“...Ha. Are you taking his side now just because he’s part of our group?”

Coco spoke politely, but only reluctantly, with a sour look on her face.

It sounded like the bare minimum of respect for a Hero, but her tone was still sharp and prickly.

Luman grinned and tilted his head.

“Well... of course I take my own party’s side.”

“Ha! Are Heroes allowed to do that?”

“Sorry, but Heroes are people too. For the record, my mission is practically already over. If you really want to know, I’m not even officially a Hero at the moment.”

Luman gave me a wink where the others wouldn’t notice.

...Was he really, seriously taking my side right now?

He looked even more handsome.

“In that case, how dare—”

“I don’t know your status. Isn’t that right? You boldly declared you’d reward us generously, so getting red in the face already is awkward for everyone, don’t you think? Hahaha!”

“...You’re right. I spoke rashly. Lady Coco, please calm yourself too.”

“...God, this is irritating.”

“I’m irritated too.”

“Ren!”

“Ren.”

Why does everybody keep saying my name?!

“Fine. I said fine... achoo. I’ll be quiet.”

“...Good.”

“What the... that’s ridiculous.”

I spun a finger around.

A minute ago he was scolding me, and now suddenly I’m good.

Weird.

When Luman said it earlier, it hadn’t bothered me.

But hearing it from Brother somehow... just pissed me off.

I curled in on myself even more. The deeper the night got, the colder it felt.

Would the carriage be warmer? Or the fire with everyone gathered around it?

My fingers were frozen and aching. I rubbed my hands together, but no warmth came back. Even when I held them close to the flames, it felt like only the outside of them got warm.

Cold.

“Careful. Your hand.”

“Ah....”

I’d stretched my hand too close to the fire. What the hell was I doing...?

I blinked dumbly, and Luman took my hand in his for a second, then let go. His hand was incredibly warm.

Ah, I want to go inside and rest by myself. I hate everything. Maybe it was thanks to the medicine Dell gave me, but the coughing had stopped. The fever was still there, though.

I can’t be like this on the very first day. At this rate I really am baggage. Maybe it doesn’t matter. I’ve probably always been baggage to Brother anyway....

“What is it...?”

A cloak dropped onto my knees.

“It’s a cloak.”

“...Isn’t it my brother’s?”

He already gave his to Coco.

I swallowed the rest and gripped the cloak Luman had handed me.

Looking past Luman’s shoulder, I saw Coco wrapped in a huge blanket.

“This one’s better for you, right? Even if that one’s warmer.”

“...Yeah.”

I squeezed the answer out.

My feelings were hurt over Brother, so I wanted to lie and say no...

but I didn’t want to tell a lie I’d regret later.

Being here with Brother like this still felt like a dream.

“Th-thank you.”

I lowered my eyes and said it quietly. Did Luman hear me?

He was already back beside Coco.

He says he won’t move without profit, so why is he acting all familiar with Coco? I don’t like it....

I draped Brother’s cloak around my shoulders.

Crackle. Crackle.

The sound of the fire rang in my ears.

The little sparks drifting up looked just like fireflies... and the night, which had felt nothing but cold, suddenly felt safe.

Maybe that was because... the cloak around my shoulders smelled like Brother.

With my vision already going dim, I nodded off.

***

“He’s asleep.”

At Dell’s words, Luman let out a quiet snort of laughter.

When he was awake, he squirmed around like that, but seeing his face now, sleeping quietly, he looked pretty cute.

No, that’s not right. He’s pretty cute when he’s awake too.

“Milady’s asleep too.”

“Haha. Looks like it.”

Ren wasn’t the only one nodding off.

Coco was asleep leaning against Dell. Seeing how she’d practically thrown the cloak back when they gave her a blanket instead, like that worked out even better for her, it was obvious Dell had his work cut out for him.

“Hero, how did you end up on a road this rough? And with your young brother too?”

Dell’s voice held sympathy.

“I can’t tell you that.”

Temar answered firmly.

“Ah! My apologies. It must be related to your mission. That was rude of me!”

As Dell bowed his head with excessive remorse, Temar told him it wasn’t that serious. Luman’s attention had already drifted elsewhere. He kept glancing at Ren’s sleeping face, soft with sleep.

“And how did you come to a place like this with a young lady?”

“Haha. Our circumstances are complicated too, so it’s hard to speak of them casually....”

“I see.”

“You truly have my gratitude for sharing your warmth with us.”

Dell suddenly stood and offered a knight’s salute. Temar returned the greeting, and Luman scratched his head. What was this, a contest in manners? The formalities of a knight and a Hero were definitely different. The gestures differed, but Dell’s bearing was enough to rival a Hero’s. Luman whistled to himself. That girl really was, after all.... If she traveled with an escort like this, the answer was obvious.

“Uh, Hero.”

“Yes.”

Dell, who had been chatting with them about this and that, called to Temar and Luman again. It had been quite a long time since anyone had called Luman a Hero.

“Does a Hero move only at His Majesty’s command?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ve heard the title of ‘Star’ is connected to a Hero’s abilities. Is that true? Is that star assigned by the king?”

After pouring out the questions, Dell smiled awkwardly and quickly added,

“If that’s rude, I apologize. I grew up reading heroic tales too... so I’ve always admired Heroes.”

Without thinking, Temar looked at Luman.

What, is he actually checking with me if it’s fine to say?

Luman burst out laughing at Temar’s stiff, expressionless face.

