(This person...what kind of person is Aria, really?)
I stood facing Aria, tears streaming down her face as she gripped her spear.
All I knew was that she was the daughter of House Lockward's head. She lived alone with her father in Darion, and when the family's prized red Jewel was stolen, she turned to Zelphy — someone connected to retainers from the old days — for help.
I knew far too little about Aria.
I never made the effort to actually talk to her.
I told myself it was because Novem was there, but in truth I kept my distance even within the household.
Maybe I'd been avoiding her all along.
"You looked down on me...but I...I too!"
She had things she wanted to say.
She must have been carrying all sorts of feelings inside.
And yet, I—
I drew my Saber and took one deep breath.
Looking at the girl before me, I raised my sword.
She was fatigued — full of openings. She was drenched in sweat. Continuous use of Skills had pushed both her stamina and mana to their limits.
(Why did I...do to Aria what was done to me?)
I'd wanted someone to see me.
I'd wanted someone to listen to me.
And yet, feeling like it was being shoved onto me, I kept my distance from Aria. She had things she wanted to say too, didn't she?
(Is that what the ancestors were trying to get me to see?)
I didn't understand why I was trying to protect Aria.
But right now, I felt like I could grasp it, if only a little.
That I — that I myself had been trying to become Ceres for Aria as she was now.
"...Next round, I'm going all out."
When I said that, Aria's expression shifted in surprise. But tears still streaming down her face, she gave a slight, earnest nod.
Watching us from the sidelines, Novem and Zelphy seemed to let out a quiet breath of relief at the sight of the two of us.
(You charge in even when you know you can't win. You just want to be acknowledged so badly... can't forgive it, it gnaws at you)
I waited for Aria's breathing to steady, then stepped in.
Closing the distance, Aria swept her spear sideways to keep me from grabbing it.
I kicked off the ground and launched myself upward. Aria, who had just swung her spear through empty air, looked up at me overhead. I brought my saber crashing down, and Aria caught it by holding her spear horizontally above her.
But the gap in raw strength was too much — her knees buckled and she sank to the ground.
I could hear the strained creak of wood and steel, and I bore down with even more force, pressing Aria toward the dirt.
"There's already a strength gap between us — why won't you use Skills to compensate for it?"
My question twisted Aria's face with frustration.
That was its own answer, I supposed.
"You can't use them? The big fellow from that bandit crew was putting them to better use than this."
I pulled my saber back and kicked the spear away, sending Aria rolling across the ground. She got back to her feet right away, but she was covered in mud.
Now free of my pressure, she reset her stance and thrust her spear at me. Her movements were slower than before... slower even than when we had first started fighting.
I dodged the thrust and stepped inside her guard, lightly cracking the pommel of my saber against Aria's stomach.
Because if I went any harder, it would put Aria in real danger.
Struck and forced to exhale sharply, Aria staggered backward, putting distance between us.
"...You're not going to use magic? I'm not using any, for the record."
I tried goading her, but Aria didn't have the bandwidth for that. Her face had gone pale, and sweat dripped from her brow.
Only her eyes, fixed on me, had not lost their light.
(So she's made up her mind.)
The gap in our abilities was obvious. And yet Aria stood her ground, refusing to let go of her spear.
Watching her like that, the ancestors inside the Jewel — who had been silent until just moments ago — started offering me advice.
No... maybe it wasn't exactly advice.
The First Generation spoke.
"Watch closely, Laiel. That right there is the moment a Skill is born. It is a weapon granted to a human through sheer willpower, talent, or burning conviction."
Skills, naturally enough, carried a history of their own.
They were one of the gifts bestowed by the gods upon people who were weak and possessed no means of fighting Monsters.
The Skills that manifested differed from person to person.
A possibility granted by the gods, so that one might stand against Monsters.
That was what a Skill truly was.
The red jewel near Aria's chest began to glow.
"...So this is the moment a Skill is born."
The red jewel Aria carried made it easier for Skills tied to direct combat to manifest.
Just as the successive Heads of House Walt, who had possessed blue jewels, had manifested what were called support-type Skills, Aria's bloodline had always manifested front-line Skills.
"I can win with this!!"
When Aria drove forward hard, she was moving faster than she had been so far.
I dodged the spear thrusting toward me, but immediately another sweep came from the side.
The Fourth Generation's voice echoed in my head.
*"Looks similar to my Skills, doesn't it? Though it seems like a temporary acceleration-type Skill that kicks in during combat."*
He told me it resembled his but was something different. Sure enough, she was accelerating in bursts and unleashing more attacks than before.
Unable to dodge in time, I drew my backup Saber and caught the blow head-on.
