This isn't the culmination of me saying "it absolutely has to be worldbuilding." This is the culmination of you saying "it does not make sense to include it if the aim was to depict a random heroic tale". That is objectively incorrect. It does make sense. I'm not saying it has to be worldbuilding or it cannot be foreshadowing, I'm saying your statement on narrative purpose is demonstrably wrong.
OK, point taken.
There must be some sense of order - personal, political or dramatic - and if no one else is going to bring it to this world, I will.