Chapter 1: Farewell, Peace! A Storm Blows on the Day of Departure!

What is a man?

A man is a proud being, forged with unyielding resolve.

“That’s right, Ilia! After the thrill of clashing blades and fists, awakening to the bond of friendship, meeting that one rival who’s written as ‘worthy foe’ but read as ‘friend,’ and growing stronger through countless battles!!”

“Totally, yeah.”

I was a pitiful man. No, not a man—just a male.

Why such harsh self-deprecation, you ask? It’s because I remembered. The course of my soul’s reincarnation—how I lived in my past life.

“I shall not be defeated by illness! A sound mind dwells in a body of steel! Hmph! Haah! Hmph! Haah!”

“Wow, so true, dear brother.”

The sound of sweat dripping from my body was music to my ears.

Muscles—they are muscle, they are muscle.

Born into a noble house, I relied not on the feeble art of magic, but instead dedicated myself to relentlessly tormenting my muscles.

“Fnuuuuh!! Five thousand push-ups!!”

“You look like an idiot, brother.”

With my little sister on my back, I continued to punish my biceps and deltoids without mercy.

Her weight rhythmically rising and falling on my back only added that sweet load to my dear muscles.

──Death by illness. That was how I died in my previous life.

Poor eating habits, excessive drinking, and virtually no exercise—my brain’s blood vessels burst from a blockage, and I dropped dead on the spot.

Haunted by such a pathetic end, I swore in this life to learn from it and began training my body in earnest.

Nobles wield magic to slay their foes.

Commoners wield swords to protect the nobility.

That is the natural order of this world.

As a noble, I was expected to master magic through academic study and, from the rear, command the commoners in battle while sweeping away enemies with spells.

But doing that… would turn my body back into the feeble mess it once was!

Nobles are privileged. Housework and meals are all handled by maids and butlers.

Our job is to study magic, learn culture, and live gracefully.

In exchange for living off the labor of commoners, we nobles must, when the time comes, be ready to defend the people with our lives.

──Maybe that’s why. With no major wars in recent times, most nobles have turned into fat, round, pudgy layabouts.

Barely moving, gorging on fine food, dabbling in magic and art—they were the very image of my former self.

“Hmph! Hmph! Hmph! Hmph! Hmph!!”

“Your breathing sounds disgusting, brother.”

I won’t become fat. I won’t die young.

I am a man who can learn from his mistakes. In this life, my goal is to become the manliest of men—one with a sound mind and sound body.

And if possible, I want to meet a worthy rival, clash with them as we train together, and one day share a laugh under the sunset. Well, maybe that’s aiming too high.

“Also, brother, there’s something I want to tell you.”

“What is it, Iliaaa?! Hmph! Hmph! Hmph! Hmph!”

“…No matter how hard you train—”

Still, I chase my dream. To defeat the lifelong rival I have yet to meet, I will continue pushing my body to its limits!

This is my path of the muscle!!

“Your body is biologically female, so I don’t think you’ll actually gain that much muscle.”

“Silence! With pure spirit and dedicated training, I can become a hulking macho man! Even the Holy Scriptures say so!”

“They say, ‘Those who train with purity shall reach the summit of the path.’ Please stop twisting the meaning, brother… or rather, sister.”

“Call me brother, damn it!!”

“…Sigh.”

My little sister let out a sigh of pure exasperation, but I paid it no mind.

I will pursue my dream, unshaken. There’s no need for compromise or restraint!

“…If people found out about this, you’d never get married.”

“I’ll choose my own lifelong partner!! Who cares what Father wants?!”

“If Father heard that, he’d probably faint… Seriously, when did you become like this, brother?”

“Hmph! Hmph! Hmph! Hmph! Hmph-haah!”

My long hair swayed, and sweat dripped down.

My throat was dry, and the taste of blood spread across my tongue.

Hmm… today’s workout might have been quite the load. After a short break, I’ll go for three more sets.

