The afternoon sun bathed the kingdom’s bustling market streets in a soft, golden hue, casting long shadows of merchants setting up their stalls. The only sign of rain left were the puddles that were on the ground.

Nait took in the sights around him, this being his first time really taking in what the empire had to offer, his eyes darting from colorful fabrics fluttering in the breeze to the exotic fruits piled high in baskets. Claudia moved at a slower, deliberate pace, her steps steady and confident, occasionally glancing down at Nait with a faint smile. She carried herself with a quiet dignity, her posture straight as if she were a noble that learned etiquette in her younger years.

The air was thick with the smell of freshly baked bread and roasting meats, mingling with the scent of spices that filled the market stalls. Nait’s eyes lit up when he passed by a stall selling pastries, his gaze lingering on a pile of sweet buns glazed with honey. Claudia pretended not to notice his interest and continued walking (there will be time to enjoy the food later), her pace unchanged as she led them through the busy streets.

She entered a furniture store that had a lot of pricy products on display. Nait thought she was only there to browse but she actually ordered two couches, a coffee table and an extra bed (no doubt meant for him. Since the purchase wasn’t as easy as taking it out of the store, she gave the manager the address for the furniture to be shipped to (the Berkley Mansion) which caused a lot of raised brows. Mistaking that she was the mistress of the duke, the manager, flustered, assured her that he’ll have the furniture delivered in under a day, which she merely chuckled to and said it’s fine.

Nait asked how she could afford all this and was told “Miss Anna gave me money for the house’s furniture”. Not lent, but she was given the money… It was really convenient being the one who raised the heir of a duke house.

After leaving the store with her papers proving she made the purchase, Claudia headed for a supermarket where she bought a lot of groceries. Normally this was left up to the servants but Claudia told Nait that she told them she wanted to make something tonight by herself and wanted to shop for ingredients. Unlike Teresa who was a completely amateur at cooking, Claudia wouldn’t need help so the household chefs were already told to stay out of the kitchen tonight and relax while she made the food for everyone.

He was certain she was just bored. A woman at her age with no friends, lover or occupation (yet), what else could she do besides read all day and help do the chores around the mansion?

Nait knew she’ll begin with the food immediately after getting home even though it was only noon.

The two of them reached a corner of the market where the noise dulled, and the aromas of food became more distinct. There, a quaint café with wooden tables set beneath a canopy of flowering vines offered a peaceful respite. Claudia guided Nait to one of the empty tables, gesturing for him to sit. The boy eagerly obeyed, his small legs dangling off the chair as he took in the view of the market from their new vantage point.

The café was a quiet retreat from the market’s chaos, with only a few other patrons seated nearby, sipping from mugs and nibbling on pastries. Since this district was so elevated compared to the rest of the regions in the city, the café tables overlooked the north and eastern side of the empire. One could even see the World Tree in the distance from here.

Even though it had rained just an hour ago, the chairs and tables luckily weren’t wet, most likely due to some kind of magic that regularly dries them during such weather.

Claudia settled herself into a chair opposite Nait, her eyes softening as she allowed herself to relax in the calm atmosphere. “Ahhh~” Claudia fanned herself after putting all the bags down.

Nait picked up the menu, dazed by all the delicious pictures of everything being sold there.

Claudia asked him after a while what he wanted out of the variety of food being sold there. He hesitated which to choose so she ended up buying one of each, coming out to a total of six different treats, leaving the waiters bewildered. She only bought herself a sweet honey-filled loaf while Nait had six snacks to munch on with his beverage.

A server soon brought over their ordered snacks—several small plates of delicate pastries, along with a cup of warm tea for Claudia and a sweet drink for Nait.

He felt guilty for having that much so he gave her one of his own, which she accepted with a small chuckle.

Nait, his fingers slightly sticky from a honey bun he had selected, bit into it eagerly, his eyes still wide with excitement. The woman watched him with a serene expression, her own hand resting on the teacup as she took slow, measured sips. The moment seemed to stretch on, a quiet pause amid the bustling day. The market’s distant sounds faded into the background as the two shared their snacks in silence, Claudia occasionally glancing around the café as if to appreciate the stillness, while Nait’s focus remained entirely on his treat.

