Part 3 of 8
“It seems the enemy base is in a deserted village some distance from the mountain road.”
Mr. Tiva spreads out a map as he explains.
Myself and the other commanding officers of the force listen in silence.
After our forces were caught in an ambush laid by the organization last time, a sudden sense of anxiety has taken hold.
Until then, things had been going almost alarmingly well.
So although the surprise attack hardly resulted in any casualties, the commanders seem to be trying to refocus their efforts after the force encountered its first stumbling block.
“The only route to the village is along this old road. Thus, the enemy will likely be on high alert for our approach.”
All of us stare down at the map on the desk.
“This’ll be tough,” one commander murmurs.
The surprise-attack incident isn’t the only reason the commanders look tense.
Our next target is a particularly difficult one.
The organization’s presence here in this abandoned village is operating on a far larger scale than anything we’ve faced so far.
A deserted village is definitely troublesome.
Even if people no longer live there, pieces of their lives still remain in the area.
In other words, it’s a base that’s already furnished with much of what people need to survive.
Houses in which to sleep, fields for self-sufficient farming, most likely a nearby source of water, and walls to keep out monsters.
They’ll have all of that at their disposal.
And this means they’ll have a fairly stable livelihood, which in turn means other outlaws will be drawn there as well.
That means the village supports a high population, and numbers mean power.
No matter how high your stats are, it’s difficult to make up for a sheer difference in numbers.
The only exception is someone with stats so high that being outnumbered doesn’t make a difference—like me, the hero.
Of course, the force is made up of exceptions like that, since it consists of elite fighters drawn from various nations.
I’m sure each one of them could manage two or three bandits alone.
But that’s before you take the enemy’s home-field advantage into account.
According to our investigations, the village they’re using as a base is practically a fortress.
And as Tiva said, the map shows that the only way to attack them is from the front.
The terrain makes this area difficult to attack and easy to defend.
Between the numbers and their field advantage, they might be able to make up for the difference in stats.
“Could we split up the troops?”
“No. The only other routes run straight through the mountains. We’d only be able to move through those in extremely small groups.”
“Besides, the entire village is protected by walls. Whether we try to climb over or break through, we’ll be spotted right away. We might be able to mount a surprise attack, but it’d be too dangerous for a small group.”
“Hrmmm. Then I suppose we have no choice but to attack head-on and besiege them.”
It’s extremely difficult to move around on a mountain with no roads.
You have to cut your way through thick brush just to get anywhere, and you might run into monsters that live in the area, too.
It’d be impossible with a large group.
A small group would have to endure an arduous mountain trek, and right after, they would have to battle the bandits.
It’s only natural that such a plan would be rejected out of hand.
But that’s what heroes are for.
“I’ll launch the surprise attack.”
“Sir Hero…it’s too dangerous.”
The commander who chides me makes no attempt to hide his exasperation.
I can tell he’s thinking, Were you even listening? and I understand how he feels.
But I can’t back down now.
If I keep staying on the sidelines and letting them protect me, nothing will ever change.
I’m sure the reason I couldn’t do anything before is that my resolve wasn’t strong enough.
I wasn’t ready to fight people, to kill.
But I’m ready now.
I just have to put that resolve into action.
So that I can save as many victims as possible and prevent as many future kidnappings as I can.
“Very well.”
I open my mouth to protest, then freeze when I realize what I just heard.
Which probably leaves me looking like my mouth is hanging open idiotically.
I really am shocked by what he said, so I guess that impression wouldn’t be wrong.
But everyone else in the room looks equally surprised.
The person who agreed with my plan is none other than Mr. Tiva.
“But of course, we cannot let you do this entirely alone, Sir Hero. I will send a few of my men along with you. And I happen to know a talented adventurer, so I’ll ask him to accompany you as well.”
Tiva briskly continues setting out the plan.
“Would you be willing to take this route through the mountains and attack the enemy from the rear?”
“Um, sure.”
It’s happening so quickly that I end up giving a dazed-sounding answer.
But then one of the commanders recovers his senses and leaps out of his chair.
“Sir Tiva! What in the world are you thinking?!”
“Whatever do you mean?”
Mr. Tiva stares back calmly, looking as if he truly doesn’t understand the problem.
“We can’t have Sir Hero do something so dangerous! What do you think he is?!”
“Ah, is that all you meant?”
“Is that all?!”
Tiva chuckles as if he’s heard a particularly funny joke.
Anyone can see that he’s mocking the commander. I didn’t think he was the sort of person to do something like that, so I’m at a loss for words, too.
“Sir Hero volunteered for the role of his own free will. And I made the judgment that he’s fully capable of it, so I am planning accordingly. What is the issue here?”
“The whole plan is rife with issues! What if something happens to Sir Hero? Will you take full responsibility for that?!”
Ah, this is it.
One of the invisible chains that binds me.
To the commanders, I’m a ward whose life must be protected, not a comrade to whom they can entrust their lives.
Words like responsibility make that clear.
“Why on earth would you bring up a word like responsibility?”
“What? Sir Tiva, please be reasonable.”
The commander’s irritation is increasingly obvious.
“Sir Hero is fully responsible for his own actions, of course. He is the high commander, and he can go to the front lines if he so chooses.”
At that, the commander’s mouth clamps shut.
“In fact, you’ve been voicing complaints about the high commander’s decisions all this time. Is it safe to assume that you doubt the strength of Sir Hero, who is our leader?”
