The elder, noticing Ronan's sword, stared in disbelief. His mouth opened, but no words came out at first. He just kept looking at the sword, making Ronan uneasy.
"This…" the elder stammered, "This is…"
He stepped closer, bowing slightly. "Forgive me, but you are the Hero, aren't you? Why are you here? Are you looking for people to help you fight the Demon Lord?"
Before Ronan could answer, the elder quickly pulled Frieren close and told her to bow. She did, confused. The elder's sudden respect was surprising.
Frieren's heart pounded. The Hero? Him? She knew the stories, the legends of the Demon Lord, a terrifying creature born a thousand years ago. Demons were evil and destructive. The Demon Lord's name was whispered with fear; countless heroes had failed to defeat him.
They needed the Hero's Sword, a legendary blade said to defeat the Demon Lord. But no one had found it for centuries. The demons grew stronger each year, attacking villages. Elves like Frieren had fled their homes.
She'd heard the stories, she wanted to help, but she was too young, too weak. The Demon Lord seemed like a scary story, until now…
She looked at Ronan, trying to see the Hero. He looked ordinary. No special glow, no magical aura, just a man with a sword.
Ronan was confused too. How did he become the Hero? Was this some kind of game thing? But his powers were way beyond normal "cheat codes." They felt… different.
The elder seemed to understand their confusion. "Hero," he said calmly, "where did you get that sword? May I see it?"
The words "Hero's Sword" hit Ronan like a shock. He wanted to say it was a mistake, but the elder was so serious. The sword wasn't just any sword. But was it really the legendary one? He didn't even know what made a sword legendary.
He hadn't been looking for a sword when he found it. It was just stuck in the ground. Could it really be the legendary Hero's Sword?
He sighed. He wasn't the Hero. He hadn't asked for this. But to avoid more confusion, he took off the sword and gave it to the elder.
"I found it," Ronan said, feeling embarrassed. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. I didn't know what it was."
The elder examined the sword carefully, his expression changing as he recognized something. He muttered to himself, then looked at Ronan with certainty.
"I believe you," the elder said solemnly. "The Hero wouldn't lie. Legendary swords choose their masters. It's not unheard of." He tapped the blade. "I swear on my two thousand years of life, this is the Hero's Sword."
Ronan felt a strange weight in his chest. He was the Hero, whether he liked it or not. It was absurd. But then he thought... *Who put that sword there?* Oh, right. Me. Never mind.