───Knock, knock.

As I reveled in bliss with my beloved muscles, an unrefined knock rang at my door.

“…Someone’s here.”

“…Indeed. Wait a moment!”

A visitor—or more likely, just a servant. But still, I couldn’t possibly greet them covered in sweat like this.

I grabbed a towel and thoroughly wiped down every drop of sweat, quickly threw on some clothes, and fixed my hair.

Checked myself in the mirror—alright, all good.

“Please, come in.”

“Pardon me, milady. Your father requests your presence.”

“Understood, Sara. Thank you as always, fufufu.”

With a gentle smile, I addressed the maid. I was the very picture of ladylike grace and refinement.

Outwardly, I presented myself as a gentle, kind, and beautiful noble lady.

Because if a noble speaks crudely, it brings disgrace to the entire house. People will question the parents’ upbringing, and gossip will fly in high society.

I may not be much of a man—can’t even call myself one, really—but Father and Mother raised me all these years. I can’t repay their kindness with shame.

Though I strive to be a true man inside, I must still act the part of the refined noble daughter for their sake. That too is part of the way of the man!

“Your transformation is too extreme, brother. Are you emotionally unstable or something?”

“Oh my, Ilia. It’s not brother, it’s sister, remember?”

“…My mistake. I’m sorry, sister.”

Hey now, little sis—don’t blow my cover in front of the help. You’re part of this household too, so act in ways that benefit our family.

“This sucks… I can’t believe this gets more marriage proposals than me. I pity the poor fool who ends up marrying you.”

“Fufufu. If you grow up cute like I did, you’ll be super popular too, Ilia. In high society, just smile and giggle a bit and most situations will work out.”

“You have way too little respect for noble society, sister.”

Now then, I wonder what Father wants with me. Leaving behind my little sister—who’s lately looked more dead inside than ever—I elegantly made my way to the drawing room where Father awaited.

Gracefully. That part’s key.

“Oh? Do we have visitors, Father?”

“Ah, there you are, Irine. Come in.”

Following Sara the maid to the drawing room, I saw a few unfamiliar faces seated before Papa.

Judging by their appearance, they seemed to be commoners. Their clothes were… honestly a bit grimy. They wore gear typical of adventurers.

So cool. I’m jealous. I’d rather not be stuck wearing these expensive, frilly outfits—I want to dress in something rugged and practical like that.

“Thank you for coming. First, let me introduce you. These three over here are adventurers working in our town—this young man is Karl, and the others are members of his party.”

“H-hello. I’m Karl.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

As they stood and bowed, I returned the courtesy in a proper noblewoman’s fashion, lifting the hem of my skirt with grace.

Returning a greeting is important. A lot of nobles treat commoners without a shred of respect, but they need to remember—we owe our lifestyle to their support.

“Karl, this is my daughter, Irine. She may seem refined now, but she was quite the handful when she was younger. Go ahead, introduce yourself.”

“Oh, Father, how embarrassing. Please don’t say such things.”

“Hahaha, my apologies, Irine.”

Well, truth be told, I am still a handful—I just make sure to hide it from Papa.

“Once again, I am Irine. Irine von Weltmund. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“N-nice to meet you…”

Now then, why was I introduced to these adventurers? Surely Papa has something in mind.

“My daughter’s always had a sharp intuition. She can see through lies and deception with uncanny accuracy.”

“…Yes, Father? What are you getting at?”

“Irine, I’d like you to hear their story. What they’ve told me… well, it’s hard for me to judge on my own. Some parts are difficult to believe. I’d appreciate your perspective.”

Oh, I see now. He thinks these adventurers might be con artists or something.

Being someone who lives behind a façade—a man striving to be a true man while acting like a noble lady—I’ve gotten good at spotting liars.

Seems Papa wants me to play lie detector.

“Adventurer Karl. Would you mind repeating what you told my father, for my sake?”

