"Hey! Hey Guest, Athos, over here!" "Yeah, yeah. If you shout that loud, they'll hear you on the other side of the continent..."

They were just kids. Two filthy brats. The kind you could find anywhere.

"Ngh... stay back!"

A boy lying limp on the ground. A girl standing over him protectively, having picked up a nearby stick. She had eyes full of resolve. The kind that wouldn't run, but would bite back even if a "Beast" attacked.

"Oho~, scary. You've got spirit, little lady." "Stop it, Gilmo. Regardless, that boy there. That sword is..." "Don't touch it!!" "...So he says. What shall we do?"

Guest pushes the girl aside and picks up the boy. They must have walked a long way, just the two of them. With no one to rely on. Approaching them, the smell of sweat, grease, and blood hit. And above all, the thick scent of despair.

"Stop it!" "Whoa."

Prick.

"Oh... he actually did it..."

The girl had bitten Guest's hand. But Guest didn't let go, carrying the boy on their back and starting to walk toward the fortress. Gilmo and Athos followed, shrugging their shoulders.

The boy on the back stirred.

"Ah... I... Gueh?!" "Oh, you're awake!"

Gilmo slapped his back and let out a loud laugh. It was enough to make Guest, who was carrying him, stumble forward. This man has no sense of restraint.

"Leo!" "...Mi... Mina." "That girl was protecting you the whole time. You should thank her." "I see... I lost consciousness after that... Mina... I'm sorry. I promised... I'd protect you..." "...Hmph."

Even without seeing her face, Guest knows. How much the girl called Mina is blushing. And that Athos and Gilmo are looking at each other and grinning mischievously at the sight.

"Um... where are we going?" "To the northern limit."

The trees cleared, and a fortress so decayed it was a miracle it was still standing came into view. The northern limit. The front line protecting humanity from the threat of the "Beasts."

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"Haa, haa..." "Gahahaha!! Not even close!!"

Clatter. The wooden sword rolls away. Leonhardt has been facing Gilmo in training since early morning. He's covered in mud and panting heavily, but his eyes haven't given up yet.

"That's enough for now. Take a break."

Athos hands him a water skin. Leonhardt takes it and collapses onto the grass. Mina watches him from a distance while sharpening her arrowheads. She acts like she doesn't care, but she's probably worried.

"I wonder... how long it's been since I could just look up at the sky like this..." "You can't see what's around you if you don't have any breathing room."

Gilmo sits down nearby with a heavy thud and gives a thin smile.

"I wonder... how I can become strong like all of you..." "Well, let's see."

Gilmo looks toward the crumbling watchtower. At first, Guest standing there looked like a large crow. Standing in black silhouette against the blue sky, motionless. Keeping a sharp eye on the distant northern edge. They looked freer than any bird, and more solitary...

"If you're aiming for something, don't aim for that. That one is, how should I put it, on a different level. Literally."

As if the blue of the sky stung their eyes, they both looked away from Guest at the same time.

"Then what about Athos? Well, little Leo can't use magic. So that leaves me." "Huh?!"

When Gilmo slapped his chest armor and laughed, Leonhardt let out a startled cry.

"But Gilmo, you're a monster too! And I'm not even that good with a sword..."

"I'll teach you the Star Sword. It's not about being a 'Hero' chosen by a sword. It's about choosing what you want to protect yourself. If you can do that, you'll be stronger than anyone."

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"Well then... I'm hungry, so let's end today's training here..." "I'm not done yet."

With hands covered in burst blisters, Leonhardt picked up the wooden sword.

"Star... guiding..."

His eyes flickered toward Athos's shack at the edge of the fortress for a moment, but he immediately locked onto the training dummy. First strike, second strike. Just because his mindset changed a little didn't mean his swordsmanship would suddenly improve. However, his eyes were now deadly serious.

"Not bad..."

Gilmo remained seated, narrowing his eyes as if looking at something dazzling.

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"The Hero of the Holy Sword attracts 'Beasts'..." "That's right. That's why we can never be safe no matter how far we run. Everyone praises Leonhardt, but they won't open the city gates for us." "That's crap." "Yes. It's total crap."

That's why.

That's exactly why.

Continuing that thought, Mina blinked her long eyelashes.

"I'm grateful to you all. But I'll use you as much as I need to."

Keeping her eyes on the medical spellbook, Mina spoke coldly.

"I see. That's fine."

Athos, who was brewing tea, smiled gently. He looked at the two young people and then at the backs of Guest and Gilmo standing on the ramparts.

"We're already old. We've lived enough. We've seen many things, loved, and lost."

Athos, who had a distant look for a moment, immediately covered it with a smile.

"So. If we, as old-timers, can leave something behind for the future of you young ones, that is our greatest wish. Gilmo and Guest would surely give the same answer." "Are you stupid?"

Mina's fingertips tightened. The pages of the old spellbook made a dry rustling sound.

"...You're not even that old."

That was all she could manage to say back.

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"Um."

Guest, who was gazing at the northern edge, turned at the sound of Leonhardt's voice.

"...Um. I might be bothering you, but you're always here... and I thought you might be hungry."

The boy held freshly made meat dumplings wrapped in grass. When Guest tilted their head slightly, he offered them shyly.

"...I want to talk."

It was a strange time. Eating dumplings atop the crumbling watchtower while staring at the massive hole gouged into the northern edge.

"I... you all saved me... and I'm always causing trouble for that girl... for Mina."

Leonhardt looked at his own hands. They were scarred and calloused from training.

"I'm a 'Hero.' But I couldn't do anything. I was just scared and ran away. Even now, I'm still scared. When I think about the 'Beasts' coming... my legs won't stop shaking."

He looked up at Guest.

"Are you... not scared?"

Guest didn't answer. They just looked at the northern horizon where the sun was setting. In the deepening darkness, the red eyes of the "Beasts" were beginning to flicker.

"I want to be like you. Strong, quiet... and able to protect what's important."

Leonhardt stood up and looked at the Holy Sword wrapped in rags.

"I'll do my best. So... please watch over me. Just a little longer."

His voice was small, but it didn't waver. Guest silently placed a hand on the boy's head. It was a small, thin head, but it felt strangely heavy with the weight of the future.