Chapter 20: [RA] Albert Wingston: The Tool called Hero

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*Reaper's Arc Chapter 6*

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It is a field of green moist grass covering the dirt called the ground. Tidy and clean are the words that may describe it was maintained regularly by maids, trimming the grass and preventing its excessive growth.

Roots may sometimes sprout outwards and the responsibility of the hired gardeners to outroot them and keep the royalties safe from an unexpected accident, namely tripping. Sometimes, a small monster may live underneath, borrowing themselves deeply until someone notices a hole, hunt them down, skin them alive and then put their meat into stew.

From afar, one could see two boys holding a wooden sword. One of them was scratching his butt while one unstably hold his sword, shaking from fear.

'What's the deal with the king? I don't understand him at all. If he is going to train someone like him, he should go for an experienced swordsman'

Theo said to himself while his hands slid inside his pants and underwear. He felt some sort of bliss as his nail scratched the surface of the skin on his butt. His hand move further and caught an ant who kept tormenting him inside his clothes.

'What can someone like me do? I don't even know how to hold a sword '

He then flicks the ant out from his finger.

Indeed, he does not remember how, rather he is following his own instinct. So far, he can't remember an instance where he needed to fight and he never held a sword or bow as well as magic.

While the hero and Theo face each other, Agatha watched them from afar in a wide window with a book in hand. Despite being on the second floor of the building, she could hear them speak to each other due to the inborn skill that strengthen her senses.

She is studying on her own despite wanting to play like a normal kid so she looks at them with envy. Her eyes maliciously squint at Albert.

There is an academy for kids like them but they can't admit as a student until they are twelve. Nearing at it, Agatha studied on her own with the ambition to become a top student. She sighs to herself realizing that her ambition is rooted in the tainted desire for people to kneel over her feet.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Fifth appears on her back silently.

"Quite a surprise isn't it?"

"Woah! Don't just appear out of nowhere like that!"

In shock, Agatha flinches before looking to her back. Her hands were on her chest suppressing the sudden loud bang from her heart.

Fifth bow his head in response.

"I apologize... "

Looking at Agatha's face, Fifth slightly tilts his head in amusement.

"Are you worried?"

It didn't take Agatha long before responding in a rather slightly angry tone.

"Definitely I am worried! That boy is a reckless one, he should be tied to the leash. And if I am allowed to, I will lock him up in my room"

Her response brought cold sweat to the face of the priest.

'I see, the Saint in this era is a possessive one'

Fifth thought to himself while he scratch his chin.

Agatha and Fifth turn their head to the two kids who will clash with their wooden swords. Agatha bites her nail as she watches.

"Listen, Hero, just hold the sword tightly, then wham! Then swoosh!"

Theo tightened the grip on his sword and instinctively waved it in every direction, trying to teach the hero the way of the sword using practical demonstration and sound effects.

"KAPOW!"

He continued, and the sword accidentally came flying out of his hand.

"You understand?"

He said while shoving away the existence of his failed swordsmanship, putting both of his hands on his hips and asserting dominance.

"Huh?"

A big question mark appears on Albert's head as he gazes at Theo's sword. He can't help but tilt his head in confusion, asking himself what just happened. But an answer came to his head the moment Theo dashed out to pick up his sword.

'He does not know how to use a sword?'

Albert concluded.

Though Fifth has a different impression of Theo's swordsmanship, his eyes shift in a rather serious way.

"What do you think of Theo? What is he like when you met?"

He asked Agatha. Agatha smirked haughtily while she looks towards Fifth, putting her chin resting above her hand.

"He's a monster"

Fifth stared at her in disbelief, his face was unchanging upon Agatha's revelation which means he doesn't accept her response as legitimate or valid.

"What do you mean?"

He asked, then Agatha stretched her arms and let a loud yawn from her mouth.

"Come and try to attack me. Just don't hit me too hard, okay?"

Theo said with a nervous voice after picking up the wooden sword, then preparing his instinctive battle stance.

"He lost all his memories when I found him alone in that village. His name is a fake I created so no one really knows who he is."

Agatha said after her long yawn. She brought her hand again to her chin indicating her boredom.

"But it's exactly what I have just said"

She continued in a solemn whisper.

"I am sure of it, what happened that night..."

"You mean, the minotaur's attack?"

She recalled her past inside her head and relive the pain that she felt. At that time, sharp stabbing wounds is all over her body, her parents are squashed under the rubble, and her holy knight's feminine body was toyed, torn from limb to limb. The one who stood to protect him is the boy she once despised.

She could see his wide fearless back, but she can't see his face due to the flames creating an intense silhouette... But she could see Theo's teeth in a crescent shape before he was hurled away by the fist of the minotaur. Her eyelids fall to blink, and when she opened her eyes, she was already saved, inside a tavern tending her wounds and Theo's being inhumanly broken to all parts.

"Kwaah!"

Albert sought an opening to attack. He screamed his battle cry as his sword close the gap to his opponent. It will succeed... He thought to himself that it will hit Theo. After all, Theo didn't move an inch as he attacked and his face remain indifferent.

