Chương 38: Henry’s Memories (1)

"Henry, I knew for a fact you'd be chosen!" The Knight Captain, Hak, slapped the shoulder of the young man currently serving as his deputy, offering congratulations with genuine, heartfelt joy. Several other knights had gathered in the room, each of them feeling that Henry McCaley's selection as a Hero Candidate was well-deserved. This young man was the quintessential model of a knight - diligent, principled, and honest.

It was these qualities that had propelled him to the rank of Vice-Captain while only in his early twenties. Conversely, the man being celebrated wore a grim expression, hardly befitting someone who had just received a prestigious Holy Mark. This was because it was the second time he had heard these exact words of praise. From the same person. At the same precise moment.

He had been chosen as a Hero Candidate once, successfully become a Hero once, participated in the Demon King's subjugation once, and he had already died once. Henry didn't understand why this was happening to him. He and the Hero's party had clearly failed and been slaughtered during the subjugation. Yet now, he found himself back on the day he was first chosen as a Hero Candidate, the Awakening Day. No one else remembered anything about the previous subjugation, not even the other members of the Hero's party.

Henry alone possessed the memories of what had transpired. Why? He didn't know. Perhaps it was due to something he had accidentally acquired the year before. At the time, he had helped a poor village defend itself against bandits, and the villagers had gifted him a strange accessory - a peculiar earring crafted entirely from a crimson gemstone. He couldn't refuse when the villagers insisted on fastening it to his ear, claiming it was a lucky charm.

Or perhaps it was simply because he was favored by the Goddess for his unwavering devotion as a faithful believer. Perhaps the Goddess had granted him a chance to do it all over again. Would anything be different this time? After an initial period of disorientation, Henry began to train with a frantic desperation. The memory of his previous death was still seared into his mind. In that life, the Hero's party had only just finished clearing the monster remnants in the town of Marbour and entered the Black Forest.

They were utterly annihilated when they encountered a mid-sized Harpy legion. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Jullius, having repeatedly unleashed ultimate skills without managing his mana, collapsed from exhaustion and was dropped by a Harpy from a height of thirty meters. Andrew had his eyes gouged out by talons before accidentally immolating himself in a panicked frenzy.

Princess Claire's hiding spot was discovered; she was carried off into the sky, never to be seen again. Iris, consumed by sheer terror, turned to flee, only to trip and plunge into a massive fissure, snapping her neck instantly. Henry was the last one standing, but alone, his chances of survival were zero. He was decapitated by a giant Harpy. These horrific memories flooded back, driving Henry to swing his sword with even greater ferocity. He blamed his own weakness for such a pathetic defeat.

He had to become stronger, stronger than ever before. However, rewinding time meant his physical body had also reverted to its original state. No matter how hard he trained within the limited timeframe, the results didn't differ significantly from his first life. As for the other members of the Hero's party, Henry couldn't help but admit he had expected more from them. They were powerful, he had to grant them that, but even after an entire journey together, he found it impossible to truly consider them "comrades."

As a member of the Knight Order, Henry understood the true meaning of cooperation and coordination. The other party members lacked that concept entirely. Their egos were too massive; they refused to listen, and they possessed no tolerance for hardship. Yet, they were the ones chosen by the Goddess. He could not countermand a divine decree, so his only recourse was to push himself beyond his limits. Then, the day of Investiture arrived once more. This time, something Henry never anticipated occurred.

A sixth member appeared in the Hero's party. He had suddenly plummeted from the ceiling of the Investiture Hall exactly as the holy circle activated to bestow the official Hero's Marks upon the five chosen ones. By some inexplicable means, a Hero's Mark manifested on this uninvited intruder as well. That person was Asher Griffin, a member of the Griffin clan. Henry had never heard of him before.

Only after interacting did he realize this was the attendant who always trailed behind Jullius Griffin - a surprisingly mediocre and frail individual. The official Heroes refused to accept him, so Asher took on every menial task no one else wanted just to be recognized as a member of the party. His display of enthusiasm, which bordered on self-deprecation, made it impossible for Henry to feel any genuine affinity for this new addition.

And yet, the presence of this seemingly redundant person made the Hero's party feel more like an actual team than ever before. Because of an underdog like Asher, the other Heroes stopped bickering with one another and instead turned to vent their frustrations on him. However, he still had a certain shrewdness in handling their irrational outbursts, usually through food. Asher's cooking was remarkably good. He used seasoning techniques Henry had never seen anywhere else.

Despite his reluctance, Henry had to admit that their quality of life during the quest skyrocketed once a talented chef joined their team. Asher also handled booking inns, communicating with locals, and resolving trivial requests that offered little reward. He wasn't a proficient fighter, but he rarely tripped up the others. With six members, the Hero's party successfully reached the Demon King's castle.