll go back to the inn and go to bed.”

Come to think of it, I had pushed myself pretty hard to have a day off today.

I had been fighting without a break for a while now.

All right… I’m going to sleep to death today.

With that in mind, I went back to the inn.

Episode 2: The Unsmiling Milka

I woke up late at night.

I went to the Adventurers’ Guild, but they said there was no message.

No way, he didn’t call me, even though it was a job that would take several days.

Well, Jamil is like a little brother to me and Milka, he doesn’t care if we fool around, and as far as skills go, even a demon leader would be toothless before those two.

There should be no problem.

The only thing that bothers me is… I haven’t heard from Milka.

“I can ask for more details when they come back.”

With that in mind, I returned to the inn and went back to sleep.

◆◆◆

It’s all too odd.

It’s been a week now.

Something is happening that I don’t know about.

I have no choice but to eliminate the ogre that has appeared in the area, but I can’t help but worry.

I resent my status.

If I weren’t a Hero, I could find out where Milka is right now… but I can’t.

When I returned to the city after the subjugation… Jamil was there.

The fact that Jamil was there meant that Milka had returned as well.

“Hey, Jamil…”

“…”

Jamil suddenly ran away.

He’s a funny guy… well, it’s okay.

I’m based in this city now, so if he wants to see me, he can come anytime.

It’s more about Milka though.

I went to the Adventurer’s Guild.

“Isn’t this the Hero, Sir Licht? What can I do for you today?”

“A letter for Saint Milka, please”

“As you wish.”

◆◆◆

Odd… it’s been two days since then.

That we haven’t heard from them in this situation, it’s too odd.

I must speak to Jamil about this.

I had been looking for Jamil for six hours, and it was already dusk.

“There.”

But Jamil was on his way out of the gate.

“Where are you going at this hour?”

Normally, you wouldn’t go outside in the evening… because there are monsters… well, if you’re as capable as Jamil, you shouldn’t have any problems, but …

I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t a big deal.

It was odd, so I decided to follow him.

I don’t know what was happening.

Jamil was talking to a demon, although it was a mimick.

As a Hero, I can tell… if you look closely, there is no shadow.

There is no need to talk to the demons…our creed is to attack them immediately.

But Jamil does not move to attack at all.

It looked like he was begging for something.

It’s a shame that I don’t have exploration skills.

“※want※back※Hero※you”

It’s hopeless, I can’t hear him well.

“※promise※※※aint Mi※, ※※word”

I couldn’t hear him very well, but it sounded like “Saint Mi”.

I think he meant Milka.

Jamil is good for now… the demons should be the focus.

I decided to go after the demon Jamil was talking to, not Jamil.

◆◆◆

I followed the demon so as not to be noticed.

We went deeper and deeper into the forest.

“What’s beyond this point?”

After a while, there was a small abandoned mansion.

Demons in such ruins … it seemed suspicious.

I can’t hear much noise from inside.

Even if there were demons, they would be few in number.

I pulled out my Magic Sword Raven and opened the door to the ruins.

The ruined mansion was illuminated by the moonlight and had plenty of visibility.

I went up to the third floor, the top floor, to take the view from above, and looked from room to room…

“It’s odd, I don’t even feel any sign of them.”

I went to the second floor and looked around… there was no sign either.

Where did that demon disappear to…

When I looked around the first floor, and found a place where the wind was blowing in, even though there were walls.

“There’s something here.”

I thought so and looked for it… and there it was… the stairway to the basement.

After a while, the demon appeared… our eyes met.

“You, Licht.”

There’s no need to listen to it… I immediately slashed it down with my sword.

“You’re Licht, I’ll kill you.”

“Die―――”

That’s why they’re so second-rate… if you’re going to speak out, slash it immediately.

I also cut down two demons.

There doesn’t seem to be anyone else… what’s in the depths of this… I slowly made my way down, keeping a watchful eye on my surroundings.

There are several prisons, but no one seems to be in them.

There are also what appear to be torture devices, so this must be a facility for the demons to torture, interrogate, and execute humans.

