Chapter 3

First Report On the Abilities and Disposition of the Hero It was about a month ago that I received the order from Creio Amen, head of the Church for the Eradication of Heresy, otherwise known as Out Crusade. The mission was to help defeat the Demon Lord Kranos, currently viewed by the Church as the greatest existing threat. I’m to accompany the hero. The Church of Ahz Gried is the most widespread religious organization among humankind, and within the Church there is Out Crusade—an unusual organization that sets out to annihilate demonkind. The primary component of this group is the crusaders, those who possess the power to cleanse the darkness that threatens humanity. The hero summoning, which called Holy Warrior Naotsugu Toudou to this world, is one of the secret techniques of the Church, so it was expected that, when the time came, the Church would dispatch a capable person to challenge the Demon Lord. If you compare the basic ability of humans to that of demons and other races, it is generally low. Nevertheless, the God of Order, Ahz Gried, one of the great Three Deities, bestowed upon humanity its greatest strength: the power to make rapid progress. That power is leveling up, the phenomenon of life-force feedback. When a human kills a demon or other living creature, they can take a portion of its life force as their own. Leveling up also occurs in other races, but comparatively, humans have a significantly higher rate of growth. The Holy Warrior possesses extraordinary talent and receives the protection of numerous gods, but in the end, he is still a human. Not to mention that directly after he is summoned, he starts from level 1 and doesn’t stand a chance against any demon. Consequently, the true nature of our mission is to help the Holy Warrior Naotsugu Toudou raise his level in whatever way we can. We need to take action. The Demon Lord is under the protection of an evil god, and only an attack by someone under unique divine protection will be able to cause him direct damage. That would be, for example, a hero—someone like me doesn’t have that power, unfortunately. What I’m saying is that just being high level doesn’t mean anything on its own. When the introductions are over, I step out of the tavern where we’re meeting and go around back where there aren’t any people. From noisy to quiet, from the hot air smelling of alcohol to the fresh air of the outdoors, I take a minute to catch my breath. I check to see if anyone is around, then take out my metal earring with a black stone and put it in my right ear. The earring is a magical tool used to communicate with the Church headquarters. It’s a rare item, but I have it because, as a crusader, I frequently work in rural areas. “Good morning, Ares.” Almost as soon as I boot up the device, a transmission comes in. It’s an operator on standby from headquarters. The familiar robotic voice is one I’ve had many exchanges with since becoming a crusader. “Connect me to Cardinal Creio.” “…Certainly. Just a moment, please.” Cardinals hold the second-highest position after the pope, and there are five priests holding the position of cardinal. Cardinal Creio oversees the monks who maintain the Church, the holy knights, and the department for the opposition of darkness. He is also the supervisor of Out Crusade and the man who decided to dispatch me for this mission. Before long, I hear the voice of Cardinal Amen Creio. He is very young for a cardinal—probably not even yet thirty. The tone of his voice is gentle, giving you a sense of security when he speaks, but the cleverness required to reach cardinal at his age is not to be underestimated. “Is everything all right, Ares?” “Don’t give me that crap. What the hell is going on with these party members?!” The hero himself aside, the levels of the party members are much too low. If this was only about lineage, they’d be first-rate, but you can’t defeat a demon lord with your family history. I’ll be honest: Even a priest like me, whose main role is to cast buffs and healing spells, is still much stronger than them. At this point, these girls are like rough gemstones. If polished, they could shine, but we don’t have time for polishing. “Hmm… Both the School of Sorcery and the School of Swordsmanship said they had sent the highest talents humanity could offer…” Which isn’t necessarily incorrect. I don’t know much about elemental magic or swordsmanship, but that’s probably the truth. It just feels like we’re being cheated. I adopt as calm a tone as I am able and give my report. “First, the mage is the daughter of Friedia.” “Hmm, Limis Friedia… Even the prince is taking drastic measures…” “And she’s only level…ten…” “The only daughter of a prince… She has lived a sheltered life, so it follows that her level is low. He’s quite the doting father. Every time I meet him, he brags shamelessly about her to me. It is certainly a virtue for a parent to love his children, but…” Wha…? If she’s lived a sheltered life, then just leave her in the shelter!! If a priest must be able to heal, then a mage must be able to attack. To defeat a demon with such an astoundingly powerful life force