“Of course. Actually—”

I focused on Karl’s eyes as he began to speak. No cloudiness. No hesitation. They were clear.

“The Demon King is going to be resurrected. A goddess appeared and delivered the prophecy.”

With those clear, unwavering eyes, Karl dropped a bombshell of a statement.

Adventurer Karl was an ordinary young man you could find just about anywhere.

Aside from being a devout follower of the goddess and never missing his daily prayers, he was a run-of-the-mill adventurer.

However, one day, he met the goddess in a dream, who foretold the Demon Lord’s resurrection. She bestowed her blessing upon him and commanded him to defeat the Demon Lord.

At first, Karl apparently thought it was just a dream. But that same day, when he went out on a job like always—

"I realized something—my physical abilities had shot way up. I ran into a pack of lesser wolves, which would normally give me a hard time, but this time I wiped them all out in seconds—while humming, no less."

"My, my."

Lesser wolves are fairly formidable magical beasts. To take out an entire pack alone means he’s seriously strong.

"And that’s not all. I suddenly found myself able to use magic, even though I never could before."

"You can use magic? Were you born into nobility?"

"No, just a commoner like anyone else."

Apparently, Karl suddenly awakened to magical power and could now use all elemental spells. That's… cheating.

Generally, all magic users are nobles. Magical power is hereditary. A commoner like Karl shouldn’t be able to use magic at all.

A child born to parents with no magical power will never have it, while children born of two magically gifted parents will always inherit it. If a noble has a child with a commoner, that child will either have weak magic or none at all.

Of course, even among nobles, the amount of magical power varies depending on talent. For what it’s worth, I seem to have a decent amount of magical talent myself.

"Irine, he showed me water magic right before my eyes. Karl really can use magic."

"And that’s why Father couldn’t just write it off as nonsense, I suppose."

"I’m not lying. If the Demon Lord truly is coming back, then I’m prepared to risk my life to fight."

"…"

Hmm. He’s not lying.

He’s got a steady gaze. I can feel an ironclad resolve in his eyes, a man set on walking the path he believes in.

…His manliness stat is pretty high. He’s got solid muscle, too. This Karl guy just might become a great man one day.

"Let’s believe in him, Father. He doesn’t look like someone who’s telling lies."

"I see… Then the Demon Lord’s resurrection must truly be at hand."

"I know I’m being presumptuous. But without some initial support, we won’t be able to do anything… Would you consider funding us?"

"If Irine believes you, then your words must be true. Very well, as a noble, I promise to give you as much support as I can. Let me consult with my steward for a moment."

Whoa—so this guy’s the goddess’s chosen Hero, huh? Lucky.

He’ll overcome deadly battles through the power of friendship, face despair, suffer defeat, and then grow into the strongest Hero of all, right?

He’s already got two cute girls as companions, too. I bet he’s in for some romantic escapades along the way.

…

"Sara, show Karl and the others to their rooms. It’s late, so you’re all staying here tonight. I’ll have the essentials prepared by morning."

"Th-thank you so much! I’ll never forget this kindness!!"

"After you defeat the Demon Lord and become a hero, you must come visit us again. If you tell me your tale of valor then, that’ll be all the reward I need."

Papa gave a charming, slightly roguish smile and winked at Karl and his group.

"You did it, Karl!"

"Th-the guy actually listened… What a relief…"

"Now we can travel to the town the goddess spoke of. I’m so glad…"

Karl and his adventuring party sighed in relief, finally at ease.

I really like this cool side of my dad. Even if it costs him something, he stands by his beliefs. That’s what it means to be a true man.

"…"

…So.

What should I do, I wonder?

“…Irine. Would you say that again?”

“I want to go with them, Father.”

Yep, no doubt about it—gotta go straight to Dad and make my case. Yeah, I want to go with that Karl guy too.

“W-why you, of all people—?”

“Most likely, they’re all commoners. Even if Karl can use magic, I doubt his mana is unlimited. As a magic user myself, I’d like to support him.”

