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 19.4: The Ultimate Ordinary Person part 2

“Then, I’ll leave you here… It looks like he’s waking up too,” Ban said, glancing at the blond boy next to him as he left the infirmary. When Will looked at his neighbor, it seemed the boy had noticed him and asked for details.

Will told him everything that Ban had said.

“I see… So I couldn’t prove my strength, huh?”

“You know, thinking too much about it isn’t good, right? We should be happy that we survived…”

Will spoke to him, feeling a bit sensitive about the fact that he had been defeated by the enemy today, just as he had been told earlier.

“Hmph, I’m not feeling down or anything. I just realized clearly that I need to become stronger.”

“Oh, that’s good if you’re not feeling down.”

“…Is the person who was with you alright?”

“Ah, yeah, they seem to be okay.”

“I see.”

“…By the way, your name…”

“There’s no need to tell you.”

“But won’t it be inconvenient? Having to call you ‘you’ all the time… Besides, we both went through a life-threatening situation together, so we’re like… friends? Sort of?”

“…”

“Ah, sorry. Maybe calling us friends is going too far… It’s just that I’ve never had a male friend before, and I’ve always longed for one.”

“…Eugene.”

“…Huh?”

“That’s my name.”

“Oh, I see! Eugene-kun, then! Nice to meet you!”

“…I’m not particularly interested in being friendly, though.”

◆◆

Ban was away from Will and the others, looking over the town below the castle. The remnants of a slight invasion were still visible, but it was generally peaceful. He didn’t seem particularly troubled, and he was considering where to have lunch.

“Um… Excuse me, sir?”

“Yes? …Ah, you’re the second princess, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am the second princess of the Frontier Kingdom, Reina Frontier.”

An elf with eyes somewhat resembling Lin’s spoke to Ban. He had seen her several times before while wearing his iron mask, so he recognized her immediately. However, now he was just an ordinary adventurer, so he addressed her with deference, not arrogance.

“What can I do for you, Your Highness?”

“Yes, I wanted to thank you for bringing my sister Linlin here, so I called out to you.”

“You’re very welcome.”

“No, no, I insist. Could I ask you to accompany me to the castle? Linlin wants to talk to you again.”

“Eh, eh? Well, yes…”

Feeling he couldn’t refuse, Ban went with her into the castle. He thought he’d seen it many times before as he entered a certain royal chamber. There, a large, extravagant bed was placed, and Lin was sitting on top of it, covered with a blanket. Her usual twin-tailed hairstyle was undone, and her beautiful hair was simply let down. Next to her were Linlin’s brother, Reiley, and their mother, Lam, seated by the bed, but they stood up when they noticed Ban.

“No, no, no, you’re the Ban who carried my sister, aren’t you? No, no, no, no, thank you so much.”

“It was nothing, I just carried her.”

“No, no, no, no, even so, I’m grateful. I heard from Linlin. By sheer coincidence, the hero Dan appeared in a pinch, defeated the Four Heavenly Kings, and then you happened to show up. Since the hero Dan was going to defeat the Demon King, you carried Linlin here instead.”

“That’s right.”

(Lin covered it up like that, I see.)

“Let me give you a reward.”

“No, I don’t need anything like that.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“Ah, if I get money, rumors might spread and it would be troublesome… I’m looking to get married soon and find a partner, and I don’t want someone coming for the money… I want to find true love.”

“You’re surprisingly romantic, aren’t you?”

(Well, I’ve already taken enough from this country. I’ve been receiving rewards time and again… Honestly, I don’t even want any more now.)

“But I want to thank you… You said you’re looking for a spouse? Shall I introduce you to some fairy noblewomen I know? They’re all quite cute.”

“Big brother, that’s enough. Please go away.”

Just after Lin’s brother Reiley offered to introduce Ban to some women, Lin’s exasperated voice came from behind.

“Mama, sister, could you please leave us alone for a moment? We’d like to talk privately.”

She asked both her mother and sister to leave the room. Then, she motioned for Ban to sit on a chair near the bed. Strangely enough, the two of them faced each other, just like during their previous journey.

“Ah, thank you. For helping me.”

“Not at all, thank you for keeping silent about it.”

“I won’t say anything, it’s a promise.”

“Thank you.”

“What are you doing later today?”

“I was thinking of attending a social event.”

“Eh? It’s been canceled for today, though.”

“Eh? Seriously? Ugh, I was all set to go.”

“That’s too bad. But there will be other opportunities. Don’t get down…”

“Yes. I’ll move on…”

He said so, but he closed his eyes and looked up at the sky. Then she asked him,

“Ban, you’re strong, aren’t you? Defeating one of the Four Heavenly Kings in one blow.”

“…Ah, well, if you put it that way, I suppose so.”

“Have you been training?”

“Yeah, I suppose so. If you say so, it might be true.”

“Hmm, how did you train?”

“Various ways.”