The sun continued its slow ascent in the sky, casting a warm glow over their table, the soft chatter of other patrons and the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze adding to the calm. Time passed unhurriedly, with Nait enjoying the company of an extremely beautiful woman and munching on his snacks.

He noticed that there was a building across the street that was being constructed. There were a lot of construction workers, all of them tall and strong. Nait envied their physiques and compared it to his own.

He prayed in his heart that his puberty will make him big and strong like them. Of course, while a strong physique was important, what mattered was how dedicated you are to your training.

Take Nova for example. He was quite muscular but at the same time lean and fit. Yet there were adventurers who were way bigger than him who weren’t nearly as strong as he was. He took down an S-class Frost Giant with only his physical strength!

Intimidating your enemies with your size was something Nait wanted to do but he also wanted the strength to back it up!

Nait looked back at Claudia who was quietly sipping her tea and watching the empire below.

She suddenly spoke, “I’ve been living as a countryside girl for all my life and have always dreamt of coming here for work with my family. This country… its endless opportunities for even peasants, the places you could go to on a date with your loved one and the safety that its walls and armies provide… This is what I’ve been yearning for all my life.” She glanced at him, “But life is expensive. I couldn’t just up and leave when I had been living such a comfortable and humble life. Instead, I waited and saved most of what I had received over the years in order to buy a house in the empire and never having to look over my shoulders again even when hanging our wet clothes outside.”

Nait silently listened.

“I feared for my children’s lives daily when I was at work, even more so when demons mysteriously appeared near our village. Were it not for Norn’s bravery, the adventurers never would’ve come to save us. We could not even rely on our fief lord because what benefit was there in keeping that village safe when we had nothing to offer him? Well…” she leaned back, “We managed to convince the duke to replace that corrupt fief lord so two good things came out of it.”

While she was talking by herself, Nait had been staring at her in a daze. He watched her every expression and how her lips moved as her melodic voice echoed in his head.

Claudia leaned forward again but this time onto the table with her arms. Her cleavage was completely visible at this angle.

She called out to him with a pout.

“Ah?” Nait snapped out his daze.

“Are you even listening? Your mind is always wandering whenever we talk! Oh no, don’t tell me your attention-span is short? This will affect your education later on!” she truly sounded panicked.

“N-No, that’s not it!”

“ADHD?”

“No!” he shouted with a blush.

“Then what? It’s rude to not pay attention to me you know. You’re going to make this auntie sad.”

“It’s…” he blushed and fidgeted with his fingers. This was the first time she had confronted him about his mind wandering. Previously she’d just laugh it off or pull his nose with a pout for not listening.

Nait wasn’t that great at conversating so he had no way to lie.

Did this matter that much to her?

Judging by her intense stare, it was.

“…It’s you, Miss Claudia…” he gulped hard and decided to just speak.

“E-Eh?”

“It’s because you’re b-beautiful, Miss Claudia that I can’t help but stare at you in a daze!”

“N-Nait…” Claudia glanced around when Nait’s yell made everyone around them look to their table.

‘You know what… I’ll just do it right here…’

Nait got up and took her hand.

“I-I mean… it’s not a big deal or anything! You probably didn’t even notice, but… I just… I just think you’re really amazing, Miss Claudia…” His voice wavered in a high pitch, and he glanced up at her, then quickly looked away.

Claudia raised an eyebrow, still not entirely sure where he was going with this. “Nait?”

