With a creak, the door opened.
It was as if Heracles had known Yuxian was coming. The moment Yuxian's knock faded, the door opened.
"Brother B... uh... Heracles."
Yuxian used his habitual form of address, then suddenly realized it was inappropriate and immediately corrected himself.
"No... problem..."
Heracles spoke one word at a time. Though he was still not very fluent, Yuxian was certain he could speak, and a smile spread uncontrollably across his face.
After entering Heracles's room and sitting down, Yuxian asked curiously, "Were you only able to speak after coming to this world?"
"Sup... pression... less... ened..."
Yuxian nodded. He understood what Heracles meant: the suppression on him had weakened.
Heracles, summoned as a Berserker Class Servant, had never been able to speak. But that did not mean he lacked reason; it had merely been suppressed.
The fact that he could clearly recognize Illya was proof enough.
It seemed Chaldea's upheaval had indeed brought about many changes. Yuxian had expected as much, though he did not know whether those changes would prove good or bad.
Talking with Heracles was somewhat difficult, but Yuxian was patient. He held great respect in his heart for this legendary hero who had completed the Twelve Labors.
After chatting for a while, Yuxian said goodbye and left.
As he was leaving, Heracles said, "Il... lya... thank... you..."
Yuxian stopped and said with a smile, "I'm her Master, after all!"
Then he pursed his lips and softly added, "You actually know that she isn't the Illya you knew."
"Same..."
Yuxian froze. But when he saw the smile on Heracles's broad, rugged face, he said nothing more.
To be honest, that smile was a little ugly.
But it had definitely come from the heart.
The Hero Course students of U.A. High School had