Volume 2, 2 - What People Look For in a Hero Part 1

Volume 2, Chapter 2 – What People Look For in a Hero Part 1

“Damn you… Hiroshi…”

Yasuo was in the middle of taking his English Reading make-up test in the reception area in a corner of the staff room at school, and silently cursed Hiroshi, the high schooler in the speech who he was not sure really existed.

Thanks to the fact that he had learned the contents of Hiroshi’s speech perfectly, Yasuo was able to easily answer even the new questions that showed up on the test.

The time limit for the exam was fifty minutes, the same as the original test, but Yasuo still had some time left even after answering all the questions and reviewing them, so he leaned back into the slightly threadbare sofa and let out a large breath.

At this rate, it looked like there would be no major problems with the Classical Literature make-up test either.

That just left the essay for Social Studies, but he had no choice but to fumble his way through this one while looking at reference books and other data.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to the club room, maybe I’ll stop by on the way back.”

His Classical Literature test would be held three days from now, depending on his teacher’s availability.

Yasuo, who should have originally cleared this test back during the midterm exams, looked down at his right hand.

Yesterday, Yasuo found out about an important truth related to Diana which he should have found out about much earlier, and he was now standing at a crossroads.

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“Allow me to speak frankly. The governing body of Resteria understands all the details about the man called William and the circumstances of the Kenzaki family, which were contained in Major Krone’s report. However.”

The new Magitech Knight from Resteria, Colonel Khalija Welleger, looked directly at Yasuo through the gentle steam rising from her tea cup.

“The idea of sending your esteemed son, Yasuo, is not welcome.”

“Colonel!?”

Diana raised her voice in surprise, but Khalija, a person who had earned the rank of Colonel in the military, had a look in her eyes that did not allow Diana to say another word.

“Well, I guess that’s obvious.”

On the other hand, Hideo didn’t look surprised at all as he nodded.

“This may sound harsh, but if the situation was at the level where it could be settled by the 『Second Generation』, Diana-chan probably wouldn’t have come here in the first place.”

“…Ah.”

After hearing that, Diana let out a groan as though she understood her own position for the first time.

“It’s just as you said. What Resteria wants is Hideo the Hero, himself. To clarify, Resteria is looking for 『The Second Coming of a Legendary Being』, not a successor to inherit the legend.”

Khalija didn’t even glance at Diana, who was standing at attention next to her.

Khalija’s words may have sounded harsh, but Diana was also the daughter of heroes who had saved the world.

Also, unlike Yasuo, she had undergone several years of training as a Magitech Knight, so her skills were unquestionable. It would have been far easier to present her as a Hero compared to Yasuo.

However, the mission she was given was not to find a successor to the legend, but to act as an envoy to bring back the legend himself.

“Major Krone is an excellent Magitech Knight, but as she has lived her entire life in Resteria, she does not evoke any feelings of awe from the populace. While she’s a highly skilled warrior, she cannot become something more than that, a symbolic existence.”

“……”

She has the strength, but not the charisma.

That was Khalija’s current assessment of Diana, and the people of Resteria probably felt the same way as well.

“What’s more, she had been assigned as a surveying officer to the campaign during which General Alexei was killed in action. Even though that was a time when the countermeasures against the Shii were not yet known, it is a fact that she could do nothing to prevent the death of her father who was a comrade of the Legendary Hero. While that may evoke feelings of pity and compassion, it is of no use to raise the fighting spirit of the people.”

“Umm, don’t you think that’s going a bit too far…”

Basically, Khalija was saying that Diana was completely useless in the battle where her father died, and what’s more, the whole world also saw her that way.

Yasuo tried to protest against those words that were far too cruel to Diana, but Khalija easily rejected his shallow protest.

“Yasuo Kenzaki. As a person who volunteered to become a Hero and replace your father, you must also face this reality. To the commoners and the young knights, the existence of 『Hideo the Hero』 is close to that of 『God』.”

“God? You can’t be serious…”

“That’s how legends work. Just how much embellishment do you think was added on to his name and his legend in thirty years? You don’t need to live up to all the embellishments, but if you don’t at least possess the level of ability he had according to the country’s official records, there will be people who become disillusioned and they will easily become your enemies.”

