There Are No Heroes

9 Hendrik and Princess Selena: A Fateful Encounter

The advisor carefully observed Hendrik. The man floated in the air, showing no signs of hostility.

"Eh, wait, Lady Tiana. I don't think he means any harm. Besides, what reason would he have for revenge?"

However, Tiana did not lower her bow. "Hah, don’t hesitate! Wake the Princess and leave immediately! I’m afraid he holds a grudge against the Princess because the King treated him like a mere plaything in the past."

Upon hearing the word "hero," Princess Selena immediately woke up. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at the sky.

"Hah? Where is this hero? If he’s the Ice Hero, I’ll crush him right now!"

The advisor approached Princess Selena, speaking in a calm tone. "Relax, Princess. He’s not the Ice Hero but another hero from another world, found in a small village. However, our late King treated him poorly back then."

Selena listened with a curious expression. "What exactly did my father do to this hero?" she asked, her voice softer but filled with intrigue.

Tiana didn’t wait for an answer. She immediately shouted, "Enough, Princess! Leave with the advisor now! I’ll hold him off here. Hiyaaa!"

Without hesitation, Tiana fired several high-powered wind arrows toward Hendrik.

Still floating in the air, Hendrik twisted and turned to dodge the attacks. Each wind arrow streaked through the night sky with immense power, slicing the air as they passed.

***

"What the… I’m getting attacked?" Hendrik muttered as he skillfully evaded each strike.

Although he didn’t retaliate, his expression grew annoyed.

"I didn’t even do anything wrong. Ugh, whatever, I should just leave."

Hendrik swiftly turned and sped away from Princess Selena’s camp.

Tiana let out a relieved sigh. "Yes! He’s retreating. We’re safe now, Princess. We don’t need to run anymore."

But Selena seemed deep in thought. Her eyes remained fixed on Hendrik, who was getting farther away.

"Eh… Wait. We could use him. He could be the perfect weapon for our revenge against the Ice Hero…"

The advisor shot her a worried glance. "Princess, what do you mean?"

Selena didn’t answer. Instead, she took a few steps forward, raising her hand toward the receding Hendrik.

With a loud voice, she shouted, "Wait! New Hero, don’t go! I beg you!"

"Princess, don’t be foolish! Stop this now!" Tiana yelled in a sharp tone, trying to stop Selena from calling out to Hendrik.

Selena responded firmly, "Stay out of this! This is the only way to take revenge on the Ice Hero. There’s no other choice!"

Tiana looked at Selena with deep disappointment but eventually gave in. "But… Fine. You’re right. We’re not strong enough to fight the Ice Hero alone." She lowered her head, her expression troubled.

Selena called out once more, "Please, Hero! Don’t leave!"

***

Hendrik, still floating in the air, heard Selena’s desperate plea. He paused mid-flight, glancing downward.

"The archer… She’s no longer aiming at me. And that other woman… Is she the one calling me?"

He observed them more closely.

"Do they need help? Were they exiled from their kingdom? Ugh, fine. I’ll go down and see what’s going on."

Slowly, Hendrik descended toward their camp.

"Haaa… He’s coming back! Look!" Selena exclaimed, excitement flashing across her face.

The advisor, standing beside her, looked anxious yet hopeful. "Let’s hope this isn’t a decision we’ll regret, Princess."

Meanwhile, Tiana turned away, refusing to look at Hendrik as he approached. She clutched her bow tightly, preparing for the worst. "He better not have any ill intentions," she muttered under her breath.

Hendrik landed gently in front of them, maintaining some distance to avoid being seen as a threat.

"Who are you? And why did you call me?" he asked, his voice firm but not intimidating.

Selena stepped forward confidently. "I am Princess Selena. We need your help, Hero. Will you listen to our request?"

Hendrik glanced at each of them before responding in a neutral tone, "That depends. What do you want from me?"

Hendrik gazed at Princess Selena with cold eyes, though doubt was creeping into his heart.

"Haah… You’re a princess? So you come from a kingdom that treats people like playthings. Let me tell you something—never think of someone as a mere toy. Remember that."

Selena remained calm and asked in a steady voice, "A toy? What exactly did my late father do to you?"

"Princess…" Tiana tried to intervene, but Selena raised her hand, signaling her to stay out of it. Tiana reluctantly held back, though her face showed clear disappointment.

Hendrik was slightly taken aback by the word "late."

"Late? Does that mean he’s…," he murmured to himself, realizing something new.

He took a deep breath before speaking.

"I was stranded near a river close to a village. The villagers treated me well. But then, out of nowhere, the King summoned me. He forced me into an arena, testing me as if I was nothing more than a tool for his entertainment. Fortunately, my powers awakened. Otherwise, I would’ve died there."

Selena looked at Hendrik with genuine regret. Slowly, she knelt before him.

"I, Princess Selena, on behalf of the Kingdom of Skarvlad, sincerely apologize for my father’s cruel treatment toward you."

Tiana, witnessing this, immediately grew furious. She stormed toward Selena.

"Princess! Don’t lower yourself like this! We don’t even know who he really is!"

But before she could get any closer, the advisor swiftly held her back.

"Enough, Lady Tiana. Let’s follow Princess Selena’s decision. This might be the only way to resolve things without conflict."

"But, Advisor…," Tiana protested, but she couldn’t break free from his grip.

Hendrik stood silent for a moment, watching Selena kneeling before him. His heart wavered between anger and sympathy. After a brief pause, he finally spoke in a calmer tone.

"Rise, Princess. Your apology is enough for now. But don’t think this will erase everything. I haven’t forgotten what happened."

Hendrik remained silent for a moment, processing Princess Selena’s request.

However, he kept his gaze sharp, trying to understand the real situation.

"Thank you for forgiving us," Selena continued with a hopeful tone. "I beg you, help us take revenge on the Ice Hero!"

"The Ice Hero?" Hendrik frowned. "What did he do?"

Tiana looked at Hendrik with sorrowful eyes and interrupted, "After you escaped the kingdom, the Ice Hero suddenly appeared. He attacked without mercy. The King ordered us to save Princess Selena. We managed to escape, but our kingdom… has fallen."

Hendrik let out a deep sigh.

"I’m sorry for what happened to your kingdom. If that’s the case, let’s hurry and save the King."

Tiana lowered her head, her face dark with sorrow.

"It’s too late, Hero. I and my fellow Rangers had a soul connection. But now… I can no longer sense their presence. The King and the rest of the warriors… They’re probably gone."

Hendrik clenched his fists, feeling a mix of rage and grief.

"I see… My condolences. But if that’s the case, do you have a plan? I’m willing to help you get revenge, but fighting the Ice Hero without preparation would be suicide."

The advisor nodded. "Of course, we have a plan. We will return to the kingdom to retrieve the legendary royal weapon. That might be our key to victory."

Hendrik nodded, though his expression remained cautious.

"Alright. In that case, we have no time to waste. Let’s move out immediately."