Hero Stories: Seeds of Misfortune

...*sighing*

Here I am, on this road again. I never thought this day would come.

To think that someone like me would be able to try this not once, but twice now...

*sobbing* It's all over now... What do I do...?

Hmm, it's so crowded around here... Are all these people here for the wizard test in the spire today?

A peddler is supposed to stop by here today, but I don't know exactly where... I should ask that girl over there.

Excuse me, but do you know where...

What is it...?

Goodness... Are you all right? Why are you crying?

...

You must have taken the test at the spire, right?

...

*chuckling* You look terrified. Is it because you're hungry, or because you don't feel comfortable talking to a stranger?

Well, you don't have to say anything if you don't feel like it. But...

*rustling*

Here, take this. You look so pale. I think you need to eat something.

N-No. I'm not hungry at...

*stomach growling*

...

...Haha. What are you so embarrassed about? I heard that test can be brutal.

Don't be shy. Here, have some of my bread. I'll eat this part, and you can take this large piece.

An old man appeared out of nowhere and offered to share his bread with me... Why is he doing this? What if he put something weird in there? Is it really safe to take food from a complete stranger?

Yum. Sarah really knows how to bake.

...He seems all right. I guess it's probably safe to eat it... I'll just try a bite...

What do you think? It's good, right?

...Yes.

Good. I wish I had more to share with you, but that's all I have right now... How about we buy some groceries and go to my house together?

Don't worry. My house isn't in a secluded area, so it's safe.

...

Here we are. It's nothing fancy, but please help yourself to anything you like.

...

Haha, you are still on your guard. If you feel that uncomfortable, you can leave as soon as you finish eating.

But even if you don't trust me and are waiting for an opportunity to escape, that will only possible if you have enough energy, don't you think?

...

He has a point... I have no choice but to take his food now. If I'm too hungry, I won't be able to run quickly.

Haha, look at you diving straight into your food. You must've been pretty hungry, huh?

...Yeah.

There, there. I'm sure being so nervous only made you even hungrier.

*sobbing*

Huh? What's with the waterworks? Is the food that bad?

Hmm, it tastes fine to me... Or have I gotten so old that my taste buds don't work anymore?

It's...all over for me.

What's over?

I failed the wizard test. I did something stupid in the middle and got disqualified...

I should have known I was out of my league in the first place... But, but I put up with so much just so I could take this test...

Ah... I'm very sorry to hear that. But you know, you can always try again next time.

No... There is no "next time" for someone like me. I don't even have a place to return to.

What do you mean? You have a home with your family, right?

I doubt anyone will be happy to see me again. Everyone in the village hates me, including my own mother.

I'm so useless... I do nothing but bring misfortune to the other villagers...

...I see.

...Thank you for your generosity and hospitality. The food was really great.

My pleasure... So you're leaving?

Yes, I don't want to overstay my welcome...

Not at all... But don't you think you should return the favor when someone invites you to a meal?

...

I knew it. No one in the world would be nice to a stranger unless they wanted something in return. But why now, when I have nothing and nowhere to go...?

In return...I'd love it if you stayed here a bit longer.

...Pardon?

You just said you had nowhere to go. Frankly, I've been a bit lonely ever since my family moved out.

So make yourself at home here. But if you ever feel like you want to leave, please feel free to do so.

Are you sure? If I stay here, my misfortune might rub off on you...

Is that a prophecy?

N-No.

Then what makes you so sure?

B-Because...misfortune comes to everyone around me... My mother and the villagers all told me it was all my fault...

I'm a Shadow Elf. Misfortune follows me everywhere I go like a shadow. Everyone says that.

Did you do something to them to cause those misfortunes?

No...

Then it must have just been a coincidence that turned into a rumor. Unless you act with the intent of making something happen, there's no way you can guess what the future holds.

You said you bring misfortune to those around you. But who knows? Maybe you'll bring me luck. Only time will tell.

...

Take your time and think about it. Whatever decision you make, I'll respect it.

...If it wasn't for him that day, I would've exhausted myself wandering around the forest crying and died of starvation alone.

Grandpa put a roof over my head and made me feel warm and comfortable all this time.

So I should repay him by making him proud. I...I can do this. I have to.

*inhaling* I can do it. I'm going to make it. Ah, I'd better hurry.

*chattering*

Have you practiced this before?

Fire magic? I already know the spell by heart and cast it successfully every time.

Have you heard anything about the test?

I heard it's going to be like last time. We're going to have to use magic on those hunting grounds and try to get the highest score...

