Amid the night filled with stars, Aila whispered comforting words to Taely, who sat beside her behind the barn, covered in wounds. Though they were mere words of solace, Taely knew very well the strength they offered.

You see, Taely, heroes are glorified and revered because they have overcome harrowing trials, she said.

So these hardships and pains targeting you now are nothing but ingredients that will highlight your glory once you have conquered them.

Contrary to what seemed like empty consolation, Aila Triss was sincere in her encouragement. She truly supported Taely in overcoming any ordeal that came his way.

Its said that the darkest hour is just before the dawn, the cool night air filled with the chirps of crickets enveloped both the boy and the girl.

You must never forget that no matter how dark reality seems now, Taely. You are the protagonist of your life. You will overcome.

The rustling sound of rain pours down, enveloping the dark night.

In the camp behind the northern forest, a boy stands among the pelting raindrops, his blonde hair soaked. The dark veil of the night seemed indifferent, yet the boy stood there like a sanctified saint, the hand holding his dagger relaxedhe was Ed Rothtaylor.

Looking toward Aila, Ed began to speak, Whats the need to say it? Trials are not just for the protagonist. There are more people in the world who cant live a protagonists life. The stage of the world is too vast, the cast too numerous for everyone to be the lead.

Even those who live their lives as supporting characters face cruel trials equitably. Whether expelled from the academy and surviving in the wilds, fighting for a place amidst life-threatening scenarios without allies in Sylvania, or enduring slander with clenched teeth, their existence is just as filled with challenges.

Unlike those who hope for light at the end of the trials of a protagonists life, there are those who, not certain of finding light or dark at the end, just grit their teeth and endure. Such is the life of Ed Rothtaylor, standing squarely on the stage of the final act.

Yenika Faelover, Glast, Lucy Mayrill, Crebin Rothtaylor, Sylvanias Robespierrethese were the individuals and their fates he witnessed in Sylvanias Failed Swordsman.

Aila also knew, long before now, that the world could not be simply divided into protagonists and antagonists, heroes and villains.

Yet, when locked away in darkness, one can listen to the worlds happenings and realize that indeed there are those who live a protagonists lifea fact fully known, though perhaps reluctantly accepted. The world has more supporting characters than protagonists, those who carry on the narrative, ensuring the stage can move on to the next act.

These are the stories of ordinary people who are far from extraordinary, and Ed always meets them eye to eyethe scholarly alchemist, the bloodthirsty sword fiend, the guardian of the plains, the tender-hearted elementalist, the principled geomancer. Their lives are Eds life, the life of enduring countless hardships, an aspect Aila has come to grasp faintly.

The resurrection of the Sacred Dragon Bellbrook is imminent, she heard, spoken with a gravity that seemed to make Eds stance under the downpour all the heavier.

And hes the only one who can stop it.

Along with the sounds of destruction, the Elte Trading Companys building crumbled. Elvira, struggling to hold up the barely conscious Clevius, managed to reach safety and wiped away the rainwater streaming down her face.

This Its getting bigger than I thought, she mused, laying Clevius under a tree and wringing the water from her hair.

All this commotion, its fine, right?

The buildings owner is Lortelle anyway. Senior Ed will have a way to deal with it, thats why he went ahead with it.

As Elvira frowned and sighed heavily, Zix emerged from the debris, dusting off his clothing. He looked intact, not at all like he had been through a fierce fightin stark contrast to Elvira, who seemed weary yet unscathed.

What theYoure looking good, Zix. Taely, on the other hand, was about to burst out ready to shred everything.

Maybe he kept his composure till the end. He probably didnt want to attack someone he knew, Zix reasoned, pushing back his wet hair, which made him seem calmer than usual.

Elvira squinted at him and said, You dont seem to have been fighting hard, compared to Elvira, who fought desperately.

Im telling you, I dont know. I got involved, but I have no idea how were going to sort all of this out.

Anyway, the big tasks we had to do are finished, so lets get ready to leave. Were heading to Ophelius Hall, right?

Thats right. But What about Senior Yenika and Senior Trissiana?

Looking towards the Elte Trading Company building, it was a sight that provoked a tongue clickthe cleanly bisected building looked as though it had been cut with a sworda rare and strange sight to behold.

Even the descendants of the Sword Saint could not have imagined that Taely, pushed to a corner, would unleash such a powerful strike that would so neatly cleave such a vast structure.

Senior Trissiana is helping manage the trading company employees. She doesnt want any casualties so shes casting protective magic herself.

Reliable as always, huh?

I helped a bit too. You and Clevius are hurt, so you dont need to be involved in cleaning up.

Zix was taken aback by the unexpected development of Cleviuss involvement. There was never a plan to push Taely to such a corner. But even that, Taely overcame with a tenacity that was admirable.

Elvira nodded and leaned back against the trunk of the tree, shivering slightly as if cold. Zix looked around a few times before speaking up.

But wheres Senior Yenika? Shes not here either?

*-The rain continues to pour heavily as Ailas eyes tremble with emotion. She stammers after pondering the weight of the words, unable to compose her thoughts.