As I went deeper into the prison…

No… no… it’s a lie! … a lie!

What I saw there…

Hands bound in chains, and hung up.

A knife had been stabbed in the chest… as if to settle a long-standing grudge, the right hand was missing and the stomach was slashed open… a corpse.

Milka was hanging there.

“Milka… Milka… Milka—

I cut the chains with Raven and put Milka down.

“Ugh… Milka”

Milka did not answer.

“Ugh, Milka —”

Milka did not smile.

It’s only natural…because Milka is dead…

Episode 3: Another Corpse

Milka…

Why…

What am I supposed to do now…

I always dreamed that… one day… we would be together…

Milka… without you… what am I wielding my sword for…

To save people?

To defeat the Demon Lord and bring peace to the world?

What’s the point…

I can’t wield a sword for the sake of a future without Milka…

Milka…

If I wasn’t a Hero, if she wasn’t the greatest healer… we’d probably be married by now…

We could plow the fields.

We could be adventurers and hunt together…

It may be out of character, but we could live a life selling items in a shop …

Whatever life we want to lead, that life is much better with ‘Milka’s presence’.

That’s why…

“Milkaaaaaah, why, why did you die… I loved you, really… why, why didn’t you talk to me…”

I hugged Milka, not caring that my clothes were dirty.

The tears just kept flowing and wouldn’t stop.

No matter how much I cry, the tears won’t stop.

“Higu… I beg you… stay with me… don’t leave me alone… Milka… Higu“

I don’t know how long I cried.

In my mind… has been long enough… to have cried my heart out.

Milka was smiling when we met.

But now she doesn’t say anything.

That’s right, her hand … I have to find Milka’s right hand…

It’s not there, it’s not there, it’s not there, it’s not there, it’s not there… Milka’s hand is nowhere to be found…

Milka, I’m sorry… I can’t find your hand…

I tried to find her right hand, but it was nowhere to be found.

Her staff, her weapon, is nowhere to be found…

Who cut off Milka’s right hand…

Milka must have had a staff.

She would never leave her staff in a place like this, let alone in the city.

Milka would never be so careless.

There is no one who can beat Milka with her staff.

If anyone could take the staff from Milka’s staff and amputate her right hand… it would be one man… one man who could take her by surprise… one man as skilled as she is… only Jamil.

When you think about it, it makes sense.

The cut surface of Milka’s hand looks like it was cut with wind magic… Wind Cutter.

Jamil’s specialty is wind magic…

Jamil… I don’t know why… but it was Jamil who cut off Milka’s right hand.

Milka, one of the Three Hopes, is dead…

If Jamil had something to do with Milka’s murder… he probably won’t be punished…

The world doesn’t want to lose another “Hope”…

But… I don’t know… such a world.

I don’t want a world without Milka… so I’m going to kill you, Jamil!

I carefully put Milka’s body into a storage bag… I didn’t notice it, but there was another body near Milka… it would be a shame to leave it here, so I’ll take it with me…

I buried Milka on a hill full of flowers near the city.

I also buried an unknown body next to her…

You can see the city from here, so they won’t be lonely…

“I’ll be back.”

I said that and left.

◆◆◆

I have to kill Jamil… but not in the city…

I have to get him the moment he leaves the city…

But there was no need to worry.

In the evening, Jamil walked out of the gate, just as he had done before, and stopped just before the forest.

“Jamil… the demon will not come.”

“Licht, what are you talking about… I…”

Shameless…

“I have proof… I won’t listen to excuses… I will avenge Milka’s death.”

I pull out Raven and slash him, in long-range battles, approach the opponent, and in close quarters, fight.

“Wait, wait.”

In the end it’s Jamil, he could dodge this…

“In that case, my secret technique…”

“Wait… just a little bit longer… I don’t mind getting killed in a little while… so wait.”

I doubt he’s lying under these circumstances…

“Talk then.”

“In a little while, a little more, my little sister will come back… if I can confirm that… I won’t need this life anymore… wait until then…”

“What do you mean?”