Khalija’s explanation was now more similar to a lecture on Social Science rather than a critique of the details pertaining to Hideo the Hero.

“Just out of curiosity, just how far have these embellishments gone?”

Seeing that Yasuo and Diana had gone silent with pale faces, Hideo asked that question.

“Let’s see. For example, the Legend of the Holy Sword Liutberga is particularly remarkable.”

“Legend of the Holy Sword, huh? I see.”

“If we were to collect and unify all the 『Fragments of the Holy Sword』 that are in the possession of rulers and churches around the world, it is estimated that the length of the resulting blade would be somewhere in the range of twenty meters.”

“…….That’s more ordinary than I thought. Although any parts of Liutberga that are chipped off or broken will just disappear.”

Hideo smiled bitterly upon hearing that, but even he could not avoid widening his eyes in astonishment at the next example.

“Also, there’s a river called 『The Hideo Holy Sword River』 in the current Gaz Commonwealth.”

“Wait, hang on, what kind of name is that?”

“Didn’t anyone object to giving it such a stupid name?”

Even Nodoka, who had stayed silent up to this point, was amazed.

“There’s a rumor in the Gaz Commonwealth that during the defensive battle to protect the refugees, a single swing of Liutberga created the river and protected the people from the attacking hordes of the Demon King Army…”

“So it’s from back then!? It was the demons’ magic that triggered a flash flood of the valley, I wasn’t the one who changed the terrain!!”

“Regardless of what really happened, a river was created there after a battle in which Hideo the Hero participated. A church was constructed on the riverbank, and the water of that river is considered holy and is highly prized. Another famous anecdote is regarding the battle to capture the Ancient Clock Tower in the Baskelgarde Federation.”

“I have a bad feeling about this, but are you referring to that ancient clock tower? The one which was supposed to have a sealed magic that would allow a person to see the future, but just ended up having a calendar created by people who lived there in ancient times based on the movement of the stars…”

“It has become a story of how Hideo used the the magic of the clock tower and created a new star in the heavens.”

“How does one get from 『Using Magic』 to 『Creating a Star』?”

At this rate, it would not be surprising if all the supernatural occurrences in the world were attributed to Hideo the Hero.

“However, the most talked about story is about the time when you slew an entire troupe of demons under the command of a demon general, right after you first appeared in Resteria. The one where you repulsed an army of a hundred thousand demons all by yourself.”

“No, there were only about thirty thousand. Besides, I ones I defeated didn’t amount to even ten percent of that number.”

Hideo had a faraway look, but Khalija was serious.

“However, the problem is that such tales are believed to be the truth. Even if you return to our world and your achievements now match the actual results from the past, it would be more than enough of an achievement. You may plainly state that you didn’t even defeat ten percent of an army numbering thirty thousand, but everyone who had experienced that battle in the past says that if a person who was capable of such a thing had not appeared, Resteria would have been inevitably destroyed.”

“Ten percent… Three thousand demons…”

Yasuo had only heard about the battle with the demons from Diana and his parents, and he hadn’t even seen one of those creatures called demons so far.

However, he could understand just how ridiculously high a number three thousand was.

Most likely, that battle was the one his father was involved in right after being summoned to Ante Lande, and the one where he had first met Diana’s parents.

Putting it in terms related to his own surroundings, the entire student body of Takeoka High School numbered fewer than seven hundred.

If four times that number were to attack him at once with murderous intent, there was no way that he could repulse them.

The same would be true even if he was armed.

Non-fantasy weapons have limits such as ammunition, durability, and the amount of times they can be used at maximum effect.

It is common knowledge that the number of people who can be killed with a single swing of a Japanese sword is by no means large. Similarly, the more ammunition you carry, the heavier you get and your ability to move is restricted.

The imitation sword that Aoto had bought for his juniors in the Drama Club to use was so heavy that Yasuo couldn’t imagine carrying it into battle with his current level of strength.

