I froze, paralyzed by those unexpected words.
Seizing the opening, she shook the blade from her shoulder and instantly retreated. I stood there, unable to pursue her. The torrential rain chilled my very soul.
Amidst my disordered thoughts, I barely managed to give voice to my confusion.
"What… are you saying?"
"I am not as great a hero as you believe," she confessed.
She wore the expression of someone who had finally cast aside a heavy burden. Even as the blood from her shoulder soaked her clothes, she didn't let it show. Without displaying even a hint of pain, she continued.
"Let me be blunt. The world is irredeemably ugly… so much so that it could hardly complain if it were to perish."
"Wh—"
This time, I was truly at a loss for words.
I stumbled, nearly slipping in the mud. I managed to steady my feet, but my mind was another story. She watched me, taking in my reaction.
"Are you surprised? You likely never imagined I held such views."
"Since when have you thought that way?"
"Since before our journey even began."
Her answer struck with a force that distorted my memories from their very foundation. This was an unexpected truth—a side of the Hero I never knew. Even though we had been together all that time, I had understood nothing. Perhaps it was due to my own dullness, but she must have hidden it with masterful skill.
"I am surely more disillusioned with the world than anyone else. Even so, I resolved to become a Symbol of Hope."
"…Why?"
"Because without that resolve, I would have wanted to destroy it all."
She spoke with a voice that was clear and unwavering. For a fleeting moment, a dark hue colored her eyes. It was a chilling radiance that vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
She spread her hands wide.
"Even in a world like this, a certain justice is required. Through the role of the Hero, I wanted to draw out humanity's good nature."
That was unmistakably her true feeling. The Savior Hero had left behind numerous legends throughout her journey. She had built her renown by helping people in every region she visited. Even while disillusioned with the world, she had taken the initiative to extend a helping hand.
"When I was executed in the Valley of the Dead, I was considering the world's ultimate fate. I believed that if the Demon King and the Hero both disappeared, human conflict would surely break out. It turned out exactly as I predicted, didn't it?"
"Were you… wishing for humanity to destroy itself?"
When I asked, she shook her head. The rain was growing even heavier now. Though her voice was nearly drowned out by the downpour, she continued her confession.
"I placed my faith in the world's self-purification process. I hoped that the people scarred by war would eventually learn to respect and acknowledge one another after their hardships. I believed that a future that did not depend on the Demon King or the Hero was the only path to true peace."
"But, if that self-purification fails, they might all perish."
"Then so be it. I believe it would be fine for it to simply perish."
She gave that radical answer with a smile. I knew her well enough to know she wasn't the type to tell jokes. Her eyes as she looked at me insisted she was telling the truth. The woman who had defeated the Demon King had been prepared to allow the world's destruction.
"Hero… you…"
My knees nearly gave way; I only stayed upright by thrusting my sword into the mud. The psychological shock was overwhelming, accompanied by a wave of intense revulsion. If I still possessed a human body, I likely would have vomited.
"You gave up on humanity's good nature and focused entirely on the forced maintenance of the world. I believed in humanity's good nature and allowed for the possibility of the world's destruction. Our desire for peace was the same, but that is where we were decisively different."
Having finished her explanation, she stepped forward. She swung her sword in a single, fluid flash. The seamless slash momentarily halted the surrounding rain. However, the deluge resumed almost immediately, washing everything away.
Gazing up at the leaden sky, she returned her eyes to me.
"If your actions are to be called the 'Evil of Salvation,' then I suppose mine must be 'Justice of Destruction.' Truly, it is an ironic situation."