Chapter 405: Together with the Gods
Parnar village wasn't special. As the village chief of Parunaru said, it was just one of the many villages I saved during my first playthrough.
The difference lay in the fact that even if I saved both Citizens A and B, the weight of that memory varied depending on the direness of their predicament.
For example, between handing a tissue to someone who spilled coffee on their clothes and throwing a tube to someone who drowned, the latter would probably be more memorable since it was rarer and more dangerous.
And that difference was bound to be greater for the person being helped.
… This village certainly did develop a lot.
"We cooperated with the neighboring villages to build this statue in commemoration and appreciation of the Hero's achievements. There was even a competition to determine which village it would be built in, so I was actually a little nervous. Haha! Anyway, what do you think?"
"… I won't say it would have been better if you used the budget for this to revitalize the village instead. No one knows what the future holds, after all. One of your residents might be moved by my… glorification enough to push them into becoming a great Hero."
"Hahaha! I thought you would say that. Just like in the past, you still have the wisdom to perceive the possibilities the future holds. You missed one thing, though, Hero."
"There's more to that statue?"
The villages agreed to cooperate in erecting one as best as they could instead of dividing their manpower and talent to create many, all to save money. Still, it was made of the same top-of-the-line stone used for special structures such as a city's central fountain.
The statue depicted a young man standing tall on top of a pile of Heroes stacked up like hamburger patties.
He held a shovel in his right hand instead of a Holy Sword, and his left hand was lightly stroking the head of a scruffy, mournful boy.
"Oh, my. I can't believe the very person who taught us the importance of tourism didn't notice it…"
"… That thing?"
Was my statue a tourist attraction?
As the Righteous Hero, I thought this was too much.
I wouldn't be surprised if grandparents often came out of their homes holding their innocent grandchildren's hands to say, "There was a time when such a brave Hero visited our village!"
However, for it to have an impact on tourism was a bit farfetched…
"How does this place make you feel right now, Hero?"
"… it's like I returned to the past.
Yes.
My statue was premature.
In my first playthrough, I stopped by this village on my way to the Dream Forest, solving the problem they had at the time. Due to that, Parnar developed rapidly.
But that was also a bygone era.
This place, too, reverted to its starting state upon my regression.
"But thanks to you, things have changed around here."
"We've all grown closer to each other, and we've learned not to treat our neighbors with indifference."
"While those can also be called one of your achievements, it's still far from your greatest feat. That serves as proof that you are a real Hero, not a hypocrite."
"…"
I couldn't understand what they meant.
With their memories now recollected, Fantasy's natives remembered me. Honestly, I was glad to finally talk to my old acquaintances again.
Still, what did it matter?
Parnar Village's progress was dismissed as an illusion upon regression.
"It serves as our hope."
"Hope…?"
"The Heroes on the floor of that statue weren't designed randomly. All of them had passed through this place and the nearby villages. Haha… In doing so, they healed one and destroyed two."
"Ah…"
Having been with Sieg, a typical nerd who frequently ruined the bigger picture by being caught up with the littlest things, I understood.
It seemed that the other Heroes weren't much different from him.
"Oh! The person who most wanted to meet Kang Han Soo has arrived." The elder said.
"Mr. Dave?"
"Vicious Pig Merchant…"
Kaisa and I addressed the man struggling to run with different names.
Kaisa wasn't just harboring prejudice against him, though.
He was indeed a vicious merchant who held the commercial rights of Parnar and treated its residents like slaves.
His appearance wasn't likable either… Hey! He had better not hug me!
"Gosh! Hero! I'm so happy I don't know what to say…!"
"… Mr. Dave. If I remember correctly, I definitely advised you to lose some weight if you didn't want to die at a young age. And a man shouldn't embrace another man."
"I like the Hero."
"Please refrain from remarks that my wife might misunderstand."
"Ah! Come to think of it, the beauty who came with you… Heik?!"
Belatedly confirming who the beauty next to me was, he backed away so much out of sheer panic that he even fell to the ground.
His terrified expression made it seem like he just came face to face with a serial killer.
Well, he wasn't completely wrong.
In my first playthrough, he almost got killed by my colleagues.
"… I won't kill you, unlike in the past, so treat me like I don't exist. You can think of me as a pony Han Soo brought." She moved a few paces behind me.
"This is surprising. I didn't think the two of you who used to be enemies would get married… Heiikk?! That doesn't mean you two aren't perfect for each other!"
He bowed down low enough to plant his face on the floor as he trembled due to the subtle change in Kaisa's expression.
… Was he overreacting?
I looked back at my wife.
"How many times have you killed Dave before?"
"I wasn't the only one who did."
"… I'll take that as a lot."
If so, then it was understandable for Dave, the typical vile trader, to tremble like that.
If it went on like this, their problems wouldn't be resolved.
"Don't be afraid, Mr. Dave. Raise your head. She will bring you no harm."
"… You never cease to amaze me, Hero. If it were someone else in your shoes, his arm would've been cut off the moment he touched the Sword Princess's chest."
"That's a common expression of affection between newlyweds."
"No… That's definitely not common… Anyway, I understand. I see she's also changed a little after meeting you."
"… A little?"
