700 years ago, in a story about an exceptional man named Hero Dan, the world was at peace. However, a threat to humanity appeared in the form of the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord led a group known as the Demon Tribe, creatures that devoured humans and continuously brought harm to cities and the prosperity of humanity. As darkness loomed over the world, a man emerged as the first legend.

This man was unknown to anyone, not born into any special lineage, and suddenly appeared as a force to be reckoned with. Overflowing with talent, he lived for goodness, wielding his sword for the sake of others. People called him the Hero.

He defeated the threat of the Demon Lord, and the people adored him. The king of the land, Trellbarna, proposed a reward for the Hero in the form of his daughter’s engagement. The Hero fell deeply in love with the incredibly beautiful daughter and readily accepted the proposal.

With this, peace was restored to the world once again. However, the Demon Lord reappeared. Once more, the Hero appeared abruptly. He was hailed as the one who brought peace to the kingdom, and the king of that time also arranged an engagement between his daughter and the Hero.

And so, the next Hero… From some point in time, only those from the royal family began to appear as Heroes. This was because they continuously incorporated the bloodline of the most outstanding and highest-ranked individuals throughout generations. The people revered the royal family members who possessed the aspect of being a Hero.

And then, the Demon Lord reappeared once more… Those who knew the legends of the country, those who told the history, those who worshiped the king all believed that a Hero would emerge from the royal family again. They were certain of it.

History was rewritten.

Truly a return to the origin, one might say… A person unknown to anyone, not born into any special lineage, and lacking any exceptional talent became the Hero.

Hero Dan appeared. He achieved feats that no previous hero had accomplished, such as defeating multiple Demon Kings, and his strength undoubtedly surpassed all others, leaving everyone astonished.

The course of history was shattered, and the legends were rewritten. When Dan appeared, he left everything behind and stood at the pinnacle.

+-+

I had my usual breakfast at home.

“Dan, what are you going to do today?”

“Mom, I’m already an experienced hero, you don’t have to ask every time.”

“Well, you’re right. So, what are you doing today?”

“Ah, I’m going to meet the third prince.”

“I see… Do your best.”

I still feel like I want to move out of my parents’ house as soon as possible. My mother worries too much about me, and my father seems to share the same sentiment as he said in a drawn-out voice.

“Your mother is really overprotective.”

“Well, you always come back saying you’ve defeated the Demon King or barely escaped death. It’s only natural for her to worry. You never know what you’ll say when you come back from your outings.”

“Ah, that’s true. Well, I am a hero after all.”

“That’s right. Dan is our pride and joy. But how long does he have to keep doing dangerous things? He’s already 30.”

“Well, you know, Dan still has the benefits of being a Gifted Youth, so he’s still young.”

“Even so, there are people around Dan’s age who already have children.”

“Just because they have children doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the source of happiness for Dan.”

“…You’re right about that.”

I know, it’s true what my mother says. It must be unsettling for parents to hear reports of their child coming back and talking about getting into dangerous situations.

I’ve never had children, so I wouldn’t know… Oh, that’s right, in my previous life, I died in my early twenties after being hit by a truck.

Oh, speaking of that truck driver, I wonder if they’re okay? Being involved in a personal injury accident can lead to serious compensation issues… I hope they have proper insurance coverage. But even if they do, it won’t change anything.

Maybe if they had a dashcam, they could have seen the details of the incident and assessed the degree of negligence, but in that case, the truck was out of control, and I sacrificed myself to protect a little elementary school kid… So the truck driver…

As they finish clearing the dishes, my father and mother get ready to leave the house.

“Dan, I’ll be heading to the guild.”

“I’m going to the library, Dan, make sure to take care,” adds my mother.

“Okay, have a safe trip.”.

They hardly spend any money, even with the income I get as a hero. They both work hard… Maybe I should quit being a hero or a part-time worker and find a proper job…

Yes, for now, I’ll go see the Third Prince…

***

He lives in a place called the Trellvanna Kingdom, a desolate area a little distance away from the royal capital. It’s a secluded spot, almost like an empty lot. Occasionally, you can spot stray cats roaming around.

“Dan, it’s me. Are you here?”

“I’m here.”

The man has magenta-colored hair that reaches his shoulders. His features undoubtedly fall into the category of handsome. He’s about 172 cm tall and looks around 15 years old, a bit bigger compared to Will.

“No one has noticed, right?”

“Of course not. I’m not so clumsy.”

“I see.”

Unlike Eugene, he doesn’t have an overconfident personality. Alfred Trellvanna, the third prince of this country, is a calm and composed man who doesn’t overestimate or underestimate himself.

He wears a white tuxedo with a rose on his chest. It’s quite tacky.

“Dan, what are we going to do today?”

“Practice combat.”

“I see. Wooden swords?”

“No, you can use iron.”

“Is iron okay for me?”

Alfred is quite strong, and within the framework of 15-year-olds, he can be considered at the top in terms of strength. Well, there will always be someone stronger, like me or the demons.

“Alright, let’s start the fight.”

“Sure.”

Saying that, he readied the iron sword and shield he had brought. His style followed the classic path of a hero, wielding both sword and shield. It seems that the royal family inherits the bloodline of the early heroes.

If that’s the case, then he must possess some talent as a hero. As a candidate for the successor, I have high expectations for him.

“Dan, are you using a wooden sword?”

“No problem.”

Truth be told, I had intended to bring my iron sword, but I conveniently forgot about it. It doesn’t matter since I can easily fight with a wooden sword.

