A Heart-to-Heart Between Heroes

Heroic Spirit Name: Thaumas

Era: Ancient Greece Age of Gods

Alignment: Lawful Good (Temporary, influenced by legend)

Sub-Alignment: Human (Temporary, influenced by legend)

Class Aptitude Acquired: Assassin, Caster

Heroic Spirit Parameters (Strength, etc.): Not yet finalized

Personal Skills: Not yet finalized

Noble Phantasm Possessed: [Eternal Slumber in the Finale]

Noble Phantasm Rank: C+++

Noble Phantasm Type: Anti-Unit

Maximum Targets: 1

Noble Phantasm Effect: Plays a lullaby so wondrous that even the gods are moved, causing the target to fall into a deep sleep until their head is severed! Affected by [Magic Resistance]; if the opponent's [Magic Resistance] is B-rank or higher, the Noble Phantasm will not take effect, though it can inflict a certain degree of [Slow] on the target. This effect is nullified against targets with EX-rank [Magic Resistance]. When mana is sufficient, the Noble Phantasm's power can be enhanced based on the amount of mana; theoretically, it can take effect on anyone below the level of a god.

Heroic Spirit Quality: C

Heroic Spirit Legend: A hero in Ancient Greece who stood apart from others, he was a disciple of the centaur sage Chiron and a devotee of the Queen of Heaven. He urged other heroes to uphold the justice in their hearts, successfully persuading Jason, and was celebrated by poets far and wide. Through his own wit, he gained the favor of the Queen of Heaven and helped Jason navigate the schemes of his uncle Pelias, thereby initiating the great journey to retrieve the Golden Fleece. He later received an oracle from the Goddess of Wisdom, performed a song for Hermes, and amidst this moving melody, severed the head of the Nemean Lion...

At night, Thaumas sat in a makeshift shelter, immersing his mind as he gazed at the mysterious Monument in his consciousness.

Years of effort had finally borne fruit; he had not expected that the oracle of the Goddess of Wisdom Athena would indirectly lead to his successful ascension as a Heroic Spirit.

Then again, it made sense—this was the "Twelve Labors" after all! If one couldn't become a Heroic Spirit after that, the Hall of Heroes would have been empty long ago.

Now that he had become a Heroic Spirit, his immediate goal was complete. Next, he would take his time wandering through Greece.

Although he could technically die right now, he couldn't bring himself to abandon his friends; he wanted to do his best to change those tragic endings.

Under the blazing campfire, Thaumas returned to his senses, focusing on roasting the meat of the Nemean Lion.

The meat sizzled, a drop of hot oil sliding slowly down the grain of the succulent flesh, a truly intoxicating sight.

"Thaumas, do you need any help?" the sturdy Heracles asked, sitting cross-legged nearby with a serious expression.

"Not for now. Come to think of it, I owe you a debt of gratitude for helping me slay it; I could never have handled such a massive carcass on my own. Leave the cooking to me!"

Thaumas sprinkled on some spices as he spoke. Since seasonings in Ancient Greece were scarce, he had made these substitutes himself, and they were in limited supply.

Heracles said no more, as Thaumas's culinary skills were recognized as top-tier—even Chiron would admit he was inferior.

After descending the mountain, Heracles had reminisced about the taste for a long time.

Thaumas added more charcoal, carefully controlling the heat; the fire couldn't be too low, after all.

The meat of this Magic Lion was incredibly tough, and he wondered if it would be hard on the teeth.

Heracles waited quietly, sniffing the aroma drifting through the air and swallowing his saliva, his hands rubbing together unconsciously.

Finally, after a long wait and under Heracles's expectant gaze, Thaumas cut off an entire hind leg with great effort and handed it to him.

Heracles grabbed it and began to gnaw on it immediately.

The Magic Lion was massive, and Thaumas certainly couldn't eat that much. But Heracles was different; he could probably finish the whole thing without issue, right?

Perhaps the King of Knights could compare to him?

With that thought, Thaumas cut off a piece for himself to taste.

Upon the first bite, A mouth full of heat and boiling flavor, a sense of pure bliss. The meat, tempered by charcoal fire, was already overflowing with aroma.

It wasn't even tough! Unexpectedly tender.

Enhanced by the spices Thaumas had crafted himself, it became even more flavorful—tender, smooth, charred, crispy, savory, and spicy, all dancing and swirling in the mouth at once.

The delicious texture reached the very tip of the tongue, filling the mouth with the scent of meat.

Delicious!

"Tell me, Thaumas, did Master Chiron permit you to come down the mountain? You're only sixteen this year!" Heracles asked with some curiosity.

Huh? Why ask that so suddenly? If he finds out I snuck out, he might just drag me back himself.

Well, decided. Sorry, Jason.

"Oh, you mean that? I came down the mountain with Jason.

And you don't need to worry about me, Senior Brother. After all, I've already managed to kill the Nemean Lion!"

Hearing this, Heracles' face darkened with displeasure, and he said fiercely, "That guy Jason brought you out?!"

"Senior Brother, that's not the point. Besides, look, I'm already down here, which means Master Chiron must have tacitly approved. Otherwise, how could I have hidden it from him?

