Astrape.

An elite unit known as the strongest spear and the mightiest shield of humanity, composed of heroes that once stood out amongst their peers.

Among them were four squad leaders, each leading their respective divisions guarding the north, south, east, and west of the city, who were praised for their exceptional abilities.

The leader of the fourth squad, responsible for the northern part of the city, was none other than Martina Ivanova, one of the individuals known as the “Golden Generation” and also referred to as the “Great Sorceress of Elements.”

Thanks to her countless achievements and outstanding skills, she was a role model for many mages and held in high regard by numerous heroes.

“Hey there, newbie. Since our days off overlap, how about going on a date with me? Being a bit famous means I can easily get us into those restaurants that are hard to book. What do you say? Huh?”

She was enthusiastically clinging to a boy who had recently joined her squad, trying hard to make an impression.

Despite being known for her overflowing confidence and charisma, she was acting all flirty in a way that was unimaginable to anyone.

However, the new member of the fourth squad, Yoon Si-woo, showed no sign of flinching and only smiled quietly.

“I’m not a newbie; I’m Yoon Si-woo, Captain Martina. And, I apologize for saying this, but with those monsters approaching, it would be best to refrain from personal conversations.”

At Yoon Si-woo’s mechanical and formal response, Martina shrugged her shoulders and replied.

“What are you worrying about those trivial matters for? I want to have an intimate conversation with my Si-woo, so why should those monsters matter?”

With that, she waved her hand a few times toward the monsters charging toward the barricade, and the dozen or so beasts were instantly reduced to a handful of ashes by a sudden burst of flames erupting from the ground.

Looking at the scene, Martina smiled and said, “See, no more monsters, right? So, what do you think? A date on our day off?”

To her question, Yoon Si-woo flatly replied, “I’m sorry, but I must decline. I have a prior engagement.”

“A prior engagement? Are you meeting family?”

“I don’t have family. Both of them passed away when I was young.”

“Oh, I’m sorry…”

Upon hearing Yoon Si-woo’s response about prior commitments, Martina’s eyes widened, as if she had stepped on a landmine.

Yet, the turmoil in her heart quickly transformed into pity for the boy standing before her.

Without any family, how difficult must it have been for him to grow up?

Feeling a maternal instinct she had never experienced before, Martina said, “Well… if you have a prior engagement, I can’t help it. Surely, you’re not meeting another girl, right?”

Yoon Si-woo answered, “Actually, I am.”

“…Huh?”

As Martina let out a flustered sound, Yoon Si-woo glanced at his watch, a glimmer in his eyes.

It was time for him to head out for reconnaissance; the urgency of the mission left him no choice but to spring into action. He quickly got up and dashed away while shouting, “I need to go on patrol now! Please hand over the duty to the next person!”

“Hey, hey! Wait a minute… Wow, he’s really fast at running.”

Yoon Si-woo had vanished in an instant, leaving Martina behind at the guard post to mutter in a state of disappointment.

Honestly, she was at a loss for words.

He said he was going to meet a girl?

And he rejected me?

Given her usual surplus of confidence, she couldn’t possibly comprehend Yoon Si-woo’s words.

What on earth was lacking compared to other women?

“Captain, why do you look so gloomy? Is something wrong? Did the enraged monsters from the forest cause trouble again?” asked Kanna, the squad leader of the fourth squad who had just returned from the patrol, noticing Martina’s serious expression.

Recently, due to the raging monsters in the northern forest, lower-level beasts had been pushed out and swarmed into the guard area.

With her serious face, Martina quietly murmured to Kanna, “Hey, do you think there’s anything about me that falls short compared to other women?”

“Come on, don’t wear that serious expression over trivial matters. I thought something serious had happened. Why the sudden change?”

“I asked the newbie out on a date, but he turned me down, saying he needs to meet another girl. What’s lacking about me?”

In response to Martina’s serious inquiry, Kanna looked at her incredulously and replied, “Damn, I think it’s your conscience that’s lacking. Haven’t I told you several times to stop acting all weird with the newbie? You do realize that’s a crime, right?”

“Once he becomes an adult, we can get married. And if we like each other, age is just a number, isn’t it?”

“Think about your age, really. He’s basically a first-year student, which means there’s at least a double-age gap between you two. While you may see age merely as a number, what about him? Do you really think he would see a woman who is older as attractive?”

Martina tilted her head and queried, “But considering that, didn’t many guys around his age confess to me, asking me to wait a few years? Among heroes, there are a lot who don’t care about such things! Thanks to our magic, we don’t age, so our bodies don’t feel any different from those in their 20s. Are we going to die of old age? We die battling monsters!”

Kanna clicked her tongue and shot Martina a glare.

Yeah, to be honest, Martina was undeniably stunning.

It was no wonder she always ranked high on the list of heroes men wanted to marry.

However, Kanna, although younger than Martina, was still single herself.

The last thing she wanted to witness was her superior having a fling with a younger boy at work. So she brought up a name that felt almost taboo for Martina.

“I heard that Marine, Captain Natalia’s daughter, is the same age as the newbie.”

“…How many times have I told you not to mention that woman in front of me?”

Upon hearing the name Natalia, Martina’s face darkened instantly.

Natalia was the only person in Martina’s life who had ever made her feel a sense of defeat.

During her academy days, her class was known as the Golden Generation.

In that generation, three individuals were deemed to have the talent to lead the next era.

