The Value of a Life, and a Guard’s Bizarre Sacrifice

I am the Hero.

“Run!” Helter roared.

‘In that moment, for some reason… I felt a pang of sadness, almost to the point of tears.’

“How do you know we can’t outrun them? Get up! If we don’t run, aren’t we just waiting to die?”

“Then let’s wait to die! If I run with you, I’ll only be a burden!” Slowly, Helter pushed himself upright, his greatsword serving as a makeshift crutch.

“What kind of joke is this? You’re my companion!”

“Precisely because we are companions, I’m willing to sacrifice myself so you can escape!”

As he spoke, Helter laboriously raised his greatsword.

“Are you trying to die? I won’t allow it!”

“Do I have any other choice? You’re the Hero now, and I’m just a retainer!”

“You…”

‘How to put it… at a moment like this, I shouldn’t be senselessly arguing with this fool; instead, I should be standing silently by his side.’

“What are you doing? Go!”

He pushed me, but I remained rooted to the spot.

“Do you remember what I used to say?”

Helter froze.

A horde of snakes slithered towards us, hissing menacingly.

“Huh?” he asked, bewildered.

“Brothers for life! If we’re going to die, we die together!”

“I told you, you’re the Hero! Your life is more valuable than mine!”

“But to me, your life is more valuable!” This was the first time I had ever shouted at him with such unbridled fury.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve diligently honed your swordsmanship since childhood, while I’ve been an idler since birth. You aspire to become a great swordsman in the Royal Capital, while I’ve only ever aimed to muddle through life in Newbie Village. You have dreams; I have only fantasies! You are an absolutely exceptional person! And I am merely a scoundrel, an incompetent fool! Even if I am the Hero, that fact remains unchanged!”

“Heh…” Helter let out a cold laugh.

“What are you laughing at? Am I wrong?”

“No, you’re not wrong, but I want to say, I’m not exceptional. I’m also a scoundrel, a rogue! Isn’t going to the pub every day to drink and play finger-guessing games just another form of idleness? Isn’t constantly mooching meals off you just another way of muddling through life? I have no dreams! Mine are also mere fantasies! Because the nobles of the Royal Capital would never truly value a country bumpkin like me! My life is absolutely not worth your cherishing!”

“But your life is more valuable than mine!”

“Yours is more valuable!”

“Yours is more valuable!”

“Yours is more valuable!”

Our argument had once again devolved into a maddening loop.

“Quiet!” Key suddenly popped out. “Are you two children arguing?”

“Then you tell us! Whose life is more valuable, mine or his?” Helter and I shouted in unison at Key.

“Erm… both of your lives are valuable, alright?”

“No! You have to make a decision!”

“What decision can I make? Calm down, both of you! If you keep arguing, none of us will end up well!” Key gestured towards the venomous snakes swarming the forest floor.

“Then do you have a plan? You just ‘patted your butt’ and scurried inside me a moment ago!”

“That’s because I was scared…” Key explained. “But there’s still a way to fix this!”

“Quickly! What way?” Helter demanded.

“The Hero needs to unleash a large amount of Holy Light to scare them away!”

‘Holy Light? I understand!’

Without another word, I began to strip off my clothes.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Key exclaimed.

“If I’m naked, won’t I emit Holy Light?” I confidently began by removing my pants.

“That’s my Holy Light being released!”

“Oh! Right! I guess so…” I slapped my forehead. “How do I release it? I don’t even know any magic!”

“This isn’t magic; it’s the Hero’s innate talent! Believe in yourself!”

“Understood!”

With that, I removed my upper body armor.

“Why are you still undressing?”

“I won’t take it off anymore. I just felt like the armor was blocking it, preventing it from being released…”

“You don’t need to take it off!”

“Oh.”

And so, I started putting my armor back on.

“With time so tight, don’t be such an idiot! What are you doing putting clothes on? Release it quickly!”

“Oh…”

“Close your eyes!”

I quickly shut my eyes.

“Hold your breath and focus your mind!”

I stopped breathing.

“Imagine the feeling of falling into water.”

