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 18.2: The Ultimate Ordinary Person part 1

The Fairy Elf race is characterized by slightly pointed ears, along with a natural aptitude for magic, leading to many talented children being born.

“Wow, I’ve never seen many Fairy Elves before, so this is refreshing.”

Menmen’s eyes widen as she gazes at the Elves. There are many beautiful men and women among the Elves, and she can’t help but feel slightly overwhelmed.

“I wonder if there are any books about Hero Dan for sale…”

Will looks around, glancing at the many stalls that have been set up for the festival, and spots a shop with stacks of books.

“Excuse me, what kinds of books are you selling here?”

“We sell DanLinLinDan here.”

“Dan…LinLinDan?”

“Yes, it’s a romance novel about Hero Dan and the Great Sage LinLin.”

“Heh… so you sell those kinds of things too.”

“It’s not officially endorsed, but… it’s quite popular. Every time we release a new work, a certain Elf always comes to purchase it.”

“I see…”

Finding it slightly amusing, Will decided to buy it. As they continued to explore the other stalls, they found a book about the battle between the Immortal King Ifrit and Hero Dan.

“You’re buying it, Will? You didn’t have it? The Heroic Tale of the Immortal King and the Hero?”

“But there might be interpretations I don’t know about… How the hero finally dealt with a formidable foe who brings himself from the past to the present, I still don’t know, and it might be written in here.”

Will bought the books titled “Danlinlin Dan” and “The Immortal King Ifrit and the Hero.”

“It really is cheating to bring oneself from the past, isn’t it?”

“The Immortal King Ifrit, yeah…”

“It’s truly unfair, bringing oneself from the past like that, right!?”

“Definitely.”

“It’s amazing that he was able to repel it! It really is unfair to bring oneself from the past like that!”

“Yeah, bringing oneself from the past is unfair.”

Bringing oneself from the past is unfair! Menmen wanted to retort as he kept repeating that, but since he knew how much Will loved the hero’s story, he decided not to say anything.

“The Cursed King, right? The Demon King that Hero Dan defeated 15 years ago?”

“Yeah… That’s right. From there, he…”

Hearing the name of the Cursed King, Will’s face darkened slightly. Successor, deterrent, the curse of the Cursed King crosses his mind.

He’s trembling under what could be called pressure. Menmen noticed the change in his expression.

“…Will?”

Indeed, the moment it was heard… dark clouds shrouded the sky. The ground, which had been bathed in sunlight, instantly transformed into a dim, eerie place. The fairy folk felt an unfathomable anxiety that they had experienced somewhere before.

Yes, it was the invasion of the Cursed King Daidalos 15 years ago.

Will and Menmen’s hearts trembled with fear as well. The wind danced as though being sucked into the dark clouds. Suddenly, a voice rained down from the heavens, as if looking down on all.

“――Hear me, foolish ones… I am Zaliband Fett, one of the Four Heavenly Kings who serves the true Cursed King Balkan.”

“We nearly cornered the hero 15 years ago, coming within a step of victory. But we fell just short. For the great King Daidalos, to offer him a military triumph, we declare war once again.”

“Grovel… Our new king is a being far stronger than any past Demon King, far stronger than Hero Dan. You absolutely cannot win. Do not resist, for if you do… death alone awaits.”

“Tremble… All you inferior species, and worship. The new king.”

The voice then disappeared. However, the dark sky did not brighten. And all those who heard the voice were thrown into chaos. Shrieks rang out, and people ran aimlessly, hurrying to find some safe place.

“Everyone’s scared…”

There is no embodiment of justice that anyone can rely on. And to further amplify the terror, the sound of a massive horde crossing the land could be heard.

Something is approaching them.

Anxiety, anxiety, anxiety, terror, terror, terror, there’s no hero, the embodiment of justice. There’s no Dan, whom everyone wants to rely on.

However, in this country, though there is no Dan, there is hope. The elite of the fairy folk and the heroes who once saved the world with Hero Dan are certainly there.

From the sky, a massive meteorite descends. It enhances the terror, suggesting certain death, but it explodes and shatters in an instant.

――Great Sage Linlin

With her magic, she turns despair into nothingness. Even facing the horde, she unleashes her spells. Demons walking the earth mostly meet their demise, but beings flying from the sky are not so easily defeated. She alone cannot handle the thousands.

“Will.”

“I must fight too.”

“Let’s, let’s run away, together…”

“No… I… want to be… a hero…”

He, in his soul, wants to be a hero; it’s engraved in him to become the successor to the hero. Therefore, he wants to fight. He has to fight. He must overcome the difficulties.

Following the Great Sage Linlin, the knights of the Frontier Kingdom rush to the battlefield outside the country. They confront the monsters coming from the sky.

It seemed they were able to fight effectively against the demons, but again meteors descended from the country’s sky. Lin repeatedly erased them. She sensed that this was the work of one of the Four Heavenly Kings or a Demon King-class being, and that it was a spell being deployed from quite a distance away.

“Hold on until I return.”.

Saying that, she flew toward the place where the magic was activated, soaring through the sky at tremendous speed. Evacuations had already begun in the country.

He had a feeling that staying here would only be a hindrance. But still… he wouldn’t back down.

“Menmen, you should escape at least. You’ll surely be safe by the side of the Great Tree of this country…”

“But Will…”

“I will――”

“――You seem quite relaxed.”

A sharp male voice addressed the two. It was Eugene, who had cut off a demon’s head with his sword and descended from the sky. His body was splattered with blood, and the battle had already begun.

“Where’s the time to be gracefully discussing things on the battlefield? If you’re unsure, both of you get lost; you’re nothing but a hindrance.”

“…I will fight.”

“Then draw your sword. How long will you suppress your will to fight?”

Some in the town below the castle had been slow to escape, but… the battle was already in full swing. The place where they stood was a place of struggle. Hesitant beings were nothing but obstacles.

That’s what Eugene said. Hearing this, Will drew his sword.

“If you’re scared too, just run away; you’re in the way… The Great Sage has left this place, even if just temporarily… that means the enemy is going to play some kind of trump card here――”

“――That’s exactly right. It’s an obvious move, but in the midst of this chaos, there are many who won’t realize it.”