11 - The Hero's Challenge

Source: Crunchyroll
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:03] LJUBO
    There are ancient elven ruins
    up in Zoltan's mountains.
[00:07] LJUBO
    The girl is a humanoid weapon created there.
[00:11] LJUBO
    You can read more about her in
    that investigation report.
[00:15] LJUBO
    She is not a threat to humanity,
    so there's no reason for us to remain here.
[00:19] LJUBO
    We'll return at once.
[00:20] VAN
    I'm afraid I cannot accept that.
[00:22] LJUBO
    And why is that?
[00:23] VAN
    Because we must always live
    as our Blessings tell us to.
[00:28] VAN
    Mine tells me it's not time to go.
[00:32] LJUBO
    Well, I'm not about to drag you away.
[00:35] LJUBO
    I hope that your Blessing will
    encourage you to begin a new journey.
[00:40] VAN
    It appears that Lord Demis has
    given me a trial to overcome.
[00:44] LAVENDER
    What trial?
[00:46] VAN
    I don't know why...
[00:48] VAN
    But my Blessing's impulses,
    which have kept me going all this time,
[00:52] VAN
    seem to have completely disappeared.
SIGN    Banished from the Hero's Party,
    I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside 2nd
SIGN    The Hero's
    Challenge
[02:33] ESTA
    Delicious.
[02:37] ESTA
    The tea you make helps one relax, Red.
[02:40] RED
    Glad to hear it.
[02:42] RED
    So, how's Van looking?
[02:45] ESTA
    He's been acting strange ever since
    he went on that mission with you.
[02:50] ESTA
    He holes up in his room all day, praying.
[02:52] ESTA
    He speaks much less now, too.
[02:56] ESTA
    We knows what new
    crazy ideas he might get,
[02:59] ESTA
    so Ljubo and I are taking
    turns checking in on him.
[03:02] TISSE
    Hello.
[03:04] RIT
    Welcome. Is something the matter?
[03:06] TISSE
    I wanted your opinion on something.
[03:08] TISSE
    There was a request to look for a
    child who went missing in the forest,
[03:13] TISSE
    but Miss Ruti and I can't do
    anything lest we run into Van.
[03:18] TISSE
    Other adventurers won't take the mission
    because they doubt there's foul play involved,
[03:23] TISSE
    so the Guild is at a loss.
[03:24] ALBERT
    I'll go, then.
[03:26] TISSE
    Huh?
[03:27] RED
    You sure?
[03:28] ALBERT
    Yeah. Let me handle this.
[03:30] ESTA
    But...
[03:32] ALBERT
    I used to be a Zoltan adventurer,
[03:34] ALBERT
    so I know my way around the woods here.
[03:36] ALBERT
    And, while I know this won't
    make up for how I used to be,
[03:42] ALBERT
    I want to help this region
    out in any way I can.
[03:45] RED
    Albert...
[03:47] ALBERT
    I'm no hero or champion,
    but I'm traveling with Esta now.
[03:53] ALBERT
    That makes me so happy, and it's
    a constant source of pride for me.
[03:57] ALBERT
    I want to act in a way
    that befits her partner.
[04:02] ESTA
    I-I'm honored you would feel that way.
[04:06] ESTA
    What?!
[04:06] RIT
    We can trust Albert to handle matters.
[04:09] ESTA
    Y-Yeah, I suppose so.
[04:12] TISSE
    Here's all the information
    we have at the moment.
[04:15] TISSE
    It's up to you now.
[04:17] ALBERT
    Right.
[04:43] LJUBO
    Hey, I'm out. Bring me another bottle.
[04:48] ESTA
    What do you think you're doing here, Ljubo?
[04:51] LJUBO
    It's you, Esta.
[04:53] LJUBO
    Join me for drinks.
[04:55] ESTA
    Where's Van? Still at the inn?
[04:58] LJUBO
    No. He went off somewhere on his own.
[05:01] ESTA
    What do you mean?
[05:03] LJUBO
    I don't know the details.
[05:05] LJUBO
    He heard that a child had gone missing,
[05:08] LJUBO
    so he and Lavender went to search.
[05:13] LJUBO
    He ignores everything I say.