Metal collided against metal, and sparks scattered.
But Aria's onslaught wasn't over yet.
"Not done yet!"
A thrust, a sweep, and then a slash.
I dodged or blocked each attack with my Saber, but I was purely on the defensive.
If I let my guard down for even a second, I would have lost in an instant.
The Second Generation spoke up.
*"Front-line type Skills tend to give you these explosive power boosts. They're really annoying to deal with."*
I dodged a spear thrust from the right, only for another attack to come from the left. Against that relentless chain of strikes, I switched to dual-wielding to hold my ground.
Sparks flew as the blade of the Saber I had just replaced was shaved away.
But at the same time, I was certain this match was decided.
"It's over," I said.
I dropped my Saber stance and looked down at Aria, who was gasping for breath in front of me.
She had sunk to the ground, planting her spear into the earth and clinging to it like a staff just to keep from collapsing.
All of those earlier attacks, every single one of them, lacked the weight of a true finishing blow.
That had to be her Skill — temporarily boosting her speed to unleash a barrage of consecutive strikes. Aria's Skill.
Her legs wouldn't hold her. Aria's whole body was trembling. She must have forced herself to keep using it the moment her Skill was born, pushing far beyond what she could handle.
I lifted my Saber and examined the blade. It was chewed to pieces.
(Another repair job — or maybe I just need a new one.)
With that thought, I drove the ruined Saber into the ground and walked over to Aria's side. The surrounding earth had been leveled flat, but it was now riddled with divots and craters.
I'd clearly gone too far. I made a mental note to bring tools later and patch everything up.
But for now —
"That was an impressive Skill. You really surprised me."
When I spoke to her, Aria looked up at me.
"I… I never stood a chance anyway. I knew that! I knew I was inferior to you! But it still stings! I finally got my freedom, and even then I couldn't be of any use… I never wanted to go back to that kind of life! I wanted to be able to live on my own!"
Aria broke down in tears, and I had no idea what to say to her.
It drove home just how little I actually knew about her.
Novem rushed over and cast healing magic on Aria. Enveloped in gentle light, Aria gradually stopped crying — then, as if consciousness slipped away, she nearly collapsed to the ground.
Zelphy stepped in and supported her weight.
"I don't think that was really the kind of thing you should be praised for…?"
She directed a reproachful look my way, so I scratched my cheek and considered how to respond… but ultimately decided not to say anything.
"Lord Rael, could you help carry Aria? Her physical and magical exhaustion is far worse than it looks — I'd like to get her resting as soon as possible."
Novem's request was as composed as ever. I nodded and moved closer to Aria.
Should I carry her on my back, or lift her up in my arms —
As usual, starting from the First Generation—
'I think a princess carry would be best.'
'Just carry her on your back normally.'
'For this occasion, let's go with a carry! Like, over the shoulder!'
'Gently lift her up and carry her straight to the bed.'
'If she's unconscious, it's all the same.'
'Why not get Zelphy to help? She could lend a shoulder.'
'Since she'll be placed on the bed anyway, wouldn't a bridal carry work?'
Their opinions were all over the place.
Thinking they really were a free-spirited bunch no matter what, I decided to carry Aria in my arms.
Seeing this, Zelphy let out a teasing whistle.
Novem smiled.
"A little envious, are we?"
She said that as she walked ahead of me, beginning preparations at the house to receive Aria.
Evening.
As I was stretching in the yard, I heard the Third Generation's voice.
'They say you often end up doing the same thing, or becoming similar, to someone you hate or despise, right?'
Since Aria had taken to bed, I hadn't gone outside today either, so it was just treated as a day off.
Swinging a wooden sword in the yard, I listened to the Third Generation.
"You're trying to say I'm like Ceres, aren't you. I only realized that after fighting Aria."
With that, I swung the weighted wooden swords through the air.
"Oh, you noticed? But what I really wanted you to notice was the feeling behind it."
The feeling—
I understood what he was trying to say. I lacked desperation.
I wasn't saying it was good to be as frantic as Aria and end up flailing around. But I also felt there was a problem with the lack of heart I was putting in.
"Not that being an adventurer is the only way to live, though!"
I swung both wooden swords, launching attacks at the imaginary enemy. No matter how sharp the opponent's strikes, I visualized dodging and blocking everything.
My breath started to quicken.
I recalled the terror of pointing a sword at an opponent I could never reach, no matter how much I honed my technique.
I dropped the wooden swords on the spot and pressed my hand to my chest to catch my breath.
"Who were you picturing when you swung those? Want me to guess?"
"...I'm good, thanks. More importantly, about what we were discussing earlier—"
At those words, the Third Generation said he remembered and continued.
