A spar.

If my mother was considered well-respected, my father was held in esteem so high that the King was the only one above him.

He isn't the most powerful person in the country, that title still belongs to Mom. But he is the most versatile mage in the country. Healing, reinforcement, support, everything you could ever ask for, this man could do.

And he had the looks going for him too. Sure he wasn't the best looking person in terms of beauty. While demons could get away with having a better-toned physique, Dad was a human. Every ounce of strength in him came from the muscle he built up.

He looked like an absolute unit. 2 meters in height. Dark red hair and beard. Scars that formed before he mastered healing magic to its absolute limit.

He was often feared by people who didn't know him… but that level of fear felt like nothing compared to how much people feared me back in the day. So it was fine. Everyone who knew him loved him.

His looks were, as in my mother's case, in direct juxtaposition with his personality. My dad was more feminine than my mom. No that's not right, he just put himself out there. If he felt something off about someone, he would let them know.

Unless he wanted the person in question to figure it out themself.

Mom got into trouble for that a couple of times. Dad would get upset about something and act as if nothing was wrong with him. But if you judged him by his attitude during those fits, you could clearly tell that something was wrong.

Well, pulling of his charade, he would just wait for Mom to figure the issue out herself. It was a chore for her because she was slightly dense, to say the least. Their little guessing games were entertaining from a third person's point of view.

Especially because the emotion that they wore on their sleaves was immeasurable affection towards each other.

Ah also, as a man, he also had a healthy liking towards women. He only displayed actual love towards Mom. But he knew how to appreciate beauty… exclusively through the TV screen. You know? Since he watched idol shows and all. He's temporarily banned from watching them, though.

I feel like you should be allowed to like idols even if you're in a relationship. Because idols are there to be adored. Sure Mom was prettier than any idol the TV could show, but she was also very real. The idols didn't seem real. That's why they are attractive.

BUT THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT!

"Yuu-kun, today we're learning ice manipulation." Dad was also Yuu-chan's magic teacher. Since her open Mana Field was open knowledge, she was already awarded the 'genius of a century' status. Dad got assigned to tutor her since he's the only other person in the country who had an open Mana Field.

{a/n: sometimes older people would call girls kun or at least that's what anime taught me.}

He flicked his wrist and a whole ring of ice sceptres formed behind him. They turned forward and demolished a pair of targets placed in the yard.

'That was the trick S- ah I mean Hora used on me! So nostalgic!'

I overlooked their training with a smile since it was interesting. As I watched them practice I realised how much I missed using my muscles. Sure lazing around felt better in general, but taking a warm shower to wash off all the blood and sweat (from my enemies)... ahhh that felt great. The feeling you get when healing a wound. Muscles and bones getting rebuilt from thin air.

That era had its advantages too.

"Mao-kun, do you want to go in too?" Mom asked me. I was on her lap.

I mean, I was powerless, but a little exercise wouldn't do anyone any harm. I needed to limit myself to four-year-old's status though.

"Nhhn!" I nodded.

"Then, let's go!"

Mom lifted me up and after a minute we reached the middle of the gargantuan yard. It was a sunny day. The sky was blue. The breeze was gentle, and the grass ruffled under our feet. This was the day you'd sleep away on and feel active doing so.

She touched a wooden table and divided it into two wooden swor- WAIT ISN'T THAT--

[MATERIAL MANIPULATION?!] Even Yuu-chan looked over. It was our first time seeing her in action.

SHE HAD A SPECIAL ATTRIBUTE?! DOESN'T THAT MEAN THAT SHE WAS CONTRACTED WITH A GOD!

Moreover, she wasn't even a devil. So getting an underworld god contract of that level-

'Damn… I'm impressed!'

She judged the sword and then handed it over to me.

I played around with the sword. It was of way higher quality than the table… no it was a different wood altogether. Bamboo?

She had composition manipulation as well. This was either insane or composition manipulation was under material manipulation.

I wonder how far her abilities stretched.

Now that I think about it, how long had it been since I held a sword? I switched to a scythe two years into my previous life. Since it was way cooler and more sinister. Really matched my demon lord aesthetic. I turned into a scythe master by the time I was 5 in my previous life.

So it's understandable why using the thin short sword I had in my hand felt unnatural.

Mom bent over and opened my palm.