[05:16] LJUBO
    But why? What has gotten into my Hero?
[05:23] LJUBO
    He can still be fixed, though. He has to be.
[05:29] LJUBO
    Was it not the Almighty who
    brought the Hero before me?
[05:40] ALBERT
    I didn't expect to run into
    an ogre in this forest.
[05:43] ALBERT
    I hope the child is all right.
[05:50] ALBERT
    Oops.
[05:51] ALBERT
    Sorry about that.
[05:54] GIRL
    Kurukururu!
[05:56] GIRL
    Don't kill him!
[05:57] KURUKURURU
    I... I'm fine...
[05:59] ALBERT
    Wait, I'm just an adventurer.
    I came looking for you.
[06:03] GIRL
    For me?
[06:04] ALBERT
    Yeah. Your parents were worried
    you got lost in the woods.
[06:09] GIRL
    I was playing with Kurukururu.
[06:11] GIRL
    But then, that monster showed up.
[06:14] ALBERT
    It's all right now.
[06:16] ALBERT
    You kept her safe, did you?
[06:18] GIRL
    Yeah! Kurukururu protected me!
[06:21] KURUKURURU
    But there's a scarier one around.
[06:24] KURUKURURU
    The fay are all afraid!
[06:26] ALBERT
    What?
[06:27] LAVENDER
    Found her.
[06:29] ALBERT
    Sir Hero.
[06:30] VAN
    Is the child hurt?
[06:31] ALBERT
    No.
[06:33] VAN
    That's good.
[06:34] ALBERT
    What's with his oppressive aura?
[06:37] ALBERT
    Something's off about him.
[06:39] ALBERT
    I'll take her home now.
[06:41] ALBERT
    Let's go.
[06:43] VAN
    Before that, we need to kill
    the evil that caused all this.
[06:46] ALBERT
    The... evil?
[06:48] VAN
    Didn't that thing lure the
    child into the forest?
[06:52] VAN
    Evil must be slain.
[06:54] ALBERT
    C-Calm down, Sir Hero.
[06:58] ALBERT
    Fairy dragons aren't malicious monsters.
[07:01] ALBERT
    They're fay, just like Lavender,
    and they're friendly to humans!
[07:05] LAVENDER
    You're using me to beg for its life?
[07:08] VAN
    Albert. I will wait ten
    seconds for you to move.
[07:10] VAN
    If you get in my way, then you
    too are evil and must be slain.
[07:16] ALBERT
    Run! I'll hold them off!
[07:19] KURUKURURU
    B-But...
[07:20] ALBERT
    Just go!
[07:25] VAN
    Do you know that fay?
[07:27] ALBERT
    No. I just met it.
[07:30] VAN
    Are you confident that you can defeat me?
[07:34] ALBERT
    Not in the least.
[07:35] VAN
    Then why are you throwing your life away?
[07:40] ALBERT
    You're right.
[07:42] ALBERT
    I'm shaking in my boots, to be honest.
[07:45] ALBERT
    But I won't stand back and watch
    you take an innocent life.
[07:49] ALBERT
    And I won't run from this fight!
[07:52] VAN
    What is this feeling?
[07:54] VAN
    I don't know why, but it seems
    like I wish to kill you.
[08:13] VAN
    Lavender, can you track them?
[08:15] LAVENDER
    Of course I can!
[08:25] VAN
    What are you trying to pull?
[08:27] ALBERT
    Don't... kill it.
[08:31] VAN
    Why would you do this for a mere fay?
[08:33] ALBERT
    Because I'm part of the Hero's party.
[08:40] ALBERT
    I want to act in a way that befits that.
[08:43] VAN
    Let me go.
[08:48] VAN
    Let me go.
[08:57] VAN
    Let me go!
[09:08] VAN
    I'm the Hero, damn you!
[09:23] LAVENDER
    Van!
[09:26] ESTA
    You fought well.
[09:28] ESTA
    Regenerate.
[09:31] ESTA
    Albert, you are a champion.
[09:35] ESTA
    I am truly proud of you.
[09:41] VAN
    Esta, that man stopped me from slaying evil.
[09:47] ESTA
    Van, do you think I'm in any
    mood for a conversation?
[09:50] ESTA
    I am...