requires a strong attack. Make no mistake that it is an extremely important role in defeating the Demon Lord. “That is…a bit unexpected indeed… That he would send his only daughter off to fight the Demon Lord is, well…” “No. No matter how well you equip her or back her up, to bring that little tadpole along… We’d put the hero in danger!” Limis, Aria, and I are all expendable, but there is no replacement for the hero. The hero summoning is a sacred technique used to change the fate of this world. I was told that just to summon Toudou, an enormous amount of magical power had to be used. There might not be a second chance at that. I’m not claiming to be a noble, peace-loving person, concerned for the fate of the world. The fact is that if the hero dies, the blame goes on the party’s healer—me. Of course, I plan to avoid that, but I also want to reduce the risk as much as possible. Cardinal Creio responds in a calm, admonishing sort of tone. “Sorry, but it isn’t the Church that chooses the other party members. If one of them is a burden, provide additional support yourself.” No way. That won’t work! It’s not like there’s one burden; there are only burdens. “How about the swordmaster? The grand swordmaster said he would send a swordmaster of first-rate genius…” “It’s Norton’s daughter…” When I say it, I hear a sound like a coughing fit on the other end of the line. There’s no way this guy is laughing about this, right? “A-ahem… Excu…excuse me. D-did he, now? Well…” “Yeah, she’s level twenty, and…her boobs are huge.” I was focused on her chest to the point that I don’t even remember what kind of person she was. “Is that so…? No, actually, I knew that. I’ve met her before.” “Have you? I’d like a little more detailed information about her, if you could.” “…Rightly so. It can be problematic to get caught up in assumptions about a person, but having no information at all is also problematic, I suppose. Aria Rizas is…to sum her up in a word…a tomboy, it seems…” A tomboy?! She didn’t look like one at all, but…that’s not the kind of information I need… “It seems Norton is also at a loss for what to do with her… Apparently, she dislikes the traditional swordsmanship of the Pramia school and recently changed to the Mixirion school.” When she introduced herself, she didn’t explain any of that… How bizarre. The traditional Pramia school and the Mixirion school have completely different approaches to swordsmanship. To put it simply, one is defensive and the other is offensive. In the Pramia school, a sword and shield are of about equal importance, but in the Mixirion school, shields are not used at all. That sole distinction translates to totally different footwork. I’m not necessarily saying that the Mixirion school is inferior to the Pramia school. But—hold on—did he just say she changed schools recently?! That’s what he said, right?! What were they thinking, sending a woman like that to join the hero’s party? And I mean, if she were stronger, then I could understand, but level 20? Level 20? She’s just a beginner! I really have no clue what the School of Sorcery and School of Swordsmanship are thinking. Many people live in the Kingdom of Ruxe. There’s no need to send out the amateurs. There should be many excellent martial artists with years of experience. We’re going to battle the Demon Lord, not have a goddamn picnic! The lack of ability in every role of the party is all going to come down to the healer. Looking at who our party members are makes it even worse—a hero, a prince’s daughter, and a swordmaster’s daughter. If even one person dies, it could be a huge issue. What do you do when you can see a problem coming from a mile away? “So…what should I do?” “…Well, your burden has only increased from one person to two people, so there isn’t a great difference there. I will try to influence them, but the Church, the School of Sorcery, and the School of Swordsmanship are all separate organizations. Don’t expect much to come of it.” “What? Are you serious?! I have no choice but to go like this?! Even though I don’t feel like we can succeed?!” I mean, if we come across a group of orcs while they’re at this level, won’t we just be annihilated? The transmission cuts out. I give the earring a tap, but Creio doesn’t come back on the line. I take a deep breath and rub my temples to try and relax. It doesn’t help much. At any rate, when you’re given orders, your only option is to follow them to the best of your ability. The kingdom gives heroes a complete support package. For example, any powerful weapons obtained by the previous hero. If one of those is a rare magical tool, the hero receives instruction on its use by a first-rate warrior. As the hero, Toudou also received several valuable pieces of equipment: The feather-light holy armor Fried, highly resistant to both physical and magical attacks. The holy sword Ex, the sword of exorcism, which is particularly powerful against demons and can cut through stone like butter. These are the kinds of treasures an ordinary person could never get their hands on. If you sold just one, you could live free and easy for the rest of your life. However, the