Albite's memories of her mother were always filled with the image of a woman spinning thread in a shabby hut.
Her mother possessed an intelligence and capability far beyond what was typical for a rural woman, but there was a reason they had to live in such a place.
Each morning, without realizing it, Albite's mother would utter seemingly random phrases.
"Is the woodcutter's house on fire?"
"...No?"
"Oh, that's good. It means he remembered to put out the embers."
Most of the time, these statements were off the mark, but occasionally, they were eerily accurate—like when predicting an unexpected accident or a sudden stroke of luck, things no one could foresee.
Because of this, the villagers feared them. The two of them had no choice but to live on the outskirts of the village, and selling spun thread was the only way they could make a living.
The sound of the spinning wheel, worn and scratched, droned on in the background. Little Albite would often gaze out the window, watching the world outside.
Outside the window, a hawk flew through the blue sky, its powerful wings beating the air.
Not long ago, a fledgling had been chirping on the tree outside, but now it had grown enough to soar through the skies.
"Wow... I wish I could fly like that."
Young Albite would spend her time dreamily watching the hawk.
Among the village children, Albite had the strongest ether affinity, which would have allowed her to become a leader among them... but she never felt the need to force herself into their group.
'Hurting people with power... that's wrong.'
On a table behind her, there was a brochure for a 'special school' for girls with ether affinity. It was filled with difficult words like 'Valkyrie' and 'Valhalla,' but her mother seemed to understand everything. Even to young Albite, it was clear that her mother was different from the other village women.
Her wise mother had told Albite to prepare to attend this 'school.' When she was mature enough to accept her [Fate], she would be told about the place she would ultimately go.
<Academy City Yord>
The center of all fates. The place closest to Yggdrasil. Someday, you will have to go there.
"Albite. You are destined to save this world. You bear a very important fate."
You are a child blessed by the rainbow and gold. You must go where your fate leads you. There, you will meet your companions and face your destiny.
"...Yes."
The brown-haired girl nodded slightly.
'I don't really understand.'
Albite was simply a child who listened well to adults.
“…”
Her mother hugged Albite tightly as she watched her.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for passing on the burdens we adults couldn't bear. The fate of this world, placed on such a young girl..."
"Burdens? But I'm not carrying anything right now."
"...You will, little by little."
"...?"
"And you'll find friends who understand you."
"…"
"I'm sorry for forcing this responsibility on you..."
"…"
Albite still didn't fully understand. As she looked out the window beyond her mother’s embrace, the hawk was still flying.
Freely. Unbound by anything.
For a bird to fly, there comes a time when it must leave the nest. To experience freedom, there comes a time when it must abandon the earth.
Right now... what is my nest? And what kind of wings do I want to spread?
"...Like the hawk."
Albite reached her hand towards the distant sky, where the sun’s light gently teased her eyes, making the hawk's figure stand out clearly.
Screeeech!
The hawk spiraled higher into the sky.
And then…
"Hero! Arise—!!" She woke from her sleep.
"[Hero]!! Arise!!"
“Huh…?”
Before her, a giant chick was frantically shouting.
'It hasn’t come around since it promised not to bother me, but it sure has gotten fat.'
The [Nameless Hawk] had clearly gained weight since Albite last saw it, likely due to the high-quality feed it had been getting from the elf students. Despite its fluffy feathers, its plumpness was evident.
The [Nameless Hawk] nudged Albite, who had been dozing off in front of the rusted sword. Its soft wings stirred a gentle breeze.
"Scree! I know you’re tired, but you must wake up!! It seems an ominous dragon is attacking this place—!! The 'Goddess of the Past' and the sacred priestess have delivered ill tidings! Scree—!"
"Did Clara-senpai say that?"
"Scree! From what I hear, ominous insects are swarming, enough to darken the endless plains!"
"...What?"
"Scree! I brought a letter the priestess wanted you to have! Read it quickly! Scree—!"
A letter was tied to the chubby bird’s wing. Albite quickly untied it and began to read.
“…!”
Any lingering drowsiness vanished immediately. Though her body creaked from sleeping in the damp, she roused her ether, ready to run at a moment’s notice.
But the contents of the letter…
[We will handle things here, so focus on drawing the sword.]
It was written in Clara-senpai's characteristically blunt style. Albite’s eyes began to waver as she read it.
“…What am I…?”
"Scree! What does it say?"
"…"
What am I trying to become a [Hero] for?
For what purpose…?
Mother? Clara-senpai? My friends?
'What does it even mean to save the world?'
It was hard to fully grasp, this sense of duty that had been etched somewhere deep inside her… there wasn’t enough desperation. Honestly, it still didn’t feel real.
I’m sorry to say it, but… I still don’t get it. I’m just challenging what’s been put in front of me as another task.
“…”
Albite grasped the sword tightly, enough that her hands made a grinding sound.
Hurry and come out. I need to go help everyone. Even if I don’t understand, I need to stop this world-ending thing. Anyway, I need to help everyone in the academy city.
In the midst of her desperation, doubt began to creep in.
'With people like Osaek and Clara-senpai around, does it even matter if I do it?'
[The Pink Spiral] [The Blue-White Thunder Spear] [The Crimson Trail] [The Violet Spindle] [The Deep Green Bow]
With such incredible people already here…
No.
Even people like Lota, Kara, Belle, Sigrun, Fiona, and Greta were all doing their part in their own ways. In this situation, what kind of [Hero] am I supposed to be…?
