Looking at Kopii's joyful face, Miach said:
– Kopii, it would be better for you to level up now, rather than later.
Hearing this, Kopii's eyes widened in confusion.
– What? Why?
– I understand you; who wouldn't want to reach the limit and then move to the next level? But there are risks.
– What risk? – Kopii did not understand what risk could be involved if he simply reached the limit of his stats and then moved on.
– Ah, Kopii, everyone has a soul, and each soul is different, – Kopii did not understand where Miach was going with this. – And every soul has a limit to how much it can endure, – looking at Kopii's bewildered face, Miach leaned against the table and continued.
– Let's imagine, Kopii, you raise all your stats to SS, but there is one catch: will your soul be able to withstand it?
– My soul?
Miach nodded.
– Yes, Kopii, your soul. If it cannot withstand it, then… it could very strongly affect your mental and physical state. So, Kopii, I recommend that you level up now, so as not to risk it. But remember, Kopii, the choice is yours.
– I'll think about it, Miach-sama, – Kopii said, bowing and leaving the room.
– Yes, Kopii, that's right, – Kopii heard Miach say after him. Wishing good morning to Naaza, leaving the Blue Pharmacy, Kopii did not know where he was going, but one thing was on his mind:
«And is it worth the risk? Or is it better not to risk it?» – he thought, continuing to walk in a random direction. He needed to set his priorities well. He had two choices: try to raise his stats further, and perhaps his soul would endure. And if it did not, Kopii did not want to think about it. Kopii had no doubt that the consequences would be too serious.
With such thoughts, unexpectedly for himself, he reached the park. Looking around the park, Kopii noticed that, as always, there were a lot of people, but even so, there were free spots. He sat on a bench and fell into thought.
– What should I choose? – He whispered.
– Choose what?
– What? – raising his head to the source of the voice, raising an eyebrow, he asked. – Are you following me, Raven?
– But first, hello, – approaching Kopii and sitting down beside him, Raven replied: – Something's wrong with you, Kopii, you look kind of tense.
– It's none of your business, – Kopii looked at Raven with irritation.
– Yes, yes, I understand. – Silence fell, which no one broke. They watched the drifting clouds, each thinking about his own. Kopii could not endure the silence; he broke it, this prolonged silence.
– I have a question for you.
– Oh, no way, you decided to be the initiator of the conversation; is it going to rain today? – Raven said, peering intently at the sky, but there was not a cloud on the horizon.
– ...
– So what did you want to ask? – he asked, feeling Kopii's pressing gaze.
«Someone is clearly annoyed.»
– If you could become stronger, but this choice could ruin your whole life, would you go for it?
– No, – Raven answered without hesitation, continuing to watch the drifting clouds. – I would refuse it.
– What? Why? – Kopii said, surprised by his abrupt answer. – For a hero, strength is very important. You wouldn't go for it?
– That's your opinion, Kopii. I have a different view of heroes, – Raven said, looking Kopii in the eyes. – A hero doesn't have to be strong, or better than others, or more handsome than others. A hero must do only one thing. – After a pause, he continued:
– Kopii, answer, what does a hero mean to you?
Kopii pondered; there were many associations, but only one answer came to his mind:
– A hero, in my understanding, should be associated with strength and the readiness to sacrifice everything for the sake of what the hero wants to protect.
– A good answer, but it differs from mine. For me, a hero is associated with hope.
– Hope?
– Yes, Kopii, with hope, being the one who can give hope for happiness, for a better future. That is what a hero means to me. – He said in a voice full of confidence, leaning back on the bench.
– I see, – Kopii said, returning his gaze to the passing clouds. – Well, Raven, I have to go, see you later, bye, – he waved his hand one last time before leaving.
Kopii was heading back; he had decided that he would level up now. He had understood one thing from the conversation with Raven:
«Why risk so much, if I don't even know whether my soul can withstand it?»
He had needed to think, and Raven's opinion had become decisive for him.
«But it won't matter that much, because I don't intend to regret my choice; after all, that's the most useless thing in the world. If I had chosen the other, would it have been better?»
Kopii pitied those who thought that way; they could not fully understand that regretting a made choice was the most foolish idea.
«We cannot change fate.»
