Parallel Memory

Chapter 711: The Heroes of Humanity Crowned

The central plaza of the Human Domain Capital had never been this crowded.

People filled every street surrounding the grand ceremonial grounds. They stood on rooftops, leaned out of windows, and crowded onto balconies just to catch a glimpse of the heroes who had returned from the Devil Kingdom.

Banners hung from every building.

The flags of the Human Domain fluttered in the wind.

At the center of the plaza stood a massive stage built from white stone. Behind it, the emblem of humanity had been carved into a towering wall.

And before that wall stood the people everyone had come to see.

Mia Frostine.

Hiro.

Zion.

Lisa.

Sylvia.

Misha.

The elite survivors of the war stood in a line.

The crowd roared the moment they appeared.

”Mia Frostine!”

”Hiro!”

”The heroes of humanity!”

”Long live the heroes!”

The sound rolled through the plaza like thunder.

Mia maintained a calm expression.

Hiro smiled awkwardly and lifted one hand in greeting.

But neither of them truly felt like celebrating.

Mia’s eyes moved across the crowd.

Thousands of people had gathered.

Some carried banners with her name.

Others wore clothing decorated with symbols representing the victory.

A group of children near the front had even made wooden replicas of her ice spear.

One of them shouted her name so loudly that Mia almost flinched.

She forced herself to smile.

But inside, her chest felt heavy.

You should be standing here.

Her eyes drifted toward the empty space beside her.

Zero.

She could almost imagine him standing there.

Probably looking annoyed.

Probably wondering how quickly he could leave.

The thought almost made her smile.

Almost.

Instead, she lowered her gaze.

*****************************************************

Far above the plaza, on the rooftop of a distant building, a lone figure stood with his back against a stone tower.

Zero watched silently.

A cloak covered his body.

His hood concealed his face.

His mana was suppressed so completely that even an SS-ranked mage would have struggled to notice him.

He had no reason to be there.

That was what he told himself.

He had simply happened to be passing through the district.

The ceremony was taking place in the same direction.

And he had merely stopped to observe.

That was all.

Zero looked down at the plaza.

The crowd was enormous.

”Too many people,” he muttered.

Even from this distance, he could feel the waves of excitement spreading through the city.

The ceremony had been organized by the highest authorities of the Human Domain.

Representatives from the War Council stood on the stage.

Church officials stood beside them.

The commanders of the surviving elite vanguards were present.

Families of fallen soldiers had been invited as well.

The ceremony was not simply about celebrating victory.

It was also about remembering those who had not returned.

That was the only reason Zero stayed.

At least, that was what he told himself.

***************************************

The first part of the ceremony was dedicated to the fallen.

A bell rang throughout the plaza.

The crowd slowly fell silent.

A military commander stepped forward.

His voice carried through the entire area.

”Today, we celebrate victory.”

He paused.

”But before we celebrate those who returned, we must remember those who did not.”

The large screen behind the stage began displaying names.

One after another.

Hundreds.

Then thousands.

The names of soldiers who had died during the campaign.

The names of mercenaries.

The names of healers.

The names of priests.

The names of elite vanguards.

The plaza became completely silent.

Some people lowered their heads.

Some cried.

Families stood together, holding one another.

A young girl near the front clutched a small wooden sword against her chest.

Zero watched her.

He didn’t know who she was.

But he could guess.

Her father had probably been among the fallen.

The commander continued.

”These people did not die for glory.”

Zero’s eyes lowered.

”They died so that those behind them could return.”

The wind moved across the rooftop.

Zero said nothing.

For a moment, the celebration disappeared.

There were no statues.

No medals.

No heroes.

Only names.

That was the part Zero understood.

When the final name faded from the display, the bell rang once more.

Then the ceremony moved on.

******************************************************

The first person called forward was Mia Frostine.

The crowd erupted.

Mia stepped forward.

Her expression remained composed, but her hands were clenched slightly at her sides.

The head of the War Council approached her carrying a medal.

It was made of silver and gold, with the emblem of the Human Domain engraved across the center.

”Mia Frostine,” the commander announced.

The crowd quieted.

”For your contribution to the defense of humanity, your leadership during the Devil War, and your role in the defeat of the Devil King, you are hereby awarded the highest military honor of the Human Domain.”

The crowd exploded again.

Mia stood still.

The medal was placed around her neck.

It felt heavier than it should have.

The commander shook her hand.

”Humanity owes you a debt that cannot be repaid.”

Mia smiled faintly.

But in her mind, she saw something else.

A collapsing palace.

A dark-haired young man standing beside a being of unimaginable destruction.

Ice.

Shadow.

Darkness.

The final attack.

Zero falling.

Her fingers tightened around the medal.

This isn’t mine.

The thought came immediately.

She wanted to remove it.

She wanted to turn around.

She wanted to tell everyone.

But then she imagined Zero’s reaction.

He would probably look at her like she was insane.

Why would you do that?

He didn’t want this.

So Mia simply stood there.

And accepted the applause.

**********************************************

From the rooftop, Zero watched.

He had expected to feel something.

Anger, perhaps.

Disappointment.

Maybe even regret.

But there was nothing.

Mia deserved the medal.

