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.

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After their bath, Will and Ban joined Ban’s parents for a lavish meal. Even without being told, Ban’s parents understood that they had to act as if Ban, their 18-year-old son, was just a normal, ordinary boy, ensuring Will didn’t realize he was the Hero Dan.

After a brief rest, they went to sleep. However, Will was restless, pushing aside his futon. Moonlight streamed in through the window, and Ban was looking up at the sky, gazing at the moon.

“Ban-san…”

“Can’t sleep?”

“Yes. A lot happened today.”

“I see.”

Will sat next to Ban, looking up at the sky with him.

“There are amazing people and incredible demons… I feel I need to become stronger. I wish I had a Blessing Gift or something like that.”

“Blessing Gift, huh? I think there’s a possibility you might have one.”

“Really?”

“There are many who haven’t realized they possess one, or don’t know how to use it. Or they’ve been using it, but not to its full potential. That’s a common pattern.”

“Is it really?”

“How do you think the Immortal King Ifrit learned to use his Blessing Gift?”

“How did he?”

“He created backups from his past and brought them forward. It wouldn’t have been easy for him to just know and use everything at once.”

“I see…”

“This is just my intuition, but the more unique the ability, the longer it takes to recognize it.”

“The more unique the ability…”

“Well, I can’t say for sure. But it might be a good idea to consider the possibility of having a Blessing Gift.”

Even if it seemed like a small bonus, just the thought that he might have something gave Will a glimmer of hope. Maybe understanding oneself even more is essential.

“The Immortal King Ifrit preserves his past self, brings it to reality, and even overwrites the state of his past body… It’s indeed complex,” Will remarked.

“Relying too much on abilities isn’t always a good thing,” Ban replied, “Even if you bring back abilities from the past, if you’re not strong, it doesn’t mean anything.”

“I see.”

Ban, deep in thought, seemed to be reminiscing about something as he gazed into the void. Will sensed a melancholic aura around him, realizing how much he had leaned on Ban all this time.

(I’ve been so dependent on him… always seeking his advice… I haven’t done anything for myself…)

“Uh, I’m sorry for always consulting with you,” Will hesitated.

“It’s alright.”

“But please, if you ever face any trouble, do consult with me!” Will said earnestly.

“Okay,” Ban chuckled.

“I want to be a hero! If demons approach and you get scared, hide behind me! Though I can only use a sword, I promise to protect you!”

“I’ve never really been told something like that before… I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Yes!”

Will clenched his fists, determination sparkling in his eyes. Ban responded with an amused look. As the night progressed, no more words were exchanged. Soon, lulled by the serenity, Will crawled into his futon, and daylight eventually broke.

“The Immortal King Ifrit preserves his past self, brings it to reality, and even overwrites the state of his past body… It’s indeed complex,” Will remarked.

“Relying too much on abilities isn’t always a good thing,” Ban replied, “Even if you bring back abilities from the past, if you’re not strong, it doesn’t mean anything.”

“I see.”

Ban, deep in thought, seemed to be reminiscing about something as he gazed into the void. Will sensed a melancholic aura around him, realizing how much he had leaned on Ban all this time.

(I’ve been so dependent on him… always seeking his advice… I haven’t done anything for myself…)

“Uh, I’m sorry for always consulting with you,” Will hesitated.

“It’s alright.”

“But please, if you ever face any trouble, do consult with me!” Will said earnestly.

“Okay.”

“I want to be a hero! If demons approach and you get scared, hide behind me! Though I can only use a sword, I promise to protect you!”

“I’ve never really been told something like that before… I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Yes!”

+-+

The Knight Training School spans three years, starting from the age of 16 and culminating at 18. Upon graduation, one is awarded the qualification of a knight. The reasons for joining are diverse. They range from noble sons seeking strength, to third or fourth sons of nobility who can’t inherit their family’s legacy and are looking for employment, to the sons of influential merchants who are commoners, or to those who are simply ordinary commoners.

Various individuals come together in this school.

“Miss… your uniform is slightly disheveled, especially the collar.”

“Yes, ye-s?”

“Miss, it would be best to reply just once.”

Candy Elemental, a countess’s daughter. It’s customary for nobility to uphold manners and carry out precise courtesies. However, Candy, despite being of high nobility, walked towards the Knight Training School with a slouched posture and a lazy expression.

“School is so bothersome…”

“You’ve only just entered, and it’s your third day, Miss.”

Responding to her complaint, Croco, the maid serving her, truthfully informed her. Croco belongs to a lineage of servants who have served the Elemental household for generations. From a young age, she was aware of Candy’s personality, and Candy’s parents had requested her to mold Candy into a proper lady. Therefore, she sometimes takes a slightly stern approach.

“Oh! Hero Dan!”

Pointing sharply to the sky, the maid exclaimed. Hearing this, Candy, who was slouching earlier, straightened up with precision.

“Please don’t forget to maintain that posture.”

“… You tricked me, didn’t you… Croco.”

“I’ve been entrusted by your parents to ensure your proper education.”

Upon realizing that Hero Dan was not around, Candy quickly returned to her slouched posture. Seeing this, Croco sighed, wishing that Candy would be more diligent on a regular basis. As if nothing had happened, the two headed towards the school building, but during their journey, a loud voice echoed.

“Hey, it’s the commoner!”

“So annoying!”

“Weren’t you making eyes at Lord Intix the other day?!”

“I-I didn’t…”

Looking over, they saw a girl surrounded by several other female students. Given that she was being antagonized as a ‘commoner’, Candy and Croco quickly surmised that the other girls were nobles.

“How dare you contradict me?”

“Shall I report this to my father? Maybe we should just crush your household—”

Before the blonde-haired girl with curled locks could finish her threat, a fist drove straight into her cheek. The twisting motion of the punch sent her spinning away.

“――Wha-aack!”

Letting out a strange noise, she flew off, with her friends immediately rushing to her side.

“W-Wait, Gummitt! Are you okay?!”

“Candy! How could you!”

“That was excessive!”

The entourage gathered around the fallen girl named Gummitt, who had fainted. Including Gummitt, there were four of them. Yet, even under the intense glare of the three girls, Candy remained nonchalant.

“Oh my, did I send her flying? My apologies.”

“Wait, are you siding with the commoner?”

“No, no, I’m obviously on Lady Gummitt’s side.”

“You’re lying!”

“No, no, there was an insect on Lady Gummitt’s cheek. I thought it was crucial to get rid of it, hence the punch.”

“Are you out of your mind?!”

“Oh? Lady Caramel, Lady Gumucci, Lady Ramuneer, there are bugs on your cheeks too—”

――Crack, Crack

She snapped her fingers, subtly exerting her dominance. The three girls quickly fled into the school building, carrying the unconscious Gummitt with them. Watching them, Candy nonchalantly returned to the school path.

“Lady, while your spirit is commendable, please don’t resort to violence so suddenly…”

“If things become bothersome, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Uh… alright.”

Croco held her temple and looked up to the sky in exasperation. The two then entered the school building, just like the group of four. Little did they know, Hero Dan awaited them inside as a part-time lecturer.