Oh, right, Senior Brother, what do you plan to do with these furs, claws, and teeth?" Thaumas tried to change the subject.

Heracles did not answer. He set down the roasted meat and pondered for a moment, thinking about how to discipline Jason.

After a long while, he spoke again, staring at Thaumas with earnest eyes:

"This Magic Lion is your prey, so it naturally belongs to you. I cannot snatch away the glory that is rightfully yours!"

This conduct was truly the Heracles he knew; he never stooped to theft or plunder.

"Senior Brother, it's fine. You aren't stealing my glory; I am sharing it with you. Besides, this is an oracle from the Goddess of Wisdom!

If you can't complete the Twelve Labors, it would surely be a difficult situation for you!"

After hearing this, Heracles did not stand on ceremony.

"Since that is the case, I will accept the lion skin, but its claws and teeth are sharp, so I will leave those.

Also, take this." Heracles produced a tightly sealed medicine jar.

"This is?" Thaumas asked, puzzled.

"The venom of the Hydra.

After I defeated it, I used its poison to coat some arrows. I collected some extra, and since I have no use for it, I'll give it to you as a trade for the lion skin."

The noble hero spoke slowly.

Hmm? Did something go wrong?

Thaumas remembered that the Hydra was the second of the "Twelve Labors." It was ahead of schedule.

It seemed someone had "intervened," and since he had received an oracle from Athena, the mystery was solved.

The Goddess of Wisdom had begun her machinations long ago. Though, why is she so confident?

Thaumas played his instrument, smoothing away the loneliness of the night.

He couldn't fathom how Athena calculated these things, so he could only attribute it to her being a deity. Indeed, it was hard for humans to understand some of the ways of the gods.

Thaumas smiled and accepted the Hydra venom; if he hadn't, Heracles wouldn't have taken the lion skin either.

Thus, the two brothers began to chat happily, the joy of their long-awaited reunion finally released.

"Thaumas, when you faced the Magic Lion, weren't you afraid?" Heracles bit into a piece of meat, sitting by the campfire and looking at him curiously.

"Not really, because I had a plan. Actually, what humans fear isn't strength, but the unknown. Because I understood it, and furthermore, unlike most people, I do not fear death," Thaumas said with a smile.

"Is that so? Then what about this lion? How did you defeat it?"

"Naturally, I used Master Chiron's lyre to lull it into a beautiful dream, from which it would never wake." Thaumas shifted the melody, suddenly tinged with a hint of sorrow, and continued:

"Speaking of which, the Goddess Hera gave me a Bracelet, and when it died, I heard its inner voice.

This Nemean Lion was abandoned at birth by the Father of Monsters, Typhon, but it only ever wanted to live in peace.

I let it have a beautiful dream, one where no hero hunted it and no life despised it; everything was so wonderful. That is why it was willing to sink into it, even knowing it was about to die."

"Are you saying you feel you did something wrong?" Heracles asked with some concern.

After hearing this, Thaumas replied:

"Senior Brother, I am indeed lamenting, but it is only a lament. Regardless of its original intentions, it killed people, and I am a human.

If it doesn't die, do I die?

I feel pity for it because we are both living beings, but once you strip away that perspective, humans and monsters are destined to be at odds. I was just thinking a bit too much."

"Looking at it that way, Thaumas, you seem like a saint!" Heracles praised.

"Don't flatter me. I'm not a saint, nor am I a hypocrite; I'm just a person." Under the glow of the bonfire, Thaumas said slowly.

"What does that mean?" Heracles asked, uncomprehending.

"Well, let's put it this way, Heracles. If you encountered a beggar right now and you only had one piece of bread in your hand, what would you do?" Thaumas pondered for a moment before asking in return.

"I would give it to him."

"What if you were starving to death yourself?"

"I'm not sure about that."

"That is exactly why you are a human!

A so-called saint is someone who, no matter the circumstances, would say, 'He is so pitiful, I must share my things with him.'

And a so-called scoundrel is someone who, while expressing pity, righteously tells others, 'He is so pitiful, why don't you share your things with him!'

As for me, I have no desire to be perfectly good, and I look down even more upon pure evil. I only wish to be a man between god and beast! An ordinary person!"

"That's so hard to understand, I don't get it." Heracles scratched his head. "Thaumas, Teacher Chiron was right; you really are a contradictory person who loves to overthink!"

What was he supposed to say? That Teacher Chiron had eyes like torches? Perhaps. But that was just who he was.

Once a person's worldview is formed, it possesses a clear directionality that is difficult to change.

Lawful Good—that was his alignment, but was it truly so? Perhaps he was better suited for Neutral.

Even though there were many times he didn't want to meddle in other people's business, when faced with certain darkness, he couldn't help but want to change it with his own hands. A contradictory hero? That was likely it.

"What about you, Heracles? Have you ever thought about similar questions?"

"I really haven't. I'm not well-suited for these philosophical questions; perhaps Teacher Chiron would like them. But you really are a good person, Thaumas."

"Then what do you do when you encounter a difficult problem?"

"The astonishing wisdom of Lady Athena tells me that when I encounter a problem I truly cannot solve, I only need to use my astonishing might."

Hiss~ As expected of Hercules! One force overcomes ten thousand techniques!

An exceptionally direct answer.