What do you mean? The Sacred Dragons resurrection? The seal of the Great Sage Sylvania is broken

The news struck like lightning from a clear sky. Should one stop a passerby and tell them that soon the entire vicinity would be devastated, so run for your life, they would likely just stare blankly in confusion.

How does one come to know such a fact without any evidence? It would be natural to first doubt ones sanity. There was never an expectation that the words would be taken at face value.

Aila couldnt say a word and simply stood there in silence. I too had no position to press further, only to watch her quietly.

[Master Ed!]

Thats when it happened.

A bat suddenly flew in, slicing through the forest

And it alighted on my shoulder.

Muk?

Even amidst the pouring rain, the flame clinging to Muks body blazed fiercely.

Ever since becoming a mid-tier spirit, it was hardly affected by the weather conditions.

Muk, having grown noticeably sturdier, clung to my ear and whispered something.

I nodded, pulling mana swiftly to send Muk flying away. Silently, Muk was dismissed and vanished.

It was hard to draw upon the power within my body. I wanted to minimize the mana used for maintaining the spirit.

Taelys coming, they said.

What did you say?

Looks like theyve cleared out the Elte Trading Company. It seems they didnt break through completely, contrary to the plan.

Hearing this, Ailas pupils quivered once more.

To have actually broken through such barricades. The thought was nearly unbelievable.

Even Aila, who always trusted and relied on Taely, never imagined they could overcome such formidable barriers.

I felt the same.

Even if one was born with the fate of a protagonist, there were limits to what I expected. While I havent received precise reports about the situation at Elte Trading Company, I didnt foresee it being to this extent.

Theyll be storming the camp soon.

Then Well have to fight Taely?

Dont worry. What youre thinking wont happen.

I tried to stir the mana in my body lightly. I couldnt muster even a tenth of my usual output.

Physically drained and feverish, the rain made my body feel even heavier.

Right now, I cant beat Taely. There are too many constraints on me at the moment.

Then why did you in the first place!

Didnt I tell you everything from the start? Ive always been consistent.

From the moment Aila and I first made plans, I have always spoken honestly about my intentions.

I just wanted to check out his specs.

Certain prerequisites must be met to capture Bellbrook unharmed.

Above all, its critical that Taelys Sword Saint Ritual is sufficiently developed. To be precise: the Phantom Sword Technique, Dragonslayer Sword, holy Sword Manifestation, space Rending, and Heart Sword. He must master up to this point.

And, to minimize casualties during Bellbrooks resurrection, we must involve as many forces as possible in the subjugation. Having methodical movements from a sizable extermination team eases preparations.

The Imperial Knights, Elte Trading Company mercenaries, apostles of Holy City, members of influential imperial families Political maneuvers, deals, however its done, we must get everyone to join the extermination team.

Furthermore, securing the relics left by Sylvania Robespierre completes the minimum conditions to capture Bellbrook without incurring casualties.

Checking Taelys growth is just the first step.

Boom! Whoosh!

From the northern forests entrance, the sound of someone using their mana to push off the ground.

Birds flutter away, and the commotion spreads throughout the forest.

Thats probably Taely, enraged to the core, charging through the forest toward the camp. The sound is so close now that its directly audible.

Judging by the speed of the approaching noise, hes almost here.

I checked the state of my dagger and sheathed it, then gathered various magical engineering tools and traps scattered about the camp.

Taking off my drenched school uniform coat, I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt and washed my face with a swift hand movement, pushing back my hair and wiping off the rainwater.

What are you

Aila finally found her voice.

What is it that youre carrying?

Her eyes wide with a mix of anxiety and uncertainty.

Having safely stowed the dagger, I gathered mana at my fingertips.

The crimson aura that bloomed wasnt typicalit was the power of a high-ranking spell.

Curious?

Should I tell her?

With that in mind, I approached Aila. She looked at me with anxious eyes and nodded. Slowly, I opened my mouth.

Listen carefully.

Its nothing special.

The slowly rising power of the high-ranking spell begins to envelop Aila.

It was only a minute amount of mana, but the strain on my body began to surface. My breath became sporadic; a cold sweat broke out.

Yet I clenched my teeth and invoked the high-ranking magic Enchantment. My skill level at it was still only 1, insufficient to grasp consciousness properly.

It barely made her mind foggy or made it difficult for her thoughts to wander, but that was enough for now.

If you say anything unnecessary, itll only make things worse. Just rest for now.

Whiiiiiiik!

As I clenched my fist tight, Ailas consciousness was severed.

I had to endure a momentary throbbing pain from the backlash of the high-ranking mana.

Thump.

I caught Ailas body as she lost consciousness. She was slight, not too heavy.

I pushed her underneath a wooden shelter to protect her from the rain. Making use of nearby furs to cover her ensured her body temperature remained stable. I also made sure the entrance was well-sealed to prevent rain from seeping in.

With Aila taken care of and having lost all consciousness, I slowly got up in the downpour.

Ssssshhh

The intermittent thumping, rushing sound had stopped.

After guarding the entrance of the wooden shelter, I stood up again But there was no need to turn around.

I didnt have to look back to know who was there behind me.

Thump, thump.

Ssssshhh.

Taely McLore, youve arrived.

I murmured the name softly. There was no reply.