Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance Chapter 90

The world around Aire was pure white.

 

The white statues of the goddesses, her mother’s thin hair, the robes of the priests, and every piece of clothing he wrapped himself in. At one point, it seemed so strange to him that he tugged at his hair in the mirror.

 

A living miracle. The undying love of a goddess.

 

The words she used to call the younger Aire were full of grandeur.

 

“I was so worried she would take after you, Raga, but I’m so glad he was born a full-fledged miracle.”

 

Aire’s mother, Raga, was the granddaughter of the greatest of heroes, Regia, but unfortunately, she was weak. Of course, even if she was weak, she was far beyond the average human, but a “hero” shouldn’t be that weak.

 

Her mind was as weak as her body, and she died shortly after giving birth to Aire. It was a complete rest that defied healing.

 

It was a strange story to Aire, who had no memory of Raga, no matter how many times he heard it.

 

Whatever the reason, the deaths of the previous heroes were swift, and Aire was forced to fulfill the duties of a hero from a very young age.

 

He grew up uncolored in a white world, holding a greatsword in his tiny fern hands, blessing the nameless, and just doing what was expected of him.

 

‘I’m tired of it.’

 

He wondered how old he was when he had such unholy thoughts.

 

Amused.

 

How old was he when he saw color in a world that had always been white?

 

He couldn’t remember the former, but he could answer the latter with clarity.

 

“From that day on.”

 

The first aberration he experienced on his way back from Torvall, out of boredom. A tired, unfamiliar blonde-haired girl in an alley he’d never been in before.

 

In front of her, Aire became a boy, not a hero.

 

Adorable.

 

Could the innocence of a young servant of God be a sin?

 

“Master Aire.”

 

Gavil opened the door and called to Aire, who was lost in thought. Aire, who had been staring out the window with a vacant expression, turned to him.

 

“I’m sorry, sir, I know you’re resting…”

 

He said painfully, unable to hide his anguish.

 

“…The northern Contra provinces have been devastated.”

 

Massive mahouts. Undersea caves collapsed. Flooding the coastal provinces.

 

The blood stood on the nape of Aire’s neck as the words piled up.

 

“Devastation? I thought there was a workshop belonging to Matap near the Contra province.”

 

It was customary for the Mado workshops, backed by the Matap and the Imperial Court, to be at the forefront of protecting their subjects in times of crisis. Gavil bit his lower lip hard and opened his mouth.

 

“It seems that all of the high-ranking mages are away, attending a conference near the capital.”

 

“At a time like this?”

 

The armrests of the chair he was gripping crunched.

 

“Foolish things, I see no helpful corners in this life.”

 

He swiped at his face roughly.

 

“What about backup?”

 

“High Priest Carlo has dispatched the Second and Third Paladins and some of the finest priests in the Purification.”

 

“That won’t be enough. If it’s an annihilation level, it’s going to gather a lot of demon magic.”

 

As he spoke, Aire stood up and grabbed his sword. Sensing his intentions, Gavil spoke quickly.

 

“I’ll tell them to get ready.”

 

As he left the room, Aire approached the window. The blue sky was beautiful, but there was no wind, and the clouds were stagnant.

 

Suddenly, his mind flashed back to the scene at the ball. Eileen screamed as he approached and finally fell unconscious.

 

“Aren’t you going to see Miss Eileen?”

 

The saint’s all-knowing face flashed through his mind. Aire knew that Eileen wanted to see him. But he couldn’t meet her.

 

‘Would it make any difference if I met her? Everything will end up in my hands anyway.’

 

‘Poor thing. Isn’t that sword too heavy and huge to carry alone?’

 

‘To be called a living blessing, a miracle of this magnitude must be seen.’

 

The look on the saint’s face was so sorrowful that Aire had no choice but to flee from her presence that day, fearing that the curse of blessing and mission would fall upon Eileen.

 

“I must protect the future she has built for me.”

 

He would even be willing to use his own body as firewood for that perfect future, a way of repaying his benefactor and repenting for the mistakes he had made that would cause him to have to do it all over again.

