The two elder brothers, Dannoa and Bartonoa, aren’t as good as Elenoa, but they excel in both academics and martial arts. It was natural for Letinoa to feel resentful comparing herself to them.
“But, it’s better than being a crybaby like Letty—”
“Don’t mock her, okay?”
A fist landed on Leornoa’s head. Annienoa looked at him as if to say, “Are you stupid?”
Elenoa gently lifted Letinoa.
“Do you want to be strong, Letty?”
Looking into her face, she asked. Letinoa shook her head vigorously.
“Then that’s okay. You don’t have to force yourself to be strong; I’ll protect you.”
She kissed her cheek gently. Letinoa was hugged tightly and felt warm.
“Crybaby Letty is weak, after all. Okay, I’ll protect you too! I’m a guy who’s going to be way stronger than Ele sis!”
“You can’t do that… But Letty cries easily, so maybe you should hide behind me and this idiot. Well, he won’t be needed anyway.”
“What did you say!?”
“I’m looking forward to it, both of you.”
Elenoa smiled and gently embraced the three.
Elenoa is amazing, Letinoa thought. If it’s in her sister’s hands, it’s like this. She even managed to subdue Leornoa, who always bullies Letinoa.
The one closest to being a hero is probably her sister. That’s what Papa said, too.
To become a hero, you have to master the power of the [Holy Sword]… apparently.
Letinoa looked at her clothes and glanced at the right side of her chest.
There was an engraving—the [Attack] Holy Seal.
But the original color isn’t shining, and it’s silent.
Seeing that, Letinoa shrank.
Everyone aiming to become a hero in this facility has this [Holy Seal] engraved somewhere on their body.
It seems to be a qualification to become a hero. Just having this doesn’t mean you can become a hero; you have to manifest the [Holy Sword] and use the power of the hero, then you can become a full-fledged hero. Papa said so, so it must be true.
However, Letinoa is the only one whose holy mark does not light up.
Letinoa’ve been working hard on both magic and swordsmanship. But there’s been no change whatsoever. It’s as if Letinoa being told she can’t become a hero, and every time, it brings Letinoa down.
But the truth is, Letinoa don’t want to become a hero. Because it seems tough. Even though Letinoa scared to fight my siblings, Letinoa can’t bring myself to fight them. And defeating the Demon Lord? That’s just impossible for her.
Surely, one of the siblings will become a hero. They’ll defeat the Demon Lord for Letinoa.
It’s okay for her to be weak. her sister said it’s okay, that she’ll protect Letinoa.
Even though Letinoa weak and cry easily, she can’t become a hero. she just can’t.
But…
But… what if Letinoa could become a hero?
Letinoa thought that with that power, she could help someone and make them smile. Because Letinoa want people to be happy, to laugh. Letinoa know she don’t want them to cry and suffer.
Letinoa gently raises her hand to her hair. What she touches is a hairpin. A precious gift from her sister on her birthday.
Living surrounded by her beloved sister and slightly awkward siblings.
papa is there too. He doesn’t come often, but he’s a kind and beloved papa.
Letinoa is happy. she felt happy.
Letinoa truly felt happy.
Being held by Elenoa, Letinoa raises her face.
And then, she looks up slightly.
People.
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Many people are looking at them.
People in white coats are observing them from the windows surrounding the room.
They hold pens and boards, jotting things down on paper while conversing. Their voices cannot be heard.
Letinoa returns her face without particularly caring.
It’s always like this. Meals, sleep, studying… Even when training outside this room, they watch us.
They seem to be papa’s “friends.” They’re always silent and never talk, but sometimes they sneak sweets. They must be good people if they’re papa’s friends.
And–at that moment, a familiar sound is heard from outside the door.
Tap, tap… the sound of a cane hitting the ground.
Letinoa’s face lights up.
It’s papa.
papa’s back.
“Aah–“
I wake up from a dream. Letinoa forcefully raises her heavy eyelids and opens her eyes.
If I let my guard down, I feel like I’ll lose consciousness. I resist the throbbing pain and intense dizziness, biting my lip, trying not to let go of my hazy consciousness.
What my blurred vision captures is a dim space.
Various gravestones made of stone are scattered about. The blue flames of candles placed here and there eerily illuminate the space. At the center of the large space, within a large black magic circle, lies a strange object resembling a lump of flesh.
And there are countless people all over this space.
Motionless, the bodies, darkened and decayed,
all kneel on the ground, facing the same direction, looking up at the sky.
Their faces could almost be mistaken for praying–the direction they face leads to a single throne.
Sitting atop the throne, about ten steps up, was someone.
“Oh, you’re awake?”
With a swift motion… Seft, the hero wearing Kaas’s skin, descends from the throne and leaps down the stairs.
Letinoa realizes. What she thought was a throne was something else entirely.
A skeletonized human corpse. Several bones are combined to form the shape of a chair. The four legs supporting the base are shaped like human legs.
Seft approaches Letty briskly, grabs her hair roughly, and forces her to lift her face.
“Oh, I thought I’d seen you somewhere before. You’re that brat from back then. You survived that fall and grew up so big.”
Letinoa tries to punch him in the face but stops as something gets in her way.
She quickly realizes the cause. Metal handcuffs are attached to both of her hands.
She tries to move her hands to remove them, but the chain attached to the handcuffs seems to be fixed to the wall, making only a slight scraping sound against the ground, and it doesn’t budge.
“My powers…?”
Realizing that she couldn’t use the hero’s power to destroy, something was being drawn out from within her.
Gradually growing stronger, she found it increasingly difficult to lift her head.
Upon closer inspection… Letinoa noticed that the shackles binding her were extending towards the large magic circle she had seen earlier.
“Ghh–!?”
Suddenly, her head throbbed with pain. Voices echoing in her head, numerous voices that sounded like singing, unpleasant voices layered with resentment.
Struggling desperately against her thoughts on the verge of madness, she couldn’t endure the discomfort coursing through her entire body and vomited. Vomit and stomach acid splattered on the ground, providing a momentary relief.
Letinoa understood. The hero’s protection… was weakening.
With the hero’s protection, she could withstand any mental attack. Even in the deepest part of the “Valley of Trials,” the hero’s protection provided high resistance to mental contamination and madness.
That protection was fading. It was evidence that Letinoa’s power was waning.
“You, who were nothing but trash, can now be of some use to me. Be grateful, okay?”
Slapped on the cheek, she attempted to bite down on the finger with her teeth. Seft withdrew his hand just in time, sticking out his tongue and laughing, “Oh, scary.”
“What–“
Just as he was about to utter a hoarse voice, the person appeared.
“Letinoa…?”
The man approached Letinoa unsteadily.
His cheeks were gaunt, and dirty stubble covered his chin from his nose. At first glance, the man’s appearance resembled that of a vagabond, wearing a tattered white robe.
Tap, tap… Familiar sounds echoed.
“You’re alive… I’m glad. Oh, I’m really glad. Thank you, God…”
The man covered his face with both hands in deep relief. Tears of gratitude welled up in his eyes.
A chill ran through Letty’s entire body.
Goosebumps erupted uncontrollably. Her pupils dilated, her breathing became erratic, and her fingers began to tremble.
“Papa… It’s Papa… I’m sorry for everything. I was so messed up…”
The man he had once admired as his father, Letinoa, reached out tentatively.
“Letinoa, let’s try again… as a family.”
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