“Hahaha.”

“...Luman.”

Temar frowned. Dell, who had no idea why, awkwardly laughed along.

“It’s all publicly known, so there’s no reason to hide it. The problem is that I was too young then, so I don’t remember.”

“Ah. That’s a shame. I’ve always wondered.”

“Hm.”

Luman stroked his chin. Come to think of it, he’d never cared much about titles like the king’s third star and the like, but maybe there really was some meaning to them. Why was Temar the seventh, and why was he himself the third star?

“Are you heading to the capital?”

“That’s right.”

Whoops. Seeing Temar answer so casually, Luman scratched his forehead. He’d been lost in thought and failed to stop him. A Hero’s destination and mission were supposed to be top secret.

Then again, it wasn’t wartime, so maybe it didn’t matter much right now. And now that Temar had already said it, jumping in to stop him would just be silly. I should say something to him later. No, too bothersome. Forget it. Luman thought idly. Worst case, they could just write the report together. Hadn’t he himself admitted out loud that he was a Hero too? No, wait. He’d quit now, so Temar would probably end up writing his share too.

Chuckling to himself, Luman’s eyes drifted to the cloak Temar had wrapped around himself and Ren had pulled tight around his sleeping body.

Ah. Well, with all seven stars shining so blatantly on it, it would be hard not to notice. —If Ren hadn’t been here, they would’ve arrived long ago, and no one else would’ve had the chance to see that cloak.— Dell’s claim of admiring Heroes didn’t seem to be a lie. Wasn’t it natural for things you cared about to catch your eye first? Just like Ren stood out more sharply than anything else in Luman’s own sight. Luman found himself feeling more generous.

Heroes really were a damned nuisance. During that long, long war, they’d been used in massive propaganda campaigns, so hardly anyone didn’t know them, and yet the royal family still told them to keep their identities hidden. Wasn’t that the very definition of covering your eyes and pretending not to see? Luman clicked his tongue. Well, none of that mattered to him anymore.

Dell kept the conversation going with Temar, who wasn’t much of a talker, skillfully steering through bits and pieces about Heroes, the surrounding nations, the war so far, and the rumors spreading through the capital like wildfire. When Temar finally started to look a little uncomfortable, Dell smoothly changed the subject with an apologetic look.

By then, the soup had finished simmering nicely.

“Ah! The soup! I completely forgot. What should I do? Should I wake him and make him eat now?”

“That’s all right. He’s sleeping deeply.”

“Then would you like some, Hero?”

“No. We only eat designated food.”

That doesn’t mean you need to tell him every little detail.

Though with an answer that half-finished, there was no way anyone would really understand it.

Watching Temar answer whatever he was asked, Luman decided, as one last act of goodwill, that he ought to report this to the king.

Temar, cutting off Luman’s reply, carefully tucked the cloak more securely around Ren. As if he couldn’t decide whether he liked being touched or hated it, Ren mumbled in his sleep and curled in on himself.

“Mmgh... beeeaaans....”

“...?”

“What is he saying?”

Luman perked up and leaned closer to Ren.

“I don’t wanna share... even half a bean....”

“......Pfft....”

“If you give one haaalf... they ask for ten haaalves.... that’s whaaat people aaare....”

“Pfft... ngh....”

Luman’s shoulders shook.

Was that really the kind of thing you cried in your sleep over?

He wanted to wake Ren and ask what the hell he was dreaming about.

No, that wasn’t it. He was obviously replaying what had just happened in his dream.

Temar had ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) heard too, and his face had gone grave.

“Hngh....”

After a while, Luman finally shook off the remnants of his laughter and looked back and forth between Ren and Temar.

“Ren’s not wrong. Isn’t it human nature to want something bigger once you’ve been given help? Temar. You don’t have to be that strict even with your little brother. You should loosen up a little too.”

Mm.

Was it because retirement was so close? He really did think it might be fine now if Temar let go a little of his severity, of that obsessive Heroic righteousness. The long war was already over. More than anything, the supposed border defense that had triggered this Hero Summons Order was probably just an excuse. The way the neighboring countries were stirring and tearing through the land was strange. It didn’t look like they were trying to reclaim territory. It looked like they were searching for something. Most likely, the king’s real reason for summoning the Heroes was to investigate exactly what that something was. It probably wouldn’t be like before, when lives were taken. That was only Luman’s guess, of course.

Still. In other words, couldn’t he set some of it down and spend some quiet time with his brother?

Not like me to meddle this much. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

“Luman.”

“What.”

Hm.

No matter how many times he looked, those two didn’t resemble each other at all. If anything, didn’t Ren look more like him?

Smiling to himself, Luman relaxed his eyes while keeping watch on Dell and Coco across from him.

Coco, who was unmistakably Duke Gannion’s daughter, and her escort knight. And the corpses Temar had found.

Maybe I should’ve asked for more details.

He wondered whether those two were lucky enough to survive an assassin’s attack.

As he watched them, something about Dell’s appearance caught Luman’s eye. The corpses Temar had found were probably their people. If it had been the work of assassins, then that fit. But for people who’d been attacked, Dell and the carriage were far too clean. Was he just that skilled? Well, maybe. The killing intent rolling off him was enough to rival a Hero’s.

“Hey, Temar.”

“He’s my brother.”

“Yeah.... More importantly, that Dell guy... what?”

Luman forgot what he had been about to say.

“Ren is my brother.”