ELIAS snuck out of the inn through the window and was now sitting on the edge of an empty quay at the end of Port City’s wharf, gazing out at the moored boats. Neatly folded white sails stood in rows against the clear blue sky, reflecting the sunlight to an almost blinding degree.
Under normal circumstances, taking in beautiful scenery would lift his spirits. But it did nothing to cheer him up after he ran away. He stared at the port, his mind adrift.
What in the world am I doing?
Elias knew leaving without saying a word to the others would only cause heartache for them. Not even he could figure out what he was trying to achieve by burdening the people he cared about.
Disappointed in himself, Elias shifted his gaze from the vibrant blue sea to the people going about their business in the harbor. He watched men busily unloading ships shouting orders back and forth, people anxiously standing around on the wharf waiting to board a ship to their destination, and stores putting out freshly caught fish to sell to the morning crowds.
Dressed in a pale-blue shirt and slacks, Elias had left his room without his cloak, epaulets, gloves, and the rest of his equipment. Even the Holy Sword he usually wore like an extension of his arm was sitting back in his room, leaving him entirely defenseless and at odds with himself.
He wanted to go out for once as something—someone—other than the Hero.
If I was just a normal person, what would my life be like? I bet I…
Elias was trying to run from reality—from the cruel reality of hurting his friends. And from the reality of being the Hero.
Even though he knew all too well that nothing would change by fleeing. It only made him feel emptier.
Falling deeper into pensive thought, Elias sighed, and as he did, he spotted a young couple buying fish and fruit from one of the storefronts he was absently staring at. The girlfriend was happily pointing at the contents in their basket and smiled up at the boyfriend in front of her.
Looks like fun…
As he enviously watched them, the woman gradually started to look like Aki. And before long, the boyfriend started looking like himself. Elias imagined himself and Aki in their shoes.
If I was born as a normal man and Aki was born as a normal woman in this world…would we have met, become friends, and eventually fall in love like that couple?
Then we could’ve gone shopping together, come back to the same home, talked about our day, slept in the same bed…where I would wake up next to her in the morning. We could even eat breakfast together.
…That would’ve been true happiness.
Elias could only imagine what being normal was like, but he assumed it came with a kind of happiness that he could only get by living like everyone else. But he wasn’t like everyone else.
Elias shook his head, chasing away the dream of another life, and turned away from the happy couple.
His gaze tracked the seagulls riding the wind, but his mind barely registered what he was looking at.
True happiness…is impossible for me.
Fantasizing about his dream life was pointless. He wouldn’t exist if he wasn’t the Hero.
I don’t have value as anything else.
“Why was I ever even…”
Born.
He tightened his hands over his knees.
My existence is meaningless if I can’t fulfill my duty.
The sea breeze blowing through the harbor gently tousled his hair, as if to soothe Elias as he struggled to accept the meaning of his life.
Sitting here doing nothing isn’t going to get me anywhere… Though he thought that way, he didn’t know where else to go after rejecting his place in life.
“…Oi,” a terribly familiar voice said gruffly behind him as he sank deeper into brooding.
Elias looked back with a start, removing his hand from his aching head. Behind him stood Leo with his hand on his hip, wearing casual clothes instead of his usual gear.
“Leo…” Elias said, frowning at being found.
“Man, I had to search hard for you. What’re you doin’ out without your sword?” Leo scolded, his brows snapped together as he walked over.
Elias had been too down in the dumps to notice his presence.
Leo sat down next to him and leaned back on his hands on the quay with his feet dangling off the edge. He had come empty-handed despite nagging Elias about leaving without the Holy Sword. Squinting against the sunlight reflecting off the sea, Leo stared out at the horizon.
“Good view you’ve got here. Come to think of it, we’ve been to this city plenty of times but never once enjoyed looking around the harbor.”
Elias briefly glanced at Leo’s side profile before fastening his gaze on the dazzling water surface. “I guess…not. We were always in a rush. We always headed back into the Field to defeat more monsters after taking a short rest or hopped on a ship to the next city. Never had much time to take it easy here,” he quietly responded, taking another quick look at Leo.
Leo didn’t look angry or upset, his lips simply curved into a slight smile as he lent an ear to Elias.