Chapter 40 – That Thing Called Courage

What the hell? What *is* this mess? How did this happen?

It’s not like Silstone malfunctioned. It’s not like another gate appeared.

There hadn’t even been a report of the gate grade rising at another hatchery in the Empire!

Kuglen, the teacher in charge of guiding the second-year fieldwork at the Cradle, clutched his head.

Just moments ago, the world was perfectly normal, and now it was stained crimson.

Smoke and flames billowed from everywhere. A massive inferno was consuming everything.

“Teacher Kuglen! The second-year evacuation is complete!”

“What about support?”

“The Empire’s Awakened have arrived! Response measures will be initiated soon!”

“It seems like it’ll be difficult because of those damn flames…!”

Later, maybe the Awakened will be useful, but right now, the Imperial Fire Department fighting the flames is needed more.

They spray water, and affiliated mages come forward and pour more water.

No matter how hard they try, the flames refuse to be extinguished.

It’s come to the point where simply preventing it from spreading seems like the best option.

“Teacher Kuglen.”

“What is it?”

“They say it’s difficult for the Awakened to advance right now. The flames are too intense, and even the firefighters can’t enter recklessly.”

“As things stand, I wish we could call in the Awakened to help put out the fire.”

But they are our force, the ones who must be ready to respond to Gates and Monsters at any given moment.

If we foolishly expend their energy on something like this, and then a large-scale Gate incident occurs, like last time?

They might be unable to deploy because of the stamina they used up here.

Or, even if they do deploy, they could be injured or killed because of that expenditure.

‘If only my Ability was of the Water Flowing variety. Or even Ice, for that matter. But our priority is always the students, not the scene…’

Kugelring gazed past the flames toward the training grounds.

More precisely, he was thinking of the two students who hadn’t yet emerged from within.

“The last students who went in, they were…those two, correct?”

“Yes. Yrisia, a first-year. And Deus, also a first-year.”

At that, the other instructors let out choked, heavy sighs.

First-years. And fresh recruits. Still far from capable.

Even the sophomores are having their first practical exercise today, so it must be even worse for the first-years.

Or so, one should worry. Yes. One *should*.

“I am a bit worried about Yrisia…but still, she should be alright, no?”

“I think perhaps she will be. Honestly, as an instructor here at the Cradle, I ought to be equally concerned… but when I think of that student, I can’t help but find myself thinking, ‘She’ll be fine, right?'”

Deus. Like Yrisia, also a Cradle first-year. A fresh recruit.

The difference being, no one is worried about him at all.

If anything, there’s a secret expectation to see what he’ll pull off this time.

‘Ah, no! I shouldn’t be like this. As a teacher, I should obviously be worried!’

‘Get a grip. I am an instructor at the Cradle. And Deus is a student, one way or another. I should be hoping nothing happens to him, not thinking such ridiculous things!’

Kugelring, and the other instructors too, all admonished themselves.

*

“To fear, but to overcome it. To be afraid, but to push forward. *That* is what you call courage.”

Ah. A sigh escaped Yrisia’s lips.

Simultaneously, she moved past the most frightening, most horrific memory to another moment.

Her mother had been a quite skilled warrior.

Although she possessed no Ability, she was rather proficient in magic and swordsmanship.

And her mother was brave. She never lost her courage.

Surely she, too, had been afraid. Terrified in the face of countless monsters.

Yet she willingly overcame it, only for the sake of her daughter trembling behind her.

“Just a moment, keep your eyes closed.”

“Yrisia. For a moment, keep your eyes closed, will you?”

In the past, her mother. And now, Deus.

Overcoming their fear and etching courage deeply within themselves, only for her sake.

‘…Me too.’

I can’t just stay terrified like this forever.

I can’t thrash around in this fear for eternity.

…No. No. It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to thrash around in fear.

I’ll tremble. I’ll be scared. I’ll be afraid. But, I just have to overcome it.

That’s what courage is.

‘Like Mother.’

And.

‘Like Deus.’

Follow the starlight. She recalls Shabel’s words, met by chance.

Then looks ahead. Taking in the man still standing firm.

One hand clasping hers. The other holding back the monsters.

My star is right here. That’s the starlight I will follow.

She bites her lip. Clenches her fist. Raises her fallen body and spirit.

Now she understands. This is what courage is.

—KWAJIK!—

Another goblin departs this world, courtesy of Deus’ fist.

By now, they should be sensing their defeat and fleeing.

But the creatures showed no sign of it. Rather, they grew even more savage.

‘Persistent bunch.’

Deus sighed inwardly.

Tired? Hardly. As if. He’s only using one hand.

It’s just…tedious. Wearying from the repetitive motion.

A pointless activity. Not even exercise.

