Character Introductions
Rio
Age: 24, Height: 148 cm.
Rio is a youthful-looking woman with shoulder-length black hair and golden eyes. She possesses deep black lion ears and a tail, indicative of her pureblooded Black Lion heritage, a rare and dominant lineage among the Beastmen. In eight years, she is set to inherit the leadership of her pride from her father. Despite being smaller in stature compared to her fellow Beastmen, who are typically tall and muscular, Rio lacks the boldness and bravado commonly associated with her kind. Instead, she is adept at deception and manipulation, often using ambushes and exploitation as her primary means of interaction. This duality in her character is reflected in her differing speech patterns from her first appearance to the epilogue. While she initially spoke in a more delicate manner, Ferno’s surprise at her age led to a lack of clarity in his memories of her.
In terms of combat ability, Rio excels in ambush tactics, deception, and assassination. She possesses the strength to lift and move objects weighing around ten tons, showcasing raw power that surpasses Ferno’s in sheer muscle. However, her smaller size limits her ability to maintain consistent destructive force. Thus, her fighting style relies on exploiting gaps in awareness with powerful strikes.
Rio holds a rather detached view of life and death, believing that when her time comes, she will die without hesitation. This perspective prevents her from harboring feelings of revenge or hatred towards the Demon Race and Monsters that have attacked her village and taken her loved ones. Nevertheless, she does desire retribution and, recognizing her own limitations, has enlisted Ferno to carry out her vengeance, joining him and the two survivors as his companions.
Fon
Age: 44, Height: 196 cm.
Fon is a muscular man with a youthful face, characterized by white hair and blue eyes, along with the distinctive spotted ears and tail of a snow leopard. He was hired as a retainer and bodyguard for Rio, destined to lead her village in the future. Unlike the other two companions, he still has a home to return to.
Fon is an average Beastman in terms of upbringing and personality, embodying the typical traits of a loyal retainer. He suppresses his emotions to fulfill his role, yet he possesses the boldness and strength characteristic of his kind. He respects Ferno as their leader due to his demonstrated abilities and holds a fondness for Rio, readily following her commands without complaint.
His combat style combines assassination techniques that ensure no enemy escapes in the darkness with surprise attacks using concealed weapons. While he has the potential to defeat a Dragon in direct combat, he acknowledges that such encounters would likely leave him gravely injured. When facing a High-ranking Demon in peak condition, he estimates that a stalemate would occur within an hour.
Fon is not lacking in potential; rather, his limited experience against stronger foes has kept him from reaching his full capabilities. He is also a sympathetic figure, having played the role of a supportive friend to those he loves, often helping them pursue their own romantic interests.
Ruru
Age: 160, Height: 188 cm.
Ruru is a striking woman with long, silvery-gray hair that reaches her waist and red eyes. She has golden fox ears and a tail, embodying the traits of a Fox Beastman. Though she has a muscular build, it is more akin to that of a healthy athlete rather than the typical robust physique of her kind.
Born to a Fox Beastman mother and a father whose race is shrouded in recognition-inhibiting traits, Ruru possesses an exceptionally long lifespan. Her personality is altruistic; she thrives on supporting those she cares for rather than pursuing her own desires. She often anticipates the needs of her favorites, preparing gifts for them without asking for anything in return. Currently, her top favorites are Ferno, followed by Fana, and then Rio.
While Ruru lacks significant combat skills, she has trained in jujitsu, allowing her to defend herself when necessary. However, her primary role lies outside of battle, focusing on household tasks, cooking, procurement, and information gathering.
Ruru is not a virgin; she has experienced love, marriage, and motherhood. Her husband passed away peacefully, and while her child did not survive, she holds no lingering regrets about their parting.
Stella
Age: 24, Height: 170 cm.
Stella is a slender beauty with mid-length hair that is a muddled blonde with hints of black, and light green eyes. She is the biological sister of Elifia Oze, the Saint and a current companion of the Hero. Due to not being born with healing powers, she was disowned by the House of Oze at a young age.
Her personality is carefree and somewhat aimless, resembling a wandering spirit. Having been disowned, she lacks the attachment to any particular place, accepting her circumstances without resistance, even when faced with jealousy or disdain from the nobility.
Stella’s combat style focuses on overwhelming her opponents with a flurry of attacks. She continuously strikes until her enemy is broken, delivering a series of blows to secure victory. Her approach is neither purely offensive like Ferno’s nor defensive like Fana’s; instead, she has developed a speed-focused combat style. Although she possesses one powerful spell, its high cost and lengthy preparation time mean she only uses it in dire situations.