He swallowed hard, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he tried to push the words out. “It’s just… w-well, you're always so cool, and you do things so easily, and, uh, you probably don’t think about it but… you’re r-really pretty! And, um, I know I’m not, like… someone you’d notice or anything, but I… I kind of… like you…”

“Nait… I…”

“Y-You don’t have to say anything, Miss Claudia! I j-just wanted to tell you how I feel b-before it’s too late…”

“Nait, sit down first and listen. Please.” He did as she said and almost immediately, she grabbed his hand and looked him in the eye with a serious expression, “…First of all, a confession is always a big deal. It means you like that person and want to spend your whole life with them. I don’t know how to say this to make sense to anyone other than myself but… I’d like nothing more than to give myself to a man who truly loves me despite how little I have to offer. Ever since I had Teresa as a naïve young girl who followed her soldier husband around wherever he went, I’ve become less picky over who I want to be with. Nait… If you were just a bit older then I would’ve accepted you on the spot. I need a man, not a boy with dreams too big for him to achieve on his own.

You want to save others, become a hero but you were not born special or into an influential family that guarantees stability for your future. I need that kind of man, Nait. Doing things on my own is scary, and with two children who have never helped me raise them, the burden is more than I can handle some days. When you asked me out, I didn’t know what to say. You’re sweet, kind—but you’re only 10. No job, no real experience in anything, no understanding of what it means to take care of a woman who is willing to care for you as well.

I’m already drowning in responsibility, and while your words are sincere, I need more than that. I need stability. I need someone who can shoulder the weight with me, not add to the uncertainty. Just for a few more years until Norn is old enough to leave the house. Maybe one day you’ll get there—maybe one day you’ll be the man who can offer the security I need. But right now? I can’t afford to take that chance. These have been my worries for years since my husband died. Maybe it will change now that we’re in the empire that offers limitless opportunities. Maybe Norn or Teresa will marry someone who will help me financially down the road as well—"

Nait’s head was lowered when Claudia looked at him. He was staring at their intertwined fingers blankly. Yes, even as he was being rejected, she still held his hand.

“Or maybe…” Nait looked back up, “I could catch the eyes of a young master who will offer me what I seek…” she smiled bitterly.

He knew what that smile meant.

Acceptance. But why? She was only in her early thirties so surely there’s enough time for her to fall in love again?

Nait stopped that train of thought. It would hurt him too much to see her in a relationship with another man, much less know she fell in love with anyone other than him.

He knew he was being selfish.

You could say this behavior of his was unlike that of a child…

“Nait, perhaps—no, you will definitely find a girl who will win your heart either with her cuteness or charming personality. I know for a fact that anyone girl would be lucky to be with you.” Claudia put one hand on his cheek, “Brave, smart, adaptable, altruistic… These are the qualities I’ve seen over the years that I’ve watched you grow as your neighbor. You are nothing like other children who would rather play in the dirt, play tag or House. You seek ways to become strong.” She put her remaining hand on his other cheek, “That is the kind of man I seek, Nait, aside from stability but you… you are a child. If your love is still there in maybe five years and I am still on my own—ask me to be your wife again. I will marry you on the spot.”

“…You will…?”

A warm but playful smile appeared on her face. That gave him his answer.

Just then, a shadow loomed over them. Nait glanced up, noticing how the building across the street—under renovation—now seemed to tower ominously in the fading daylight. The scaffolding shook slightly as construction workers moved about, oblivious to the subtle groaning sounds of the structure. Well, most of them were using power tools—a dwarven creation—that were quite noisy.

“Alright then~” Claudia’s serious expression vanished, replaced by her cheery self, “Let’s finish up our snacks and head back to the—"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Claudia, still smiling, was about to finish her sentence when the air was pierced by the sharp creak of bending metal. Nait barely had time to react as the faint groaning turned into a violent snap. The entire building shuddered, and before either of them could comprehend the danger, the collapsing structure gave way.

“AHHHHH! RUN!” passersby shouted.

Was its collapse slow or fast during those moments that would decide if they live or die? Nait couldn’t tell. The falling debris had already crushed several people but his only concern was—

“Claudia!” Nait shouted, instinctively throwing himself toward her as bricks, beams, and debris began to rain down from above. The sky darkened as the building came crashing down, its shadow consuming them both. A sickening crack echoed, and Nait felt Claudia's body collapse against him before falling into a ditch that was created by the collapsing building’s weight.

