The immortal hero who thinks of the heroines as his daughters vs. heroines who want to make the hero understand them - Chap 4

“What’s going on…!?”

As Rex was preparing to work on cooking, a sudden battle cry reached his ears. He looked out from under the tree, and there were numerous armed humans. Moreover, it seemed that fire had been set, and it was roaring and blazing. Was Sei doing something? There was no smoke even entering the tree, but because of that, he noticed it late.

“Sei! What’s happening!”

“……….”

“Sei!”

“…It’s fate. Something unavoidable, you know.”

She wore a smile that seemed somehow resigned. From its fleeting quality, Rex felt as if Sei might just vanish.

“What do you mean by fate! I don’t know what they’re trying to do, but I’m going to stop them.”

“No. Rex, you must not go.”

“But!”

“I’m a tree spirit. I can’t leave here.”

“All the more reason I have to stop them!”

Usually lacking in emotion, he now speaks frantically, his words tumbling out. Sei, receiving them, remains serene to a degree that feels out of place.

“I’ve been alive for hundreds of years since I was born.”

“What are you talking about at a time like this…!”

“It’s okay now. I’ve lived enough, and I’ve obtained a happiness that’s more than I deserve.”

“If that’s the case, live with that ‘happiness’ and—”

“It’s you, Rex.”

Sei smiles at Rex, sweat streaming down his forehead. Her words make him falter, and he inadvertently takes a step back.

“Born as a spirit, shunned by humans, even so, I was able to live with you.”

Even in this situation, she says this as if singing, loudly, lightly.

“It was an extraordinary happiness. It was more than enough for me.”

“That’s not true…!”

“No, it is.”

She whispers, “Watch me.” From her small body emanates a pressure that makes Rex swallow hard.

“Is this… the power of a god? I can certainly feel an immense force.”

Sei looks up at the sky leisurely. Following her gaze, Rex glares at the heavens, and indeed, there floats more than a myriad of light spears. A sight that makes him doubt his eyes. Though now an unnamed miracle, in later ages, these powers would come to be known as “magic.”

“But it’s still very young. Just born, perhaps?”

As if responding to her voice, the spears fly at an astonishing speed.

“I’ll show you a fraction of the ‘Queen of Spirits’ power.”

As she gently raises her hand, a large shield of water appears, as if protecting the treetop. The water reflects the light, scattering in all directions, but it is clear that she is controlling even that, with none of it flying down to the humans below. Only rarely do some penetrate the shield, and those are consumed by the flames generated by a single swing of Sei’s arm.

…

Speechless.

Rex, who had been with her for ten years, saw her use a power other than that of the tree for the first time. And “Queen of Spirits”? No, his head couldn’t catch up.

“They’ve climbed up! Our long-cherished wish is before our eyes!”

As he stood in a daze, a voice filled with warlike fervor reached him. Startled, he turned around to find numerous armed humans.

“We’ve found her! We’ll kill that thing and create our future!”

He recognized them.

Leading the charge at the front line, with that disgusting smirk always accompanied by contempt and violence, was the village chief. Charging with spears were the farmers who always threw stones at him and fed him vomit-like food.

Ah, they were undoubtedly the humans from that village.

“Wait!”

Understanding this, Rex spread both his arms, blocking their path as if to shield Sei. As if recognizing him for the first time, they stopped in their tracks, eyes wide open.

I can do this; if I try hard enough, I can stop this fight—!

“You… A human imitation, huh?”

“That’s right! Why are you harming the spirit?”

His nickname in the village. Those from the lowly house were called “human imitations,” but the young Rex never understood the meaning. Sei had told him, “You don’t need to know,” so he still didn’t understand. But having a name-like thing meant that there was at least some emotion involved, didn’t it?

“Why are you alive? Traitor to mankind.”

In an instant, a farmer with a blank expression thrust his spear.

“Ah, eh…?”

Gopori.

As the spear, deeply embedded in his abdomen, was pulled out, a clump-like blood spewed from his mouth. He involuntarily fell to his knees. A pain he had never felt before was recognized as heat.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?”

A scream.

The delayed pain caused his throat to emit a voice that almost tore it apart.

When Sei turned in response, there was Rex, crouching and covered in blood.

“Eh…?”

“Let’s go! We’ve dealt with the traitor, only our archenemy remains!”

“Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Her strength drained away.

Petan, she collapsed, unable to respond to the approaching humans. Her mind went blank. Why? Why him? Who had done this to him? Was it these humans before her eyes? Should she kill them? Now, right here?

“Ah, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!”

Crouching, holding her head, a horrifying number of roots grew from her body at an alarming speed. They easily harvested the humans’ heads, creating gruesome corpses. A few seconds later, there were no humans left. In the midst of a ghastly scene, Sei, unable to even stand, crawled towards Rex.

“Rex…”

“………………..”

Kahyuu, kahyuu, the sound of his breathing was in no way normal. It was a fatal wound for sure. His soul was trying to depart from his body.

“Wait… this wasn’t supposed to… Rex was supposed to be alive… properly…”

“………………..”

“Is it… my fault…? Did all this happen because someone like me was born…?”

“………………..”

“Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…!”

Sei clung to Rex’s body. Not minding that her beautiful face was stained with blood, tears fell from her eyes.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for trying to be happy. I’m sorry for living until now. I’m sorry for picking him up.

If she hadn’t picked up Rex, perhaps he would have crossed the mountain and reached where other humans lived.

No, if she had lent her power, it would have easily happened. It didn’t happen because she found joy in talking to him. Because she felt happy being with someone.

So, is this a punishment?

The dying body lying in front of her. As she stands there, the blood continues to flow rapidly. She tries to resist, pressing the wound with both hands, but her small hands are meaningless.

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry.”

“………………..”

Like something broken, words of apology spill from her mouth.

“I’m sorry… please forgive my selfishness…”

Muttering that, Sei gently places her hand on his body. Then the bleeding that had been creating a pool of blood stops, and instead, a green light begins to overflow.

“Rex… live…”