“That scene is etched into my mind. When I cut down the goblin, the blood splattered on me, especially when I unleashed that sword with all my might. 

When I threw the sword, I was giving it my all. There were no unnecessary thoughts or attachments. I just wanted to help.

When he truly wants to help someone, he possesses the power to give it his all without any doubt. It’s more like a quality than a strength… but he doesn’t seem to realize it. He’s just bewildered by his actions at that moment.

‘Why do you think you suddenly could use the sword, Will?’

‘I… I wonder why?’”

When asked by his childhood friend, Menmen, Will could only play dumb. It was because of what the Hero, Dan, had said to him.

“‘You must not tell anyone about our relationship. Please don’t say you learned the sword from me. You are Will, the self-taught swordsman.’”

“Yes, yes!”

(Those words from Hero Dan must have a restraining meaning… If it were to be revealed that a curse weakens him… His repressed malice would awaken…)

(The time limit is ten years… That’s what he mentioned: waiting for ten years… So that must be what it means. Hero Dan can only maintain peace for ten years.)

The other day, Hero Dan casually said he’d accompany Will for his training to boost his reputation. Will interpreted it as how many years he can shine as a hero.

“Will?”

“Uh, um, I’m self-taught!”

“No way!? Self-taught!? That’s amazing!”

“Uh, yeah.”

(But it’s all thanks to Hero-sama…)

He felt a slight sense of discomfort. Then, he left Menmen’s side and headed to the training grounds, continuously swinging the sword he had received from Hero Dan, the “Beginning Sword.”

(In legends, this sword has repelled death countless times… Indeed, it feels like the sword weights it as if it carries a long history. It somehow looks like a well-worn blade…)

(What should I do from now on… I want to become stronger like Hero Dan… In that case, becoming an adventurer is the only option.)

(Hero Dan became an adventurer at the age of five. But now, adventurers have a new system where they can only register from sixteen, and they need to take an exam there…)

(In the past, anyone could register as an adventurer, and there were no exams. However, as Hero Dan became overly famous, many people wanted to be like him and flooded the Adventurer’s Guild. Unable to handle the overwhelming numbers, the Guild reluctantly adopted a limit on the number of people and the exam system.)

He didn’t know if he could pass the exam with confidence. But again, the image of Hero Dan’s back came to mind.

“An adventurer, huh… Yeah, I’ve decided. I will become an adventurer.”

—Will raised the Beginning Sword to the sky. The sword reflected the setting sun, shining in response to his determination.

Meanwhile, at the same time, Eugene and Hero Dan had gathered for training. Hero Dan handed a sword to Eugene, a red-grip iron sword with a chipped blade.

“Oh, so this is the Beginning Sword.”

“That’s right, try using it.”

“I see… It does weight it, and it’s quite well-used.”

“…Indeed.”

Unsheathing the sword from its sheath, Eugene tested its feel. His expression showed a hint of delight.

“So, this is that legendary…”

Eugene, usually wearing a tough expression, let a small smile slip. Despite his cheeky attitude, he respected Hero Dan. He saw a different side of Hero Dan, but his admiration was just as high as Will’s. When Hero Dan passed his beginning to him, it brought Eugene considerable joy.

“Alright, let’s give it a try. You draw your sword, too.”

“Ah, sure.”

Dan readied his wooden sword. It seemed like it was enough for Eugene’s level. Although Eugene frowned slightly, he immediately swung his sword. Clang! Their swords crossed paths. Eugene swung down his iron sword, but Hero Dan effortlessly intercepted it, thanks to the protective magic on the wooden sword that prevented it from breaking.

“What are you planning to do from now on?”

“I… I want to become an adventurer.”

“What about the Knight Academy?”

“I’ll keep my enrollment; that’s enough.”

Normally, it was a tradition for nobles to attend the Knight Academy. Occasionally, commoners would follow, but most were nobles, causing some prejudice against the school. In contrast, becoming a knight was considered an elite profession for the chosen ones who attended the academy. Some knights looked down on adventurers, who could be anyone.

However, thanks to Hero Dan’s influence, significant changes occurred. A young boy who had become an adventurer became a hero and accomplished feats no one else could, leading some nobles to reconsider. They started thinking about becoming adventurers, where anyone could easily join, instead of attending the Knight Academy and becoming knights.

To prevent a substantial shift of students from the Knight Academy to becoming adventurers, the kingdom implemented restrictions and exams for aspiring adventurers. Additionally, they regularly had Hero Dan give speeches at the academy.

Fortunately, Sakura, a former member of the Hero’s party and a noble swordsman, had attended the Knight Academy for some time, bridging the gap between the academy and the adventurer guild, making them equals.

