When I said, "You can be a hero," to a child with no talent, he really started to become a hero, so I acted like I knew what I was doing, like I was a wise master. - Chap 12.3 - Awakening - Will vs Dya

I lost to Dya. When I realized it, the surroundings were dyed in the sunset, and I woke up on the bed at home.

“Will!”

“Menmen”

When I woke up, my childhood friend, Menmen, was looking at me with a face that seemed about to cry. I realized that she must be worried about that duel.

“Um…”

“Don’t say sorry.”

I knew what she was about to say. So, I stopped her.

“I had a good experience in that fight! Originally, I could have stopped the fight, but I chose not to! So, don’t apologize!”

“Ah, yeah.”

She stopped apologizing after I said everything.

“Um, are you okay after hitting your head?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“I see, that’s good… How did you know I was going to say sorry first?”

“Eh? I guess I just had a feeling? We’ve been friends since we were kids, so I feel like I generally understand you.”

“…You’ve always been like that, Will.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hmm, well. You always try to understand someone’s feelings, their pain. You consider others’ feelings, try not to hurt them as much as possible. You often help out when someone is in trouble or seems likely to be in trouble.”

“Do I really do that?”

“Yes, you do… I really like that about you, Will… How you understand someone’s heart and move one step ahead.”

Seeing Menmen blush and look down, I realized she had unintentionally expressed her feelings that she had been keeping inside her heart.

“Eh? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you properly.”

“Eh, are you kidding me?”

“Oh, uh! Sorry for real!?”

“Geez, then, why don’t you guess? What do you think I’m thinking about right now?”

Menmen looked up at Will. With her beautiful yellow hair, eyes that shone like gemstones, and her perfect features, all blushing and giving off an air of expectation, the answer should have been obvious.

“Are you thinking you want to eat some fried chicken?”

“…Oh, Will, that’s just like you! It’s one of the things I like about you!”

“Thank you!”

“That was sarcasm.”

With a sigh, Menmen got up and smiled brightly again.

“Thank you for caring about me, too! And today, you were really cool, Will!”

“Eh? Really!? Thank you! Wait, ahhhhhhh!?”

“What’s with the sudden shout!?”

“I forgot!!! Sorry! I have to go!”

“Wait, Will!?”

With a sudden realization, I darted out of the house and sprinted away. Menmen was left behind, tilting her head in confusion, not understanding what had just happened.

+-+

After finishing my morning training, I heard that Will had started a duel while I briefly looked away. So I took off my iron mask, changed my clothes, and made my way to the village.

The duel had already started, and it seems that a kid named Will and another named Diya are in a battle. Oh, keep going, Will!

But it seems he’s about to lose… Well, Will still has a long way to go…

However, don’t lose in a way that will leave you regretting. If you’re aiming to be a hero, I think there will surely be things you’ll regret. But what can you do about it now? There are many difficult paths and challenging trials ahead.

Hey, why is he making a face as if he’s about to lose! Pump yourself up! After all, I’ve been teaching him once a week!!

“Keep going! You can still do it! Isn’t there still something you haven’t given everything to?!”

Upon hearing my words, it seemed that Will renewed his determination. In fact, is he doing quite well…? Wait, hold on…

Is he going to win…?

Even I couldn’t help but harbor a small amount of hope. However, Will made a mistake in his reading at the very end and lost unexpectedly. But, he certainly showed a performance that could not help but make me feel his potential.

Thinking I should praise him, I decide to go home and bring the Shield of Beginnings. Planning to give it to him when he wakes up, I was waiting and… I happened to hear a conversation between Will and a girl who I assume is his childhood friend.

Even so, Will might be a bundle of potential. He could be the one to become a true hero… Among the seven disciples with potential, Will might rank first!

“Really?”

“Yes, you do… I really like that about you, Will… How you understand someone’s heart and move one step ahead.”

“Eh? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you properly.”

Oh, I’m really bad with hard-of-hearing… And I also get irritated by all this flirting. Disciples should not flirt until their master, me, gets married.

Should I establish a rule that disciples of Hero Dan shall not flirt with the opposite sex? But what’s with you, Will? I thought you were going through the most relatable gray adolescence with me, and now you’re in such a fulfilling relationship? Go and cause a supernova explosion.

I’m annoyed. After all, as a hero, I feel the most potential in Eugene, who is solitary, alone, and doesn’t talk to girls at all.

Well, that means if you’re flirting with girls, you don’t need the Shield of Beginnings, right?

I’ve decided to give it to Will three weeks later because he flirted.

Thinking that, I was walking home when Will came running.

“Um! I’m sorry for skipping training so suddenly!”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Ah, that… what’s that shield you’re holding?”

Ah, darn it. I’ve left it out… Well, I guess I have no choice but to give it to him.

“Here, it’s the Shield of Beginnings.”

“Ah, thank you! And thanks to your advice, Hero, I was able to grow a step further!”

“I see. Keep striving.”

“Yes!” 

I have no idea which advice made him move like that. I’ve been saying various things, thinking that if I speak with modern knowledge, I can gain reasonable effects and trust, so I don’t know.

But if I over-interpret, it’s thanks to me… Then, I should cross my arms and give off the vibe of knowing everything.

Will seemed deeply moved, looking at me as if I truly knew everything. But more than that, I want to be in a fulfilling relationship too…

Wait a moment? But, come to think of it, there was a similar situation with Will in the past. What was it again? Oh, right. It was when I lost to a swordsman named “Darda”.

I was sitting down, dejected, on the bed in the inn… when Lin came to console me.

“What’s got you so down?”

“It’s nothing.”

“You’re lying, aren’t you? You’re bothered about losing to him, aren’t you?”

“….”

“See… it’s not a big deal. You just have to win next time.”

“… Yeah, that’s right.”

“…From my point of view, you both still have a long way to go…”

“…”

“――But, umm… you were… coo… coo… cooler, you know?”

“Did you say something?”

“I, I didn’t say anything! Idiot!”

Back then, I had been struck hard in the iron mask by a swordsman named Darda, the impact and the metallic sound had messed up my eardrums. What did Lin say at that time…? I couldn’t hear her because her voice was too soft.

It doesn’t really matter. I won’t figure it out anyway.

“Um, I look forward to our continued relationship!”

“Sure.”

“I will treasure this shield forever!”

“Do that.”

With that, I parted ways with Will. Now, tomorrow is for Eugene… Maybe I should give him the Gauntlet of Beginnings?