[09:52] ESTA
    filled with rage!
[10:01] VAN
    Why?
[10:02] VAN
    I looked up to you!
[10:05] VAN
    Perhaps you've made a grave mistake?
[10:08] LAVENDER
    Get away from him!
[10:13] LAVENDER
    You say you're mad and
    then fight like a bitch!
[10:17] ESTA
    And what happened to you?
[10:19] ESTA
    I thought you never wanted to
    show Van how you really fought.
[10:23] LAVENDER
    Shut your mouth.
[10:24] LAVENDER
    I've hated you from the
    moment I laid eyes upon you.
[10:29] UNDINE
    Okay, that's quite enough.
[10:34] LAVENDER
    What, a lowly water archfay
    thinks she can stop me?
[10:39] UNDINE
    Your anger is ruining your cute little face.
[10:42] UNDINE
    Are you trying to expose yourself?
[10:44] LAVENDER
    You're dead!
[11:12] LAVENDER
    Van...
[11:15] VAN
    Healing Hands.
[11:20] VAN
    That girl is within my reach.
[11:23] VAN
    Soon, I can...
[11:33] KURUKURURU
    Will Mr. Adventurer be okay?
[11:36] RED
    His wounds have completely healed.
[11:38] RED
    He's just resting now.
[11:42] RED
    I'm glad the kid made it out
    all right, too. Albert did well.
[11:46] ESTA
    Do we know if he'll wake up?
[11:48] RED
    Yeah. He pushed himself past
    his limits to deal with Van.
[11:53] RED
    He needs some time to rest.
[11:55] ESTA
    I see.
[11:56] RED
    It's great that you realized
    what was going on.
[12:00] RUTI
    I just guessed. I felt something
    dangerous in the air.
[12:04] RUTI
    Van's out of control.
[12:06] RUTI
    The impulses of the Hero's
    Blessings are very strong.
[12:10] RUTI
    Normally, it wouldn't let
    you fight emotionally.
[12:14] RUTI
    He must so confused that it's
    repressing his Blessing's impulses.
[12:19] RUTI
    I've experienced that before.
[12:21] RED
    He must be panicking at how he's wavering.
[12:25] RED
    My goal was to change his mentality,
    but I wasn't expecting this.
[12:28] ESTA
    It's not your fault.
[12:30] ESTA
    The responsibility lies with us, the people
    who have spent so much time with him.
[12:34] RED
    Esta.
[12:37] ESTA
    Let me go cool off.
[12:45] RUTI
    Big Brother.
[12:46] RED
    I know.
[12:57] ESTA
    For the first time in my life,
    I let my anger take over.
[13:03] ESTA
    When I saw Albert on the verge of death, I...
[13:05] RED
    You couldn't stop yourself?
[13:07] ESTA
    I was terrified of losing him.
[13:12] ESTA
    Even now, the very thought
    drives a stake into my heart.
[13:16] ESTA
    And I once tried to kill you in order
    to keep Ruti fighting as our Hero.
[13:22] ESTA
    I've changed so much,
    and that scares me most of all.
[13:25] ESTA
    I might eventually make
    the wrong decision again.
[13:29] ESTA
    I may lose myself and do
    something irrevocable.
[13:34] ESTA
    And that frightens me.
[13:36] RED
    Are you going to cast aside
    your feelings for Albert, then?
[13:45] ESTA
    No...
[13:47] ESTA
    I can't.
[13:50] ESTA
    I don't want to.
[13:53] RED
    Then that's, fine.
[13:55] RED
    Those emotions don't come
    from your Blessing,
[13:58] RED
    but from deep within your heart.
[14:01] RED
    And I think that's really worth something.
[14:04] ESTA
    Emotions that have nothing to
    do with our Blessings, huh...
[14:10] ESTA
    Meeting you people has turned me
    into a terrible woman of faith.
[14:16] RIT
    Red. Esta.
[14:34] LJUBO
    Who's there?
[14:35] VAN
    Cardinal Ljubo, it's me.
[14:37] LJUBO
    O-Oh, Van. Come in.
[14:44] VAN
    I came to let you know that
    I'm leaving Zoltan.
[14:47] LJUBO
    Y-You are? You finally understand!
