Character Discussion Lab | When the Hero Kept Being Asked to Work, Who Asked If They Wanted to Say 'No'?

1. Navigator Introduction

Lucia placed a four-panel comic on the desk.

The holy sword brought to defeat the Demon King is being used for chores in the Demon King's castle.

Alto the Hero has a troubled look on his face.

Even so, he didn't try to put the sword down and go home.

"The hero who came to fight the Demon King is helping with the castle's work."

Noct looked down at the final panel.

"Someone did ask him."

He paused for a moment.

"I wonder if anyone asked if he wanted to refuse."

Lucia opened the door.

"Today, we are talking about the hero who kept working."

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2. At First, We Laughed

Kujo placed the four-panel comic in the center of the desk.

"What did you think when you first read it?"

Washio replied.

"I laughed."

The answer was quick.

"It's a holy sword meant to defeat the Demon King. And he's using it for castle chores."

Miura looked at the comic.

"The person himself hasn't refused the work either."

Washio looked up.

"Because he didn't refuse, does that mean he wanted to do it?"

"I didn't go that far."

"Then what are you saying?"

"Looking only at the facts depicted, Alto has accepted the work."

Kurose chimed in.

"A troubled face is also depicted."

"Being troubled and being unwilling are not the same thing."

Miura stated firmly.

Kurose looked at him.

"Then, we cannot conclude that he is enjoying it either."

Miura nodded.

"That is correct."

Washio looked between the two.

"In the end, does that mean we don't know?"

Haruno was looking at Alto's face.

"Maybe we were able to laugh because we don't know."

Washio turned around.

"What do you mean?"

"If we knew he was truly unwilling, it would be hard to laugh."

"But with this face..."

Haruno stopped mid-sentence.

"Because he just looks troubled."

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3. He's Strong, Yet He Doesn't Leave

Washio pointed to the panel where the holy sword was drawn.

"He's not weak and unable to refuse, is he?"

"He's a hero who can fight the Demon King, right?"

Miura replied.

"If we consider only combat ability, there is no need to obey the Demon King's castle staff."

"Exactly."

"Therefore, it is also wrong to conclude that he was forced to work."

Washio was silent for a moment.

Miura continued.

"He could have drawn his sword to refuse, or even left the castle."

"Yet he stayed."

Kujo said.

Miura nodded.

"At the very least, that is how it is depicted in the four-panel comic."

Washio looked at Alto's face again.

"He's strong enough to leave. But he doesn't."

Kurose said.

"Perhaps the reason he can't leave lies somewhere other than his strength."

"For example?"

"He can't abandon a task he's been asked to do."

"He can't ignore the rules."

"He can't leave someone in trouble as they are."

Washio furrowed his brows.

"Aren't those all good traits of his?"

Kurose replied briefly.

"That's why he's easy to use."

The room went quiet.

Miura looked at Kurose.

"That way of putting it is too hasty."

"What is?"

"Understanding someone's strengths and assigning them work should not be called exploitation."

Washio started to speak.

Miura continued first.

"The fact that they thought they could entrust the work to Alto is not a mistake in itself."

No one argued immediately.

Haruno asked quietly.

"How do you tell the difference between someone you can entrust work to and someone who can't refuse?"

Miura returned his gaze to the comic.

"You have to ask the person themselves."

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4. Someone Did Ask

Kujo asked.

"What did the people in the Demon King's castle convey to Alto?"

Washio replied.

"How to do the work."

"The necessary procedures."

"How they want the holy sword to be used."

Kurose continued.

"They conveyed what they wanted to ask."

Haruno looked on.

"What about whether he wanted to be asked or not?"

Kurose did not answer.

Miura said.

"It is not depicted in the comic."

Washio replied immediately.

"Then it's also wrong to decide that they didn't ask."

Miura looked at Washio.

"That is correct."

This time, Washio was silent.

Miura aligned the edges of the comic.

"We should not add convenient answers to things that are not depicted."

Haruno asked.

"But is it okay to leave it un-depicted?"

"What is?"

"Why this person accepted."

Miura did not answer.

Haruno looked at Alto's hands.

"There is someone who asked."

"There is also someone who explained the work."

She paused for a moment.

"But the person who said 'You can stop if you want' has not been depicted yet."

Washio sat back deeply in his chair.

"There are people who can refuse even without being told."

"What about Alto?"

Washio did not reply.

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5. If It's Only Once

Kurose returned his gaze to the first panel.

"If he only helped once, maybe there's no need to think this much."

Washio looked at him.

"You're the one saying that?"

"If we suspect even a single request, we won't be able to ask anyone for anything."

Miura nodded.

"I agree on that point."

Haruno asked.

"Then, from what number of times does it change?"

Kurose did not answer.

"The second time?"

Washio said.

"The tenth time?"

"When the person collapses?"

Miura interrupted.

"You cannot decide based on the number of times alone."

"Then what do you decide with?"

"The situation changes every time you ask."

Miura pointed to Alto's troubled face.

"Do not use the fact that he accepted before as a reason for the next request."

Washio laughed a little.

"It's funny that Miura is the one saying that."

"This is not about the system."

Miura did not change his expression.

"It is about confirmation."

Haruno said.

"If he knew that his relationship wouldn't change the next time they met even if he refused..."

She chose her words carefully.

"Would it be a little easier for this person to answer?"

Washio did not answer immediately.

"I don't know."

Then, he looked at the four-panel comic.

"But it might be better than it is now."

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6. Even After Laughing

Washio looked at the final panel.

"I laughed normally when I read it, though."

Kurose asked.

"Is it different now?"

"It's still funny."

Washio replied.

"Because the hero who came to defeat the Demon King is working with a holy sword."

"Then what is bothering you?"

"The fact that he's still working even after we laughed."

No one chimed in.

Washio continued.

"We laugh at the final panel and finish."

"But Alto hasn't gone home there."

Miura said.

"We should not arbitrarily add misfortune outside the four-panel comic."

"I know."

"There is also a possibility that Alto helped willingly."

"I know that too."

Washio lowered his voice slightly.

"That's why I wanted to ask which one it was."

Haruno looked at Alto's troubled face.

"He didn't make that face because he wanted us to laugh, after all."

Kurose looked at Haruno.

"That, too, is not depicted."

Haruno raised her eyes, looking slightly surprised.

"That's right."

She nodded immediately.

"I was also adding a convenient reason."

Kurose said nothing more.

Kujo placed a small white card next to the four-panel comic.

"The reason Alto accepted the work is not depicted in this four-panel comic."

He put down his pen.

"So, let's stop writing our own answers here as well."

Washio looked at the white card.

Miura did not close the four-panel comic.

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7. Today's Question

Kujo turned around in front of the door.

"A hero strong enough to defeat the Demon King kept working with a troubled look on his face."

He paused for a moment.

"What did we think that face was when we laughed?"

No one answered.

"Today, I will leave only this question and end here."

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8. Navigator Finale

Outside the door, Lucia looked at the white card placed next to the four-panel comic.

"Nothing is written."

Noct looked back at the final panel of the four-panel comic.

Lucia did not fill in that blank.

Inside the four-panel comic, the hero was still continuing his work.

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Original article here

"When I played with AI, everyone in the Demon King's castle started working in a four-panel comic."

This is an article where the residents of the Demon King's castle, born from a comedy battle with AI, started moving within a four-panel comic.

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What is the Character Discussion Lab?

It is a laboratory where five people who have read the same work clash words from different perspectives.

Instead of deciding on a correct answer, we leave behind questions to return to the work.

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