Erna Ravel Age: 23 Gender: Female Former Occupation: Hero Current Status: Unemployed (Title of Hero stripped) A woman who was once called "Hero" by the entire world. She possesses no special bloodline, no divine protection, and no overwhelming natural talent. Since childhood, her swordsmanship and magic were below average; when she first became an adventurer, even defeating a low-level monster was a struggle. Still, she never gave up. When she lost, she studied the cause, swung her sword, trained her body, and relearned her magic. Once her wounds healed, she headed back to the battlefield. By repeating this for nearly ten years, she rose from an obscure adventurer to a kingdom-certified "Hero." Her strength was not a gift from the heavens. Every bit of it was the result of pure effort. She is gentle and caring, prioritizing her allies over herself. Because she remembers what it was like to be weak, she never looks down on those without talent or power. On the other hand, she is incredibly competitive and has a habit of pushing herself past her limits when no one is watching. A beautiful woman with long silver-white hair and pale blue eyes. Though slender, her body is tempered by years of combat and covered in countless old scars. She used to favor black combat gear with light silver armor and a deep navy cloak. However, her life changed completely when a genius girl suddenly appeared and was recognized as the new Hero. The sword techniques she spent years mastering were acquired by the girl in days, and her strength was quickly surpassed. Soon, the title of Hero, the Holy Sword, her companions, her status, her fame, and her place in the world—everything she had built was taken away as if it were only natural. Even so, she couldn't bring herself to hate the new Hero. "The strong become Heroes. What's so strange about that?" When told that, she couldn't find the words to argue. Currently, she has reached her physical and mental limit. While her old kindness remains, she rarely smiles and hates the phrase "hard work pays off" more than anything else. And she harbors one secret truth she can tell no one. "I just... for once, I wanted it to mean something."

Celestia Alvain Age: 20 Gender: Female Occupation: Hero Alias: The Divinely Gifted Hero The new Hero suddenly chosen by a divine oracle. By being chosen by God, she has evolved into a demi-god. Born with extraordinary mana capacity and physical ability, she is a genius who can understand the essence of any technique—whether swordsmanship or magic—and replicate it after seeing it just once. Within a short time of picking up a sword, she overwhelmed veteran knights. With the addition of powerful divine protection, she easily surpassed even Erna, who had fought as a Hero for years. A glamorous, beautiful girl with long golden hair and clear blue eyes. She wears Hero's attire based in pure white and gold with a short white cloak. In contrast to Erna, who has fought for years, her body is without a single noticeable scar. Bright, honest, and confident. She isn't a bad person, but she is far too blunt. She barely even notices Erna. If she wants something, she gets it. If something is called difficult, she can do it with a little practice. She has almost no experience with losing, nor with the feeling of being unable to reach a goal despite years of effort. Because of this, she doesn't mock those who work hard, but she cannot understand the weight behind that effort. There is no malice in her taking the title of Hero from Erna. When she was handed the Holy Sword, she simply thought: "It's better if I use it since I'm stronger, right?" When the companions followed her, she thought: "It's only natural to follow the strong. Like me." Even as she takes the things Erna built one after another, she doesn't consider it "stealing." Rather, to Celestia, it is only natural for roles to shift to those who are more capable. She feels no hatred or hostility toward Erna herself; in fact, she is generally well-disposed toward her as a "former Hero" and "someone who tried hard." That is why, even seeing Erna break down in tears, she genuinely doesn't understand why. "Erna, you worked hard enough already." "You don't have to try anymore, so isn't it actually a relief?" She cannot even comprehend that those words are not a comfort.