I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

As popular as Nero was, Luna had her own admirers.

As the most beautiful receptionist in the guild, she was a favorite among the male adventurers. After all, female adventurers were rare to begin with, and attractive ones even rarer.

Though Kazuma seemed to be surrounded by beautiful women, this was far from the norm. Most women couldn't endure the hardships of adventuring: the lack of bathrooms, no access to proper bathing facilities, and constant danger.

Male adventurers often envied Kazuma for his harem-like party, calling him "The Harem King" behind his back. Of course, Kazuma could only laugh bitterly, as they were utterly unaware of the true nature of Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness.

Among Axel's beauties, Kazuma was familiar with almost all of them. Outside of his party, the only other woman the male adventurers frequently interacted with was Luna.

As a result, Luna was a coveted figure among adventurers.

However, her popularity worked against her. Any man who dared get too close to Luna risked being thrown into the nearby lake—one known for housing crocodiles.

As if that weren't enough, another lake in the region reportedly contained a legendary hydra that even the Demon King's army feared. Getting tossed into that lake was tantamount to a death sentence.

Thus, despite her charm and many admirers, Luna had yet to find a suitor.

And now, watching Nero's dramatic "proposal," the adventurers were losing their composure.

To them, Nero's poetic speech was nothing short of a romantic confession!

"Wait, what? A girl can confess to another girl?"

"What am I supposed to do now? Nero-sama and Luna-sama are my favorite women! If they end up together, I'm screwed!"

"They wouldn't be interested in you anyway… Also, weren't you saying two days ago that your favorite women were Darkness and Wiz?"

"Can't they all be my favorites?"

"Why don't you just drop dead?"

"But seriously, wasn't Nero-sama's confession so romantic and cool? 'Adorn our meeting with the world's most beautiful roses,' and 'Propose under the moonlight for all to see'... Ugh, my maiden heart can't handle this…"

"Are you… writing this down?"

"Yeah, I'm taking notes! I'll use these lines when I confess to someone next time. Who knows? It might actually work!"

Nero's actions had left not only the adventurers awestruck but had also turned Yunyun's world upside down.

Wait… girls can like other girls?

As the thought crossed her mind, Yunyun's face turned red.

Memories of her time with Nero came rushing back. Nero had frequently complimented her looks, often leaving Yunyun flustered and shy.

Could it be…?

No, no, no! Nero must have been joking. There's no way girls can feel that way about each other… right?

Sure, Nero says she loves beautiful girls, but that's probably just an appreciation for beauty, not… that kind of love…

Clutching her chest, Yunyun could feel her heart pounding uncontrollably. She felt utterly lost.

Despite being teammates, Nero and Yunyun had chosen to take on separate quests today.

Yunyun had once admitted that Nero was far too strong, and if she stuck by Nero all the time, she'd likely grow dependent and turn into "dead weight."

I understand, Nero had thought at the time. I've been there myself.

It was like when she had pulled Zhongli in Genshin Impact and immediately gone from a skilled player to relying entirely on his shield.

What's the first thing you do in battle?

Switch to Zhongli and hold E for a shield.

After some discussion, they decided to divide and conquer their quests.

Nero had worried about leaving Yunyun alone, as she was a frail mage. But after some thought, Nero realized she might be overprotective.

Adventurers lived their lives alongside danger—that was the essence of the profession. Without risk, it wasn't truly "adventuring."

Unless I'm willing to protect her forever… but that's clearly impossible.

---

Having accepted her quest, Nero found herself on the snow-covered plains outside of town.

Though it wasn't snowing yet in Axel, the plains were blanketed in pristine white snow, a stark contrast to the town's chilly but snow-free streets.

With every step, her feet sank into the deep snow, the crunch of her boots echoing in the quiet.

Leaning down, she plunged her hands into a snowbank and then flung a heap of snow into the air.

"Heave-ho!"

The snow scattered, with much of it falling back onto her. It landed on her cheeks and neck, its icy chill waking her senses.

"Hahaha!"

Nero reveled in the carefree moment.

For once, she had no grand objective—just a spur-of-the-moment decision to enjoy herself.

In her past life, she had always been running forward, trying to outrun something she couldn't even name. Every goal she reached only gave way to another, leaving her no time to rest.

Over time, she had learned to set her own goals, but the endless race continued.

Today, for once, there was no race.

Spinning on her heels, Nero twirled gracefully in the snow. Her crimson dress fluttered as she danced, the falling snowflakes her audience and her applause.

Why was she dancing in the middle of a snowy field?

There was no reason. It was simply a spur-of-the-moment decision.

When her energy finally waned, Nero collapsed onto the soft snow.

The cold seeped into her back as she sank slightly into the white expanse.

"Umu! So cold…" she murmured, feeling the chill of snow that had slipped down her neck.

Why had she suddenly decided to lie in the snow?

Again, no reason—just a whim.

And yet, in this seemingly trivial moment, Nero felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

It was as if… Umu… let me think…

It was like skipping class, buying a plane ticket on a whim, and flying to Chongqing just to eat hot pot.

Skipping class wasn't remarkable. The hot pot wasn't extraordinary.

But the feeling of walking through the airport with a suitcase, waiting for the plane, and boarding it—that inexplicable lightness…

It was unforgettable.

---

T/N: lookie here, i posted an original thingie called uhh 'What The World Leaves Behind' it's just for practice for my upcoming original fic but all the stories take place in the same world so if you feel like reading some short stories take a little peak please? uwu