From an outsider’s perspective, the collapsing building caused a landfall—the debris continued falling down below, killing several people and horses that were pulling carriages.

Back to the scene itself—

Dust filled the air, choking him as he struggled to push the heavy rubble away to get down to Claudia. He didn’t realize immediately that his own legs were crushed. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging as he frantically tried to move to get down to her.

A light suddenly shone from above his head into the ditch when the collapsed building—or more like its remains—stopped moving.

The weight of the world settled on him as the dust cleared, and Claudia’s corpse—head crushed, arms snapped, body flat—lay beneath the wreckage, her playful smile gone forever.

“Ahhh…!” the weight bearing down on Nait’s lower body increased but he wasn’t screaming from the pain. His deafening screams drowned out the screams of others who were also being crushed by the debris.

Perhaps due to the mischievousness of fate, Claudia’s remaining eyeball was looking straight at Nait while he could only scream until his throat bled.

Nait thrashed around under all that debris that was balanced a second ago, which suddenly moved at that moment due to his impulsiveness.

It suddenly went dark as the debris began crushing Nait’s entire body. The pain came for a moment but suddenly went away when Nait’s vision went dark completely.

…

…

…

—Arise, human boy. Your fate is not yet expired. Its fragments remain in my control but only for a set period of time… So wake up before it's too late!

A powerful voice reached Nait’s ears.

The sound of a water droplet woke him up. He was standing in the middle of a vast ocean that was shallow enough for him to walk on. Unlike the sky he usually saw, he could see golden clouds amidst a yellow sky. There wasn’t a single shadow as far as the eye could see, not even his own.

Hold on, he was alive?

He looked up, spotting a titanic creature.

It was a dragon; its wings spanning several kilometers with a head the size of a palace. This particular dragon had glorious white scales, black claws, ocean-blue eyes and several horns on its head. Each of its teeth was probably bigger than Nait himself.

“Eek.” Nait fell down in the water when he noticed how gigantic it was. There was nothing to compare its whole body to, only parts of it. Yes, it was that big.

The dragon’s majestic aquamarine-like eyes gazed down at Nait. With a voice as loud as a storm but gentle as a melody, it spoke:

Nait tried to speak but nothing came out, as if his body was unable to do so while in front of this thing it recognized as a monstrosity. Maybe it knew what he wanted to say and replied.

“Your dream is to become a hero, no? Then you surely desire power?”

‘….’

“I shall take your silence as a yes. However, with this power comes responsibility that you should uphold as determined by your fate, a fate I was able to acquire in time when fate itself as a whole was robbed from the divine realm.”

‘Fate was… robbed from the divine realm…?’

As if it heard his thoughts, the dragon replied: “Fate was once whole like a glass but through the malevolence of another, it shattered, scattering through the divine realms like shards. I was fortunate enough to acquire a piece of that power myself since I wanted to seek a successor before it was too late.” It pointed its large claw at Nait, “You.”

“….”

“I shall share a fraction my gift of power, but I will need something from you too. Fortunately for both of us, our interests align.”

Nait stared unblinkingly at the titanic dragon.

“Should you accept this power… you will assist that which you want to become but is unattainable except to a few—a hero. I have long waited for this moment to give my power to a suitable candidate after my unfortunate imprisonment by a certain someone. Unfortunately for me, the first suitable candidate was stolen from me. Those 18 years feel like a century in this prison .”

“I-I don’t understand…!” Nait was finally able to speak, “W-What’s going on…?”

The dragon closed its eyes and bowed its head, “Forgive me. I was so focused on my own interests and failed to consider your confusion. Rest assured, you will be able to communicate with me later on and will hear everything in full detail since I am still alive and not a soul like the one who stole my first successor from me.” That last part was spat out like venom.

Did he hate this other person who stole that successor from him?