“I made a deal with the demon… if I offer Milka… they’ll give my sister back… so I… I know I did something terrible… but I had no choice… my sister, Lilina, was more important to me than life itself… so when my sister comes home, you… you can kill me… so just wait a little longer…”

This is ridiculous.

What an idiot…

Humans do not keep their promises to demons.

That’s why the demons won’t keep their promises to humans either…

“Demons don’t keep their promises to humans.”

“Hey…”

“What are you doing…”

I grabbed Jamil by the hair.

“Come here!”

“Argh… let go… I have to wait here!”

I understand… I understand…

“They told me to come so I could see my sisteeeer.”

“Really?”

“Aah.”

Jamil the Sage … what an idiot.

I grabbed Jamil’s hair and dragged him along…

Jamil felt no more pain.

◆◆◆

“Where is this place?”

“It’s Milka’s grave, she died because of you…”

“It’s my fault…”

I punched Jamil as hard as I could.

“You knew that if you gave her to the demons, she would be killed… you scum…”

“Say what you want… if you want my life, you can take it… but my sister, let me see my sister… let me bring her home.”

I silently pointed to the grave next to Milka’s grave.

“Wh… what is this mound…”

“Go on, just dig it up and see…”

What an idiot… the demons don’t keep their promises…

“What are you talking about, Licht!”

“Go on, dig ―― “

Jamil finally understood the situation and started digging with his hands.

And then… the moment he saw the clothes on the body…

“LILINAAAAAAAH! I kept my promise… and yet…”

“Jamil the Sage, doesn’t realize that demons don’t keep their promises? Half-witted bastard!”

“Lilina… Lilina, LILINAAAAAAAH… UUUUUUUUUUUUUHHH!”

“Don’t you cry! You murdering bastard… you’re an idiot, aren’t you? Don’t you know that if the demons kidnap you, they’ll kill you! You’re a Sage… what a wise man! You’re such a fool. Enough.”

“If Lilina is dead, then fine, I promised… so kill me.”

I want to kill you … I want to kill you, but… I won’t.

The one who will die… is me.

“Killing you now will only make things easier… so I won’t kill you… instead, from now on… you alone will protect this world until the day you die.”

“Licht… what do you mean…”

There is only one demon who could come up with such a scheme.

I suspect it’s one of the 6 Demon Archdukes, “Adrela, the Demon of Wisdom”.

“The ‘Hero Licht’ is no more… from now on, I’m merely Licht the Avenger. I want to kill you, but I won’t… I’m going to kill Adrela, one of the Six Archdukes… even if we have to fight each other… I will avenge Milka! So you, who killed one of the Three Hopes and drove the other to revenge… take responsibility and protect the world by yourself!”

“I didn’t kill Milka.”

“Do you not understand what happens when you deliver her with her arm cut off? You killed her… shut up, you bastard.”

I left Jamil, who looked like he wanted to say something.

Episode 4: Recollection

“Jamil… you! Why are you following me?”

“…”

“Hey!”

“You need me right now and… and…”

“And what!”

“You still don’t know what’s going on here…”

“If you want to talk, go ahead…”

Jamil started to talk.

A story I don’t even want to hear…

◆◆ Recollection◆◆

“Lilina… I’m home now, here, I brought cookies as a souvenir.”

This is strange… why are there no lights in the room?

“Lilina~ are you hiding?”

I can’t imagine her going out at night like this.

This is strange… what’s going on?

But Lilina has never been out this late before.

I hope she’s not involved in some kind of incident…

Her being involved in an incident would be terrible… I ran out of the house to look for my sister.

She’s not there… strange, she’s not anywhere.

I can’t do it today, so I’ll have to move the ‘Knight’ tomorrow.

Lilina, where did you go…

When I returned to the inn after searching…

“Someone is here.”

“You’re home early…”

It’s a decent mimicry, but my eyes can’t be fooled.

This is a demon… an enemy.

“You’re a demon… die.”

I raised my wand… why, why is this guy ‘smiling’

“You can kill me if you want… but if you kill me, you will never see your sister again.”

No way…

“No way… did you kidnap my sister?”