…
The frustration welled up inside her, leading to strange thoughts.
'This isn’t the time to be thinking like this.'
Albite is our student council president—! Yeah, yeah—☆ Always reliable. Positive thoughts. Happy thoughts, joyful thoughts.
Focus. Concentrate…
“…”
But the sword didn’t respond.
Not enough. Not enough. Not enough. Not enough. Suddenly, it felt like something was about to burst out of her throat.
What is it?
Say something. You stupid sword. I’m tired of hearing that for a month.
“…”
“…”
The sword still wouldn’t budge. Despite looking like it could be pulled out at any moment, it remained firmly planted, as solid as a giant iron stake.
“Ugh…”
“…”
Albite kept her head bowed, clutching the sword. Tears threatened to spill over as she stared at the damp ground beneath her.
What am I doing here, acting like a fool…?
Maybe I should just give up… Come back later—
At that moment, a soft voice spoke beside her.
“Hero.”
“Hold on, I’m thinking. Be quiet for a second.”
“…Could you perhaps listen to the ramblings of a lowly creature?”
“…What?”
“I, too, have been incompletely revived. My memories of my past life are hazy, but there is one thing I still remember. The memory of my first flight.”
“…Wings?”
“When birds first take flight, they do not think about why they must jump or what great danger lies ahead.”
“Then what?”
They think only of the sky ahead.
"They only think of that and follow their instincts. Of course, they fail sometimes. But when that happens, they think of their siblings or parents who have flown ahead and mimic them. Eventually… they find themselves soaring through the sky."
“…”
“Hero.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you have someone you want to be like?”
“Yeah.”
“Then, close your eyes and imagine them.”
“Yeah.”
What is he doing?
He’s drawing a spiral in the sky. To slay the great dragon, he draws the spiral as he advances.
What is he trying to do?
He wants to protect us.
Do you want to be like him?
…
“Yeah.”
Then. That’s all you need. [Hero of the Flash].
What you wish to protect isn’t something as grand as the world…
“Here comes the pink airhead—☆”
I leaped over the fence created by Kara's summoned robots, the revolution comrades. Dozens of square-shaped robots moved aside to make way for me.
Tatat—!
At the second location, just as I expected, the place was crawling with creepy, writhing liquid Chaos Insects and juvenile Chaos Insects. They were ravaging the farmlands, contaminating the ground as they advanced.
Kreeeek—! Screeech—!
Honestly, the sight of them reminded me of the [Priest of Erosion], Graff Voldur, and I almost wet myself. But I wasn’t about to let my juniors witness me making "Clara juice," as they call it, here at <Central Prism Academy>.
'One peeing lady of Academy City, Freya, is more than enough!'
The only thing fitting for me is honey water, not lemonade.
“Yep♪ It’s a total mess—☆ Hey! You, cute girl, mind lending me your weapon?”
Two juniors ran up to me frantically. Lota, who was riding on Kara's back, was about to swing her wand when she screamed in alarm.
"Senpai! Behind you! Behind you!"
“Oh—☆
There were so many of them that I had missed the presence of one. A juvenile Chaos Insect had snuck up on me and was now close enough that I could feel its hot breath.
The giant insect was drooling slime from between its hundreds of needle-like teeth, and I shuddered at the sight of its bristling hairs.
Kuuwooorrr—!
It was truly disgusting. What a horrifying appearance. No wonder you were nerfed in the dungeon with brightness adjustments.
I decided not to forgive the nasty Chaos Insect for scratching the heart of a young girl.
“Ahaha—☆ It’s a mess, a mess—♪”
Time seemed to slow down. This was the world of extreme perception, the momentary world. My Unique Ether Trait activated.
Voooom—!
Even in slow motion, the juvenile Chaos Insect continued to advance, its massive mouth opening wider. The slowed-down view only made it more revolting.
At times like this, you need something refreshing.
'I've recovered enough, so I guess it's time to use "that" again? I’ll grab a weapon from Lota later…'
I clenched my buttocks. Pulled back my shoulders, straightened my back, and took a deep breath.
‘Starting sequence.’
I thrust both fists forward. My chest tightened as I pulled it back like a taut bowstring.
‘Ether activation.’
A warm surge of energy exploded above my tightly clenched thighs, coursing through the large veins in my body, spreading to every corner.
‘My world.’
Pink energy began to radiate from my body. The Ether, influenced by 'the world within my heart,' seeped out through my pores... my [Unique Ether].
[Vibration Ether] is resonance. [Wave Ether] is change. [Unique Ether] is one's own world.
‘The shape of my soul is a spiral…!’
And with all my might, I shouted,
“Pink!! Lemon!! Sherbet—!!”
A fiery burst of Ether erupted from my clenched fists, and thousands, no, tens of thousands of hearts formed into a massive storm.
Feeling the flex after a long time, I slammed the colossal pillar of energy into the juvenile Chaos Insect in front of me. The gigantic Ether spiral pierced through, advancing towards the hundreds of Chaos Insects behind it.
Kwaaang—!!!
Annihilation. Disaster. Tempest.
Destroy everything.
As the storm of Ether passed through, All that remained was the wreckage of destruction.
“…It would be nice if it ended like this.”
I gave a bitter smile.
It felt like I had just wasted my Ether.
Kuuwoooorrr—! Screeech—!
To my dismay, the creatures began regenerating from the ground.
'Is this really an infinite wave?'