Chapter 2

When I came to my senses, an unbelievable 500 years had already passed.

The strange thing is that the memories of my past life and this life are so vivid.

I found myself gazing at the sky more often.

The Hall of Heroes is dark at night, but the sky during the day is truly beautiful.

I started to wonder why I had gone through all the trouble of learning and suffering, getting beaten up, when I couldn't leave this place anyway.

It seems that while heroes can use their knowledge to create something new, they can't pass on their existing knowledge. But it looks like I don't have that limitation.

Is that why?

I'm sprawled out and making people work for me!

They say time is a healer. I can feel it a bit.

As the days went by, I found myself feeling like I was returning to the way I was when I first came here, as if I had a middle school syndrome, always saying "time, oh time."

It seems that holding myself in such a serious manner doesn't really suit me.

Maybe it's because I was among those who lived as spirits for thousands of years. They must have rubbed off on me.

They're all old folks, and I wondered why overly frivolous people were like that, but it turns out time is the culprit.

Saint Daphne, who had been teaching me about holy magic and curses, came to see me, repeatedly casting and removing hundreds of curses.

She looked oddly cheerful, as if she had just kicked Apollo's groin.

She seems to have found some good liquor and wants to share a drink. But... something feels off.

It's as if she's hiding something.

Most of the heroes who taught me have come to see me.

Even Dukgojun, the centaur, who usually avoids me, and Zhengbokwang, the conqueror who boasts about his greatness every time he drinks, are here.

Most of them are heroes I was involved with, and they all tortured me under the guise of training.

I asked what the point was of learning so hard when I couldn't leave anyway, and I got beaten up so many times I can't even count.

I greeted them with a sullen face, and the healer Hippocria, who took the most care of me, gave me a wry smile.

This sister, who didn't care about me at first, has been looking after me like an older sister.

The impromptu party went on for a few days, with everyone chatting noisily. Hippocria, who usually drinks calmly, quietly spoke, ending the party.

"Our youngest. We found a way for you to return."

For a while, I couldn't say anything. It felt strange.

It was the day I remembered as my birthday.

I've long forgotten my age, but it's still a small anniversary.

They started to gather.

They didn't tell me why or how. They are completely separate entities who can no longer interfere with the world.

Even if the world were to end, they wouldn't move or gather. Yet, they decided to come together for the second time.

Those who used to nag and beat me suddenly started to give me good advice and treat me well, as if they had all taken some kind of drug. Eventually, this day came.

When they asked what I wanted to do, I told them I wanted to live a good life, eat well, and enjoy it. This is the first step toward achieving that dream.

This place is safe as long as you have power, but it didn't feel like I was alive.

They asked if I had anything I wanted to say last.

In one corner, Yuriana, the master elemental mage who once tried to throw me into the depths of the sea and a magma pool to increase my affinity with nature, was tearing up.

Sniff... Don't make me feel bad...

As they asked me calmly, my body was surrounded by light, regardless of my will.

It's the end.

Thinking that, I smiled at them.

"Let's never see each other again! And how long do you old ladies plan to keep being called 'sister'?"

The expressions on their faces as I saw them for the last time were quite amusing.

The one who was most furious was Saint Daphne.

"Damn! You bastard..."

But a few of them seemed to notice how down I was and shut their mouths.

I didn't want to drag it out.

I raised my hand to wave at those who were waving back, but I just smiled quietly.

And the world changed.

* * *

Flap!!!

"Haa... Haa..."

As if I had just woken from a long dream, my vision started to clear.

My eyes, which had not seen light for a long time, ached as if they were about to tear.

Looking down through my blurry vision, I saw a strange liquid in the IV bag attached to my arm with a magic stone.

I muttered softly.

But, contrary to my expectations, nothing changed at my fingertips.

Only then did it start to sink in.

I had really left the Hall of Heroes and returned to my original body as Prince David.

3. The Returned Prince

I couldn't think of where to start explaining.

A bitter feeling washed over me, and I let my body go limp, closing my eyes again.

