III - The Resonance Test

Immediately, a wave of hushed whispers rippled through the crowd as Haku remained kneeling before Pan, her expression unwavering.

“What did she just say? A great hero? That Easterner?”

“And she’s pledging her loyalty to her?”

“Who are those two, anyway?”

Only now, as Pan noticed everyone’s reactions, did the full weight of what she’d done sink in.

She jumped to her feet and grabbed Haku by the shoulders, trying to pull her up.

“W-What are you talking about, mm? I’m not a hero. And definitely not a great one...”

Haku rose with an easy smile spread across her face.

“I’ve heard that before. Every Great Hero I’ve served said something similar.”

“But...” Pan protested. “Didn’t you say the other heroes had already made names for themselves? That they were recruiting allies?”

She pointed at herself to emphasize the difference.

“I’ve got nothing like that planned! I can’t even fight.”

Haku sat back down and studied Pan more closely.

“It’s true, you’re not as far along as the others yet...”

Her expression never wavered.

“But from what you’ve told me, the evil threatening this world hasn’t progressed that far yet either. So it actually makes perfect sense.”

Pan could only stare at her in horror, unable to form a coherent reply.

“Uh... um...”

“Don’t worry,” Haku continued. “On our journey, I’ll prepare you for your destiny.”

“P-Prepare me?!”

Pan spun away, gnawing on her thumb.

Oh, fantastic! All I wanted was a bodyguard who’d pay for the trip, not a full-blown hero’s training regimen!

But if I admit I made the whole thing up, she’ll probably kill herself.

...Wait. Won’t she end up doing that anyway once she finds out the truth?

Pan cautiously glanced back at Haku, who was contentedly humming to herself as she tucked the silver away.

She looks so much happier now that she thinks she has a purpose...

Couldn’t she have that without sacrificing herself for everyone else?

A spark lit up her eyes.

That’s it!

If I can convince her during our journey that there’s nothing wrong with pursuing her own happiness, I’ll not only save her life... 

I’ll also have a safe trip home!

A win-win.

At last, Pan turned back to Haku.

“All right. Let’s say I really am the one you say. How are you planning to turn me into a hero, mm? I have no Adventurer Rank and I can’t even accept the simplest quests...”

Haku blinked in surprise, then thoughtfully rubbed her chin.

A moment later, her smile returned.

“Don’t worry, I know exactly what to do.“

***

The next morning, they came to a halt in front of a massive stone building across from City Hall.

“The Adventurers’ Guild?”

Haku nodded.

“The first thing we need to do is find out where your true potential lies.”

Pan let out a dry laugh.

“But... I already told you. I don’t have any, mm.”

“And how would you know that?” Haku replied calmly.

Pan lowered her gaze.

“I have already taken the test...”

Haku looked at her patiently.

“Three years ago. At the Adventurers’ Guild in Castran.” A bitter smile crossed Pan’s face. “On my fourteenth birthday, I went there first thing in the morning. I was convinced the Resonance Test would finally reveal what I was meant to be. After that, I was going to become an adventurer, and find a way back home.”

She fell silent for a moment.

“But it didn’t work out that way...”

Haku studied her thoughtfully.

Then she smiled.

“The Great Hero Arevan was once nothing more than an ordinary farmer. No one could have guessed the destiny sleeping within him.” She gestured toward the guild entrance. “Maybe you’re just a late bloomer too.”

Pan sighed in resignation.

“I doubt it. But if you insist...”

Together, they stepped into the guild’s vast columned hall.

Adventurers of every rank crowded around the quest boards, while others lined up at the counters to collect rewards or accept new quests.

But the moment Haku entered, heads turned.

“Who’s that?”

“That armor...”

“Looks like Platinum Rank.”

Pan edged closer to Haku.

Well, at least they’re not staring at me for once...

They approached a counter beneath a sign that read:

Resonance Test Registration.

An elderly clerk greeted them with a friendly smile.

“How may I help you?”

“My companion would like to take the test.”

The man nodded.

“Certainly. The fee is ten silver coins.”

Without hesitation, Haku placed the money on the counter.

Pan silently watched the coins.

Back then I had to save for months to afford that. In the end it was all for nothing...

