The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned

Chapter 165: Witch of the Night (6)

I’m trapped in an endless nightmare.

—You... why... gah!

The nightmare always began the same way.

My father collapsed, spraying blood everywhere.

And my mother stood over him, her gaze icy.

—Ah, I see. So, it all ends like this.

She laughed, licking the blood from her hands.

—I… I was always destined to be a witch.

Then her eyes fell on me.

—Lanez.

Her voice was warm, but her blood-soaked face contradicted it.

—I’m sorry.

She embraced me, sobbing.

—I’m sorry… for giving birth to you.

Her sorrowful voice… felt cold, chilling to the bone.

* * *

I was accepted into the Hero Academy.

Somehow, word about me had spread.

During the entrance ceremony, countless eyes turned my way.

—That’s her, right? The daughter of the Archbishop of Frost…

—Why would they let a demon’s child into the Hero Academy?

—Demon blood or not, she should be eliminated, shouldn’t she?

I heard their whispers, saw their eyes filled with hate, contempt, and fear.

There was no place for me, not anywhere in the vast Hero Academy.

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

I apologized countless times.

I begged for forgiveness countless times.

But no one ever welcomed me.

Ah, I see.

It can’t be helped.

I am the daughter of a demon.

A horrible witch.

Someone who should never have been born.

“I’m truly… sorry.”

They weren’t in the wrong.

They hadn’t done anything wrong.

The one at fault… was me.

* * *

—Are you okay?

And then… someone reached out to me.

Aaron Baek.

It didn’t take long for me to realize the hand he extended to me was cold.

Behind his bright smile, I could feel his hate and anger toward me.

It couldn’t be helped.

I was the daughter of the one who killed his father.

Aaron wasn’t in the wrong.

I was the one who had done wrong.

Time passed, and I was now a fourth-year.

Four years had gone by, but the looks directed at me hadn’t changed at all.

The world was still unbearably cold, its chill biting to the core.

It couldn’t be helped.

The world wasn’t in the wrong.

I was born as a witch’s daughter.

Because demon blood flows within me.

So…

“I’m… sorry.”

The one who should apologize was me.

The one who should seek forgiveness was me.

The one who had done wrong… was me.

* * *

“What are you standing there for?”

A cold voice cut through my thoughts.

It was a voice I knew well.

Bella was glaring at me with icy eyes.

That look was familiar too.

I flinched, trembling as I quickly bowed my head.

“…I’m sorry.”

—Huh?

—I… I’m the one who was wrong.

—Who wants to hear your apology? I told you to go fight the demonic beast, didn’t I? You’re a hero candidate too, aren’t you?

“……”

I looked nervously at the demonic beast.

A creature with a snake’s head and a human’s body.

Its seven glistening eyes focused on me.

I was terrified.

Just looking at it made my legs shake.

Even though I had learned numerous combat spells over the past four years, my mind went blank standing before the creature.

I wanted to turn and run, but Bella was behind me, blocking my way.

“Hah… hah…”

Panting, I stretched my hand forward.

I focused my magic, struggling to cast a spell.

The sound of ice shards gathering filled the air.

But only for a moment.

“Grraaaagh!”

“Kyaa!”

As soon as I heard its fierce roar, my magic faltered, and the ice shards I had formed shattered, falling to the ground.

“Ha. What are you doing?”

“…S-sorry.”

“Do it properly. The junior is watching, you know?”

“……”

I turned to look at the “junior” Bella was talking about.

A candidate with dark gray hair and slightly fierce eyes.

I remembered our first meeting.

‘He frowned when he looked at me…’

I was used to it.

No one would smile at a witch with demon blood.

‘Uh…’

Suddenly…

An unbearable chill washed over me.

Clack, clack, clack.

My teeth chattered loudly.

‘…Why?’

This place was a jungle, where the mere act of breathing made me sweat.

There should be nothing but sweltering heat here.

But…

‘Cold.’

I was freezing.

As if I were wandering naked in a snowstorm.

I was so, so cold.

‘Cold, cold, cold.’

My body trembled uncontrollably.

I curled up, rubbing my hands together to warm them, but the biting cold didn’t fade even a little.

“What are you doing?”

Bella scowled at me as I crouched, trying to warm myself.

“Ah, no. It’s just… I’m c-c-cold…”

“Cold? You’re cold?”

Bella let out a disbelieving chuckle, an exasperated look on her face.

“...Ha. This is ridiculous.”

With long strides, Bella came closer and kicked my stomach as if punting a ball.

“Gah!”

The impact jolted my body, lifting me slightly off the ground.

But the freezing cold that felt like it would turn me to ice was more painful than getting kicked in the gut.

“Haa, haa, huff.”

I blew warm breath into my trembling hands, but it only made the biting cold feel worse.

“This one is hopeless, seriously.”

Bella scowled, grabbed me by the collar, and tossed me toward the creature, a monstrous demonic beast with lizard-like features.

“Ugh!”

Thud!

The world spun as my back slammed against the hard ground, pain rippling through my body.

“Graaarrr!”

“Eek!”