There are so many people taking the test this time... I think more than the last test. And they all look very skilled...

I did hear there are more and more people who want to be wizards lately...

What will I tell Grandpa if I fail again? I'd rather die here than let him be disappointed in me.

...Eda? Eda!

Ah, here!

...You're Eda? Your spot is here, not there.

Ah... I-I'm so sorry...

All right, I'll explain the rest of the test.

All of you here have successfully passed the spell theory test. The second round is a simulated battle that will take place at an outdoor testing ground.

Anyone who's defeated or disqualified will fail, regardless of their score on the theory test.

The last person to make it till the end of the final round will pass the test. So please do your best, everyone.

Without further ado, let the test begin.

...Excellent score, Eda. You passed this round as well.

Really?!

Thank goodness... I'm safe this time. I can't believe this is actually happening to me...!

Things are going way too smoothly. This doesn't feel right... Is it possible that I used the last of my luck on this round of the test?

Then there's no way I'll pass the final round. Am I going to make a giant mistake and get disqualified again like last time?

...No, like Grandpa said, no one knows what the future holds. I'll keep going as long as there's a shred of hope. I can't let him down again.

Maybe this time, I might stand a chance. Even if it's just a small one.

To those of you who've made it to the final round, congratulations. There's only one test remaining.

The final round is a simulated battle using magic. The test will end when the sun has completely set.

I urge all of you to fully commit to this test like you would in an actual fight. Of course, protection magic is in effect so no one can be seriously injured.

The last person standing at the end of the battle will join the honorable ranks of the Lefundos Wizard's Spire.

Best of luck to all of you.

It's so dark already. I managed to survive until now, but...

There you are, Eda.

Huh? Yeah...

...Congratulations. You're the winner.

...What? Me? A-Are you sure? What about the other...

You just defeated the last candidate.

Welcome. You're now officially a fellow wizard of the Wizard's Spire.

Th-That's... I really...

Did I really make it, just like Grandpa said I could? I'm a wizard now? Gosh, if this is a dream, I don't ever want to wake up!

I thought this day would never come. How did this happen? I still can't believe I got in...

Grandpa's going to be ecstatic when he hears this news! Maybe he'll even give me a giant hug and tell me I did a good job...

Oh my goodness... I've never felt this happy before!

Hey, you. Get up. That's my spot.

Ah... I'm sorry.

Ugh, out of everyone, why did she have to be the one to sit in my spot?

...

I became a wizard of the spire. Grandpa was so thrilled to hear the news, and I was so happy to know that I made him happy.

But that happiness didn't last long. The wizards in the spire weren't any different from the villagers back in my hometown.

She's giving me the creeps. I'll never understand what the judges saw in her.

Apparently, she made it to the end of the final battle.

Yeah, but it was the judges that decided who passed in the end, right? How could they think someone that dour and incompetent could possibly be a wizard?

Who knows? Maybe she slipped them some money and told them she'd be willing to pay even more if they picked her.

I don't think she even has the guts to do that. Look at her, she's so timid and sad-looking.

If she is a Shadow Elf like everyone says, maybe she does. They say misfortune follows Shadow Elves.

Eek... What if that misfortune of hers spreads to us?

...I should go somewhere else.

Eda, where do you think you're going? I've been looking for you everywhere.

M-Me?

Yes, you. Where do you keep wandering off to when we're all swamped with work here? It's not like you have anyone to hang out with.

Here. Finish this by tomorrow morning.

A-All of it...?

Yes, all of it. You're not going to say it's too much, are you?

I mean, I'd understand if you found it too much to handle. But I'm letting you know that this should be a breeze for any wizard worth their salt.

...All right...

And do you mind doing it somewhere else? We have to research advanced magic here.

...

...Thank goodness, I finished everything in time.

I'm exhausted...but I want to get some air before I go to bed.

Gosh, I should've checked once more to make sure I didn't miss anything, but I just left. *sighing* Seriously, what's wrong with me?

...If I had someone to help me, would it have been easier to finish? But who would be willing to help me?

...

Grandpa... Is my life always going to be this pathetic and miserable?

I finished weeding, Grandpa!

Well done. Come inside and take a break.

Okay. Ah, it's so cold out today...

I know farming isn't the easiest thing to learn, so just do it at your own pace.

No, I quite enjoy it, actually. I've never farmed before, but I actually think it suits me.

I'm glad to hear that.

You must be starving. I'm going to clean up a bit and make something to eat.

Thank you.

*rumbling*

Ah! The bookshelf... *sighing*

What did I touch that made the whole thing fall down? Why am I always causing trouble wherever I go?

