Still Enjoying Hero?

<COMMON Restraint Enchanted Shackles>

Whenever a person of high status used them in the game, only two things ever happened to that person.

They were either about to be enslaved...

Or killed.

And I didn't like either option in my situation.

I sat on the cold floor of the cell, my wrists bound behind my back.

The shackles weren't particularly impressive to look at. Simple metal. No jewels. No elaborate engravings.

But I knew what they were.

Restraint Enchanted Shackles.

A common item.

Common.

I almost laughed. A common item was enough to hold me, a reminder of how weak i am.

I looked up.

In front of me stood Cisum.

Elaine.

Olriad.

Olriad had his sword drawn.

All three wore grim expressions.

There was no confusion in their faces.

No hesitation.

Only suspicion.

And behind them, slightly to the side, stood Elmi.

Beside her was a man I didn't recognize.

A young man.

He looked to be roughly a little older than me.

I stared at him.

I knew every important character in Hero Chronicle.

Every major NPC.

Every king.

Every prince.

Every noble. 

Every character who appeared in the game's hundred scenarios.

And yet...

I didn't know this man.

Worse...

I couldn't recognize him.

Even with all my game knowledge.

"You. Who are you?"

The question came from Cisum. It was directed at me.

It confused me.

To say the least.

I looked at him.

Then at the others.

Then back at him.

"I am Araleon Nasias, Chosen One of Goddess Vielia Nasias and Hero summoned to save the World of Chronix."

I swallowed.

"What is happening?"

"Lies!"

Cisum's shout echoed through the cell.

I flinched.

"What?"

His expression hardened.

"Are you actually the Hero, Araleon?"

For a moment, I just stared at him.

It was a ridiculous question.

"Of course."

I tried to keep my voice calm.

I even forced a smile.

Perhaps this was some kind of prank.

A very bad one.

But still...

A prank.

Cisum didn't smile.

"Is that so?"

He stepped aside.

"For I have the actual Hero here."

The smile disappeared from my face.

A Hero?

'A second Hero? Impossible. Wait. I'm in shackles.'

My eyes moved toward my wrists.

Then back to the stranger.

Something cold settled inside my stomach.

"This is the real Hero."

My eyes widened.

"Cisum..."

"Silence."

His voice was colder than I'd ever heard it.

"It's Your Majesty to you."

I gasped.

The words hurt more than they should have.

For two months, I'd called him Cisum.

We'd trained together.

Talked together.

I'd eaten with him.

I'd laughed with him.

And now...

I wasn't even allowed to call him by his name.

The stranger stepped forward.

"He is NOT the Hero."

He pointed at me.

"I am."

His voice was firm.

"And that man is a fraud working for the Calamity King."

The guards standing outside the cell visibly shivered.

So did I.

"Ridiculous!"

I looked from Cisum to the stranger.

Then back to Elmi.

"We've been together for two months! Who is this stranger?"

Cisum's eyes narrowed.

"And that's the problem, Araleon."

He pointed at me.

"It's only been two months."

I frowned.

"You know each and every one of us like the back of your hand."

I froze.

"You knew our castle before we'd shown you half of it."

He continued.

"You knew the geography of Chronix."

"You knew places you'd supposedly never visited."

"You knew monsters you had never encountered."

"You knew historical events before we told you about them."

"You knew the strengths and weaknesses of weapons that even our royal scholars couldn't identify."

His voice grew colder.

"A newly summoned Hero shouldn't know any of that."

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

"I tried to wave it off."

Cisum glanced toward the stranger.

"But then this man, Benige, came to me."

Benige.

I stared at him.

The name meant nothing.

And somehow, that frightened me more than anything else.

"He told me things."

Cisum's eyes returned to mine.

"Things only someone who had actually been summoned could know."

I shook my head.

"No."

"You are a fake."

"No."

"You are working for the Calamities."

"That's ridiculous!"

My voice cracked.

I pulled against the shackles.

"I was clearly summoned by Elmi! You were there! All of you were there on the altar!"

Benige scoffed. "The Goddess saw through your plan."

I stared at him. "What?"

"She knew the moment I appeared before you, you'd kill me."

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

"That is why I wasn't summoned to the altar."

He stepped forward.

"I appeared elsewhere."

I stared at him.

"I've spent the last two months training."

His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword.

"And now I'm strong enough to defend myself."

He looked directly into my eyes.

"So I came."

I frowned.

This...

This was NOT how the game went.

None of this made sense.

The Hero was summoned through the altar.

Elmi was the Guardian.

Cisum was the prince.

The King recognized the Hero.

The story progressed.

That was how it worked.

I knew this.

I'd played it one hundred times.

So why...

Why was this happening?

"Elmi."

I turned toward her.

"Tell them who the actual Hero is."

She looked at me.

Her lips parted.

"It's—"

"Keep quiet, Guardian."

Elaine voice cut through hers.

Elmi flinched.