“What?! No, but…I…”
Once Tiva reminds him of my position, the commander recoils and seemingly runs out of excuses.
He looks to the other commanders for help, but they awkwardly avoid meeting his eyes.
I’m sure most of them agree with him, but they don’t want to defend someone who’s currently speaking out against their high commander—me—and earning stern disapproval from the deputy high commander, Mr. Tiva, in the process.
“But still! If the worst was to happen and something befell Sir Hero, the world would be at a loss! I beg you to reconsider!”
Realizing that no one is coming to his aid, the commander steels himself and doubles down on his original statement.
Considering my position, his view isn’t entirely wrong.
But Mr. Tiva cuts him down with a glare.
“So you not only doubt Sir Hero’s strength, but you also reject my judgment that he is capable of the job?”
It’s as if the commander is no longer permitted to even explain himself.
“You asked me a moment ago what I think Sir Hero is, so I shall ask you the same. What is it that you think of Sir Hero, hmm?”
The commander has no response to Mr. Tiva’s hard tone.
“This is exactly why Sir Hero does not have faith we will watch his back. How could he, when none of you thinks of him as a comrade in arms? It’s no wonder he doesn’t trust us.”
“Mr. Tiva, that’s—”
“There’s no need to try and smooth things over, Sir Hero. This is all because we’re so cowardly.”
I open my mouth to object to his harsh self-criticism, but Mr. Tiva stops me.
“Besides, how many among you would even be a match for Sir Hero? Not a one, as far as I can see. Frankly, even I might fall short. What right do men weaker than Sir Hero have to decide his actions for him, then?”
A few of the commanders grow visibly angry at that last comment, but in the face of Tiva’s fiery rage, they can’t utter a word.
“We haven’t supported Sir Hero at all. In fact, we can’t even catch up to him. And yet, we all look down on him as if we’ve been protecting him, just because we are adults and he is a child. Do you know what that’s called where I come from? Misplaced kindness.”
SLAM! Mr. Tiva brings his fist down hard on the desk.
“We should be fighting by Sir Hero’s side, but instead, we lag behind him—no, in fact, we’re dragging him down! It’s no wonder that he’s given up on us and keeps attempting to act on his own!”
What?!
I think I might be more surprised by Mr. Tiva’s anger than anyone else.
That’s not what I was trying to do…
But the meeting room falls silent, and I don’t have the courage to speak out.
“If you are concerned for Sir Hero’s safety, then show that you have the mettle to bring down the enemy stronghold without needing Sir Hero to launch a surprise attack. But if you cannot do that, you’re all bark and no bite.”
I can see fighting spirit beginning to burn bright in the commanders’ eyes.
They all climbed up to their current positions through sheer strength.
Now it seems that their pride in that strength means they’re unable to back down after being so thoroughly reprimanded.
“Very well. I shall prove to you that I am more than just talk. We’ll finish things before Sir Hero can even launch his attack—you shall see.”
The commander who spoke up before glares at Mr. Tiva with a gleam in his eyes.
I guess they’ve accepted my surprise-attack plan, then.
When I realize this, it suddenly occurs to me that all of this might have played out exactly as Mr. Tiva planned.
As a result of his words, I get to lead an assault like I wanted, and he’s even lit a fire beneath the commanders.
On top of that, they’ve practically promised not to complain next time if they aren’t able to bring down the organization base before I launch my surprise attack.
Since they all have so much pride and belief in their own strength, I doubt the commanders would go back on their word or try to make excuses if they fail.
I estimate roughly how long it’ll take me to get to the back of the enemy base from the foot of the mountain and how long it might take the men to bring down the fort from the front.
…There’s no way they’ll be able to do that before I can attack, as far as I can tell.
I can see that a few of the commanders are holding back sighs, so maybe they realize that, too.
So this was all part of Mr. Tiva’s plan?
I always thought of Mr. Tiva as a thoughtful, discerning adult, but it looks like I should add determined and not to be taken lightly to that description.
More than anything, I’m glad he’s on my side.
“This way, I reckon. Watch yer step there.”
I follow the man with the unusual speech patterns deeper into the mountain.
My guide’s name is Mr. Hawkin.
Apparently, he’s a former thief and currently the slave of an adventurer.
“……”
Mr. Hawkin’s master, Mr. Jeskan, walks ahead of me in silence.
He’s striding along through this treacherous terrain as easily as if he was taking a stroll in town.
Yet he still seems to be on high alert: Occasionally, his eyes will shoot off to one side, moments before a bird or other small animal passes by.
I could never detect the presence of such small creatures. His Presence Perception skill level must be incredibly high.
That’s to be expected, though—Mr. Jeskan is a famous adventurer.
He’s climbed all the way up to A rank on his own with his ability to skillfully use all kinds of different weapons based on what the situation calls for.
From what I’m told, he’s still young and is expected to reach S rank soon enough, too.
Considering that Mr. Tiva referred to him as a capable adventurer and hired him to work with me, I’m sure he’s trustworthy as well as incredibly strong.
That must be why he’s allowed to bring a suspicious-seeming guide like a former thief.
But apparently, not everyone has accepted that.
“Why must we follow behind the likes of a former thief anyway?”
Yaana grumbles quietly.
She has an incredibly strong sense of justice and hates anything improper or immoral.
From her point of view, I’m sure a robber is worthy of nothing but contempt.