“Please, Hero-kun, just once, come to my alma mater…”

“Why me?”

“I’m begging you!”

“I can somewhat understand your desire to hear my speech, but…”

“Thank you, Hero-kun!”

Since the Hero wasn’t the type to be particularly friendly with others, Sakura used her connections to ask him for favors each time.

“So, you’re just keeping your enrollment?”

“Yeah, my family is being a nuisance.”

“I see.”

Among the nobles, there was still a prevailing belief that they should attend the Knight Academy. This was partly because the Hero’s regular speeches had increased their status and influence.

“But I’m going to become an adventurer. As I said before, I aim to surpass the Hero. That’s why I decided to watch from the same place and see what scenery you’ve witnessed.”

“I see. I don’t have anything to say about that.”

Saying so, the Hero swung his sword. With a light swing, Eugene’s sword flew through the air.

“Tsk, just changing the tool won’t make any difference.”

“Of course not. That sword was strong because it was me who wielded it.”

“Damn it… Once more!”

Without giving up, Eugene picked up the sword and ran, the setting sun illuminating them as they crossed their blades once again.

***

Yesterday, I gave Eugene the Beginning Sword. I bought it from a used antique shop, but it seemed filled with motivation, which was good. Somehow, I felt like he respected me.

—It’s the same as with Will. The sword may be a fake, but as long as it boosts their motivation, anything will do.

Now, I find myself in front of a mansion in a remote area. This place is far from the capital and is really in the countryside. Well, from the perspective of a former modern person, everywhere feels like the countryside.

However, this place is truly rural. Surrounded by mountains, not many people live here. And amid the forest, there stands a certain noble’s mansion.

The heir candidate, a young lady, lives here. She’s a refined and well-mannered girl, the epitome of a young lady.

She’s the same age as Will and the others, 15. I flew up to the balcony of a large two-story mansion.

“Lord Dan, I’ve been waiting for you. Please, come inside.”

“…Enough about that; let’s start the training.”

“First, let’s have some tea.”

Her name is Candice Elemental. Her nickname is Candy.

She has bright chestnut-colored hair, maybe leaning towards orange. Her eyes are the same bright chestnut shade. Her hair is about shoulder length, and she has a good figure. Her facial features also exude kindness, so if she had been a party member back in the day, I might have fallen for her.

However, that’s in the past. Now, I only see her as a candidate for the successor position because her talent is exceptional.

Her main form of combat is hand-to-hand fighting. She can use a sword, but her attacks with her fists and feet are the fastest among all the candidates. She seems to possess the abilities of a legitimate hero, and her physical skills are even higher than those of Alfred, a veteran hero from a long lineage of heroes.

Her room was a neat, ordinary room. There was a couch, a portrait of her parents, and books were lined up. She poured tea for me when I sat on the sofa. I took a sip of the tea in the cup. I can’t remember the taste, but the afternoon tea made by my previous life’s company tasted better.

“How is it?”

“Pretty good.”

“Oh, then I will work on my skills before you come next time.”

“…Rather than that, we should leave the house soon. We’re wasting time.”

“I’m sorry. Having tea with you is a pleasure for me… I forgot our main purpose. Let’s go then.”

She and I jumped out of the house from the window. In the nearby woods, there was a place like a square where the grass and trees were not growing.

“Alright, come at me.”

“Yes, then…”

She held her right palm towards me, her left hand clenched in a fist, ready to pull back. Then, like drawing and releasing a bow, she swung her left hand at me.

She’s fast. This would knock out Will and Eugene. I thought I would catch it with my right hand, but before I could grab her, she had already pulled her left hand back. From her missed left hand, she added force to her right hand in a fluid motion to punch.

She’s fast, but I can deflect it with my left hand. No, but she is fast.

At this point, Will and Eugene would probably be dead twice over. As expected from the one I purely approached as a successor.

“You’re as good as expected… Dan-sama.”

“Of course, this is nothing.”

“That’s right.”

She has incredibly flexible hip joints, bringing her right leg up to my face instantly with a kick. Fast, this would have killed Will and Eugene for the third time.

But I’m the Hero. Thinking I should show her a clear difference, I stopped it with a single finger.

“Well, there’s a long way to go with Dan-sama.”

“The difference is like that of the earth and the moon.”

“It’s frustrating that I can’t deny it.”

She then jumps with her left foot from there and aims for my head again. I dodged that kick and pushed her back with my right hand.

“Agh”

She made a strange noise and was blown back about a meter. Then, lightly rubbing her back, she took the same stance as at the beginning.

“I’m just getting started. I want to surpass you.”

“It’s too early for you.”