"Right, right! It was the feeling, wasn't it. Yeah! ...Lyle's Skill has also manifested. You were near the blue Jewel where we were sealed, so it's probably a Support-type Skill. But the fact that it still hasn't revealed itself might be a matter of feeling."
"My Skill?"
It had definitely manifested. The ancestors all agreed that the Jewel was reacting without a doubt.
But I still didn't know what kind of Skill it was.
"Skills are heavily influenced by a person's emotions, you know. For someone like you right now, it might be perfectly natural that the Skill won't activate."
Coming from the Third Generation, who was usually so laid-back, I found myself sharing the same opinion.
After watching Aria today, I understood.
Strong emotions shape one's Skills.
But maybe I just don't have enough of that feeling right now. Ever since I learned that what I'd been pursuing was beyond my reach, there had been a hollow feeling somewhere in my chest.
I tried to force that hole shut, but I still couldn't.
"I understand you're lacking motivation, but right now, Laiel — whether you like it or not — Novem's and Aria's lives are riding on you."
That it was unwanted, there was no denying.
I never even said I'd take her in, yet the conversation had moved forward on its own, and suddenly Aria was by my side.
It was presumptuous. Incredibly, infuriatingly presumptuous.
And yet, Novem had agreed to it.
"Am I wrong? Is my goal of living a quiet life with just Novem — is that wrong?"
In response to my question, the Third Generation answered in his usual easygoing tone.
"You're the one who decides that, Laiel. We don't have the authority to make that choice. The situation is clearly against your wishes, and if everything were decided by our instructions from here on... would you really be able to accept that?"
Accept it... maybe.
For a moment, I actually thought that would be easier.
As if seeing right through me, the Third Generation spoke.
"Going with the flow is easy, I'll give you that. I was the same way, you know. People started calling me a great general or a loyal retainer without me even realizing it... and honestly, it's a pain. I never intended for any of that."
It was true — the image of the Third Generation that had been passed down bore almost no resemblance to the real person.
My breathing had steadied, so I picked up the wooden sword and sat on a nearby rock.
"Have you still not decided on a goal? Or are you really going to live somewhere far away with just Novem, nice and quiet?"
I was starting to lose my sense of direction.
Could I really just walk away from Aria, who had been trying so desperately?
I had taken on Aria as part of my reward, but if I dumped her now, would she be able to live properly on her own?
More and more things to worry about kept piling up.
When I was lost in thought, the Sixth Generation appeared.
"You look troubled. Worry all you want. Later on, you'll wonder why you ever fretted over such things and feel foolish about it."
I thought it was just the worries of a dead man…
Looking up at the sky, I saw the stars shining beautifully.
The next day.
Aria woke up, but her body wouldn't move.
She had pushed herself to use her Skills, and the backlash had put a heavy strain on her body. Thanks to that, Novem ended up having to take care of her.
Naturally, that meant I was the only one who could go out to work.
I headed to the reception desk at the Guild and ended up choosing commissions together with Zelphy.
They were all manual-labor-type commissions, and the request forms lined up on the counter were brutally tough ones—Zelphy's revenge included.
"Pick whichever commission you like. For a while, it's just going to be Laiel working alone."
I had acted on my own and was the one responsible for putting Aria in a state where she couldn't join the party for several days.
I had no words to throw back at Zelphy, who sat there with a smug grin, having laid out nothing but grueling commissions.
Watching the exchange between me and Zelphy, Hawkins threw in a lifeline.
"Zelphy, you are the instructor here. I don't think it's appropriate to choose commissions based on personal feelings."
To that, Zelphy shot back.
"That's terrible of you, sir. That makes it sound like I picked out nothing but harsh ones just to get revenge. I was thinking of Laiel's best interests when I chose these tough ones, you know."
Hawkins looked exasperated at her theatrically delivered lines.
But among the lined-up commission requests, I chose the one that looked the toughest.
When he saw that, Zelphy's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"…You're not grumbling today, are you?"
She must have remembered the time I'd complained when taking on menial tasks before.
I calmly signed the document and handed it to Hawkins.
"I'm supporting two people, after all. Can't exactly afford not to work, right?"
"There you go. And here you've still got that big pile of gold the Lord gave you."
At Zelphy's remark, I just waved and left the Guild reception desk.
After Laiel departed from the reception—
"He's really grown strong. When he first came here, he looked like he didn't know his left from his right."
Hawkins recalled Laiel's first visit to the Guild.
Zelphy, his instructor, was leaning on the counter with her chin propped on her hand.
