"Here you go. It's a local sake from the Boudière region."
"Oh, now that's one I haven't tried before. I'm looking forward to seeing what it tastes like."
The room was tidy but cluttered with papers and whatnot.
I was handing my father a bottle of sake I'd brought back as a souvenir.
Father was a huge drinker.
It was practically an open secret that whenever he was working alone, he'd sneak sips of alcohol while he got things done.
So every time I returned from abroad, I made it a habit to bring back rare sake as a gift.
For someone in the position of king, who couldn't easily leave the country, there was no better souvenir than this.
And so, the two of us sharing a drink over these gift bottles had become a tradition.
"Father, are you sure it's okay to take a break from work?"
"No problem at all. If there are problems, I'll just cut into my sleep time to make up for it. Spending time with my son when he comes back is far more important than any paperwork."
I could only smile wryly at his answer.
It wasn't as if the king's work was light enough to brush off that casually.
"Besides, Syris has really hit his stride. Even if something were to happen to me, the kingdom would be just fine."
"Father, I know Brother Syris is competent, but this country still needs you. Please don't say things like that."
Father muttered a quick "sorry, sorry," and I let out a soft sigh.
Father fetched two glasses from a shelf where he'd been hiding them and poured sake into each.
"Hmm. That's a distinctive aroma."
"Yes. It was that very aroma that caught my eye when I bought it. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."
A rich fragrance filled the room.
Father and I clinked our glasses together and quietly took a sip.
"Mm. Smooth going down. I could drink this all night."
"I hear it's popular with women in the region too. Apparently the flavor really comes out when paired with fruit. So, here—"
I offered the fruit I'd prepared.
Father popped a piece into his mouth, then took another swig.
"Delicious. I usually stick to the strong stuff, but something like this every now and then isn't bad at all."
"Right?"
I was relieved that this bottle had suited his taste after all. I'd been a little worried whether a milder sake would go over well with Father, who preferred dry and strong varieties.
For a while, the two of us drank quietly.
Without warning, my thoughts drifted to what had happened that afternoon, and a smile crept onto my face.
"What's the matter?"
"It's nothing. I just stopped by to check on Shun and
My younger brother and sister were showing talent so absurd it was enough to leave even me—the Hero—stunned.
I'd sparred with Shun, and keeping up an air of ease had been surprisingly exhausting.
I shouldn't have committed to using just one hand to look cool.
Next time I train with him, I'm going to fight normally with both hands.
"Hmm. From your perspective,
"They're terrifyingly talented. Shun especially. If he'd been born just a little earlier, the one holding the Title of Hero might not have been me—it might have been him."
I meant that with zero exaggeration.
In terms of raw talent, both Shun and Sue were leagues above me.
The only reason I was ahead of them was the Status enhancement that came with the Title of Hero.
Without that Title, I might hold my own for now, but it wouldn't be long before they surpassed me.
No—with talent like theirs, they might not just catch up. They might overtake me completely, even with the Title of Hero on my side.
That would absolutely crush my pride as an older brother.
Shun especially seemed to look up to me, and having that admiration shattered would probably devastate me.
This was a serious problem.
I should train harder so I don't lose to my little brother and sister.
Yeah, that's what I'll do.
"What are you muttering to yourself about over there?"
"I was just thinking about how tough it is to maintain the dignity of an older brother."
Come to think of it, Shun was trying to maintain his dignity around Sue too.
And it was working.
Sue clung to Shun constantly—she even got jealous over me sometimes.
She'd probably grow out of her brother complex once she got older, but seeing my little sister puff up in jealousy because someone was stealing her beloved brother away was honestly pretty cute.
"I did those two a disservice."
A trace of bitterness crossed Father's face.
The two of them had been born right after the previous Hero passed away.
That was also when I inherited the Title of Hero.
The previous Hero—whose whereabouts had been unknown, whose activities had remained a mystery—had suddenly died.
I became the new Hero.
The Demon race's movements grew rapidly more aggressive.
All of these things piled up at once, and Father had no time to spend with the two of them.
Father was someone who valued his family deeply, but above all else, he was king.
He had to put the kingdom first.
And it weighed on him.
"You couldn't help it. Everything happened at once, and there was nothing anyone could do."
"But those two still won't come to me. It feels like that says it all."
"It'll be fine. Give it time, and they'll understand eventually."
"I hope you're right."
Father took a swig of sake with a pained look.
"To be honest, there are times when I wish I'd never become king. Not just because of those two—it applies to you as well, Julius. You're my son, and I never wanted to saddle you with something as heavy as the Hero. But as king, I had no choice but to tell you to take it up. It was the right call as a king, but it made me a failure as a father."
With a heavy, truly heavy sigh, Father let out everything that had been building up inside him.
"Father. I'm proud to be the Hero. So please, don't talk like that. Besides, if you take away the Hero from me, there's nothing left."
"That's not true."
"No, it really is. I don't have the education to get involved in politics like Brother Syris, I don't have the conviction to bulldoze through with my own will like Reston, and I can't go off and marry into another family like my sister. The only thing I can do is swing my sword as the Hero—for the people, for the Human race. So don't worry about it. I'm just doing everything I can, as myself, with what I've been given."
"Reston—that guy just does whatever he wants, if you ask me."
"You're not wrong about that."
Father and I both cracked a grin.
Father, from where I stand, you're a perfectly great father.
That's exactly why I'll keep working as the Hero—to help you, in whatever way I can.