Episode 3

It had been said in the story that the Lagias family were domain lords—and corrupt nobles. They levied heavy dues from their subjects and indulged in every luxury. In other words, they had money.

He felt sorry for the commoners, but his life was on the line; he couldn’t afford to be choosy about methods. He would use the money taken from the people to begin the “Zeke Enhancement Plan.”

Hiroto’s plan was to pay a skilled warrior for instruction—in short, to hire a private tutor.

Even with his knowledge of the original, Hiroto had lived in peaceful Japan and had zero combat experience. If a novice blundered about, the result was obvious. So he decided to follow the standard playbook.

Hiring a renowned figure would require a fair sum, but this was the Lagias family.

Their excessive exactions were practically the family’s trademark, so there was no financial problem.

“As one of the nobility, you wish to hone your martial skill… It seems Zeke has finally developed some self-awareness.”

“That’s splendid, dear. The house of Lagias stands on both letters and arms.”

Hiroto thought, Isn’t it the house of money rather than letters and arms?—but since this worked in his favor, he kept quiet.

The part he’d worried about—convincing his parents—went smoothly, and all that remained was to wait for things to be arranged.

A tutor was decided upon. According to his father, he was a former knight of this kingdom, now retired—a man named Brink.

He had been a little wary, but since it was a name he hadn’t heard in the original, he could breathe easier.

Now it would finally begin. Fired up, Hiroto vowed he would survive no matter what.

The Kingdom of Diabalet.

It was one of the nations that appeared in “Wish Soul,” and also the country to which the heroes belonged.

Brink Hartmann, newly hired by the Lagias family, had been a regimental commander in this kingdom’s order of knights; now he had stepped back from the front lines and retired.

He was in his late thirties—slender, but with a well-trained body that drew the eye. Even to a layperson, it was easy to tell he was a man of arms.

Why had Brink, who seemed to have no particular issues in age or physique, left the knighthood?

He had circumstances of his own.

Brink Hartmann.

After entering the order, he steadily carried out each mission, built up his abilities, and rose through the ranks in due course.

Beyond his swordsmanship, he excelled in character and intellect, and with the trust of those inside and outside the order, he climbed to regimental commander at a young age.

In his private life, he met a woman, married, and was blessed with a child. Work and home both flourished; Brink’s days were full.

But just when it seemed smooth sailing, tragedy struck. His beloved wife died suddenly.

She had always been frail, and after giving birth she often fell ill, yet even so there had been signs of gradual recovery.

Parting with his wife so abruptly left Brink at a loss and blaming himself. Why hadn’t he looked to the home more? Why hadn’t he shown her better care?

He fell into self-loathing, and his duties in the order became impossible to focus on.

What kept Brink from losing himself and helped him stand again was largely the presence of his son.

A boy with his mother’s blond hair and a gentle, soft smile.

He would never again endure the feeling of losing family. Above all, he would never let his son suffer again.

Family and the order—he engraved on his heart that he would protect both no matter what, and devoted himself all the more to his duties.

His son also grew in good health and turned eleven.

Seeing the boy fired up to become a knight warmed his heart. The day when they would stand shoulder to shoulder at work might not be far off.

(I will not make a mistake again.)

—Yet tragedy visited once more.

His beloved son fell ill. Unlike his mother, the boy had not been sickly and had never had a serious disease until now.

At first he thought it was a seasonal cold, but there were no signs of improvement; day by day his condition worsened.

They showed him to several physicians, but no cause could be found, and no fundamental treatment could be applied.

The son who had once run about so energetically now spent most days in bed.

Alongside his duties, Brink investigated illnesses and treatments. He sought help from many in the healing arts and searched for a clue to a cure, but gained no favorable results; only time slipped away.

He could no longer balance the order and his family; a decision had to be made.

In the end, pushing through the opposition around him, Brink resigned from the order. All for the sake of saving his beloved family…