Adventure, rivals, deadly battles, friendship, effort, victory. If I follow Karl, I’ve got a good shot at getting all of that.

Besides, if I stay here, all I’ve got to look forward to is an endless stream of marriage prospects. I don’t want to keep coming up with ways to blow off blind dates anymore.

Sorry, Papa, but I have no intention of ending my life as some noble’s bride. I’m going to become a true man!

“You don’t have to go. There are plenty of more combat-capable nobles—leave it to people like that—”

“If that man truly is the Hero chosen by the goddess, then for someone who fought by his side, wielding magic against the Demon Lord, to bear the name of House Vermund… wouldn’t that be a tremendous honor?”

“…Irine, this isn’t a game. You could die, you know.”

“Father, I’ve studied. A true noble stands before the people in times of crisis, and protects them. Simply giving money to commoners who’ll fight the Demon Lord—that’s a disgrace to nobility.”

“You’re right… Everything you say is right, but still…”

No way I’m missing this chance. A completely legal runaway! I’ve gotta escape before they try to marry me off to some guy!!

“As part of the ‘support’ you're giving Karl tomorrow—please offer me, Father.”

“You… I only want you to live a happy life, Irine. Guarding the simple happiness of our family—that’s what matters most to me.”

“I know. And I’m grateful to have been raised under a father with such a noble belief.”

Yeah, yeah. I get how Dad feels. But I want to become a man, and I can’t follow the path he’s chosen for me.

“But Father, I—Irine—will become a hero for the sake of the kingdom, defeat the Demon Lord, and return to see you again.”

“…I see. So that’s how resolved you are.”

“We won’t say farewell. Let’s call this a parting with hope for reunion.”

“If you’re that determined… then I’ve got nothing left to say. Go on, my precious Irine.”

YESSS!! I can finally go out freely!!

I’ll throw on some plain clothes with a quick excuse about hiding my noble status, and I’ll be free to explore the world however I want!

“Make sure you send word home.”

“Of course. As a noble, and as a person, Irine will go forth to face the threat of the Demon Lord.”

“…You’ve grown, haven’t you? As your father, it’s both joyful and a little sad to see you come into your own.”

A single tear spilled from Father’s eye.

Leave it to me, Papa. Through this journey, I’ll grow into a man among men and come back even stronger—maybe two sizes stronger.

“…Thank you for raising me all this time, Father. Once it’s all over, I’ll come see you again.”

I gave a deep bow to my quietly sobbing father and headed to my room to prepare.

It’s going to be a long journey. I’ve got a lot to get ready.

I’ll need to be careful about what to bring…

“…Sister, what did you just say?”

“From now on, call me Brother.”

Back in my room, I told my sister, who was lazily lying on the bed, everything.

“The Demon Lord’s coming back, so I’m heading out on a journey to kill him.”

“W-wait, what? That wasn’t just some tall tale?”

“It was from an adventurer named Karl, but it sounded legit. And with a journey that exciting, there’s no way I wouldn’t go. I’m heading out tomorrow.”

“Huhhhhhh!?”

Well, yeah. I expected that reaction.

“Wait, what?! What about your arranged marriage meetings?!”

“All canceled! I’m not getting married!”

“If you go off on a journey now, you’ll be past the prime age for marriage! What are you going to do with your future!?”

“You really don’t get it, Ilia. If I help take down the Demon Lord, I’ll be a hero. A hero, you hear? I’ll be swimming in money.”

“I’m talking about marriage! Who’s going to marry a musclebound gorilla princess who slayed the Demon Lord!?”

“I’ll meet a cute girl along the way and fall madly in love, so no problem.”

“Marry a man instead!!”

My sister shrieked and ranted. She’s probably just jealous.

Jealous of my future, where I get to embark on a glorious journey filled with dreams, hope, adventure, and muscles.

“You idiot! Moron! Meathead!! What do you even think happiness is?!”

