Chapter 20

The moment I declared that my brother possessed the skills of a top-tier adventurer, a look of joy appeared on Ralma's face. It was the face of a master who rejoiced at the fact that their disciple had such skills, and from that expression, I realized that Ralma truly believed my brother had the skills of a top-tier adventurer.

It was because she believed it that she showed such joy.

"Lie……"

……Even though I understood this, I still couldn't accept Ralma's words. Ralma had said that my brother lacked talent, and then declared that his skills were on par with a top-tier adventurer.

However, I believed that lacking talent meant being weak, and having skills meant having talent, so I couldn't connect these two statements.

……Moreover, I couldn't believe that my brother had the skills of a top-tier adventurer.

It's not that I thought my brother was weak. I believed that my brother was stronger than a regular top-tier adventurer.

But top-tier adventurers are in a different league.

There are people who mistakenly believe that top-tier adventurers are just stronger than regular top-tier adventurers. But in reality, it's completely different.

After all, the gap between bottom-tier adventurers and top-tier adventurers is said to be smaller than the gap between top-tier adventurers and top-tier adventurers.

That's what top-tier adventurers are. They are so exceptional that they had to be artificially ranked above regular top-tier adventurers.

"Even if it's my brother……"

……And I couldn't believe that my brother was such an existence, so I instinctively reacted to Ralma's words.

"Do you really think so?"

"……Huh?"

However, Ralma's reaction to my words was a question. I was taken aback by this unexpected response and hesitated.

"Can you really believe that it's easy to dodge all of the Hydra's attacks by just focusing on defense?"

But Ralma continued speaking without paying any attention to me.

"There's no way. Focusing on defense just means being on the defensive. Narseena, you've experienced it, haven't you? When you were on the defensive, what state were you in?"

"Ah!"

With those words, I finally understood what Ralma was trying to say. I had been trained by a top-tier adventurer known to Ralma, and being on the defensive always meant being at a disadvantage. In other words, being on the defensive meant being under pressure.

"……But my brother always managed to hold back the enemy even in such a state."

"Yes, that's right. And he could only do that by restraining the enemy. ……Do you finally understand how abnormal that is?"

"———!"

……With Ralma's words, I finally understood my brother's abnormality. Ralma took a breath, sipped the highest-quality tea on the table to moisten her throat, and spoke again.

"Well, I won't lose to that stupid disciple. I won't give him any openings that he can exploit, so I won't lose to him.

———But it will be difficult for me to beat that stupid disciple.

If it were from a super long distance, I might have a chance, but at medium or close range, I don't have the confidence to beat a stupid disciple who could dodge the Hydra's attacks. ……That guy had an unusually high stamina."

"That's what you mean……"

With Ralma's words, I finally accepted that my brother had the skills of a top-tier adventurer. I realized that my brother's defensive abilities were abnormal.

Normally, people limit their opponents' actions by attacking or pretending to attack. But my brother could only defend. In other words, the opponent could attack freely. Despite this, my brother not only repelled the aggressive and violent Hydra's attacks but also managed to hold it back.

This is the best evidence that my brother has the skills of a top-tier adventurer.

"But if that's the case, why does my brother lack talent!"

And because I understood this, my doubts about my brother lacking talent only grew stronger.

"Sure, my brother might not have the talent to be a healer! But he can fight so well, and he can even use magic……"

I tried to explain to Ralma the aspects in which my brother was exceptional.

"That's the reason he lacks talent."

"……What……, huh?"

……However, Ralma interrupted me and said this.

"Because of magic. That's the reason I'm certain he lacks talent. Indeed, he has considerable skills now. But I can say this with certainty.

……That guy, the stupid disciple, had no talent as an adventurer at all."

◇◆◇

Ignoring my stunned expression, Ralma put a cookie from the table into her mouth. After a short break, she started speaking again.

"When I heard that the stupid disciple lacked the talent for healing magic, I decided to teach him new skills, or rather, techniques."

"Um, I've heard about that……"

In response to her words, I recalled and answered. When I heard that my brother could use magic, I asked him why he could use magic despite being a healer. At that time, he taught me about skills outside of his abilities.

"Magic and ki, right?"

"Surprised, you even heard that from Rau斯特!"

Her words made Ralma slightly surprised.

"But let's put that aside for now."

But Ralma quickly returned to the topic.

"Magic and ki are the sources of skills and the source of people's supernatural powers. It is said that magic affects the surroundings, and ki affects the body. Of course, there are exceptions, such as enhancing physical abilities with magic or affecting the outside with ki. Incidentally, the reason I can engage in close combat is because I enhance my physical abilities with magic."

I had heard this from my brother before, so I listened without interrupting much.

"Of course, directly handling magic and ki is inferior to skills. After all, skills amplify the effects of magic and ki. However, in Rau斯特's case, since his healing magic was so poor, I judged that the techniques involving magic and ki would be more useful."

For a moment, she had a look as if recalling the past, then continued.

"……But even after learning magic and ki, Rau斯特 could not obtain abilities useful in combat. He could not reach that level."

"!"

And in the next moment, I understood the reason Ralma declared that my brother lacked talent.

To survive as an adventurer, my brother gave up on the healing magic he couldn't use well and tried to acquire new techniques.

……But even with the techniques he learned to compensate for his lack of healing magic, my brother lacked talent.