Chapter 5: Makoto Takatsuki Makes a Choice
There were two types of heroes in this world.
First, there were heroes created by the goddesses. Sakurai, the Hero of Light, and Prince Leonardo, the Hero of Ice and Snow, were among this group and had been blessed with hero skills by the goddesses.
Second, there were heroes chosen by a country. These were called State-Authorized Heroes. They were often adventurers with great skills or knights that served the country. For example, the winner of the yearly combat competition in Great Keith always became their hero.
Countries sanctioned heroes so that they could keep strong people affiliated with the nation. Roses currently had no State-Authorized Heroes.
I never really thought it would have anything to do with me...
“Makoto Takatsuki.”
Hearing my name called me back to my senses. Damn, the shock had me lost in thought for a minute...
“Y-You want me to be a hero?” I stammered. “But...”
This was something I’d never expected. I’d thought that I might gain some monetary reward, or maybe a title... But heroes were more than just titles—they were symbols of their country’s peace and were not permitted to lose or falter. The responsibility of a hero...was a heavy one.
“You are not required to accept,” stated Princess Sophia.
Oh, I wasn’t? It’d definitely felt that way.
In which case, if I refused...
“But,” she continued, “should you become a hero, Roses will shoulder the charges for your bed and board, as well as your equipment.”
S-Seriously?! Whoa! It’s like being a diplomat!
“You will also receive a stipend of ten million gald each year.”
It came with a salary?! Things were getting more concerning.
What was a state hero expected to do?
“As a rule, heroes participate in countermeasures against the Great Demon Lord. Our nation’s current proposal is called the Northern Front Plan. At present, there are no pressing requirements for you.”
Huh? Really? That felt a bit too good to be true. This whole “Northern Front Plan” was weighing on me as well.
“Roses’s State-Authorized Hero would normally live within Horn, but since you seem fond of Macallan, we would have no issue with you remaining there. However, there is also a facility for your lodging within the palace.”
It seemed like she’d thought of everything...
But...I was a disciple of the Wicked Deity Noah. If I became Roses’s hero, I’d have to convert to following their goddess...
Right, can’t do that. I’d have to refuse.
But then, I heard Noah’s voice in my mind. Makoto, you can accept. I’ll discuss things with Eir.
Wait... She could do that? I thought the Sacred Deities were her enemies.
Just leave it to me. Eir’s a good girl—she listens. You won’t need to convert.
I supposed that was the relationship between the divinities? I wasn’t entirely sure, though.
Still...now I had Noah’s permission.
I looked behind me at Lucy and Sasa. Lucy seemed emotional, and her eyes were watering, while Sasa was smiling the same way she always did. Their reactions didn’t really help. As for my other friends, Nina and Chris were both wearing expressions of shock. However, Fujiyan looked conflicted.
Is he against it?
Fujiyan shook his head at me. Guess he’d read my mind and responded to my mental question. That meant he was fine with me accepting, right? Still...there must be something concerning him.
“Makoto Takatsuki...an immediate decision is not required here. You may take time to consider our proposition in more depth.”
Too kind! But what should I do now? Because, well, my options weren’t great...
I could tell her, “I’ll consider it back at the inn,” and then, several days later, come back and say, “I thought it over, but I’ll pass.”
Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. It’d be too rude. If I was going to turn her down, it had to be now. In other words, I needed to make up my mind right here.
Just then, RPG Player activated.
Will you become the Hero of Roses?
Yes
No
The option appeared on the selection screen, and seeing it caused some hazy memories and feelings to bubble up within my mind.
There was a game that I’d loved as a kid, a remake of a famous RPG. The protagonist was a hero. This hero was given a pittance of money and a torch from the king and was then sent on his way, lacking any companions.
He was alone as he fought monsters and raised his level. He stood against dragons, rescued a princess, defeated the demon lord, and saved the world. He was so cool.
As a kid, I’d wanted to be a hero.
But now, I was a high schooler, so those childish dreams were behind me.
Actually... Maybe I’m wrong.
At the beginning of our time in this world, I’d been jealous of Sakurai and my other classmates. They had strong stats and skills, and I’d wanted the same. Bigwigs from different counties had scouted my classmates, and I’d watched them leave one after another. I hadn’t been able to sleep because of my envy, so I’d sometimes stayed up all night practicing my magic. Throughout that time, I’d suffered, focusing on my training at the Water Temple.
It wasn’t that far back...but it almost feels like another lifetime ago.
But now, a beautiful princess was standing before me. The same person that had refused to offer me a blessing back then.
And now, she wanted me to be a hero.
