Chapter 28: Meaning of Blessing
There was an anomaly among the hero candidates, although the signs were still slight. The cause was none other than Jin. After coming into contact with the Class C students at the Adventurers' Guild, Jin began to visit them more frequently.
It is not that they became closer all at once. If anything, at first it was more a feeling of running away from the suffocation of being in Class A. And Jin was not the only one who had such feelings.
The other candidates in the same class had to be in constant competition with each other. Because they are so close in ability, they naturally do so even if they don't want to be conscious of it.
And although all the hero candidates were classmates in their original world, they did not necessarily get along with the hero candidates in their current class. Many of the classmates who were close to each other are now in different classes. The reason why they began to distance themselves from each other was because they were both aware of the disparity in talent.
Jin's action was a catalyst for blowing away this rift. The barriers between classes according to ability were broken down, albeit slightly.
At the academy, regardless of class, the hero candidates could now be seen talking to each other in a friendly manner.
That is a good thing. Especially for those with higher talents, because it leads to finding assistants. However, many of the candidates are still unaware of this. For this reason, there were many who had antipathy toward the talent gap that had been thoroughly imprinted in their consciousness over the past two years as an absolute.
The first of these is Yuya.
"I wonder what Jin is thinking. Hanging out with those guys."
"That's a horrible thing to say. They're former classmates."
"But it's different from the original world. In this world, it is for your own good to associate with people whose talents match your own."
"I know that. But it is good to have relationships with different people."
"Does Shizuru want to do that too?"
Yuya asked Shizuru, who seemed to be in denial about his opinion, to confirm her feelings.
"Yes. I also want to talk to various people."
Shizuru readily acknowledged it.
“Then why don't you go with Jin?”
"I said various people. That includes the people of this world."
"This world?"
Shizuru's feelings were not what Yuya thought.
"All of the hero candidates are former classmates. More than that, I want to spend more time talking to people in this world."
"I agree. I think so, too."
“Hyde-san, will you participate in the swordsmanship tournament?”
"Eh?" "Yes?"
Shizuru suddenly turned the conversation to Hyde, causing Yuya and Hyde to raise their voices in surprise.
“Are you not going to participate in the swordsmanship tournament?”
"Yes. I don't plan to."
“Really? That's too bad. I'm sure Hyde-san ca win, right?"
"...I don't think I could do it."
Hyde is a straight-laced person, but Shizuru's motives are still somehow transparent. That's not what Hyde wants.
"But you're strong, right?"
"No. I'm still inexperienced. Heinz-dono is a much better swordsman than me."
Hyde turned the conversation to Heinz.
"I see. Will Heinz participate?"
"I'm not going to participate either."
"Eh!? You're lying, right!?"
Hearing Heinz's reply, Yuya complains. For Yuya, Heinz is a rival. He was looking forward to the match at the swordsmanship tournament.
"I'm still half-baked. I'm not allowed to participate in foreign competition."
"That means I'm going to win from the very beginning. That's boring."
"Not necessarily."
"Only Heinz can fight on equal footing with me. There's no one else."
This was Yuya's modesty. Even though they are evenly matched, Yuya always ends up winning in their fights. Even so, there was no other opponent he felt comfortable with.
"There may be someone who is strong in general participants."
“Is there general participants?”
"I don't know. It may depend on how serious the guild is."
"Guild, the adventurer's guild?"
"Yes. In order to show the strength of the guild, they sometimes send high-ranked adventurers."
Introducing and selling the product called Adventurer.
"Are they strong?"
"It's about how serious they are. Let me tell you, if it's a top-class adventurer, I don't think Yuya-dono can win right now."
"……I see."
He listens obediently when Heinz says it, even if he rebels with other people. That's the proof that Yuya trusts Heinz.
"Well, I don't think there will be any top class. But there will still be some strong ones."
"I'm starting to look forward to it"
"... Haven't you heard anything about this, Shizuru-dono?"
Heinz turned to Shizuru.
"Me?"