She doesn’t seem to be able to accept working with one, even if he is a former thief.
“Mr. Hawkin isn’t the kinda thief you’re thinking of, Yaana,” Hyrince explains. “He’s a gentleman thief—he only stole from corrupt nobles and merchants to spread the wealth among the poor and needy.”
Hyrince insisted it was natural for him to join this battle, since he’s my attendant.
I was told that he negotiated with Mr. Tiva and convinced Tiva to let him come along with me.
“Is that true?!”
“Isn’t that right, Mr. Thief with a Thousand Knives?”
At that, Mr. Hawkin peers back at us with a sly grin.
“Aw, shucks. That’s just an old nickname o’ mine.”
“Th-the famous Thief with a Thousand Knives?! That’s you?!”
The Thief with a Thousand Knives is Mr. Hawkin’s old alias. He was a rogue who made quick work of any enemy with his knife skills and never let a target escape with their belongings.
He pursued only those who engaged in fraud and wrongdoing and delivered his earnings to orphanages and the needy in the form of food.
Since the anonymous donations were food, not stolen goods or coin, the nobles and merchants who’d been robbed couldn’t take their money back, so the poor and hungry were always grateful to the Thief with a Thousand Knives.
And the person who carried out these fairy tale–like feats is none other than Mr. Hawkin.
Legends of his exploits have been spread far and wide by minstrels, and now you can hear them in many different lands.
In other words, Yaana had no idea she was complaining about someone very famous.
She looks embarrassed, although also a little disappointed.
“You’re not quite what I imagined…”
Though she mutters it almost to herself, it carries surprisingly well on the mountain air.
Yaana blushes and hastily covers her mouth, but since everyone here is trained for battle, we all have the Five Senses Enhancement skill.
Everyone heard her as soon as she said it, which means Mr. Hawkin must have heard her initial complaint as well.
Which is probably why Hyrince covered for her in the first place.
“Heh, I get that a lot. It’s always real pretty-boy types who play me in the theaters and stuff, so I can’t blame ya.”
Mr. Hawkin doesn’t seem particularly offended.
Since the stories of the Thief with a Thousand Knives have become famous through minstrels, there are also plays about him, with the lead role usually going to the star actor of the troupe.
As a result, most people imagine the famous thief as a handsome young man, but I have to admit that you couldn’t quite describe Mr. Hawkin that way even if you were being charitable.
He is surprisingly young, but his features are exceedingly ordinary, to the point where he could very easily blend into a crowd.
Maybe that’s why he was such a good thief in the first place.
“But why is the Thief with a Thousand Knives a slave?”
This time, Yaana directs her suspicious gaze at Mr. Jeskan, Mr. Hawkin’s master.
“Well, it’s a funny story, that. See, I got caught by that human-trafficking organization yer all after and damn near lost my head. But Mr. Jeskan here was kind enough to buy little ol’ me.”
“I happened to be investigating the organization on a request from the government, which is why I was in touch with them. There’s a limit to how much you can accomplish solo, so I gave the pretext that I wanted a slave who could fight, and here we are.”
From the rest of their explanation, Mr. Hawkin was independently trying to gather information on the human-trafficking organization, while Mr. Jeskan was doing the same for a formal government request. In the process, Hawkin was captured, and since Jeskan had said he wanted a battle-ready slave, he ended up buying him.
“I’m real grateful, y’know. You saved my life.”
“Well, you can pay me back by working hard.”
Despite their relationship as master and slave, I can tell that these two get along quite well.
As proof, the collar has been removed from Mr. Hawkin’s neck.
The human-trafficking organization puts special collars around their captives, which render the victim incapable of disobeying their master’s orders.
We don’t understand how it works exactly.
The collars are probably processed in a special way and conferred with some kind of control skill, or so I’m told, but even the researchers from the Word of God couldn’t figure out anything else.
In other words, the human-trafficking organization has someone on their payroll whose technology outpaces that of the Word of God’s research team.
Why would a seedy criminal organization have such technology?
There are a lot of mysteries, but it doesn’t change what I have to do.
“Heh-heh. They shouldn’t’ve let me go after allowin’ me to see their hideout. They’re gonna regret bein’ so careless, I betcha.”
Mr. Hawkin smirks.
The reason he’s leading the way is that he was being held captive in the same deserted village that we’re trying to attack now.
He was investigating the mountain area when he was caught, too, so he’s the perfect guide.
As a former thief, he’s an expert in finding routes that normally aren’t noticeable and can spot and dismantle any traps along the way without breaking a sweat.
“There it is.”
Thanks to Mr. Hawkin’s expert guidance, we soon find ourselves at our destination: overlooking the back of the deserted village.
Contrary to what the phrase deserted village would suggest, its defenses look very sturdy.
It’s all made of wood, but the walls surrounding the village are still solid, with a gate and even a watchtower built at the front facing the old road.
Just as our information said, it really is like a minor fortress.
Busting in from the front looks like a back-breaking task.
Sure enough, it sounds like the main force is still trying to contend with the front defenses. I can hear the clangs and cries of battle from that direction.
It looks like the commanders won’t be able to bring down the fort before I can launch my surprise attack after all.
As I prepare my magic, I can’t help smiling dryly to myself. I guess Mr. Tiva was right as always.
“Listen up, Julius. If all you want to do is use magic, skills are plenty for that. But if you truly want to master magic, that isn’t good enough. How do you normally create and unleash spells? Be aware of that, and ask yourself how you can do it stronger, faster, and more accurately.”