I’d be fully supported, and Roses would cheerily give me money and equipment. On top of that, I had reliable comrades and even a goddess that would give me advice if I got stuck.
I was currently in a far better position than that hero from the RPG.
Guess this world’s not a shovelware title...?
Hang on. I’m the focus of all this, but I’m not exactly strong, am I?
I didn’t want any presumptions made about my abilities—as a mage apprentice, I could only use beginner-level magic. The protagonist from the game had the hero’s bloodline, after all. That’s why he was strong enough to defeat the demon lord on his own.
I...wasn’t.
But, still... I had the opportunity to become a hero. Could I live with myself if I turned down the chance?
No. I couldn’t. All my thoughts seemed jumbled like my mind wasn’t working.
Luckily, I had a rule for times like these.
“Princess Sophia.”
“Y-Yes, what is it?” she asked, a nervous look on her face.
When we’d first met, I hadn’t been able to deal with her, but she seemed completely different now.
Will you become Roses’s Hero?
▶Yes
No
As for my rule... When I didn’t know which choice to make, I always went for the hardest difficulty.
“I will gladly accept the title of hero,” I declared.
After all, I’ll get much better loot this way, right?
Princess Sophia took a sharp intake of breath before smiling slightly. “I see. Then, from this day forth, you will be the Hero of Roses.”
More than anything else, I felt that the hardest option was always more fun. This was my conviction, and I usually stood by it.
“Hero Makoto,” Princess Sophia called, giving me confirmation of my official title. Hearing it said like that made me feel kinda fidgety. It was embarrassing.
“Yes, Princess Sophia?”
“I have something else to discuss with you. Would you come to my room later?”
“R-Right, got it.”
What was it? Some lecture about what it meant to be a hero? That seemed likely...
“Makoto, this is amazing!” Lucy exclaimed. “You’re a hero now!”
“I mean, I’m just being paid for it, you know?”
“It’s incredible! This is the best day we could ask for,” Chris added.
I supposed I hadn’t realized until now just how important heroes were in this world.
“Good job, Takatsuki!” Sasa cheered. Yeah...I’m not sure she really gets it.
“My esteemed Tackie... If I may ask, what happened with Princess Sophia?”
“What?”
That was a strange question from Fujiyan.
“What do you mean, what happened?” I pressed.
“Well, Her Highness seems to have changed her tune rather significantly...” Fujiyan said.
Changed her tune? How? I guess she did seem a bit softer.
Nina’s sharp ears caught on to what Fujiyan was telling me. “Mister Takatsuki, Princess Sophia summoned you, didn’t she’h? You need to make sure you’re not careless this time’h...”
“Nina, what do you mean by, ‘this time?’” Chris asked.
“He fought with her in Labyrinthos.”
“What?!”
Come on, Nina, I won’t do that again. I’ve grown up.
Suddenly, a yell came from behind us. “Hero! My congratulations on your appointment!”
I turned around and saw the former bodyguard. “Old-timer! Glad to see you’re doing well.”
“Sir! You honor me!”
“Would you...speak a bit more normally?” I asked. The haughty tone he’d previously used with me was fine, but I just couldn’t settle down around him when he spoke so reverently.
“The difference in our positions must be clear though...” he said.
Well, that made sense—the old-timer was focused on physical feats, had a strong sense of hierarchy, and was super serious. There seemed to be a lot of people in Roses like that. I now felt kind of bad for having him pulled from his role as a bodyguard.
Maybe I should ask Princess Sophia to take him back?
Prince Leonardo was standing beside the old-timer, and he spoke up with enthusiasm. “Makoto, let’s do our best together as heroes of Roses!”
“Oh, Prince Leonardo. You’re right. Let’s work hard.” Since he and I were both heroes that would protect the country, I’d have to give it my all.
“I can show you to sister’s room,” he offered.
“No!” exclaimed the former bodyguard. “A prince should not need to act as a guard! We shall guide him.”
A lot of the people that worked in the palace were nearby, so eventually, one of the knights showed me the way.
“Princess Sophia!” the knight called when we arrived. “I have brought Sir Makoto, Hero of Roses!”
“Show him through.”
“Excuse me...” I said softly as I entered Princess Sophia’s room. The knight remained outside. She was alone inside. In other words, it was just the two of us.
“Please, take a seat,” she said, gesturing to some chairs that sat around an expensive-looking glass table. Atop the table were cookies and such, and on one side, there was a teapot with two teacups.
With practiced movements, the princess poured us some tea. Wasn’t that usually something maids did, rather than the princess herself...?
Regardless, I sank down into the soft chair. Unlike when I sat on the benches in Macallan’s guild, I couldn’t relax here. I took the offered cup and inhaled the sweet scent drifting up from it.