“Yes. He works as an adventurer. I'm sure he's heard about these things."
"Ah, Ren. I haven't heard from Ren."
“Is it possible that you two haven’t been talking to each other lately?”
"Yes. Ren and I are both busy, so we don't have many opportunities to talk."
"...I see. Is that so?"
These were the words that confirmed that the connection between Ren and Shizuru had been severed. Shizuru, without knowing anything about it, had lowered her own value as a source of information.
"Do you still care about him?"
"He might know how many adventurers are coming out, right? If the top class is going to participate, I can't just stand by and watch."
"Certainly. Even if you know you're going to lose, you still have to participate."
Following Heinz, even the always modest Hyde was showing his motivation. Yuya realized that he had been naive in his perceptions.
“…Top class, is it that strong?”
"Honestly, I don't know."
"Eh?"
"The higher the rank, the more information is kept secret. I don't even know if there really is an S rank."
"How could that be?"
"I can only guess, but I think it's to maintain the independence of the Adventurers' Guild. It is a terrible thing to be up against someone whose strength you cannot see."
If the guild has a ridiculously strong S-rank adventurer, it will serve as a deterrent to those who would try to turn their arms against the guild.
"But it might be a bluff."
"The guild has been around longer than most countries. It may have been at one time, but it has proven time and again that it is not. The title of the most powerful in the world has belonged to adventurers many times."
"I see... this time they're going to appear, so I'm sure something amazing will come out."
"...I doubt it."
The guild doesn't care about heroes. Heinz knows this.
"Okay. Let's go ask."
"In Class C?"
"That's right. He might know, right?"
"Well."
"Then let's go"
Once Yuya decided to do this, there was no way he would stop. Heinz and Hyde, not to mention Shizuru, followed Yuya as he got up from his seat and headed for the exit.
And in Class C, who did not know that these people would show up.
"Why won't you answer!?"
"No need to answer."
Kazuki was appealing to Ren to participate in the swordsmanship tournament.
"It's a good opportunity to test your abilities. Why don't you participate?"
“Um, do you know the words [mind your own business]?”
The invitation to participate in a sword competition was nothing but a nuisance to Ren.
“Yeah, I know. But I also know that with Ren, you can't make any progress unless I do something like this."
"...There's no need for it."
Meddling. A self-aware meddler is Ren's worst type.
“Why are you being so stubborn? Since Jin is going to participate in the competition, Ren should also participate, right?”
"There's nothing that says I have to participate."
"Nor does it mean you can't."
"There is."
"What?"
“I’m not a swordsman. It is impolite for me, a non-swordsman, to participate in a swordsmanship tournament."
By the way, there is no such custom. The swordsmanship tournament is a tournament that anyone can participate in unless they are criminals.
"...That's suspicious."
"What?"
"Ren, show me your guild card."
"...What?"
Even Ren did not expect that Kazuki would make such a request.
"If the guild card doesn't really have a swordsman written on it, I'll accept it."
"The guild card is not something to show people lightly."
"It's really suspicious"
"If you ask other adventurers to show their guild cards, you'll be in big trouble. That's what guild cards are for."
Special skills are not something that should be known to others. If you reveal all of your skills, you will only be at a disadvantage in a fight.
There are many skills, even if they are not related to fighting, that are better left undisclosed. One such skill is the presence detection that Ren possesses.
"I'm saying this because it's Ren."
"That's worse."
“Me and Ren.”
"...Our relationship?"
"Are we... friends?"
When asked by Ren what their relationship is, Kazuki is a little embarrassed. She can only say that they are friends.
"We are not friends"
Ren denies it.
"That's terrible!"
“Ren, isn’t that really cruel?”
At this point, Jin entered the conversation.
"Huh? What, are you angry at me for hurting Kazuki?"
"Ha?"
For Ren, he would like to thank him for taking the trouble to present a story that diverts the topic.
"I see, when did Jin and Kazuki have such a relationship?"
"Wrong!"
