"Argonautnaut" "Alright, that's it for the morning training. Take a break, get ready for lunch, and we'll continue in the afternoon!" Upon h
"Argonautnaut"
"Alright, that's it for the morning training. Take a break, get ready for lunch, and we'll continue in the afternoon!"
Upon hearing Drake's words, both Bell and Welf collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath and grimacing in pain.
This wasn't surprising; since the start of the sparring, each of them had been struck by Drake at least a hundred times.
Although Drake controlled his strength, preventing injuries, the pain was undeniably intense!
However, neither of them expressed any desire to quit, as they both clearly felt themselves growing stronger than before the training in ways they couldn't quite quantify.
The three prepared for lunch. Bell took out two bento boxes, handing one to Drake. "That… um, it's nothing much, but please accept this as a small token of my gratitude for your guidance."
Drake received the bento box. "Then I won't be polite."
He then playfully glared at Welf. "Look at Bell; he even brought me a bento. What about you? Nothing to show for yourself?"
Drake wasn't actually reprimanding Welf; it was simply a playful jab. Welf, of course, understood this and replied, "I know, I know. How about letting me lend you those notes for a little while longer?"
Earlier, learning of Drake's difficulties in forging magic swords, Welf had delivered a notebook, supposedly containing notes he'd "casually" jotted down.
However, Welf never forged magic swords himself; where did these notes come from? Moreover, Drake could tell the handwriting was fresh; the young man had clearly stayed up late to prepare them.
And the "a little while longer" comment? Welf had never actually mentioned returning them.
The two shared a knowing smile, both aware of the unspoken jest.
Drake opened the bento box, glancing at it and then at Bell. "This is a very generous bento. Did you make this yourself, Bell?"
Drake didn't recall Bell having any culinary skills, and this bento was remarkably refined, far beyond what he'd expect from Bell.
Bell scratched his head. "Um, I bought it at the Hostess of Fertility. Miss Ryuu heard you were training me, and she specifically told me that this bento was for you."
Drake was taken aback, then looked at the bento in Bell's hand. Indeed, from the side dishes to the overall craftsmanship, it was different from his own.
'Could this bento have been made by the elf herself?! If so, is this… a love bento?'
Drake mused, a smile spreading across his face. He wondered if he was getting a bit ahead of himself.
Regardless, the bento was exceptionally delicious; Drake ate everything without a single morsel left.
Exercise wasn't ideal after a meal, so while the three waited for their food to digest, Bell, his face flushed, approached Drake.
"Mr. Drake, I heard you participated in the Loki Familia's expedition. I was wondering… um… do you know Ais Wallenstein from the Loki Familia?"
Drake chuckled. "So, you want to ask about the Sword Princess? What is it, Bell? Do you have some kind of… admiration for her?"
Bell's face turned crimson, and he quickly waved his hands. "No! No! She saved me in the Dungeon the other day, so…!"
Drake, seeing Bell's shyness, laughed heartily. "I understand. A young man's admiration; nothing to be surprised about."
Welf leaned in, teasingly. "What's this? So Bell, you admire the Sword Princess, huh?"
Bell's face reddened even further, and a visible sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Mr. Drake, Mr. Welf, please stop teasing me!"
Drake stopped laughing and addressed Bell. "The Sword Princess… I do know a few things about her."
Seeing Bell's expectant gaze, Drake continued. "She's… a remarkably talented adventurer. I imagine she'll reach Level 6 very soon!"
A hint of disappointment flickered in Bell's eyes, clearly stemming from his awareness of the vast gap between himself and Ais.
"However, that girl works incredibly hard, pushing herself to the limit to achieve her goals. This has made her rather cold and distant, and since she's not very good at expressing her emotions, she might appear unapproachable."
Bell nodded excitedly; the boy's feelings for Ais were unmistakable!
"Thank you very much for telling me all this."
Drake waved his hand dismissively. "It's all fairly well-known information; I can't share any private details."
Bell quickly responded, "No, I'm incredibly grateful for what you've shared."
Drake stood up. "We've rested long enough. Let's continue training! Bell, if you want to catch up to the Sword Princess, you can't slack off on your training!"
"Yes!"