most important thing one needs when fighting demons is a reliable, exceptional party. Regardless of how strong any individual is, fighting many demons at the same time is difficult, and if you are paralyzed or poisoned, you won’t have anyone to help you. So above all, fighting alone is the greatest mental burden. It is generally recommended to assemble a party of four to six members when confronting demons and monsters. There are a few roles required at minimum for any party, which are consistent with the three party members chosen for our mission: Our magic user, Limis Al Friedia, casting magic attacks for the party’s offense. Our swordmaster, Aria Rizas of the Mixirion school, maintaining our front line through close combat. Myself, priest Ares Crown, using the holy arts for support during battle and healing thereafter. And lastly—our Holy Warrior Naotsugu Toudou. He who is under the protection of the Three Deities and Eight Spirit Kings—and one of the rare few who can play all roles on the battlefield. With the divine support of the spirits, he is able to use offensive magic, and his physical abilities are increased. He may even be able to use holy techniques eventually. He has the potential to be the greatest warrior in this world. The previous hero also was a magic user and fought at the front line—this was commonly called a magical swordmaster. Toudou is following that same path, and it would probably be best for him to take charge of the front line using both swordsmanship and magic. “—So I think our best plan for battle formation is to have Aria and Toudou at the front line, myself in the center, and Limis in the rear. I have a lot of stamina, so if anyone sustains a serious injury in the front line, I can take their place. Well, in that situation, I won’t have time to use healing magic, so you’ll have to make use of medicine or other items to heal…” We’re at an inn discussing our combat formation and plans moving forward. For some reason, Toudou is sort of frowning while I talk. He has his feet up and is fiddling with a ring on his finger, but he doesn’t try to put a word in. It’s very clear that I’m the most experienced person in the party. Limis and Aria have no battle experience to speak of. They most likely know that. They are simply listening to my explanations in silence. When I finish speaking, the hero gives a little nod. “I understand what you’re saying. I was trained by a knight, so I do think the front line is a suitable position for me. But, you know—” “But what?” “Parties can typically have up to six members, right? Isn’t it a better idea for us to first find two more members?” Toudou stares in my direction. His eyes are black—a rare color for this region. I wasn’t expecting the first thing he said to be that we need more party members… They say that great power breeds arrogance—not to mention that Toudou has never been in a battle, and the divine power bestowed on him by the gods and spirits who summoned him to this world must be overwhelmingly great. To the extent that he may feel a strange sense of omnipotence. No… Maybe that isn’t it. This man isn’t a warrior. Perhaps it is precisely because he has never experienced combat that he wants to approach with caution the threat of battle with monsters and demons. In either case, it’s not a bad idea. But since Toudou is probably still not familiar with the common practices of this world, I continue to explain. “Additional party members are something we can keep in mind, but for the time being, I would like to move forward with just us four.” “Huh? Why? It’s not like the thought of adding another guy to the group bothers you, does it?” What the hell is this guy talking about? Naturally, I would want a man with superior physical strength for a swordmaster. It’s almost to the point that I wish we could switch out Aria for a muscle-covered war veteran. He’s grinning, but there’s no hint of a smile in his eyes. Is he on his guard against me? “Of course not.” “Then, why not?” “To make leveling up more efficient.” This is one of the reasons why recommended party size is from four to six. I swish a little water around my mouth and am about to continue explaining, but Toudou indicates that he understands. “Ahhh, got it… So that’s the reason.” “Hmm? I haven’t explained yet. Did you get it just from that?” I was told that the hero knew nothing about this world, but… He turns to me triumphantly as he answers. “When you defeat a monster, the experience points are divided by the number of people. So the more people you have, the less efficient it is for leveling up, right?” He appears confident that this is correct. Limis glances back and forth between the two of us with a puzzled look. “…Experience…points? What are those?” “…What?” Experience points. Experience points, huh? That’s a phrase I’ve never heard before, but I can at least get the idea. Aria also wears a serious expression and has her arms crossed in front of her. No, maybe it isn’t a serious expression. It’s this kind of expression: “I haven’t heard of that, either…” “What?! Your level increases based on how many experience points you’ve earned, right? It’s