The Great Sage Who Did not Remain in Legend - 31.4

Mergin, smiling as he imagined the healthy child, contrasted with Misty’s grim expression.

“Huh?”

The house where the child with excess magic lived was in ruins.

Mergin asked someone nearby what had happened to the house.

“That house? Someone did something really terrible…”

“What happened?”

“A bandit broke in and killed everyone in the family. It seems they were targeting the precious pendant.”

“What?”

D-did my giving that pendant cause this…?

Mergin dropped to his knees on the spot.

“N-no way… The father and mother were so happy… The child’s face had turned less red and looked relieved…”

“I told you that you wouldn’t know what kind of outcome would come.”

“M-Misty knew this would happen…?”

“I only thought it might be so. Or perhaps they forgot the instructions and wore it continuously, leading to death from magic deficiency. The child’s fate was supposed to end there. Because of your unnecessary actions, the parents were also caught in it.”

“Are you saying it’s my fault…?”

“Yes. You are just a human with high magical power. You are not a god who can save everything.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that this might happen…”

“No matter how many times I told you, you didn’t understand and didn’t listen to me. I thought you might understand if you experienced it yourself.”

Mergin grabbed Misty by the collar.

“At least tell me if people might die!”

“If hitting me could bring them back to life, then hit me. I always teach you, but who doesn’t listen? Who always uses power thoughtlessly?”

“T-that’s…”

“The death of that child is not your fault, but you are responsible for the parents’ deaths. Remember that clearly. Know that what you thought was good can bring misfortune to others.”

“I… I…”

“Your task is not to save individual lives in a piecemeal way. Helping to defeat the Demon King as soon as possible will save more lives.”

Misty’s words did not reach Mergin’s ears, who kept repeating, “I… I…”

Later, Mergin learned that the bandits who mistook the Magic Drain pendant for a jewel and stole it had died under unknown circumstances, and the pendant disappeared into darkness as a cursed object.

— Mergin’s House —

“What is this…?”

Herald, who received the pendant, looked puzzled as to why such a thing was given.

“I said it’s a comforting charm. It’s better than relying on the gods.”

“I see.”

Herald accepted the pendant and went home.