"I approached him thinking he was some sheltered noble kid on a reconnaissance mission, but then I found out there was some serious trouble behind it all and panicked. Still, it's good to see him become so capable. He's not a noble anymore, after all."
After processing the documents, Hawkins looked at Zelphy and smiled, remembering the past.
"It almost makes you think of someone, doesn't it? Zelphy, you used to complain every time you took on a commission, too."
When Hawkins brought up the old days, Zelphy looked sullen.
"I was still sheltered back then! At home, it was all household chores, etiquette… the world was completely different!"
When a fallen noble becomes an adventurer, they face all sorts of hardships.
That's because none of their previous values or common sense applied.
"I understand it's tough. Sometimes adventurers do end up being employed, after all. I hear those people really struggle with things like etiquette."
They are, quite literally, living in different worlds.
"...I just hope Lady Aria can manage well, too."
As Zelphy spoke her true thoughts, Hawkins answered while organizing the documents.
"Even when an ordinary person becomes an adventurer, they face hardships and sometimes lose their lives. I can't say it will definitely be alright, but perhaps Laiel can manage something."
At Hawkins' high regard for him, Zelphy cast him a skeptical look.
"Laiel? His reputation in Darion is at rock bottom."
Laiel had repeated all sorts of thoughtless actions when suppressing the bandit group. That was a major reason his reputation in Darion was so low.
For an adventurer based in Darion, that was a fatal flaw.
"It is a fact that he had the lord provide the funds and gathered over a hundred people to eliminate the bandit group. Though, what he's actually thinking is beyond me."
It was no wonder Hawkins was perplexed.
Laiel, who lacked motivation and relied on his party member, Novem.
Yet, when the bandit group appeared, he took the initiative and resolved the situation.
As the two were conversing, an acquaintance of Zelphy's appeared in the line at the reception counter being handled by a middle-aged female staff member.
Once the quick procedure was finished, the man called out to Hawkins and the others.
"Well, if it isn't Zelphy!"
The middle-aged adventurer with scars on his face made Zelphy grimace.
"You're still alive, huh? Why not retire?"
The man laughed at Zelphy's remark, while the young adventurers waiting behind him looked troubled.
"You a trainer now, too?"
When Zelphy said that, the man nodded.
"Oh yeah. These guys are up-and-comers that even Darion's got high hopes for. Thinking of taking them on a little extended trip to sharpen their skills."
As adventurers, they were more experienced than Zelphy.
Zelphy, who had worked alongside them several times, looked on with a hint of envy.
"Glad to hear things are going well."
The man looked at Zelphy and grinned.
"But more importantly, I heard about it. You got stuck babysitting some noble idiot's son, huh? Tough break, Zelphy-chan."
Being called with the diminutive suffix, a vein bulged on Zelphy's forehead, and Hawkins cleared his throat.
The man raised both hands to shoulder height in a placating gesture, and Zelphy clicked his tongue.
"Private brawling within the Guild is prohibited. Moreover, as adventurers, you must not cause trouble for others. And given that you serve as trainers, I expect you to conduct yourselves as role models."
Hawkins let out a sigh, and the man gave a wry smile.
"Don't be so stiff, boss. I know I was out of line, but this kind of thing is just how adventurers rib each other."
Zelphy glared at the man before walking away from the counter. He was probably going to check on Lyriel.
"My goodness. Still, an extended trip? It feels a bit soon, doesn't it?"
Hawkins glanced at the young adventurers who had requested guidance from the veteran.
There were five of them, and at first glance, they seemed to be a well-balanced party.
Three in the front line, with a hunter carrying a bow among the back row.
And lastly, a magic user holding a staff.
"Fiddly stuff doesn't suit me, so I want to get them earning their keep sooner rather than later."
He was a different type of adventurer from Zelphy, but he clearly cared about the young ones in his own way. Adventurers chosen as trainers were, from the start, those known for looking after others.
In the same vein, Zelphy might talk a big game, but at heart, he was the earnest type who never abandoned a job.
"Is that so? Please be careful out there. The most important thing is coming home alive."
As Hawkins gave his advice, the group led by the veteran adventurer left the reception desk.
In the now-empty reception area, Hawkins glanced over at the counter next to his.
A long line of young, beautiful female staff members stretched toward the back.
Most of those waiting were young male adventurers.
At the adjacent counter, a middle-aged woman was processing paperwork briskly.
Mid-ranked adventurers had lined up there because their reports were finished quickly. Both counters had lines, but the flow was completely different.
At the beautiful receptionist's line, the pace was slow and complaints could be heard.
The neighboring counter operated quietly and steadily, so the line moved fast.
And yet.
"Nobody comes to my counter again today..."
——Hawkins let out a sigh.