I was Reincarnated as an Incompetent Leader with Zero Popularity who met his downfall early on. Instead of banishing the hidden cheat Protagonist, I decided to embrace him, and somehow, I ended up being treated like a Hero instead. - Chapter 47

“Oh! That’s right! I was told to let them know as soon as you woke up!”

“Thomas?”

“Yes! May I go inform him now? He was really worried about you, Alva…”

Right after the slime battle, he had bowed his head to Noah, saying he didn’t care how much the treatment would cost—he just wanted to save me.

Chrono’s words took me by surprise. My relationship with Thomas Greyblood was far from good.

But if saving his son had lessened our animosity even a little, then it was a small silver lining.

Come to think of it, I needed to pay Noah as well.

Thomas would likely cover the cost, but if it was too expensive, I’d have to pitch in.

I didn’t want to put too much financial strain on that father and son—especially considering what lay ahead.

I called out to Chrono.

“If he’s worried, could you do me a favor and let him know I’m fine?”

“Yes! I’ll go right now!”

She was about to dash out of the room when I hastily stopped her.

I had almost forgotten something important.

“And one more thing, Chrono—you have talent.”

“Alva…”

“You managed to seal Mian’s magic the other day. That alone is incredible.”

“But that was only because of you, Alva. I could never do it before… and besides…”

“Besides?”

“Even if I have a knack for magic, I don’t want to be a mage. I still want to be a swordsman…”

Chrono’s expression darkened slightly as she spoke.

She was probably thinking about what had happened back at her home.

Up until now, I had always seen her as a bright and energetic person, but today, I realized that wasn’t the whole story.

I wasn’t the only one struggling.

Chrono, too, was having her life thrown off course by the changes in this world.

The fact that she had suffered so much—well, it wouldn’t surprise me if it had something to do with the Supreme God, Elena’s superior.

If I hadn’t regained my past-life memories, they had apparently planned to turn me into the Demon King and have Chrono fall victim to me.

Seriously, they needed to repent.

Chrono must have mistaken my silence for anger, as she quickly lowered her head.

“I’m sorry… That was stupid of me to say. I have no talent for the sword…”

That’s where she was wrong.

She might not have an unmatched, one-in-a-million talent for swordsmanship, but she was more than capable of becoming a magic swordsman.

Did she not realize how incredible it was to be able to wield both magic and a blade?

I felt a twinge of jealousy as I thought about it.

And then, it hit me.

I had never actually explained to her what being a magic swordsman meant.

And if her father hadn’t either, she might not even know such a profession existed.

A combat role that required both strong magical aptitude and sword skills—one of the most advanced hybrid classes.

Not just anyone could achieve it.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, grimacing at the greasy feel—it seemed I hadn’t washed it yet.

And as I thought about how she had wasted so much of her potential without even realizing it, I sighed again.

“Alright then, Chrono—do you think Noah is weak as a swordsman?”

Caught off guard, she blinked in surprise before shaking her head firmly.

Good. At least she understood how powerful that hero was.

“Exactly. But in pure swordplay, Noah isn’t that incredible. They’re only slightly better than me.”

…That was a lie.

Even if we were only talking about swordsmanship, they could still probably kill someone like me in an instant.

But Chrono didn’t call me out on it, so I continued.

“The reason Noah is so strong is that they can heal themselves, use attack magic, and fight with a sword—all at the same time. That’s what makes them one of the strongest.”

They could attack, heal, and disrupt their enemies all on their own.

That made them highly effective in prolonged and solo battles.

And with allies, they could also provide support.

I explained just how powerful the all-around hero truly was.

At some point, Chrono’s downcast expression had vanished, replaced with wide, sparkling eyes.

She really was simple in some ways—for better or worse.

That same straightforwardness was probably why she had been so easily deceived in the past.

As a magic knight, she might be able to handle combat alone, but in social situations, she would always need support.

“To put it simply, you have a broad but versatile skill set. You have skills that enhance your combat abilities, along with both magic and physical strength. You just need to combine them.”

“Combine them…?”

“Aim to become a magic swordsman, just like Noah. It’s an advanced class for knights. Use magic to enhance your swordsmanship.”

That way, she could still fight on the front lines with her blade.

The moment I said that, Chrono trembled slightly.

“Then… then, does that mean… I can finally say it again?”

She looked at me, her voice filled with hesitant hope.

“Can I say that I want to become a swordsman… with my head held high?”

“Yes. I’ll acknowledge it. You should continue striving to be the strongest swordsman.”

So, she no longer needed to be just a porter.

When I said that, feeling a little embarrassed, Chrono sniffled slightly as she answered.

“No… I don’t want to quit.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll still carry your bags, cook your meals, and train in both swordsmanship and magic!”

“But… that sounds exhausting.”

“That’s why it’s exciting! Besides, if I master everything, I’ll be even stronger!”

“Then, if I’m aiming for something, I won’t stop at just swordsmanship and magic—I’ll become a swordsman who can do everything.”

Chrono beamed at me like the sun itself, leaving me with no choice but to chuckle wryly.

A swordsman capable of everything? Now that was an ambitious dream.

But I knew it was possible—with enough effort, she could achieve it.

And once she mastered multiple skills at a high level, she would undoubtedly earn that title.

“Then starting today, you’re no longer just an adventurer-in-training—you’re a hero-in-training.”

“Yes!!!!”

The black-haired girl’s overly enthusiastic voice echoed through the room—so much so that a certain female mage stormed in, an apple in one hand and a knife in the other, yelling at her to quiet down.