Episode 22: “As a Hero”
“Off you go, Fiine.”
“Yeah, I’m off.”
The next morning, Fiine set out early from the estate, seen off by Yuria. She headed deep into the deserted mountains to create the magic doll.
Last time, she’d used a keepsake pendant as the core for the magic doll.
But this time…
“…This is way too heavy.”
Fiine climbed the mountain carrying a shield nearly half her own height on her back.
The keepsake used as a magic doll’s core worked best when it had been something the person genuinely cherished in life.
Which was why, this time, what the village head had handed her was this shield.
The shield Max had made. Absurdly large and awkward to carry, but there was no helping it.
“…This should be far enough.”
Partway up the mountainside, Fiine set the shield down on the ground.
She drew her wand from inside her coat and traced a magic circle in the air.
Into the earth rising up before her, she hurled the heavy shield with a grunt of effort.
The soil curled itself into a sphere around the shield. From that sphere, seven-colored light burst forth, and a massive flower of light bloomed.
With a larger keepsake serving as the core this time, the flower of light came out larger too.
“Frontier Hero, Conrad. Even in death, you’re still wanted by so many people. So…”
She traced the magic circle once more. The petals of light scattered, and from within the blinding glow, a young man emerged.
“—once more, give everyone courage.”
Tall enough that she had to look up at him, with a powerfully built, muscular frame.
A body forged through real training — exactly the physique one would expect of a hero.
Without vast magic power or any innate genius, he’d still lived, admirably, as a hero in every sense that mattered.
“…You are…?”
Conrad blinked repeatedly, clearly disoriented.
“I’m Fiine Fellner, of the magic doll shop. I’ve come to deliver your final day to you.”
“…Final…?”
“It’s been roughly thirty years since your death. The Demon Lord died, peace came… and now, that peace is beginning to fade again.”
She held out her hand.
“The people of Schnee Village are waiting for you.”
Even in death, still expected to be a hero — the ordinary young man gave a troubled sort of smile.
“…Is there really anything I can still do?”
“If that’s what you want, I’ll support you with everything I have. For the sake of a happy goodbye. That’s my job.”
Conrad gripped Fiine’s outstretched hand tightly.
“Please. I want to die as a hero after all.”
◆
By the time she brought Conrad back to the village, every villager had gathered.
The younger ones who’d never known him raised innocent cheers; those who had known him wore expressions tangled between astonishment, fear, and joy.
“Lord Conrad. Please tell everyone about today’s plan.”
She bowed her head respectfully to him. On the way back to the village, she’d already explained the day’s plan to him in full.
A magic doll couldn’t use magic on its own.
Which meant every spell he’d seem to cast today would, in truth, be Fiine’s own.
But there was no need for anyone else to know that.
“Today’s goal is to teach the monsters that attacking this village means paying a painful price. So we’ll draw them out and fight them, flashily. It’s dangerous, so I need everyone to stay hidden inside your homes.”
The villagers nodded along with applause.
They’d apparently been training in swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat as a means of self-defense, but the community council’s policy was clear: avoid combat wherever it could be avoided.
“So the village doesn’t take any damage, we’ll be providing support as well.”
Bianca stepped forward as she said it. She intended to have her subordinates work alongside her to keep monsters from breaching the village.
“Everyone, please stay inside your homes until we send word!!”
Bianca guided the villagers, ushering those still outside back indoors.
The last one still standing outside was Max, Conrad’s friend.
“Conrad.”
Max took a step forward and froze, staring at his friend.
Then Conrad closed the distance between them in an instant.
“It’s been a while, Max.”
He threw an arm around Max’s shoulders, mouth stretched wide in a broad grin.
In sharp contrast to Conrad’s beaming smile, Max’s whole body began to shake as he broke down in tears.
“…Conrad, I…”
Conrad had died fighting the monster that attacked Max.
It wasn’t Max’s fault, of course, but it wouldn’t be strange at all if he still carried some sense of responsibility for it.
“Max. Tell me everything, in full, later. Right now, I just want to hear that you’ve been happy.”
“…Okay.”
Giving Max’s back a light push, Conrad sent him home.