always like that in games.” I heard that in Toudou’s world there is no such thing as leveling up, but it seems they must have something like it. It appears conceptually similar, which makes my explanation simpler. “It’s a bit different. When you defeat a monster, you acquire their spirit, or life force, and the amount your level increases is dependent on that. There is no such thing as experience points here. Well, one way or another, the nuance comes across, but…” “Life force…?” “Right. After killing a monster, a portion of their energy is absorbed by the being who killed them. That energy is the life force. After absorbing a certain amount of life force, a level up occurs, giving a substantial increase to all your physical abilities. Since you’re level fifteen, you must have already experienced this, I think…” The difference of a level up is big enough that you can feel it from just one level change. It is possible to increase muscular strength through physical training, but ability increases from leveling up are not really on the same plane. The power of life is certainly on a higher plane. Consequently, this energy is called life force. “Yeah, my agility definitely increased… But this is the same kind of thing as experience points, isn’t it?” “From what you said, it seems similar in theory. But there is one major difference.” “A major difference…? What?” His head leans to one side with curiosity. “Life force…is not divided among party members,” I explain. “Only the person who kills the monster receives it.” In other words, the more party members you have, the more difficult it is to level up evenly. Toudou appears to understand, so I move to the next topic. What we need is a way to increase Toudou’s level as quickly as possible. Fortunately, I have experience with this. We’re going to go somewhere I have been to before. “…The Great Forest of the Vale?” Toudou mumbles to himself, a serious expression on his face. I chose this as our first destination because it’s the best place for leveling up in the Ruxe Kingdom. There really is no better place in the country to get up to level 30. The Great Forest spreads out hundreds of kilometers in all directions, and the monsters that inhabit it are beast and plant types that use mainly physical attacks. The battles are very easy, and it’s also a good place to gain basic survival skills. The area is appropriate for level 15 and up, so it’s on the dangerous side for our group. They’ll just have to work hard. At one point in my explanation, Aria cuts in. “The Great Forest of the Vale… Isn’t it dangerous for someone at Sir Toudou’s level?” Toudou is level 15. I want to say, That’s hardly different from you! But I don’t, of course. This girl’s impression of me must be awful. The way I stared at her chest was pretty shameless. “It might be a little dangerous,” I say, trying to respond gently. “But I think we can manage it with this group. We can’t really afford to take our time.” This isn’t the first time a hero has been summoned from another world. The Church calculated that in the past it has taken a month for the Demon Lord’s forces to become aware that a hero was summoned. You can also think of that as the time limit before the Demon Lord sends out his assassins. It’s important for us to level up as much as possible before then. The hero doesn’t seem to understand the danger of demons. “Are demons really that strong?” “If we ran into a high-level demon right now, we’d be dinner in five minutes flat.” “Five minutes?! N-no way… I mean, I learned to fight from the Knight Commander—” “Demon attributes are hundreds to thousands of times higher than human attributes. Just knowing a little swordsmanship and magic won’t make you a match for them.” If a group of first-rate mercenaries were to challenge one of the really high-level demons, it’s hard to say who would win. There are a variety of demons out there, but that’s the kind I’m talking about. Even as a hero, at this stage, that is a battle he needs to avoid. Toudou looks taken aback, but after a little thought, he nods quietly. He appears to be easily teachable. “Five minutes, huh? In that case…even if it is dangerous, we need to level up quickly.” “You want to get your body accustomed to its new power little by little so as not to cause strain, while still leveling up rapidly. Our goal is level thirty—if we can start by getting you to there, then at least if a demon appears, you should be able to escape.” Conversely, that means until then, we’ll be constantly on our guard. If you also take leveling up Limis and Aria into consideration, we’re going to have to hunt quite a lot. One might ask, If you defeated a high-level monster, wouldn’t your level go up in one go? Not exactly, because there is a limit on how much life force a person can take in at one time. There’s no easy way to raise your level, and a hero must also learn combat skills. I start talking while still working out a plan in my head. “Our top priority is to get Toudou up to level thirty. Worst-case scenario, I have replacements for Aria and Limis.” “…What?” says Toudou in a low voice. I didn’t mean any offense by