Sixteen years later.
After a day of tireless work, Lena, the owner of the Witch’s Flower Shop, tidied her belongings before setting off for her villa.
Upon opening the door and passing through the foyer, she spotted the blonde girl already seated on the sofa.
“Why are you back so early today?”
The blonde girl, Celia, was a true noble young lady, and also a prospective Hero who had yet to be officially recognized.
“I’m sorry, Miss Lena, but I might need to move out early.”
Celia lowered her head, her golden hair obscuring half of her cheek as a wave of dejection washed over her. “The contract stands as agreed; I’ll pay everything in full.”
Lena’s villa was quite spacious, and she usually lived alone, leaving many rooms empty. Thus, at a friend’s request and introduction, she had rented some of the spare rooms to Celia.
However, seeing the girl’s evident distress, Lena’s own mood grew somewhat grim.
Celia. Initially, upon hearing that name, Lena had given her a few extra glances.
Her own daughter was also named Celia, yet she didn’t believe the girl before her was her child. After all, many people shared the same name, and the girl’s status as a noble young lady further confirmed this.
Her daughter, Celia, ought to be the Demon Princess by now.
During the time she spent with this Celia, Lena often found herself reminiscing about her own adorable daughter.
She pictured a chubby face, bright, clear eyes, and a sweet, childish voice calling out, ‘Mama…’
Calculating the years, her daughter, who had been a mere child back then, should have blossomed into a charming young woman just like this.
Indeed, Lena was none other than Dorothy, the former Silverbloom Sword Princess.
After leaving the Demon King’s palace, she had returned to her hometown, Vidona, living under an assumed name and running a humble flower shop. From then on, she no longer concerned herself with the affairs of humans or demons.
To avoid being recognized by old acquaintances, she had even used her magic to alter her appearance, transforming her golden eyes into crimson ones and slightly reshaping her face.
“Aren’t you part of a team with them? If you move out, what will happen to them?”
Two other girls also rented rooms with Celia. They were both prospective Heroes and Celia’s teammates.
“They can find another teammate. I’ll only bring them trouble…”
Upon hearing that Celia was not only moving out but also withdrawing from her Hero team, Lena asked with concern, “Have you encountered some difficulty?”
Feeling Lena’s genuine care, Celia placed her hands on her thighs, unconsciously clutching the hem of her skirt.
She hesitated, unsure whether to confide in Lena about the troubles she faced.
Her landlady was kind, but she was merely an ordinary person without magic. Even if Celia spoke of her problems, Lena couldn’t possibly help her.
In that case, it would only feel as though she were spreading negativity.
“It often helps to talk about it. Keeping things bottled up can make you feel worse,” Lena said, moving to sit beside her, like a comforting older sister.
Lena’s gentle demeanor always prompted others to lower their guard. Celia instinctively leaned against her and softly began to voice her worries:
“My family doesn’t want me to become a Hero. They say it’s too dangerous, that one careless mistake could cost me my life. Besides, the demon race hasn’t waged war in decades, so there’s no need for Heroes anymore.”
“But becoming a Hero is my dream.”
“A dream?”
“Yes, I want to be a Hero like the Silverbloom Sword Princess – kind, gentle, powerful, and revered by countless humans…”
Lena paused, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. Celia, as if recalling something, watched her bright emerald eyes, which had glowed with the mention of her dream, gradually dim.
“It’s just a pity she ultimately failed…”
The Silverbloom Sword Princess was her idol, but the Hero’s ultimate fate was something Celia found unacceptable.
After invading the Demon King’s city, the Silverbloom Sword Princess was defeated. She sacrificed herself to save the lives of other Heroes and was subsequently imprisoned within the Demon King’s city, with no news from the demon realm for over a decade.
Though she didn’t want to admit it, Celia knew her idol would undoubtedly endure endless humiliation in the demon realm, and her chances of survival were slim.
“It’s been over twenty years. Not many people still remember the Silverbloom Sword Princess. If she were still alive, she’d probably be very happy to hear you say that.”
Lena held Celia’s hand, a sweet smile gracing her lips.
Few Heroes chose the Silverbloom Sword Princess as their idol. After all, two decades had passed, and new Heroes continually emerged. The generation of Heroes to which the Silverbloom Sword Princess belonged had been overshadowed by the fame of newer Heroes, gradually fading from public memory.
“But to stop me from becoming a Hero, my family secretly sabotaged our team, making it impossible for any veteran Heroes to become our instructors.”
Celia’s small face crumpled in distress as she revealed the true reason for her troubles. “Without an instructor, according to the Hero’s Guild rules, they won’t allow us to participate in the Hero’s assessment.”
“So that’s why you’re choosing to leave the team?”
“Yes.”
“That’s truly a shame. But people’s perspectives always change. Don’t be too disheartened; perhaps your family will support you in becoming a Hero someday?”
While offering these comforting words, Lena secretly hoped Celia wouldn’t become a Hero.
Being a Hero wasn’t as glamorous as ordinary people perceived. It entailed immense responsibility and risk, often accompanied by bloodshed and sacrifice, and Lena didn’t wish for Celia to walk that path.
Moreover, a Hero could never truly defeat the Demon King.
Having personally encountered the Demon King, Lena knew that no human could ever overcome her.
Compared to becoming a Hero, Celia would be better off returning to inherit her family’s business.
“Thank you, Miss Lena, for taking care of me during this time. Without you, I wouldn’t have known where to live.”
Celia rose and performed a standard curtsy, lifting her skirt. Lena waved a hand. “Thank Sharlene instead. It was her who asked me to rent rooms to you all.”
“Oh? Sharlene? Miss Lena knows the Hero’s Guild Master?”
“Yes, we met by chance.”
In this world, humans with magic were inherently superior, let alone the Master of the Hero’s Guild.
Such individuals typically didn’t interact with ordinary people, which was why Celia was so surprised to learn that Lena knew Sharlene.
What Celia didn’t know, however, was that Lena and Sharlene had been acquainted for nearly a decade.
Lena still recalled their first meeting: Sharlene was merely an ordinary Hero, drowning her sorrows in a tavern because she couldn’t achieve further breakthroughs.
After getting drunk, she was targeted by some thugs, and Lena intervened to save her. Through this encounter, they came to know each other.
After chatting with Lena for a while longer, Celia glanced at the clock on the wall.
“It’s getting late. I should head to the Guild to complete my withdrawal procedure.”
Having confided her troubles in Lena, she indeed felt much calmer.
Performing another curtsy, she left the villa alone and headed for the Hero’s Guild.
‘Forced to withdraw because there’s no instructor?’
Shaking her head with a sigh, Lena had no intention of offering help.