But the moment Albert enters Theo's range of reach, an immediate fright hits him like a cold wind. His hand starts shaking, and his legs start to weaken. He looks forward and sees Theo's clothes slowly turning blurry, he closed his eyes and slashes blindly. 

That is when an incredible vertical slash hits his face. His chin bounced violently as he fall over with his knees, losing control over the limbs of his body. He slumps down to the ground helplessly.

While this is happening, Agatha continues to speak.

"That boy, he can't possibly be a human. It's hard for me to describe it but... if you saw him that night with your own eyes, you'll agree with me"

Fifth looked intently at Theo after he slashed his sword. He squints his eyes and the smile on his face, fades into the air.

"A monster... eh. The Church of Serpentine is taking an interest in that child. If you don't mind, will you-"

Before he could even finish, Agatha immediately cut through his words like a sharp knife in a cold tone.

"I object. I am the one who found him so he's mine. No one is taking what or who in from my palms unless I say so"

Fifth close his eyes in disbelief and sigh with a smile on his face.

"If you insist, Agatha"

He said in a content tone.

"You... You're too strong"

Albert said as he looks up at Theo with his sword laying on his shoulder.

"Like I said, you just need to wham! Then Swoosh!"

Theo then swing his sword in every direction and a moment later, it came flying out of his hands like a boomerang that didn't return.

"Can you stand up?"

Theo stretched out his arms for Albert to grab into. The hero's body is still numb and he can't stand up on his own, he needed it so he reached for Theo's arm, optimize the integrity of his legs and pull himself upwards until he managed to stand up.

"T-thank you"

He said, the prince bow his head towards a peasant. The peasant in return touched his chin with his index finger and closed his eyes, deep in thought he started to think and analyze the current strength of the hero.

"Hmmm... lies"

He said in a silent tone, and when Albert heard it, he immediately reacted.

"Ha!?"

Theo looks at him, then scan him from his feet until his eyes reach the head.

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"You are not weak at all. You are just afraid of getting hurt"

Albert opened his eyes widely, but that particular information is not new to him.

"Every time I am trying to attack, you kept on closing your eyes or turning your back away from your opponent then acting like a turtle.  You are leaving yourself vulnerable to your opponent's attack"

He is afraid indeed, the pain is just unbearable for him. Even a flick of a finger feels like a stab wound when it hits. When somebody hurt him, the physical stimuli is getting multiplied mentally and he felt nearing death every time he is in a duel.

What Theo said is a fact that he can't say anything in return. His right-hand keeps gripping his left arm in an uncomfortably restless way. His mouth is trembling while he talks.

"I am trying to... But... I..."

Seeing the hero's reaction, Theo left an exasperated smile.

"Let's take a breather then"

He then said, then he pull Albert's arm towards the shade where the heat of the sun won't bother them.

On the other hand, Fifth crosses his arms while he complains.

"That's wrong Theo. He's not afraid of pain, he's afraid of people. Prince Albert has been abused by his older siblings as well as his teachers after all"

Hearing it, Agatha responded while her head rest on a corner.

"Poor Hero"

Fifth continue to talk about the hero recalling what the church knew after their thorough investigation of the hero's background. The data is still incomplete and full of holes but it seems that some parts of them are valid.

"When the Prince lose to a match with his past trainer, the trainer would hit him down as hard as he could until he passed out. Their reasoning was that he is a hero so he must have a body that withstood such pain but in fact, they just want to hit him to exercise their sense of superiority. Beating down some royal blood and a fated hero apparently satisfies them"

Because of this, the trauma intensifies the hero's fear of getting beaten down creating psychological difficulties where the pain is getting amplified mentally. His central sensitization causes him to fear getting hit, and because of it, he keeps on losing duels, and losing a duel causes him to feel more pain amplifying his mental defect.

"Everyone is just plain envious of his gifts"

Fifth further added while he look at the two boys. He wished in his heart that Theo won't grow envious of him and betray the hero in the end. Hearing the priest's complaints and frustration, Agatha tried to speak her thoughts about the hero's abusers.

"They are just weaklings that keep trying to make themselves feel superior against those stronger than them when they have the chance. They are aware of their own weakness that the hero didn't have so they will vent their frustration to him in return."

Fifth listen to her while he closes his eyes. He thought to himself that humans are naturally weak and if weakness creates these kinds of evil, then are all men fundamentally evil? Surely, such thought is never true for him as he is also human, he is never strong but he is still trying his best to be a 'good man'.

'Even if I am a weak man, I'll never cause such evil in the name of God '

He marked his word as he look at the pale blue sky covered by white cotton clouds.

Meanwhile, the conversation between Theo and Albert continues.

"For starters, we must erase your fear of me. Listen, I am not as strong as you think. I am just an ordinary person after all. You have a lot more potential than I do being a hero or whatnot."

He said under the shade of a fat tree. The coolness of the shadow below the leaves is totally contrasting when they are under the influence of the sun, creating a relaxed atmosphere above their heads.

