"Hmm...?"
Yugo let out a soft groan at Drowa’s question. The tone behind her words reminded him of a certain kindhearted kaijin who gave out candies to everyone he met.
As he frowned, Drowa stepped forward and repeated her inquiry.
"Yugo, you possess the power to achieve great things now. You have enough strength to easily reclaim your place in the House of Clay, despite your disinheritance. So, how do you intend to use it?"
"How...?"
"Whether you marry one of the women who adore you or join a noble family to establish a new house... perhaps marry into a family of Yamato Warrior Shrine Maidens to make a name for yourself... or even return to Wind Island, where so many feel indebted to you, and leverage that influence. Those are just the paths I can see off the top of my head. There are surely countless other things you could do."
Skill, charisma, fame, and a proven track record. Combined, they gave Yugo the power to realize almost any ambition.
Viewed from the outside, however, a man who possessed such power yet did nothing with it seemed like an unsettling enigma.
If he intended to use his feats on Wind Island as leverage to reclaim his seat as the next head of the House of Clay, she could have understood that decision. But he didn't want it. Even the most plausible path—placing his younger brother in the seat of the next head while serving as his shadow supporter—had been rejected by both of them.
To Drowa, the fact that Yugo’s true objective remained a total mystery was simply unnerving.
"Consider this my trial for you. What is your goal? How do you intend to use that power?"
"Hmm, well..."
If he were the type to dodge the question or lie, she would have to remain on her guard. Any hidden ambition of his might eventually obstruct her own path. Drowa scrutinized his every movement, trying to read the shift in his emotions as Yugo finally spoke.
"I’m not interested in status or honor. To be honest, the way people treat me now just leaves me bewildered. I can’t even fathom 'using this situation' for my own gain. I haven't really thought about the distant future, but... there are two things I’ve always aimed for."
"And what are they? Will you tell me?"
"To be a hero. I want to save people in trouble and protect the peace of the world and everyone’s smiles. I want to be the kind of person who always rushes to a friend’s side, who stands with his allies against powerful enemies. I want someone out there to see me and think, 'I want to be like him.' That's my goal."
"That sounds incredibly childish."
"Yeah, I’m still just a kid at heart. That’s why being the next head of a house is too much for me. As for the other goal..."
Yugo reached out to Fee, who had been listening in silence. He rested a hand on the boy's head, ruffling his smooth black hair as he smiled at Drowa.
"...It's to be an older brother my sibling can be proud of. Not just now, but forever. I want to be the kind of brother Fee can always boast about. That’s all."
"..."
It was a simple, almost naive goal. It was perhaps more of a dream or a wish than a concrete objective, yet Yugo’s voice, expression, and posture all indicated that these were his true feelings.
For a man who had saved an island and its people—and who was currently the center of the world's attention—it seemed like an absurdly small ambition to voice with such conviction. Yet, it was because he pursued these humble goals with such sincerity that the depths of Yugo Clay felt so unfathomable. Having reached a certain understanding, Drowa spoke with a resigned smile.
"I give up. I simply cannot understand you. In so many ways, you defy common sense. It's almost as if you’re from another world entirely."
"Wh-what?! N-no way! Someone from another world? That's crazy! Ah... ahahaha!"
Yugo was visibly rattled by her casual remark, but Drowa had already relaxed and failed to notice his sudden agitation. Looking up after a sigh, she stared at Yugo and nodded several times.
"Still, I’ve realized you’re a man who exceeds all my expectations. And I know now that you truly have no interest in the seat of the next head of the House of Clay. Knowing that much is enough for me."
"You'll believe me? Just like that?"
"If a man could fake that kind of sincerity, then he would be fit to lead the house simply for having fooled me so completely. Mad might not see it yet, but even Fango seems to have recognized your worth."
Drowa had set these trials to see if Yugo intended to return and if he was worthy of leading them. Now that he had proven both his strength and his heart, lingering any longer would be beneath her.
"I hope you and your brother can enjoy your days in peace, far away from power struggles. I suspect anyone who tried to challenge you for the headship would find the odds very much against them."
"Don't worry. Neither Fee nor I have any intention of doing that."
Sensing the conversation was drawing to a close, Yugo offered a small smile. With a wry chuckle at an attitude so different from the boy she once knew, Drowa departed Luminous Academy, content with the answer she had found.