it. Although I have my complaints about Aria and Limis as party members, I have no intention of abandoning them. It’s purely an issue of priorities. Even if you’re the daughter of a grand swordmaster or a prince, as a priest from the Church of Ahz Gried, I must think first and foremost of the safety of the hero. But I suppose Toudou himself may not have expected me to use those words. Suddenly, at the sound of Toudou’s low voice, a chill enters the room. The hairs on my body stand slightly on end. I touched a nerve. By the time I realize it, it’s too late. This is a little something called murderous intent. Toudou’s expression is sharp and severe as he bites down on his lip. His graceful appearance has turned unbelievably threatening, and a visible darkness clouds over his eyes. A low-level person would be overcome by an uncomfortable sensation to run away in fear. It’s a technique any high-level mercenary can use—but absolutely not someone at level 15. A technique to sublimate and strike a person’s will. “?!” “Ah…urgh…” Aria’s and Limis’s voices catch in their throats at this bizarre and sudden occurrence. They look wide-eyed at Toudou and me. I stare at Toudou in silence. This is legitimate genius. Or no, this…this is surely a result of the hero’s divine blessing. At what level was it that I became capable of binding people’s movements with murderous intent? We stare at each other for a while, but since he looks like he’s about to attack me, I clap my hands together to break the silence. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to insult Aria and Limis.” “You owe them both…an apology,” he growls. His once husky voice seems now to be wrung out from the back of his throat like a corpse crawling out of the depths of hell itself. Best not to go looking for trouble. I am a disciple of God and gave up my pride to Him long ago. If the way to end this is to bow my head, I will bow it as low as needed. I would even kneel on the ground. Before things progress further, I turn to Limis and Aria and bow low. “I was wrong to say what I said. Forgive me.” “Ah…sure…” “Um…okay.” At their responses, the hero calms slightly. Aria and Limis breathe sighs of relief. While slowly raising my head, I think on the meaning of this change. The emotional shift was much too sudden. He is gifted, but is he unstable? Does he have an excessive sense of justice? Or did he experience some sort of childhood trauma? Whatever it was, I’ll have to be careful what I say and do around him. When you think about it, he was abruptly called away from the world where he was born and raised to come to this world. It’s natural that he might be a little on edge. I clear my throat and make direct eye contact with him. “Sorry about that.” Even at my apology, his expression is stern, and his gaze does not waver. “…Yes, I’m sorry, too. But I don’t want to hear you talk about Limis and Aria in that…condescending way ever again. It’s unpleasant. And extremely offensive.” “I apologize for the offense. And I apologize for saying something that could so easily be misunderstood. But…what you’re asking is not possible.” “…What?” Toudou’s expression changes dramatically. The table where his hand rests makes a small creaking noise. I can’t help it if he hates me, but it must be said. It’s not like I’m saying it because I want to. “The reason is that our mission first and foremost…is to defeat the Demon Lord.” “What? That’s—” “And the one called here to defeat him was you, Naotsugu Toudou. Limis, Aria, and I—our only role is to support you in your quest. Just that.” If you’d told me a month ago that I’d be a member of a hero’s party, I wouldn’t have believed it. A person who supports the hero in bravely defeating the Demon Lord will receive status and honor and fortune, but it really isn’t worth the risk of facing a high-level demon. Even worse if your opponent is the greatest demon, Lord Kranos. Rumor has it the general public calls him the King of Despair, a true monster. The party of level-80 mercenaries who challenged the Demon Lord and were destroyed is fresh in my memory. What’s our party’s average level—20? You’ve got to be shitting me. It’s like asking infants to do the work of adults. I’m not a member of this group because I want to defeat the Demon Lord. I’m in it because I had no choice. It was an order from the cardinal, and I had to leave my regular duties to take part in this. But I will do my job properly. It’s my work, and it must be done. “Do you understand? Without you, the Demon Lord can’t be defeated. Haven’t you heard this from the king?” To be totally accurate, as long as they have divine protection, other people besides Toudou can injure the Demon Lord. But that information doesn’t need to be shared just now. “Well…yes…,” he affirms, his voice a little strained. “Then you understand, right? The hero-summoning ritual isn’t something that can be done frequently. Toudou, if you die, the world will perish. Are we clear?” He is shaken by the intensity of the words. But when you put it that way, it sounds like the most terrifying thing. If I were in Toudou’s place, being summoned without warning to defeat