"And to think I'd fallen victim to your manipulation." The words came from Elaine.

Everything inside me stopped.

I looked at her.

Elaine.

The girl who had brought me a towel.

The girl who had given me the Vigor's Embrace.

The girl who had smiled at me.

She looked at me now like I was a monster.

Her eyes were cold.

I couldn't understand it.

"Elaine..."

She didn't respond.

Benige stepped forward. "Your Majesty."

She turned her head slightly.

"Have you noticed the increase in Corrupt monsters around the castle since Araleon was summoned?"

Olriad frowned. "Yes."

"Of course." Benige's expression hardened. "They are recognizing one of their own."

My eyes widened. "No."

I looked toward the others.

"That's not my doing."

I remembered the sword.

The Miasma Sword.

The sword was attracting them.

The sword they'd brought into the castle.

The sword that had never existed here in the original game.

"It's the sword."

Nobody responded.

"The Miasma Sword! It's called the Miasma Sword!"

I shouted.

"The weapon in the royal vault! It's attracting the Corrupt monsters!"

Silence.

Elaine's expression didn't change.

Cisum's eyes narrowed.

Benige smiled.

Not a friendly smile.

A victorious one.

"Tell me, Hero."

Benige pointed toward me.

"Do you bear the Hero's Mark?"

The Hero's Mark?

My heart skipped.

Everyone turned toward Benige.

Even me.

In a low voice, I muttered,

"Hero's Mark?..."

Benige reached for the collar of his shirt.

"Of course."

He pulled the fabric down.

A strange mark was revealed across his chest.

I knew that symbol.

I had seen it somewhere before.

I just couldn't remember where.

Everyone gasped.

Benige looked at me.

Then at the others.

"So wait."

His voice was almost mocking.

"You're telling me the Chosen One of Goddess Vielia, the person destined to save Chronix..."

He pointed toward me.

"...has nothing that separates him from an ordinary human?"

Nobody answered.

Benige smiled.

"There's no such thing!"

I shouted.

"There is no Hero's Mark!"

"Is there?" Elaine spoke softly.

I looked at her.

Benigeheld his head high. "Of course there is."

She stared at me.

"It is simply missing from Araleon."

She paused. "He isn't the Hero after all."

Something inside me cracked.

I looked at Elmi.

"Elmi."

She looked away.

My chest tightened.

"Tell them."

She remained silent.

"Tell them there's no such thing as a Hero's Mark."

Her hands trembled. "I don't have any memories to deny that claim yet."

She swallowed. "I'm sorry."

My eyes burned.

"Elmi..."

My voice broke.

I pulled against the shackles.

"Elmi, please."

She wouldn't look at me.

"Don't fail me now."

Silence.

That hurt more than anything.

Not the shackles.

Not the accusations.

Not even the sword pointed at me.

Her silence.

The one person who was supposed to stand beside me was standing behind them.

I looked at Elaine.

"At least you know me."

She shook her head.

"No."

My heart sank.

"You don't."

She stepped closer.

"You manipulated us."

"I didn't!"

"You knew things you shouldn't."

"I played the game!"

The words escaped before I could stop them.

Everyone stared.

I froze.

Game.

Right.

They didn't know what that meant.

I quickly shook my head.

"I mean... I studied."

"Studied?"

Cisum repeated.

"Before being summoned?"

I said nothing.

He stared at me.

Then looked toward Elaine.

She nodded.

"Araleon Nasias."

I looked at her.

"You have been accused of impersonating the Hero, infiltrating the royal family, manipulating the Guardian and potentially aiding the Calamity King."

My breathing became heavier.

"Those crimes are punishable by death."

The room became silent.

'Death.'

The word echoed inside my head.

I stared at Elaine.

She looked away.

I couldn't believe it.

I couldn't believe this was happening.

Then Cisum's expression shifted.

Just slightly.

"There is another option."

I looked at him.

"What?"

"Slavery."

My stomach dropped.

I almost laughed.

Because I'd known it.

I'd known those shackles.

<COMMON Restraint Enchanted Shackles>Whenever someone of high status wore them in the game, only two things ever happened.

Slavery.

Or death.

I swallowed.

'I knew it.'

I lowered my head.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Olriad stepped forward.

"Your Majesty..."

Cisum looked at him.

"Please."

He bowed.

"He's still young."

His voice trembled.

"Even if he isn't the Hero, perhaps..."

He looked toward me.

"He shouldn't die."

I stared at him.

He was pleading for my life.

Cisum closed his eyes.

"Very well."

He opened them.

"Public exile."

I looked up.

"Exile?"

"You will be stripped of your status and become publicly exiled.."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"You will remain in the cells tonight."

He turned away.

"Tomorrow, you will be publicly declared a fraud and exiled from the world."

I stared after him.

Publicly.

Declared a fraud.

Exiled from the world?

I didn't understand.

But it sounded bad.

Very bad.

One by one, they began leaving.

Olriad.

Cisum.

