Chapter 90

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The tears I shed for my master eventually became the catalyst for a strong resolve within me.

I crouched down, slowly lifting my face. Immediately, Iris and Basilio leaned in to look at me. Their hands, which had been gently placed on my shoulders and back, remained there.

"Raura, are you okay?"

I nodded in response to Iris's worried voice. My tears had stopped, but my eyes were probably red and swollen. After crying so much, my face must have been a mess with tears, snot, and everything else.

As a makeshift first aid, I wiped my face with the handkerchief I always kept in my pocket. Then, I gently looked up at the two juniors who had kindly accepted my pitiful self and opened my mouth.

"Yeah, I'm fine. ...Um, about this time—"

While Iris might have some idea, Basilio knows nothing about the self-destructive disease. Even if he did, I hesitated to openly talk about such personal matters.

Noticing my hesitation, Basilio quickly offered to help.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. If you say you're fine, then we're fine... right, Iris?"

Iris nodded vigorously in agreement with Basilio's gentle words.

From their perspective, it must have been a confusing situation to come back from gathering herbs and find their senior crying uncontrollably, yet they stayed by my side without asking any questions. I felt truly blessed to have such kind juniors.

"Raura... can you go home?"

Iris asked tentatively. Recalling the words she had said to comfort me, she seemed worried that I might have been mistreated by Reinhart and the others.

"I'm okay, let's go together."

I smiled at her. Iris's tense expression softened, and she took my hand.

As Iris led me back into the house, Reinhart, who had been waiting near the entrance, was there. Iris looked up at me with concern, but I smiled back at her. Then, looking between Basilio and Iris,

"Please go ahead."

I requested. Basilio, perhaps sensing something, nodded immediately, but Iris looked displeased. Basilio chuckled, as if scolding a younger peer, and took her hand, leading her to the back.

In the corridor, now alone with Reinhart, a moment of silence passed. I took a few steps forward, thinking I should apologize for suddenly running out.

"I'm sorry for suddenly running out earlier."

"No, I should be the one to apologize."

Reinhart looked at me steadily without averting his gaze. His expression seemed resolute, as if he was considering the possibility that I might refuse to cooperate.

"To be honest, I do have some concerns about my master. But my desire to cure the self-destructive disease and help Elvira hasn't changed... Please, I beg of you."

I spoke slowly and calmly. In that instant, I could see the tension in Reinhart's shoulders ease.

"I won't let Elvira die. To achieve that, the power of the people of Rustu, including Reinhart, is essential."

Reinhart bowed deeply. "I beg of you, too."

---

That night, I couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard I tried.

Giving up, I got out of bed and went downstairs to get some water.

I wasn't dwelling on the events of the day. I knew what I had to do next.

I borrowed a glass from the kitchen and drank some water. However, I didn't feel like going back to my room immediately, so I turned on the living room lights and sat on the sofa for a while.

I let out a deep sigh and leaned back on the sofa. At that moment,

"Raura-sama."

I turned to see Diona, the silver-haired girl, standing there.

"Ah, Diona! What's wrong?"

I stood up reflexively. When I asked, Diona slightly shrugged, looking apologetic.

"I just saw the light on when I came downstairs..."

"Ah, I'm sorry for being up so late. I was just a bit thirsty."

I chuckled, but Diona's expression darkened.

Not understanding her reaction, I wondered if I had said something wrong. Then,

"I'm really sorry about today."

Diona suddenly bowed. I realized what her expression meant. She thought I couldn't sleep because of today's events.

"No, no! I'm the one who should apologize for suddenly running out."

"I heard about your master from Reinhart. I know it's not something that can be fixed with an apology, but it's all I can do..."

She seemed deeply troubled.

Diona looked up hesitantly, her face pale. Wanting to reassure her, I smiled.

While I hadn't fully come to terms with the matter of my master, the lingering frustration and helplessness would probably never fully dissipate. However, the people of Rustu, including Diona, must have also lived with various complex emotions.

There were many things I didn't understand, but one thing was certain: blaming the people of Rustu, including Diona, was wrong and would change nothing.

"The only one to blame is the Demon King. Everyone else had their own reasons, and I understand that."

"But... If there's anything I can answer, please ask me. It won't make up for anything, but..."

Diona persisted. I reconsidered and thought that perhaps it would be better to ask her questions to alleviate her guilt.

What kind of questions should I ask? Something that would make her feel a bit better without crossing any lines—

After a moment's thought, a question came to mind.

"Right. How about you tell me a bit about the people of Rustu? I'm a bit curious... Of course, it's fine if you don't want to."

I said with a smile, trying to make it sound casual, but Diona didn't smile. She nodded and sat across from me.

Her amber eyes pierced through me, and her serious expression made me a bit nervous.

