Breakthrough with the Forbidden Master Chapter 2 – Father and Son

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Damn itttt, aaaaahhh, I’m so pissed!!
…If only I could scream it out loud, it might make me feel a bit better, but I can’t.
I really want to confront the Princess for badmouthing me, but anything I say would only make me appear as a sore loser, which is even more lame.
So, all I can do is maintain my pride by pretending not to hear anything and walking away.

"That was unfortunate, Earth. But don’t give up. Keep pushing yourself as many times as it takes and become stronger."

As I was about to leave, feeling dejected, Tyke, the instructor who officiated the mock battle between me and the Princess, approached me and placed a sweaty hand on my shoulder, enthusiastically cheering me on.

"You know what? Your father, 'Heero', used to lose all the time just like you during his Academy days to the strongest student, 'His Majesty Solja', who was the prince back then. However, in the end… he earned a victory in the 'Graduation Commemorative Match'. So, do your best!

The instructor encouraged me with a thumbs up. Following his lead, my classmates sent me words of encouragement and support one after another.

"That’s right, Earth. Show us the awakening of the hero’s genes at the very end!"
"Yeah, after all, Earth is the son of the Hero Heero!"
"Show us the talent that could defeat even the Great Demon King, alright?"

Every time I receive this encouragement, what I think is not about being moved by the companionship of my classmates... But rather, what about you guys? I mean, you guys have worse grades and rankings than me, so shouldn’t you do your best first? And enough with that hero’s genes bullshit!
But of course, I won’t say such a crude thing out loud.
As I walk away from the group at a brisk pace, I give a brief reply.

"…Nn…Well…"

The truth is, even though I despise the person who currently holds the top spot, I have to acknowledge that she is a prodigy. Her talent surpasses mine by a wide margin, and it makes my efforts seem futile in comparison. I have to accept that fact.
So, there’s no shame in not winning. Besides, in this country, there aren’t many people our age who can beat her.
Even these guys here have been defeated by that Princess before yet, they don’t appear bothered by it, nor do they even seem to strive for victory.
So, well, it’s frustrating, but I’m starting to think that perhaps there’s nothing I can do to win.
But leaving that aside, there’s something else that doesn’t sit right with me.
That is……

"With this, how many consecutive victories does the Princess have against Lord Heero’s son?"
"Even though the Princess is a genius, it’s still a shame that the son of the Hero can’t win even once."

Voices could be heard coming from around the corner of the training ground’s hallway.
They were the voices of adults, probably Imperial Knights chatting with each other.
They were talking about me nonchalantly, unaware that I was listening.

"Well, the Hero’s son isn’t necessarily a hero."
"The Princess is exceptional, but… as expected, the younger generation is lacking in skill. Well, it’s a sign that we live in a peaceful time, I suppose..."
"This year’s Graduation Commemorative Match will be attended by royalties from other countries... but I’m worried that they will be disappointed seeing how incompetent Lord Heero’s son is."
"He is Lord Heero’s son, yet he only came in second in both written and practical exams this time. It’s a shame that he couldn’t come in first even once."
"Yeah, that’s true. And the fact that he got second place is also questionable. Since it’s only because ‘those two’ weren’t around."
"Aah, those two. I heard that ‘those two’, who are currently studying abroad, have already demonstrated their full potential and have been recently awarded medals by a foreign King, right?"
"That’s right. In other words, Lord Heero’s son got second place without ‘those two’ around… he should really be more like around fourth place, so it’s disappointing"

I’ve heard this kind of talk in various settings.
When I was young, simply achieving a perfect score on a test or demonstrating better magic skills than others would elicit comments like, "As expected of the son of the Hero Heero".
Then, when I turned thirteen and entered the Academy, the competition among my peers for rankings began.
Despite consistently holding a high position in the Academy, I could never claim the top spot.
Second place was the best I could achieve.
But even that was no small feat, considering the Academy’s reputation as an institution for training elite warriors, where exceptional children from all over the Empire and noble families would gather and pass rigorous exams to be admitted.
In essence, it was a gathering place for the Empire’s elites.
That’s why I think that it’s a great accomplishment to be ranked second there.
However, the people around me don’t see it that way.

"…..Sorry about that…."
""!!??""

Two men, who appeared to be in their thirties, turned around at my words.
They were adorned with cloaks draped over armor that was engraved with the symbol of the Empire.

