Chapter 318: The Hero Who Lost Everything

During their first conversation, Xu Xi had once asked, "Sevia, have you thought about the future?"

The Hero was silent at that time, but eventually gave a firm answer.

She would stay.

Even if her parents were gone, even if Claufeel became history, she would still protect the people of the territory until the very last moment of her life.

The reason was simple: because everyone needed the Hero.

And the Hero could not ignore such people.

Every word of thanks, every interaction, could push the fake Hero to keep moving forward, reducing that sense of guilt for ending her parents' lives.

But now.

The Hero was no longer a Hero.

She could not even be considered a fake Hero.

Because there was no longer anyone who needed her.

Fear, crying, cowering, fleeing.

Every village within the Claufeel Territory fled to more distant lands, seeking the protection of large towns, firmly believing that Claufeel was no longer safe.

The Hero had lost the objects of her protection; she was no longer needed by anyone.

She had been reduced to an empty shell.

Under Xu Xi's gaze, the girl stood quietly, facing the empty village, standing for a very long time.

Soul-lost and motionless.

Like a pure, inanimate object.

It was as if something intangible had been pulled out of that skeletal body, leaving only pale bones behind.

"Lord Wizard…"

Finally.

The dead thing that had lost everything spoke.

She forced a smile, not wanting to make Xu Xi worry: "Everyone has left safely…"

"It's truly wonderful, no one was hurt."

Sevia wanted to smile, wanted to express the joy in her heart, but she couldn't smile at all, and her emerald eyes were dimmer than ever before.

In such eyes, the world reflected was gray.

"Sevia."

Xu Xi asked: "Are you happy?"

"…Yes, I am happy."

"Everyone is safe and sound, and they have successfully left Claufeel."

"I am truly happy, Lord Wizard."

Meeting those dim, lusterless emerald eyes, Xu Xi extended his palm and repaired the girl's undead body.

The spell activated, filling the piercing wound in her chest.

"Sevia."

His voice was very gentle, not exposing that fragile lie: "You did very well."

[ A thousand years of time is enough to erode everything ]

[ Eroding the history of the Claufeel Family, eroding everything on this land, the only thing supporting Sevia to keep living was the vow to protect the residents, and her parents' expectations ]

[ The girl who ended her parents' lives with her own hands is atoning in this way ]

[ She fears loneliness ]

[ She fears solitude ]

[ She fears not being needed ]

[ Fearing she will be forgotten, fearing she has not done enough, fearing that the honor of Claufeel will end here ]

[ You ask Sevia again what she plans to do in the future ]

[ This time, the girl can no longer firmly answer you, because the people who needed the help of the fake Hero have already left this land ]

[ The Undead Dark Tide has ended, and the Claufeel Territory has returned to peace ]

[ Sevia climbs the small hill alone and sits at her parents' gravestone, for a long time, lonely, with her back against the stone gravestone ]

[ Sevia falls into confusion ]

[ Unaware of the meaning of her own existence ]

People have two opposing sides.

Strength and fragility.

All this time, Sevia had been very strong, surviving alone in the world a thousand years later, silently shouldering the responsibility of Claufeel, protecting the residents with whom she no longer had any connection.

But at the same time, she was also extremely fragile.

Longing to interact with people, longing to be acknowledged, afraid of the dark and afraid of thunder.

Sevia lied to Xu Xi.

A violation of the knightly virtue of [Honesty].

She was not happy at all.

She was very sad, very confused, very sorrowful.

"Father, Mother, what exactly am I supposed to do from now on…" The undead girl crouched on the mountaintop, hugging her knees in silence, with only the gravestones pressing against her shoulders able to give her a little sense of security.

The emerald of the Claufeel Family was simple and pure.

But that did not mean it was stupid.

A long time ago, Sevia had understood that she could not continue living her original, happy life as she had before.

Her father and mother were gone, never to return.

The medal of glory of Claufeel had also disappeared forever into the past of history.

Even.

Even the common people in the territory no longer remembered the name Claufeel.

The so-called protection, the so-called Persistence, from beginning to end, was just the "Hero's" wishful thinking.

"I can't do it…"

"I can't do it…"

The hollow voice echoed repeatedly inside her armor.

The Hero Sevia was still immersed in the past; even though the world had long since changed, her spirit remained in the distant past, refusing to acknowledge everything.

She firmly believed.

As long as she sat by her parents' gravestone.

She could feel the presence of her family, just like before.

She firmly believed.

As long as she protected the residents within the territory.

She could restore the honor of the Claufeel Family, just like before.

But, looking at the empty territory, that so-called Persistence instantly shattered into pieces.

The Hero had lost her courage.

Confused and cowering, afraid to face the terrifying reality, she only dared to lean against her parents' gravestone, humbly and pitiably begging for that little bit of security.

"…Thank you, Lord Wizard."

Xu Xi often came to visit Sevia.

The world was dim.

The cold wind howled.

He did not say any empty, high-minded words of comfort to Sevia, but simply accompanied her gently, teaching the girl some ways to become stronger.

Sevia was very polite.

She would thank Xu Xi every time.

But those emerald eyes still presented a dim gloom.

Claufeel, which had been ravaged by the Undead Dark Tide, appeared silent and peaceful, especially after the villagers moved away, leaving only Xu Xi and Sevia here.

Who knew how many days had passed.

Sevia's mental state remained low.

Leaning against the gravestone, empty and listless.

Xu Xi, however, made a new move, standing up and looking toward the pitch-black dark sun: "Sevia, I am preparing to leave."

He lowered his gaze, looking at the bewildered undead girl, and extended his palm: "Do you want to leave with me?"

The invitation was very clear.

The undead girl, who had remained quiet all this time, showed a long-lost human emotion on her listless face: "But… I…"

The Hero named Sevia was not prepared for that.

She feared the future.

She wanted to stay in the familiar past.

Leaning against her parents' gravestone, walking the land of Claufeel, touching the door of her old house.

Sevia was reluctant, and did not dare to leave Claufeel.

She timidly lowered her head, not daring to meet Xu Xi's gaze, further closing herself off.

However.

The man wearing wizard robes took the initiative to crouch down, aligning his eyes with the fake Hero: "Sevia, do you know?"

"It is easy to walk into the darkness, but it is difficult to face the light again."

"The change between light and dark will irritate one's eyes."

"Wanting to regain the light requires more courage than enduring the darkness."

"I believe that Sevia possesses such courage, because Sevia is a true Hero."