"But, everyone is telling me I am too weak despite being a hero"

Albert said with a negative tone of voice. Immediately, Theo scolded the hero's poor evaluation of himself.

"Because they are too incompetent to understand that you are still a human! No human could become a perfect being when we are designed to be flawed, everyone starts off from zero before being a hero."

He said while putting a big thumbs up and a smile that is meant to improve Albert's mood. Theo, seeing that Albert is still not convinced about what he is trying to say, held both of Albert's shoulders with his hands that Albert almost shrieked due to his sensitivity.

"It's okay to be weak in the start"

Theo said, and Albert once again have his eyes wide open glittering with moisture. Then just a fraction of a second before the tears finally fall from his eyes.

"Nobody told me it's okay to be weak. They kept telling me how disappointed they were because I am the hero..."

Everybody keeps telling him to be strong creating pressure on his identity and it is the first time someone told him to be himself, a weakling.

"Albert... You are not a tool, you don't need to serve or reach their expectations. Ask yourself, do you want to do really do this? Do you want to become a hero?"

Theo, getting pissed around the people surrounding the hero, tried to talk Albert out of the pain using a different approach. He is trying to embed the ideas that Albert is free to do what he wants. Even abandoning his duty and the people he meant to protect, it's his choice to be a hero or not.

"But, it's my responsibility..."

"You don't need to comply with it, you are free to choose the path you want to take. If quitting to be a hero will free you, then quit. If you don't want to save the world, then don't do it. Even if all people die because of your decision, even if the world blames you, I won't."

Albert blinks at what he said. At first thought, he thinks that Theo is cruel to let people die just because of a selfish reason for one's sole freedom but the second thing Theo said changes his mind.

"I am your friend after all"

He didn't know how to express the emotions that he had when all the time, the only thing he did was cry. So instead, he expresses his joy through tears... he understands, Theo is just worried. It was engraved into his head that Theo chooses him over all the people that will die if he quits midway from being the fated hero.

And he didn't want that, the person in front of him was too kind to make him a heartless trigger that chooses a single person against everybody else... therefore, he must continue to become a hero so he won't become one. He was reminded of the fact of what he must protect.

'That's... right, I wanted to become a hero to protect people like him '

Theo became a source of light for him that finally show him the right way.

Agatha with her mouth wide open accidentally drops her book falling to the lower floors. Fifth looks at her in a confused way while it occurred and after some time, Agatha came back to her senses and runs through the lower floors to pick up the book.

Fifth is also planning to leave but before that, he commits a final glance at the two boys and then left.

"U- Umm, I need to go to the toilet. Can I?"

Albert said in an embarrassed way.

"Go on, I'll be waiting"

Albert dashed out immediately after hearing Theo's response. Theo then sits on the bare ground while he crosses his arms and thinks deeply about a very crucial fact.

'Oh no...'

His heart started beating fast under a significant realization that cause him to gasp.

'Maybe I have a knack for being a trainer! '

He thought to himself haughtily which causes him to grow a larger nose.

Just when he is in deep thought of haughtiness, a woman in a black dress sneaks into his back.

"Boo!"

"Ahhhh!"

Theo shrieked at the top of his lungs from the shock. The blow of winds on his ears causes the hair of his neck to stand. The woman giggles before bending her knees to bow her head.

"Good afternoon... It's been a long time"

She said, but that particular woman is new to his eyes. She's an adult that is probably already in her twenties but her chest is lacking any maturity. Her arms are slender and long creating an impression of an elegant lady and her body is perfectly feminine in any sense and size. Her hair is dyed black with shades of brown and noticeably elongated side bangs.

'Eh? Who is she? She's so pretty like a goddess '

Theo thought inside his head, he felt some sense of deja vu as he saw her face and smile.

"Do I know you?"

He asked the girl, immediately, the girl felt a sense of fright that she holds the center of her chest.

"Don't you remember me? ...Xeon"

Theo could see her forcing a smile.

When Albert returned, seeing the two people interact, he immediately hides behind a thick wall, and out of curiosity, he eavesdropped. Albert could see Theo's eyes having a spark of hope while the girl is having a hard time that she is slowly stepping backward away from the boy.

"Xeon? Is that my name? I don't remember..."

The girl's arms became dead and it falls to the side of her arms. One could see the disappointment on her face that she forgot to breathe.

"..."

She clenched her fist, hiding her hands behind her back. Suddenly, she bows her head in an immediate apology.

"I am very sorry! I got the wrong person! I am really sorry!"

She said while stepping away. Theo stretched his arms to stop her from going, a voice of desperation can be heard from his mouth.

"Wait! I really don't remember, I lost my memories so if you knew something..."

"I am really sorry! You just look like my nephew so I thought you were him. Sorry!"

Then the girl finally ran away, she pulled the skirt of her dress upwards to avoid her way from stepping on it. Noticing the disappointment in Theo's eyes, Albert tried to approach him.

"T-Theo. I'm back. Is something wrong?"

Theo turned his face towards Albert and wore a smile.

"Nope. It's nothing."

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