It has been 1 year since he came here. His name is John, 18 years old.
Now he is 20 years old, it has been 2 years since THAT happened.
"Mom, look, I got accepted into engineering!"
John happily shouted after receiving an email from a top university. After relentless study for years and years, he talked to his mom.
Or to be precise, his mom's picture… and also his father and sister.
John congratulated himself for a moment before sighing, and grabbed the family picture.
He lived in a small janitor room his school gave to him out of pity.
All of his family died in a school shooting 3 years ago at a parent-teacher conference. That left only him with no relatives.
"Well, I just have to work hard and not waste this life."
And suddenly a circle of light appeared around him, and the rest is history.
He got sent into another world filled with magic, and the world was threatened by a being called the demon lord and his demon army.
John didn't come empty-handed, though. With a pact of two worlds, he was granted a blessing from this world's goddess, giving him immense power, a near-infinite mana pool, instant connection to a spirit, no restriction on weapons, and immunity to curses and poison.
And with the cheats, combined with the efforts of this world's finest, they formed a hero party.
John as the hero.
Elina as the princess/saint.
Malea as the elf princess.
And Korg the beast warrior.
The four of them embarked on a 2-year journey before they finally defeated the demon lord and returned to the castle.
The cheers shook the capital from morning to noon.
Banners flew. Balloons rose. Soldiers marched.
And at the center of it all, standing inside the golden carriage, was John.
"Hero John! Hero John!"
"Glory to the savior of the realm!"
John waved with a polite smile, though his arms felt like lead. Beside him stood his three comrades—Elina, the saint princess; Malea, the elf princess; and Korg, the beast warrior. They all waved like champions returning from triumph.
John forced another smile.
Two years… it's finally over.
The parade ended at the castle where the king and queen gave speeches that dragged on far too long. Then the pope gave his blessing. Then the nobles offered forced thanks. Then came the final ceremony: returning the Hero Sword to the altar.
A priest held out his hands.
"Hero John, please return the sacred blade."
John tightened his grip around the hilt. For a moment, the idea of refusing flashed across his mind. That sword saved his life too many times to count.
But everyone stared at him expectantly.
"…It didn't belong to me in the first place," he said at last.
He placed the sword in the altar. Applause erupted. Trumpets sounded. Confetti burst overhead.
But John felt strangely… empty.
Before the celebrations ended, stars were already scattered across the night sky.
John dragged himself back toward his room.
He closed the door behind him and slumped into the chair.
"Two years…" he muttered. "We went through so much."
He thought about Elina—her quiet smiles during campfires, her gentle voice while healing him, her soft prayers before battles.
"I should confess," he whispered. "I should ask her to marry me."
The idea felt unreal.
Back on Earth, he never imagined marrying at twenty.
But now?
A knock came at the door.
John's heart jumped—only to settle again when he sensed the familiar mana.
"…Malea."
He opened the door.
Malea barged in with her usual tomboy stride. "Why are you hiding here, hero? Celebration's still going out there."
John sat back down. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
"So," Malea said, watching him carefully. "What are you going to do next?"
John hesitated. Malea smirked.
"Elina, isn't it?"
He nodded.
Malea laughed once, short and sharp. John expected some snark, but instead she sighed and sat beside him, then flopped back onto his bed.
"I have to return to the elf kingdom soon. They've arranged a marriage for me already."
John frowned. "You're a hero who saved the world. Use that privilege and refuse!"
She sat up, poked his forehead, and said flatly:
"YOU'RE the hero. I'm just the companion."
She lay back down again, staring at the ceiling.
"And our journey wasn't even that long. Two years for humans is like two weeks for elves. My family won't care."
She wasn't wrong. The elf kingdom had practically abandoned the war. Malea only ended up in the hero party because she snuck out of her country before it shut its borders.
John exhaled. "Then run away again. It's not like anyone could catch you."
Malea's ears twitched. She sprang up with a small smile.
