Ch.74Knight’s Haven (1)

Now the story of the Seven Heroes is no longer just a simple tale. It has become a thread that binds and connects everyone in the world, transcending generations, nationalities, status, and position.

They say it has even become a popular story across the ocean on other continents.

However, the way people enjoy it differs according to their social status.

Nobles and wealthy merchants are deeply moved by epic poems about the Seven Heroes, frescoes depicting great battles, and sculptures. If they cannot find the artwork they desire, they commission artists to bring it before their eyes.

These include stories of Lady Arianne of Humility cutting down a five-headed wolf with her elegant swordsmanship, or sculptures of William, the Knight of Chastity, driving away seductive female demons with his hammer of justice.

The lower classes, on the other hand, prefer to modify the Seven Heroes stories to their own taste.

They discuss who would make the best romantic couple or rivals, or what might have happened if the heroes had made different choices…

But the most entertaining and interesting topic remains: “Who is the strongest among the Seven Heroes?”

To the clergy and nobility who have a duty to lead the common people, such behavior seems utterly pathetic. It reduces sacred and great victories to simple, childish games.

However, in this article, I would like to point out that this seemingly meaningless debate actually contains the most essential aspect of the hero stories.

It is the question of “Can a hero emerge even among heroes?”

But first, what is a hero?

Someone who does what ordinary people cannot do, shows courage they cannot muster, and achieves feats they cannot accomplish.

The world calls such a person a hero. So a hero is not an ordinary person. They cannot be.

Let us change the angle of the question. Here we have a gathering of heroes. These are people who by all appearances deserve to be called heroes.

Among them, can there be a hero—that is, a hero among heroes?

Yes, there can be.

Ah, I can already hear the protests from readers. “Who are you to say? Were you there?” voices of objection.

I admit it. I am not a hero. I am merely an old and weak professor, crumbling away.

Instead of protecting the world, I have guarded scrolls of parchment filled with knowledge. Instead of wielding a sword to behead enemies, I have transferred knowledge with clean parchment and iron pens.

Rather than fighting villains, I have protected valuable knowledge passed down from ancestors against the threats of dust, mites, moisture, and moths.

I may not have created great knowledge like my ancestors, but I take pride in being able to pass on their knowledge to future generations without a single error.

But even someone as inadequate as myself understands the principles of nature. Water flows from high to low, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and all living things age, grow old, and eventually die.

That is why I know that even among heroes, a hero can emerge. Heroes are human, and humans follow the principles of nature.

Earlier, we called a hero someone who transcends the limitations of ordinary people. Limitations are, therefore, an essential prerequisite for a hero to emerge.

Of course, not everyone who transcends limitations becomes a hero.

There must be a reason to exceed those limitations, a justification that resonates with many people’s hearts, and it must benefit the world.

If one kills a hundred enemies with a single sword, they might be a hero, but if they kill a hundred innocent people, they are merely a crazed murderer.

If all these conditions are met, can one become a hero?

No. One most important thing remains.

Comparison.

For a hero to be truly recognized as a hero, there must be comparison. Comparison with oneself.

“In comparison to oneself,” achieving success despite adverse situations, boldly doing “what one could not do before,” and somehow moving forward step by step “in situations where one would normally give up.”

What is the theme that never fails to appear in hero stories? Jealousy and envy. These too cannot exist without comparison.

Villains often possess power, influence, and wisdom superior to or equal to the hero’s.

But after endless “comparison,” they suffer from endless “inferiority.” “I am better than you in every way, so why can you do it when I cannot?”

That is why great villains hate fate and march toward destruction. Less sophisticated villains try to satisfy their petty pride by eliminating those superior to them.

At the foundation of all this lies “comparison.”

By quite fortunate luck, I had the honor of meeting the Seven Heroes directly and documenting their stories.

At that gathering, when asked to name the greatest among them, the Seven Heroes chose “Arius of Temperance” without hesitation.

Everything was carried out under Arius’s command, responsibility, and decisions.

That is why His Holiness the Pope did not hesitate to call Arius “The Apostle of Temperance.”

Temperance is the most important virtue among the seven virtues. Temperance means controlling and governing oneself. To lack temperance means to have lost control over oneself.

All virtues, when excessive, inevitably bring about harm. Excessive love becomes obsession, excessive charity becomes waste, and excessive chastity not only prevents leaving descendants but also forces one to live a lifetime of sensitivity.

The virtue of properly adjusting and balancing these virtues—the virtue of all virtues—lies in temperance.

– Why “Temperance” Takes Priority, by Professor Osrant Koch, Department of Literature, Imperial Southern Academy.