Ban tried to deflect the question and look away, but she found him surprisingly easy to read.

(Back when he wore the iron mask, I never saw his expression… But he actually looks somewhat cute…)

(And even though I couldn’t read his expressions then, he’s the type whose feelings easily show on his face.)

She stared intently at Ban, or rather Dan, who began to sweat slightly. He wondered if she had seen through his true identity.

“So… Ban is attending the social event to find a marriage partner, right? Your mother told you to…”

“Yes. My mother said it’s about time.”

“Heh, where’s your hometown?”

“What about you, Lin?”

“Here.”

“Ah, I see…”

Trying to deflect, he ended up engaging in meaningless conversation. Without his iron mask, he seemed vulnerable. Lin realized his true identity but pretended not to know.

“Right. It’s unrelated, but let me see your hand. I’ll read your palm.”

“Eh? I don’t believe in that sort of thing at all.”

“Come on, just for fun.”

She took Ban’s hand and looked at his palm lines, feeling a sense of confirmation once again.

(Dan and the palm lines are the same… Well, it’s obvious since they’re the same person. I had secretly looked at it long ago for a love fortune-telling… I never thought I could confirm his identity that way.)

“That’s strange. It says you won’t find your destined person through an arranged meeting.”

“Is there such an extreme line?”

“Yes, it’s better to avoid introductions from others. It says that meeting people at a social event is entirely fine.”

“That detailed, huh… I usually don’t believe in fortune-telling, but if Lin says so, I’ll avoid introductions.”

“That’s best.”

“…”

“…”

She had finished reading his palm but hadn’t let go of Dan’s hand. What’s wrong? He seemed to ask with his eyes, and she finally realized she had unconsciously been holding his hand.

“Ah, sorry.”

“No, it’s not something you need to apologize for.”

“… Ban’s hand is just so rough; I was surprised…”

“I see.”

“It’s like a diamond already. To get to that point must’ve taken quite a bit… No, never mind. Sorry for holding you up.”

“Not at all, the conversation was enjoyable. Well, see you again.”

“Yes… See you again.”

She forced a smile to hide her sadness. She really wanted to talk a little more, but she held back.

Left alone in the room without the hero, Lin stared blankly at the sky as if nothing had happened. Her mother, Raam, entered the room.

“Did the hero go home, Linlin?”

“… Mama, did you realize it?”

“Yes, but it would have been impossible to see through him at first glance. I only thought so because of the way you looked at Ban, the adventurer you named.”

“… Ah, so that’s what it is. Don’t tell anyone about this, okay? It’s a promise with Dan.”

“I don’t mind, but… Is it okay? Even if you love this man, leaving him alone like this, wouldn’t it be better to forcibly keep him close? If his true identity is revealed, you can push through, whether with an engagement or anything else.”

“That won’t do, it would go against Dan’s will.”

“Hmm? The hero’s will?”

Saying so, Lin got up from the bed and rushed to the window, looking out at the scenery. The golden sunset shone, illuminating her.

“Why do you think Dan is using the name Ban and starting as an adventurer from scratch? And is he really looking for a marriage partner?”

“I wonder?”

“… Surely, Dan must be tired. He’s stronger than anyone… He’s seen everything from the top. That’s why he realized, no matter how strong he becomes, he’s still just one human being.”

“… Hmm, one human being, huh? Understanding everything from the top, a sort of enlightenment from an overview perspective.”

“The Demon King, and other bad guys, too. Mostly, those who get strong and cocky overrate themselves, acting like they were chosen by the world and can do whatever they want. But Dan was different.”

“He always realized that he was just one human being?”

“Yes. That’s why I think he never did anything wrong. He never drowned in his power, always aware that no matter how strong he got, he was just one person with a small vessel, conscious of it because he had the strongest power.”

“I see, I finally understand. The difference between the Demon King and Hero Dan… The Demon King was one who understood himself to be a great being and became strong, Hero Dan was one who became the strongest while remaining ordinary. Even if they have the same power, the latter can be close to the people.”

“Yes, that’s why he always walked beside me.”

She remembered as she looked out the window. The time when they first met, the many times they argued, the first time she became aware of him, the time she realized she was in love, he was always universal and never saw her as a child of God or Elf royalty.

“But being an ordinary person can be tiring too… always being expected by various people. That’s why he wanted to be normal, right? He wanted to grasp a simple happiness, like finding his destined person, or getting married…”

A figure appeared in her view. A young man with spiky hair was leaving the castle. She thought to respect the normalcy he sought. Not as a hero but as an ordinary person seeking one kind of happiness, she…

“See you, Dan… I’ll come to see you again…”

Her voice could not have reached him, but somehow Dan looked back, his eyes meeting Lin’s as she watched him from a room high above. Bowing his head like an ordinary young man, he departed.

She waved her hand lightly, sending her thoughts to him.

“I hope the day will come when I can be by your side… as the ordinary you.”