So, we spent a day repeating the training. I can’t help but think her talent is incredible. We had a female member named Kaguya, a martial artist, on our journey together, but she was probably better than Kaguya. 

Moreover, she is a very polite and good child. I don’t mind polite children like Will.

+-+

From the time I was born, I was the happiest and, at the same time, the most unhappy child in the world.

 I was born into a wealthy noble family and got anything I wanted. My face and voice are beautiful, and my body is splendid. My sense of combat, my magical power, everything far surpassed others. I’ve been aware of my arrogance since I was little. I decide what is beautiful. It’s not that what others say is beautiful is beautiful, but what I think is beautiful is beautiful. I still seriously think so. I’m the best; the one who can get anything I want is the most impressive in the world.

But that was not the case. There was something I couldn’t get. That was Hero Dan. I first saw him at a certain ceremony when the Hero’s party triumphantly marched down the capital city street, and everyone praised them. I still can’t forget that sight. He was shining. I knew immediately that he was honed. He sparkled more than any gem or gold I had ever seen. I was mesmerized.

I want that Hero Dan.

“How can I get Hero Dan!?”

“Candy… Hero Dan doesn’t belong to anyone.”

“I want, I want! I want Hero Dan!!”

I threw a tantrum at my father. When I was little, I was foul-mouthed, self-centered, and snapped at everyone. I was selfish to my parents. But I couldn’t get Hero Dan. No matter how much I wanted him, no matter how much I desired him, I couldn’t have him. Nobody could grasp him.

I was furious. So, instead, I kept collecting paintings and books of the Hero. They are stored in the basement of this room. But even collecting such things, after all, they were just paintings. I couldn’t be satisfied with an image. I couldn’t be happy with a book either. No matter how much I knew about him, I was not pleased; I was frustrated that I couldn’t grasp him.

I don’t even know where he’s from. The more I pursued, the less I knew.

So, I had given up. But then… a miracle happened. When I went shopping in the royal capital, I caught a thief stealing a bag from a commoner.

“Really. What a trivial matter…”

“Hey, you.”

“What are you… I, to… you…” 

A man in an iron mask, whom I’ve been looking at all this time, whom I know better than anyone else. Hero Dan was there. And then, he told me he was looking for a successor.

I… I accepted that without a second thought.

“My lady, where did Hero Dan go?” 

“He left for today.” 

“I see. But was it alright? To talk about the successor whom he told you to keep a secret even from me, a servant?” 

“Of course, it won’t be discovered. Besides, Croco, I want only you to understand my thoughts.”

The servant Croco was there. I eloquently explained to her in her.

“My lady wants Hero Dan, doesn’t she?” 

“Yes, I want him so much that my head is boiling. I’ve never been interested in the opposite sex before, but he is different.” 

“Some members of the former hero’s party liked Hero Dan…” 

“I know that much. But the fact that he is not attached to anyone means that. He never intended to marry anyone. Well, I guess it’s also a kind of deterrent.” 

“How do you intend to catch Hero Dan, my lady?” 

“First, I will steal the holy sword, then we will finally be even.” 

“Even, not a victory?” 

“Sometimes people misunderstand. It’s not that he is strong because he uses the holy sword, but that he has always been the strongest because he, Hero Dan, uses it. First, I must steal the holy sword; that’s the minimum requirement.” 

“I see.” 

“Moreover, his strength in his bare state is overwhelming… At this point, I don’t see a way to win.” 

“What do you intend to do about the promise to succeed the hero?”

“I’ll take on that role for the time being. I can’t get the holy sword if I don’t. I’m not particularly interested in the hero role… but I will do anything to get Hero Dan.”

“Anything… Um, when you say anything, please don’t mean anything. My lady, you’ve previously exhibited strange behavior, like striking a noble with a timber for speaking ill of Hero Dan. That was a mess to clean up…”

“Yes, I will be counting on you from now on as well.”

I grinned at the maid, Croco. She held her temple with a blue face.

“It would be no problem if Hero Dan confessed to you, my lady.”

“That seems unlikely. While I interact with him in a ladylike and polite manner, I assume he only thinks about world peace.”

“So, you’re planning to force the hero into your possession?”

“Yes, what other choice is there? I’ll become a hero, challenge him to a fight, defeat him, and then he’s mine.”

“…So right now, you’re playing nice and biding your time?”

“That’s right. It’s impossible right now, so I’m tolerating it by meeting him only once weekly.”

Hero Dan… just thinking about him becoming mine makes my body tremble. All the years of obsessing over him were worth it. I’ve wished for this for many years so I can endure a few more.

And when I become stronger than him…

I grinned while imagining the future.