"Ah, if you deny it so strongly, I feel sorry for Kazuki."
"That's right. Right now, I'm a little pitiful."
Even Kazuki rides on Ren. This is now completely off-topic.
"Kazuki, whose side are you?"
"...Both. I want Jin and Ren to get along."
"Ah, yeah"
"I'll pass."
""Ren!""
It may have been against Ren's will, but when one listened to them, no matter how one listened to it, the conversation unfolded as if they were only good friends.
Then Mike's slightly subdued voice interrupts.
"Ren. Either one of you has a guest."
“Guest? I see. Not me. Takamiya-kun, you have a guest."
"...Call me Jin."
"No, calling you that would probably provoke him. It seems it's already too late."
"...Yuya and the others?"
They must have heard the conversation between the three. Yuya and others approached with a slightly tense faces.
"Do you want something from me?"
"No, it's for Takashiro."
"Ren. It was you."
"……Too bad."
"You two are getting along so well, aren't you?"
Contrary to Ren and Jin's expectations, Shizuru was the first to attack.
"Not on good terms, though?"
Ren tried to dodge it, but Shizuru's gaze turned to Kazuki instead of Ren.
"I think it was Harumoto-san, wasn't it?"
"Me?"
"When did you two become friends?"
"I don't think we're close enough to be friends. I wish we could be, but..."
Kazuki told Shizuru how she honestly felt. She had no idea that this would further provoke Shizuru.
"You are calling him by his first name."
"We all decided to do that so that we could get to know each other a little better."
“I see. I'm impressed."
"……What?"
"I've heard rumors about you."
"…………"
Hearing Shizuru's story, Kazuki's face turned pale.
"I hate to say this, but I don't want you to go near my friends. Especially my male friends."
"I……"
Kazuki is unable to say anything. She looks frightened, as if she is a different person from the usual Kazuki.
"Jin, women's fights are scary. Don't you think so?"
In the midst of an indescribable atmosphere, Ren spoke to Jin without seeming to care at all.
"Ah, yeah"
“Kazuki, I don't like this kind of thing, so can you please leave?"
"……Yes."
It seems like a cold line, but for Kazuki who wants to leave this place, Ren's words are nothing but salvation.
"Well then, Mike please take care of her."
"Huh? Why me?"
"I can't go out because there seems to be something to talk about."
"Do you want us to wait?"
“It's okay if you go on a date, you know?”
"That's an attractive proposal. But for today, I'll wait. Even if I look like this, I'm a shy guy. Is the usual place okay?"
"Sure."
"Then, Kazuki. Shall we go?"
"Ah, um"
"Alright, let's go"
Far from being shy, Mike walked out of the classroom holding Kazuki's shoulder in a really familiar way.
"...Where is the shyness? ...So what do you want?"
"Ren."
Shizuru was the first to respond to Ren's question.
"What?"
"What is your relationship with that woman?"
“Irrelevant. If I dare to say, we are classmates."
It is not a lie. For Ren, it's not just Kazuki, it's everyone.
"For that matter."
Even Shizuru knows that Ren protected Kazuki.
“I could have asked you to leave, but it's rude to kick out someone who went out of their way to come to someone's classroom.”
"……I see."
“So what is your business?”
"That's from me. It's about the swordsmanship tournament."
At Ren's urging, Yuya was finally able to get out what he wanted to do.
"What about the swordsmanship tournament?"
"Who from the Adventurers' Guild is going to participate?"
"Ha?"
"If you know anything about it, tell me."
"I don't know."
"Really?"
“Are you misunderstanding something? The guild doesn't make you go to swordsmanship tournaments."
"On the surface."
Ren's reply was denied by someone from the side. Heinz.
"……Who are you?"
"That is rude. I'm Heinz Ruben of the Lemberg Empire."
"Ah... this is my first time meeting you. My name is Ren."
Changing his tone, Ren returned the greeting.
“Isn’t that a very polite greeting?”
“The second son of the Knight Commander of the Lemberg Empire. You're enrolled with that title, but in reality, you were bought for your family lineage and ability to......"