"You wrap your thumb like this and straighten your fingers like so." She adjusted my fingers along the hilt and stepped back a little. "Now hit my sword.~"

"Hit it?"

"Yep!"

She dug her sword into the ground and held the handle.

'Isn't she underestimating me too much?'

Dad and Yuu-chan on the other side looked over while wiping their sweat away.

'Oh well.'

I drew my sword and took a step forward. Weight went on the back leg and then transferred to the front one so the force got focused on a single swing.

'I'll shatter her sword! That'll amp up some hype, yes?'

Well, that was the plan.

As soon as I went in for the swing I tripped and fell.

I totally forgot how powerless I was. Sure I had the technique in my mind, but that didn't mean that I had the means to act on it. My body was incapable.

'Fcking grass! It wasn't my fault the grass fcked me up damnit!'

Mom rushed to me and patted my head and Dad looked at me as if I was some sort of adorable animal… but it was fine.

'My objective was to be useless in this world. I'm going to remain this weak.' I justified my weakness. 'But screw grass! Stupid adventitious perennial shoot.'

{A/N: Mao acquired mortal enemy.}

This was my first trial.

To be honest, being weak didn't feel all that good.

What should have been a spar or a training session ended up becoming a play date with Mom and Clintarou.

I felt conflicted, to say the least. My pride was hurt.

But damn, was it fun.

You don't need to be strong to be happy. But you need to be strong to not get made fun of.

###

"HAHAHAHA!!!" That wench shouted. "YOU FELLL!!!"

"Stop laughing. There's no way I can fight! I'm four."

"But still— How are you the guy who took Yiina and Hora down in your previous life?" She wheezed between every word.

"I had the ideal body back then! The body is the depiction of an average kid's body!"

"There's no way that's true… People back in our days were sturdy. They already started to work in fields when they were as old as you are now."

.

.

.

"That's just child labour."

"Now that you say it like that, it might be true."

"It is."

"ANYWAY! I can still fight as a five-year-old! So your argument doesn't hold true at all!" She bragged smugly.

"Five? More like twenty-two. That too you've been working on your mana control like a madman, I wouldn't be surprised if you were the strongest kid to ever exist in this era." Oh crap! That only fuelled her ego.

"Well, you aren't wrong about that. But I have to say…"

"What else can you possibly have left to say?"

"Not much… I'm just a little disappointed." Her voice turned stern again. Damn those mood swings were wild.

She stood up on the slanted roof of the glass corridor that lead to the palace. The view of the sun setting into our yard was calm and I wouldn't die even if I fell off. This became our spot.

"Are you going to blame me for being weak?" I grabbed her dress and got up using her as support. Stood there using her as support too.

"I want to… but my duty as the hero wouldn't let me."

"You don't have that duty anymore. I mean the whole reincarnation jig was to free you from that."

A warm breeze blew through. Damn it was humid. The hell is wrong with the summer here?! It's six for love's sake.

"I don't have the duty of a hero, huh? I could even be a villain if I wanted to be. This life is free after all."

"Unnhnn. Just never say that you'll be a villain, okay? It sounds like something outta 2010. Or are you going through your chuunibyou phase? In that case please continue, I support you whole heartedly." I was a chuunibyou for the entirety of my past life with the whole demon lord spiel.

But now I would much rather call it method acting.

"Shut up, you aren't Yuuta. Anyhow, can I take your support as in you wouldn't mind?"

"Mind wh-WAAAAHHH!!" She pulled my collar and threw me down over the passage.

Terrified for my life I guarded but the ground suddenly turned soft and I bounced back on my knees.

Yuu-chan hopped down next to me.

"The villainess-I shall turn you into my slave then!"

"How did you even come up with that conclusi-"

"Shhh Villager A, you don't have a role in the workings of the main cast anymore. Just live in a corner serving taxes and stuff." She put a finger on my lips. "I- the greatest hero in all of existence will save the world singlehandedly, yet again!" Is she having an identity crisis? Could she not decide between wanting to be a villainess and a hero?

"BUT BEFORE THAT-- SLAVE-KUN!"

"What now?"

"Neck, please!"

"Oh, hell no!"

I got up and ran away. She chased me through the yard. The sun set around us. There was no way I could outrun her.

If being weak stood for something, it'd be that I was completely at her whim now.

But I could work with that. At least her being there meant that I was safe. And that I could just leech off her if need be.