"First, look at your own mistakes properly! A fool who doesn't even understand what he did wrong won't be able to break the curse even after thousands of years!"

The fool who took a blow from the hero's fist, which would normally decapitate an ordinary monster, slowly returned to his original state because his body was unable to die.

"Ugh..."

"Ah, uncle!"

"And you over there. Stop following after this fool! If you keep following the tail of such a fool, you'll end up living in disaster for the rest of your life!"

At Hero's words, the woman flared up and said,

"No, Hero-nim! Aren't your words a bit too harsh?!"

"Too harsh?! The real harshness lies in the idiocy of this imbecile! Do you know why this fool was cursed with immortality?! Why life stopped being born in Arcad's land?! Why the refugees of Arcad had to leave their homeland and live in other countries?! It's all because of the sins committed by this fool!"

At Hero's outburst, the woman was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Immortality curse...? Arcad's land...? Ah, uncle. What is that..."

The woman didn't know the details of the curse that afflicted that fool.

Since he didn't explain what the problem was, she wouldn't have known.

"W-Was your curse... not about natural disasters striking around you and suffering under the sun?"

"That's not a curse either."

I said to the perplexed woman.

"Those are just other gods venting their anger and punishing that fool what he's done."

"Those natural disasters... are not a curse, just venting of anger?"

"Yes, they're not a curse."

It's just the children venting their outrage towards the fool who committed rudeness against me.

"If you don't say it yourself, I'll tell you here about what you've done. The curse you've received. All about you."

"Please, stop..."

"Why? Wasn't it you who hasn't said anything so far? Is it because the reason is too pathetic even for you? Then why did you do such a thing back then? Why did you do something that you would end up regretting so much?"

I looked down at the fool with a cold gaze and said,

"Was it because you wanted to be a good person to this child?"

"Ugh..."

Hmph. What a pathetic fool. A pitiful fool who doesn't even have the courage to admit his own mistakes.

I clicked my tongue briefly and said,

"The reason this fool was cursed is..."

"S-Stop it..."

The fool reaches out his hand, but it doesn't reach.

As if such a worthless hand could reach me.

"On the day Hero drew his sword and became a hero, at the Temple of the Goddess of Life."

"Stop!!!!"

He screams like a cry, but it has no effect.

A foolish and even more foolish man. A man who couldn't properly reflect.

If I push the truth onto the woman who follows this fool, what will happen?

Will she start despising the fool? Or...?

"He coveted me who appeared before Hero, profaned the Goddess of Life, and desecrated the Temple of Life."

I said in a low voice.

"At the time, he used his position as the powerful Prince of Arcad to covet Hero's sword."

"..."

The woman's eyes are dyed with shock.

The fool cannot say a word.

What a stupid fool. What a foolish fool.

A bastard who can't even admit his own mistakes.

Even after suffering for decades, he hasn't changed, remaining a foolish man.

"And so, the Goddess of Life cursed that fool with immortality, and also cursed Arcad's land so that life could not be born there."

"T-That can't be..."

"That is the truth. That fool is not someone you should admire. He is just endlessly foolish, and a fool who cannot accept his own mistakes."

I thought he would accept his mistakes and reflect, so I cursed him, but I didn't know he wouldn't change this much... If I had known, I should have just cleanly sent him to the Afterlife.

Wouldn't everything have turned out well then? Arcad, and this fool too. Everything would have been fine.

I was stupid. So stupid...

Rather, should I turn back time now and crush this fool? No, but then everything I've built up so far would disappear?

The adventure with Hero, the prosperity of Arcadia, Hero's daughter and her family.

If I turn back time from the present, everything I've built up so far will disappear. Is it right for me to turn back time?

To crush this fool, would it be appropriate to pay such a price?

No, it wouldn't be. The cost would be too great just for that.

That's why, even if I had the cheat of turning back time, I shouldn't abuse it carelessly.

So then.