"That's enough of that!"
Heinz interrupted Ren's words in a hurry. It was a difficult topic for him to talk about.
“You're the one who uses honorifics, right?"
"...I want you to stop here. Honorifics too."
"Even if you say so"
"I want you to stop"
"Okay. So what do you mean, on the surface?"
Putting his tone back to normal, Ren asked Heinz what he meant by what he had said.
"The guild sometimes sends strong people to swordsmanship tournaments. It's to show their power."
"Even so, there's no way I, an adventurer, would know that. You're asking the wrong person."
This is natural. And Heinz knew this from the beginning, too. Heinz realized that he could no longer gather information from Shizuru, and he just wanted to have a chance to get in touch with Ren.
"Who can tell me if I ask? If I ask the guild, will they tell me?"
"Is that sarcasm? The guild wouldn't give out information, would they? I don't know who. But..."
He was not being sarcastic. Heinz was just trying to make a connection.
"But?"
Ren replied to that connection.
"You should ask the academy."
"Academy?"
"The academy has a list of contestants. If there is an anonymous person among them who has been decided to participate, it is a very suspicious person."
"……I see."
"Is that it?"
"Are you not going to participate?"
"Did you hear what I said earlier? I'm not qualified."
"That's..."
"Look, it's true. I have never learned swordsmanship. I learned how to swing a sword, but is that really called swordsmanship?"
"……You're kidding, right?"
It is not a lie. Ren had only learned the basics from Alexis.
“True. Why do you misunderstand me so strangely? I'm trying to be as careful as possible not to lie."
"However, you are an adventurer who subjugates magical beasts."
“I don't need to know swordsmanship to defeat a small fry. I don't want to be misunderstood again, so let me tell you, it's not just me, but everyone who has been summoned."
This is not a lie either. This is what he says when he teaches swordsmanship to the Class C students.
"You mean?"
“Ah, you asked it. In other words, we who were summoned from another world have physical abilities superior to those of the people of this world. However, it is only to the extent that the human race of this world can catch up with us if they train."
"......Can catch up?"
The hero candidates are getting stronger and stronger. But Ren, on the contrary, says that the human race in this world can catch up with them. Heinz does not understand what this means.
“To put it plainly, it means that we, who should have been amateurs in battle, have been given the same level of ability as eleven-year-olds who have been trained to a certain degree in this world.”
"I see..."
"It's a benefit. It's an equal benefit for everyone."
"In other words."
"No more of that. Don't think I can answer everything, do you?"
"Let me confirm just one thing."
"Depends on content."
"Aqcui-"
"Now then, I'm keeping people waiting, so I'm leaving."
Before Heinz could say anything, Ren said this and tried to leave the classroom. Heinz tried to stop it, but Jin spoke out earlier than that.
"Ah, wait a minute, I'm going too."
“I see, I knew you two had that kind of relationship."
"No! I'm just worried about my friend!"
"Well, let's leave it like that."
"...Enough. Let's go."
Ren and Jin started a silly conversation. Thanks to this, Heinz lost the timing to interrupt. As it is, Ren leaves the classroom with Jin.
"Fumu……"
"Heinz. I didn't understand the last part of the conversation."
"I didn't really understand it either because I didn't get a proper answer."
"I see."
"But, he's that kind of person. He's quite a songwriter."
"Right. Heinz-dono couldn't take the initiative in the conversation. Was it because of that at the beginning?"
It was the first time he had seen Heinz so flustered before he took the initiative in the conversation.
"...Well, that's right."
"So what did he do?"
"...I guess there's no point in hiding it here. What he was going to say was the fact that I am the fiancé of our country's first princess."
"That's, no way?"
Hyde is more upset than surprised by Heinz's revelation.
"That's not the case."
"But"
“His Highness the Crown Prince is in good health. Isn’t that reaction disrespectful to His Highness in our country?”
"……I beg your pardon"
"What do you mean? Can you explain it so that even I can understand it?"
