EPHS-Chapter 494 Each Other's Past

Rossweisse's family belonged to the demi-god clan residing in Asgard, Northern Europe. There were many such demi-god families there, each with its own unique magic, techniques, and traditions. 

These were perfected through generations of exploration and then passed down to the next generation. Rossweisse's mother had inherited the family's tiny pattern from her grandmother, and as the eldest daughter, Rossweisse was supposed to inherit the family's tiny pattern from her mother. 

However, to her dismay, no matter how the inheritance ceremony was conducted, Rossweisse couldn't inherit the family's tiny pattern or engrave it into her soul, body, and magic spells. Instead, it was effortlessly inherited by a distant relative's child. 

Despite her lack of interest in her family's magic and her struggles to master it, Rossweisse surprisingly found herself well-suited to Valkyrie magic, especially in combat-oriented attack magic. 

She absorbed it like a sponge, becoming one of the top attack magic practitioners in her family. Thanks to this, she was finally able to attend a specialized academy for Valkyries and become a formal Valkyrie.

However, her journey to becoming a Valkyrie was not without obstacles. In addition to requiring exceptional magical aptitude for combat, Valkyries in Northern Europe also had to collect the souls of Braves and transform them into guardian heroic spirits to assist them in battle. 

This was a crucial aspect of being a Valkyrie, deeply rooted in tradition. Heroic spirits were essential assets for Valkyries, with some powerful ones even surpassing their contracted Valkyries in strength. 

The bond between Valkyries and their heroic spirits, fighting side by side, had left behind countless romantic legends in the land of Northern Europe.

But what left Rossweisse speechless was her inability to collect the souls of Braves, displaying the same resistance as she did to her family's magic. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't do it. 

Without being able to collect the souls of Braves, she couldn't possess her own heroic spirit, and without her own heroic spirit, she couldn't become a legitimate Valkyrie. So, despite her personal strength far surpassing that of her peers, she was still seen as an inadequate half-baked Valkyrie without a heroic spirit. 

She had lived a life of unfulfilled potential until she met Odin, who chose her as his attendant. Though that old man gave her a headache, she still found the job very fulfilling. She thought she would continue like this, but then that old man unexpectedly abandoned her after they came here! 

After that, she was reincarnated as a Devil and became part of Rias's Peerage, even taking on the role of a teacher in the human world... Now looking back, she felt lost, unable to figure out what twists and turns her future life would take, or what direction it would go in...

Sighing, Rossweisse's face showed a complex mix of emotions, while Tenraku took a sip of coffee and smiled slightly.

"Isn't it interesting this way?" he remarked.

"Interesting?" Rossweisse echoed.

"Yeah, life is full of unknowns, which makes it exciting. If everything goes smoothly as expected, it would be boring, wouldn't it? Although you've experienced so many ups and downs, looking back, don't you feel fulfilled?" Tenraku asked.

"Well... maybe you're right," Rossweisse replied, slightly stunned, lost in thought.

"I'm sorry, Tenraku, for burdening you with my past like this. I usually don't talk about these things even with good friends, but I guess having my grandmother here makes me want to talk to someone," Rossweisse apologized, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"No need to apologize. I'm actually glad to have the opportunity to delve into Rossweisse's past like this," Tenraku replied nonchalantly.

Though Rossweisse had grown accustomed to Tenraku's frank and sometimes bold way of speaking, in the current atmosphere, she couldn't help but feel a bit shy.

"Oh, by the way, Tenraku, why don't you share your past with me? If it's inconvenient, then never mind," Rossweisse suggested, changing the subject.

"It's not inconvenient at all, if Rossweisse is willing to listen," Tenraku replied. It wasn't any great secret, so Tenraku briefly recounted his past to Rossweisse.

If Rossweisse's life was full of twists and turns, then Tenraku's life was a grand adventure.

As a hybrid of human and Devil, Tenraku was often looked down upon for his inability to awaken the Phenex bloodline. With his mother passing away early, he lived a solitary life, traveling the world later on. 

Each thrilling battle, each brush with death, though Rossweisse had heard some details about Tenraku's past from Akeno and Tosca, hearing it directly from Tenraku himself still stirred her emotions, feeling as if she was listening to the epic tales of heroes and Braves.

"Different from Rossweisse's, my past always feels like it's filled with fighting and running around," Tenraku remarked self-deprecatingly after finishing his story.

"But it's also because of that that you've become the Tenraku you are today, right?" Rossweisse responded earnestly, her gaze fixed on Tenraku.

"Just a moment ago, I was amazed by your achievements. Despite your young age, you've reached incredible heights," Rossweisse continued. "You've defeated powerful enemies like Kokabiel, Vali Lucifer, Evil God Loki, and the leader of the Hero faction, Cao Cao. Each one of them was a formidable opponent, yet you emerged victorious."

"Now, I feel like it's all just a matter of course. All of these achievements are the result of your hard work and dedication," she concluded sincerely.

Shifting his gaze away, a rare expression appeared on Tenraku's face.

A hint of a smile surfaced on Rossweisse's lips as she couldn't help but find this side of Tenraku—adorable!

"Alright, let's not dwell on the past anymore," Tenraku said, adjusting his mood. "We've finished our coffee. Is there anywhere else you'd like to go, Rossweisse?"

"I... I don't have any other plans," Rossweisse replied, feeling a bit embarrassed that she hadn't thought of anything else besides going to the department store earlier.

"Well then, let me take care of the rest of our journey," Tenraku suggested. "After all, today is our date. If we end it abruptly, Göndul Senior will surely be suspicious."

"Um... okay," Rossweisse agreed, wondering what surprises Tenraku had in store for their date.

To be continued...