“Drink, by all means,” the princess told me.
“Thank you,” I responded, taking a sip. It...was delicate. Definitely top-quality, and it tasted good, but I couldn’t specify what was good or bad about it.
“Hero Makoto,” she said, fixing me with a piercing stare.
“Y-Yes?” I replied, straightening.
“I want to again offer my thanks. And I ask that you forgive my rudeness at the Water Temple.”
She was bowing deeply to me... Err, what?
“Uh...Princess Sophia, you don’t need to worry about the past.” The only feeling I had in response to her deep bow...was guilt about my own behavior.
“You are a kind person,” she said, raising her head and giving that slight smile of hers.
Yeah, that’s better.
“You look nicer with a smile.”
“What?”
Ack, I said it out loud!
“Ah, nothing! Excuse me...” Argh, I’d screwed up somehow. She was glaring at me again.
But, hang on, her face looks kinda red... Is she embarrassed? No way.
I decided to change the topic.
“Are you sure you want me as a hero?” I asked.
“You defeated the blight giant and saved the capital. A monster that Leo could not bring down, despite being a hero. It is only natural that you be offered the same title.”
“Well, you and I destroyed it together, didn’t we?”
“Together...” she mused. “I suppose so. Does it weigh on you?”
“Not at all. I’ll get strong enough to be worthy of my title.”
Essentially, I just needed the power to defeat a blight giant on my own. I would train hard. Plus, Noah had recently taught me a new way of using elemental magic.
“Then I shall put my faith in you.”
“Right, leave it to me.”
She smiled again. Yup, she was cuter like this.
“Incidentally, Hero Makoto. Speaking of my protection...would you perhaps...be willing—”
Oh, right, I needed to ask her about that.
I cut her off mid-sentence. “Princess Sophia, would you take that former bodyguard back? I feel bad that he lost his role because of me.”
She gave a long pause.
“Very well.”
Uh? She didn’t seem happy. Did I say something weird? I’m sure I didn’t.
I heard a long sigh in my mind. What’s with the theatrics, Noah?
You don’t understand women, do you?
I-I don’t? But that old-timer’s defense was incredible.
That’s not what I mean.
Then what did Noah mean? I’d have to ask Fujiyan later.
The princess sat in front of me, still glaring with a slightly sulky look on her face. They weren’t the same cold eyes that’d looked down on me before, though.
“Leo wanted to talk to you. It appears that Highland has summoned you as well, but in regards to the date that they expect you, there is some leeway. Please stay in Horn for the time being.”
“I-I will.”
That’s right... We’d been heading off to Highland before all of this. Now that I’d become a hero, I’d first have to stay here and learn for a while.
The conversation between us dried up, and so we gazed wordlessly at each other.
Hmm, I guess we’re done then. Still, this had been easier than I’d expected. Maybe I should close the distance between us like Noah had suggested. After all, we’d be working in the same place and she was my superior now.
I held out my right hand to her.
“Uh, what are you...?”
“I look forward to working with you,” I said, simultaneously realizing that asking a royal for a handshake might be rude. I couldn’t take it back now, though.
After a slight hesitation, she answered, “Likewise.” Her grip was tight, almost painful. We clasped hands for a while, looking each other in the eye.
“Thank you for the tea,” I said.
“Indeed...”
I let go of her hand and then exited the room. That was tough. At some point, I should ask Fujiyan for tips on interacting with noblewomen.
As I stepped out of the room, the waiting soldier closed the door. Muffled behind it, I heard a soft thump, like someone had dived onto a bed.
Wordlessly, the soldier and I exchanged glances.
“Lady Sophia, is there an issue?” he asked.
“Not in the slightest,” came the aloof response. Maybe the sound had been my imagination.
I bid my farewell to the knight and then headed back to my friends.
◇ Christina’s Perspective ◇
“Mister Takatsuki is just as incredible as you said, husband’h!” Nina’s ears were bouncing in happiness.
“My, Nina, are you not happy that Sir Fujiwara is now part of the nobility?” I asked teasingly. This kind of interaction used to be much more difficult.
“Ah! I’m sorry’h!”
“Not at all,” Sir Fujiwara answered. “I am equally as proud that my friend was bestowed the title. There will now be a hero living in Macallan, and this will help develop the city. Am I right, Lady Chris?”
“You are quite correct.”
A hero’s name carried a vast weight. That was doubly true now since people were uneasy due to rumors of the Great Demon Lord’s resurrection. There were already doomsayers heralding a return to the dark ages when humanity was enslaved by demons.
