S19 Julius

Hylins had returned home.

I learned of it yesterday.

I couldn’t stand still, but there is a proper order to things.

It took time before Hylins could meet me.

Yesterday, I was restless and unable to calm down.

Today, at last, I would meet Hylins.

I waited in the room where the meeting would take place—anticipating Hylins’s arrival with each passing second.

“Seems I kept you waiting.”

Hylins entered the room.

Compared to the sharp, resolute figure I remembered, Hylins appeared slightly thinner.

“Shun, I’m sorry!”

Suddenly, Hylins dropped to his knees and prostrated himself.

Whether prostration existed in this world or not—such a thought passed through my mind, fleeting and irrelevant.

"If he were truly meant to survive, Julius should have been the one to live. I should have died. He should have lived."

"What... are you saying?"

My voice cracked, dry as dust, yet I managed to speak.

"Take this."

"What is this?"

Hylins held out a tattered red feather.

"This is a phoenix feather. An item that grants temporary immortality to its bearer."

"How does this matter?"

"Originally, this should have belonged to Julius—the Hero. But he insisted that I, as the shield, should keep it. He forced it into my hands."

"So that means..."

"Yes. I survived because of this item. Its effect has since expired. I should not have lived. Julius was the one meant to survive."

Hylins knelt, pressing his forehead into the ground as if in penance, remaining in the position.

"Please, Hylins, rise. There is no need for you to bow like this."

"No, I—"

"Regardless, it was Julius-sama who forced it upon you, wasn’t it? 'I won’t die, so it’s fine'—something like that."

"Haha. Brotherly bond. Correct."

Hylins gave a wry smile, lifting his head.

"'I won’t die, but Hylins is the shield role—so my chances of dying are lower. It makes more sense for Hylins to have it instead of me.' No matter how many times I refused, he insisted."

A faint smile tugged at Hylins’ lips, mimicking the expression with uncanny precision.

He stiffened his features. There was something he had to ask, no matter what.

"Hylin, please... tell me about your elder brother's final moments."

"I understand."

Hylin rises from his seat.

I sit across from Hylin at the table.

"Seeing is faster than hearing."

Hylin speaks, then produces a stone resembling crystal.

"What is this?"

"It is an artifact possessing a rare ability—past sight. A skill currently unreproducible, and thus highly valuable."

Hylin places his hand on the crystal.

"Place your hand over mine, as if overlapping."

"Yes."

I place my hand as instructed.

"Close your eyes. Here we go."

The moment I close my eyes at Hylin’s words, an image emerges behind my eyelids.

Not just sight—sound and scent too are present.

This is a battlefield.

Countless warriors, appearing to be fiends.

Bodies scattered.

Ahead in the vision: the back of Julius, my elder brother.

A white girl approaching slowly.

Julius, my elder brother, radiates an atmosphere of unprecedented agitation.

Julius moves forward, shielding his companions.

Then, in the next instant, Julius’s body disintegrates into dust.

Darkness.

The vision ends here.

“What was that?”

“That was Julius’s final moment.”

Could such a thing truly occur?

Julius, my elder brother, is the strongest hero among humanity.

Yet he was reduced to dust in an instant, without resistance, without warning.

Impossible.

Yet Hyarins says this is Julius’s final moment.

“Such…?”

“I didn’t understand what happened. When I regained awareness, I was surrounded by demons. I barely escaped. Only after retrieving my memories did I finally recognize Julius’s death.”

“What was that?”

The white girl.

That was what killed Julius-sama.

"I don't know. I can't identify the demon's true form. But I can speculate, to some extent, about the nature of the attack that buried Julius."

"What?!"

"Corrosion attack."

"Corrosion..."

"Ah. A property said to be held by certain monsters—associated with death. It's said that if resistance fails, the body turns to dust. Julius was the same. And only the body turns to dust. The items worn remain intact."

Hyrinsu retrieves it.

"This was what my brother always wore."

"Ah. Julius never told you, but this was the final gift from your mother, given to Julius before his death."

Hyrinsu hands it over.

A pure white neck wrap.

"Sorry. I could only bring this back."

"No. Thank you."

That was all she could say.

The world blurred.

Recalls the first time she met Elder Brother.

That was when she was still an infant.

Elder Brother arrived with his attendants, entering the nursery.

Elder Brother looked between her and Syrilis, tears falling.

Never before or after would she see Elder Brother cry.

Elder Brother murmured something while stroking her and Syrilis’s heads, then left.

At that time, she did not yet understand the language of this world.

Thus, she did not know what Elder Brother said.

Still does not know.

But she believes Elder Brother made a decision then.

Later, she learned Elder Brother’s real mother had died the day before.