With such thoughts, he returned to the Blue Pharmacy, went up to the second floor, entered Miach's room without knocking, and found that he was not there. He went downstairs, approaching Naaza:
– Naaza, do you happen to know where Miach-sama is? – looking into those sleepy eyes, Kopii said.
– He said he wanted to take a walk. That's all he told me.
Hearing this, his mood dropped.
«Where has he wandered off to again?»
– Alright, thank you, Naaza, – Kopii said before leaving. He decided to wait for Miach outside, but after forty minutes, Kopii grew bored. Then he remembered that he still hadn't visited Rose. Starting to walk towards the guild, Kopii thought:
«Maybe she's already forgotten me; we haven't seen each other for a whole month.»
He hoped that was not the case.
Some time later.
– Hi, Rose, long time no see.
– Hello, what business do you have with me? – As always, that cold gaze, which studied him intently. He had already forgotten that gaze over such a time.
– No business, I just decided to show up, so you'd know I'm not dead.
After a short pause, Rose spoke:
– To which floor have you descended?
Kopii was not surprised by the change of topic:
– The eighth floor.
– That's good; there's no need to rush anywhere.
– I also wanted to ask…
– No, no one has broken the Sword Princess's record. – Kopii's eyebrows shot up in surprise; he asked this question every time during their conversations, and she still remembered it, even though a month had passed since their last meeting.
– Well then. I won't bother you, Rose.
His heart filled with happiness; the fact that she remembered his words even after a month made him very glad.
The next day.
– Good morning, Miach-sama. I've thought it over and realized that there's no need to risk it, so I want to level up.
– Alright, Kopii, – walking up to Kopii, Miach continued: – Come on, take off your upper clothing.
– Yes, – sitting with his back to Miach, feeling the touch of his hand on his back.
– Done.
– What, so quickly?
– I didn't feel anything. – Clenching and unclenching his hands, but he felt nothing, no strength at all. – It seems I've remained the same as I was before?
– That's natural, Kopii, so don't worry; what worries me more is the fact that you didn't receive any skill.
– What do you mean? – Kopii said without understanding, turning to Miach, and looking at him with a question in his eyes. From below upwards.
– Well, when you level up, you're given a choice of skills, but you weren't given anything.
Kopii's face stretched in surprise; he was hearing about this for the first time; however many books he had read, this had not been in them.
– I wasn't given a single skill to choose from? Is that possible?
Feeling that he was again unlucky, as basically always.
– Yes, Kopii. Well, never mind, don't be upset; the most important thing is what will soon await you.
– What will await me?
– Well, Kopii, you broke Ais Wallenstein's record, so you'll become quite popular. – Putting his hands on his shoulders, he continued. – So it's better to be ready in advance... If you want, I can hold off telling the guild for now.
– I thought about it, Miach-sama, but there's nothing terrible about it; after all, they don't know what I look like.
But this was Kopii's mistake. The next day, all of Orario was in shock; someone had broken Ais Wallenstein's record by a wide margin. Someone had reached the second level in just three months. And from the Miach Familia, no less.
He stood by the notice board in the guild. After all, Miach had been right; he read that he had set a new record. But one fact embarrassed Kopii: the fact that he was looking at his own drawing.
«The guild is mocking me,» – he thought. All hope that no one knew him had collapsed.
– You deceived me, – A jolt struck Kopii's heart; he slowly began to turn around.
– Is that him? How could he level up so fast? He looks like a child.
– Yes, I can't believe that some boy just got lucky to be born a genius.
– Maybe divine power is involved here? Think for yourself, Miach has a huge debt, and he needed to do something about it.
– Don't talk nonsense. Gods can't use their abilities; it would be noticed immediately, – Kopii heard, but decided not to pay attention to them. All his attention quickly returned to Rose.
– What do you mean? I didn't deceive anyone; I just didn't tell everything, that's all.
– It's the same thing. I thought you were sensible, but you're just like everyone else.
At these words, he felt shame; he lowered his gaze, unable to look at her.
– But I'm alive, so nothing terrible happened.
– For now. For now, alive. – Rose replied, coldly looking at his face.
– Ahahha, don't be so grim. – Kopii laughed, trying to soften the tense atmosphere.