"Brother, are you sure about this? Letting Claire and Hex handle returning all those materials?"
"Sure? It's the best move. Claire's popular and good with people, and Hex knows the school's inner workings well enough to handle any trouble. It’s a perfect lineup, don’t you think?"
"That's not what I mean... I'm asking if it's really okay that you aren't telling anyone you were the one who took those materials back from Isaac."
"Oh, that. It doesn't matter. If I was the one trying to hand them back, some people would get suspicious, and others would be too stubborn to accept help from me. It’s better to just leave things vague."
In a quiet corner of the courtyard—a spot that had firmly become his makeshift home—Yugo and Fee sat talking.
The only thing different from their usual routine was the presence of the skeleton horse, Skull, resting nearby. He sat quietly on the grass, doing nothing to interrupt the brothers' conversation.
Fee glanced at Skull before turning his gaze back to his brother. Yugo was currently shirtless, pushing through a set of push-ups. Fee watched him with a dissatisfied pout.
"But you’re the only one losing out this way. You won the duel, yet you didn't keep any materials for yourself, and you're not getting any of the praise you deserve. You just ended up getting hurt..."
"Fee... I appreciate the thought, but the moment you start expecting a reward, you can't call yourself a hero anymore. I helped because someone was in trouble. That’s it. You don't need a prize or a round of applause. That’s just how it works for a hero."
"...Is that another one of the Hero's Conditions?"
"You bet! Hero's Condition Number Three! You're starting to catch on!"
Yugo stopped his exercise and stood up, vigorously ruffling Fee’s hair. The younger boy narrowed his eyes slightly.
While Fee was happy to be praised by the brother he admired so much, he couldn't shake his frustration over how little Yugo was rewarded. As Yugo wiped away his sweat and began to dress, Fee stared at his brother’s back and looked away.
A large, red burn scar was etched across Yugo’s skin.
Knowing it was the price for wielding the Flame Armor’s power, Fee felt a flash of resentment. His brother had protected the academy, the city, and the very balance of the world, yet so few people knew the truth.
The academy's number one scum. The man whose fiancée was stolen. The failure who was disowned by his family for his own misdeeds... even now, the other students looked down on him.
It left a bitter taste in Fee’s mouth knowing those same students were currently reclaiming the materials Yugo had won back from Isaac without even knowing who their benefactor was. Sensing his brother's distress, Yugo reached out and gently patted Fee’s head.
"...Sorry, Fee. I've put you through a lot of worry. I need to work on not being such a source of stress for you and the others."
Upholding his pride as a hero was a non-negotiable part of Yugo’s soul.
However, he understood all too well that maintaining that pride required absolute strength.
In the final moments before his life as Yugo Kurei had ended, he had seen the boy he rescued sobbing over his dying body. Even if he followed his sense of justice to the very end, it meant nothing if he left people crying in his wake.
Yugo had learned through bitter experience that a hero only truly achieves a happy ending when they can return safely to the people who care about them.
"...If I were stronger, maybe I could have saved everyone without making them sad."
"Brother..."
Though the incident had been resolved, Yugo was still haunted by regret.
He thought of Neid, who had lost his memories and his ability to speak. He thought of Isaac, who had been used as a tool until his life was snuffed out. He had wanted to save them both.
If he had been stronger, could he have prevented the tragedy? If he could have struck down the source of the evil with minimal damage and without worrying his friends, would the future have looked different?
In that sense, perhaps what the mastermind, Lost, had told him was true.
The advice to get stronger was infuriating, yet it was the only real answer for the regret Yugo currently carried.
However, if seeking power only led to drowning in it—like Isaac, Neid, and Rush—then strength alone wasn't the goal.
Hero's Condition Number Two: Strength is meaningless without kindness. Never forget to be kind. He reminded himself that this principle was far more important than anything Lost had said. As he stood there lost in thought, Fee spoke up with a concerned voice.
"Don't try to carry it all on your own, Brother. I don't know how much help I can be, but I'll do my best for you too..."
"Yeah... Thanks, Fee."
He still had doubts. He still carried his regrets. He knew better than anyone that he wasn't a man with all the perfect answers.
But that was exactly why he wanted to protect the smile of the precious younger brother standing before him. Just as the thought crossed his mind, the voices of his friends rang out through the courtyard.
"Yugo! Are you doing okay!?"
"Melt, Ann, Marcos... you all came to see me?"
"I wanted to talk about Blaster, for one thing. But honestly, I'm mostly here to make sure you aren't pushing yourself while you're still recovering," Ann said.
"Are you still sleeping outdoors in a place like this? It is mildly irritating how you've managed to make your lifestyle look comfortable..." Marcos grumbled.
Waking up at the sound of the newcomers, Skull stood up and trotted over.
The makeshift camp suddenly grew lively as everyone began talking at once.
"You were training again, weren't you? Your burns haven't even healed yet! You need to rest!" Melt scolded.
"The students who fled because of the mess Rush made are finally coming back. Classes will resume soon. Make sure you're in top form by then," Marcos added. "You and I still have to settle who will become the better Magic Knight during our time at this academy!"
"It's not just your body; we need Blaster in top shape too," Ann reminded him. "And I'm going to need Skull's help with a few things. So for now, just rest, Yugo."
Faced with a unanimous command to take it easy, Yugo let out a wry laugh and scratched his cheek.
It seemed that the day he would stop causing everyone to worry was still a long way off. He felt a deep sense of gratitude for the friends who cared so much for him. Looking up at the sky, he whispered to himself.
"You're right... This is still just the beginning."
His life at the academy was truly about to start, as were the long days of training to become a professional Magic Knight.
He couldn't afford to let regret hold him back. He had to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
He didn't think for a second that everything had been resolved perfectly. He was painfully aware of his own immaturity, and the ending of the crisis had been anything but clean.
But that was exactly why he felt the need to say it.
"Case complete. In this world... there is no rain that doesn't end."
He would be the man who held out an umbrella for those caught in the rain of sorrow.
He would be the hero who could blow away the clouds that caused the storm.
With a new goal in his heart and the warmth of his friends around him, Yugo took a moment to cherish these irreplaceable days. He nodded quietly, making a silent vow to become stronger.