I remember my master’s words.
He is a little bit crazy, but his teachings were right on the mark. He showed me exactly what I needed to do to be strong.
Following his instructions now, I focus hard on the magic I’m about to unleash.
“As soon as I break down the wall with magic, please charge in and attack.”
After issuing an order to the rest of the group, I start to weave my spell.
“Now!”
In time with my shout, I cast the Holy Magic spell Holy Light Sphere.
The ball of light crashes into the wooden wall at high speed, breaking it down with a roar.
In its wake, nothing is left but a carved-out space of ground, not exactly an ideal entrance for an attack. Maybe I should’ve held back a bit more.
I guess I still have a long way to go.
“Charge!”
“““RAAAAH!”””
I call out to cover up my mistake, and together we all dash toward the village.
The members of the human-trafficking organization, fighting to defend the front gate, turn around in a panic when we burst through the destroyed wall.
I guess they weren’t expecting a surprise attack to come through the rear wall.
The wooden barrier was certainly sturdy enough to keep out the weak monsters that roam in this area and would’ve been difficult to break down for any ordinary soldiers.
But in the face of a truly strong opponent, a palisade is useless.
In the former Keren County town of Sariella, even the stone walls that protected the village were meaningless in the face of those white spiders.
If I’m going to face that kind of enemy in the future, or maybe something even stronger, I can’t let a little wall like this slow me down!
The bandits whirl around and try to fend us off.
But at the same time as our attack, the main forces renew their assault on the front gate, throwing the enemy’s battle formations into disarray.
Spying a perfect opportunity, I speed up and charge into the enemy lines.
The man in front of me, who was in the rear of the bandit forces, can’t even ready his weapon in his panic.
I slash my sword at my defenseless opponent, then move on to cut down the next one without stopping to see the results.
With each swing of my sword, I feel it bite into flesh and let a spray of blood fill the air.
The enemy soldiers fall one after another, scarcely even putting up a fight.
“Aaaaah!”
One of the remaining men charges at me desperately.
He swings his club around in the air, preparing to bring it down on me with sheer momentum.
“Ah!”
Then Hyrince jumps between the man and me, blocks the club with the shield in his left hand, and pierces the man’s neck with the sword in his right.
“Quit going so far ahead, dumbass!”
“This is nothing!” I protest. “I’ll keep going as far as I can!”
“Watch out!”
Just then, an arrow comes flying toward me, only to be struck down by Mr. Jeskan’s sickle and chain in the nick of time.
“Thank you!”
With a brief thanks, I keep moving to the next opponent.
Jeskan uses a throwing ax to deftly dispatch the enemy soldier who shot the arrow.
Behind me, the rest of the group engages in battle with the enemy, while Yaana supports them with magic.
Farther ahead, my attack seems to have created enough of a gap for the main force to finally break down the front gate, and now our allies come pouring through in earnest.
At this point, the enemy has no way to stop us.
Our victory is cemented within minutes.
“Dammit! You bastards!”
One of the surviving enemy soldiers we’ve captured spits at us.
“What were we s’posed to do?! I was deep in debt! This was the only way I could keep on livin’. I had no choice! Don’t you get it?!”
He’s only lightly wounded, so he was the first of the prisoners to wake up, and he immediately started cursing us.
Doesn’t he know what’s going to happen to him?
“Hey, you, kid! I’ve got a son right around yer age! I can’t go dyin’ on him here! Please?!”
The man tries to reason with me as I happen to pass nearby.
One of the soldiers walking with me silently reaches for his sword, but I gesture for him to back down.
“No matter what the reason, it’s never right to bring misfortune on others to solve your own.”
With that, I leave the man behind.
He keeps shouting after me, but I doubt I’ll get through to him, no matter what I say.
People turn to the path of evil far too easily.
I’ve seen that while traveling with this special task force, far more than I ever wanted to.
The human-trafficking organization has all kinds of members.
Some turned to crime in order to put food on the table, like this man.
Others were forced to join the organization despite their young age because their parents were members.
And still others seemed evil by nature, simply taking pleasure in seeing others suffer.
Each of them had joined the human-trafficking organization under different circumstances.
But there was one thing they all had in common: None of them regretted it.
Not a single one seemed to regret having stained their hands with evil.
Of course, some of them claimed to be remorseful when it came time for execution.
But they weren’t really repenting for their sins—they were just sorry they’d been caught and were being punished.
Why couldn’t I have gotten away with it?
That’s the awful truth of what they were thinking.
There were times when I tried to convince them to start anew with the right words.
But of course, I had to move on to the next battle.
People turn to evil easily.
And it takes untold time and patience to turn them back to the right path.
So fast to fall and so difficult to bring back to the light.
There are many different ways for a person to stray down the path of evil, but in order for them to return, they first need to regret the things they’ve done.
If you can’t get them to realize how horrible their crimes were, then it’s impossible to convince them to try to start over.
But I don’t have that kind of time, and neither do they.
I have to travel to countless different lands, and they have to face a punishment that befits the weight of their crimes.
And in most cases, that means being tortured for information, then executed.
Even if we did have time to rehabilitate them, it’d be more effective to use the ones who can be used and dispose of the rest.
Because it’s far more important to rescue the innocent victims still suffering at the hands of the human-trafficking organization than to dwell on these criminals.