"Running away alone isn't fun."
She stepped close and looked up into his eyes, voice softening.
"Can't you just… choose me instead of Elina?" she whispered.
She leaned in, lips inches away—
John pushed her back.
"No. I want one wife. And I already chose Elina."
Malea stared at him for a long moment, then sighed and stepped back.
"Well, you can't blame a girl for trying."
She grabbed a bottle of wine from his table, poured two cups, and handed him one. They drank quietly.
"But," she added, her voice almost pleading, "if you change your mind… I'll wait until midnight."
She left his room.
John stared at the door long after it closed. He thought about Malea's laughter during battles, her jokes on the road, her stubborn loyalty.
"…Maybe I shouldn't gamble everything on one confession," he whispered.
He stood up and walked toward the north side of the castle, the direction of the lake. If he found Malea there, maybe—maybe—
But on his way, he ran into someone running down the hall.
"Elina?"
She grabbed his wrist immediately. Her eyes were wide with fear.
"John—we must leave. Now."
"What? Elina, what's—"
She tried to cast a teleportation spell, but the magic circle fizzled out.
"Someone is blocking magic in the area," she said, voice trembling. "There are people trying to assassinate you!"
John's instincts sharpened. He was strong—strongest in the world—but not invincible without the Hero Sword. And in a castle full of elite warriors and mages, even he could be overwhelmed.
"Let's go north—"
"No!" Elina pulled him the opposite way. "There's an ambush set up at the northern lake. We must use the south gate."
He clenched his teeth.
They sprinted toward the south gate—but something was off.
Then figures stepped out of the shadows.
Malea. Korg. All of the royal guards. A senior mage. A grand priestess.
The might of all humanity, once standing behind him, now stood before him.
All blocking the exit.
Malea's voice was sharp with disappointment.
"You just had to choose her, John."
John stared at them, stunned. "Why? Why are you doing this!?"
Weapons were drawn. Spells flared to life. Buffs spread like waves of light.
He still had Elina beside him, but even so—this was an army designed to kill him.
Korg stepped forward, tightening his grip on his massive axe.
"You're too dangerous for this world. I'm sorry."
John lowered his stance.
"…I'm sorry too."
He reached for his power—
And he coughed blood.
The axe swung down, but Elina's barrier blocked it just in time. The shockwave alone shattered the castle gate and sent rubble flying.
John wiped the blood from his lips.
"This… demon blood? But how?"
He felt a blockage inside him. His mana wasn't flowing. His blessing wasn't responding.
The senior mage laughed.
"A demon curse, to be exact. Your blessed body required… adjustments."
The grand priestess stepped forward, holy pendulum swinging.
"We fooled the goddess' blessing into recognizing demon blood as part of your body. You should be honored."
Elina shouted, "Is this your doing, Archbishop!?"
"The saintess must follow the goddess' will. Not fall in love with a man—especially one from another world."
John turned to Elina.
"Elina…?"
She met his gaze with teary but firm eyes.
"Yes, John! I love you! I wanted to run away with you!"
Malea clicked her tongue. She lifted her divine bow, now empowered with emerald wings of light. Holy chants from priests layered onto her. Mages bombarded Elina's barrier with spells.
She pulled the bowstring back.
"Goodbye, John."
Pluck.
Light swallowed the sky, then collapsed into a single beam that pierced John's chest.
The barrier shattered instantly.
"JOHN!!"
Elina tried to heal him, but mages trapped her in a prison spell that cut off her connection. She slammed her fists against the barrier, screaming.
John collapsed to his knees, choking on blood. His vision blurred.
He remembered their travels… their campfires… their laughter.
A weak smirk tugged at his lips.
I guess this is it… Outcast at the start, outcast at the end.
He turned his fading eyes to Elina.
I should have confessed sooner…
Elina cried his name until her voice broke.
And then— John died.
In the end, the hero saved the world.
But he couldn't save himself. Or the one he loved most.