“Hm? I’m setting out to defeat the Demon Lord. What could be a hotter, more blood-pumping scenario than that?”

“You utter meathead moron!!”

Man, she’s really letting me have it.

But I get it. I understand why she’s jealous. Heh. I’ll be generous and forgive her outburst.

“…Are you really going to leave me behind?”

“Well, yeah. Ilia, you still don’t have enough muscle.”

“…You’re an idiot, Brother.”

After letting out her anger, she finally muttered in a sulky voice and stormed out of the room.

“I don’t care about you anymore!”

Ugh. I hope she’s calmed down by tomorrow. Parting on that note would feel kinda awful.

“Um, well…”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Karl. I promise I won’t be a burden.”

The next day. As “support” for Karl, I showed up dressed in adventurer’s gear, standing before the three of them.

“Uh, wait, you’re… coming with us?”

“W-We’ll be okay…? I mean, a noble traveling with us, is that even…?”

“Despite appearances, I assure you I’m quite well-trained (seriously). I can even use advanced-level magic. And really, doesn’t a proper hero destined to defeat the Demon King need a magic-wielding companion to look the part?”

“W-Well, with a noble’s help, it’s like having the strength of a thousand men, but still…”

“Truth be told, it is the duty of nobles to step forward in times of crisis. If I’m entrusting you with the grand task of slaying the Demon King, then at the very least, allow me to assist you in this way.”

Hmm, seems Hero-boy and his party didn’t expect a noble lady to tag along.

Well, yeah, normally people would be intimidated by the class difference. But in terms of combat power, I should be more than qualified. The destructive power of magic isn’t something swords or spears can match.

…To be honest, I’m actually better at physical combat than magic attacks, but I’ll keep that to myself. I can use magic, so it’s not a lie.

“You’re a bold young lady. I can’t guarantee your safety, you know.”

“I’ve accepted that from the start.”

Good, this feels like I’m being accepted. Well, he’s a guy after all—having more girls around must be a welcome bonus.

“...Aahhh, there’s another stranger now…”

“Calm down, Lev. She doesn’t seem like a bad person. And really, you need to start getting over this shyness.”

“I-I can’t… People who seem strong are scary…”

Doesn’t look like I’m being particularly welcomed by the rest of the hero’s group. The small, timid black-haired girl is trembling, half-hiding behind her companion.

Hmm, she’s a shy one. I’ll make a point to show I’m not scary.

“One more thing—I have a request.”

“Y-Yes?”

“From this point on, I will no longer go by the name Von Weltmund. A noble walking around town will only draw unnecessary attention. Please treat me simply as a common town girl named Irine.”

That’s right—commoner appeal! If they’re scared because of my status, I’ll just erase the status from the equation.

“You don’t need to use honorifics or treat me with formality. I’d be grateful if you treated me as an equal, as one of your companions.”

“…Are you sure about that?”

“This too is part of noblesse oblige. It’s what it means to have pride as a noble.”

I said that with a smug look, and Karl gave me a kind of puzzled, not-quite-convinced expression.

Yeah, truth be told, even I’m not entirely sure what I meant. I just really wanted to say noblesse oblige.

“I always thought nobles were hard to approach, but you’re different. I’m Maika. Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, I believe we’ll be together for quite some time. Pleased to meet you, Maika-san.”

“And the one trembling behind me is Lev.”

“…Eep.”

“…H-Hello.”

The friendlier of the girls greeted me with a smile, but the small, animal-like one was still full of suspicion.

I’ll work hard to befriend her from here on.

“Nice to meet you, Irine. I’m Karl—just an ordinary guy chosen by the goddess.”

“Karl-san, you mustn’t belittle yourself like that. I chose to accompany you precisely because I believed in your potential to defeat the Demon King. An insult to you is an insult to me as well.”

“…Uh, s-sorry. Then… I’m Karl, the one who will defeat the Demon King.”

“Now that’s more like it.”