I understand that, in theory.
But I don’t know if I really believe that’s right.
Some of them were participating only because they didn’t have a choice.
They were poor, their hometowns were attacked by monsters, or they were born into it.
Is it really right to punish them without offering them a chance at rehabilitation?
…I might not be able to answer that, no matter how hard I agonize over it.
But still, I should always think about what I consider right and wrong, like Mr. Tiva said.
It’s just that at the moment, there’s only so much I can do.
My time is better spent rescuing many innocent victims from suffering than laboring to convince one person to turn their life around.
It’s impossible to measure the value of a person’s life, but between someone who’s gravely sinned and someone who hasn’t, it should be obvious which one should take priority.
Maybe things would be different if I had some other way to persuade those who have gone astray.
But I do not, so I have to prioritize saving the people who I can still save.
In a perfect world, I would save everyone, but I know that’s not really possible.
I just have to do my absolute best to save as many people as I can.
No matter how difficult that might be.
Because that’s what a hero does.
THE FORMER THIEF AND THE ADVENTURER
“Are you worried about him?”
Hawkin’s gaze is focused on the hero.
“Hey, boss. Yeah, I guess a little…”
Hawkin nods absently at my question.
Clearly, he’s more than a little worried.
Hawkin loves children, so much so that it’s the very reason he became a thief: to help as many children as possible avoid unhappy fates.
For someone so deeply immersed in the dark underbelly of society, he can be quite naive.
Although I must admit that I don’t hate that about him.
“What d’you think, boss?”
I hesitate for a moment about how to answer Hawkin’s vague question.
But then I decide to answer with my honest thoughts.
“He’s very impressive, for sure.”
At his young age, the hero already surpasses most adults.
Not just in combat but in spirit, too.
The way he stayed so calm while leading an attack on the organization base and fighting those bandits is proof enough of that.
Even an adult would normally be reluctant to cut down another person if they’re not used to doing it, but he didn’t show any hint of hesitation.
How many battles has he already fought, to reach that level at such a young age?
Not to mention, he’s strong enough to lay waste to a wide swathe of the enemy base all on his own.
I jumped in to protect him at one point, but I suspect he would’ve been able to dodge that arrow whether or not he had my help.
He even had the composure to thank me.
And yet…
“But I guess that’s exactly what has you worried, hmm?”
If he’s that advanced at his age, that means he must have been through quite a lot.
And no matter how mature he might seem as a result, he is still a child.
If you put a child through such awful experiences one after another, he might eventually break down.
I’m sure that’s what Hawkin is concerned about.
“Well, there’s no need for you to worry about that. As far as I can tell, Sir Tiva is keeping a close eye on the situation. With his title as the Hero, I doubt Julius will ever have a normal childhood, but it shouldn’t be too horrible, either.”
My interaction with the deputy high commander Sir Tiva was brief, but I got a very strong impression of him. The boy is his superior officer, but he respects him as a hero while also caring for him as a human being.
As long as that man is by the hero’s side, I’m sure he won’t let anything unthinkable happen to him.
I can’t help but notice that my reassurances fail to clear up the shadow hanging over Hawkin’s face, though.
“Why does a kid like that have to fight, y’know?”
Hawkin is a permanent citizen of the underworld, and I’m sure he knows it as well as I do.
But he still resents the injustices of this world, enough so that he can’t help saying things like that.
This man really is naive.
But I think the world needs people like him, too.
Especially when it comes to the symbol of goodness called the hero.
“I asked Sir Tiva to let us officially join the force.”
At that, Hawkin looks up with a gasp.
“If you’re that worried, we can just protect him from close by. I was starting to feel like I’d reached my limit as a solo adventurer anyway. Helping the hero is a prestigious role, so it all works out great. Right?”
“Boss…thank you.”
There’s nothing to thank me for, so I simply respond with a shrug.
And that’s how Hawkin and I join the task force.
Ugh, I’m so mad!
Why am I so mad, you ask?
That Goody Two-shoes keeps coming after me, that’s why!
All while making it look like he’s not doing it at all!
He’ll talk to me in this suuuper-nice-sounding voice, saying things like, Oh yeah, I can do this and that. What about you?
And when I respond that I can do it, he praises me for it.
But his eyes are laughing at me!
He’ll ask the other kids in class the same thing, and if they say they can’t, he’ll be all, Let me know if I can help; I’d be happy to teach you!
The other boys and girls all fall for it right away, but I know this is just his way of asserting dominance.
He wants to make sure he’s at the top of the pecking order.
Huh?
You think I’m being paranoid?
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
You’re so naive.
Listen up, okay?
The hierarchy of a class is extremely important!
Your school life changes VERY dramatically based on where you stand in the rankings!
The top tier has it made—the picture-perfect school life.
The middle isn’t great but not awful, either. You could definitely still have a decent time in your youth.
But the bottom rung? Forget it.
You’ll either be driven into a corner and forced to scurry around every day like you don’t even exist, or you’ll be subjected to the brunt of the bullying!
…I seem to know a lot about this, you say?
Well, yeah. I was in the bottom tier in my previous life.
Hey, don’t feel sorry for me!
Stop! Don’t look at me like that, okay?!
JULIUS, AGE 13: MACHINATIONS
I walk through the familiar halls of the Analeit Kingdom castle.
In other words, my childhood home.