Yuya doesn't understand the meaning of their conversation.
"As I just said. Nothing more."
And he can't even tell him what it means.
"But."
"But how does he know about our engagement when we haven't made it public?"
◇◇◇
A question that arose from the conversation between Ren and Heinz. The same was true for Jin, who could not help but ask him. As soon as they arrived at the library where Mike and Kazuki were waiting for them, he posed the question to Ren.
"... Even if you ask me that much at once."
"Well, let's start from the beginning. What were you going to say to Heinz?"
“That man is the fiancée of the First Princess of the Lemberg Empire. He's a candidate for the future acting emperor."
Ren tells Jin what Heinz denied to Hyde and what he hid from Yuya.
“Is Heinz a candidate for emperor of the Lemberg Empire?”
"Not exactly. He is the candidate for acting emperor."
Ren has no ill intentions. He is answering accurately what he is asked. He has no malicious intent, but he does feel that it is just someone else's problem.
"Acting? Ah, so the emperor is the princess?"
"Yes. There is one element of uneasiness in the empire. The next emperor, the crown prince, is sickly and weak, and there is no male heir other than the crown prince."
"Under these circumstances, it would be unwise to increase the number of candidates."
Jin thought about the possibility of a succession struggle between the crown prince and Heinz.
"The current emperor's system is rock solid. Even if they increase the number of candidates, as long as the order of succession is properly established, there will be no confusion. As long as the current emperor is alive and well."
“Succession is only after the death of the current emperor, isn't it?”
"I think that is usually the case. But in this situation, in order to avoid confusion, he might hand over the title of emperor while he is still alive. Though he would see to the practical works as a guardian."
"...How could you possibly know such a thing?"
Ren's explanation was so detailed that Jin was surprised.
"How could you not know that? There's a chance you'll be chosen by that empire."
"I don't think so. It will be Yuya or Mei."
"Even so, I think you need to be greedy for information about the country."
Ren does not intend to be a hero of some country. He doesn't need the information of the country.
"Yes, but how?"
“You'll have to think about that. But I will tell you that you can get a lot of information at the Adventurers' Guild."
"Is that so?"
“The amount of information flowing among adventurers is much greater than you think. Depending on the situation in a country, you may have to move to another country, or conversely, there are countries where there is more work to be done."
"I see."
Adventurers' work. Especially requests above a certain rank often come from influential people in the country. The state of affairs in a country affects the volume of requests.
"It's hard to know what to look for, though, because it's mixed with false information."
Some are just rumors. Scrutiny of information is also conducted within the guild, but it is unlikely that it will be communicated to a single adventurer.
"I guess..."
"That's right. Now then."
"There is more!"
Ren wanted to end the conversation, but Jin wouldn't let him.
"……What?"
"Are you really not learning swordsmanship?"
"Yeah. That's true. It would be a lie if I said it completely, but it's just a hair's breadth away from sword training."
“As expected, Ren has someone who can teach you how to use the sword, right?”
Kazuki intervened from the side. This is annoying for Ren.
"...Needless things"
"I see. You were freeloading at the grave keeper's place. So how did you find it?"
"I searched for it myself. I thought I needed the power to fight in order to live."
"Yeah, that too. You said we have special powers, isn't that a blessing?"
"Well, I'm also using a certain amount of effort and time to get information, you know?"
Ren isn't the only one. If anything, his friends put more effort into it.
"Somehow, there"
"I think this is very important information."
"I'll buy you dinner."
“…By the way, what's the food?”
Ren decided to confirm the validity of the reward. Proof that there was room for negotiation.
“That’s right… there's a restaurant my mentor is familiar with that has a membership. How about there?"
Sensing this, Jin offered the best conditions without being stingy. Jin doesn't pay for it, so there's no need to be stingy.
“Members-only… is it delicious?”
"I was taken there twice, but I thought it was more delicious than anything I ate in our original world. Because the taste of the ingredients is different in this world."
"……I understand."