"The ancestors of the people of Rustu are said to be the servants of the First Hero. The First Hero, who saved this land from the great darkness and brought life to it, is the Creator God. He bestowed his power on his servants, and those who received this power are the ancestors of the people of Rustu."

The mention of the Creator God made me widen my eyes. In "Last Brave," the ancient race was referred to as "messengers of the gods," but the term "Creator God" had never been used. The only explanation was that they were a clan that had long supported the heroes.

However, according to Diona, "messengers of the gods" was not a metaphor. The people of Rustu, descended from the servants of the First Hero—the Creator God—were literally "messengers of the gods."

"I see, so that's why the people of Rustu have powers similar to the hero's light powers."

"Yes. However, our ancestors could not fully obtain the hero's power from the Creator God. They were excellent servants but not heroes. Therefore, the hero's power and our light power are different."

The explanation of the hero in "Last Brave" was limited. There was only the legend that a hero would be born when the Demon King's awakening was near.

I didn't know how the hero's power was passed down to the next hero. Whether it was through reincarnation, like me, or if the hero's power was bestowed upon someone deemed worthy.

I suspected the latter, but there was no definitive answer.

"Our ancestors were commanded by the Creator God to protect this world from the shadows. The Creator God believed that the hero's power and light power were unnecessary in a peaceful world and instructed the people of Rustu to keep their existence as hidden as possible to avoid unnecessary conflicts over this power."

To be honest, it sounded like a familiar setting. The idea of those with power hiding to avoid exploitation was something I had heard before in my past life.

However, the phrase "as hidden as possible" caught my attention. Was this a story I was even supposed to hear?

"Um, is it okay to tell me this?"

"Reinhart has instructed us not to hide anything from you anymore."

Diona's words made me chuckle, and I lowered my gaze slightly. It seemed Reinhart and the others had taken the day's events very seriously.

"Besides, as the hero's childhood friend, I think it's better for you to know. Luchas seems to rely on you quite a bit."

She said with a soft smile, making me feel a bit embarrassed and look down.

I remembered that Diona had said she had observed me from a distance when we first met. She must have known a lot about my actions and words. The thought that she had seen my pitiful moments made my cheeks flush even more.

To cover my embarrassment, I spoke up.

"Um, so the people of Rustu are a special clan descended from the servants of the First Hero, the Creator God, and have been living in hiding, right? And they live in a city protected by a barrier, unseen by anyone... That's why Iris doesn't go out much, right?"

"Yes. The city is protected by a barrier, and they live unseen. ...Iris doesn't go out much because of this."

Iris had indeed mentioned something similar when she showed me her room. I recalled her somewhat sad expression.

"The people of Rustu rarely leave the barrier. Many spend their entire lives within the city. ...To ensure the continuation of our bloodline."

Diona continued in a low voice.

"The people of Rustu have created multiple cities and divided the clan. This is to ensure that if something unexpected happens at one location, there will be survivors at others."

I listened to Diona's words, forgetting to breathe.

I had no idea how many people of Rustu existed or how many lived their entire lives within the barrier without ever leaving.

"Iris was discovered by Reinhart for her talent and became an investigator, but for most children, protecting themselves within the barrier is their primary duty. ...For women, bearing children and continuing the bloodline is the most important task."

It reminded me of something.

The small, closed village of Eme, my hometown, was similar.

People in this world, to some extent, were bound by the professions they were born into. I had managed to escape my assigned profession, but for the people of Rustu, such a thing was impossible. If they did, the world might end.

How much responsibility did this frail girl in front of me carry?

"...Everyone is amazing."

"No, it's our mission."

Diona's smile as she said "mission" made her seem radiant to me.

She had no intention of escaping her mission or the profession given to her. This was a source of strength for me and the future hero.

As long as Diona carried the mission of the people of Rustu and existed as the heroine of this world, the world would be saved.

"As the hero's childhood friend, I'm really relieved. Knowing that there are people who think so much about the world and are on our side... it's comforting."

"Please leave it to us. No matter what happens, the people of Rustu will always be on the hero's side."

Diona, the heroine, was always the protagonist's ally, no matter what. Even when the protagonist complained about the heavy expectations from the people, or when the Demon King was resurrected, she was always there. This is why players, like the protagonist, grow to care for Diona.

Intelligent, powerful, and kind-hearted, Diona would definitely support the protagonist—Luchas. And Luchas, who had lived his life for his mission, would surely give Diona, the girl who had lived for her mission, a chance at happiness.

The world would be saved, and the protagonist and heroine, who had worked tirelessly for the world, would be united in a happy ending. That would be the most beautiful outcome.

"Please take care of Luchas."

With a hint of sadness and hope for the future where a girl carrying a heavy mission meets the hero and finds happiness, I whispered softly.