"I’ve shown a pitiful sight to the Imperial Knights…"

They seemed slightly flustered by my sudden appearance, but they quickly tried to hide it by laughing and speaking to me in a friendly tone.

"No, no, well, with Her Highness, the Princess as an opponent, it can’t be helped. At this point, she already possesses the power of a 'Senior Warrior' class, after all."
"Still, you shouldn’t stay idle either, you know? Your father became a 'Senior Warrior' at just 16 years old, only one year after graduating from the academy, and he was 18 when he defeated the Great Demon King."
"Of course, 'Aspiring Warriors' will naturally join the 'Imperial Knights' after graduating, right? The current training in the academy is quite basic, so we’ll train you again from the ground up, young man."
"That’s why, as the son of the Hero, you have to do your best."

Again… I’m getting all these presumptuous and arrogant lectures from people I just met.
I’ve been told these kinds of things by instructors, classmates, and even strangers.
Of course, even by my own parents…

"That’s right! Please take care of my idiot son once he graduates!"

"""!!??"""

Uugh!…. He’s here……

"L- Lord Heero!?"
"Hey, you look motivated. Are you training? You have the advanced promotion exam coming up soon, right? Good luck."
"T-thank you very much!"
"You’ve got a baby on the way too, right? You have to show him how amazing his Daddy is!"
"You know about that? It’s embarrassing…"

He has vibrant, fiery red hair that matches his spirited personality. Despite his actual age being much older, he maintains a youthful appearance, which adds to his charm. Liked by everyone, he exudes a friendly and approachable demeanor. His popularity among women is evident by the existence of a fan club dedicated to him in the Imperial Capital.
He is renowned for his unparalleled swordsmanship and extraordinary magical power, and by wielding a magic sword that combined these two, he became the world’s strongest hero.
As a kid, I used to hold my dad in deep admiration… But now…

"Yo, Earth. I had some business around here and decided to come to the training ground, but… I heard you lost to the Princess again."
"Guh…"

My father taunts me with a mischievous grin. These moments of playful taunting only gets on my nerves.

"Well it was the same with me and Solja… I never won against His Majesty except for the 'Graduation Commemorative Match'... But your opponent is a girl, right? It’s kind of pathetic to lose every time, don’t you think?"
"…Hmph…"
"Well, unlike you, your dad sucked at written exams, so I was in danger of repeating a year before graduating, so I guess you’re probably better in that regard... But in the end, as a man, it truly comes down to this."

Saying that, my father lightly hits my chin.
I wonder if he is trying to convey something like, 'Strength is the ultimate measure of a man’s worth'

"…Well then, if only my father would teach me how to wield a sword… and give me the sword of the Hero who defeated the Great Demon King… maybe then I could beat the Princess, right?"

Half-jokingly, I asked my father while observing his reaction.
But my father just laughed…

"Sorry… I’d love to teach you, but work keeps me too busy, you know~… So, you’ll have to learn from your instructor or 'Sadis' instead. Besides, you still can’t handle 'that sword' yet. So, well, maybe someday."

This again, as usual.

"Well, you’re the type that grows slowly. Don’t be impatient! Do your best."

I am my father’s son. Yet, he has never taught me anything like swordsmanship or magic.
Despite not inheriting any of my father’s skills or teachings, I am still being compared to him.
To top it all off, he was an underachiever when he was around my age compared to me, and I’m being looked down upon like this.
Seriously……

"But… I… Aren’t I working hard enough already?"
"…Earth?"
"What do you mean by 'the type that grows slowly'…? There’s a limit to being thoughtless, don’t you think?"

It’s infuriating. That’s why I also feel like screaming like a kid.

"Why… Why am I considered a disappointment? Why am I being comforted in that manner! I’m ranked second in the Academy, you know! Isn’t that impressive!? Instead of consoling me, could you at least praise me a little for my achievement! Why are you disappointed that I got second place? Is second place not good enough for you? Do I have to be in first place for it to be acceptable!?"

I’m being a pathetic brat… I’m fully aware of it, but I can’t help feeling that way. And I end up hating myself for being such a brat.

"Earth…"
"…tsk… So lame…"

Before I knew it, I pushed my father aside, who was standing in front of me, and started running away.

---

Author’s Note

Thank you very much for featuring my work during the day so quickly.

I have stockpiled 200,000 words during the Golden Week, so I plan to post every day for a while and adjust my posting frequency based on the situation. Thank you for your continued support.

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