Accepting One’s Weaknesses And Overcoming Them Were What Refined A Man

「–That’s it. Since then, I’ve been treated like an imitation of Currypan.」

After a series of furors, Tanaka and Curryman were drinking booze and milk together in a casual manner.

They then started to intermittently exchange words with each other. Before they knew it, Curryman had started to talk about his past. Curryman spoke with a distant look in his eyes. What he talked about was about the days when the young Curryman was bullied as he possessed a similar name to the master swordsman Currypan. To the people around him, it might have been nothing more than a joke. However, that very joke had certainly hurt the boy’s feelings.

Tanaka listened to Curryman’s confession with a serious expression. Even though they had just been in a tense situation, there was a hint of compassion in his expression. He was truly a man of great capacity.

For sure, while showing such a crisp look, he wasn’t thinking something like ‘Curryman huh… he has man in his name, so that means he’s closer to a human being than Currypan, isn’t that great? No, wait a minute. Are they referring to manju by any chance? Curryman indeed doesn’t have history as deep as Currypan. Somehow I’ve the feeling that he’s falling behind compared to his counterpart…’, definitely not.

「… Tch. Somehow I ended up telling you such a boring story. Forget it. I just have a bad day, so I kinda have this urge to rant.」

「Haha, it’s fine. This is a place for men to relax. Here, we’re allowed to show our weak side that we couldn’t afford to expose outside.」

Tanaka’s words made Curryman’s heart flutter. He just wanted to keep moving forward. He wanted to be recognized by everyone around him as Curryman, not some imitation of Currypan. He had worked desperately to complete job after job at the guild, and now was an A ranker. However, even then he was not yet capable of shaking off the trauma of his past.

「Don’t be afraid to accept your own weaknesses. Accepting one’s weaknesses and overcoming them are what refine a man.」

He’d felt that he was lacking in something. He’d always been haunted by this uneasy feeling that left him as though he was always thirsty. However, this feeling was gradually appeased with every word he exchanged with this man. At this moment, Curryman felt some sort of a premonition. He would be able to change through his encounter with this man. Such a premonition.

「But still, why were you in such a bad mood?」

Tanaka’s simple question made Curryman’s face clouded over. It was the bitter experience that occurred to him yesterday.

「… well. Yesterday, I encountered Hero-sama. And then, I kinda offered my service, but was outright rejected.」

Hearing the word ‘hero,’ Tanaka recalled that fateful day. Along with that handsome boy sandwiched between two beautiful girls…

「… That brat, huh?」

Curryman reacted sensitively to Tanaka’s casual remark. 「Do you know that person?」

The only thing that came to his mind was the handsome boy’s normie-ness. His likability for the hero was ever declining, but in the end both of them were of the same home world. As a senior in life who similarly originated from earth, he couldn’t simply abandon him. Thus, he compromised and took the hero in a good light for the time being.

「Well, if I had to put it, I’d say I’m something akin to his mentor in life.」

He replied with a crisp look on his face while lightly moistening his throat. Tanaka was capable of exaggerating his relationship with someone he’d seen only once to such an extent. Truly a man of terrifying imagination power.

「You are the mentor of the hero, huh. No wonder you’re so strong….」Curryman was surprised by this shocking revelation. At the same time, he was convinced of Tanaka’s power. However, Tanaka’s delusional setting wasn’t over just yet.

「At that time, I happened to meet this cheeky brat who was being waited upon by cute girls. And then, being suddenly challenged for some unknown reason, I pummeled this brat down with one punch. That was my first encounter with the brat….」

Tanaka nostalgically recounted his delusional past, courtesy of his imagination. His appearance was boundlessly cool.

「As expected, you’re really no ordinary person, huh. Nonetheless, that hero didn’t seem to have taken your teachings to heart at all. Even though my offer was flatly rejected, I spotted a beauty and a cutie who were accepted as comrades, you know?」

「What… the….」

This time, Tanaka was the one who was shocked. However, that was inevitable. Months and years after coming to this world. While Tanaka was struggling through his bitter days, the hero was steadily building his harem. Tanaka’s benevolent heart was blown away at once.