Everyone was afraid, and desperation caused more fringe ideas to become commonplace; there were rising numbers of people who believed in heretical religions outside the realm of the goddesses, and an uptick in drug users partaking in weed to relieve fear. Therefore, a hero in Macallan would make the town seem safe, and swathes of people would want to move in. It was the same phenomenon that had happened in every country’s capital—the towns that housed heroes were all huge and developed.
So, if Macallan becomes home to a hero...
“We are going to be busy indeed,” Sir Fujiwara commented, almost as if he could read my thoughts.
“We are.”
Huge numbers of people would be flooding into Macallan. It was our chance to grow!
“You look happy’h,” said Nina.
“You will be just as busy as the rest of us, so bear that in mind!” She and I laughed together.
“Ah, Makoto’s back,” I heard Lucy say.
It seemed like the hero of the hour had returned.
“Takatsuki, how was it?” Sasaki asked.
“Hmm, we just talked,” he said, scratching his cheek. This man had just been appointed as a state hero, and now he was here.
He doesn’t look all that strong... And yet...he’d already triumphed over blight monsters twice.
Everyone from the otherworld was incredible.
“What did you talk about?” Lucy pressed.
“Uh, I just told her that I’d do my best as a hero, I guess? She wants us to stay in Horn for a while. Oh, and she made me some tea.”
“Hmm, that’s pretty normal.”
“Right?”
What?! I thought in shock as I registered what he had said. “Mr. Takatsuki! Princess Sophia herself served you tea?!” I demanded.
“Y-Yeah, she did. Is there an issue with that, Christina?”
“Maybe it’s rude to have a princess do that?” Lucy suggested.
“Yeah, but...”
“No, Lucy,” I interrupted. “Not at all...” I glanced around the rest of our group and found that I was the only one surprised.
“Is something the matter, Lady Chris?” asked Sir Fujiwara.
“What’s up, Chris’h?”
“N-No, it is nothing,” I answered. “I was simply surprised...” Maybe I was jumping to conclusions. It would be best to keep it to myself.
A woman of Roses inviting a man to her room and preparing the tea herself...meant that she had feelings for him. It was an old custom of Roses’s noblewomen. Though, it was obsolete, so not many people would indicate attraction in this way anymore. However, my tutors had taught me about the practice, and I’d been warned against doing so to avoid giving a man the wrong impression.
Princess Sophia would likely have had the best tutors in the country, so she would, of course, know of this custom. In other words, it had been intentional.
She had feelings for the Hero of Roses, Makoto Takatsuki. A chill ran down my spine.
I must avoid any possible rudeness toward him.
“You look terrified, Chris’h,” Nina said, glancing at me with worry.
“There is no problem,” I managed to say.
That’s right, no problem at all. Still, this situation was beyond me... I will need to discuss this with Sir Fujiwara, and with Nina too, I decided seriously.
The state hero of Roses, Makoto Takatsuki...may end up as Princess Sophia’s lover.
◇ Makoto Takatsuki’s Perspective ◇
“My esteemed Tackie. I offer my deepest apologies, but I must return to Macallan for a time.”
“We’ll be back in a few days’h,” Nina added.
They had been staying in the capital to assist with the repairs, but they’d be going back to Macallan for a while. While they did, Lucy, Sasa, and I would remain here. Fortunately, the princess had prepared a place for us to stay.
The only thing bothering me was Chris’s behavior.
She knew full well that Fujiyan and I were friends, but she still kept a sense of distance between us.
“Sir Takatsuki, upon your return to Macallan, I shall prepare the best lodgings I can, along with a fare cooked by our finest chefs,” Chris told me. “You may have whatever you desire!”
“S-Seriously, just something normal’s fine.” She was being pretty attentive... Guess my hero title was putting in work.
I’d need to make sure I didn’t get carried away...
The next day, I offered my prayers to Noah and then went out for my morning training. I chose to practice in the garden with the biggest fountain. Still, there are almost no elementals around...
Well, this was Roses Castle, so that wasn’t much of a surprise. Deciding to take Noah’s advice, I turned off my Calm Mind skill.
“Elementals,” I called, hoping to get a feel for the magic without Calm Mind active.
Mana swirled around me.
“Water Magic: Waterball.”
An armful’s worth of water shot from my right hand.
“Yeah...it’s not all that different...”
Maybe I was doing something wrong. Or maybe there just weren’t enough elementals around here. It could even be some influence of the Sacred Deities since they were stronger in the capital.
As I pondered it all, I heard a voice ask, “Hero?”
I turned around to see the former bodyguard standing there. Wait, not “former” anymore.
“Oh, good morning,” I replied.
“You begin your training early. I admire your determination.”