I hope Grandpa didn't hear that. I should clean this up quickly.

*rustling*

Ah, this is...my magic theory book...

I remember completely losing track of time when I was studying this. The entire book is filled with my notes.

...I worked really hard.

You're right. You poured your heart and soul into that.

*gasping* Grandpa...

I was wondering what that noise was...and here you are, reminiscing on your proud memories.

N-No. I'll set up the table as soon as I clean up in here. Sorry about making so much noise...

...Eda, are you sure you're through with studying magic?

...

Yes, I'm sure. I enjoy farming, and I'm content living here with you.

Are you positive that you don't want to give it another try?

...Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?

Even if I did try again, I wouldn't make it. My skills are subpar at best, and on top of that, I'm not brave enough... I know I'm not good enough to pass the test.

I don't think that's true. Didn't you say your score was pretty high before you were disqualified?

If you hadn't felt under the weather that day, you wouldn't have made that mistake. Who knows, you might have gone all the way to the end.

That's not true. I know myself too well.

Are you absolutely certain you're not going to regret it?

...

You have a bright future ahead of you. A future you've wanted more than anything.

Giving up on that dream and settling here may end up being the biggest regret you have when you look back upon your life someday.

There are always going to be obstacles and hardships along the way. But it's not impossible to overcome them.

You are more than capable of rising above all of them.

No, I'm...

I just want you to be happy, Eda, and to live with no regrets.

...

Eda, you deserve to be happy.

Do not doubt that, and never give up, no matter what trials you face.

I hope there comes a day when you accept and love yourself for who you are now.

...I understand, Grandpa. I'll try one more time.

That's my girl.

But you still have to teach me how to farm because I really do like it. I can do both!

Haha, all right.

...Grandpa, I'm giving my all just like you told me to. I'm doing this so I won't regret it later and I can finally be happy.

But...I'm still not sure if I'm on the right path. Am I really capable of pursuing this dream?

I'm a little afraid of whether I've made the wrong choice...

...No, I need to stay positive. This is just another obstacle.

I can do it. I can overcome this...

I was so lost in thought that I didn't realize how much time passed... It looks like I'm not going to get much sleep today.

I'm just going to go over this one more time before... Huh?

W-What happened to my report?

More than half of it is torn off. I can barely read it. What happened? It wasn't like this when I left...

Did someone come in here when I was away? Why would anyone– Ah, there's something written here. "Know...your..."?

"Know your place, idiot."

...

They're right... I'm just useless. I can't let myself forget that.

I've had my head in the clouds ever since I passed the wizard test. How could I ever dream of continuing on this path when I'm so incompetent?

I feel so stupid...

I don't know how much time has passed.

So much work has piled up on my desk that it'll be virtually impossible to handle it all on my own.

But I know that the moment I give up, I'll get kicked out of the spire...so I struggle every day to get everything done somehow.

I can't even remember the last time I saw Grandpa. Lately, it's become impossible to take a weekend off, let alone a vacation.

So I have no choice but to send him money and letters whenever I get the chance, and lie that I'm having the time of my life here.

...The research I'm working on now is going to take a very long time, so I won't be able to come visit for a while. Don't worry about me, and...

...What are you doing, doodling? I guess you've got a lot of free time.

Ah...

Great. Then you should have time to work on the latest study.

What is it about...?

You've heard of the meteor that the wizards of the spire extracted from the wilderness a while back, right? We've been ordered to take another look at it.

That's...

Of course I've heard of the meteor found in the Epitaph Wilderness.

A giant meteor fell to the wilderness one day, and a group of wizards brought it to the spire to study its strange power.

Despite the countless studies that have been conducted, no one has succeeded in identifying the unusual, faint power it holds.

Every wizard with any confidence in their ability has tried and failed miserably. There's no way my investigation is going to be the one that succeeds.

It's essentially impossible. No wonder they're dumping this on me.

I wonder how many nights of sleep I'm going to lose with nothing to show for... *sighing*

...

...I do sense the strange power that the others have described.

It feels a bit different from the mana we have...but I don't know how else to describe it.

Not one wizard has been able to find even a single clue... Just what is this power?

It didn't take long to find an answer to that question.

Because no one else wanted to take on the study, ultimately, I gained the meteor's power...

It enabled me to use all kinds of magic spells in ways that I'd never thought were even possible.

Everyone doubted me at first. But after seeing my progress over time, the professors started to recognize my skills.

At some point, they even called me an unprecedented genius. There wasn't a single professor who didn't sing my praises.

