What is talent?
Talent is something one is born with, a gift of aptitude and ability bestowed from birth.
How far a person can achieve depends on the level of that talent.
Hard work certainly matters, but those blessed with extraordinary talent are not people you can surpass through effort alone.
Talent allows someone, starting from the same field and the same line as everyone else, to grow faster and produce better results.
That rate of growth, and the results that come with it, are not something effort alone can easily catch up to. Even if you chase after them day and night without rest, you still may not be able to keep pace with the gifted.
Those words came from Pabel Baraja.
As one of the Holy Kingdom's Nine Colors, he was widely known even among the demi-humans.
With his narrow, razor-sharp eyes and tiny black pupils, he gave off a terrifying impression, like some bloodthirsty killer.
As the commander of the soldiers stationed at the Great Wall's central stronghold, his strength ran deep, and he excelled at long-range attacks with a bow.
A full-powered shot from his enchanted bow, when combined with Martial Arts and skills, possessed destructive force comparable to a heavy warrior delivering a powerful downward strike.
He commanded an elite unit of fifty-one archers.
Every arrowhead used by the squad was magically enchanted. In a world where magic equipment was so expensive, that alone was enough to show how highly the nation valued them.
Despite being an archer, he had even won a mock battle against [Orlando], another member of the Nine Colors, in close combat.
(An archer beating a warrior specialized for melee with a sword...)
He was also highly capable as a ranger. Through training, he had gained eyes that could see in the dark like a demi-human's, and he could observe his surroundings with remarkable perception.
(What a bizarre class build...)
And yet even a man as capable as him had worries of his own.
Neia Baraja, his beloved daughter.
He was the type of man who, once the topic of his daughter came up, simply could not stop talking. He loved both his wife and daughter deeply.
Whenever someone praised his daughter, he would put on the face of a vicious demon, but in truth, he was only embarrassed.
Still, his daughter's recent distance from him had dealt this father a heavy blow.
In the end, it all came down to a disagreement over her future.
There was no denying that Neia was a true genius.
Although she had inherited nothing from her mother, a Paladin, she had inherited her father's sharp perception and talent with the bow.
Even without much training, she could already use a bow skillfully, and her keen senses could sharpen her sight, smell, and other perceptions, helping her grasp the state of her surroundings.
If she followed the path of an archer, she might one day become an outstanding marksman who surpassed even her father.
But what gave Pabel and his wife a headache was that Neia had abandoned her talent as an archer and thrown herself onto the path of a Paladin instead.
Because of this, even Pabel, who had always doted on his daughter, could not help trying to persuade her otherwise.
His wife, who was herself a Paladin, had even said to Neia, [If you can beat me, I'll allow it!]
And as she said it, she had actually drawn her sword and, with killing intent on her face, demanded that Neia challenge her.
Even so, Neia's resolve never wavered, and the three of them had argued over it many times.
In the past, Pabel would have firmly opposed his daughter becoming a Paladin.
But ever since returning from the Sorcerer Kingdom, his thinking had begun to change.
...
In the Holy Kingdom's capital, [Hoburns], inside a residence in a prime district, a young girl was diligently cleaning the room.
"Hmph, that stubborn old man. I'm not giving up!"
The girl muttered resentfully under her breath as she swung the broom in her hand.
Not long ago, she had finally managed to join the Paladin Order and become a trainee Paladin, hoping to prove herself through that, but his words had been like a bucket of icy water poured mercilessly over a tiny flame.
"You have no talent for the sword." "The path of a Paladin is the least suitable one for a daughter like you..."
Pabel's stubborn voice still seemed to echo in her ears, and it made her feel awful.
An unsuitable path? That kind of thinking was utterly foolish.
Of course, she knew her parents meant well, but she still could not accept it. Why did they have to force her to choose a path she did not like?
She only wanted to pursue her own happiness. Was that wrong too?
Neia bit her lip.
She would never give up on becoming a Paladin.
This was her dream.
Only by becoming a Paladin could she truly uphold the justice and convictions in her heart.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
A rapid series of knocks rang out like urgent drumbeats, breaking Neia's train of thought and pulling her back from her wandering mind.
"Who is it?"
The girl wiped away the tears on her face, a hint of confusion appearing in her eyes.
Her father was stationed at the border and rarely came home, while her mother, as a Paladin, was always busy as well.
On top of that, due to her parents' hardworking nature, there were no maids in the house.
So who could be visiting at a time like this?