“…Let me rephrase what I just said: I will be able to communicate with you eventually, since my actions here will no doubt rouse the ire of the one who trapped me here or rather their spell keeping me imprisoned. That cursed magic user… It’s no wonder even the gods fear them.”

“…Uhm…”

“Apologies. I’ll explain what I meant earlier by controlling your fate.” A small wisp appeared next to Nait when the dragon pointed at him, “That is your scattered fate that came to be when the Fate Goddess was revoked of her role in the divine realm. It is the energy that determines your place in the nine realms. I can manipulate your existence itself using it. If you died and there were others who knew you, I can make it so that they’ve forgotten about you. On the contrary, I can manipulate your existence as if your death didn’t occur at all and you just woke up and had breakfast with everyone even though you died a day prior. I’ve heard Highborn refer to this control as a “bug” of some sort that grants you “administrator rights”. As I am not the fate goddess, I can only do so much.”

“Does this mean I can go back…? I can see Miss Claudia again…?”

“….” The dragon frowned (?), “Boy, I said I can only determine your existence in the nine realms, not those around you. You will survive your unfortunate death but whoever died in that same place will still be dead.”

“No… No… Ahhh… Ahhhh!” Nait fell on his knees. “No! Give her back! Tell me who has her fate!” he screamed up at the dragon.

"Assuming she is one of the mortals whose fate was unfortunate enough to shatter when a large piece of the fate was broken, affecting the destinies of many mortals and gods, you would need to confront the God of Death about this matter," the dragon said calmly. "All that I, the great one, can offer you is power."

“…Confront the… Death God?”

The mythical all-powerful being who controls the destiny of trillions of souls. Every child hears about this absolute god through their bedtime stories. His control over the River of Souls is what makes him the most powerful and feared god.

“If any being could collect the majority of the ‘scattered fates’, it would be him.”

“How do I get to him!?”

“You are willing to bargain with the most powerful god? What is this woman worth to you that you would fight for her existence in the nine realms itself?”

That’s right. Why be willing to go this far for someone who can be replaced?

--You are merely ten years old. How can you know the worth of something?

He heard his own voice tell him that.

Why was this woman so special to him?

Claudia…

Claudia…

“!” Nait’s eyes widened when he realized how his love came to be—

The same name. The same face. The same gentle eyes. The same long hair that carried a distinct flowery scent that always made unknown memories flood into his head.

The name, eyes and hair and face of another woman but the same woman at the same time. Nait closed his eyes, imagining the figures of two women, both identical to one another. They started as toddlers, then preteens, then teenagers, and finally young women.

They were almost indistinguishable when put together.

Nait~

Two voices called out to him, both sounding the same.

Nait’s tears fell down his cheeks, onto his trembling hands.

“I…I remember…” he looked up at the dragon, “I was—”

“There is no need to explain any further. I understand your devotion. Now stand up and hold your head up high for it is a noble goal.”

Nait sniffled and hurriedly stood up after wiping his face.

“You must understand this before I give you my power: the Taelith Family will attempt to hunt you down, for in their eyes there is only one true dragon monarch, and that is my brother. They are not genetically modifying ancient dragon offspring for the sake of preserving its species, but to build an army to kill all the monarchs in the future, you as well. Only one will remain, and that is the Head of the Taellith House, a title that remains empty to this day.”

The Taelith Family… the most feared and oldest noble household in Diacree. They were known as the “Family of Dragons” due to their special ability to tame dragons and absorb their souls.

“H-How strong will I become once I accept this power!?” Nait couldn’t care less about the dangers of this power. He had already steeled his heart to accept both the benefits and consequences without issue if he were to obtain power to make him a hero.

Yes, even if it’s a shortcut to power—he will take it without regret. In the end, what mattered to him wasn’t the journey and feeling of accomplishment from achieveing the power all on his own. What matters is that he has the power to save others, have his name sung in legends and die a hero.

The dragon went “hmm” as it thought about his question.

“It is prophesized that, as a dragon, passing your power down to a new generation in turns makes them stronger than you could ever become. If you live to a certain age, which is no doubt beyond that of a mortal’s lifespan, you will surpass even the Failed King in might, who is said to be more powerful than the Demon King.”