Interestingly, Stella has fought alongside Ferno in the past, and his presence on the battlefield left a lasting impression on her. While she outwardly expresses some annoyance at being tasked with dealing with nobility, she secretly feels honored to be relied upon by Ferno. She plans to teach Fana and Rio the art of negotiation and persuasion to prepare them for her eventual departure.
Knight Commander
Fana’s father, the Knight Commander oversees all knights in the Alstoval Kingdom and holds ultimate decision-making authority. He has four sons and three daughters, encouraging them to pursue their own paths without imposing strict expectations.
He holds a favorable view of Ferno, appreciating his accomplishments as a Hero and wishing to welcome him into the family if circumstances allow. However, since Ferno’s family is alive and well, he hopes one of his daughters will form a romantic bond with him.
The Knight Commander enjoys a good rapport with Ferno, who is willing to negotiate without hesitation, recognizing his capabilities. He lives with a sense of pride in serving the kingdom rather than the king, adhering to royal orders but lacking any particular loyalty to the monarch.
Hermes
A merchant associated with the king, Hermes has previously aided Ferno. He prioritizes his own profit but seeks to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with Ferno without engaging in direct negotiations. His reasoning stems from a desire to secure future benefits and ensure a connection with the emerging hero, Ferno Desire.
His judgment has proven correct, as he has gained access to pristine Dragon materials that would be unattainable through his usual dealings. Ferno, while aware that Hermes has his own motives, finds him trustworthy due to his transparent intentions.
High-ranking Demon
This term refers to particularly powerful individuals within the Demon Race, distinguished by their high intelligence, reason, and capabilities. They possess a strong sense of self-importance, looking down on all life except for the Demon King, and take pleasure in deceit and cruelty.
Unlike lower-ranking demons, who instinctively fear Ferno Desire, high-ranking demons plot ways to kill him and revel in slaughtering humans. The recent infiltration of the black market and the attack on Rio’s village were part of their grand ambitions.
Disaster Designation
This designation is given to exceptionally powerful Monsters. However, such beings rarely come into existence, as they often self-destruct due to their overwhelming strength or perish while attempting to challenge stronger foes. When they do appear, they pose a significant threat that could lead to the downfall of nations or the end of the world if no clear countermeasures are in place.
End of Prologue
The prologue concludes here, with the first chapter set to begin next. The new Hero will be introduced in the latter half of the first chapter, and among the characters presented, two will serve as heroines.
Comment Responses
“Interesting, looking forward to it!”
Thank you! Your encouragement fuels my creative spirit.
“Typo report.”
Thank you for your diligence. I strive to minimize errors, so please do report any you find.
“Comments on the writing.”
Thank you! I appreciate your feedback and will take it into account.
“About the king.”
Your understanding aligns with my intentions. While I have a clear vision of the character, I won’t alter it based on differing perceptions. Everyone interprets characters differently.
As a supplementary note, the king, born into royalty, understands the significance of his role but lacks insight into the struggles that accompany it. He believes the Hero, with their status and power, should voice their needs directly, which is why he did not provide support during the Hero’s initial journey. Had the Hero simply requested assistance, the king would have readily complied. However, the Hero, having lived as a commoner for 15 years, is unaware of how to navigate the world of power.
“About the collar.”
Similar to the previous point, while there is a brutish mindset that power can solve everything, there is an ingrained understanding that one cannot defy authority in human society. Thus, the Hero accepted the collar without protest, knowing it could be easily removed if necessary.
“About the new Hero.”
He will face challenges and hardships, but he possesses innate talent that surpasses the current Hero. No matter the circumstances, he will rise and fulfill his duties as a Hero, having already been profoundly impacted by the brilliance of the past.
“Regarding healing.”
The protagonist must assess whether a situation warrants taking fatal damage or if it should be avoided. If a healer joins the party, the protagonist may become complacent, believing they can afford to take risks. Currently, there are no foes capable of delivering a single lethal blow, so this decision has not proven to be a mistake. However, the world is not so forgiving.
“About the gods.”
In this story, the gods are omniscient and omnipotent, neither intervening nor influencing events unless absolutely necessary. The Hero’s unique circumstances, the revocation of reincarnation benefits, and the angels’ repeated mistakes were not deemed worthy of divine intervention.