The sun shined brightly outside the window. The bright rays of sun spread their warmth on the face of a grey haired boy.
"...."
He had a face that could be called a boy, but his indifferent eyes and body said otherwise. His eyes looked like they were war-torn and had seen everything there was to life, and his body was densely packed with muscles under his sleek skin.
"…Have I been in this body for half a year now?"
He had fully adapted himself into this world's current timeline and his body.
The boy, Asher, rose himself out of the bed with a smile as he snapped the dark wrist brace onto his arm.
***
"You're here?"
"Yes."
Reika, who was practicing with her sword at the training area, waved her hands as she saw Asher coming. Asher nodded to answer her and waved his hand back. Before he knew it, a dagger popped out and was in his hand.
"Whoo-wee. It gets more and more amazing every time I see it."
"So, where are you in your training today?"
"Check this out."
Reika brought her arms down that were holding the sword with a firm swing. The sword shook, and an afterimage blurred from her movement. In an instant, four or five images of swords were drawn up in the air. Asher nodded.
"Good. You've improved a lot."
This half year was incredible for both Asher and Reika. He was surprised to see just how fast Reika learned and applied information he taught her. He did not expect for her to reach such a stage with Lepenia's swordsmanship in such little time. Reika tilted her head as she looked at Asher with a somewhat disappointed look.
"Is this really so great?"
"At least in terms of swordsmanship, no one your age could possibly be at your level."
"I don't know about that…. Plus all the swordsmen around me are way stronger than I am!"
"It's just an unusual case."
Reika knew three other swordsmen in her life. Asher, Van Ester the Swordmaster, and Charon, the knight of the estate.
Charon was a famous Knight from the Empire, and Asher was an exception. In addition, there was also Van Ester, who was a Swordmaster. She only had met ridiculously strong swordsmen in her young life.
"Your eyes are set too high right now."
"Even if my sight is set too high… It doesn't change the fact that they're stronger than me."
"I understand how you feel, but people out there aren't as strong as you think. There's surprisingly a lot of weak people."
Reika would still be considered a prodigy for her age even in the era of heroes and wars. Now that the times had come to an era of peace and quiet. Someone like Reika, truly outshone even the prodigies beyond her age.
"...."
Asher suddenly remembered what had happened three months ago.
Van Ester had shown him the secrets that had been hiding in the world. He had been traveling for 20 years and had seen what was being hidden in the darkest corners of the continent. The demons were back and were chasing him down.
'They're chasing after me since I caught a glimpse of something they didn't want me to see. Since they've been chasing after me, I didn't know if one of them was a demon inhibiting your body. Hence why I thought about killing you at first.'
The black aura from Van Ester's sword had slashed through the Umpert that night and dispelled the spell on him to show Asher what was coming after them.
'What is this thing we call talent? What is the purpose of human life? The world is being too narrow-minded, Asher. I only decided to believe in what I can see with my own two eyes.'
Would Asher just watch from the sidelines, or would he train and rise up? That was what Van Ester wanted to leave him with.
'I'm going to go to the Empire and let them know what happened during my travels. I'm going to go search for the missing hero. If you hear anything or any news, just come find me. I'll always welcome it if you come by to visit.'
After that last bit, Van Ester had left. Thanks to Van Ester's words, Asher had been stuck in his room contemplating these words. He was in a need of a direction to move. He felt the creeping anxiety about the past war era coming back. So he was out here today just doing what he did best. He was just swinging his sword like usual.
'Ian the Brave'
When the world had been in strife due to the demons' invasion, several heroes died, but one of them had come forth and slain the Demon Lord. He was named 'Ian the Brave' and went missing shortly after.
Asher knew what the man was like since he was the Captain of the Imperial Guards. Due to this position he was invited to social events and drinking parties to guard the Imperial Family on several occasions and had even seen Ian in person from afar. He was a sociable and overall amazing person, Asher thought. He was like a true hero, right out of a fairy tale.
However, it seemed that that false sense of peace that happened only in fairy tales, was nothing in front of reality. Van Ester's proof was more than enough to concern Asher.
"Did the hero escape the Empire?'
Asher was not there when Ian the Brave, drove out the Demon Lord. He was busy protecting the Imperial Family like always, so he had no way of knowing what happened to the hero afterwards.