With that question in mind, Neia set down the broom and picked up the weapon nearby.
She walked slowly to the door, hesitated for a moment, then grasped the handle, feeling the faint vibration coming from outside.
Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the door.
As it creaked open, a faint beam of light fell across her, revealing a familiar figure.
"Old man…?"
Neia tilted her head, surprise flickering in her eyes.
Standing outside was none other than her father.
"Who are you calling an old man? Show some respect."
Pabel's expression darkened, his sharp gaze fixed on her like that of a hungry wolf.
"Hmph, so what if I did!"
Neia refused to back down. She had no idea why her father had suddenly returned, but that didn't stop her from snapping back at him.
He was probably here to tell her to give up on becoming a Paladin again anyway.
She puffed out her cheeks and unconsciously began stroking the hilt of her weapon.
Whenever she felt uneasy, she had a habit of touching the hilt of her beloved sword. The familiar sensation helped steady her emotions.
"You really are…"
Pabel rubbed his forehead helplessly. When it came to his daughter's stubbornness, he had no good solution.
She wouldn't listen to reason, and he couldn't bring himself to be harsh with her.
"Neia, I came today to confirm something with you."
"Do you… truly want to become a Paladin, even if you might regret it in the future?"
Stepping into the room, Pabel looked at her and spoke in a serious tone.
He had wrestled with this for a long time, and only today had he finally made up his mind. For that reason, he had deliberately taken a day off to come home.
"Of course. I'm going to become a great Paladin, just like Mother."
Neia looked at her father's unusually serious expression with some surprise. Though she found his attitude a bit strange, when it came to becoming a Paladin, she answered without hesitation.
As she spoke, she held her weapon tightly in her arms.
It was a sword bearing the crest of the Holy Kingdom's knight order, still without enchantment.
Normally, a Paladin's sword would be lightly imbued with magic for reinforcement.
However, for trainees and squires, their swords would only be enchanted after completing all their training and officially becoming a Paladin.
This was part of the Paladin ordination ceremony. Before that, it was nothing more than a well-forged piece of steel.
Even so, Neia cherished it deeply and regularly took great care of it.
"Is that so… that's good."
Pabel let out a long breath, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
Then, under Neia's puzzled gaze, he took out a pale golden book along with an unopened envelope.
"What's this?"
Neia accepted them, confusion written across her face. She carefully opened the book, and the first thing she saw was the title on the cover.
The Doctrine of the Sorcerer Kingdom — What Is Happiness?
What a strange title. A novel?
The Sorcerer Kingdom… that should be the country established from the former Council State.
Under her father's watchful eyes, Neia flipped open the first page. It felt as if she were opening the door to an entirely new world.
[Happiness is the eternal pursuit of all sentient beings.
Everyone longs for a happy life, just as sunflowers yearn for sunlight.
For some, happiness means success in one's career and the accumulation of wealth.
They believe that through success and riches, they can gain stability and fulfillment, and thus achieve happiness.
Others hold a deeper understanding of happiness. They believe it lies in inner peace and contentment.
These people pursue harmony of the soul, personal growth, and healthy relationships, believing that this is true happiness.
The definition of happiness differs from person to person, and everyone's understanding of it is unique.
But one thing never changes.
That is, everyone has the right to pursue happiness… ]
Every line in the doctrine revolved around a single idea: happiness.
Just a few short passages, yet they left Neia standing there in a daze for a long time.
Isn't this exactly her right now?
Ignoring her parents' objections and insisting on walking the path of a Paladin… wasn't that also her way of pursuing her own happiness?
"Ol… no… Father… what is this…?"
Neia suddenly looked up at him.
"The Holy Queen intends to deepen trade relations with the Sorcerer Kingdom, so a group of students will be sent there to study at the Magic Academy. It just so happens that the Sorcerer Kingdom will soon be holding a festival, and His Highness Caspond will personally lead the delegation."
"The other envelope is an admission letter to the Magic Academy. It gathers the finest resources on the entire continent."
"Neia, if you truly wish to walk the path of a Paladin, then go study in the Sorcerer Kingdom."
Pabel had spent a long time thinking this through.
Compared to these pointless arguments, what he truly wanted was for her to live happily, doing what she loved.
As her father, he shouldn't confine her or play the role of the villain. What he should be… was someone who supports his daughter.
Neia's eyes widened in disbelief.
Study abroad… in the Sorcerer Kingdom?
***
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