"Hey! Hey Guest, Athos, over here!" "Yes, yes. If you shout that loudly for no reason, 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 lay slumped on the ground. A girl, having picked up a nearby stick, stood over him to protect him. She had eyes of true strength. The kind that wouldn't run away even if a "Beast" attacked, but would bite back instead.

"Oho~, scary. That's a feisty little lady." "Stop it, Gilmo. Regardless, that boy over there. That sword is..." "Don't touch it!!" "...So she 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. As you approach them, the smell of sweat, grease, and blood hits you. And above all, the thick scent of despair.

"Stop it!" "Whoa."

Prick.

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

Gilmo crossed his thick arms, looking genuinely impressed.

"Are you alright?"

Guest, telling Athos it's no problem, pulled the branch out of their arm. As the blood-stained tip appeared, the girl collapsed weakly.

"Ah... I... what have I done..." "You must have been through something terrible. It's alright. This id—excuse me, Guest's durability is guaranteed." "As is their kindness."

Leaving her to Athos, Guest began to walk along the forest path. Perhaps woken by the swaying, the boy on your back stirred slightly.

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

Gilmo slapped his back and laughed heartily. It was enough to make Guest, who was carrying him, stumble. This man has no sense of moderation.

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

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

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

The trees opened up, 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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"Huff, puff..." "Gahahaha!! Not even close!!"

Clatter. The wooden sword rolled away. The boy, who had been receiving Gilmo's training since dawn, lay on the ground drenched in enough sweat to be wrung out.

"Leo-boy, your sword swing is... what do you call it? Child's play!" "I know I don't have talent... and besides, my name is..." "Huh? A guy who can't even use a sword properly doesn't have a name worth remembering. You're Leo-boy. Forever." "Ugh, that's mean..."

Leo-boy... Leonhardt remained lying there, looking up at the sky. It was blue. A single bird flew toward the northern edge. No matter how much the ground was overrun by "Beasts," it probably didn't matter to the creatures of the sky.

"I wonder... how long has it been since I looked at the sky so peacefully..." "You can't see what's around you when you've got no room to breathe."

Sitting down nearby with a heavy thud, Gilmo gave a thin smile.

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

Gilmo looked toward the crumbling watchtower. At first, Guest standing there looked like a large crow. Silhouetted blackly against the blue sky, motionless. Eyes fixed on the distant northern edge. It looked freer than any bird, and more lonely...

"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, Leo-boy can't use magic. So that leaves me." "Huh!?"

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

"Gilmo, you're a monster yourself! And besides, I'm not much good with a sword..." "I'm gonna teach you about the Starblade. It's the ultimate swordsmanship I'm trying to master."

Gilmo pointed toward the northern sky.

"There's a star there. Even if you can't see it now, it's there. True north. Always. Like it's saying the center of the sky is right there." "A star..." "Don't swing your sword recklessly. Just fixate on one truly important guide and swing. If you do that, Leo-boy, you can win against any army."

A guide. The moment he was told that, Gilmo didn't miss the slight change in Leonhardt's eyes.

"Well now... I'm hungry, so that's enough training for today..." "I'm not done yet."

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

"Star... guide..."

His eyes flickered for a moment toward Athos's shack at the edge of the fortress, but Leonhardt immediately glared at the wooden dummy. First strike, second strike. Just because his mindset had changed a bit didn't mean his sword skills would suddenly improve. However, his eyes now were nothing but serious.

"I like it..."

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

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

That's why.

That's exactly why.

Continuing like that, Mina blinked her long eyelashes.

"I'm grateful to you all. But if necessary, I'll use you as much as I want."

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

"I don't mind."

While turning the pages for her, Athos didn't lose his gentle smile.

"You're too kind."

Her voice trembled at the end. As if, if she were to discard her near-insane obsession with Leonhardt, she would collapse like she'd had her bones removed.

"I want to leave something behind."

Athos spoke words that seemed to have no connection.

"Leave something?" "I may look like this, but I've had two partners and experienced two partings. I never did have anything I could call a child..."

Athos's eyes went distant for a moment, but he immediately covered it with a smile.

"So. As an old man, if I can leave something behind for the future of you young people, that is my true wish. Gilmo and Guest would surely give the same answer." "Are you an idiot?"

Strength entered Mina's fingertips. The page of the old spellbook made a dry rustling sound.

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

That was all she could manage to say back.

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"Um."

Guest, who had been gazing at the northern edge, turned to look upon hearing Leonhardt's voice.

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

In the boy's hand was a freshly made meatball wrapped in grass. When Guest tilted their head slightly, he offered it shyly.

"...I want to talk."

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

"I... was saved by everyone... and I keep causing trouble for that girl... for Mina."

"Even though I'm the Hero. Even though I'm supposed to protect her, to protect Mina."

Did Guest laugh at those naive words? Did they gently hug his back? Or did they do... something else entirely?

"Guest."

Bowing as if prostrating himself on the ground, he pleaded.

"Please... teach me your techniques. I'm tired of it. Being the pathetic 'Leo-boy' who does nothing but run away... I'm done."

And then, you...