[14:51] LJUBO
    Let us prepare to leave at once!
[14:53] VAN
    But first, I'm going to head
    to the Undine's dwelling.
[14:56] LJUBO
    What?
[14:57] VAN
    And I'll kill all the fay there.
[14:59] VAN
    I think Esta, Gideon,
    and others will be there, as well,
[15:01] VAN
    and I'm going to kill them all.
[15:03] LJUBO
    What are you talking about?
[15:06] VAN
    That's sure to draw the girl out,
    and I'll kill her.
[15:10] VAN
    If she doesn't show,
    I'll destroy Zoltan until she does.
[15:13] LJUBO
    Settle down, Van.
[15:15] LJUBO
    You are the Hero. You must act like one.
[15:23] LJUBO
    Van...
[15:25] LJUBO
    Why?
[15:28] VAN
    I don't feel the impulses of
    the Hero's Blessing anymore.
[15:31] VAN
    My Blessing doesn't tell me
    what I need to do as the Hero.
[15:35] VAN
    As such...
[15:36] VAN
    I'll carry out the last impulse
    my Blessing gave me...
[15:39] VAN
    I'll kill that girl and all the
    evil that stands in my way.
[15:44] LJUBO
    Wai...
[15:54] RED
    Van will be here soon.
[15:56] RED
    Lavender will no doubt be with him.
[15:58] UNDINE
    I can't stop that fairy alone.
[16:02] RIT
    She's stronger than a water archfay?
[16:05] RIT
    What exactly is Lavender?
[16:08] UNDINE
    I didn't want to out her,
[16:12] UNDINE
    but I guess it's too late for that now.
[16:16] UNDINE
    She's a calamity.
[16:19] RIT
    A what?
[16:20] UNDINE
    She's one of the archfay Ketu.
[16:23] UNDINE
    Avatars of power and destruction.
[16:26] UNDINE
    They've wreaked havoc like natural disasters
    since this planet came into existence.
[16:30] UNDINE
    As civilization advanced, the ancient
    elves and dragons wiped the Ketu out,
[16:35] UNDINE
    leaving her the sole survivor.
[16:37] UNDINE
    I'd thought she was living
    in hiding, deep in a jungle...
[16:41] TISSE
    We've gone past legendary and
    into mythical territory here...
[16:46] YARANDRALA
    So, what's our plan?
[16:47] YARANDRALA
    A mythical archfay and the Hero, the ultimate
    human, are on their way to attack us.
[16:52] RED
    This will probably be our last
    chance to talk things out with Van.
[16:55] TISSE
    Talk things out?
    I don't think that's possible.
[16:59] RED
    Yeah, there's no avoiding a battle.
[17:02] RED
    But unlike how Van used to be,
    I think we stand a good chance.
[17:05] TISSE
    But we just talked about
    how he's out of control.
[17:08] VAN
    Yeah, he's out of control.
[17:10] VAN
    The Hero, who never wavers, is wavering now.
[17:13] VAN
    My words should be able
     to get through to him.
[17:16] VAN
    I can change his extreme views.
[17:18] RIT
    I believe in Red.
[17:21] RUTI
    I'll back him up if it comes down to it.
[17:23] RUTI
    So please let him handle this.
[17:26] TISSE
    If you two say so...
[17:29] TISSE
    So, how exactly do you
    intend to go about this?
[17:33] RED
    By settling things one-on-one with Van.
[17:35] YARANDRALA
    You want to fight Van one-on-one?
[17:37] DANAN
    That's crazy.
[17:40] RED
    Van's strong, and there are
    no guarantees in battle.
[17:43] RED
    So I can't say I'll win for sure, but...
[17:46] RED
    I'll win.
[17:51] UNDINE
    I'll put up a field to minimize the damage.
[17:55] UNDINE
    Would any of you be willing to help me out?
[17:57] ESTA
    I can.
[17:59] YARANDRALA
    I'll help, too.
[18:01] UNDINE
    I would also like someone
    to help defend the village.
[18:04] TISSE
    Mr. Crawly Wawly and I will see to it.
[18:08] RED
    Okay, I'm counting on you all.
[18:10] RED
    Now for the finishing touches.
[18:12] ALL
    Yeah!