On the other hand, the Holy Sword Liutberga was light as a feather, so the strain on the body from swinging it was far lesser when compared to swinging a regular sword made of iron, and his father also had the power to use magic. However, even without considering those advantages, Yasuo wondered if he would have the stamina to defeat three thousand demons in the first place.

The enemy would also be attacking, so it would be necessary to run, dodge, and jump around.

Even if you consider the extreme case where the weapon weighed nothing and every successful hit would definitely kill an enemy, you would still need to swing the sword a minimum of three thousand times while shuttle running.

It is possible for a boxer to shadow box while jogging, but that is only possible because they have trained their bodies to the limit.

Throwing three thousand full-power punches while shuttle running.

This was not something normal people could do, and people would not normally try to do something like that either.

Yasuo unconsciously clenched his own fist.

“…….Of course, the Shii are different from Demon King Kaul. Based on the things I’ve said so far, it might sound like I’m being arrogant, but I was also born after the war ended. Like I said, it’s not necessary to replicate the feats described in the stories that the people believe in. However, you are still young. And so is she.”

Khalija looked at Yasuo and Diana.

“Both General Alexei and Hideo the Hero have aged considerably since the war, so the people will accept that they are unable to wield the same level of power that they did back then. However, if you take the place of your father, you must understand that the people will expect you to be just as strong, if not stronger than your father. Do you understand that?”

After Khalija asked that,

“No, I was not aware.”

That was the only response Yasuo could give.

In the first place, Yasuo had not even been able to satisfactorily perform his duties as a student. There was no way that he was prepared to become strong enough to carry the hopes of an entire nation after just a year of training.

“It is good that you are honest. Besides, there are still some strong voices in Resteria that are opposed to soliciting the services of Hideo the Hero. If I had to make my position clear, even I am against it.”

“Huh!? What’s with that attitude!?”

Nodoka raised her anger at this seemingly thoughtless statement, but Hideo restrained her.

“That’s only natural, seeing as the situation right now is still nowhere near as tragic as it was during the war against Kaul. There will be some people who want to rely on others to resolve the issue before things pass the point of no return, but there will also be people who want to resolve the issue by themselves while it’s still not too late. Looking at it from the viewpoint of the Knights, it’s like they are being told that the people have no faith in them, after all.”

Hideo said that to calm Nodoka down as much as to show that he understood what Khalija was getting at.

“Well, I understand that… but hearing her say that after all the trouble they’ve caused…”

Nodoka backed down, but it was clear to see that she was not happy about it.

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Also, if you intend to push forward, you should be prepared to face such strong opposition.”

“……”

Yasuo understood that those words were directed at him.

He would be compared against the Hero of Salvation, Hideo. And also the combined might of Resteria’s Knights.

After using a ridiculous amount of money from the national budget to operate the Gate Tower, if the person who arrived was a kid who failed his tests and could not even complete the Foundations of Sorcery training properly, it might very well spark off a coup d’état.

Yasuo felt his heart grow heavy at the thought that not only had his thinking been shallow; he had barely even scratched the surface.

Ante Lande was not some ideal world where the people would be willing to accept everything about him. It was a world that was home to a large number of people with different thoughts, a place with established human societies.

As long as there were different human societies, there was not even a one in a million chance that everyone would be willing to help him.

After seeing Yasuo’s expression darken from the corner of her eyes, Khalija spoke as if she remembered something.

“By the way, I haven’t explained why I came to Japan.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“My mission is to act as an assistant to Major Krone and help protect the people of the Kenzaki family.”

“Eeeh!?”

The person who was most surprised by this statement was Diana.

“W-What do you mean, you’ll be acting as my assistant, Colonel? Besides, you just said that you were against soliciting Hideo’s services…”

“My private feelings and my orders from the King are different.”

However, Khalija lightly sidestepped Diana’s question and looked at Yasuo.

“The reason for the appearance of the man called William Bareig and the Shii in Japan is currently under investigation by the Magitech Knights in charge of the Gate Tower, under the directions of Her Excellency, Erijina. However, ensuring the safety of the Kenzaki family is of the highest priority. I apologize for the delay in coming here even after receiving Major Krone’s report, but even without being aware of the circumstances, I have seen that there are incidents like the one earlier, caused due to the appearance of the Shii. I will be joining the mission to protect the Kenzaki family from today.”

