Chapter 19: Is this Training?

What if a person was promised a training that would help them go above and beyond their limitations? And the person who’d be administering said training, was someone heralded as an absolute genius—a much lauded one at that.

Any sane mind would want a chance to train under such a figure, would they not?

Well, inside Ground Zero, at Belova Industries, Irina had made that exact decision.

“Alrighty! Let’s take a look at your upbringing, shall we?”

Fully reclined atop a luxurious sofa was Irina. She was flat on her back, and her hands were brought together gently over her stomach.

And seated with his legs crossed, rhythmically tapping a pen on a notepad, was Shun. Fanciful spectacles that only accentuated his brilliance even more hung low on his face. They even had one of those cords that looped around the neck.

“Okay,” Irina responded to Shun’s earlier suggestion.

This is very unusual training…

Whenever Irina thought of training, it almost always involved combat of some sort. Be it physical or magical. It was always a “hands on” kind of thing. So naturally, lying on a chair and being asked about her childhood would not make much sense.

Is this what they call…therapy?

“I know you must be thinking, ‘what form of training is this?’ But I assure you, for matters of magic, the mind is always a good place to start.”

Shun reiterated a point he’d been trying to get across for a while now. He explained to Irina that if she kept doing the same thing—that is “training”—and was not seeing any progress, it wouldn’t hurt to try a different method.

After all, a wise person once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

“Let’s start with your motivation. What drives you as The Hero, Irina?” Shun’s delivery was silky smooth, and measured, just like a true professional’s.

“I want to become a beacon. One that shines brightly enough to lead the world to a never ending harmony, free from battle.”

“Simply beautiful… That is some goal, huh?” Then there was a short pause, before Shun continued, “And how do you plan to reach this ideal world you seek?”

“By vanquishing the enemy. Crushing them with all my might.”

“Hmm… That would mean wiping out an entire civilization. Could you live with that?”

Shun was right. Even if she struck down the enemy forces, as well as their leader, if she didn’t eliminate every trace of them from the face of the earth they would recover.

“……” There was no answer from her.

“Say, Irina…how many Demons have you actually vanquished in your lifetime?”

“......”

“Hello? Shun to The Hero—!”

“None…”

Shun heard Irina mutter something under her breath. But despite his enhanced sense of hearing—being a member of the Heroic Clan—he need to confirm it.

“What was that?”

“None…”

“…”

And just like that, the first major hurdle had been reached.

● ● ●

Shun did not bat an eye-lid. Oh, no. He was not rattled in the slightest. “May I ask why?”

“I have only ever trained alongside other Heroes. Testing my strength against my own people. I have never successfully struck down a Demon before…”

“So that means you have tried to take one down before. But something prevented you from doing so, right?”

“It was because, they were all…”

Shun leaned forward a touch. “They were all…?”

“Children…”

“…”

“I could not bring myself to do it. Striking a child, even a Demon’s, is beneath me.

“I see… Let me get this straight. If it were an adult Demon, then you’d be able to strike them down?”

“W-well… What if it happened to be the same child who had only grown up? And what if somehow they were not like the rest…?”

“Don’t all Demons share the same heart, and mind?”

Irina shut her eyes and clasped her tightly. “I cannot seem to force myself to completely believe that. I try, very much, to convince myself every day that the only way to end this war is the total purge. But it is not enough.”

“Have you encountered a Demon committing an act of evil? That might be the push you need to overcome this wall.”

The day she saw that Demon near a robbery—the one she forced herself to chase, determined to defeat him. The one she believed to be the Demon King—resurfaced in her thoughts.

“I have. But, the Demon was too… Strong…”

She could not come forward with the exact nature of this Demon to Shun, feeling that it may cause an unnecessary panic.

“Could it be the one you mentioned when you first got here?”

Of course, piecing it together is no problem for him… That was what the expression on her face portrayed.

“Okay, this is progress,” Shun said with a nod.

“How so?” Irina sounded anxious as she asked. She felt insecure with such a blatant weakness of hers exposed.

“I want you to confront that strong Demon again. Not out of a sense of duty, but for the sake of your pride as a warrior!”

She stared at Shun, visibly confused. “Your pride as a warrior!” The words seemed to resonate with something deep within her soul.

“If you do that, I’m positive you’d be an entire step closer to reaching Stage V. And two steps closer to finding a way to achieve those big dreams of yours. I have complete faith in you, Irina.”

Shun’s encouragement proved to be highly effective, as the gloomy face plastered on The Hero was no more. And in its place, a highly optimistic and re-energized one.

Irina pushed of the sofa with an unreasonable amount of finesse. She said, “I would do exactly that. Thank you, Shun. I will take your advice to heart.”

Shun smiled, warm and tender. He was like a therapist pleased with his client’s growth. “Anytime. Also, don’t leap into right away. Use the rest of the day to unwind. You’ll need it.”

● ● ●

One tumultuous elevator ride later, and Irina was back at the ground floor. She walked over to Yui Tsukina—the receptionist, and one of Irina’s few female companions.

“Ah, Lady Irina. How are you?”

“No need to be so formal, Yui.”

“Okay! So what’s been keeping you down? You looked so sad up until now.”

“W-What?! It was that obvious…?”

She responded with a nod and a “Mm-hmm.”

Irina raised her hands and smacked her face mildly. Then she had a thought.

Yui is a girl… Is she not?! Maybe she could help me with my other problem…?

“Umm… Yui?” She began, “Do you—what is your current Stage?! I sense an even greater strength from you than when we last crossed paths.”

Yui blinked twice, taken by surprise. “I’m at Stage III.” She pointed to a spot at her side where the mark resided. “Who knows? Someday I may reach Stage IV, too.” She laughed in a subdued manner.

The employees perambulating about were not all Heroes, so she couldn’t risk them overhearing their conversation.

“O-oh… That is good, very good,” Irina chuckled awkwardly. No. No. No. Focus, Irina.

Chiding herself, she asked again. “D-do you have a-a… Boyfriend?!”

This time Yui blinked thrice. She stared at a beautiful face that grew redder and redder, like a tomato.

“Of course I do, silly,” Yui drawled. “Is that all you wish to know?”

“W-well, how is it like, having one?!”

“Oh, it’s wonderful. He’s a human, so no magical shenanigans whatsoever. He likes playing the big strong man in my life, pretty charming. We laugh, we cry, we go out. Sorry Irina if I sound all over the place, because that’s how having one feels, for me at least.”

Irina’s eyes panned upward to a random spot on the ceiling. In her head, she pictured… “Him.”

A sequence of activities couples do drifted by in her thoughts. Among them…

T-touching hands?!! It should not have been possible, but Irina’s face seemed to get even redder.

“Don’t tell me! Have you—found that special someone?!!”

Yui nearly abandoned all restraint as she yelled the question. Though, she did dial her voice back down during the latter half.

“Err—I… I do not know! Have I? That cannot be right! Is it?!” Irina fidgeted in place like a giddy teenager. “Umm… Hnrgh…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. No need to get yourself all worked up about it. Stuff like this takes time. Let your heart guide you. Trying to force yourself to understand these feelings would only cause a serious headache.”

“I suppose so…”

“You know what? I’ll be your personal guide on the journey that is your love life~” Yui made a grand gesture with her hands from behind the counter. “How does that sound?!”

“……”

“This isn’t the time to be getting all bashful like this. We’re way past that. Now is the time for action.” As Yui talked, she shook a fist.

Giving in at last, Irina buried her face in her hands…