Part-Time Hero [Western Fantasy]

A slow-paced slice-of-life story, updating regularly. My new story next door has started serializing.

New Blurb: Literary Version

Time and again, Lois stood at a crossroads of fate, thought for a long while, then made a hasty choice.

Later, she was swept along by everything around her, accepting the arrangements others had made for her.

She thought perhaps elves were fate’s favorites,

but fate’s chains were quietly tightening.

Then one day, a legend about a hero appeared,

and she realized fate was trying to push her down a road she had never considered.

So, in that moment, she chose to resist,

and in the end, turned toward an entirely new path.

-

Avery had always been lucky. Growing up, everything came easily to him.

The powerful physique and magical talent of the dragonfolk always helped him succeed.

Because of that, every worry seemed insignificant,

and he could always get what he wanted.

Until the day fate pushed forward someone who didn’t want to go,

while no matter how desperately he chased, he couldn’t catch up at all.

Then he realized how capricious fate could be,

and chose to follow her into an unknown journey.

-

The halo of a hero may become a chain of thorns, binding you fast.

So don’t submit to the mission fate has forced upon you.

Fate cannot be confined to a set course.

That is fate’s own shackle. Everything the future holds belongs only to souls that break free of fate.

Old Blurb

Lois awoke from a deep sleep and discovered she wasn’t human. She thought she had transmigrated, but the first words she heard were, “My child, welcome home.”

Before she could even process that, she was told that if she wanted to survive, she had to set out on a journey and form a connection with this world.

Her biological father told her he had everything arranged. Then he bundled up his daughter and her luggage, tossed them onto a ship, and sent her off with a hastily hand-drawn map and a harp bestowed by the Goddess of Nature.

“Starting today, you’re a bard. I hope you’ll carry on the dream I never fulfilled.”

Carrying her father’s dream, no, carrying her wish to stay alive, she set off for a foreign land.

-

The first time Lois met Avery, he flew through the window in the rain and nearly crashed into her.

At the time, Dmitri had downed several large cups of liquor and was talking about her upcoming itinerary when a dark shape came careening in from outside.

Before either of them could say a word, Avery’s parent grabbed him by the ear and gave him a scolding.

Avery had just gotten home and hadn’t even folded his wings away when he was assigned to be her guide.

He nodded through gritted teeth, and only then was he let go. Rubbing his sore ear, he turned around and gave Lois a bright smile.

His smile was a little twisted with pain, but he did his best to look cheerful, his voice brimming with energy.

“I’m Avery. I’ll show you around town tomorrow. The festival in a few days will be even more fun.”

-

Avery was a dragonfolk beastman adopted by an elf.

He had spent a long time adventuring, and with a holiday coming up, he decided to go home for the festivities...

And show off his newly grown wings to his adoptive father while he was at it!

He could fly now! Not very well, admittedly.

He traveled thousands of miles to get home. Seeing the lights on from afar, he thought there was another family gathering, so he climbed to a high spot, changed into his true form, and glided into the living room. Then he nearly crashed into someone.

Hey, hey, I didn’t mean to! Go easy on me! Avery surrendered to his adoptive father’s superior strength.

Then he turned around and saw Lois looking at him curiously.

It was so embarrassing to be caught like that, so he could only force a smile and greet Lois.

“Hello, Avery. I’m Lois,” she said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

-

It wasn’t until much later that Lois learned her unreliable father’s “I’ve arranged everything” meant he had asked a friend who could arrange everything to make arrangements for her. That friend, in turn, had found someone who could arrange everything to take care of it.

Wasn’t this just an endless chain of people passing the buck?

Lois sighed and quietly held back the eager little dragon person beside her.

-

A shy, introverted little elf with a lot of inner monologue X a sunny, cheerful, and free-spirited little dragon person

Theme: Always love this world