“So do you,” I said. “The patrols must require a lot of effort.”
“Indeed. We never know when a monster may appear, so there is a twenty-four-hour watch.”
That seemed meticulous. Maybe I should help too. After all, I was employed by the country as a hero.
“Incidentally, my role as a bodyguard has been restored, thanks to you! You have my gratitude!”
“Well, it was your job to begin with.”
“Members of my family have served as Roses’s shield for generations. You have allowed me to regain my honor!”
Urgh... So the role I’d taken from him had been really important. I felt so guilty...
However, he didn’t seem to notice my regret. He let out a laugh, and his gaze turned toward the garden, which, like all the other gardens around the castle, was in bloom year-round.
“These spaces are wonderful, no matter how many times I see them.”
“Yeah, they’re pretty,” I replied.
To be honest, I’d only checked the garden for elementals since I didn’t really care about flowers...but when I took another look, it certainly was a sight to behold.
“We must all do our utmost to protect these places.” He spoke softly while almost caressing a flower. There was something surreal about seeing a big burly man doing something so delicate, but I decided to keep my mouth shut and not poke fun.
He was more of a romantic than I’d expected.
“When the Great Demon Lord returns, I shall stand as your shield.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” After all, my defenses were like tissue paper, while the old-timer had walked away after taking a blight giant’s blow—it would be a huge relief to have him as my shield.
I was still unsure about my strength, and also about what my job as a hero actually entailed, but I figured that I should work together with as many strong people as possible.
As I pondered that, something else came to mind. “Hey, that reminds me, what’s this ‘Northern Front Plan’ that Princess Sophia mentioned?”
Working on that was apparently my first duty as a hero.
“Oh! The plan!” exclaimed the bodyguard. “Hero, are you aware that there is a separate continent from the one we reside on? It lies to the north of us, while we are situated relatively to the west.”
“Uh, I know of it,” I answered, thinking back to my lessons in the Water Temple. “From what I’ve heard, the northern continent is home to a lot of demons and monsters.”
“That’s right. Of the nine demon rulers that once served the Great Demon Lord, three remain. Those demons have dominion over the northern continent.”
I’d heard about that. The land to the north was often called “the demon continent.”
With that context in place, I had some idea about what the plan might involve. “So, then, the Northern Front Plan...”
“Is to preemptively defeat the demon rulers on the northern continent before the Great Demon Lord returns,” finished the bodyguard.
“Oooh...”
It made sense. The Great Demon Lord’s return was their problem—there was no need for the human races to stand around waiting.
Still, exterminating demon rulers! What a prospect. I was getting excited. As a lover of RPGs, something in this plan called to me. However, my current strength wouldn’t be enough, so I’d have to master elemental magic.
“Hero, are you not scared?” the bodyguard asked with a strange look.
“What? Well, I don’t know how powerful these demons are, but I’ll have to train my magic and grow stronger.”
“You seem to be looking forward to it...?” questioned the bodyguard. “Even so, it is heartening to hear you say that.”
Apparently, I looked like I was excited about the impending battle... That wasn’t good...
“Alas, I must return to my patrol,” the old-timer told me.
“Sure. Thanks for all the information.” With that said, I returned to my training.
Though, I still wished that he would speak to me casually, like before.
Makoto, things are going well in Roses.
“You seem to be in a good mood, Noah.”
I spoke with the water goddess, Eir. She’s happy to have you as a hero. Roses has no strong fighters, so she’s honestly overjoyed.
I sighed. “So you can talk with the Sacred Deities.” I’d thought that the wicked gods and the Sacred Deities were enemies.
It was an old war. Why shouldn’t we be able to speak after all this time?
“Well, I guess you’re right...” If enemy nations couldn’t ever communicate after a war, then no one would be able to talk with anyone else. Since the war between the gods had happened so long ago, it seemed that they felt no animosity in speaking to one another.
That’s how it is, said Noah, confirming my thoughts. But you can’t have her blessing, so you’ll have to make do without it.
“I wouldn’t be that greedy. Yours is more than enough.”
Good boy. Now, do your bessst... Noah replied, her voice fading away.
“Hmm...” I folded my arms and looked up at the sky.
The Northern Front Plan... The demon continent... Exterminating the demonic rulers...
Did those things align with what I should be doing as Noah’s (a wicked deity’s) disciple? Fighting against demons felt a bit contradictory to the “wicked” label. The plan also felt a bit roundabout, but it also seemed like an easier path.
Besides, I’ve got no save or reload. There wouldn’t be any save-scumming here. Well, I’d just have to train as hard as I could.
Me, a hero... How would this go?
I thought I heard someone giggling, but maybe it was my imagination.
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