Evelyn's POV
As I lay in bed, I turned my head toward my mother, who was sitting on a chair at my right side. Beside her sat Lina, looking both worried and curious.
"Congratulations, former hero," my mother said softly. "You've just hit puberty, much like any teenager. If you haven't noticed, Lina here has gone through similar changes—though without her mana spiraling out of control. Is there anything you'd like to tell us?"
I couldn't tell if she was angry, concerned, or just exhausted. Marcus and Lucas had been here earlier, but my mother insisted this was not something they should be involved in.
I sighed. "Ever since I regained my memories as a hero from my past life, I've asked myself one question: how do I live as a normal human being? I want to say being a different gender caused this confusion, but… as a hero, I could barely say I was ever a man. As the hero, I felt no love, no lust, no ambition. To be honest… I didn't even have a name."
Mother's eyes widened, sadness flashing across her face. "Is that why, amongst all the heroes in history, none of their names are ever recorded? They're only remembered as the First Hero or the Second Hero?"
I gave a small, bitter smile. "Yes. Once the people in power chose you, you were no longer yourself. You were taken, trained to be strong enough to kill the threat. For me, it was the Vampire King. From the moment I turned ten until the day I led my own army… I was nothing but the Hero."
The truth was sad, but undeniable. I couldn't even blame the Will of the World for shaping me that way. It never understood humans—it only appointed one of us, gave us the potential, and called it destiny.
"I think you both must have noticed," I continued, "that even the heroes who survived their final battles and went on to rule as kings were never named. They were only remembered as the Hero King. Like the Second Hero, who contained and prevented the spreading of the Barrens Land."
Mother's voice trembled slightly. "Is that why you wanted to adopt Lucas? Because you don't want him to suffer the same fate?"
I nodded. "He is the hero of this era, but he's also human. That's why I created Arthur—to carry the image of the hero. People see him and think he's the new champion. Because he looks too mature to be easily manipulated, no one dares interfere. No one wants to make an enemy of a hero."
Mother leaned forward. "What makes a hero truly different from everyone else? It wasn't just strength, was it?"
I smiled faintly. "Our souls are stronger. That gives us far larger mana reserves. And within that mana, there's a trace of divine energy, making our skills and spells more effective than normal."
Lina shifted nervously, then asked, "Is… is that why you can create permanent objects with mana? Like my magic staff, or the spear you made for Marcus?"
I paused, surprised by the question. To be honest, I had never considered it. Mother's tone turned sharp as she warned, "Do not create such things for just anyone, Evelyn. Only for those you trust completely, or consider true friends."
"I don't know if Lina is right," I admitted, "but it's certainly a possibility."
Mother's expression softened. "So, what are your plans after this? In three years, you'll be of age for the Academy. Or… will you choose to be an adventurer?"
I met her gaze. "I want to learn more about magic. I know how to create spells and even modify them—like turning Mirror Image into my mana puppets—but beyond that, my knowledge is limited. So, I'll attend the Academy. I especially want to study healing magic. With the trace of divine energy in my mana, it feels… right."
Mother stood and touched my hair gently. "Then rest for now. Last night you exhausted too much mana when you panicked. You need time to recover. Come, Lina—let's let Evelyn sleep. I'll show you something in the training room at the shooting range."
She took Lina's hand, and the two left my room quietly. I lay back, processing everything, then slowly closed my eyes. For now, I needed only rest.