Shine had gone quiet. Because what Nain said was true. And truth is bitter.
"So please — go. I'll be fine here. Just a few more days and I'll forget everything." When Nain turned completely, she would lose all memory of who she was.
Her smile had faded. Her face had gone still and serious.
In the war against the Demon King, weaker monsters had vanished from the earth — goblins, lizardmen, and many others. So outside of dungeons, monsters were nearly impossible to find. Only towns near dungeons had functioning adventurer guilds anymore.
Morning was approaching. The sun was slowly rising. Light came through the window, filtering through leaves outside, turning them gold. It was one of those beautiful, ordinary things people passed every day without feeling — always searching for peace somewhere distant, never noticing it right in front of them.
"You know — during the war, humanity was losing on every front. It was the hero and his team alone who held things together. They defeated the Demon King's generals one by one and fought all the way to his fortress. And then — suddenly — the prophecy ended. The hero had taken his own life. No one ever found out why. After that, every last hope people had shattered. Everyone waited for death. But eighteen years later, a new prophecy has come — a new hero has arrived, someone who will save this world. And with that, people's hope has come back." Shine told her about the hero. Or maybe he was telling her something else entirely.
Nain listened. His words settled somewhere inside her.
"Nain — when people gave up hope the first time, you gave up too. But hope came back for them with the new hero. So you have to believe in yourself too. You can still be healed." Shine said. There was a quiet light in his eyes — as if he himself were the light entering the darkness of her life.
Nain growled softly.
"I can be healed? Yes... yes, I can be healed. That's what will happen." She was rebuilding hope inside herself.
The sun was spreading its light everywhere. Bright and strong today — as if it too were cheering Shine on.
The mystery remained — the hero who had won every battle and reached the Demon King's fortress. Why had he taken his own life? Even his own party members never knew.
People had cursed the hero after. Called him a coward. Said he was never really a hero — that he'd seen the Demon King's power and chosen death out of fear. That was the verdict people gave. While they themselves had failed to protect their own villages and towns — and still called him a coward.
"Then let's go, Nain."
"Shine is the light of my life. He is like a father to me. He gives me courage. I can trust him." Nain thought to herself.
"Yes." She smiled.
And walked with Shine toward the town.
On the other side of the world, Jhed lay on his bed.