Chapter 1

I've got this unique ability.

I can see the aura of a hero in those around me.

This might seem impressive, right? However, living in a world filled with spell-casting witches, fire-breathing dragons, and heroes who take on these dragons, this ability isn't all that special.

It merely allows me to see who possesses the hero's aura; it does not grant me one.

At times, I wish I lacked this ability entirely.

Then I wouldn't have given up my childhood dream of becoming a dragon slayer, only to end up as someone just... passing the days waiting for the end.

After all, understanding the harsh realities of this world from the get-go isn't exactly a blessing.

I've seen too many heroes, full of vigor, march out of the city gates, heading to the thorn-surrounded Dark Mountain outside every city, entering the unfathomable Dragon's Lair, and challenging the world's villain, the Great Dragon.

Countless successes and failures have become bedtime stories for children growing up in the city. Every child dreams of growing up to be a hero who slays the dragon, to become part of those legends. To achieve this dream sooner, boys and girls alike would brandish toy wooden swords, play-fighting in the streets all day long.

I used to be one of them.

Believing that with enough effort, leveling up, and crafting equipment, I could be the invincible hero, not just another person swallowed by the dragon.

In the legends, those who fail are labeled as slackers, unworthy of sympathy, fit only to be the butt of jokes for story listeners.

Only I know the truth isn't so simple.

Their failure isn't solely, or even primarily, because they didn't try hard enough or weren't ambitious enough. Just like the successful ones aren't only successful because of their hard work or ambition.

What really makes the difference is whether someone has the hero's aura or not.

If you've got this thing above your head, no matter how bad things get or how dire your situation, luck will fall from the sky, assistance will come, turning danger into safety, and you'll defeat the dragon, gaining unparalleled fame, immense wealth, or even the heart of a princess.

But if your head is as bare as my Uncle Joe's bald spot, well, no amount of struggling will do. You're doomed to fail, to be knocked down by the dragon, swallowed in one gulp, and then become the subject of endless ridicule and scandal, with all your bad luck and tough situations attributed to your own shortcomings by those who don't know the first thing about you.