* * * * *

It had already been six days since Kain arrived in Grönbruck, where the Imperial Southern Academy is located. Tonight would be his last night here, and it would be a very special night for Kain.

Because it would be the first time he slept alone.

For three days, he had slept in a four-person room with two others, and for two days, he had shared a bed with Lily.

Had Lily not pledged her knightly honor, something untoward might have happened. But she was knightly, and Kain was gentlemanly, so there was nothing to regret.

Although Kain had experienced many petty and embarrassing moments until then, the joy outweighed the shame, and the pride exceeded the embarrassment.

That’s why Kain sat at his desk with a cheerful heart. It was to write a report for Anna.

Of course, he would have liked nothing more than to crawl under the goose-feather duvet right away. His whole body still ached. His forearms were still covered in bruises.

Still, Kain was happy. Happy that he was improving day by day. He was confident that if he continued to train and discipline himself like this, he wouldn’t be far behind in a rematch with the Knight of the Scabbard.

A moment later, Kain put down his quill pen. He had no idea where to begin his report.

While he had resolved many questions in Grönbruck, he had also discovered many more.

Swordsmanship.

The most curious issue was about swordsmanship.

‘It was the second day, I think.’

* * * * *

On the first day, everyone was exhausted. When they left the carriage at the post office and removed the yokes from the tired horses, Kain was so exhausted he could have slept standing up.

Still, he had to report to the Grönbruck branch chief. The carriage needed to be stored immediately. The branch chief brightened immediately upon hearing they had come from Emmaus.

“That’s right.”

“I’ve been hearing strange rumors. That the Lady of Humility died, the city was in ruins, and monsters descended from the sky to the ground.”

Kain silently looked at the branch chief. The branch chief knew the Security Bureau rules too, so he just shrugged.

Since the rule ‘Don’t be concerned with matters you don’t need to know’ was one that every branch and every agent had to strictly observe.

“It’s difficult to speak without higher instructions. But yes, there was chaos. I’m not sure about monsters, but buildings in the city collapsed and Arianne did die.”

These two facts could be objectively confirmed and would have already spread throughout the Empire through various channels. The Knights. The clergy. And others…

“I didn’t call you to confirm that. I called because there’s something you need to know. Don’t tell anyone else that you came from Emmaus. Half the people in the city would come running to you immediately. Do you understand what I’m saying? Rumors are spreading quickly.”

“How is the Security Bureau preparing?”

“By planting nonsense.” The branch chief snorted. “Stories about monsters descending, the land being destroyed, angels coming down from heaven blowing the trumpet of the Commander of Jericho. Of course, the Empire, the clergy, and the knights officially give no response. Just ‘We cannot confirm.’ You know why?”

“Because that would make rumors spread more easily. ‘Since even the authorities won’t confirm it, there must be something to it, and since they can’t deny it, it must be true.’ Something like that. Isn’t this to minimize the shock?”

“Agents from the capital are indeed different.” The branch chief folded his arms.

“There were too many witnesses, and the aftermath was too great. Good heavens. Emmaus, of all places. It’s impossible to hide. The Security Bureau decided to contaminate the information instead.

By the time news of what really happened in Emmaus spreads throughout the Empire, people will be unable to distinguish what’s real and what’s fake, and they’ll accept the investigation result that ‘buildings collapsed due to ground weakening caused by groundwater leakage.’ Because that’s more rational.”

Not denying, acknowledging what should be acknowledged, but minimizing confusion. Kain nodded. If you’re going to get beaten anyway, it’s better to take it gently.

“I’d like to keep you here longer and find out exactly what happened, but you look like you might die of overwork standing up. Have you decided where to go?”

“I plan to stay in the city for a while. There’s a lot I need to look into. Is there a good place to sleep comfortably?”

To Kain’s tired question, the branch chief scratched his chin.

“Haven’t you been to this city before?”

“I have. But I was just passing through and only stayed for one night.”

“This is where all the wealthy young people in the Empire flock to. Art aspirants who don’t have the grades for the capital’s academy but have plenty of money. Just because they do art doesn’t mean they have refined spirits. Anyway, even decent boarding houses won’t be cheap. What identity are you planning to use?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Then take this and find Count Edessa.” The branch chief handed him a letter of credit. On the surface, it contained impeccable content.

‘The bearer of this letter of credit is a trusted worker of the OOO Company, sponsored by the XXX Count’s family in the capital, so please see to it that there is no inconvenience in the name of Count XXX…’ and so on.

All real people and actual companies. Of course, the OOO Company is just one of many companies under the Security Bureau’s control, like the company established by Boehm and Bom.

“Who is he?”

“A self-proclaimed writer. Though he hasn’t published anything.” The branch chief clicked his tongue in disdain.