The clerk handed her a thin card with a golden shimmer.

“Please follow me.”

He led them into a quieter area behind the counters.

There stood a strange cabinet-sized machine made of polished wood and metal, its surface covered in delicate silver runes.

Pan’s heart began to race.

Or could Haku actually be right?

Maybe... something really has changed since then?

The clerk opened the door.

“Please take a seat inside.”

Pan swallowed hard.

Slowly, she sat down on the small stool.

The door closed behind her.

With trembling fingers, she slid the golden card into the slot.

Immediately, the engraved runes lit up with a brilliant glow.

A shimmering ring of light slowly swept from her head to her feet, then rose back up again.

For a brief moment, Pan felt as though the magic were examining every fiber of her being.

Then the humming ceased and the card slid back out.

Carefully, Pan took it.

“Well then...”

Her heart pounded with hopeful anticipation as she carried it back to the clerk.

He smiled professionally and glanced at the card...

...then frowned.

He blinked, looked again, and his smile vanished.

“T-This... this is incredible!”

Pan’s heart skipped a beat.

Could it actually be?!

The clerk slowly turned the card toward her.

“I’ve worked at this guild for over twelve years, but I’ve never seen the Resonance Chamber fail to find a single match.”

He shook his head in disbelief.

“No resonance with melee weapons. None with ranged. No magical affinity. No elemental affinity. Nothing!”

Silence.

Pan stared at the card as he handed it back.

“I’m sorry young lady. It seems you are not fit to be an adventurer.“

Her ears drooped as the clerk disappeared back to his booth.

So nothing has changed after all. I’m still completely worthless...

She looked up at Haku almost apologetically.

“You see? I’m no Great Hero...” Pan murmured.  “It clearly says I can’t do anything, mm.”

Haku slowly shook her head.

“No.”

She rested a thoughtful hand against her chin.

“All it says is that the Resonance Chamber found no match.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

For a moment, Haku seemed far away.

“You know... every world I’ve ever seen worked differently.”

Pan looked up, curiosity replacing her disappointment.

“Differently?”

Haku nodded and raised a finger.

“In Garatas’s world, people grew stronger by gaining levels. Everyone could see their abilities whenever they wanted.”

A second finger.

“In Frinna’s world, there wasn’t even an Adventurers’ Guild. Warriors were trained exclusively by the army, while mages studied in academies.”

A third finger.

“And in Valannia’s world, almost everything depended on the magic of the World Trees.”

She looked Pan straight in the eyes.

“I still don’t fully understand how this Resonance here works. But just because it found nothing, doesn’t necessarily mean there’s nothing inside you.”

Pan lowered her gaze.

“But... we don’t know that for certain.”

Haku nodded slowly.

“That’s true.”

Silence lingered between them.

“But...”

She clasped her hands behind her back.

“There is one thing we do know.”

“And what’s that?” Pan asked curiously.

“Whether you’re the Great Hero or not doesn’t change one thing. If the Demon Emperor is in the east, then that’s where I must go.”

Pan flinched ever so slightly.

“And the fact that I happened to meet someone from there here, of all places, has to mean something.”

“M-maybe it’s just coincidence.”

Haku shook her head.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past centuries, it’s that there are no coincidences.”

She hoisted her shield onto her shoulder and turned toward the guild’s exit.

“Anyway, sooner or later, the answers to our questions will reveal themselves on our journey.”

Pan felt the knot in her chest loosen.

That sounds like the whole 'Great Hero' business is off the table for now. What a relief...

Then something else suddenly occurred to her.

“Um... There’s just one small problem, mm.”

Haku tilted her head.

“What is it?”

“If we want to go east, we first have to get to Aenzia. It’s the only place where ships make the crossing.”

Pan scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

“And the trip there costs two hundred twenty guilders for both of us, mm.”

Haku blinked.

She reached into her pouch and looked inside.

“I see.“

She was silent for a moment.

Then her expression brightened.

“That’s easily solved.”

“How?”

She was already turning back toward the counter.

“I’ll take a Resonance Test as well.”

Pan frowned.

“And then?”

Haku pointed toward the quest board on the other side of the hall.

“We’ll earn the money.”