Souta stopped being called to collective training.

  No mana.

  No presence.

  No purpose.

  All 20 Court Drones possessed a Divine Relic — artifacts that classified them as heroes:

  Sword. Shield. Spear.

  Dagger. Clock. Pistol.

  Book. Mirror. Katana.

  Cross. Rattles. Ring.

  Arrow. Fan. Megaphone.

  Axe. Lasso. Amulet.

  Bracelet and Anklet.

  …And the Pendant.

  Everyone was busy.

  Except the Pendant.

  Some ministers whispered:

  — It must be Souta’s…

  — But even pendants break in his hands.

  It was as if the world itself said:

  *You have the essence of a hero… but you’re useless to the kingdom.*

  The Queen, at the suggestion of her eldest daughter, decided to give him a role.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Cleaning.

  Souta accepted.

  Humble.

  Fragile.

  Avoiding conflict.

  And little by little, his reputation turned to dust.

  Just another useless man in the castle.

  ---

  Mid night.

  Two shadows scaled the walls.

  Goblins. Rank D.

  They slipped past security like smoke.

  Souta was cleaning windows.

  He saw the goblins approaching.

  — **Enemies… what do I do?**

  Tired of being underestimated, he ran.

  Without thinking.

  He tried to grab a sword.

  It shattered.

  Rejected his hand.

  The goblin grinned.

  A staff strike.

  Souta bled.

  Fell.

  Crawled.

  Another goblin kicked.

  Stomped.

  Souta could barely see.

  Vision blurred.

  Head pounding.

  — **I’m just… a janitor…**

  The goblins laughed.

  Cruel.

  Until…

  A sharp sound.

  Thin.

  Cutting.

  The goblin’s grin froze.

  Split in two.

  A young man emerged from the shadows.

  **Gabriel Gaiden.**

  Hero of the Sword.

  Seventeen years old.

  Golden armor.

  Eyes unwavering.

  The goblin tried to react.

  Useless.

  It was decapitated.

  On the ground, Souta coughed blood.

  And smiled.

  — **You really know how to make an entrance, huh, kid…**

  ---