This Hero is Sleeping!

"That brings me back to my first point, what people need today is to dive in. Chase after their dreams. You can't sincerely be something if you don't sincerely want to be it. Dive in, Mr. Puzo. Give it your all. You'll either win, or you'll die. It's that simple."

"But isn't that irresponsible? You need to look after your family, yourself! Imagine an artist, Sir Elric. Not many artists win, isn't it better to pursue a stable life than to just give up on everything and work on your art?"

"Hah, that's where you're correct, but that's not the point I am making. Those who give up on everything to chase after a fleeting dream are not chasing after that dream. It's insincerity, Mr. Puzo. Insincerity."

"Oh… you mean… by not keeping themselves stable people are being insincere?"

"Correct. There is a difference between sincerely pursuing your dreams and a childlike dive into an ideal. Those people are not prepared for the journey but are attracted to the results."

"M-my…" Puzo sighed and shook his head. Leaning against the car, he spoke. "I mistook you, Sir Elric."

Elric had already evolved into Sir.

"I hope you forgive me. I should have realized that you were such a dedicated and insightful man long ago."

Elric gently placed a hand on Puzo's shoulder. Since he was light, he could easily sit atop the roof of the car without worrying anyone.

"I don't mind it at all," said Elric. "I am happy as long as I could help you."

"Sir Elric!"

"That said," Elric reached into his pockets and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. "Why don't you sign up for my self-help course? For a small monthly fee of 15 gold, I'll answer whatever questions you may have and even send letters highlighting things you can change."

"M-monthly fee…?"

"It's a steal, Mr. Puzo! A steal. You don't want to miss out on this. Just sign here."

Sweating profusely, Puzo averted his gaze. Elric wedged himself as close to the poor man as he could while waving the paper in front of his eyes.

"Eh?"

"Come on. Sign it."

"I… I am sorry, that's too expensive… How about reducing the cost on a different agreement when we get to town?"

"Hm…"

Elric thought for a few seconds and then backed off. He wasn't sure how expensive expensive was in this world since he never paid shopping a shred of attention. Convinced, he decided to follow the man's suggestion for now.

The two of them remained at their place, waiting for the other three to come back.

The leaves rustled and the wind blew as almost no other soul came around to the shortcut that Puzo had decided to take.

After waiting in silence post the subscription awkwardness for a few minutes, Puzo turned to Elric.

"Still, Sir Elric. I now know you're wise, but what are your skills?" It wasn't kind to ask an adventurer about their stats and skills, no it wasn't kind to ask anyone, but Puzo didn't think a general question would hurt at their current distance.

Elric smirked and picked up his flask of water. Shaking it lightly, he removed its cap.

"Do you want to know? Then hear. I… am the Ruler of Water!"

Yup. Puzo was never going to ask him anything ever again. Never.

Elric smiled, satisfied with himself, and started sipping down the water when—

"PFFFT!"

He shot it all at Puzo's face

"Ah?" Puzo screamed in confusion, but the water that wet his face had already disappeared. He turned to his front and saw a giant stone rushing toward him. But before the stone could hit, it crashed into a transparent wall of water and splashed it away.

The stone fell to the ground and the ball of water scattered as Puzo held his chest and leaned back on the car.

"W-w-what?"

"Relax." Elric snapped his fingers. In a sight that sent shivers down his spine, the scattered water all came back and formed an arrow right in front of him.

The arrow shot through the air and coursed ahead. Going past the lines of grass and behind the trees, it found the monster that had thrown a stone at them, a goblin.

The arrow swerved in the air and stabbed right into the goblin's chest. It didn't stop there as the arrow dug right into the heart of the monster and came pouring out the other side, and the goblin collapsed.

"G-goblin…?"

It all happened too fast for Puzo to realize. He held his chest and took in deep breaths. A goblin wasn't scary, nor was being attacked so abruptly, but it was the guy next to him that scared him.

"D-did you use normal water to save mana? And, did you just, gather an already-used spell and redo it!? From a shield to an arrow, with the same water?"

"Relax, Mr. Puzo," Elric smiled and picked up the flask again. "It's nothing big for the ruler of water—PFFFT!"

"AAH!"

Puzo was spat on again!

As the man opened his eyes, yet again, the water on him was gone and another arrow was fluttering in front of his eyes. Beyond it, the goblin that was just shot through the chest had stood up again, the gaping hole in its chest clearly showing the heart that was torn through… still beating.

"How strange…" Elric muttered. With a wave of his hands, the arrow shot forward again. Like a bullet razing through a target, the arrow stabbed itself into the goblin's foot, then it's hand, then the torso and then the neck, at last, the arrow made its way toward the goblin's head.

And the monster finally fell down.

"I-is it dead?"

"Seems so, what a weirdo. I bet that guy was chasing after some chocolates."

"C-chocolates?"

"It's called the Chocolate Drive. It acts like a nitro booster in an F1 Race."

"F1...? Nitro...??"

"Chocolate Drive."

Elric nodded and lifted his flask a last time.

"Anyway, Sir Elric, to think you could use water like that! Are you perhaps an Archmage or something? A Saint-Ranked wizard—"

"PFFT!"

Puzo immediately lifted himself up and looked around. "Enemy! Where?"

But unfortunately, the water didn't move away from him this time.

Drenched, Puzo turned to his side and glared at Elric. "Where is the enemy?"

"There's none."

"Then?"

"I just felt like spitting at you."

"…"

"…"

"Sir Elric, you basta—"

Well the gang regrouped and they crossed the shortcut to reach Soleda that afternoon!