The Extra Can't be A Hero

Chapter 271 271: Eloping Again (3)

[Yue's POV]

How could I not fall in love with a man who stood on his own, never complaining, never falling?

A man who never faltered even till the very end.

A man who always stood at the front when we attacked.

A man who always stood at the rear to cover our retreat.

And yet, despite all his accomplishments… Amon was just a man.

Just like no matter how massive a tree is, it wasn't able to protect the forest from an inferno. In due time, the injuries Amon had sustained in the past returned. Even as he grew more powerful, ironically, he grew weaker.

There wasn't a night when he wouldn't cough up blood. Living with chronic pain, Amon pushed through the urge to give it all up and continued to shoulder the burden as the last protector of humanity.

Alas, even the mightiest of walls will one day come crashing down.

The Demons found our final refuge and sent over a dozen Demon nobles to end humanity once and for all. And as per usual… the one who stood unwavering against them… was Amon the Great.

Unfortunately… this would be the last time he took to the battlefield.

Standing amid the corpses of the Demon Nobles he had slain, Amon looked less like a hero and more like a berserker who had burned through the last embers of his life. His eyes, once sharp and blazing with resolve, were now closed as though sealed forever. His right arm and left leg had been savaged beyond recognition, torn apart by claws that left even his monstrous resilience meaningless.

Typically, Amon could force his wounds shut, could will torn flesh to knit and broken bone to reform. But this time, he had gone too far.

Years of battle had ground his body past its limits, and there was nothing left to mend. The only thing keeping him upright was sheer, unyielding willpower—and even that was flickering, dangerously close to guttering out.

Soon, even Amon would no longer be able to stand.

"Yue, you're here."

"Yes," I replied to the man covered in wounds and bruises while holding back my tears. "I'm here."

"How many people are left?"

"The children got away; they will survive."

"... That's good to hear."

Amon smiled at my lie.

All of humanity had perished… But there was no need for him to know the truth.

As long as he could play the hero one final time… that was enough for me.

"Yue, I'm sorry. But it looks like I'm going ahead first."

"... yeah."

I clenched my fists, bitter at my helplessness. If I were just more powerful, more useful… I could have helped him shoulder this burden. I could have protected him instead of always receiving protection… I could have… stood by his side while he fought the Demon Nobles.

It was far too late to regret now.

"Amon… Before that, may you do me one last favour?"

"What's that?"

"... Let's elope!"

❖❖❖

Without waiting for his permission, I brought Amon to the final resting place I'd always envisioned we would stay in during our retirement years. A caldera that was hidden away from the outside world.

The valley opened into a vast, verdant caldera—an ancient cradle of earth shaped by flame and time. Its inner walls were draped in layered greens: moss, ferns, and towering pines clinging to the curved slopes as though nature itself refused to let the place fade into ruin.

Sunlight filtered through drifting clouds, turning the air golden and warm as it pooled gently at the caldera's heart.

From the far rim, a waterfall emerged in an impossible rush, as if the sky had split into the world below. The water didn't tumble from a cliff in the usual way; instead, it poured directly from a smooth notch in the caldera's edge, a silver ribbon cascading in a single graceful arc.

It caught the light like shards of crystal, scattering a fine mist that drifted across the basin in shimmering veils. Rainbows glimmered faintly within it whenever the wind shifted.

Below, the water fed into a serene lake so clear it mirrored the entire inner ring of the caldera—sky, stone, forest, and all. Its surface rippled in soft patterns that reflected the waterfall's rhythm, like a heartbeat pulsing through the landscape.

Around the lake, wildflowers in lilac, gold, and snowy white bloomed in gentle clusters, brushing against our ankles as we walked by. Their fragrance mixed with the mineral scent of fresh water, creating a quiet, natural perfume that lulled the senses.

The place was untouched, sacred even—an oasis hidden from the world, where time slowed, and the land breathed in long, peaceful sighs.

And with that… I rested his bloodied and blind head on my lap as I gazed out at the waterfall.

"I didn't think a refuge like this still existed."

Although he was blind, Amon was hyper-sensitive to his surroundings. He could tell that this was a sanctuary, one that the Demons hadn't yet overrun.

"I managed to stumble across this place only by luck."

I replied, still trying my best to hold back my tears.

The flame that powered Amon's life was rapidly getting extinguished. It was probably a matter of minutes before he passed, but I didn't want to think about that.

I focused on the man lying peacefully on my lap.

"Amon, you did great. Thank you for coming to Hyades and saving us."

"... In the end, I failed."

"No, you succeeded. Humanity will live on, and that's all that matters."

"..."

Amon remained quiet. Deep down, he probably already knew. There weren't any survivors anymore and I was just humouring him to let him pass on in peace. Sighing, he said:

"... Yue, you really know how to please a man."

Amon let go of all his reservations and spoke from the heart.

No… that's not fair.

You can't do this, not in your final hours.

That's just not… fair.

"Amon, I love you."

With nothing to lose, I confessed the words I had been hiding from the bottom of my heart. Instead of faltering or ignoring it as he would usually do, Amon let out a serene smile as he replied:

"Yeah… I know."

"You're such a fool… Couldn't you just pushed me down and have your way with me?! I wouldn't have resisted!"

"..."

"There were so many opportunities! Yet, I waited patiently! Waited for you to make the first move!"

"..."

"Because of you, I'm going to die a virgin! Hah?! Take responsibility and live on! Please…"

"... I'm sorry."

Amon apologised, even though he didn't do anything wrong. It was my hesitation, my reluctance to make the first move, that led to this. If I had been bolder, if I didn't care about my image, if I were more honest about my feelings… I could have gotten everything I wanted.

"N-No, I…"

"Yue, before I go… There is something I must ask… Will you listen?"

"Anything!"

Amon paused, catching his breath for a moment. There were probably a million thoughts running through his mind, but… There has only been one obsession that he had chased his entire life.

"Was I… a hero?"

"... what?"

I couldn't believe my ears.

What on earth was that question?

If he wasn't a hero, who else on the planet could claim to be one?

"Of course you are a hero! You are humanity's best hero! The one and only!"

"I see… That does make me feel better."

At that moment, Amon let go of everything. He had finally found peace.

Two lifetimes of struggle, two lifetimes of strife, two lifetimes of doubt…

All of it was for this moment.

For his peace.

And thus, the tale of Amon the Great ended.

On my lap.

That night… I wailed.

Like no other night before, all my emotions came gushing out. The hatred I had for the Demon Cult. The grief of losing all my loved ones. And the pain of never fulfilling my first and only love.

I couldn't bear the suffering, knowing that I now lived in a reality without Amon Solaris—the man I loved.

Thus, I chose to end it all.

There was no point in my solitary fight anymore.

But as I contemplated the unspeakable… the Mysterious Grimoire reacted to my emotions.

The chains that seemed to be so tightly wrapped around the book were finally unshackled, and information flooded my mind. I was able to advance my magical abilities by leaps and bounds, but more importantly… I learnt many things.

I saw the records of the past, the present and the future.

I learnt the truth of the Demon Realm.

I saw the real enemy with my own two eyes.

And most importantly… I learnt how to control time.

With my paltry powers, I managed to have a once-in-a-lifetime epiphany. An opportunity that no one else in the world could possess.

I now had the power to… regress.

And without hesitation, I activated the spell.

My consciousness faded, and my body disintegrated into atoms. I saw the river of time, and I chose to go against it. Perhaps I may lose myself along the way, but I didn't care. I just wanted a chance to redo my life.

To live without regrets.

To be with the one I loved once more.

And this time… I was going to marry him.

Without a doubt.