CHAPTER 40

JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES

Hans had finished reading the report and found it intriguing. “Maybe there's something else interesting too... how about nodes…” He began searching for more files to read when Kai interrupted him, “Master Hera wants to see you.”

“Coming.” He knew Kai didn’t like him very much, but his professional attitude was something he wanted in Vanir. But sadly, that minion of his was nowhere around to take an example.

Knocking on the open door, Hans entered Hera’s office. “So, how have you been?” Hera asked without even glancing up from the reports she was reading.

“Unproductive but fine…” he responded, “Can I ask what you're reading? You seem really intense—

“We were preparing for your seniors’ graduation test when we were ambushed by some commander-grade red demons. Our forces took a hit, so they're currently using healing potions. I was just approving their use,” Hera explained.

“Hmm!” Hans stood up instantly. “Guess I should show off a bit. I can heal them quickly. Gather them in an open space.”

“Weren't you more of an attack type?” Hera inquired, “I thought your regeneration was limited to yourself.”

“I’m ‘everytype’, ma’am,” He replied, confident.

“If you can save me money on potions, I'll give you a nice gift,” Hera offered and Hans perked up at the mention of a freebie. He urged her to quickly summon everyone outside.

Soon the castle's training ground was filled with people. Several injured individuals awaited, broken limbs, bandaged wounds, and every imaginable injuries.

“Are you sure you can do this, kiddo?” Hera cautioned. “My nose is on the line here,”

“Don’t worry,” Hans reassured “My words are heavy as gold,”

“That's an old proverb for someone so young,” Hera remarked with a smile.

“I hear that a lot. Is this everyone?” He asked, receiving a nod from Hera in return. “Phew!” He exhaled, his eyes glancing at the bright sun above barrier. “This guy is doing me a favour too.” With his hand stretched high, he called.

“ParadiseGarden”

A pulse of golden light emanated from him and enveloped the training ground. It resembled the Sunfield sanctuary he had used before, so Hera was concerned that it might impact their sunstone crystal, but instead of ravaging energy, it was soft and mild, so she didn’t interrupt him.

Small sprouts and fibrous flowers emerged all over the ground, their fibres slithering towards each injured person and infusing them with energy.

The phenomenon worked wonders; bones mended, and injuries healed visibly, even faster than the effects of healing potions. Everyone looked on in awe at Hans; they were speechless, feeling as if they were in the presence of divine mana.

“He can use divine mana?” Kai flustered, asked what everyone doubted.

“It's not divine mana that negates the injuries. He's simply accelerating their healing processes... way too fast, even healers aren’t that fast.” Hera explained, her concern still evident as she realised that Hans might be using the energy of their sunstone crystal.

Soon Hans finished, and the staff in the control rooms told Hera that there wasn't a significant increase in sunstone output. Getting this positive news finally calmed her, and she approached Hans, playfully ruffling his hair.

“At this rate, you might become a permanent resident here, little one. Look at their eyes; they are practically drooling.” She continued with a sincere smile, “You don’t know how often people get injured here.”

“I've heard that using potions too much can make them less effective over time?” Hans asked.

“Yes, that's why we spend so much on healing potions in every node,” she confirmed.

“So, am I becoming more desirable for the 'Red Monks' now?” Hans teased.

“Even better, I might just keep you here permanently,” Hera said with a serious tone that made Hans shudder. She kept hold of him firmly and finally broke the brief silence, with a mischievous tone, “I promised you a reward—"

“No thanks, please,” Hans interrupted, feeling omnious.

“What’s with your eyes?” She asked, surprised. Hans was looking at her, almost like pleading for her to let him go. She grasped what Hans was hinting: “Molest…what? Puhahaha… never in my life did I think I’d see… Hera Clandor molested a kid.” She couldn't contain her laughter, breaking the tension in the room.