"I thought that by cursing him and making him suffer, he would reflect on his mistakes a little... But I was completely wrong, so the only option left is to deal with it here."

I raised my hand and gathered magic.

Wiping him out here might be the best outcome.

The silver sphere of magic that gathered in my hand was imbued with a sinister energy that could annihilate anything it touched.

"S-Sister!!!"

Hero cried out in alarm at seeing me, but I didn't stop.

Just now, when he slapped that fool's head, it was probably because he was trying to restrain him before I acted in anger.

It's a bit unfortunate that Hero's efforts went to waste, but there's no help for it.

That fool was just too foolish.

"You wished for Hero to kill you, didn't you? I'll grant your request. But there will be no peace for you even after death, for the gods of death have been eagerly awaiting to seize your soul."

If he had reflected on his mistakes, I might have forgiven him, but there's no need for forgiveness anymore.

Now I'll just get rid of him and forget all about this foolish being. I don't want to think about him anymore.

So.

"Step aside."

I said to the woman blocking my way.

"That fool is not worth you shielding him. It's better for this foolish being to disappear from this world."

But even with my words, the woman didn't step aside.

She tightly pressed her lips together, her eyes brimming with tears, shaking her head to block me.

"Why? Why are you still shielding him? Even after hearing of his wrongdoings, you still shield him?"

"B-But..."

The woman spoke in a voice thick with emotion.

"Even though he committed such a wrong... the fact that he saved me hasn't changed..."

Her voice was also laced with deep fear.

It seems she instinctively understood how dangerous this silver magic of mine was.

And yet, she was risking her life to stand in my way.

"You too are being foolish."

"Even though he committed such a grave wrong... he is... my benefactor, an important person to me."

I see. Because he is her benefactor, an important person.

She wants to protect him even at the cost of her life.

Truly, he is more than worthy of such a person.

"S-Step aside! This is not something you should risk your life for! Finally, I can die!"

From behind the woman, the fool shouted.

Since the means to kill him had appeared before his eyes.

The fool had changed, becoming like someone who had found what he had long been searching for.

"Let me say again, without being forgiven, you will not find peace even in death. And yet, do you still wish to die?"

"At least it would be better than my current life of suffering!"

Hmph, better than the current suffering, is it?

"You can say that because you don't know how horrific it can be to be free from the constraints of the physical body."

Compared to the torment of the afterlife, the suffering of this life is but a speck of dust.

This life is just coffee, while the afterlife is T.O.P... Hmm, that's a bit outdated.

"You can say that because you don't know how agonizing the torment inflicted directly on the soul can be."

I smirked.

"Especially in the afterlife... there are experts who specialize in tormenting the souls of the sinful. It will be most delightful. very much so."

Even those fiends are sharpening their blades, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the foolish one who had mocked me.

"More... agonizing than the current life?"

"Yes. It will be fun, so look forward to it."

"S-Sister... that's a bit too much..."

"It's just the right amount for this fool. Otherwise, he won't reflect at all."

So.

"Now step aside."

I still looked at the woman who was blocking my way.

With a trembling body, eyes leaking tears, unable to calm down in the face of death.

The woman did not step aside.

"Ah, no. I can't let uncle die..."

"Even if you die?"

"Even if I die, I can't let my uncle die... Please, please forgive my uncle..."

Forgiveness. Forgive.

I clicked my tongue briefly.

I want to make that foolish idiot disappear from this world right now... but I don't want to kill the woman in front of me.

So.

"I'll give you one last chance."

"Ch-Chance...?"

"......"

I said to the woman.

"If that idiot sincerely repents and apologizes to the Temple of Life, I won't kill him. If not... no matter how you come out, I'll erase that idiot from this world."

An ultimatum. If that idiot sincerely reflects on his mistakes, I won't kill him.

I didn't say it separately, but I will also lift the immortal curse.

But if he doesn't... I will use any means to erase that guy.

Without leaving a trace in this world.