When I lifted my head, a demonic beast with seven glaring eyes was right in front of me.

I scrambled backward on the floor, desperately searching for a way out.

“Aaron, Aaron…”

When I turned my head, I saw him.

Aaron, standing with his arms crossed, looking down at me with a cold gaze.

“…Ah.”

A low sigh escaped my lips.

I already knew.

Behind his kindness lay a cold, hardened hatred.

Despite knowing that, I had still cried out his name, out of a foolish, pitiful hope.

Even though his hand might be cold… Aaron was the only one who had ever reached out to me.

“A-ah.”

It’s cold.

It had always been this way.

The world was mercilessly cold, and the nightmares never ceased.

A single tear slipped down my cheek.

Please, someone… save me.

But even as I silently screamed, desperate for salvation…

“Grrraaaa.”

The demonic beast slowly started to move.

Its sharp claws and writhing tail glinted in the dim light.

“...”

I hugged my knees, curling up as I watched the demonic beast approach.

Haa.

My exhaled breath appeared in a small, white puff.

I knew.

No matter how much I begged, no matter how hard I struggled…

There would be no ‘hero’ coming to save me.

‘Just once… Just once would be enough.’

But really, wasn’t it obvious?

“Warm… I want to be warm.”

There’s no hero in this world who would come to save a witch.

“Shaaa!”

The demonic beast charged at me with a blood-curdling roar.

In that moment, as I shut my eyes tight…

“Blaze.”

A fire ignited.

Fwoooosh!

A fierce flame flared up, engulfing the demonic beast.

“…Huh?”

Slowly, I lifted my head.

There stood Dale.

With ash-gray hair and slightly fierce eyes, my junior stood protectively in front of me.

* * *

“Hmmm.”

The air was tense and rigid.

Aaron scratched his cheek awkwardly, forcing a troubled smile.

“Haha. Sorry. It seems Bella’s joke went a bit too far.”

He walked slowly toward where I and Lanez were standing.

“I’ll apologize on her behalf.”

“…Sigh.”

I let out a long sigh, looking up at Aaron standing in front of me.

Aaron would, in the near future, become one of the top five most powerful heroes.

Even if I didn’t join his party, just maintaining a good relationship with him would be invaluable in the coming war against the demon army.

Meanwhile, Lanez, even if she could awaken the “Blessing of Frost,” was more likely to be a liability rather than an asset.

On one side, there’s a guaranteed lottery ticket.

On the other, a ticking time bomb that could endanger countless lives.

The choice of which side to take was clear.

Simple and obvious.

“So, it wasn’t out of malice… it was out of a desire to see Lanez improve…”

Wham!

I slapped Aaron across the cheek, cutting off his rambling.

“Ugh!”

Maybe he hadn’t expected me to throw a punch so suddenly.

Aaron stumbled backward, clutching his cheek.

“Hey! What the hell are you…!”

“Bella. Stand down.”

Aaron signaled Bella to back off as she glared at me, her sword pointed in my direction.

“Tsk.”

Aaron clicked his tongue and got up, reaching out his hand.

A spear, resting on a tree stump, flew through the air and landed in his grasp.

“Just one question.”

Aaron looked at me, his eyes filled with puzzlement, as he held his spear.

“Why are you protecting that witch?”

He furrowed his brows, clearly unable to understand.

“I liked you, Dale. You’re smart, perceptive, and skilled. That’s why I invited you to join our party after graduation.”

Aaron continued.

“My family’s situation might not be great right now, but we’re still one of the most influential families in the Republic.”

I knew.

“It feels strange to say it myself, but I’m confident in my abilities. After graduation, I’ll be a hero that won’t pale in comparison to anyone.”

I knew that too.

“Lanez, on the other hand, is a witch with demon’s blood. Not just any demon—she has the blood of an ‘Archbishop’ level demon. Even if she’s no problem now, who knows when she’ll turn into a monster like her mother.”

I knew.

“But.”

Aaron’s eyes turned cold as he stared at me.

“Why are you aiming your sword at me instead of at her?”

“...”

Why did I choose Lanez over Aaron?

Was he really that curious about it?

Curious enough to give this long speech just to know?

“I don’t know.”

“…What?”

“I don’t know why I’m doing this.”

I shrugged my shoulders, shaking my head.

I knew too.

That my actions weren’t wise.

You could call it cheap sympathy, or a momentary whim.

But if I had to give a reason…

“I just… wanted to catch that hand.”

“...?”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed, his face filled with confusion, as I looked back at Lanez.

-Just once… Just once would be enough.

I recalled that day.

Amidst the blizzard, I remembered the witch’s hand reaching out to me as she shed red tears.

-Warm… I want to be warm.

The hand I’d coldly pushed away that day…

The hand that had grown cold…

This time, I wanted to hold it.

“I don’t get what you’re trying to say.”

Aaron clicked his tongue and pointed his spear at me.

“Well, anyway. If you plan to keep protecting that witch, you better be ready.”

Ready, huh.

I let out a small chuckle, gripping my sword.

“Yeah, you better be ready.”

Not me. You.