‘I-I’ll become stronger than the Demon King!?’

Of course, that’s if he lives long enough as the dragon said.

“Open your heart and ready your will for this power will no doubt crush your soul if you are not ready for it.”

An ominous black energy surrounded the dragon and turned into a ball of pure energy that it grasped with its claw and held out to Nait.

“This is but a fraction of my true power but it will help you grow. If I were to give you everything, your existence itself will crumble, so I will turn you into a dragonkin instead.”

Nait took in the pressure being emitted by this absolute powerful being in front of him. He gulped before stepping forward into the ball of energy. It went into his chest. There was no pain. In fact, he felt nothing…

He suddenly felt drowsy and his eyes were heavy.

“Once you are outside, seek out the Goddess of Darkness’ incarnation. She will lead you to the God of Death.”

“…E…h?”

The dragon’s voice sounded distant and Nait realized that he was looking up at the yellow sky. He felt water surround his whole body.

“—Do not worry about finding her. I will adjust your fate so that it becomes inevitable for the two of you to meet. After that, your fate will no doubt leave my temporary control so it will be up to you to decide how you will use your fate from now on.”

Suddenly going “Ah!” the dragon spoke again, his voice even more distant, “Remember that from now on, you will assist the God’s Champion, the possessor of Golden Aura, as his mount. You will come to know of him and you will most certainly help him even without me telling you this, but just know who you are, who you are meant to be when you accepted this power—"

…

…

Screams could be heard from all around.

Nait was standing right across the street, a safe distance away from the destruction.

All he could think about at that moment was Claudia. Even if he couldn’t save her, the least he could do was take her body to a church so that is can be blessed with holy water (this will preserve her body for a while so that Nait can get started on his quest to meet the Death God). The hardest part of all this was knowing Claudia’s daughters and Luke’s feelings will feel fake. The funeral will be fake and the condolences will be fake.

But would Nait ruin it by telling them all he knew how to get her back?

It was something he would never think of doing…

After arriving at the site, he threw away all the concrete, steel beams and meta—which probably weighed a few tons individually—effortlessly using his newfound power.

He recalled her crushed body which made him pause and grip a steel beam in frustration. The steel beam was crushed under that pressure. Calming himself down by repeatedly inhaling and exhaling, Nait finally saw Claudia’s heel under all that rubble. All of the heavy stuff was out of the way so it should be easier to pull her out.

Thank god some black smoke had covered her from head to toe, making it impossible to see her face.

Nait was oblivious to the blank stares he was receiving.

“Y-Young man!” someone suddenly called out from behind him just when he was about to pull Claudia out, “Please save my granddaughter!” an old woman pleaded on her knees while crying, “She’s going to run out of air under the rubble! Y-You’re strong, right?”

‘Strong…’ Nait looked around and finally noticed that everyone surrounding him was looking right at him.

The survivors were lucky enough to only be trapped under the debris and not crushed like many others.

Luck wasn’t on his or Claudia’s side today, though.

Nait smiled confidently.

He didn’t know whether people in need could tell a fake smile from a real one.

All that mattered was to reassure them that he will save everyone no matter what and that they don’t have to cry anymore.

The old woman cried harder though as she grabbed his hand. He squeezed hers in turn.

Nait hadn’t realized it before—his words, his smile, they were meaningless. What reassured her wasn’t what he said but what he was. His hand, now strong, was what she clung to. She believed in his strength after what she just witnessed when he pulled Claudia out.

Without another word, Nait let go and moved toward the source of the muffled cries he could sense beneath the wreckage. His newfound senses—sharp and raw—felt almost unnatural, allowing him to pinpoint survivors trapped under layers of debris.

Four of them, he noted grimly. The weight of their lives pressed heavier on him than the rubble ever could.

He arrived at the spot, and his heart sank. A massive chunk of the building—twisted metal, shattered concrete—was slowly crushing what little was left supporting it. The trapped people had only moments left.