Elaine.

Benige.

Elmi.

I watched them disappear.

"Elmi."

She stopped.

For one second, I thought she'd turn around.

She didn't. "Keep quiet. You demon."

The door closed.

The lock clicked.

I sat there alone.

For the first time since arriving in Chronix...

I was completely alone.

Hours passed.

I didn't know how many.

Eventually, the castle became quiet.

The guards outside changed shifts.

The footsteps disappeared.

Then the door opened.

I looked up.

Several men entered.

I recognized none of them.

One grabbed me by the hair.

"What are you doing?"

He slammed me against the wall.

Pain exploded through my skull.

I gasped.

Another punch hit my stomach.

I collapsed.

"Stop..."

A kick struck my ribs.

"Please."

Another.

Then another.

I curled into myself.

I didn't understand.

I hadn't done anything.

I hadn't betrayed anyone.

I hadn't joined the Calamities.

I hadn't manipulated anyone.

I was the Hero.

I knew I was.

Didn't I?

The beating stopped.

One of the men crouched beside me.

He threw something onto the floor.

A rat.

Dead.

I stared at it.

My stomach twisted.

"Eat."

I looked up.

He laughed.

Then they left.

The door slammed shut.

Silence returned.

I stared at the rat.

For a long time, I couldn't move.

Then my vision blurred.

Tears fell onto the floor.

I wiped them away.

More came.

I hated it.

I hated crying.

I hated this place.

I hated the shackles.

I hated Benige.

I hated the Hero's Mark.

I hated the fact that I couldn't prove anything.

And most of all...

I hated that Elmi had looked away.

I covered my face.

A sob escaped.

Then another.

I reached for the rat.

My hand trembled.

I couldn't do it.

I dropped it.

"I..."

My voice broke.

"I'm the Hero."

Nobody answered.

I curled against the wall.

The tears kept coming.

Then the door opened again.

I looked up in fear.

The same men entered.

One of them smiled.

"Still haven't eaten?"

I shook my head.

He walked toward me.

I tried to move away.

There was nowhere to go.

The first kick landed.

Then another.

And another.

I stopped fighting.

I simply covered my head and waited.

Because tomorrow...

Tomorrow I would be exiled.

Tomorrow the entire world would learn that Araleon Nasias was a fraud.

...

..

.

After taking that much of a beating, I doubted I could still recognize my own face.

Every part of me hurt.

My ribs.

My jaw.

My stomach.

Even breathing felt like work.

I sat against the wall, barely keeping my eyes open. 

Then the cell door opened for a third time.

The same men walked in. [A.N: Forgive me but it's kinda getting funny at this point. ]

But this time, i could only see them with one eye.

One of them looked at me and laughed.

"Still haven't eaten?"

I said nothing.

Another man shook his head.

"Can't have our precious Hero starving."

The sarcasm was obvious.

They laughed.

I slowly looked up.

Another laugh.

Then the first punch came.

I barely had time to raise my arms.

They beat me again.

My body hit the floor. A kick landed against my side.

I coughed.

"Hold him."

Two of them grabbed my arms.

The third picked up the rat.

I immediately shook my head.

"No."

He grinned.

"Come on, Hero."

He shoved it toward my face.

I turned away.

"Eat."

I clenched my teeth. The man grabbed my jaw. I struggled.

"Open."

I refused. He forced my mouth open and shoved the rat inside. I gagged. My eyes filled with tears. They laughed.

"See?"

One of them slapped my cheek.

"Not so difficult."

They released me.

I immediately spat it onto the floor and curled over, coughing.

The men laughed as they walked toward the door.

"Make sure you finish your dinner."

The door slammed shut.

Silence.

I stared at the rat lying on the floor.

My breathing trembled.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to fight.

I wanted to wake up.

Tears couldn't stop flowing. 

Any moment now, surely.

This had to be a nightmare.

The door opened again.

I froze.

But this time...

Only one person entered.

A young man.

He calmly stepped inside.

The door closed behind him.

I recognized him immediately.

Benige.

I stared at him.

He stared back.

There was no anger on his face.

No hatred.

Just a faint smile.

He walked toward me.

I tried to move backward.

My body refused.

Benige stopped in front of me.

Then he reached down.

His hand grabbed my hair.

He pulled my head upward.

Pain shot through my scalp.

Ever since my first week since my summoning. The thought kept eating away at me. The Miasma Sword, Heliocast, little facts and details seemed to be deviating from the original plot. It didn’t make sense. 

At the back of my mind, I kept telling myself, maybe I'm forgetting. But the more time I spent the more time the idea seemed plausible. 

I kept seeing those eyes in the forest. And I kept thinking, maybe, just maybe, if it's possible that somehow someone was changing the plot. 

I didn't want to believe it. But there was no other possibility I could think of, and I didn't want to believe it. However, that night, that idea became the reality. 

"Tell me, Rei. Still enjoying Hero Chronicle now?"