Chương 45: One’s Identity

After listening to my cost-benefit analysis for a while, it seemed Henry's resolve was finally wavering. At the end of the day, his refusal to return to his clan stemmed from lingering resentment rather than deep-seated hatred. Rachel glanced between me and Henry, letting out a sharp "Ahem."

"Hey, I never said I agreed to play the Princess. Just thinking about the fact that everything I do will be recorded in history under that blonde brat's name makes my skin crawl." Her words jolted me. I had overlooked a crucially important issue! In the status window, there is a stat called Reputation. It has a significant impact on the ranking of the Candidates.

Based on my observations of my own stats and those of others, Reputation doesn't just represent fame; it reflects the favor and trust others place in a person - the belief that they are special or destined for greatness. For example, when Henry bailed me out of the Sanctuary, my Reputation increased slightly. This was because people began to take notice of the name "Asher Griffin," thinking I must be someone significant to be personally escorted by the Vice-Captain of the Knights.

But if Rachel appears as "Claire Cassandra," will the trust and faith of others be directed at her true self, or will it be tethered to the name "Claire"? I suspected the latter. There might be exceptional cases where points are credited to "Rachel Hustler," but those would be the minority. At present, her Reputation stat is only 2 (likely just the combined trust of Henry and myself), yet she still holds the 4th rank out of 28. This means her sheer skill is enough to offset her lack of fame.

However, I didn't know if this gap would widen over the long term as other Candidates grew their power alongside their fame. Seeing me lost in thought for a moment, Rachel asked, "... You think this is a bad idea too, don't you?" This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"I think... there are indeed flaws. But every choice involves a trade-off, and this is the best path I can devise for now." I looked at Rachel.

"Now, you must decide: do you care more about how you're remembered in history, or about living your present life to the fullest?" Rachel retorted, "What's 'full' about living under someone else's name?"

"You could meet others without a mask. You could continue as a Hero Candidate. Your sister would no longer have to live in fear of being kidnapped. If we negotiate well, the two of you could even attend school. And if the Demon King is defeated, you will gain true freedom."

"And if I want to fight to the bitter end as myself?"

"With our current resources, I cannot help you win that fight. If you lose, both you and your sister will die. You could choose to take Sophia and flee, living the rest of your lives in the shadows. At that point, no one will care what your name is anyway." Rachel's brow furrowed deeper. I understood her feelings; casting aside one's identity to become another is profoundly unsettling. Was I not living under someone else's identity myself? Here, people only knew me as Asher Griffin.

No one knew my real name, the day I was born, or what my favorite food was. No one cared that I never scored lower than a B throughout my academic life, or that I was the head of the literature club in university. No one knew how many readers loved the novels I posted online. The things I was most proud of about myself, no one knew them. People called me Asher Griffin, so I must live as Asher Griffin and would only be remembered as Asher Griffin. But I was still me.

Even if you didn't know my name, you knew that what I had done is something no one else could do quite the same way. So even now, though you utter the name "Asher Griffin," the fact that you are thinking of me instead of the "real" Asher Griffin is proof enough that we were two entirely different identities. A name or a new origin might change me, but it would never fully define me. Because I knew I was doing all of this so that I might one day earn the right to live under the identity I choose.

Still, I could empathize if Rachel chose differently than I did. She had been forced to hide her identity for nearly a decade; it was only logical if she wanted to truly be herself now. However, finding a replacement for Rachel would be difficult, so I sincerely hoped she would agree to my proposal.

"You should make your choice as soon as possible, ideally by tomorrow. You too, Henry." Both of them protested in unison, "That's too rushed!"

"The longer we wait, the more the Royalty will lean toward the desire to eliminate you. When people lose their patience, they tend to make extreme choices." Henry shook his head.

"Even if I wanted to return to the family, it wouldn't be settled in a single day." I smiled.

"You don't need the clan's permission before you act. Everyone knows you're the most promising heir of the McCaley house. Why not do it first and let them know with a fait accompli?" Henry: "..."