Honestly, even if told this white neck wrap was handmade by her mother, it does not register.

She never met her mother.

But Elder Brother did.

For Elder Brother, Mother was irreplaceable—someone of utmost importance.

Losing her at a young age. Having to fight as a hero.

What resolve did Elder Brother form, amidst that suffering?

"Nice to meet you. I'm your brother Julius. Even if I look like this, I'm a hero."

The second time—when I was fully aware—I remember Elder Brother's smile.

A child appearing no older than elementary school age. How could such a composed smile exist?

Compared to my past life, I should be far older. Yet I could not bring myself to smile like that.

That smile carried something profound.

"Schrein is wise. Might become a good politician someday."

"Soo. Can't just rely on others all the time."

Schrein has talent with a blade too. How about it? Will you come with me someday? Ah, Soo, don’t glare like that. I get it. You’ll come too then.

Schrein. You’ve got a girl, huh? And you’re calling each other by nicknames? Can I call you Shun from now on too?

Shun. I understand you find Soo endearing. But you can’t spoil her all the time.

Shun. Father is kind. But before he is a father, he is King. He fulfills his duty as King, the one who supports this nation. Can you understand that?

Shun. If anything comes up, rely on Reston. He’s always at the palace. Of all of us in the family, he’s the one with the most free time. He’ll be ready to listen at once.

Elder Brother is Elder Brother. He’s lost himself a little right now. But his concern for the nation is the same as mine. So there’s no need to worry.

He’s getting on in years, so I think Hyalins should consider marrying and taking over the family line. Yet there’s not a word about it. It’s beginning to worry me. Me? I can’t offer anything to a partner if I marry. A marriage that brings only misery to both parties isn’t worth entering.

Fufu. I have evasion skills—those snowballs won’t hit me! Wah! H-hey, Ssu, that’s cheating! Ouch, ouch! Ssu, that’s not snow! Stones hurt—no way that’s allowed!

The hero is the hope of the human race. So I can’t lose. Absolutely not.

Memories of Julius elder brother flood in.

He always wore a smile.

A deep, calming warmth in that smile.

To me, the hero is always my elder brother.

Can I follow in his footsteps?

I don’t know.

Yet I do not wish to let that ideal, which my elder brother pursued, fade away simply because I lack confidence.

A dream. Even if mocked as impossible folly. Still, the act of pursuing it should be permitted. A world of peace, where all may live and laugh. I will continue chasing that ideal. Until the moment of my death.

I know I am somewhat naive.

But not as much as my elder brother.

Even so, I wish to carry forward that naive ideal.

"Shun. No—Hero Schrein."

Hailins speaks with sudden seriousness.

"I failed to protect Julius. I am unfit as a shield. If you can accept such a pitiful man, allow me to serve as the shield of your new hero."

"Hailins."

"I cannot protect Julius. So let me protect you in his place."

"Hailins. The honor is mine."

We locked hands in a firm grip.

[So it seems we’ll have to delay the start of the hero’s duties for now?]

[Yeah. It’ll still take time for the church to establish the new Saintess. We’ll need to align our efforts before moving forward.]

[Is that so.]

[Soo. I think you understand, but once you begin acting as a hero, we won’t be able to stay together like before.]

[Just as I thought. I knew you’d say that, Elder Brother.]

[Sorry.]

[There’s no need to apologize. I’m not a child anymore.]

[Yeah. I know you’re fully grown and strong. But I still don’t want to take you along. I don’t want to drag you into danger.]

[I understand.]

[This is selfish of me. I’m sorry.]

[That’s why you don’t need to apologize.]

[Alright. So you can stay at the academy until graduation. You’ll be safe there.]

[Yes, that’s correct.]

[Even if I start acting as a hero, I’ll try to show my face as much as possible. Like how Julius-sama does.]

[Are you seeking revenge against Julius-sama?]

[…I don’t know. I suppose it’s unworthy of a hero to act out of personal grudge. But still… I can’t forgive it. I don’t know what I should do either.]

[It’s alright. You don’t need to worry about it.]

[Why?]

[You’ll understand soon.]

[Is that so. I see. Then I’ll try not to think about it for now.]

[Yes.]

[Well then, I’ll end this call soon. Goodnight.]

[Yes. Goodbye, brother.]

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

"Okasan. Something’s gone wrong."

"What’s the situation?"

Worst case. Okasan, I know it’s soon after your return, but we must prepare to leave the country with Shun immediately.

What happened?

One of my subordinates betrayed us.

What?

Our movements have been exposed. My fault. I’m sorry.

Any prediction of what comes next?

I’d be grateful if I could. But my unit was assaulted. Something is definitely happening.

Hurry.

Yes.