Since becoming the hero, I’ve been primarily staying in the room given to me in the Holy Kingdom of Alleius, so I haven’t been here in a while, but I still think of it as my real home.
Being in this place calms me in a way that the room in Alleius never could.
But that’s just me.
Clinging to my arm as we walk, Yaana looks incredibly nervous.
Instead of her usual saint outfit, which is simple and designed for easy movement, she’s wearing a white dress.
It’s an understated design, as befits a saint, but you can still see at a glance how expensive it must be.
It was made specifically for Yaana, so it looks great on her.
…Or at least, it would if her face wasn’t currently so strained that her tension is plainly obvious.
Her movements are equally stiff, to the point where I’m not sure if she’d be able to walk without falling over if I wasn’t escorting her.
Yaana and I have come here to participate in a certain ceremony.
This is Yaana’s first time in the royal castle, and she was incredibly anxious on the way here about what it would be like.
As with many girls her age, she seemed to have a certain admiration for the romantic idea of a castle.
She didn’t say that in so many words, but Yaana is always easy to read, so I could tell she was excited.
But now that we’re actually here, her nerves seem to have overtaken any other emotions.
Knowing her serious personality, she’s probably putting an absurd amount of pressure on herself, thinking that she can’t do anything to embarrass herself as the saint.
“Yaana.”
At this rate, I feel as though she’s actually even more likely to embarrass herself, so I stop her before we enter the ceremonial hall.
She turns around with an almost audible creak, like a door whose hinges badly need to be oiled.
“Are you nervous?”
“Of…course…not.”
That’s not very convincing when her voice is so hesitant, and so quiet I can barely hear it.
“You are, aren’t you?”
“…Yes, I am. I’m sorry.”
She looks pained, but I think her inability to lie is one of her virtues.
Although she probably wouldn’t survive for long in high society.
“It’s perfectly normal to be nervous,” I assure her.
Yaana may be the saint, but she’s not from a noble family, so she hasn’t participated in many formal ceremonies like this one.
She might have worked on them behind the scenes while she was training as a sainthood candidate, but I’m guessing the only time she’s actually been a part of one is when she was actually appointed as the saint, so she’s still inexperienced.
“I know I mustn’t be nervous, but I can’t help it…” Her voice trembles.
“No, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
She seems to feel that it’s wrong to be nervous, but I assure her that the opposite is true.
Yaana blinks at me uncertainly, as if she doesn’t understand.
“If you think you shouldn’t be nervous, you’ll just make it even worse. But it’s normal to be nervous at times like these, so you’re better off not trying to force yourself to be calm.”
“But…”
“There’s a level of nervousness that’s just right. Do you know what I mean?”
During battle and such, it’s better to be a little bit on edge than to be completely at ease.
Of course, if you’re too nervous, you won’t be able to function, like Yaana right now.
But nerves aren’t necessarily a bad thing, even if it’s hard to moderate them in the moment.
If you can keep it at the right level, it helps you focus and stay on your toes.
“I don’t mind being nervous. And there’s no need to be overly focused on not failing. If you do your best in the moment, I think good results will naturally follow. So try to let a little bit of the tension out of your shoulders, okay? It’d be a waste if you’re too nervous to be your best self.”
Yaana nods slowly, as if she’s absorbing what I said.
“You’re amazing, Sir Julius. Your words truly resonate, unlike a certain someone’s.”
I’m sure she’s referring to Hyrince.
He must have been teasing her again, as usual.
“Just remember, that certain someone will be in the hall, too.”
If she stays nervous and stiff throughout the ceremony, I’m sure Hyrince will tease her about it later. As I hint at this gently, Yaana’s eyes widen.
I can’t let that happen! is written all over her face.
Her eyes fill with newfound determination to avoid being teased.
They say that fighting proves the closeness of a friendship, but I’m not sure if that applies to Yaana and Hyrince.
It’s more like Hyrince is toying with Yaana or holding her in the palm of his hand.
At any rate, it looks like that calmed her nerves a little, so hopefully now she won’t make any major mistakes.
As long as she doesn’t get too jittery and end up going overboard instead.
“Shall we go in, then?”
“Yes!”
We walk toward the ceremonial hall with lighter steps than before.
Soon, we reach the grand doors and walk inside, where there’s already a big crowd.
The ceremony hasn’t started yet, but the room is quiet, even though there are people gathered in the center.
Yaana seems unnerved by the strange atmosphere, but I tug her arm lightly and reassure her with a smile.
We walk deeper into the hall, reaching the far end where the royal family stands.
Everyone else is already there: the true queen; my elder brother, Cylis; the king’s first and second concubines; and my younger brother Leston.
“You’re late,” Cylis informs me, looking displeased.
He never used to be like this, but lately, he always seems to be wearing an irritated scowl.
“I’m very sorry. I was so nervous over my little brother and sister having their big day that I scarcely slept last night, so I’m afraid I’m still a bit tired.”
Yaana shoots me a doubtful glance at my excuse.
Obviously, I’m not really tired. We were late only because I was calming Yaana’s nerves.
I lied because I didn’t want to tell anyone else that, but Yaana’s reaction probably made that a wasted effort.
Since my royal relatives spend their days studying their fellow courtiers for even the subtlest hints of thought or emotion, I imagine they all will have guessed from this exchange that I was covering for Yaana.
“Now, now, dear brother. It’s not as though they’ve missed the start of the ceremony, so there’s no need to glare at them so, is there?”