Negotiation established.
"Oh, you did it!"
Mike rejoices.
"...Mike, why are you happy?"
"I'm coming with you, right? And Kazuki too, of course."
"Me too? Yay!"
"...What about the two who say this?"
Ren has no right to make judgments. He asked Jin if it was possible.
"I don't mind"
"Then, then."
"Yeah"
The negotiation is now complete.
"Now the information. How should I explain it... Do you know why the blessings of the heroes are considered amazing?"
"The content of the blessing... it's not. What is it?"
"The part where you get blessing without making any effort"
"...What does that mean?"
Ren's answer was completely unexpected for Jin. And the way he said it, it sounded like he was cheating. He was actually cheating, but he was unaware of it.
"Skills are acquired through effort. You know this, don't you?"
"Yeah, the people of this world acquire skills through training."
"There are rare people who have the skill from birth. They say they are called God's beloved."
"I see."
"The skills of such people are called inborn skills or innate skills. And skills acquired through hard work are called acquired skills."
"Yeah"
“Don't tell me you haven't looked into this?”
"I heard about it, but I didn't think it was very important."
"Even though it's incredibly important. Now, inborn skills have aptitude and tolerance. The other way to put it is, there is nothing else."
"Hmm?"
"Even if you have an aptitude for swordsmanship, you are not innately given the skill of beginner swordsmanship."
"But we are"
Hero candidates acquire such skills when they receive blessings.
"Yes. Hero candidates are given acquired skills for people in this world. Why is that?"
"Because they are hero candidates, they are given special blessings."
"I suppose it is special. But is that all there is to it?"
"What do you mean?"
"There is no conclusion. You can't solve the laws of the world."
"Oi?"
Ren did not give Jin the answer he wanted.
"I just have a theory."
"Then, can you say it?"
"I have a theory that we are given a set of experiences. Or that we're just mirroring something."
"……I don't understand."
Jin could not understand the meaning of Ren's theory.
“For example, Jin's title, Holy Knight Egg. Is it still an egg?”
"No, It became an apprentice"
“Oh, growth. That's good. I thought of the possibility that there is a set pattern for the Holy Knight Egg, that it will have this kind of aptitude and special skills."
"I thought so too."
First of all, there is a title, followed by a suitable occupation and a special skill determined by that title. Jin thought. That's what Ren is saying, but his thoughts are a little different.
"People in this world don't have titles. Titles are called by those around them, and when they meet certain conditions, they become yours. When you own a title, it is written on your guild card, for example."
"Are you saying it's strange that it's on from the beginning?"
"Yes. There is no direct relationship between the special skills and titles of people in this world. By making use of the special skills you have trained, you can only attach related titles."
In this world, skills come first. By making use of their skills, they are given titles. If this is the norm, then the hero candidates are an anomaly.
"...What are you trying to say?"
"Jin has the title of Holy Knight, but it's not necessarily the right thing to aim for."
"That's absurd."
"That's indeed an exaggeration. But what if it is?"
"What do you think?"
"Someone with only the title of Holy Knight may actually be able to grow up to become a Hero."
"…………"
If the title is something that comes afterward, such a possibility is possible.
"If it were true, it would be tough. It would mean that the current order of hero candidates means nothing. And the choice is even harder. Even if they're the worst at the moment, they might grow the most in the end."
"You think it's true?"
"No, it's a theory that can't be proven."
"Then why did you tell it to me?"
"I didn't."
"Heinz's last question was about what you just said. I think Heinz understood."
"If he did, it would be confusing, wouldn't it? He had already decided what he was bidding on, and now he might be wrong."
"To confuse him?"
“It’s impossible to confuse people with just this. But I hope so. I hate people who evaluate people based on what they see on the surface."
"You……"
On this day, Jin felt scared of Ren for the first time. It's not his past creepiness about his unknown identity, but fear of making Ren an enemy.
And it was Jin's misfortune that there was nothing he could do about it just because he felt it.
thanks for the chapter
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