The Fake Hero Defeated the Real Hero

A mundane life no different from others.

If I were to summarize my life in just one sentence, it could be expressed like this.

For someone like me who lived a perfectly average life, neither extraordinary nor lacking, the sole joy of my existence was novels. Despite my strong aversion to reading, I found myself completely immersed after reading a novel recommended by a friend.

The novel my friend recommended was your typical run-of-the-mill fantasy tale.

It was about a hero becoming a warrior and defeating the demon lord.

The only twist was that before the protagonist became a true hero, there was a fake hero pretending to be one, and the amusement stemming from the troubles caused by him captured my heart.

Moreover, the unwavering dedication to training to become stronger despite being belittled as a woman, the resolute mindset, and the journey to finally being acknowledged as a hero—these elements led me to immerse myself wholeheartedly in the work.

The feeling when the story reached its conclusion was incredibly poignant.

Tears streamed down my face.

Some might consider me foolish for shedding tears, but the joy and sense of loss upon the completion of a work that had been with me throughout my life were indescribably profound.

My mind was consumed with thoughts of the novel all day long, and even as I drifted off to sleep, my mind remained fixated on it.

And perhaps that’s why.