So...it was only natural that my peers were overcome with jealousy.

Did you hear the genius wizard is joining today's outdoor mission? But she usually spends her days shut in the spire. I wonder what's come over her today.

Ah... You mean Eda, the Shadow Elf?

Do you know her?

Kind of. She used to look like she had these dark clouds hanging over her head all the time, she was so gloomy and timid. I even heard her call herself incompetent.

Wait, are you sure we're talking about the same person...?

Yeah. She's changed. She's still a little negative, but when you compare her attitude and skill level to what they used to be, it's like she's a completely different person.

I don't know what she could have done to have changed so drastically.

Hmm... If you're implying she somehow managed to trick everyone with spells or rumors, then her cover is definitely going to be blown during today's mission.

Right, today is the perfect opportunity to find out the truth. I think that's why there are so many people interested in this mission.

Yeah, I guess we'll find out when we see it for ourselves. Oh, there she is.

...

Everyone is already here. We're the last ones, right?

I didn't know you were actually going to participate, Eda.

Yeah... Thank you for having me here.

There's no need to be so formal. All right, let's head out.

This is it. We're supposed to clear out all the monsters in this area.

I definitely detect something suspicious here, but unfortunately, this mana is completely foreign to me.

I can't make anything out of the mana I'm sensing right now. What if it's something really dangerous...?

Since we don't know what kind of power we're dealing with right now, I have no clue where we should even begin. Should we try tackling them head-on first and see what happens?

Umm... I think there's a safer way to defeat them.

What makes you so sure it'll be safer?

I didn't say I was sure...

Then are you just being arrogant? I guess something like this isn't a big deal for such a genius wizard.

I-It's not like that. I'm scared too...

But if we're going to do it, it's better to try a safer way first.

Do you think I don't know that? We're all hesitant because we don't know exactly what we're dealing with right now. What part of that do you not understand?

...In my opinion, this is a type of power that we're already familiar with.

What?

I agree that the power itself is a bit unfamiliar, but I doubt it's something completely unknown to us.

Although we can't identify where exactly this mana came from, I'm sure you've all noticed that its composition isn't very different from what we're already familiar with.

You can find a lot of cases of mutated mana in any magic theory book. If we apply that knowledge, we can take care of this in no time.

I guess you've been spending all that time in the spire studying magic theory.

Since you're so sure of yourself, why don't you prove it right here and now?

...Okay.

...No way.

Just like she said...it's all done.

*sighing* I'm glad I guessed correctly. If it hadn't been what I thought it was, it would've been a disaster.

...So reckless, too.

Since when was she like that? Wait, has she been that way this whole time and we just never realized?

Thank you so much for your help. It wouldn't have been this easy to handle if not for you all.

Huh? We were just doing what we were assigned...

...

Should we head back now? It's going to get dark soon.

A-All right...

...There you are, Eda.

What can I do for you?

Umm, about our last mission, I heard you requested that the reward be distributed equally.

Ah... Yes, because it was a group mission. We all did it together.

...Do you take us for a bunch of idiots?

What? N-No! I'm sorry, I never meant to...

We're all well aware that it was you who took the lead on that mission. The rest of us just followed your orders. I know my place too, you know.

That... That's not what I was trying to say...

...You still don't get it? I'm saying you did a good job.

Pardon...? But I don't deserve...

Argh, you're so frustrating! Why can't you take a compliment?

...

Th-Thank you.

Actually, I'm pretty jealous of your skills. I heard you've been making a lot of progress lately.

At this rate, it won't be long before you become a high wizard.

No way! Someone like me could never...

Do you really have to keep putting yourself down like that? Now I'm starting to get offended.

S-Sorry...

Anyway, what are you working on right now?

I'm reading about the principles of ancient magic.

I'm trying to learn more about the mana we faced in our last mission. So I thought the very beginning of magic would be the best starting point...

You really are a hard worker. Let me take a look too.

Ah, sure. I'm on this page...

I never thought this day would come.

I never imagined that someone would be so nice to me, acknowledge my skills, or even think I could ever rise to a higher position.

I feel like I'm dreaming. Can I really achieve everything I've ever wanted, just like he said?

Okay... I'm going to get even stronger. Not just my magic, but my determination, too... And then I'll use them to keep moving forward. Maybe it's not so far-fetched for me with this power.

But...why do I feel so empty? I feel like I'm forgetting something...

...If it's important, it'll come back to me someday. For now, I have to focus on what's ahead of me.

I've waited so long for something like this to happen to me...