He heard a voice that was difficult to read.
Even disregarding the fact that it was through a mask, it held a very mysterious tone. Even with a mask, as long as the sound was not too thick, it should be possible to somewhat make out the timber of the voice. However, you could make out neither the age nor emotion behind Evileye’s voice. It was barely enough to just recognize the voice as female. It sounded like both an old woman and a young girl, flat and emotionless.
It was because Evileye’s mask was a magic item, but why did she go that far in order to hide her voice?
“You don’t have the talent. Try something else.”
A crude remark, as if that was all that she needed to say.
Climb himself knew at least that much better than anyone.
He did not have any talent for magic. No, not only magic.
No matter how much he swung his sword, no matter how much he bled and hard his hands became from the blisters, he could not reach the level that he wanted. The wall that those with talent would easily overcome, even that became an absolute obstacle that he could not traverse.
Even so, that was not a reason for him to be lazy with his efforts to cross over that wall. As long as he was talentless, the only thing he could do was believe that his efforts will allow him to take at least one step forward.
“It seems you can’t accept it.”
As if she read Climb’s emotions beneath his expressionless iron mask, Evileye continued to speak.
“Those who possess talent have it from the very beginning... Some claim that talent is simply a bud that has yet to bloom and that everyone has it… Hmph. I see it as nothing more than envy. Words like that are so the inferior can console themselves. The leader of those famous thirteen heroes was the same.”
The leader of the thirteen heroes; there was a legend that in the beginning, the hero was just an ordinary person. Although that person was weaker than anyone, the hero became the strongest by endlessly swinging a sword despite being covered in wounds. The hero possessed a power that could rise without end.
“But that person’s talent had simply not bloomed at that time. You’re different, even with effort you’re still only at that level. Talent undoubtedly exists. There are those who have it and those who do not. So… I won’t tell you to give up but at least know where you stand.”
Evileye’s cold words brought a curtain of silence. And it was she herself who broke that silence.
“Gazef Stronoff… now that one is a good example of a human with talent. Climb… do you believe that you can fill the difference between the two of you with hard work?”
His words wouldn’t come out. It was only this morning that he experienced the distance between them which couldn’t be overcome with training.
“Actually, he might not be a fair comparison. The only ones I know of who can rival his talent with the sword are the thirteen heroes. Gagaran here is fairly skilled but still can’t beat him.”
“…Don’t ask for the impossible. Gazef-ojisan is someone with one foot in the realm of heroes.”
"Mmm. Word on the streets is that you are also a heroe... although the gender is a question mark."
Gagaran replied to Evileye’s words with a laugh.
“Hey, hey, Evileye. Weren’t the heroes considered to be monsters with talent that was in a different league— the type transcending the realm of humans?”
“… I won’t deny it.”
“And I’m only human. It’s impossible for me to reach the level of those heroes.”
“… But you still possess talent. You’re different from a human like Climb. Climb, don’t try to reach for the stars.”
Climb knew that very well. But it was true that being told that he had no talent so repeatedly would make him feel disappointed. Even so, he had no intention of changing his ways.
—It was because his body was for the princess—
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