Leston intervenes with our elder brother on my behalf, but it only has the opposite effect.
“Worry about yourself, Leston. You ought to be calling me Elder Brother during a ceremony like this, not addressing me so casually.”
Cylis’s rage turns on Leston instead, although it’s possible that Leston did that deliberately to draw his attention away from Yaana and me.
Leston might seem easygoing, but he can actually be fairly shrewd.
“That’s quite enough.”
As the argument between my brothers threatens to escalate, a cold, brisk voice interrupts them: the true queen.
“But, Mother…”
“Look around you. Do not bring any further shame on the royal family with your unseemly behavior.”
Her biological son, Cylis, flinches at her scolding.
Realizing that the crowd is watching our interactions, he smooths over his expression.
“Please pardon my son’s lapse in manners.”
The queen apologizes to Yaana, but she doesn’t bow her head.
Nor does she deign to introduce herself.
In the Analeit Kingdom, it’s considered proper for the person of lower social status to introduce themselves first.
Yaana is the saint and comes from the Holy Kingdom of Alleius, so she doesn’t have any particular hierarchical relationship with the queen.
But she’s participating in this ceremony as my partner.
I am the hero, but in the Analeit Kingdom, I rank below the queen.
If the queen introduces herself first, then she’ll indirectly be implying to everyone around us that she is below me in social standing; if Yaana goes first, it might seem as if she’s debasing the Holy Kingdom of Alleius.
It’s difficult to say whether Yaana should introduce herself first.
“Allow me to introduce my companion. This is Lady Yaana the saint, who is here today as my partner.”
The best move is probably for me to introduce her instead.
Yaana must still be nervous; she gives a stiff curtsy without saying a word.
I’m not sure if that was her best option, but in the strange power dynamic this situation has created, it’s not the worst one, either.
“Thank you for looking after our Julius.”
The queen stares at Yaana appraisingly as she responds.
“N-not at all. If anything…Sir Julius is always…l-looking after me…”
…She’s completely tongue-tied.
I guess the nerves I tried to dispel must have come back in full force.
Still, I can’t say I blame her.
Anyone would wither under the true queen’s cold glare if they’re not accustomed to it. She’s a very intimidating person.
“The ceremony will begin shortly. I’m afraid it may be quite dull in the interim, but please wait patiently.”
The queen seems to have lost interest in Yaana, and she faces forward again.
My brothers and the concubines follow her lead, closing their mouths and standing at attention.
Yaana looks like she could burst into tears at any minute, so I whisper “it’s okay” to her and line up next to the rest of the royal family.
Although, truth be told, I’m not sure if it’s really okay or not…
I think the queen may have passed judgment on Yaana in that brief interaction and deemed her a person of no particular importance, someone she can ignore.
The fact that Yaana never got a chance to introduce herself is proof enough of that.
The true queen’s steely gaze is difficult to read, so to be honest, I rarely know what she’s thinking.
My father has two faces, that of a politician and that of a parent, but the queen only ever seems to show the former.
She’s a model politician, in a different way from the pontiff.
The pontiff is always working on several schemes behind his gentle smile, but the queen simply masks everything with a cold glare.
That’s always been my experience, at least.
So I don’t know exactly what she really thought of Yaana.
But no matter what she might think deep down, I’m sure her attitude will never change.
As long as Yaana is the saint, she should at least have a modicum of respect for that position.
I’m just not sure if the same thing applies to Yaana herself.
“His Majesty has arrived.”
After several more minutes of that same strange tension, the ceremony finally begins.
My father enters the room and stands behind a pedestal near the back.
“Prince Schlain and Princess Suresia have arrived.”
Next, the names of my youngest siblings are announced.
A door opens opposite the pedestal, and Schlain and Sue enter.
They walk slowly and deliberately along the red carpet in the center of the room.
You could even describe their strides as dignified, despite their young age.
They don’t seem nervous at all; they carry themselves with pride, as if it’s only natural that everyone in the room is looking at them, and murmurs of admiration ripple through the crowd.
Finally, Schlain and Sue reach the pedestal and kneel.
“The Appraisal ceremony will now begin,” our father announces.
Today is Schlain and Sue’s Appraisal ceremony.
I took a leave of absence from the task force to be here for it.
The rest of the unit is still working without us, which pains me a little, but Mr. Tiva kindly encouraged me to bear witness to my young siblings’ day in the spotlight.
Since we defeated the branch of the human-trafficking organization that had settled in the deserted village, the commanders have stopped complaining about my actions, in keeping with their promise to Mr. Tiva.
Thus, I’ve been able to take a more prominent role on the front lines, while Mr. Tiva gives orders from the rear.
Knowing that Tiva is supporting me from behind, I can focus on fighting without reserve.
And he’s continued to help me along the way, admonishing the commanders when necessary.
As a result, the commanders are slowly starting to acknowledge me, all thanks to Mr. Tiva’s efforts.
I can’t thank him enough for all that he’s done for me.
“Now, Schlain Zagan Analeit. You may rise.”
“Yes, sir.”
I wasn’t sure whether I should participate in this ceremony, but now I’m glad I came.
My younger brother Schlain was already mature for his age, but he’s grown even more than I expected.
I wish our mother could’ve watched him grow up as well, but I’ll just have to pay even closer attention for her sake.
But my emotional moment quickly passes.
When Schlain’s Appraisal results magically project onto the wall, the silence in the ceremonial hall shatters.