“Dragon Fritz Arts!!”

Saying that, Alfred swung his sword from above. No matter how many times I see it, it’s incredibly cheesy. His sword is enchanted with magic, wrapped in flames.

I simply intercepted it with my wooden sword. Surprised by how easily it was blocked, Alfred stepped back. Then, he sheathed his sword and extended one hand.

Alfred is quite strong, and he practices practical training with magic, so he said it’s okay to use magic…

“Noble Cosmic Shabondi!!”

Cheesy. Apart from that, I think he’s doing quite well.

He mentioned that the magic he cast was created by the first hero. I’m not familiar with the details of ancient heroes, so I don’t know much about magic. However, as a descendant of a former hero, it’s impressive to be able to use the techniques of past heroes.

Against an ordinary enemy, they would probably have been defeated. Well, that’s assuming it’s not me he’s facing.

As dozens of rainbow-colored bubbles flew toward me, I cut them all one by one. Slowly, I approached Alfred as the bubbles continued to come at me, and I kept cutting them.

Slice after slice, I got close enough to Alfred and gave him a light flick on the forehead. He was blown away a few meters and fainted.

I didn’t intend to knock him out, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. I guided him to lean against a nearby tree.

Although I have been raising Alfred as a successor, it was actually him who approached me first.

“Please, train me.”

Coincidentally, I was looking for a successor, so I immediately agreed. The fact that he’s a member of the royal family bothered me a bit, but I considered it a minor issue. However, even though it’s minor, it seems like the royals, especially the king, don’t hold me in high regard.

Alfred’s request had caught me off guard, and I momentarily hesitated before giving my answer. However, it seemed like Alfred was filled with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm. It was the first time someone had approached me with such a strong desire to become my successor.

Because of that, I was genuinely motivated to train Alfred. It reminded me of when I once told my high school manager that I could work a shift, and the manager looked so happy. Now I understood the reason behind that smile. When someone with the right potential comes to you willingly and is full of enthusiasm, it’s hard not to smile. Even behind my iron mask, I couldn’t help but grin when Alfred appeared.

I liked him. Alfred Trelbana.

But, you know what? I absolutely despise your father, though!

I mean it, I genuinely dislike him. He’s always had something to say and has treated me poorly on occasion. Above all, he doesn’t hesitate to bad-mouth others. There was a time when Lin got so angry that she was about to use magic on him. I was grateful for that moment, a good memory.

But you know, to be honest, it really got on my nerves. The one who said it might forget, but the one who was told won’t forget. That’s why I’ve been jotting down all the unpleasant things I’ve been told in a notebook, you know? I’ve been doing this since a long time ago… I won’t forget, King. But I’ll forgive it too.

If only your son becomes a hero for me!!!

+-+

I, Alfred Trellburna, was born to become a hero. My father has been telling me that since I was young. My brothers too, being descendants of heroes, were also urged by our father to become heroes.

It seems that my father greatly disliked the existence of Hero Dan. Once, he and everyone else thought that my father would be the one to rise as the hero, just like his father before him. But another presence appeared and achieved a feat that no one else had accomplished.

“Become a hero. Retrieve the Holy Sword from Hero Dan.”

“Leaving the fate of the world to an ambiguous figure like Hero Dan is dangerous.”

That’s what my father said. It seems my brothers were influenced by his words too, as they didn’t have a favorable impression of Hero Dan.

However, I felt differently. Just by listening to his words, I could gather courage, and I believed that he truly overflowed with love. But… my father and my brothers said otherwise. I don’t know which side is right.

I love my father dearly, and I don’t dislike Hero Dan either. That’s why… I want to become a hero.

If my father is lying out of jealousy towards Hero Dan, I wished he would stop. Besides, my father craves the position of a hero himself. I felt that if I, his son, became a hero, it would give him some relief in life.

My brother feels the same way. He is in a hurry to surpass the great figure known as Hero Dan. As my father said, he is anxious to reclaim the true glory of the hero.

Even the nobles around my father are like that. They seem to fear that Hero Dan will gain the support of the people and want to return the title of hero to the royal family.

Everyone around me expects so much from me and my brothers.

That’s why, that’s why, that’s why… I want to become a hero.

I believe that to surpass the one hailed as the strongest in the modern era, it’s best to learn from that very strongest. However, I am aware that my father dislikes Hero Dan, probably due to his own reasons.

Until now, I have been bothered by various matters and nagged by my father, so I decided to take a chance and ask him for help.

I reached out to Hero Dan. Being part of the royal family, I summoned him. I had heard that he gives speeches regularly at the Knight Academy, so I arranged to meet him afterwards.

I had seen him a few times before, but facing him now, I felt an indescribable atmosphere. It was as if my hero’s bloodline was faintly responding, a shared sense from my family who once possessed the sacred sword.

“I want to become a hero… So, I want you to train me.”

“…Fine. Alfred Trellburna, I will train you.”

To be honest, I was surprised. He readily accepted my request without hesitation. For a moment, I wondered if he hadn’t realized that I was the third prince, but being called by my full name reassured me that he knew.

Even though he knew I was the king’s son, he still agreed to my request.

I couldn’t tell how many times my father had nagged me, but it didn’t seem to matter to him. Perhaps he was not even considering such aspects in his decisions.

He seemed to be moving with a purpose, looking far ahead with great vision. I felt that I should become such an existence too.

And so, I decided to be his disciple.

It will be a long journey, but I hope my father and brothers will wait for me. Because I will become a hero.