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I am Salion. A butler in service to the Haribell family.
Until a few hundred years ago, I served the royal family of Alfheim, but for a certain reason, I became a butler for the Haribell family. However, the Haribell family, which I have loyally served for over a century, is now just Tina-sama alone…
I was unable to protect her parents. At the very least, I must ensure the remaining Tina-sama finds happiness. To make it so she can live a happy life—that is the mission with which I have been charged. And to fulfill that mission—
“Too soft, too soft, too soft! How many times must I tell you before you understand!?”
I was giving the Hero-sama who had come from another world a thorough beating.
This is not bullying. It is training. I absolutely need him—Haruto-sama—to become stronger, which is why I am conducting such harsh training.
“You can’t possibly know your opponent’s next move just by watching with your eyes!! Feel the flow of their magical power.”
By sensing the movement of magical power, it is possible to predict an enemy’s next move. However, I understand that Hero-sama, having just been transferred to this world, is unfamiliar with magical power and cannot be expected to respond immediately.
I am aware of this, and yet…
I was growing impatient. I had to raise Haruto-sama to be strong as quickly as possible. This was because Tina-sama had begun to awaken as the 『One Who Inherits the Hero’s Blood』. Normally, it would have been fine for her to grieve more for her lost family. It would have been fine for her to show her tears. After all, she had been struck by such a great misfortune.
However, Tina-sama hardly ever cried in front of me. She had started to prioritize the peace of the world over her own affairs. Hearing stories of towns abroad being attacked by monsters, she lamented her own powerlessness. Though still young, at an age where she should have been protected by adults for another ten-odd years, she seemed to be tormented by a sense of duty to protect the entire world, adults included.
To come to feel a strong compulsion to protect people, to protect the world, regardless of one’s own will. That is the being known as a Hero. Tina-sama was the same. And the only one who could save her was Haruto-sama.
If he became strong and was able to protect people as a Hero, I believed that Tina-sama, who is not the true Hero, would be freed from that role. Even if things did not go according to that plan, raising Haruto-sama would still lead to protecting Tina-sama.
One day, Tina-sama, having awakened to the Hero’s Divine Protection, will likely embark on a journey to subjugate the Demon Lord. When that happens, I may not be able to accompany her. I proposed a plan where I would accompany them on the journey to subjugate the Demon Lord, Haruto-sama as the Hero would land a single blow on the Demon Lord to erase the Evil God’s divine protection, and then I would be the one to defeat it. However, this was a lie meant to reassure Tina-sama.
I cannot speak of the details, but the truth is, I cannot be away from the World Tree for extended periods. Even for a short time, it would be problematic if I strayed too far from the World Tree.
Unable to leave the World Tree, I cannot protect Tina-sama, who is driven by the urgent need to subjugate the Demon Lord. The only one who can protect her is Haruto-sama.
“That will be all for today.”
“Ah, thank you very much.”
He seemed to have no strength left to even get up, so I ended the training session. He is battered and bruised, but as expected of the Hero. Although I made today’s training considerably harder than yesterday’s, Haruto-sama kept up perfectly. He is getting stronger very quickly. At this rate, it should be fine to make the training even stricter tomorrow.
By the way, the reason I continue his training until he can no longer stand is not just to make him stronger. As I move away from Haruto-sama and watch him from a distance—
There she is. Tina-sama.
She seems to be checking her surroundings, looking for me. If she cannot find me from this distance, her magical power detection still has a long way to go. Well, that matters little. I must watch carefully what is about to happen.
“Good work today, Haruto-sama.”
As Tina-sama said that, she gently cradled Haruto-sama’s head and placed it on her thighs. A lap pillow, as they call it. Then she gently wiped the sweat from his forehead. Unable to move, Haruto-sama was completely at Tina-sama’s mercy. However, he does not seem to dislike it.
It is an extremely heartwarming sight. Somehow, the atmosphere just around the two of them feels warm. Watching them warms my heart. Tina-sama is also smiling happily. It would not be an exaggeration to say that I am intentionally being strict with Haruto-sama just so I can see that smile of hers.
Now then, it is not good to be peeping forever. As for the rest, please, you two, take your time.
Tomorrow, I shall once again play the villain to deepen the bond between them.
All to see that smile of Tina-sama’s.
《E-book Exclusive Bonus: ‘Salion’s Secret’ / End》
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Thank you very much for picking up the fourth volume of “Level 1’s Strongest Sage.” Thanks to the support of all our readers, we were able to release this fourth volume.
This work was originally serialized on Shōsetsuka ni Narō. The main story of the web version is complete, but we are currently updating it with after-stories every other week. The main story is about eight hundred thousand characters long, and for each book, we add and revise about one hundred thousand characters. For this fourth volume, the web version had about eighty thousand characters, so we added roughly thirty thousand new characters. We still have plenty of material, so if we continue at this pace, we can release at least four more books. I want to release a fifth volume and beyond! As a light novel author, I dream of reaching double-digit volumes. With that said, I look forward to your continued support.
I wasn’t exactly aiming for a book deal from the start, but I was vaguely planning for about ten volumes, trying to hit one million characters. The character count ended up being a bit less, but I feel like I was able to write the story pretty much as planned. I had prepared two major climaxes for the story. One of them, the part where the relationship between Haruto and the Guardian Heroes is revealed, is included in this fourth volume. I’m relieved that we’ve been able to publish the books this far. For future volumes, I’m thinking of being a bit more creative and adding a lot more original stories. I’m aiming for double-digit volumes!!
Now, I’d like to introduce and brag a little about the people involved in the “Level 1’s Strongest Sage” series. First up is the illustrator, mizuki-sama. She has once again graced this fourth volume with a wonderful cover, color frontispiece, and illustrations. As I wrote in the afterword of the second volume, I absolutely love mizuki-sama’s illustrations. Up to this fourth volume, she has drawn over fifty character designs, including variations for outfits, and thirty-six illustrations for covers, frontispieces, and more. All of them are my treasures. I couldn’t be happier! Next, regarding Kanna-sama, who is in charge of the manga adaptation. It’s an incredible thing to see a story you’ve thought up become a manga. What’s more, the places where I thought, “I’d love a picture for this scene,” are all drawn without me even having to specify them. She turns every chapter into a fantastic manga, and I’m extremely satisfied. Furthermore, the Shikigami-chan who appears in the last illustration of this volume was designed by Kanna-sama. The manga version of Shikigami-chan is also incredibly cute, so I hope those who haven’t read the manga will check it out.
These two wonderful people, who draw such amazing illustrations and manga, sent me celebratory illustrations for my birthday this year! I’m just too happy!! I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them once again. By the way, I printed out the illustrations I received and have them displayed in my room. Being able to interact with illustrators and manga artists is just the best. I look forward to continuing our work together.
I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my editor. I look forward to your continued support!!
Last but not least, to all the readers and everyone who has been involved in the publication of this work, I would like to conclude with my usual line to express my gratitude.
“A curse on you! The fourth volume is on sale!!”
Kizuka Maya