<Human Status:
LV 1 Name
Schlain Zagan Analeit
HP: 35/35 (green) MP: 348/348 (blue)
SP: 35/35 (yellow) : 35/35 (red)
Average Offensive Ability: 20 (details) Average Defensive Ability: 20 (details)
Average Magical Ability: 314 (details) Average Resistance Ability: 299 (details)
Average Speed Ability: 20 (details)
Skills:
Skill Points: 100,000
Titles: None
[Magic Perception LV 8] [Magic Operation LV 8] [Magic Warfare LV 6] [Magic Conferment LV 5]
[Magic Attack LV 3] [MP Recovery Speed LV 7] [MP Lessened Consumption LV 2] [Swordsmanship LV 3]
[Destruction Enhancement LV 2] [Mental Warfare LV 2] [Energy Conferment LV 1] [Concentration LV 5]
[Hit LV 1] [Evasion LV 1] [Vision Enhancement LV 4] [Auditory Enhancement LV 7]
[Olfactory Enhancement LV 2] [Taste Enhancement LV 1] [Tactile Enhancement LV 1] [Life LV 5]
[Magic Mass LV 8] [Instantaneous LV 5] [Persistent LV 5] [Strength LV 5]
[Solidity LV 5] [Technique User LV 8] [Protection LV 7] [Running LV 5]
[Divine Protection] [n% I = W]
>
His stats and skills are leagues beyond any normal child participating in their first Appraisal ceremony.
That’s all well and good; Schlain has always been exceptional.
Even without my personal bias, he’s objectively a child prodigy.
I’m not too surprised by his stats.
But the Divine Protection skill…that’s far more alarming.
It’s practically a declaration that Schlain is a special person, loved and favored by the gods.
I glance sideways at the true queen.
But her expression is as rigid as ever, revealing nothing of her thoughts.
After the ceremony, we move on to the next phase: a celebratory party.
But unfortunately, my feelings are too conflicted to properly celebrate.
“Yo. Should the great hero really be hiding out in a corner over here?”
Hyrince quickly spots Yaana and me taking refuge against the wall.
“Schlain and Sue are the stars today, so I figured it’s better if we don’t stand out too much.”
“I guess.” Hyrince shrugs.
Normally, Yaana would have some choice words for Hyrince’s casual attitude, but today she’s quiet as a mouse.
Hyrince, in turn, refrains from teasing her like he usually would.
He’s capable of being considerate when it’s really important, although I wish he’d do it all the time.
“What about you, Hyrince? Shouldn’t you be congratulating Schlain and Sue, too?”
Hyrince is actually the second son of Duke Quarto, though it’s easy to forget that at times.
As a member of a high-ranking noble family that’s close to the royal family, he should really pay his respects to the stars of the day.
“Well, I figured, since I’m connected to you, I’ll have a chance to talk to them soon enough. For now, I’d rather not stand around in that line.”
Hyrince nods toward the long line in the center of the ballroom with a dry smile, where people are waiting for the chance to greet my siblings.
Only the highest-ranking nobles were allowed to attend the Appraisal ceremony, but this after-party includes a certain amount of lesser nobles as well.
Specifically, the ones who have children close in age to Schlain and Sue.
So now, the nobles are lining up in the hopes of getting their children close to the pair and potentially forming a connection to the royal family.
Although, considering the results of the Appraisal ceremony, I’m worried that there might be more to their motivations than just that.
“This is going to be a problem,” Hyrince observes.
“…Yeah.”
“What?”
Yaana looks between us in confusion.
Instead of explaining, I offer her the cake I grabbed from one of the waiters, since I’d noticed her glancing at it repeatedly.
Immediately, her eyes sparkle.
Oh, Yaana. Never change.
“So what should we do?”
“Nothing. Unfortunately, there’s not really anything we can do.”
Since I’m working with the special task force, there’s not much I can do about the internal affairs of my kingdom.
Even my influence as the hero doesn’t have much effect here.
The true queen’s influence is too strong.
She has most of the nobles under her thumb, too.
And as far as this current incident goes, I have to be even more cautious of those who aren’t affiliated with her.
“I guess we just have to hope that His Majesty and the queen will keep the idiots in check.”
“Yeah.”
Yaana still seems intrigued by our exchange, but she can’t resist taking a bite of the cake.
Though she doesn’t seem to understand, Hyrince and I are concerned that there might be movements to position Schlain as the next king.
Power struggles exist to some extent in most any nation, I think.
The Analeit Kingdom is no exception, with nobles conspiring behind the scenes day in and day out.
And in the past few years, there have been whispers of whether Prince Cylis is truly suited for the throne.
Cylis is the true queen’s only son, and while I would never say this aloud, he’s fairly ordinary.
His grades, combat skills, and everything else about him are all average.
My elder brother is making every effort to be worthy of inheriting the throne. It’s just not yielding the results he wants.
But he’s not below average in any way, either.
With the proper support, he’d make a perfectly acceptable king.
So the fact that Cylis is the only heir has never been a problem.
But frankly, my existence has complicated things.
I’m the hero—the only person in the world to receive this special title.
And I’m a prince of this kingdom, too.
However, that doesn’t mean I’m in the running to be the next king.
The hero has never been the leader of a kingdom.
In fact, considering the hero’s role, I don’t think that would be possible—because the hero has to constantly fight against demons.
Part 3 of 8