“Well, if I don’t return, she will be tortured and killed.”

“You… what do you want!”

“For us, the ‘Three Hopes’ are an obstacle, so any one of them is fine… offer one of them, render them incapable of fighting… in exchange for your sister.”

At that time, I was so preoccupied with my younger sister Lilina that I couldn’t think of anything else….

Either one… Licht is probably impossible.

If there’s a chance I could take advantage of, it’s Milka.

If it’s her, one way or another…

◆◆◆

Su~ha~su~ha~

“Milka, I’m sorry, but can you come right away?”

“What happened? If it’s a large-scale subjugation, we need to contact Licht as well…”

Usually that’s the case…but

“It’s a nearby village, but there are only a few left to defeat… however, there are many injured and some in a state where time is of the essence… I’m sorry, but we don’t have time for that.”

This is fine… it should be fine.

“Well, then we’ll have to leave right away… child adventurer over there, excuse me, but I need to send a letter, please.”

“Glad to help.”

Milka wrote a letter and handed it to the child adventurer.

Damn… but there’s nothing I can do about this…

“Then Milka… take this, you can drink it.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a potion that restores mana and relieves fatigue… we can’t rest, so drink it.”

“Understood.”

Milka quickly drank the recovery potion.

“Then I’ll run ahead.”

I ran ahead of Milka.

Milka followed behind me… this is fine.

What I just gave her is not a recovery potion… but a slow-acting sleep drug.

And it’s powerful enough to put even orcs to sleep…

“Uh… Jamil, sorry … just a little…”

It seemed to be working, because right behind me, Milka spoke in a broken tone and collapsed into a stupor.

“I’m sorry Milka… I can’t replace my sister.’

Incapacitated…

With this, I have betrayed humanity.

“uuuuuh I’m sorry—

I cast a Wind Cutter spell and cut off Milka’s right hand.

I threw the staff she was holding onto into the bushes along with her hand.

This sleeping drug is so powerful… she won’t wake up even with all this.

“You’re here anyway, aren’t you?”

“Glad you understood…”

“Look, it’s Milka, one of the Three Hopes as promised, her hand is amputated and she doesn’t have her staff, so she’s been nullified… now, as promised, give me back my sister…”

“Why should we bring her here? We know you’ll kill me as soon as we return your sister…”

“Then I can’t give you Milka.”

“Ah, but aren’t you the one in trouble? Can you bring her back with a missing hand?”

Damn… there’s no going back for me.

“All right… take her… be sure to bring my sister back…”

“I will definitely bring her back within a few days…”

But… the demons never kept their promise to me.

“If you want your sister back, bring the Hero Licht with you.”

“You promised, I gave you Saint Milka, keep your word.”

“Remember, we hold your sister in our hands.”

Saying that, the demon left as if he had no intention of arguing.

◆◆◆

“Hm~mm… where am I?”

“Welcome, Milka of the Three Hopes… or should I say former.”

Where is this?

My body feels heavy and my right hand hurts… it’s dark all around.

No way… lying there is the body of a girl.

“You’re a demon… how dare you kill people… die…”

My right hand… my right hand is missing…

“Ahahaha, what can you do without your right hand! Foolish girl.”

No right hand, no staff… and why am I hanging?

“Why, am I in this… Gufaaah!”

It cannot be, he suddenly stabbed with a knife …

“Don’t think you’ll get an easy death… when I use this small knife to slice open your belly… it will hurt, but you won’t die right away.”

“Gufu…how did you do this…”

“Foolish girl… Jamil betrayed you.”

“Don’t lie-ah! Argh! Jamil would never betray his comrades.”

“But he betrayed you… see that corpse lying there? That’s his sister… to get her back he gave up one of the Three Hopes… it was that easy… he even cut off your right hand.”

I see… Jamil’s sister was used as a shield… that idiot… demons don’t keep their promises… your sister is proof of that… she’s dead.

“Well … guhu, it can’t be helped, Goho … people are like that… because we’re alive … demons are garbage, gohogogo… I curse you— die, all demons to hell…”

“I don’t fear your grudge.”