“I’m sorry if this sounds skeptical, but how strong are you at fighting? Back when I was in Resteria, I saw that the higher-ranking officers of the Knights were more like bureaucrats than warriors. Not to be rude, but you look fairly young as well.”

Yasuo broke into a sweat seeing his father stating his doubts about Khalija’s abilities to her face, but she nodded as if it was only natural.

“Your suspicion is warranted. There’s no point in stating my ability through words, but I can’t very well cross swords with you either. Were my actions during the fight with the Shii earlier not a sufficient display of my ability?”

It was true that Khalija had demonstrated a superhuman level of combat ability, different from Diana’s, during the fight with the small Shii earlier.

“Umm… Sorry to intrude on your conversation, but…”

Diana spoke up hesitantly.

“Colonel Welleger is the very embodiment of the Knights’ 『Elite』. She enlisted at the age of fifteen and showed a level of ability that made her stand out right away, and was designated a Technical Lieutenant at the age of sixteen after submitting a treatise on combat techniques and Techno Weapons. She has performed many great deeds in the battle against the Shii after my father passed away, and…”

Diana said that in a very timid manner.

“As a Magitech Knight, she stands one or two levels over the rest of us who are of the same age group, and is also an object of our aspirations.”

Khalija, who had looked stern until that point, averted her eyes as if she was feeling awkward after hearing that.

“…Major Krone. From the viewpoint of the Kenzaki family, the two of us are members of the same organization. It’s hardly convincing even if a colleague says such grandiose things about me. Saying things like that is, umm, troubling for me.”

Her cheeks were slightly red, was she perhaps feeling bashful?

“Well, I guess it should be fine if Diana-chan says that much. Now, about you joining the guard mission…”

“Y-Yes. Ahem.”

Khalija gave a small cough and recovered her poise.

“I’ve heard that the plan is to protect Yasuo and Nodoka from any attacks by the Shii during their daily lives. With me joining the guard detail, we will be able to reduce the burden on Madoka and Major Krone, and if possible, I also plan to look into the details about the man called William and the appearance of the Shii.”

“I see. Where do you plan to stay during this time?”

“I heard earlier that Major Krone has acquired lodgings in a housing complex nearby. If the Major finds it agreeable, I would like to stay there with her and share a part of the burden as well.”

“I have no problem with that at all… but if I remember correctly, the rental agreement was only for a single occupant, will that cause any problems?”

That last question was aimed at Hideo, and he nodded after thinking about it a little.

“Well, I’ll make sure to check with the agency just in case, but I don’t think it should be a problem as both of you are girls. There weren’t any other people interested in renting the apartment anyways, so I don’t think they’ll be so strict.”

“Thank you. Sorry about this, Major Krone. It feels like I’m causing trouble for you on top of arriving late.”

“No, not at all…”

“Well, it looks like things have worked out, timing-wise. I’m simply thankful that the number of guards has increased. We will be counting on you for some time to come.”

“Understood.”

There was no reason for Diana or the other members of the Kenzaki family to object once she obtained Hideo’s approval.

Khalija stood up and gave a Resteria-style salute to the legendary Hero.

“Sorry to ask this at such a late hour, but Yasuo, can I have some of your time right now?”

“Eh?”

“I’ve heard that Major Krone has been giving you Magitech Knight training. I would like to take a look at your aptitude.”

““Eh.””

Diana and Yasuo both froze at that instant.

“What’s wrong?”

“Umm… Right now?”

It was already past ten pm. However, Khalija was not hesitant in the slightest.

“Of course. I will need to adjust the guard plan based on your aptitude and ability. I might be guarding you, but it would be pointless if I got in the way of your daily life. If there are areas that you are able to handle by yourself, there is nothing wrong with using that.”

Yasuo understood what she was trying to say, but he was too scared to turn around and face his family.

