Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Becoming Stronger
After completing the contract, I went with Pou and Yuna to Yuna’s room.
For now, Maria had left the mansion with Muura to purchase magic stones.
Yuna was sitting on the bed, hugging a pillow tightly.
And Pou was sitting quietly beside her.
Yuna rested her chin on the pillow and pouted.
“Uu.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Melaim is scary.”
“I think so too.”
And you’re scary as well.
Especially when you say strange things.
Yuna thought for a moment and continued.
“But… Melaim is kind.”
“…I think so too.”
So why did she call us over?
Yuna, still hugging the pillow, looked up at me.
“Did the training we did last time work?”
“Yeah. It was hard, but I got a lot stronger. Pou helped a lot too.”
“Really? Your face does look more confident.”
“Really?”
I touched my own face.
Hmm… I can’t really tell.
“I’ve seen a lot of people lose confidence and fall apart. One of my friends even gave up everything because of that… Now that I think about it, it wasn’t even that serious…”
Yuna’s friend, huh.
I can’t imagine it.
“Anyway, I’ll help you train sometimes from now on. Me and Pou.”
“I appreciate it. But aren’t you also going to teach Muura math? You’ll be busy…”
“It’s fine. It’s just basic stuff anyway. Elementary or middle school level.”
Honestly, Yuna saying she’d teach Muura math didn’t sound very reliable.
She can’t even read properly.
Yuna’s eyes sharpened, as if she had read my thoughts.
“What are you thinking right now?”
“Nothing…”
At that moment, the door opened and Tanya and Melaim entered.
“Don’t worry. In that regard, Yuna is the most skilled among us.”
“Really?!”
“Why don’t you believe me?”
Look beside you.
Even Pou looks surprised.
“I apologize for overhearing.”
Yuna shook her head.
“It’s fine.”
“About Luka’s training… it will be meaningless.”
“Eh?”
Melaim gave a bitter smile.
“Luka’s growth has reached its limit. As I said before, further training will not bring significant results.”
What is she talking about?
I had only just become a usable adventurer.
There was no way I had already reached my limit.
“Should I change my job class again? Well, maybe I’ve hit a wall as a warrior. I’ve never even heard of a truly strong warrior. Right, I’ll just look for another dungeon…”
Melaim looked at me with pity.
Why are you looking at me like that?
“Changing to a duelist would be more efficient. However, even then, you would not change much.”
“What do you mean…? Huh? Duelist is Edwin’s class.”
Melaim stared at me calmly.
“Luka. Even if you become an assassin or necromancer, you will not gain power like Yuna or Tanya. This is not a matter of class.”
“I… I’m still a warrior.”
Melaim spoke firmly.
“I repeat. That is not the case. Luka, your potential has already reached its end.”
I lost my words.
Melaim must be lying.
No, she had to be lying.
But did she have a reason to lie to me?
No… maybe she did.
I needed to think.
While I was silent, Yuna spoke up instead.
“Melaim!”
Pou frowned.
“What is your opinion, Pou?”
Pou grimaced, then slowly spoke.
“Melaim’s words are true. Further training will not make Luka much stronger.”
“What?! That can’t be! You just have to try harder!”
Melaim walked toward Yuna.
“Yuna, I do not know how your world works, but this world is not so kind.”
“…!”
“This world does not reward effort. As far as I know, your strength was not gained through effort either. You are not in a position to comfort those who struggle.”
Yuna fell silent, glaring at Melaim.
Melaim sighed and stepped back.
“All beings, even within the same species, have different potential. Humans are especially varied.”
I began to feel afraid of what she was about to say.
But I couldn’t avoid listening.
“So you mean…”
“Luka. Your potential is below the human average.”
A cruel verdict was delivered.
Pou and Tanya did not deny it.
Yuna looked shocked as well.
“So… even if I change classes, I’ll stay the same?”
“Yes. Only the skills you gain will change. An assassin would enhance ambush techniques. A duelist would enhance one-on-one combat. That is all.”
That can’t be…
I had always believed I could improve if I tried.
I knew my growth was slow.
Some talented people could swing a sword ten times and become warriors.
I needed hundreds, thousands of attempts just to barely become a weak warrior.
But I never thought I would stop growing completely.
Melaim’s words crushed that belief.
Maybe she was just being kind.
Trying to stop my meaningless struggle.
“So… I’ll just be a burden to you all.”
Yuna walked up to me with a sad expression.
“Luka? No. You are already very helpful.”
I realized something as I looked at her.
Even now, I was feeling jealous of Yuna’s talent and class.
How petty I was.
Weak in strength, weak in growth, weak in character.
As I was thinking that, Melaim spoke again.
“That is true. Yuna is right. I also rely on you greatly. And there is still a way to become stronger.”
Tanya tilted her head.
“Hm? Really?”
Pou looked surprised as well.
“I didn’t know that…”
But Pou seemed to understand what Melaim meant.
“Melaim…”
“Yes. Pou understands. Shall I explain?”
“It should not be spoken aloud.”
Melaim smiled coldly.
“I am pleased that you treat me by human standards.”
Hope suddenly appeared before me, and I asked.
“What is it?”
Melaim looked directly into my eyes.
“Kill more living beings. Monsters, humans, beasts. It does not matter. That is what will give you strength.”
“…What?”
“Did I not tell you before that you must gain real experience?”
I remembered something like that from when we went to the Ingta barony.
“Monsters instinctively know this truth. So do nobles and priests. Pou, what about you?”
“…I did not know when I was alive. I only vaguely felt it was experience.”
Yuna asked.
“Wait, then does that mean butchers should be strong?”
Right. Butchers kill many animals.
So why aren’t they incredibly strong?
Melaim shook her head.
“The higher the level of life, the greater the effect. And the most efficient is…”
I swallowed.
“Human beings.”
I gritted my teeth.
She’s telling me to kill humans to become stronger?
I could never do that.
Melaim walked a few steps and continued.
“Why do nobles personally execute criminals?”
“That is… to understand the value of life…”
Melaim laughed.
“You think nobles are that noble?”
“….”
“They already know. And they use it.”
I felt cold.
So nobles were hiding something else.
“Then… Tanya’s strength too…”
“That may be part of it.”
Tanya nodded happily.
“Oh! So that’s it!”
But Melaim added.
“But not much. Tanya’s strength is still abnormal even with that considered.”
What?
“Is there another way to become strong?”
Melaim hesitated.
“It is not something you will like.”
I nodded.
Then she asked unexpectedly.
“Have you ever seen a champion monster?”
“No… only heard of them.”
“Then you know of the war hero Zack’s story?”
“Yes. The horse called Baekbyeongma.”
A legend.
A horse that killed soldiers and earned that name.
“Yes. That record is real. And such beings exist among beasts as well.”
Even among rabbits and pigs, then.
“And humans are no exception.”
What?
“There are champion humans too. Tanya and Yuna are such cases.”
Yuna was shocked.
“I… I’ve never killed anyone…”
Melaim nodded.
“Then it is confirmed. Yuna and Tanya were born with higher existence.”
Tanya looked proud.
Yuna didn’t seem to care much, but Pou did.
Melaim continued.
“Such beings are called heroes.”
Heroes.
I had thought it was just a figure of speech.
“So the way to become strong is killing?”
“Yes. But killing monsters is safer than humans.”
“…Got it.”
But I would never kill humans.
“Just remember this. The closer the target, the greater the effect. Even family members.”
“…That’s horrible.”
But that knowledge was useless to me.
I didn’t even have close friends.
Maybe only my party members.
But touching them for strength would just get me killed.
And even if I were stronger…
I would never do that.