“…”

I can’t speak anymore…

Jamil… you’re an idiot… there is no way the demons would keep their promises.

Licht… I wish I could have met you.

Even if it was just for one last time… I wanted to meet… I’m sorry, Licht …

And goodbye …

This is the end…

“At last, you’ve gone to your doom…”

I heard the demon’s mocking laughter.

Episode 5: My Death

“Do not follow me!”

“Even I can become a shield…”

“I wouldn’t give such an honor to the bastard who sold his comrades to the demons… go home!”

“Okay… I’m sorry.”

After that, Jamil finally left me.

If asked “Don’t you hate me?” I would answer “I do”.

But I think he had no choice… if I were in his shoes, I would give up Jamil, to get Milka back,… if he said that… I would understand emotionally.

Even if I can understand in my head… my heart still holds a grudge against him.

It’s better for both of us if he’s not around…

◆◆◆

I’m no longer a Hero, I’m an ‘Avenger’… so I tried to get to the old castle where Adrela lives as soon as possible.

I kill every demon I see without question and throw poison into the wells where they live…

Demons are evil… just like vermin, no mercy is needed.

We ‘Just kill’ them, that’s all.

◆◆◆

Finally, I arrived at the old castle where “The Demon Adrela” lives.

“You are the Hero Licht! Where are my subordinates?”

“Dead”

“There must have been quite a few…”

Adrela was a large man, roughly over 2 meters tall, with blue skin and black wings … he’s simply strong.

“I killed them… they were demons…”

“Have you no mercy… perhaps some of them begged for their lives…”

“Then I ask you, as strong as you are, you could have fought Milka and me… why did you kill Milka in a cowardly way…”

“Humans are insects… what’s wrong with killing them?”

“Then I’m the same… why show mercy to demons… I’ll kill you!”

“Come!”

I slashed him with the magic sword Raven, but he was too hard to cut.

“This hardness is your confidence…”

“Fuhahaha can’t cut, can’t cut, can’t cut—so die.”

Adrela’s stiff arms closed in on me… a crater formed at the spot where I dodged.

If this hits me, I will surely die.

I immediately changed my body posture from a slashing stance to a thrusting stance.

My target was the eye…

“Gotcha… how does it feel to have your eye pierced…”

Even after being stabbed in the eye, he’s still not shaken… so much for that.

“Ugh… I can’t train my eyes… now I’ve lost an eye… but you’re finished… your body won’t be able to withstand my next attack.”

The moment I stabbed the eye, Adrela’s attack grazed me.

Even though it was only a scratch, my left hand is barely hanging from my shoulder.

“Certainly…”

I can’t move it anymore…

“Wand, in exchange for my life, destroy my enemy…”

Jamil plunged his wand into Adlera’s eye, which I had crushed.

“YOOOOUUU…. I’ll kill you.”

Adrela tried to pull away, but… Jamil’s spell was faster.

“Self-Sacrifice”

At that moment, Jamil’s wand flashed and exploded.

Gagaga-ga-gaan

With a loud bang, the whole area turned into a pool of blood.

“Haa~haa~… know that I have avenged my sister… and I am sorry…”

With these words, Jamil took his own life.

Not even Milka could have treated him, since the lower half of his body was missing.

Adrela’s upper body was missing, and although he is a demon, he is definitely dead.

“Jamil…”

“Avenge Master Adrela’s death――― “

I let my guard down… but my body is still moving… I intended to die here, so I didn’t think about going home…

“All demons will DIEEEEEEEEEE…”

◆◆◆

My left hand is gone… and my right hand can no longer wield the sword.

Somehow I made it back to this place…

I’m on the hill where Milka sleeps… the flowers are beautiful.

“I’m back Milka… this time I won’t leave you again… I’ll stay here with you forever.”

I’m getting sleepy… maybe I’ll stay like this….

◆◆◆

The next day, Licht’s body was found by a traveler.

His face was smiling happily…

He was buried on the spot… and the place is called “Hill of Heroes”.

FIN