That was because his actions were what caused Diana to “acquire lodgings in a housing complex nearby” in the first place.

Yasuo couldn’t tell if she had noticed his frozen expression, but she gave him a large smile.

“I’ve heard that you only recently found out about your parents’ past, but you are still the son of Hideo the Hero, and The Rainbow Sage, Madoka. I have great expectations for your talent.”

It was obvious that she didn’t really think that, but she still said that slowly as if trying to imply something.

Yasuo found out the reason behind it about ten minutes later.

“…….This is terrible.”

Astounded. If he had to describe it in one word, that was the word he would use.

Yasuo was collapsed in front of Khalija, in a state of complete exhaustion.

Beside him was Diana, with her shoulders slumped as though she was the one who was being reprimanded.

They were in the backyard of the Kenzaki house, and Khalija had given him some tasks to check his aptitude for basic-level sorcery, but Yasuo hadn’t been able to complete even a single one. He had not even completed the foundation level of sorcery yet, so that was only natural.

Perhaps Khalija hadn’t thought that Yasuo would be incapable of doing even this much, her expression gradually hardened.

“Major Krone. Just what have you been doing for the past month?”

“T-That is…”

“I never imagined for an instant that he would still be stuck at the foundation-level. Where does the root of the problem lie?”

Basically, she was asking if it was a problem with the teacher, or a problem with the student.

“Haah… Haah… Me…”

Yasuo raised his hand while struggling to catch his breath. He could not allow Diana to take the blame for this.

“Obviously.”

Khalija crossed her arms and nodded as if she understood.

“Do you remember what I said earlier?”

“Haah… Haah… Eh?”

“You are the son of The Hero, Hideo and The Rainbow Sage, Madoka. I said that I had great expectations for you talent, didn’t I? It appears that you have no idea about how big the shoes you were trying to fill are.”

Saying that, Khalija looked at Diana who was cowering next to Yasuo.

“Major Krone has been compared to her parents, the Swordmaster Alexei Krone, and the Great Magician Erijina Radagast all her life. No matter how hard she works to achieve results, people say that it is only natural given her parentage, and if she fails, people will scold her saying she brings shame to her parents. Nobody tries to acknowledge her own power. It is a fact that her current position is due to her parentage, no matter how small the influence may be, and hence it is actually quite unfair to ask strangers to treat her fairly. And since you volunteered to become the new Hero, you would not be compared against General Alexei or Her Excellency, Erijina.”

“……”

“The stories of battle are always distorted while they are told, and the achievements of people are gradually exaggerated over time. There are cities, streets, mountains, and rivers named after Hideo all over our world. If the son of such a legendary existence was to appear in such a world, what do you think would happen? If it’s just at the level of disappointing the people, that’s still fine. The way you are now, I don’t think you will be able to do much, even if you focus entirely on training for a year. If someone like that shows up and calls himself the Son of The Hero, the most likely outcome is that you will be treated as an impostor, and might even be charged with trying to mislead the people and summarily executed.”

“E-Executed…”

“We already have no shortage of fools who claim to be relatives of Hideo the Hero and carry out scams and acts of violence. If the country brings forward a person whose identity is suspicious at such a time, that could very well lead to an increase in such crimes.”

Yasuo felt so pathetic that he couldn’t even say anything in return.

He had volunteered to be a Hero who would save the world, why was he being talked about as if he was nothing but a source of inspiration to con-artists?

However, Yasuo understood that this was his current reality, and he had nothing in his arsenal to fight back against her.

Yasuo gritted his teeth in frustration, but what Khalija said next was completely unexpected.

“Still, isn’t it fine for you to be the way you are?”

““Eh?””

“As I said earlier, I am personally against the idea of requesting help from the Hero. Major Krone, you weren’t seriously thinking of bringing a man like this to our world either, correct? At this rate, the plan to summon the Hero will be judged to be impractical, and before long, people will reconsider the idea.”

“……”

“Also, the fact that you can do nothing makes it more convenient to guard you. I don’t need to worry about the person I’m guarding making any unexpected moves, after all. Making any half-baked moves during combat will just increase the risk, so I would like you to stay the way you are right now, Yasuo.”