 

“If only Cordelia and Eileen are happy, even if I’m dead and gone.”

 

He left the room, echoing the words in his mind once more. It was a hero’s stride, one that ignored bitterness.

 

 

***

 

 

4 hours before the Contra annihilation.

 

“Why are you so good?”

 

“Is this hard?”

 

Eileen looked at Laquerta with puzzled eyes, and he shrugged. At their feet lay a practice target with two cracks in it, and as they watched, Cordelia spoke up.

 

“A natural.”

 

It had been a month and a half since Laquerta had begun training in basic swordsmanship, still with energy left over from his healer’s training and physical fitness, and he had soaked it up like a sponge.

 

“It’s clunky,” he says, ”but I’m so physically fit that if I keep at it, I could become an Auror User.”

 

If Laquerta had been introduced to swordsmanship before healing, he might have been able to go even further. Cordelia paused, regretting that she had missed a talent.

 

“Hmm, no harm in being stronger in support of the battlefield.”

 

The party, however, showed no sign of disappointment, flailing his arms and stretching lazily.

 

“If it satisfies you, then fine. I’m a healer, and now I have the best strength stat.”

 

Cordelia said to Eileen as she watched the angry muscles of his arm work in slow motion.

 

“Now, can I stop asking you to worship at the Central Shrine?”

 

“Oh?”

 

Her question brought back memories of the day Eileen had returned with a beautiful woman in her arms. An outing where she’d met a saint instead of Aire and her suspicions had only grown. 

 

It had made her determined to meet Aire.

 

‘Even if I never get a chance to meet him!’

 

“He’s not as starstruck as I thought.”

 

Cordelia’s eyes narrowed as Eileen smiled, the corners of her mouth lifting in a self-conscious attempt to deflect the reason for her visit. Eileen, who hadn’t noticed, followed suit.

 

“So I’m not going anymore.”

 

Yes. She had no intention of going to the temple anymore, as she was certain she would not be able to meet with the busy Aire through the canonical means.

 

‘But what about the unorthodox way?’

 

Eileen’s eyes twinkled.

 

She’d asked Andrew if there was an unofficial way to meet the hero at the last watering hole, and it had paid off.

 

Andrew, who had been disappointed that he hadn’t gotten a chance to introduce himself to Lucian by joining the special class, had been very eager to help Eileen.

 

“With the recent deterioration of the Empire’s situation, heroes have been meeting with the imperial side on a regular basis! I’ve prepared a table of the frequency and meeting locations, and according to the upcoming next cycle, it will take place at a shrine outside the capital…”

 

“How do you know such things?”

 

“Does it matter?”

 

Eileen was determined to take advantage of the opportunity to meet Aire, no matter how it came about. It would be a hassle if it went wrong, but as long as she had all the clues, she couldn’t put it off any longer.

 

“Now, if I can just break out of training in time to meet with Aire…”

 

As Eileen’s head spun, a frosty-eyed Cordelia grabbed her by the wrist.

 

“Huh?!”

 

“Eileen.”

 

Cordelia called out with a coy smile as a startled Eileen turned her head.

 

“Wait, you’re not smiling in the slightest?”

 

Eileen swallowed hard, her lips pouting at the thought that something was wrong, and Cordelia spoke in a calm voice.

 

“Do you realize that the look in your eyes right now is exactly the same as it was before you went looking for Rosalia?”

 

The first escape she’d taken was to find Rosalia, who would become Felix’s mentor. A cold sweat ran down Eileen’s face as she remembered the moment.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to go now?”

 

“Laquerta, can you give us a moment?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Sensing the seriousness in the air, Laquerta obediently disappeared to one side of the training grounds. Once he was out of earshot, Cordelia let out a long sigh.

 

“If you’re going to meet the hero, then I’ll go with you.”

 

“…what?”

 

Eileen’s eyes widened at the unexpected comment. Cordelia laughed lightly, as if she found it amusing.

 

“What’s the big deal, it’s about me anyway, right?”