[18:22] RUTI
    Good luck,
[18:25] RUTI
    Big Brother.
[18:30] RED
    Thanks.
[18:33] VAN
    I finally get to see you again.
[18:35] VAN
    I know I can go back to being
    a Hero once I kill you.
[18:58] VAN
    Gideon, I can tell.
[19:02] VAN
    She's Ruti the Hero, isn't she?
[19:05] VAN
    This is the destiny
    Lord Demis has laid out for me.
[19:09] VAN
    In order to become the true Hero,
    I must defeat the old one.
[19:14] VAN
    Inheriting Ruti the Hero's power,
[19:17] VAN
    Van the Hero will save the world!
[19:19] RED
    That's stretching it.
[19:22] RED
    You don't know what to do anymore,
[19:25] RED
    so you're forcibly assigning significance
    to random happenings around you.
[19:28] VAN
    That's not true!
[19:30] RED
    Isn't it?
    What's your Hero's Blessing telling you?
[19:33] VAN
    It's telling me to kill Ruti!
[19:36] RED
    You're not actually feeling
    that impulse at all, are you?
[19:41] VAN
    This only started after I spoke to you.
[19:44] VAN
    Wavering is painful.
[19:46] VAN
    I feel like I'm losing myself.
[19:49] RED
    Everyone doubts themselves
    at some point in life.
[19:52] VAN
    The Hero never wavers.
[19:54] VAN
    It is not allowed!
[19:55] RUTI
    I did.
[19:58] RUTI
    I did so over and over while
    fighting the demon lord's army.
[20:02] RUTI
    I worried if I was
    doing the right thing.
[20:04] RUTI
    I wasn't sure if I should trust my judgment,
    and regretted plenty of things I did.
[20:09] RUTI
    In particular,
    after Big Brother left the party,
[20:12] RUTI
    I didn't know what to believe anymore.
[20:15] RUTI
    At some point, I was distancing myself
    from the people I could trust.
[20:19] RUTI
    And yet, they're helping me out now.
[20:23] RUTI
    After all this time,
[20:25] RUTI
    I finally truly believe that
    we've become an actual party.
[20:29] VAN
    I don't believe you!
[20:30] VAN
    A Hero never wavers!
[20:32] VAN
    That is the role assigned by the Almighty!
[20:34] RED
    Quit running, Van!
[20:37] RED
    If you truly want to be the Hero,
[20:39] RED
    quit running from the doubts you have.
[20:41] RED
    Muster up the courage to face them.
[20:43] VAN
    Courage?
[20:44] RED
    That's right.
[20:45] RED
    No matter how painful things might get,
[20:47] RED
    stand your ground and walk
    the path you choose.
[20:49] RED
    That's what you call courage.
[20:51] VAN
    A Hero is completely immune to fear.
[20:54] VAN
    Isn't that good enough?
[20:56] RED
    As the Guide, allow me to show you the way.
[21:03] RED
    Fight me. Grab that sword.
[21:06] VAN
    A bronze sword?
[21:07] RED
    This is a battle between
    the Hero and the Guide.
[21:10] RED
    Try besting me, Van.
[21:13] RED
    That should clear your doubts.
[21:21] VAN
    I understand.
[21:23] LAVENDER
    Don't let him fool you, Van!
[21:25] RIT
    Stand back, Lavender.
[21:27] LAVENDER
    Back off! I'll kill you!
[21:29] RIT
    We have no right to stop them.
[21:32] LAVENDER
    Shut your mouth!
[21:33] LAVENDER
    Anyone who gets in the way of my love
    deserves to die a miserable death!
[21:38] RIT
    And I won't let anyone
    mess with my love, either!
[21:41] RIT
    It doesn't matter if it's a mythical fay,
    the Hero, or even the Almighty.
[21:45] RIT
    Interfere, and I will cut you down!
[21:51] VAN
    We'll stop our swords at the last second,
    and the loser will admit defeat...
[21:54] VAN
    I really hope that's not how
    you think this is going to go.
[21:58] RED
    Of course not. We're fighting
    until one of us goes down.
[22:02] VAN
    Excellent!
[22:04] VAN
    Because I can't stop until
    I unleash all of this anger on you!