She wasn’t holding back at all.

“Do you feel frustrated?”

“……Yes, I do.”

There’s no way anyone would not feel frustrated after having such things said about them.

“However, this is your reality. If you come to Resteria, you will not even be able to remain standing on your feet with your power. A person who cannot remain standing will only die on the battlefield.”

“Colonel!?”

Diana shouted out before she could stop herself, and in the next instant, Khalija’s staff-shaped weapon took the shape of a thin dagger and rushed towards Yasuo’s throat.

“If I just lower my arm a little, you will easily die.”

“…!”

The killing intent he felt was definitely real.

He understood it precisely because he had already felt the killing intent of William and the Shii. A metaphorical cold hand that was ready to take his life.

Yasuo’s eyes that were opened wide in fear met the gaze of Khalija’s blue eyes that were like the uncharted depths of the ocean. For a moment, he felt like he saw a strange flicker in those eyes.

“Fufufu.”

The next instant, the killing intent and pressure vanished, and Khalija’s face took on a teasing expression.

“That’s a pretty cute expression on your face.”

“Huh!? Ouch!”

When he raised his voice, he felt the tip of the dagger prick the skin of his throat.

“It’s the expression of a child who tries their best to act brave when being scolded by an adult.”

“I-I’m not—!”

“You are not suited to being a Hero.”

Khalija brought her lips closer to him and delivered that ruthless verdict.

“You don’t know what you should be doing, right? Are you unable to back down because of the declaration to made to Major Krone? If that is the case, then be at ease. Saying that you can do something you cannot is the greater sin compared to admitting that you cannot do something that you know you are incapable of. If you abandon the idea of making rash moves during combat and focus on doing things apart from fighting, you might still be useful as a supporter. The requiem you sang earlier to send off the Shii was fine piece of work.”

“But I cannot protect anyone with just that.”

“If you insist on acting tough like a child, forget about other people, you will be unable to protect even yourself and die. Just do the things that you are capable of doing. Hnn.”

“Eh… Hii!?”

“C-Colonel!?”

Before Yasuo could fully comprehend that Khalija’s face was getting closer, he felt a warm and moist sensation on his neck and let out a scream.

He felt something moist caress the area on his neck where Khalija’s Techno Weapon had grazed him earlier, and felt a slight tingle of pain.

“You were bleeding.”

Seeing Khalija’s charming smile, Yasuo finally understood what had happened, and he felt dizzy as if he had been exposed to a brilliant flash of light.

“W-W-W-W-W-Wha—!?”

“What are you getting so excited about over something like this? You’re eighteen-years-old, don’t let out such a silly scream.”

“C-C-C-Colonel, you just l-l-licked Yasuo’s neck…”

“What, you too?”

Seeing Diana’s bright red face, Khalija’s expression changed to one of boredom and she moved her face and Techno Weapon away from Yasuo. After that, she extended a finger towards Yasuo’s neck.

The next moment, a pale light shone from beneath Yasuo’s chin, and after the light went out, he realized that the pain on his neck had also stopped.

“It was still bleeding, so I closed the wound.”

“…Hey.”

This must be what was known as healing magic.

After touching his neck, he saw a little blood on his fingers but there was no sensation of a wound.

“I will also be protecting you from tomorrow onwards. Let’s get along, Children of Heroes.”

Khalija raised her hand in farewell and left the backyard, and Yasuo, still lying on the ground, and Diana, with her face still red, blankly watched her leave.

“Major Krone. I can’t get into the room without the keys!”

Diana stood up like she had been electrified upon hearing the voice that came from the other side of the fence.

“Y-Yes! Well then, I will be taking my leave now, Yasuo. Umm, I’ll see you again tomorrow…”

Diana briefly bowed to Yasuo, who was still sitting on the ground, and ran off after Khalija and he watched her leave.

“Once again… A troublesome person has arrived…”

Yasuo sat there with his hands over his eyes, looking like he was releasing all his resentment into the night sky. He was unable to stand up for quite a while after that.

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