She had fought throughout the entire war.

She had led soldiers.

She had protected people.

She had nearly died countless times.

The fact that she had not been the one to land the final attack did not erase everything else she had done.

Zero leaned against the stone wall.

”Congratulations.”

He spoke so quietly that the wind carried the words away.

Then Hiro’s name was called.

The crowd became even louder.

Hiro stepped forward.

Unlike Mia, he looked like he wanted to escape.

The commander placed a hand on his shoulder.

”For your courage, leadership, and contribution to the defeat of the Devil King, Hiro Tanaka is awarded the highest military honor of the Human Domain.”

The medal was placed around his neck.

Hiro looked down at it.

Then he looked toward Mia.

She gave him a faint smile.

Hiro sighed.

He already knew what she was thinking.

This isn’t ours.

He turned toward the crowd.

They were cheering for him.

People were shouting his name.

Children were pointing at him.

A woman in the crowd was crying.

Her husband had apparently been part of the army that returned alive.

Hiro looked at the medal again.

He had never wanted this.

But he also couldn’t bring himself to reject it.

Because this celebration wasn’t only about him.

The people needed something to believe in.

And if he stood there and told everyone the truth, it wouldn’t only affect Zero.

It would create confusion.

Political chaos.

Fear.

The existence of the Emperor of Destruction alone would be enough to terrify half the Human Domain.

So Hiro stood there.

And accepted the medal.

The applause continued.

*********************************************

One by one, the others received their honors.

Zion.

Lisa.

Sylvia.

Misha.

Each received recognition for their contribution.

The crowd cheered.

The heroes bowed.

The ceremony continued.

Then the names of the War Council members were announced.

The Church representatives were honored.

Saintess Amelia was called forward.

The crowd became unusually quiet.

Amelia stepped onto the stage.

She smiled gently as the medal was placed around her neck.

But her eyes were not focused on the crowd.

They were turned toward the distant rooftops.

She could not sense Zero.

She knew that.

His ability to conceal himself was too good.

But she had begun to recognize the feeling of being watched.

Her eyes moved across the distant buildings.

Nothing.

Only rooftops.

Only shadows.

She lowered her gaze.

Are you watching?

She didn’t know why she thought that.

But somewhere deep inside, she felt certain.

Zero was alive.

And if he had been invited to this ceremony, he would have hated every second of it.

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

The ceremony continued.

************************************************

Zero watched Amelia receive her medal.

He remembered the battlefield.

The way she had continued using her support magic even after her body had nearly reached its limit.

The way she had continued standing when she should have collapsed.

She deserved the recognition.

All of them did.

Zero’s gaze moved across the stage.

Mia.

Hiro.

The others.

They were being celebrated as heroes.

And yet every single one of them knew the truth.

That was enough.

Zero turned away from the plaza.

He had seen what he wanted to see.

The ceremony was almost over.

He had no reason to stay.

But just before he left, the crowd suddenly became louder.

The final honor was being announced.

The head of the authority stepped forward.

”The final recognition today is not for one individual.”

Zero stopped.

His expression changed slightly.

The official continued.

”The war was won through the efforts of many. Soldiers, mages, healers, mercenaries, and commanders stood together against the Devil Kingdom.”

The crowd applauded.

”Today, we recognize every survivor who fought for humanity.”

The crowd erupted.

Zero stood quietly on the rooftop.

That was better.

The victory belonged to everyone.

Not just him.

Not just Mia.

Not just Hiro.

Everyone who had fought.

Everyone who had survived.

Everyone who had died.

The official raised his hand.

”From this day forward, the names of those who fought in the Devil War shall be preserved in the Hall of Heroes.”

The crowd cheered.

Zero looked toward the stage one last time.

Mia was standing there.

Her hand had unconsciously moved to the medal around her neck.

Hiro was looking at the crowd with an expression that suggested he wanted to disappear.

Amelia was staring toward the rooftops.

For a brief moment, Zero wondered if she had somehow noticed him.

Then he dismissed the thought.

Impossible.

He pulled his hood over his head.

And stepped away from the edge of the building.

******************************************************

On the stage, Mia suddenly turned her head.

She stared at the distant rooftop.

There was nothing there.

Only a faint movement of fabric disappearing behind the edge.

Mia’s eyes narrowed.

”Did you see something?” Hiro asked.

Mia didn’t answer immediately.

Her gaze remained fixed on the rooftop.

Then she smiled faintly.

”No.”

Hiro studied her.

”You look like you saw a ghost.”

Mia looked down at the medal hanging around her neck.

”Maybe I did.”

Hiro followed her gaze.

Then he understood.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The crowd continued celebrating.

The world continued believing.

And somewhere beyond the plaza, a man who had fought the Devil King, challenged destiny, and nearly died to save everyone walked quietly through the city.

No one stopped him.

No one recognized him.

No one knew that the hero they were celebrating had already left.

Mia looked down at the crowd.

Then quietly whispered,

”Thank you, Zero.”

Hiro heard her.

He smiled faintly.

”Yeah.”

He looked toward the empty rooftop.

”Come take the medal whenever you want.”

And then the two of them turned back toward the cheering crowd.

For now, the world could have its heroes.

And Zero could have his peace.