She laughed so hard that people who were stunned by her previous act snapped out of it. Meanwhile, Hans rubbed his flushed cheeks, “She is crazy. I need to get out of here—” His thoughts suddenly halted when he suddenly felt her hand holding his.

It was a soft feeling, a hand that had never held a sword in her life. He was surrounded by knights all over, even Sierra sometimes used a rapier in practice, so everyone had calluses and rough hands. Hers was soft.

She led him inside without resistance. “Sit here, son. So, what else can you do? Fight and heal—are there any surprises I should know about?”

Hans sat down and chugged down the jug on the table. “Healing makes me so thirsty…” he commented casually, knowing this would be enough to fulfil Dietrich’s task. He had been waiting for something like this to happen and shine after all.

However, when Hera asked if he could do more, he couldn’t resist showing off a bit. “I can provide food for an entire army. Defence is where I lack, but I can make up for it with traps,” he continued to boast. Then, remembering the thing he had missed, he added, “I can even create a golem army if I have enough mana stones. That's pretty much it.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“That's practically everything! Offence, logistics, healing, support, and a little bit defence. You're not just needed; you're a treasure chest, kiddo. A treasure chest that's making me feel greedy,” Hera admitted.

“You're not going to keep me here forever, are you?” Hans finally asked what he had been thinking before as he felt her gaze, sensing for the first time her desire to keep him. If she decided, there would be hardly anyone who could convince her otherwise.

“Hmm... I really want to, but I can’t. No, I won’t exploit you. You've already done so much for others. I should let you live your own life, kiddo—”

“What do you mean?” Hans was puzzled. The more he talked with her, the more he lost control of his words. He shouldn’t have told her everything, but it came out naturally. And now the one she needed for the betterment of people under her jurisdiction just came, and she holds the power over him, but she is letting him go this easily.

“Forget about what she feels for me. Letting me go is just a foolish act as the tactician.” Her deep gaze meant apologetic. She had always shown affection and never asked for anything in return. He had always felt her concern and her desire for his peace, as if she knew him well. “What do you mean, I’ve done so much for others?” Hans wanted answers now.

“It's better for you not to know.” She answered.

“Why?”

“Because it never happened.”

“This is getting more confusing, ma’am,” Hans felt irritated. She was avoiding giving a straight answer, leaving him unsatisfied with his curiosity.

Seeing his frown, Hera relented a bit. “There was no way your father could have started a war against Clandor without facing me. He told me what happened in the distant past before this world was reset.”

“A reset?”

“Yes, this world is in a loop. The previous one perished, so your father convinced your Guardian God, Aadya, to turn back time. Your father planned to prevent—"

“The world's demise?” Hans finished her sentence.

“No,” she corrected him, “it was to prevent your, his dear son's death."

“He could plan saving the world, not only me. That’s quite selfish,” Hans criticised immediately, but his words and actions did not match. He was feeling warm inside for some reason. He had only briefly met Samson and heard three words from him: 'good job, son.’ But those words still echoed in his ears time to time when he achieved something.

Recalling that incident and Samson’s undead appearance gave a clenching ache to Hans’s heart. The father whom he didn’t get to meet was now getting exploited even after his death. His mood sank, and Hera caught it.

“What’s with your vibe? It suddenly turned really bad.”

“Nothing. I just remembered I don't have much time. Someone is waiting for me,” He said, lowering his head. But Hera pulled him into an embrace. “Don't push yourself too hard, kiddo, or you'll lose yourself.”

He didn’t struggle, and Hera didn’t let him go for a while until he started to act like before. Meanwhile, a burst of Hans's fame swept through the Concordia node. His ability to heal severe injuries instantly caught the attention of influential figures in the node. Within days, not only the Nodemaster but also two commanders and several captains visited him personally, some to establish a friendly connection while others seeking favours.

