Memorial Festival
(At last, we’ve finally arrived here.)
The woman stood on the mist-shrouded mountainside.
She was not alone. She was accompanied by maids, close attendants, and about ten knights serving as guards.
The woman was a princess, holding one of the highest positions in the Country.
Even a princess like her had found it no simple matter to come here.
In fact, her attendants mumbled among themselves, “Why would the Princess go to such lengths…” hiding their confusion. However, the princess wielded enough authority to silence any objections. She was someone who would likely ascend the throne should the current king perish.
The princess herself, though, had no interest in such a position. She had lived solely for this moment—to come here.
Before her eyes stood a stone gate carved from the mountainside. The royal crest was engraved at its upper portion.
By the princess’s command, the gate was now being opened.
This place was the royal mausoleum of the Country.
The mausoleum had been carved into what had been a cave, and beyond the gate, a large hollow space yawned open. It should have connected to underground chambers, yet now, all that could be seen was a profound darkness.
When torches carried by the knights illuminated the shadows, the passage finally emerged into view.
The oppressive darkness made the journey feel oddly long. The attendants’ expressions were tense. They understood why the princess had come here, and that very knowledge weighed heavily upon them.
Although the passage was not long by actual measure, it felt like an eternal trek before they finally reached the innermost chamber. There, lined up in the cold, cavernous space, were stone sarcophagi of kings and royal family members through the ages.
The air of the mausoleum was frigid, chilling their bodies to the bone.
The princess pointed to a fresh sarcophagus near the front.
“Open it,” she commanded.
The knights instinctively exchanged glances. They had been forewarned, yet they hesitated, wondering if it was truly acceptable to commit such a desecration.
“Open it.”
At her repeated order, there would be no second warning. Everyone knew how she had seized power without hesitation. Disobedience would mean losing their positions and honor.
Reluctantly, the knights placed their hands on the heavy lid of the sarcophagus.
A scraping sound of stone echoed through the chamber as the lid was moved.
The maids turned their faces away instinctively.
Only the princess continued to stare unflinchingly at the sarcophagus.
Soon, the stone lid was completely removed, and the torchlight revealed its interior.
Inside, of course, lay a corpse. Its decay had been halted by the mausoleum’s chill and a special magic cast at burial, preserving the body as it had been in life.
The princess gave the corpse a single, emotionless glance.
“Just as I thought,” she murmured impassively.
Those who had accompanied her could not hide their astonishment.
“Why is this one here…?”
※ ※ ※
At the same time, a Memorial Festival was being held in The Kingdom.
It was held to honor those who had fallen in battle against the Demon King’s army.
In fact, this was the first such festival since the Demon King’s defeat.
This was largely because the Hero had returned. The Kingdom intended to make full use of his presence, showcasing him to the world to proclaim its supremacy.
Therefore, the Memorial Festival was not a solemn event, but rather a grand celebration filled with envoys from various nations.
The spectators were not only from The Kingdom, but also from other countries. Though it was a memorial, the people’s faces were bright. This joy, however, was not born from forgetting the dead, but from sincere gratitude for the long-awaited peace.
A young man with slightly tousled chestnut-colored hair walked cheerfully through the bustling streets.
It was Zack. Upon closer inspection, he had a well-toned physique, but no one could see past his plain appearance to recognize him as the Hero.
“It’s lively today,”
Zack murmured to no one in particular.
Though he was an important figure in The Kingdom, he held no official position, and had become something of a free agent. Zack himself preferred this, and the queen and princess had supported his independence, at least until someone took the throne.
Zack loved the city’s vibrant energy. He loved the lights illuminating the streets.
While he had been absent, he enjoyed seeing the city, once a ruin, gradually restored, feeling as if just being there brought him some of its renewed vitality.
Though this capital had not suffered direct damage from the war, Zack remembered how heavy and oppressive the atmosphere had been before his journey.
Looking for a suitable stall, Zack bought some flowers and candles for the Memorial Festival.
Though the candles were brightly colored—seeming almost garish for such a solemn occasion—he couldn’t help but smile faintly. With them in hand, he entered an old church nearby. While all the churches were busy today, this one had fewer people and seemed like a good place to pray in peace.
He placed the flowers at the altar in the center, lit a candle in the candelabrum, and folded his hands in quiet prayer, recalling the faces of the departed.
His parents who had perished in the Malica battle, Ares who had fallen before his time, classmates from the academy who had died in the Rozolof Great Forest… and then—
Zack became aware of someone’s gaze.
Actually, he had noticed it some time ago, but had assumed it was someone who had recognized him as the Hero.
But this gaze was different—cold, piercing.
There was no hostility in it, though.
Zack closed his eyes again, spending a moment longer in prayer for the dead, then slowly stood and turned. He had survived countless battles, and identifying the source of a fixed stare was second nature.
The figure stood openly near the church entrance, not even trying to hide, and indeed watching Zack closely.
A young woman with silver hair hidden beneath a black veil. Her demeanor carried an elegance unlike that of an ordinary citizen. She gave off a presence reminiscent of Princess Alexia.
And her beautiful silver hair stirred a memory in Zack.
As Zack approached, the silver-haired woman stepped out of the church and disappeared into an alley. Without hesitation, Zack followed.
A little ways into the alleyway, the woman was waiting for Zack.
She gently removed her black veil.
Her skin was as pale and smooth as ivory, her eyes a delicate blue. Her striking features were almost too perfect, giving an impression of coldness.
“…Princess Elena?”
Zack recognized her face.
She was one of the royal family from Ludonia, a country Zack had visited early on his journey to defeat the Demon King. Back then, she had still been a girl, but nearly a decade had passed, and she had become a mature woman.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
“You’ve certainly grown, Princess Elena,”
Zack greeted with a slightly stiff smile.
“That I have, Ares—no, Zack. However, my purpose in coming to The Kingdom was not merely to attend the Memorial Festival.”
At her cold tone, a shadow crossed Zack’s face.
“I came to ask you something, Zack.
Did you kill the Hero of Ludonia?”
Zack did not flinch at Princess Elena’s accusation, though he felt a faint pain in his heart.
When she spoke of the Hero of Ludonia, she meant none other than Prince Carlos, her older brother.
A heroic figure of both great wisdom and valor who had fought valiantly against the Demon King’s army, and one of the departed souls for whom Zack had just been offering prayers.
He was also one of the unforgettable figures Zack had met at the beginning of his journey.
The festival sounds from the city streets seemed as if coming from a distant place.
Carefully watching Princess Elena’s expression, Zack chose his words carefully.
“Princess Elena, why do you believe that? The one who killed Prince Carlos was the fearsome monster, the Shape-shifter. Surely, you remember this.”
The incident involving the Shape-shifter in Ludonia was an event Zack would never forget.
A memory surfaced in his mind—the very beginning of his journey as a Hero—
TLNOTE:
Because of that volume 1 and 2 fan translation in this site will be removed in the near future
otherwise check the internet archive
As usual, please consider reading other novels written by Daken sensei listed below :
- Monster Meat Led Me to the Throne
- The Wicked Princess and 12 Eyes – The Strongest Squires and the Legendary Evil Woman, the Second Time in Her Life
- The Suspects of Necromancy
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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