At his standard, this is the same as holding a spoon or a pen.

It would be nice if something different showed up, but it’s goblins all the way down.

“Deus.”

Just as he was about to leave a fist-shaped imprint on a goblin’s skull.

Yurishia, who had been cowering behind him, stepped forward.

Still looking afraid. Her quick breaths betray her continued tension.

But, it’s different. A Yurishia distinctly changed from before.

“From now on… I’ll… do it.”

“…Can you manage?”

“Yes. I can. I will, I will.”

Deus looked at Yurishia for a moment, then lowered his fist.

And then, passing beside her, retreated completely.

“If it gets too hard. Or if you can’t bear it, tell me. Then….”

“Yes. Thank you. Deus. Thank you, truly.”

But. At least. At least not this moment.

She will overcome it. Her fear. The nightmare that still rises whenever she closes her eyes.

Yurishia takes a step forward. And clenches her fist.

Unlike Deus’, it is a very small and delicate hand.

Exaggerating only slightly, it looks like a finger could break from the slightest tap.

—KYaaaGH!!—

The goblins, seeing their opponent change, grow even more frenzied as they charge.

The hulking man retreated, making way for a woman of delicate appearance, easily underestimated.

But the fool who rushed at her would pay the price.

—Crack!

‘Ah.’

From the very first strike, a flawless, economical kill.

The next one too. And the next. Vital point. Vital point. Then, vital point again.

Now, she even kept her eyes wide open.

Unlike him, she wasn’t simply crushing them with brute force.

Exquisite technique. A piercing gaze that instantly identified weaknesses.

And crucially, a ‘wildness’ she herself didn’t seem to realize she possessed.

Deus, without even thinking, went into spectator mode, crossing his arms.

Until now, it seemed fear had blocked it.

But no more. At least in this moment, she unleashed her full potential without reservation.

Even if there had been a stronger monster than goblins in this place.

Deus was sure, Yurishia would have overcome it.

—Thwack! Thud!

—Crush! Crushing!

One blow, one blow. Delivering each punch with precision.

One time, one time. Blowing away her fear, and her regrets, along with it.

Now, all that remained for her was only this. A vow sworn beneath the starlight.

And a child’s message to her mother, now a star.

‘Mom. I’m going to get stronger now. So… you don’t have to come to my dreams every night to protect me anymore. I’ll overcome it. Fear and regret. And I will move forward.’

I’m sorry. A tear slid down her cheek.

And I love you. A smile bloomed on her lips.

—Gurgle!

Yurishia crushed the last remaining goblin.

Shattering the last vestiges of fear buried deep within her heart, along with it.

*

“How much further with the fire?!”

“Almost got it contained! Esper forces, standby to move in!”

“Understood!”

Firefighters scurrying about, and Imperial Espers finishing their preparations to enter.

Behind them, Kuglen and the other instructors anxiously waited for news.

At this point, it wasn’t monster attacks that were the problem, but the dense smoke and intense heat from the flames.

The risk of respiratory distress was the primary concern.

Not even Deus could do anything about that inferno.

“Wait! Hold everyone! Something’s coming through the flames!”

“Firefighters! Get back immediately! It could be a monster!”

“Retreat! Retreat!! Fall back!!”

The front lines erupted in commotion as the Imperial Espers prepared for battle.

At last, a colossal form emerged from beyond the crimson blaze, its silhouette flickering.

A figure easily a head taller than the average grown man—it was none other than—

“It’s alright, Yurisiyah. You can look up now.”

A Yordem student, cradling his classmate tightly in his arms, walked through the inferno.

“Deus! Yurisiyah!”

Yordem instructors rushed forward, hastily checking their condition.

His clothes were singed and charred in several places.

Patches of monster residue clung to him as well.

But that was all. Deus was perfectly fine.

Despite having walked through that savage fire. And not even alone.

He looked utterly unfazed, in stark contrast to the panicked expressions of the firefighting squad and the Empire’s ability users.

“Forgive me, Instructor. I’m a little late.”

“No! No! Thank goodness, Deus! We were so worried!”

The instructors patted Deus on the back repeatedly, ushering the two students away.

“…”

However, Deus didn’t immediately follow the instructors, remaining in place for a moment.

Specifically, he was staring intently beyond the fire, toward the Gate.

“Deus?”

“…”

“Deus!”

“Ah, yes? Did you call me?”

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

A matter. Deus hesitated for a moment.

With a commotion like this, he’d fully expected a devil to emerge from that Gate.

But it didn’t happen. The monsters grew ferocious, and the flames erupted.

That was all there was to it. The events that unfolded there ended with those two things.

‘There’s something here. For it to end like this feels wrong.’

Deus, familiar with this kind of development, couldn’t shake off the nagging unease.