Reincarnated as a failed hero?! Watch me Defy Fate!

Today, I was finally going to visit my family back on Earth. I had been thinking about them a lot lately, wondering how they were doing, what was new in their lives. I also prepared a small gift—something I hoped would help keep them safe in this increasingly dangerous world.

But before I could make the trip, I had my usual duties to take care of. Like always, I had to train the heroes, and afterward, I joined the advanced session under Yunho and Lady Mina's guidance.

Everything went smoothly at first. But during physical training, I noticed something unusual.

The newer knights—Luna, Termina, and Leopold—were clearly struggling. They looked completely exhausted, their bodies stiff from cramps. That wasn't surprising, considering how intense Yunho's training could be. But what caught me off guard was Marius.

Even he was groaning and clenching his muscles in pain.

Now that was rare.

Marius was known for being an exercise freak—he never got tired of training and was always pushing his limits. Seeing him like this, barely able to move, was honestly a bit shocking.

Yunho walked over to him, his brow slightly raised, and asked how he was feeling.

"All my muscles are cramped," Marius muttered, grimacing. "Especially my back."

"Ahh, that's because I released your aura seal yesterday," Yunho said casually, with a confident grin. "Hang in there. It won't last forever."

"How long is 'not forever'...?" Marius asked, almost dreading the answer.

"Well, at the earliest... about a week."

Yunho chuckled after saying that. Meanwhile, Marius just slumped where he stood, completely drained.

Honestly, watching Marius—usually so energetic—become like this was oddly amusing. But this was a necessary part of his journey. Once the seal is completely lifted, I'm sure his strength will soar to a whole new level.

Envi agreed. He explained that this kind of strain was normal, especially when someone is awakening their Forced Aura. According to him, Yunho and Lady Mina seemed to have figured something out about Marius—something I still didn't know.

I responded to Envi in my mind: One way or another, we'll find out the truth eventually.

Later that night, I headed to Edwin's workshop once more.

The room was hot from the forge fire, and I could see the old dwarf deeply focused, hammering away at the mana core I had given him. He was working on the prototype for a magical device meant to counteract Lilith's teleportation magic.

When he noticed me walk in, he lit up with excitement.

"Ahh, Lord Naoki! You're here!" he said, beaming. "Apologies—I've been busy working on this device. But guess what? I already finished your custom order this afternoon! Hahaha!"

He laughed heartily and proudly displayed the items I had requested.

"As you asked—here they are. Four [High Protection Talismans]. Each of these charms activates an automatic defense spell when the wearer is in danger. That's all thanks to the Gem of High Protection you brought me. And here's something else: you can pour your mana into the talisman and instantly detect the current location of its wearer."

His eyes sparkled as he explained. Edwin was truly in his element when crafting magical tools.

I smiled. He had made exactly what I'd envisioned. I had wanted these talismans for my family back on Earth—to protect them from the lurking threats of the Outer Gods.

I knew I couldn't rely solely on the [Give Protection] function from the Goddess System, since it had a 24-hour limitation. These talismans were a much more reliable way to ensure their safety.

Of course, a device like this couldn't be made without rare and high-grade materials. I had actually been researching it for a long time, but it could only be created now thanks to everything finally coming together.

The hardest item to acquire had been the Gem of High Protection.

Fortunately, the Saintess had one. More precisely, the cathedral of this kingdom kept a few in stock, but they could only be sold with her express permission.

She gave me that permission without hesitation, without even asking why. She simply smiled and nodded.

I wasn't sure if she already knew my intentions or if she simply trusted me. Either way, I owe her for that kindness—and someday, I'll make sure to repay it.

Back in the workshop, Edwin was still rambling on, glowing with pride.

"And that's not all... check this out!"

He activated one of the talisman's hidden features and suddenly summoned a creature—a sleek, dark-furred Shadow Wolf.

"Haha! I infused the talisman with the mana core of the Shadow Wolf you gave me. Now, whenever the wearer is in danger, the talisman will summon this beast to protect them. Isn't that amazing? It's a perfect fusion of tracking and self-defense magic!"

I stared at it in awe. "This is incredible! Exactly what I imagined. I knew it—you really are Edwin the Miracle Hand. I can always count on you."

My words made him blush a little, which was honestly hilarious. Seeing this old dwarf get flustered like a shy girl wasn't something I'd ever get used to.

I offered to pay him for his work, but he waved me off.

"No, no. Consider this a gift," he said firmly. "You're a true hero now. Let me honor that in my own way."

I thanked him sincerely and told him that next time, I'd be asking him to create something even more impressive.

And I meant it.

...

It was already 10 p.m. when I returned to my room. I wasn't planning to rest. I had something far more important in mind: visiting my family back on Earth.

I changed clothes first, opting for a sharp black dress shirt paired with clean white trousers. I wanted to look proper for the occasion. I also grabbed my usual sunglasses, the ones I always wore when crossing over to Earth. I guess it had become a bit of a tradition.

Then I opened the system menu.

[Trade Goddess Points] → [Visit My Family on Earth]

Before pressing the final button, I paused and called out mentally.

"Envi, can I extend my visit this time? Three hours just isn't enough."

A moment passed before he replied, his voice echoing inside my mind like always.

"Hmm... Actually, yes! You can double the duration if you're willing to spend more points. The feature normally costs 50 Goddess Points for three hours, so if you offer 100, you'll get six hours on Earth."

He sounded confident, and that was enough for me.

"Alright. Let's do that."

...

..

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