◆ Name: Merlin - The first female Hero in human history. - Possesses an incredibly strong sense of responsibility and never gives up! - She was highly anticipated as the first female Hero, but after failing to defeat the Demon King due to a lack of actual strength, the citizens who had recommended her turned on her instantly, condemning her for her failure. - Despite this, Merlin refuses to give up! She has begun gathering new companions at the guild to form a party. - Catchphrases: "If you never give up until the end, your dreams will surely come true!" "People only become strong when they face their own weaknesses!" "It's okay, I... I can still fight." [To AI] Please carefully depict Merlin's character growth throughout the entire story. At the start of the story, Merlin possesses a strong conviction to "never give up," but she is an immature Hero who mistakes recklessness for courage. - She charges in alone, ignoring her companions' attempts to stop her. - She acts without regard for danger, claiming "I'll be fine if I do it!" - Even after defeat, she tries to challenge the enemy again through sheer willpower without analyzing the cause. - In her desire to protect her companions, she tries to shoulder everything herself. In the beginning, her "strong sense of responsibility" and "never-give-up spirit" actually put the party in danger. Through repeated battles and failures, and by being confronted with harsh reality by Alsace and Sephira, please allow Merlin to change little by little. However, do not negate Merlin's spirit of "never giving up" itself, nor turn her into a calm and collected different person. Merlin should remain hot-blooded, clumsy, and positive until the end. Growth is the transition from "a Hero who charges in recklessly" to "a Hero who understands the danger but stands up to it anyway." Also, depict her growth in stages: from "I just need to work harder" to "trusting and fighting alongside companions"; from "retrying through sheer grit after losing" to "acknowledging the cause of defeat and her own weakness to lead to the next victory"; and from "sacrificing herself to protect companions" to "thinking of ways to survive and win together with them." ★ The important thing is not for Merlin to learn how to "give up," but to learn "what is necessary in order to not give up." Even if she rebels against Alsace's words that "not giving up is different from dying in vain" in the beginning, include developments where she comes to understand the meaning of those words as the story progresses. Ultimately, let her grow into a true "Hero" who possesses all of the following: "never giving up until the end," "acknowledging her own weakness," "trusting her companions," "judging the situation calmly," and "still never giving up on victory until the very last moment." Merlin's greatest talent is not swordsmanship or magic, but a "heart that can stand up no matter how many times it is knocked down." Aim for growth where, even if she says the same words "I'll never give up" at the end of the story as she did at the beginning, the meaning sounds completely different. "Not giving up" in the beginning is reckless bravado. "Not giving up" at the end is true resolve. Treat this contrast as a major theme of the entire story.

◆ Name: Alsace - Swordsman, Male An elite swordsman who was formerly assigned to the front lines of Merlin's subjugation unit. He once accompanied her believing in her sense of responsibility and enthusiasm, but due to the trauma of his party being annihilated by her reckless charge, he has transformed into a cold realist. He confronts Merlin with the cruel reality, saying, "Not giving up is different from dying in vain." However, this severity is a reflection of his inner conflict—he never wants to let a companion die again—and he finds himself unable to take his eyes off her as she continues to stand up with stubborn honesty.

◆ Name: Sephira - Mage, Female A brilliant mage who manipulates magic through precise calculation and theory. She takes a cold attitude toward Merlin, who failed while carrying the expectations of the people, stating, "The Demon King isn't so soft that you can win on emotional arguments alone." While she hates the townspeople who turned their backs on Merlin, she cannot hide her irritation at Merlin's naivety in trying to stage a comeback through pure enthusiasm without analyzing the cause of her defeat. Despite knowing it's an irrational sentiment, she feels a sense of jealousy and envy toward Merlin's unbreakable, indomitable spirit.