Okay, so I'm an assassin. Not your typical cloak-and-dagger type, more like a...highly specialized problem solver. And, for some reason, my status is apparently higher than the hero's. It's a little awkward, to be honest.
You see, the hero, bless his cotton socks, is all about flashy moves and saving the world with a booming voice. I'm more of a "quietly remove the root cause of the problem while everyone else is distracted by the fireworks" kind of guy.
The Perks are…Unexpected
The status thing comes with perks. Ridiculous perks. Like, I get better coffee in the morning. And the blacksmith always seems to have my requested dagger perfectly sharpened before the hero's sword.
It's not that I'm complaining, free coffee is free coffee, but it's just...weird. Especially when the hero is out there battling dragons and I'm here sipping a latte, thinking about efficient ways to disable a magical doomsday device.
Favoritism? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.
The hero, bless his heart, is a bit of a klutz. Charming, yes. Effective in a direct confrontation? Sometimes. Able to subtly manipulate events for the greater good? Not so much.
My Status As An Assassin Obviously Exceeds The Hero's (Light | Ozzie
That's where I come in. I'm the chess player to his…enthusiastic knight. He charges, I make sure the board is tilted in our favor. And apparently, that's worth more in this crazy system.
There was this one time, the hero was about to charge headfirst into a trap. Giant pit, spikes, the whole shebang. I just… "accidentally" knocked over a conveniently placed flower pot that alerted him. Saved his life, got a free upgrade to my boots. Go figure.
It’s a Team Effort (Mostly)
Look, I'm not trying to undermine the hero. He's a good guy. A bit loud, a bit oblivious, but good at heart. We work well together, in a chaotic, "one of us shouts loudly while the other quietly disarms bombs" kind of way.
My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's Manga Volume 5
He thinks I'm just a really good "support" character. Which, I suppose, isn't entirely wrong. I'm supporting him...right into victory.
The funny thing is, he’s started asking for my "support" more often. He doesn't realize I'm subtly manipulating every situation, but he does appreciate the fact that things seem to "magically" work out in his favor.
My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero’s (Light Novel
The Burden of Responsibility (and Good Coffee)
It's not all sunshine and free weapon maintenance, though. Having this higher status means I'm ultimately responsible for things going right. If the hero fails, it reflects on me. On my coffee privileges.
So, I spend a lot of time planning. A lot of time subtly nudging events in the right direction. A lot of time ensuring the hero doesn't accidentally destroy the kingdom while trying to save it.
There was this incident involving a giant rubber chicken, a misplaced potion, and a very angry dragon. Let’s just say I had to do some serious damage control, all while pretending I had no idea what was going on. My Status was definitely on the line there.
My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's (Manga) Vol. 3 by
A Different Kind of Hero
Maybe being an assassin isn't so bad. Maybe quietly ensuring the hero succeeds is a kind of heroism in itself. Maybe free coffee is a legitimate reward for saving the world from behind the scenes.
It’s not the glory, but hey, someone has to make sure things actually work.
And besides, who's going to argue with a guy who can make your problems disappear…quietly?
