The Accidental Rise of a Retired Hero

The sun had just begun to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink as Kaito wandered through the woods, lost in thought. The peaceful evening air was a welcome respite after a long day of managing the ever-growing village.

His mind was still on the festival and the strange emotions it had stirred within him. He had never expected to feel so… connected to the villagers. To be surrounded by so much joy, so much life, was both exhilarating and overwhelming.

But his moment of tranquility was cut short when a soft rustling sound came from the trees. At first, Kaito thought it was just a wild animal, but the sound grew louder.

Suddenly, out of the underbrush, a figure stumbled into the clearing—a woman, tall, with striking blonde hair that shimmered in the fading sunlight. She was dressed in simple, travel-worn clothes, an elegant bow slung across her back and a quiver of arrows at her side.

Kaito froze. His heart skipped a beat.

"Who... who are you?" the woman asked, blinking as she caught sight of him. Her voice was familiar, but Kaito couldn't place it at first. She seemed caught off guard, her sharp eyes scanning him closely.

It didn't take long for recognition to hit her. Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open in shock.

"Kaito…? No, it can't be... You're… you're supposed to be dead!"

Kaito's heart sank, and for a moment, he stood still, unsure of how to respond. The woman—an old companion from his days as a hero—stared at him as if she were seeing a ghost.

It was then that Kaito realized who she was: Althea, the skilled archer from his old party. The one person who had never once questioned his resolve, the one who had always been at his side in battle. Her fierce loyalty had been one of the reasons he had kept fighting for so long.

But now, standing before him, her expression was a mix of disbelief and anger.

"Althea," Kaito said softly, his voice distant, almost as if he were trying to convince himself she was really here.

Althea took a cautious step forward, her eyes searching his face for some sign that this was a mistake. "You were exiled! You... you were thrown into the cursed forest. Everyone thought you were gone. I thought..." She stopped herself, her breath catching in her throat. "I thought you were dead. We mourned you, Kaito."

Kaito's gaze shifted downward, his hand instinctively reaching for his collar, where his old pendant used to rest. His expression darkened. "I didn't want to be saved. I didn't want to be a hero anymore."

Althea's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What happened to you? The Kaito I knew—he would never abandon us. You'd never abandon the kingdom. The people relied on you."

The words hit him harder than he expected. Memories of the kingdom, of the battles and the constant pressure of being their hero, rushed back in a flood. He had once believed in that mission, once believed in being the hero. But over time, it became more of a curse than a blessing.

"I didn't abandon anyone," Kaito replied quietly, his voice tinged with regret. "I didn't ask for this power, and I didn't ask for the kingdom to exile me. But they did. They cast me out because my power was too dangerous. And the only place I could find peace… was here, in the forest."

Althea took another step toward him, her eyes softening but still filled with confusion. "I don't understand. Why didn't you at least let us know? We could have helped you. The kingdom would have—"

"The kingdom never cared about me," Kaito interrupted, his voice more forceful than he intended. "They didn't care when I almost destroyed it. They only cared about what I could do for them. When I became a liability, they exiled me, just like they do with anything that doesn't fit their idea of perfection."

Althea looked taken aback by his words, and for a long moment, silence fell between them. She looked down at her feet, as if struggling with her own emotions.

"You really… don't want to go back?" she asked quietly.

Kaito shook his head. "I'm done with that life. I've built something here. A place where I can just… be."

Althea sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I don't know what to say to that, Kaito. I never imagined I'd find you here, living like this." Her gaze shifted to the small village in the distance, where laughter could still be heard faintly. "This is all so... different."

"I never imagined it either," Kaito admitted, "but it's the only thing that feels right now."

For a moment, the two of them stood in silence, the weight of the years between them settling into the air. It was strange—both comforting and painful—to see someone from his past again. And yet, Kaito realized, there was no going back. The man he had been, the hero he had been, was gone.

"I don't know if I'll ever truly fit in here, but for now…" Kaito looked up at Althea with a small smile, "I'm happy."

Althea studied him for a moment, her eyes searching for any sign that he was lying. She found none. "I guess I'll have to accept that. But don't think you're getting away without a proper explanation. I'm not leaving until I know exactly what happened to you."

Kaito chuckled, the tension easing slightly. "Alright. But only if you promise not to make me relive my entire past. It's a long story."

Althea smirked, her sharp eyes glinting with something familiar. "You always were a pain."

Kaito laughed, the sound easing the knot in his chest. For the first time in a while, it felt like a weight had been lifted.

"Good to see you again, Althea."

"You too, Kaito. But next time, don't go dying on me, alright?"