a demon lord, I would have boycotted. “Aria and Limis will get stronger, too. It would be reckless to face the Demon Lord on your own. That’s why we all need to raise our levels. But at the same time, in a worst-case scenario, Aria and Limis have a duty to give their lives to protect you. Of course, they should have been told this when they were chosen to be members of this party…” By the way, I wasn’t told. I joined because I was given a divine order to do so. But when you consider the purpose of this fellowship, it goes without saying that death is a possibility. Of course, I’m not planning on dying, though. “I-is that true? Limis, Aria…?” Toudou looks as if he’s going to embrace them. Grand swordmasters and princes are important people in the kingdom, but at the same time, they’re still parents. It’s unclear why they chose to send their daughters for this mission, but there’s no way they didn’t understand the possible outcomes. Aria and Limis exchange glances and then nod nervously. “It’s true…,” says Aria. “My father commanded me to protect you even if it means losing my own life—” “My—my father said the same—” Before they even finish speaking, a change comes over Toudou. His eyes widen, and he puts his head in his hands and cries out in anguish. I can’t see his expression, but his cry is a mix of emotions I can’t describe. This is certainly not the image of the hero, humanity’s glimmer of hope, but I decide to pretend I don’t see it. To be frank, I don’t really care if Toudou is the hero or isn’t. Due to the nature of my work in the Church, I know that the hero summoning isn’t a technique that calls forth a hero who is guaranteed victory. The future cannot be foreseen, even by an exceptional mage. My role is to get him as far as possible and keep him alive using every method and technique I know. Cry all you want. Get angry all you want. The trials you are going to face are nothing compared to this… I sigh as the hero’s lamenting goes on in the background and proceed to point out the obvious as if it was wisdom. “Toudou, all you need to do is get stronger yourself so you can protect them. You have the divine power of the Three Deities and Eight Spirit Kings—the potential to become stronger than anyone. Become as strong as you can and defeat the Demon Lord. If you don’t want your companions to get killed, then protect them with all your strength.” With those words, it’s like a switch has flipped. Toudou’s groaning stops, and he slowly raises his head. Drool trickles from the corner of his mouth, and his swollen, bloodshot eyes shine blearily. …Whoa! I had only a slight hunch before, but maybe this guy actually is out of his goddamn mind? The look in his eyes is strange. He’s staring in my direction but not really at me. It’s almost like he’s in a trance, as if he’s witnessing something not of this world. He suddenly coughs and starts to speak, his body trembling slightly. “O-oh…I see! That’s true,” he says, speaking as if to himself. “I have to win… All I need to do is win.” “Yes…that’s right… All you have to do is win. That’s all I’m saying here. Isn’t that right? Limis? Aria?” I immediately request backup. Limis’s and Aria’s faces once again stiffen at the hero’s unexpected countenance. “Y-yes…that’s it!” “A-ah…of course! You were chosen by the gods, Sir Toudou—you should win easily!” Seriously, though—is this hero gonna be okay? When I wake up, I’m looking at an unfamiliar ceiling. It’s before dawn, and the dim, lightless room comes vaguely into focus. My biological clock is right on target. I sit up in the soft bed—the kind exclusive to luxury inns—and press down on my head from the resulting dizziness. Once we start leveling up in the forest, we’ll be longing for even a hard bed at a cheap hotel. That’s the kind of life waiting for us. Last night we decided that—while usually it’s best to be frugal—just for the first night of the journey, we would stay at the best inn in the capital. We rented two double rooms…but the second bed in my room is empty. Reason being, Toudou said he didn’t want to sleep in the same room as me and withdrew to bunk with Aria and Limis. “That bastard hero… What a perv…” If he defeats the Demon Lord, I don’t care what he does, but starting with this from day one? Come on. That guy’s sense of urgency and ability to read a room are lacking. Same goes for those two who took him in. Considering the mental instability we caught a glimpse of yesterday, I shouldn’t complain about him, but…it’s true that people are often different than they appear. I stand up and get dressed. I put on my priest’s robes, which are black with a white stripe, and fix my hair in front of the mirror. The same determined face that has been there for eighteen years stares back at me from the glass. The evenly trimmed silver hair and green eyes came from my mother, who was from the Ahress region. In the past, people used to underestimate me, since I seemed so calm and gentle in appearance, but as my stare gets harder the more I work, these days I barely give that impression at all. Lastly, I put my black ring on the ring finger of my left hand and affix the cross-shaped