One was Martina herself, one was that damned Natalia, and the last was a boy named Lucas.

Among students, only Lucas had the same kind of strength that captured Martina’s attention, as she preferred men who were stronger than herself.

Thus, she secretly had a crush on him.

Even though they were in different classes, she occasionally visited him to talk, believing they were slowly building a mutual affection. Then came a rumor that shattered her world like a bolt from the blue.

The rumor that Lucas had gotten Natalia pregnant.

How could students at such a sacred academy commit such an unspeakable act?

She thought it was absurd and rushed to confirm it, but upon seeing Natalia with a flush of superiority, sporting a beaming grin, Martina realized she had faced her first defeat in life.

Lucas Eloise and Natalia Ucracia had become husband and wife. Natalia became an Eloise, and until their child entered the academy, Martina couldn’t find a man who matched her feelings like Lucas did.

Finally, she had discovered someone she truly liked even more than before.

“…I won’t give up.”

As Martina exuded magical energy around her, giving off an intimidating aura, Kanna, slightly cowed, cleared her throat and spoke.

“…Ahem, ‘not giving up’ and whatnot, but aren’t you also aware that the girl he’s supposed to meet is roughly his age? Since she’s young, he’s probably into girls her age.”

“So you’re saying he prefers younger girls…”

In that case, all she needed to do was adjust herself to fit in with that preference.

Martina silently resolved to cut her hair in a student-like style for their day off.

—

It had already been a week since Yoon Si-woo began his shifts at Astrape, alternating between day and night guard duties on the front lines.

On his first day off in a week, Yoon Si-woo returned to the barricade, quietly smiling to himself.

“…This is really troublesome.”

[Well, isn’t that just the fate of an outstanding man? Take it as proof of your charm, Si-woo, and accept it with joy.]

“How can I be happy when my superior is the one throwing herself at me?”

Si-woo grumbled at Lucy, who spoke in a mix of laughter.

Since childhood, there had been many women who showed interest in him, but none left him more perplexed about how to respond than this situation.

[If you have no intention of reciprocating, you can simply refuse her politely.]

“…It’s not that simple, you know.”

Having joined Astrape directly after the academy, Yoon Si-woo was essentially like a newbie still learning the ropes of society.

Imagining the repercussions of refusing an advance from a superior was weighing heavily on his mind.

Truthfully, part of him wanted to turn her down by stating that he had someone he liked, but if his captain harbored any ill thoughts and decided to cut him loose from Astrape…

[You finally worked hard to become a hero, and now you worry about not meeting the expectations of someone else.]

“…Well, that’s about the gist of it.”

At Lucy’s candid statement, Yoon Si-woo nodded slightly in acquiescence.

He had to tread carefully, worried that she might be disappointed in him.

Is this the difficulty of social life…

He sighed inwardly and quickened his pace.

After walking for a while, he stopped at the place where he had been raised, the Future Orphanage.

For someone without family, the closest person he had to a family was Maria, the headmistress of this place.

He had promised to visit today after receiving a message about why he hadn’t shown up since he became a hero.

As he stepped into the orphanage and reminisced about his childhood, Maria suddenly burst out of her office, giving him a scrutinizing look.

“Oh my, look who it is! Our busy hero! What brings you here despite your packed schedule?”

“Ahaha… I’m sorry. I’ll try to come visit more often from now on.”

“You’re smooth with words. But if you don’t really mean it this time, I might hold a grudge, you know?”

After giving him a hard look, Maria’s face broke into a radiant smile as she embraced him tightly.

“…My Si-woo, look how you’ve grown… Is your work dangerous?”

“Dangerous? Not really. Don’t worry. I’m strong enough, see?”

“Oh my gosh, aha! I got it! I got it, now put me down!”

With a playful swoop, he lifted Maria and spun her around, marveling at how much time had passed while she laughed like a young girl.

She had seemed so massive back then, but now he could lift her so easily.

The facilities of the orphanage, which had been sized for children, now appeared quite small.

As he reflected that he had decided to become a hero to protect such things, Maria said.

“Since you’re here, you’re going to play with the kids, right? They were so excited when I told them you were coming. They all want to be like you now, Si-woo, who used to be adored only by girls. Now even the boys are getting in on it!”

“Of course, I’ll play with them. Ahaha…”

Yoon Si-woo responded with a strained smile.

Maria’s comment about the girls loving him brought back memories from the past, no doubt.

He recall the painful memory of a few girls crying in unison, declaring they would die if he didn’t marry them, a painful memory too tough to be merely nostalgic about.

[Thinking about it, Si-woo, you’ve always had a lot of girls around you who liked you. It’s quite surprising you’ve never dated anyone.]

Si-woo quietly answered Lucy in his mind.

…How would I date everyone that likes me? I have my ideal type, too.

[Oh, your ideal type? That intrigues me! Do share.]

My ideal type…

Following Maria into the children’s playroom, Si-woo began mulling it over.

First and foremost, someone kind who thinks of others before themselves.

Next, someone who, if possible, doesn’t lie very often.

And someone strong enough to smile even when times are tough.

Also,

“Oh wait, I almost forgot to mention we have a guest today! Si-woo, you know her, right?”

“Sister. Let’s draw together with Rion.”

“Together? Alright, I’ll draw Rion then.”

The sight of the red-haired girl smiling kindly at a child was dazzlingly apt for him,

“…It’s been a while.”

“…Yeah, it has.”

Could this girl standing before him be his ideal type?