Nait crouched down, muscles taut, his breath steadying. He stared at the wreckage, the weight daunting—tons upon tons—but in that moment, it didn’t matter. His body, trained for this, surged with energy. He could do this. I have to.

With a low groan, Nait began to lift. His legs shook, his arms burned, but his mind focused. “Use your legs, not just your arms,” he muttered to himself. Slowly, the massive structure began to rise.

Gasps filled the air behind him.

“He’s… he’s doing it…”

“That kid… he’s… amazing.”

One by one, the survivors scrambled out from beneath the rubble, eyes wide with disbelief, as if they had just witnessed something impossible. Nait held on until the last of them was free, then, with a final grunt, tossed the building aside. It crashed to the ground with a thunderous boom.

He stood there, drenched in sweat, his muscles trembling from the effort. The heaviest thing he’d lifted before this was a carriage wheel, and now…

Nait looked over at the survivors, their stunned expressions reflecting what he felt.

“A-Are you all okay?” he asked, breathless.

They didn’t answer right away, too busy processing what they’d just seen. And for the first time, it wasn’t the weight of the world that made Nait feel strong—it was their belief in him.

Nait waited, chest rising and falling, as the silence stretched on. The survivors stared at him like he was something more than human—like he was something more than just a kid with borrowed strength. He didn’t know how to feel about that. His muscles ached, his body screamed for rest, but that wasn’t what weighed on him.

It was the fragile hope in their eyes.

One of the survivors, a young girl covered in dust and bruises, took a hesitant step forward. She couldn’t have been more than ten, her wide eyes brimming with awe. She tugged at Nait’s sleeve, her small voice breaking the quiet.

“Are you… a hero?”

Nait blinked. A hero? His heart raced. He opened his mouth to answer, but no words came. He wasn’t sure if he deserved that title. He wasn’t someone grand or legendary. He was just a boy trying to help—trying not to fail. But in this moment, what could he say? He didn’t want to disappoint her.

Kneeling down to her level, Nait met the girl’s gaze. “I’m just doing what I can,” he said softly, his voice still shaky from the strain. “I’m not sure if that makes me a hero. But… I’d like to be known as one someday.”

The girl’s eyes softened, and without hesitation, she threw her arms around him. Her embrace was small, but it was filled with gratitude, warmth, and something Nait didn’t expect—faith.

“Thank you,” she whispered into his shoulder, and for the first time, Nait felt something stronger than the weight of buildings or rubble. It was the weight of trust—a trust he hadn’t asked for, but one that was given freely.

The other survivors, seeing the moment, slowly gathered around. The older woman who had cried so helplessly before now stood straighter, the tremble in her hands gone. She didn’t say anything, but the way she looked at him—like she believed in him—was enough.

If this little strength could help him save a few, imagine how many he’ll save once he grows stronger…

The crowd suddenly parted, revealing a unit of knights who hurriedly ran over. They had witnessed the boy’s actions from afar and could only watch in silence as he performed the tasks they were responsible for.

“Excuse me, excuse me!” a squire girl ran up to Nait, accompanied by knights behind her who came to rescue those who were trapped. She looked no older than 14 nad had a dull iron sword at her hip.

“What’s your name?” she asked as her eyes sparkled.

Looking around, it seemed everyone else was eager to know it as well as they silently stared at him with smiles.

“I-It’s…” Nait, faced with this many eyes, felt like he was being crushed by their pressure.

Suddenly a hand gripped his shoulder, a gauntleted hand, a powerful hand….

“Seconds can determine if a life can be taken.” His voice itself was powerful, less than that of Nova but still a voice of the strong, “You prevented the inevitable from happening. For that, we cannot let you go without knowing your name.”

Nait looked up at that man, seeing nothing but admiration in his eyes.

“My name is… It’s Nait!”

A grin appeared on the man’s face, “You will make a fine knight one day, Nait.”

A sparkle appeared in Nait’s eyes as something like that was said to him by a real knight.