Side Story 1: The girl who wokes up from her dream.

"How could you accept that, father!?"

Her protests echoed down the hall, heard around the whole castle garden. Butlers and maids around the vicinity hurriedly hide away, the last thing they want is to be the one who faces their mistress' wrath.

"Mind your manners, don't speak that way. What if other people are listening?"

Even faced with such anger, the old man remained calm. The old man sighs deeply, recognizing that this is not the first time this has happened.

"You are not refuting anything that fat bastard said?"

"He's the king Erika…"

"And a king is supposed to send his own citizens to war just because he wants some useless achievement that he himself didn't work for!?"

"We are the descendants of the six legendary heroes. Since birth, we have experienced and earned a lot of luxury just because we are part of hero lineage. It is our duty to protect and defeat the demon lord if it brings harm to humani-"

"You know the demon lord doesn't exist!"

Her pained voice echoes throughout the empty hall once more, but unlike before the reply doesn't come instantly. Instead a deafening silence filled the room, and both the old man and the young lady didn't say anything, continuing the awkward silence for quite some time.

"Did you know wars have started again?"

The girl didn't answer, continuing to look down, not letting the old man see her face.

"Some countries have started to fight small-scale wars with each other, the long peace we know right now might just end just like that. We already had peace for a long time, but that long peace is also a poison that breeds weak men."

The girl clenches her fists, her blood is boiling with anger.

"We decided if it's better for us to fight a common enemy rather than to fight our own race. I am sure you could understand, right Erika..?"

The old man moves her hand toward the girl's head, trying to stroke her hair. The girl suddenly slaps the hand away, refusing to accept what her father has just said.

"Then you fight your war! Don't involve me with this! Why me!? I don't want to fight in a war! Why not the prince!? Is he not a descendant of the legendary heroes too? Why not my other brothers who are older and more experienced than me?"

Tears start to flow from her eyes, her voice shakes, while staring directly at her father's eyes.

"He's the only prince of this country. He can't die right now. Your brothers… have their own responsibility."

"And I can..?"

He doesn't answer her question.

"Am I not your daughter..?"

He doesn't answer her question.

"Is it because… I am the daughter of your mistress?"

His face expression changes instantly into that of a deep anger. He started to sweat, his face getting redder and redder. He raises his hand to hit her, but suddenly he is pushed down by a gust of wind.

"Don't step out of the line, duke. You dare to hit this country hero?"

"You..!?"

"When you came to take me from my mother few years ago, I thought you had a change of heart. I thought you were feeling guilty for what you have done and decided to repent. Oh how wrong I was, you have prepared for this day all this time haven't you? I don't care what your intention is as long as she is happy."

"You ungratefu-"

Another gust of wind hits him again, propelling him to a wall and crashes the vase behind.

"I will participate in the war, in return never show yourself in front of me ever again. From now on, I am Erika Vilise."

She walked away, leaving the old man alone on the floor. Passing butlers helped him out, still making ruckus and shouting curses at her.

A man makes his appearance from behind a pillar. He's a handsome man with blonde hair and golden coloured eyes. He walked in front of her, stopping in her path.

"You heard everything didn't you?"

"It's my fault, let me talk to fath-"

"What can you do right now?"

"...Erika, don't do this to me. Haven't we known each other for quite some time?"

"Yet a fate that bound both of us only sent me to death alone."

"Erika please…"

"Must be nice being a prince huh?"

She walks away, he tries to grab her hand.

"Erika, listen…"

"Don't touch me."

"I can tell my father that we're going to be engaged. That way you don't need to join the war."

He stops what he was saying in an instant. One look, anyone could see he had said something wrong. She stared at him with a scorn.

"Erika, I am so-"

"I am going to just say this once, Heinrich. Don't patronize me, I'll join the war and return as a hero. I don't need you guys' help. If you still value our friendship… Don't do anything unnecessary."

She walks away, leaving the prince alone. At this point, the prince understood that nothing he said could change her mind. He left to return to his quarter, wishing the best for the woman he one-sidedly loves.

That night, for the first time in years, she cried. The sobbing sound could be heard outside her room, the butlers and maids serving her cried alongside her. Years of living in the count mansion had made her a strong connection with her servants that care deeply for her. She treated everyone equally, a characteristic rare among nobles but has made her someone popular among servants.

She resolved herself that she would save everyone, just like those six heroes she admired since she was a child. She vowed that she would return as a hero, take down those corrupt people and create a system that would actually last. Not only will she need to reach the positions of the heroes she admires, but she also will need to surpass them.

But first thing first, she will need to play the puppet hero role perfectly. Coming from a country which bans the ownership of slaves, yet in order to evoke the legendary heroes' image, she is forced to do things she doesn't like.

The fated night finally comes, the night of choice, the night of fates. Heroes from different countries have gathered, prepared, and finally the time comes to choose their fateful partners. Homunculus, always loyal and born to serve. Yet, those who know the truth will understand the atrocities of their origin.

The girl who decided to fight her fate had noticed the boy who was swept by one. Strange she thought, "How could one who has changed into a "homunculus" filled with such distress?" In her heart she whispered, "Could it be, he is someone who resisted the church brainwashing?"

The girl smiled, knowing she had just found the perfect one. With her eyes she inspected the boy, indeed he is not a normal one. With large mana capacity that normally a normal person couldn't even dream to have, he is her greatest weapon.

"After everything is over, I'll free you so… follow this foolish girl dream."

Her name was called and she walked forward. Brightly. Perfectly. Purely. Heroically. The perfect model, the perfect hero. She is going to play out a play for everyone watching, an act that can captivate gods and goddesses themselves. This is the story of a little girl who wakes up from her dream and grows to be a hero.

"You, boy with silver hair and eyes."

This is the start of her journey.