It wasn't a big deal.
Without regression, everyone and everything was bound to change little by little throughout their lives.
People, environment, relationships…
From here on out, the world of Fantasy would change.
"I can't imagine what I would be like right now if I hadn't met Kang Han Soo."
"You would've still lived in prosperity somewhere."
"Hahaha… Absolutely not. All kinds of negative thoughts came to mind as my memories of being killed by the Heroes flooded in all at once. Yes, it wasn't just your companions."
He didn't have to say that for me to know.
Crying desperately, the villagers pleaded, "We don't want to pay off our debts!" to the Heroes.
In response, Dave chose to befriend the villagers instead of taking revenge on them.
The same happened now, even though there were no Heroes.
"Are you going to re-promote the joint project we envisioned together?"
"Of course. I am a merchant to the core. There is no reason for me to shy away from doing something I can profit from. Damn Heroes… Ahem! Excuse me. They defined me as evil and even publicly executed me, but I'm just a merchant who established a monopoly over the market of Parnar to maximize my profits."
Judging it safe to be around Kaisa now, he finally found the courage to say he was treated unjustly.
Monopoly.
He purchased daily necessities in a remote village with limited exchanges at a low price then resold them at a higher price, a tactic often used by the black market merchants who ruled the borders of Fantasy.
Not having a proper solution to price hikes, the villagers were forced to be ripped off.
The key was profit.
If the merchants found it more profitable to cooperate with the villagers, their blood, sweat, and tears would no longer be squeezed dry.
"Hero."
"I don't need an explanation. I don't see listening to your pride worthwhile."
"Don't say that. I was the one who donated the most to that statue."
"That's an extension of the tourism industry, which was one of our business initiatives, as the elder said. You did nothing but reinvest based on your memories of successes."
"Woah… Your wisdom is as powerful as ever, Hero. Unlike the other savage murderers, you at least communicate. Heheh!"
"I'll see you later when I have time. I'm a little busy right now."
"Ah, then it can't be helped. When you have time, please visit me later. I will do anything for you with a 50% discount. Like before?"
Merchant Dave snapped his fingers.
"… If my wife kills you again in this life, it'll be because of your arrogance."
"Oh my God! Please save me, Sword Princess! I think the Hero's gone crazy for a moment…!"
Kaisa gazed at him lying flat on the floor with wide-open eyes for a moment, then turned around.
He mumbled a little.
"How can he make her do that…"
"He is a man, after all. Hmmmm."
Leod, utilizing his years of experience, intervened in a timely manner.
"Well, Dave. Hurry up and get to work. The Hero didn't come to this remote village for no reason."
"Ah! I'm sorry. I've kept you here for too long. Anyway, I'll be going now. Be sure to stop by later! And… Sword Princess. Congratulations on your wedding!"
Dave soon disappeared in the distance, his heavy body tossing and turning.
"He's crazy."
"Haha! Kang Han Soo's popularity is simply that high. Since you said you're busy, let me summarize what happened here."
"That would be ideal. Thank you."
"We collected and cross-referenced our memories of home in times of crisis. In doing so, we concluded that aside from you, the only true Hero, the rest were useless and did more harm than good. I didn't know it at the time, but after comparing the other Heroes to you, I finally realized how much you thought of us and how great you are, Kang Han Soo."
His explanation allowed me to draw a rough picture of what happened.
The other Heroes probably solved their problem by mobilizing their armed forces to punish evil as they did to Dave, whom I met a while ago.
However, now that the villagers' memories had returned, they realized how wrong their methods were.
After all, what if they learned that powerful monsters would invade their village next year?
Because the Heroes subjugated threats for them in the past, they now knew no proper solution to the incoming danger other than hiring expensive mercenaries. After all, it had been instilled deep within them that they could do nothing on their own.
On the other hand, I taught the villagers how to fight, allowing them to survive on their own.
Both methods would have similar short-term results, but their long-term effects would be different.
"Good for you."
Things turned out the way I wanted them to.
I made sure they would be able to overcome problems even without the help of Heroes.
Two hundred years later, I witnessed the fruits of my hard work with my own eyes.
As a bonus, they even thanked me for it.
Even now, the villagers would wave at me welcomingly to express their gratitude every time we made eye contact.
I put all the puzzle pieces together.
"Hmm…"
A feeling similar to a sense of accomplishment, yet strangely different, wrapped around my body.
It felt wonderful, like the first time I fondled my cowardly wife's soft breasts. No words could describe it!
『A certain righteous divine being is enveloped in strange joy.』
『A certain righteous divine being defines a just providence.』
『A certain innocent goddess's eyes widen.』
『A certain god is watching quietly while eating popcorn.』
A god… was a trivial existence that could take any shape or form, like Lanuvel.
Ever since I found out about that fact, I began considering the deities insignificant.
"How I define them isn't wrong."
That firm confidence became the source and essence of my godhood.
Until recently, I was just a 'god of nature' who absorbed the power of Pedonar and Parmael, both of which were birthed to by nature, with the help of my wife.
But not anymore.
I had redefined myself and ascended the ranks of gods once more.
"I am a Hero."
『A certain righteous divine being makes a declaration.』