They were acting like what people usually do around him, unlike Hera, whose actions were a mystery to him. Despite their intentions, Hans gained significant popularity and was even invited to work in the medical ward, where his skills shone brightly. People started calling him "The Golden Boy" since Nodemaster had crowned him with this name. It suited him when he literally shone golden using Paradise Garden.

For Hans, the node had become like a second home. People there respected and acknowledged him, and even Zephyr, who initially seemed like he might confront Hans aggressively, backed down.

Their relationship even turned friendly, with Zephyr taking the initiative to apologise first. Seeing someone of his status and authority humble themselves was quite remarkable.

Despite Hans initially hesitating, he eventually accepted out of respect for Zephyr's sincerity, which was evident from his persistent efforts to mend their relationship. However, Zephyr remained firm about not selling the scale until Delimira specifically told him so.

Over time, their interactions evolved, leading to their current camaraderie. “So you're really not going to watch the juniors?” Zephyr asked Hans.

“Nope, I already have the winners' names in my head,” Hans replied, gulping down freshly squeezed juice.

“This year’s Glory War is no joke; our Concordia is facing off against the last year's dark horse, Devildom,” Zephyr mentioned.

“So what? Even the Mage Tower and the Knight Association don’t have what it takes to stop my friends—”

“You're awfully confident,” a gentle voice came from behind, and both glanced back quickly. Zephyr patted Hans's back and added, “bye-bye, Junior. Your mother is here—”

“For the love of God, she's not,” Hans quickly interrupted, but Zephyr ignored him and left the chair for Hera to sit. “You spread this, didn't you?” Hans asked her, frowning. He had been hearing people tease him like Zephyr for some time.

“Oh, son, I don’t have that much of a scheming mind. Only weak schemes; powerful people like me just bulldoze in,” she said, showing off her frail-looking fist.

“Haa…whatever, ma’am. Why are you here?” Hans asked, sighing.

“To watch, of course.” Hera pointed at the broadcasting screen.

“Do you have time for that?” Hans asked, puzzled. It had been quite some time since he had seen her after his rampage in the elderwood form, almost as if she had been avoiding him for a few days.

“Yes, I do.” Hera answered, “I worked my butt off so I could see this today.” She asked for a glass of beer, and a recruit brought it in.

“So that’s why she’s been so busy. I thought she gave up.” Hans thought and seeing her overflowing glass he asked, “Can I have some too—”

“Don’t even think about it. Alcohol is bad for your health—”

“But you are drinking it!” Hans quickly retorted.

“That's because her mother is not breathing down her neck, but yours is, Golden boy” the common area manager chimed in, teasing Hans.

“Good words, Neemoy,” Hera clanked her glass with his and cheered. The mood, which had been quiet for a while, became bustling after Hera joined in. She wasn’t one to shy away from a crowd, but before Hans joined in, she preferred not to involve herself with others. In some way, Hans was influencing her.

Seeing them enjoy, Hans just held it in. It was wise not to argue when everyone had it out for you. He showed disinterest, but he was eager to see what changes that three-month training had brought in his friends and how his minion was doing on his own.

He peeked at the screen and got flabbergasted. “What? Chris got defeated? He is at third!” Hans stood from his seat, but his voice was too loud, so the people were startled for a second.

“Is Bernard’s son your friend too? You sure are surprising. Your father would have offed him at first sight—”

“I’m not my father. But that’s not the point,” Hans clapped the table hard. “How the heck that moron got his ass kicked—”

“Hold your mouth, young man.” Hera warned him in a motherly tone while everyone snickered in silence. However, Hans was too busy to mind them. “Chris is someone who could reach grade sixty last year. But now you are telling me he lost to third, not even second place?” Hans mumbled.

Ah! You missed that fight, didn’t you?” Hera asked and answered it herself. “Yes, yes, you were busy in my training ground. I shouldn’t have given you its access. But what can I do? My son asked me—”

“Just give up already.” Hans said nonchalantly. He was looking at the scoreboard and found Chris was defeated by that pervert, Ezekiel.

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