「Curryman… you’d better cease trying to be the comrade of that brat. That brat is still nothing more than just a chick. Thus is unworthy to have you as a comrade.」

Tanaka stared fixedly at Curryman. Faced with his stern expression, Curryman felt as though he’d grasped something. 「Moreover, be it a hero or a saint, what you seek to attain by following them doesn’t even exist in the first place. Because the answer lies within you.」

Tanaka put his hand on Curryman’s shoulder. Curryman himself felt as though something was being transmitted through the shoulder that was being touched. It was the man’s strength as well as kindness.

「You are strong. Way stronger than you think. Have confidence in yourself. You should walk your own path.」

「… haha.」

He was reminded of it once again. The fact that even as he had now turned into an A-ranked warrior, he was still concerned about what others thought of him. As well as the fact that he lacked confidence in himself….

And then, his heart began to burn with emotion. At the reality that he was recognized by a great man.

「… Thank you, Tanaka. I feel like my eyes haven been opened up.」

Curryman was overcome with emotion, realizing that he had finally obtained the answer. At the same time, he was assailed by a new thirst. However, this thirst was different from the previous ones, as it felt somewhat pleasant.

「… now that I’ve come to understand it, I feel like I can’t bear to stay idle like this. I’m going. I don’t want to waste any more time.」

He rose from his seat. He’d resolved himself to depart on a journey.

His newfound thirst. What he sought after was the future where he was able to walk shoulder to shoulder with this great man. However, he was about to depart by himself. Because he was aware that he wasn’t powerful enough to stand by Tanaka’s side…. As he walked to the door, he suddenly stopped and spoke to Tanaka without looking back. 「… say. Do you think I’d be able to become a man who could work side by side with you one day?」

「As long as you don’t let that fire raging in your heart to die out, that day will surely come.」

Curryman’s heart was filled with excitement as he had received an answer that exceeded his expectations from the man. There was no longer anything to hesitate about.

「… heh. Thanks a lot. All right, I’ll show the world that I can do it!」

Curryman began to walk down a new path. To chase after the great man…. Then Tanaka leaked out those words.

「Watching over younglings setting off on a journey sure is great… It heats up my withered heart….」The tavern old man involuntarily floated a smile when he heard Tanaka’s brief words. He was apparently also a man whose heart was moved as he saw off the departure of younglings. At the somewhat nostalgic and dazzling sight of the back of the departing young man….

And then the series of events that had transpired up to this point. The customers in the tavern had also been paying attention and listening. The young ones saw themselves in Curryman’s departing figure. Their hearts trembled, hoping that one day they too could embrace their dreams and aim for the top. As for the senior ones, they saw in him the figure of their younger selves. And then, their spirit was set ablaze as they recalled the dreams they had long lost and tried to rise to the challenge once again.

The temperature in the tavern involuntarily rose. The customers were intoxicated in something different than usual.

「By the way, old man…」

「What is it?」

「What kind of person is the hero?」 The tavern old man stumbled down. The customers also fell from their seats. The pleasant air drifting around up until that point disappeared in an instant.

「Aren’t you the mentor of the hero?」

The tavern old man gave him a sharp retort. But that didn’t work on Tanaka.

「Hmm, that was something like a figure of speech. Well, I at least do know the face, though.」

As expected of me. Or so he implied, as Tanaka replied with a smug look on his face. Completely unperturbed by the situation.

「What to do now?! That guy departed with such gusto, you know?! I can’t even see him anymore!」

A customer rushed over to the entrance of the tavern and shouted indignantly.

「You’ve just sent away a valuable warrior, you know?!」

The tavern old man pressed on Tanaka. However, their arguments didn’t get to Tanaka at all, who was unaware that Curryman was an A ranker.

「Oioi, aren’t you guys a little too worked up simply because a guild member is leaving the town? You’ll never be hard-boiled like that, you know?」

The tavern old man couldn’t help but shout at Tanaka, who was trying to act cool with a smug look on his face.

「I don’t get what you’re talking about at all!」 And so the hustle and bustle in the tavern continued unabated. In the midst of this all, Tanaka was immersed in his own thoughts without paying attention to the commotion around him.

「Hero, huh….」

Those led by a strange fate. Their paths were now about to cross.

.

Name: Curryman

Level: 91 Experience: 125/9100 Guild Rank: A

Vitality: 1289/1289 Magical energy: 581/581

Strength: 720 Dexterity: 838 Agility: 786

Intelligence: 653 Spirit: 749

Skills：Sword (6.02), Magic (3.08), Observation Eye (3.68)

Equipment: Magic Twin Swords, Dragonhide Armor