The rough but strangely cozy blanket tempted me to stay in bed.

To be precise, I didn't have the strength to move a finger.

Lying there, I gradually adapted to the blinding light.

My vision was still blurry, but I thought it was enough.

"Ugh..."

I tried to speak, and a hoarse voice came out.

I could see the shape, though it was blurry.

After a thousand years, my memory was strangely clear, and I couldn't help but give a bitter laugh.

"A... Ah... Ah~"

I started making sounds as if practicing my voice, and my hoarse voice slowly began to adapt.

"Ah."

After repeating this for a while, I finally managed to speak clearly, and a familiar but slightly different young voice echoed in my ears.

They said my voice was quite pleasant, but to me, it was just a decent, not unpleasant sound.

"Restore."

Another attempt.

There was no change this time either, but I wasn't particularly anxious.

After being pushed around under the guise of training for a thousand years, I had experienced all sorts of situations.

Naturally, I had some experience with this kind of situation.

'Hia said that when a person falls into a coma, their muscles atrophy, and so do their mana and holy power.'

I'm the only one who calls the goddess of medicine, Hippocria, 'Hia.'

So what? She asked me to call her that.

If you're upset, get closer.

Hia, who taught me medicine, used her unique abilities to make me treat countless patients.

Among them was definitely a patient in a similar condition to mine now.

The solution is...

'Time.'

It's not good to try to recover damaged muscles from lack of nutrition and exercise too quickly.

Eating too much too quickly can cause indigestion.

I had to build up my strength to the point where I could move on my own.

Fortunately, the magic stone IV was providing some nutrition.

If no one came and I couldn't move, I would starve to death.

That wasn't a situation I wanted to be in.

Thinking about it, a relaxed smile came to my face.

I lay comfortably, chuckled, and started focusing on moving my fingers.

They say rehabilitation starts with the fingers.

I just wanted to savor the feeling of being back.

* * *

No one had entered this quiet room for several days.

Or, very few people would enter this palace where I was.

If anyone did come, it would probably be a couple of maids responsible for my nutrition.

Even before I fell into a coma and went to the Hall of Heroes, it was the same, so it's probably the same now.

Reaching out with trembling hands to look at the wooden calendar, I saw the year [278 Valdis Era].

The hunting competition where I was shot was definitely in 272.

I arrived at the Hall immediately after that, so it's been about 6 years since I became like this.

That means I'm 16 years old now.

By the standards of this continent, it's the age when one just becomes an adult.

A thousand years in the Hall is just 6 years here.

Is it because the time axis is different?

Or for some other reason?

Whatever it is, I'm used to time being distorted.

Even on Earth, time gets messed up when you go into space.

Of course, this isn't Earth.

This is the Tionis continent, a different dimension from Earth, and the home of my second life.

It's a lousy place, but it's where people live.

"Lying around can't last forever."

Muttering to myself, I closed my eyes and started to focus, as usual.

For the past few days, apart from rehabilitation, it's been the same routine.

At first, I could barely move a finger, but thanks to days of painful effort, I can now sit up.

Of course, the process was indescribably difficult.

Being used to pain doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

"Restore."

With my eyes closed and focused, I tried to draw out the dormant white energy inside me.

Holy power.

According to Saint Daphne, while the total amount of holy power can't match those who are naturally gifted, in terms of proficiency, no one, except herself, can match me.

Even the famous pope and saints.

That doesn't mean my total amount is lacking.

In Daphne's case, she was a legendary hero who accepted a god, but the fact that I'm right below her is a result of my hard work.

Of course, it's natural that no one can match my growth case, where I rapidly accumulated holy power, unlike the typical case of slowly building it up through constant prayer.

Holy power is also a force.

It's impossible to accumulate it quickly just by praying.

In fact, that nasty woman didn't even praise the gods much when she was teaching me.

Tsk, a faithless saint.

...

When I first started training in holy power, I was probably cleaning the entire Hall.

I calmly poked and prodded the holy power, but it remained still, as if saying, "Who are you to command me?"

"You stubborn brat."