9 Dismiss

But after a while, nothing happened. The helmet was not glowing nor showing any signs that it was an artifact.

"See? As we thought, the helmet is not an artifact," Mercilia said to me right away.

Well to be expected…

But I'm not willing to give up yet. This helmet has granted me a tremendous amount of stat boost and the heroes should know that I can't be lying about this. 

Because I managed to survive the dungeon by myself, which I shouldn't be able to accomplish otherwise.

"Please, try using the identification spell on the helmet one more time." I then plead with her to believe me.

She sighed right away. "Don't try to pull that card. Even if the artifact doesn't respond to my skill, it doesn't mean that it was an artifact in the first place."

"That is right! An artifact would respond to a blessed one's identification spell. The fact that the helmet didn't glow or show any signs means it was not an artifact. So stop lying to us and just admit that you simply ran away and left the other soldiers to die..." Azaro said that right away and provoked me.

To be expected. They won't believe me that easily.

The rest of the heroes agree right away.

But regardless, I'm not giving up. I tried to convince them again and again but in the end, they already set their mind to their opinion of me.

They simply ignored my pleas... 

"I'm disappointed that one of our kingdom soldiers is lying." Prince Rolen uttered a sigh as he continued, "I understand that you ran away but to lie about a mere helmet is a bit too much."

"To lie to the heroes. To be expected from a mere commoner." Celina said, "Probably wanted to be promoted by faking an achievement with beating a golem and finding an artifact, right.?"

They are mistreating me. It's frustrating but no matter what, they won't listen to me anymore.

And before I manage to retort, Prince Rolen spoke first. "Enough, you are a disgrace for the soldiers who lost their lives in that dungeon. We don't need cowards so you are dismissed from being our kingdom soldier."

"Wait-" Before I managed to finish my sentence, Prince Rolen cut my word right away. "Enough, get out of here right now before I lose my temper!"

He is angry... probably because I managed to survive and the rest of the soldiers died. That I lied about an artifact to gain recognition.

And even if I wanted to refute their words, the heroes are backing each other. It seems like I need to accept their decision.

In the end, I simply can't argue any further.

It wouldn't benefit me anything so in the end. I was dismissed as their soldier right away.

I guess there is nothing more I can do…

And with that, I left the mayor's place right away.

With nothing, I walked aimlessly to the street. I didn't want to admit it but Helmy, the helmet is indeed an artifact. Even without Mercilia identifying spells. I still managed to survive and kill a golem.

And yet, they won't believe me at all. All they think is that I'm simply a coward who abandons their comrades and fakes to have an artifact.

To be expected but still frustrating to be called a liar. I then yell at Helmy, as I feel like it was its fault I am being dismissed. Because Helmy is a sentient helmet it could be its doing for not glowing when Mercilia activated her skill.

But…

As soon as I yelled, Helmy replied to me right away. And it was the first time... 

*Beep*

<Do you blame me?> 

Helmy asked me a question after I called it a fault.

Well yeah, I'm mad at Helmy because of this. I should have gotten praised by the heroes but thanks to Helmy's action, I got dismissed instead.

So, obviously, I replied with a yes. "Of course I blame you. You were supposed to glow or react with Mercilia's skill. Now I am being dismissed and being labeled as a liar!"

*Beep*

<Reason for not being recognized by the identification, is due to having any holy element.>

<Holy element is necessary to identify an artifact since was forged during the age of God. It then blessed by their divine energy.>

After Helmy replied, I didn't say anything back. Because what Helmy said made me think of something... and prompted me to ask Helmy about its origin. As who the one who forged it and how did Helmy got inside that dungeon.

*Beep*

<Origin of my creation. Data lost>

After Helmy replies, it prompts me to ask another question. "So you don't know the creator of you?"

*Beep*

<Unknown, data lost>

Helmy replied to my question right away. "Then what is your function... like what can you do? Because you said yourself, that you are a sentient artifact helmet, right?"

*Beep*

<Unknown… >

<Data loss...>

<Memory error…>

Helmy answered my questions but it was not the answer I was expecting. It's quite weird that an artifact is not knowing its purpose and the origin. Especially if the artifact is a sentient being as it should have a memory of the past. 

And with that reply being given, it made me feel like something had happened in the past that resulted in the helmet being forgotten of its purpose.

Hearing all of that, I can't be mad at Helmy anymore because it seems like Helmy isn't made by the gods. At least that is what I believe based on what info Helmy has given. Because almost all of the artifacts indeed have holy elements imbued in them.

And I can't help but wonder about it. 

If Helmy doesn't have a holy element or the one that forged Helmy isn't a god, then how did it exist in the first place? There's a lot of question in my mind but without any clear answer, it couldn't be solved.

And without nothing more to ask, Helmy falls silent and I decide to rest inside a tavern for now.