And with that, I gave our slightly-lacking-in-confidence hero a good pep talk. He has to rise to my level, after all.

I’ve decided—you’re my rival. All right, now I’m fired up!

“Irine, be sure not to get yourself hurt. If anything happens, you can always come back home.”

“I’ll be just fine, Father. After I’ve made the name Weltmund known to the ends of the earth, I’ll return home in triumph.”

“…You’ve always been such a wild one.”

With a resigned smile, Father pulled me into a hug.

It must have been a difficult decision for him too. After all, he’s leaving his beloved daughter (me) in the care of some guy whose background is practically unknown. I’ll make sure to write him letters so he doesn’t worry too much.

“I’ll be off now, Father.”

“Come back safe, Irine.”

And so, I finally set off on my journey to defeat the Demon King.

.

.

.

"Wait!!"

Just as I was about to take my first step forward, a strained voice called out to stop me.

"Please… wait! Brother… no, Sister!!"

"Ilia."

It was my younger sister Ilia, who’d been sulking all morning and had refused to see me off.

"Are you really… really going?"

"I'm always serious about what I say."

"You're such an idiot, Sister!!"

With a loud, tearful voice, my sister hurled insults at me.

Despite everything, Ilia had always been quite attached to me. No doubt she was acting out of loneliness and resentment.

As she glared at me with puffy, swollen eyes, I reached out and gently patted her hair, then pulled her into a hug.

"You came to see me off after all, didn’t you, Ilia."

"…You idiot. You terrible person."

"I'm sorry. I know I’m leaving you lonely, Ilia."

"…Ugh, nghh..."

Yeah, I’ve got myself a good little sister.

There was a time when she caught me in the middle of yelling “Muscles!!” while doing crunches and I thought my social status in high society was over. But she kept quiet out of consideration for me.

Lately, she’s even been helping out with my training. Ilia really is a kind-hearted, thoughtful sister.

"…Sister, here. Take this."

"Hm? What is this?"

"It’s a good luck pendant… I made it myself."

She held out a small pendant to me.

It was beautifully crafted, with a warm, delicate bird motif.

"I figured… you’d go no matter what. So I stayed up all night making it."

"Oh, Ilia…!"

"It holds all of my feelings. Please… take it with you."

"Thank you. I’ll keep it close to my heart, always."

Ahh, this tsundere little sister. So that’s why she locked herself in her room all day yesterday. To think she was working on something so sweet…

Truly, I’ve been blessed with a wonderful sister.

"We’ll meet again, right, Sister?"

"Of course. Someday."

I took the pendant and gently pulled away from my sister.

"Until then, I’ll treasure this pendant as if it were you."

"Sister… please be safe."

We smiled at each other, face to face, and said our goodbyes.

"She’s a lovely little sister, isn’t she?"

"My pride and joy."

My chest felt warm. The comforting weight of the pendant she made seemed to shield me somehow.

"Wow, it’s beautiful. She really made this by hand?"

"My sister is a top-tier mage when it comes to metal manipulation. Crafting things like this is her specialty."

"Magic is amazing..."

I could feel a faint trace of her magic within the pendant—her sincere emotions coming through clearly.

Wait for me, Ilia. I’ll become a true champion among champions, defeat the Demon King, and return home.

No matter what kind of enemy I face, I’ll crush them all—for the bond I share with you.

"Farewell, hometown. Farewell, my family. I now embark on my journey!"

—And so, my tale of adventure began.

"Alright. The tracking spell is working perfectly. Sister appears to be heading toward the town of Lewin."

"…Milady."

"Now that I know where she’s going, the rest is easy. All I need is a chance encounter..."

"Um… Lady Ilia, don’t you think it’s time you learned to live without your sister…?"

"Quiet, Sara. Just help me come up with an excuse to go to Lewin."

And somewhere—not too far behind the departing sister—stood a young lady with a mischievous smile and her exasperated maid, watching over her in disbelief… or perhaps not.