“Wait!” I interrupted her. “I can’t swim!”

“I’m not actually telling you to jump into water!”

“Oh…”

I closed my eyes again and held my breath.

“Feel the water gradually flow over your head!”

“Wait!” I interrupted her again.

“Now what?!”

“I’ve never been in water my entire life… how am I supposed to imagine that feeling?”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake! Have you ever taken a bath in your life?”

“Yes, I have!”

“Well, there you go! Imagine you’re taking a bath! The feeling of water running down your head when you wash your hair!”

“Got it!”

I closed my eyes once more.

“Now let the water flow over your entire body.”

“Wait!”

“Now what’s wrong? Stop interrupting all the time!”

I opened my eyes, a bewildered expression on my face.

“I didn’t interrupt this time…”

“Sir Swordsman, what’s wrong?” Key turned to look at Helter.

“I wanted to say that when you shower, you’re supposed to rinse your whole body first, then wash your hair,” Helter stated solemnly, a mouthful of blood staining his lips.

“Stop messing around! Hero! Continue!”

I closed my eyes yet again.

“Finally, let your brain control your entire body, like a chrysanthemum blooming, let your Holy Light emanate from within…”

Key’s words were cut short…

“Wait!”

It was—interrupted—yet—again…

“It wasn’t me!” I immediately clarified.

“It wasn’t me either!” Helter quickly added.

“Then who was it?!”

Key shrieked, as if on the verge of tearing her hair out.

“Me, of course. Even if I’m just a minor character, you shouldn’t ignore me…”

The Guard with the long spear? I was astonished to see him standing before us.

“Why are you back?”

“Professional ethics. My psychological defenses just suddenly crumbled, but after stopping to think, I realized I couldn’t abandon you.”

“Then why did you interrupt?” the three of us demanded in unison.

“Because I heard ‘chrysanthemum’ and thought you were talking smack about me.”

“Who cares about your chrysanthemum!”

‘I was almost going mad myself; this constant repetition was incredibly annoying!’

“Last chance! Get ready!” Key urged.

I closed my eyes yet, yet again!

“Are you ready?” Key asked me.

I nodded slightly.

“Now, chant with me—[O Great God Sein, the Hero calls upon you! Lend me your power! I need light to dispel the darkness, I need light to save the world!]”

“O Great… what? It’s too long, I can’t remember it!”

Hearing my words, both Helter and Key fell into despair.

“Are we supposed to give you time to memorize it now?!” Key shook her head, utterly helpless.

“Lu Ren, thank you for bringing me on this adventure. Though it was brief, I have no regrets dying alongside you now.”

‘Helter! Don’t say your last words! It hasn’t come to that yet! I’ll memorize it now, I’ll memorize it right now!’

“Just as I thought, you two aren’t reliable. I’ll handle this.”

The Guard spoke up.

“You?” The three of us were stunned.

“Of course! As a guard, don’t I have a move that can shake heaven and earth and make ghosts weep?”

‘He actually held something back? In that moment, his image in our minds became incredibly grand!’

The Guard took a deep breath, raising his long spear high above his head.

“I am Crimson Aironi! Once the Royal Capital’s top spearman, known as ‘Withered Chrysanthemum’!”

‘That title is utterly lame…’

‘Wait, he’s the top spearman? Does that mean he’s a master of the spear?!’

“Helter, do you know that name?”

“Never heard of him…” Helter looked embarrassed.

“WAAAH-YAH-YAH-YAH-YAH!” The Guard threw his spear away.

‘Isn’t he the top spearman? Why is he throwing away his weapon right at the start?’

“You wretched snakes! Think you’re so tough, huh? Let me tell you! Gathering like this is foolish behavior! Understand?!” Guard Aironi then sprinted towards the grassland beside the forest.

“What’s he doing?” I asked Helter.

“Looks like he’s taunting them…”

‘Anyone who’s played Hearthstone knows—[I must attack the minion with Taunt!]’

‘Pah, what’s Hearthstone?’

And then, those snakes actually followed the Guard! ‘Damn, what a bold move! So he sacrificed himself to lure the snakes away!’