…
As the training progressed, Drake noticed some issues with both trainees.
Drake sent Welf flying with a swift kick. "Welf, how many times do I have to tell you not to rush in so recklessly? You're a blacksmith; in the future, you'll be adventuring in the Dungeon with companions. You need to pay attention to teamwork and coordination."
Then, Drake subtly dodged Bell's dagger, delivering a sharp hand strike to the side of Bell's head.
"And as for you, Bell… what exactly are you afraid of?"
Bell's movements froze; his mind involuntarily replayed his encounter with the Minotaurs.
Bell was facing a problem common to all novice adventurers: the fear of monsters and death.
Many novices, after facing life-threatening situations, abandon their adventuring careers altogether.
As Ais had mentioned, adventurers risk their lives in the Dungeon for money, fame, revenge, or dreams; they've long since cast aside their fears.
But Bell was different; Drake sensed his inherent "purity," and it was precisely this purity that kept him plagued by fear.
Drake sighed. "Bell, listen carefully. Fear is not inherently wrong. It's because we fear death that we cherish the preciousness of life. However, don't let that fear control you.
And Welf, it's the opposite for you. Resolve doesn't mean fearlessness; you need to learn to feel fear!
Just talking about it might not be enough for you to understand, so…"
Drake assumed a combat stance, but he didn't move to attack.
Bell and Welf felt as if they saw crimson flames blazing in Drake's eyes, followed by an overwhelming aura of suffocating pressure.
"We… will die!"
This was the shared thought that ran through both their minds. Their vital points throbbed with a sharp pain, as if they were about to be struck by Drake at any moment.
Drake hadn't done anything physical; he simply projected the intent to kill them, and the sheer intensity of his killing intent allowed them to experience the true terror of death.
Welf's legs trembled, his greatsword falling to the ground. His face was contorted in agony, his earlier aggressive demeanor completely gone.
Bell wasn't faring any better; he couldn't even feel the weight of his weapons in his hands.
Drake gauged their condition; this kind of adaptive training was most effective only the first time; he hoped they would try their best to endure.
Bell felt his vision blurring, vaguely remembering his confrontation with the Minotaurs.
Just as he felt he could endure no more, a figure suddenly appeared in his vision.
"I have to stand proudly beside her! I have to get stronger, right now!"
Fueled by this unwavering resolve, Bell felt his senses sharpen once more. He straightened his posture, standing firm amidst Drake's killing intent.
Drake wasn't surprised; a sudden power surge is a staple for protagonists, and Bell breaking through his limits was entirely expected.
What was unexpected was Welf; he too, managed to stand up, supporting himself on his weapon.
"I can't lose to Bell either. Let me show you the tenacity of a blacksmith!"
Drake, satisfied, withdrew his killing intent. The two instantly slumped to the ground, relieved. Sweat finally poured from their pores, leaving them both looking like drowned chickens.
Looking at Bell, Drake was reminded of his "Hero's Longing" skill.
What is a hero? Is it those from stories with flashy skills, wielding holy swords to defeat demons, the chosen heroes of prophecy?
No! Drake's understanding of a hero was someone who could inspire hope even in the direst of circumstances. Even if not exceptionally powerful, they guide people to bravely forge ahead; only such individuals truly deserve the title of hero.
Just like Argonautnaut, the first hero from the stories.
In Drake's previous world's mythology, Argonautnaut was the name of a ship. It carried fifty renowned heroes, including Jason, Heracles, Orpheus, and Theseus, on their quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece.
In this world, Argonautnaut was the one who initiated all heroic epics.
Unlike other famous heroes, Argonautnaut's story was filled with trickery, manipulation, and mockery; he was a jester upon the stage.
Yet, Argonautnaut never abandoned his beliefs and his dream of heroism, radiating a dazzling light with his smile in that dark age.
Argonautnaut is called the first hero not because he defeated the Minotaur and rescued a princess, but because his deeds inspired countless heroes to emerge.
Just like the ship that guided the great heroes to their achievements.
Even though his exploits ended abruptly after his next expedition, his name is still sung to this day.
At this moment, Drake experienced the gods' amusement; watching the seedlings of heroes gradually grow was indeed quite interesting.
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