As I approached Log’s room, he happened to be stepping out at just the right moment.
"Log."
"Ah, Master..."
He answered, but his voice was much lower than usual. It was painfully obvious how depressed he was.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"No, not really. I just thought I’d get some fresh air."
"I see. In that case, would you mind keeping me company for a bit?"
"Sure. I don't mind, but..."
I led Log out of the mansion.
"We're here. This is the place."
I had brought him to a well-known restaurant in the city. It was a famous chain with branches both domestic and overseas—a high-end establishment that catered primarily to the wealthy.
"Here? This looks... really expensive..."
Log seemed intimidated by the atmosphere, but he followed me inside nonetheless. A staff member greeted us and led us to the private room I’d reserved. Even if there hadn't been any friction today, I had originally planned to bring him here and had booked the table in advance.
"Um... Master..."
"Log, today is my treat. You can order whatever you like. Don't worry about the bill."
Once we were seated, I spoke to the still-restless boy.
"Th-thank you. Wait, that’s not what I meant! Why just me...?"
"Today is September 1st."
"Eh? Yes. I suppose it is."
Log looked bewildered by the sudden change of topic, but he nodded.
"September is your birth month. That makes you fifteen today—you’ve officially reached adulthood. Now, becoming an adult doesn’t change much for us Explorers, other than finally being allowed to drink, but it’s still a milestone. You’ve joined the ranks of adults. I wanted to give you a small celebration."
"............"
"I heard from Luna what happened between you and Carol today. You might not be in the best mood for a party, but would you indulge my selfishness?"
"September... That's right. I really am an adult now."
"It doesn't quite feel real, does it? I was the same way, so I understand. Why don’t we try a drink? That might make it sink in."
"I... I think I'd like to try some."
"All right. Let's start with something easy to drink."
We ordered some drinks and food, enjoying the meal as we kept the conversation light and casual.
"Master, I’ve realized I’m just mediocre."
After some time had passed—though I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol talking or not—Log began to open up.
"It’s embarrassing, but until recently, I actually thought I was a genius. But I was wrong. I’m the one with the least talent in Twilight Moonbow, by far."
"...What makes you say that?"
"You must know it too, Master. Big Sis Ruu isn’t the type of person who should be stuck in a party like ours, and Carol and Sophie are growing at an incredible rate. Compared to them, I’m standing still."
I had plenty of things I wanted to say in response, but for now, I remained silent and listened. I wanted to hear exactly what was weighing on his mind.
"Lately, I’ve started seeing myself as a shadow more and more."
"...A shadow?"
"Yes. Since I was a child, I’ve felt that way from time to time. I can’t explain why, but I am a shadow. As those two shine brighter and brighter, I feel like my own shadow is stretching, getting darker and deeper alongside them."
That was a unique way of putting it. It was true that Carol and Sophie’s recent growth had been remarkable. Log was certainly improving as well, but compared to the girls, his pace was admittedly different. He saw them as the light and himself as the opposing shadow—was it just a metaphor?
Or was Log...? No, now wasn't the time to dwell on that.
"I understand how you feel, Log. But don't you think it's a bit early to make that call?"
"...Eh?"
"When someone first becomes an Explorer, they usually have their hands full just surviving what’s right in front of them. But as you gain a bit of breathing room—the way you have—your world expands. You finally see how vast the world is, and you start comparing yourself to those around you. You think, 'I have no talent.' Everyone goes through that."
"Even you, Master?"
"Of course. Shortly before I converted to an Enchanter, I was in a bad way. I felt my own limits, yet I couldn't bring myself to give up, so I just kept struggling."
"You felt your limits...?"
Log looked skeptical. I suppose that, looking at me as I am now, it was hard for him to imagine me hitting a wall.
"Let me ask you, Log. Do you think I have talent?"
"Well, obviously. You’re one of the few who reached the 94th Floor, and now everyone calls you Tsutrail's strongest explorer. There’s no way someone like that lacks talent."
"Thank you. I figured you'd say that. But Log, I don't believe I have talent. I won't say I have none at all, but reaching the 94th Floor wasn't something I did alone. And I believe my victory at the Martial Arts Tournament was the result of my own hard work."
"But! It's because you have talent that your hard work pays off! If you don't have talent, no matter how much effort you put in, it won't amount to anything!"
"It’s true that there are people in this world who can be called 'geniuses.' Society labels those overflowing with natural ability as such. But I don't look at it that way. To me, a 'genius' is simply someone whose potential and aptitude happen to perfectly align with what they’re doing."
For example, imagine someone with incredible physical ability who seemed destined for greatness as an Explorer or a soldier, but that person had a heart so kind they couldn't bear to hurt even a Magic Beast. Would society still call them a genius?
If a person's latent potential, personality, and nature all mesh perfectly with their path, then yes, greatness is inevitable. But people like that—people where everything aligns—are rare. That’s why those few are called geniuses.
"The presence or absence of talent is nothing more than a label others stick on you based on your results. When I was kicked out of the Hero Party, some people said it was because I 'had no talent.' Yet the moment I won the tournament, they started calling me the talent-overflowing Ace of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky. Talent is a fickle thing."
"...I never thought about it like that. I suppose I can see how 'talent' is just an afterthought based on the outcome."
"I won't say something as irresponsible as 'if you work hard, you'll definitely succeed.' But if your aptitude is even a basic match and you put in the right kind of effort, the results will follow. You've only just started your journey as an Explorer. This isn't the time to give up on your future."
"But I haven't produced results. Carol and Sophie are much more useful during Labyrinth investigations..."
"Comparing your results to others isn't everything. You and they are different people; you can't be measured on the same scale. Six months ago, on the day I became your Master, could you have faced two Cerberuses head-on?"
I spoke with everything I had, desperate for my words to reach him. If I applied my own definition of genius to Log, then he was a genius. I hadn't changed my mind since the day we met. If Log ultimately decided to quit, I would respect that choice, but it would be a tragedy for him to stop here.
"Six months ago... I probably would have been seriously injured. Or worse."
"But today, you made it through. You performed your role perfectly. The effort you’ve poured in over the last six months has borne fruit, Log. That growth is a result in its own right. Don't claim you have no talent without recognizing that. You’re working hard. And you're seeing results."
Whether my words truly reached him or it was just the release of tension, tears began to fall from Log’s eyes.
I wonder if Grandpa felt like this, too.
Log reminded me so much of my younger self. Back then, Grandpa had been there to catch me, saying exactly what I needed to hear. I’d said everything I could, but I knew Grandpa would have found even better words—something that would have resonated even deeper in Log's heart. I still had a long way to go as a teacher.
"Now then, this food we went to all this trouble for is going to get cold. Eat up. Fill your stomach, and we’ll get back to work together tomorrow."
"Yes... Thank you... Thank you so much!"
Thank you for reading. I would be happy if you read the next chapter as well.