earring, which serves as a communication device, to my ear. A bit of time remains before departure. The room next door is still, and when I focus my hearing, I can faintly pick up the sleepers’ breathing. I leave my room, trying to make as little noise as possible. A sleepy-looking employee stands idly at the reception desk. Under the indigo sky before daybreak, I head to the church to worship. The season is early spring. The air is cold, but little by little, the early risers of the town are getting up and about. Occasionally, a passerby notices my appearance and greets me. “Good morning, Father.” “Ah, good morning. May the god Ahz Gried bless you today.” It’s just a standard phrase you spit out with a smile. It’s meaningless—like saying abracadabra. Priests… Thought of as an embodiment of the miracle of the holy religion of Ahz Gried. Field of expertise, the holy arts. Healing, prisms, buffs, and lastly—
exorcism. The effectiveness of holy techniques increases with faith. Morning worship is the priests’ most well-known custom. Leisurely taking in the town as I walk down Main Street isn’t such a bad feeling at all. As I head toward the church, a brawny man who looks like a swordmaster catches my eye. He’s almost two meters tall. A longsword hangs from his waist, and his armor is covered in dents that show where it has protected him. But what draws my eye most of all is the bandage wrapped around his right hand. I consider for a moment, then stop walking and call out to him. “Hey, you there, with the sword.” He doesn’t notice when I call the first time, but finally, after a few more attempts, he turns to me. “Huh? …Are you talking to me?” For a moment, the man’s expression seems to indicate he wants to kill me for having shouted at him out of nowhere, but when he sees my clothes and the cross-shaped silver earring, the hostility vanishes. “…A priest, huh? What do you want?” “Let me heal that wound for you.” Disregarding his dubiousness, I touch my index finger to the crudely bandaged arm. Then I say a prayer. “Ex Heal.” As I speak the words, my fingertip lights up with the bluish-white glow unique to healing magic. In an instant, the light permeates his arm before immediately vanishing. “Is the pain gone?” I ask the man, who is taken aback. “Ah, oh… It…it is gone!” The man tears off the filthy bandage. It smells of iron from the dried blood. But there is no wound on the arm. By the look of the bandage, it seems like it wasn’t such a big wound in the first place… “It isn’t good to just let a wound be.” An indescribable expression appears on the man’s face. He begins stammering wordlessly, but once he calms down, he quickly turns his head down into a deep bow. “Thanks. What a relief!” “No need to thank me. I just did what is expected of a follower of God,” I respond, surprised to hear my own words. It’s not like I’m doing it out of charity. It’s good to work on your reputation when you have the opportunity. Priests are human, too, and there are some rotten ones out there, but a priest with a bad reputation stands out in the worst way. I don’t lose anything by doing it, so I try to help when I can. The man seems like he’s itching to walk away, and I ask him, half-jokingly, “Did I just steal the job of your party’s priest?” “No way! Our priest just joined the party, and he can’t even really use healing magic yet. Right now, he’s still laid up in bed because he used all his holy energy in yesterday’s hunting.” Due to the nature of the role, priests’ levels tend to be comparatively lower than other classes. I smile at the man as he rambles on. “Is that so? That’s too bad. But if he just builds up his faith, he’ll end up an excellent priest. I’m sure it causes some inconvenience now, but do try to help him along.” “Ah…right. Of course.” I continue my self-indulgent explanation, and the man nods as I talk. “While I’m here, let me just cast a few buffs on you. Do you have enough life force stored up? Here—let’s level you up, too.” “Uh, all right…” Holy techniques use a type of energy called holy energy, but this shouldn’t use up much at all. I reach out and touch the man’s head, then, one by one, his forehead, cheeks, shoulders, ribs, and stomach. “Ex Strength, Ex Agility, Ex Vitality…” The elemental magic used by mages and the holy techniques used by priests when activated both emit light, which is called magical light. Passersby keep glancing over at the colored lights flashing red, blue, yellow, and green. When I’m finished casting the buffs, I clap my hands together. “You don’t have enough life force to level up yet. You need two hundred and nine more to get to your next level.” The man bows again, as if overcome with emotion. “Th-thank you so much!” “Those buffs should last for ten hours. I think you know this, but when they’re about to run out, it’s probably best not to go hunting any unfamiliar monsters.” “G-got it… I understand. Ah, as a thank-you—” He rushes to pull his wallet from his pocket, but I put out my hand to stop him. If he gave me a stack of gold coins that would be one thing, but I don’t really need the loose change from his pocket. And my purse is full anyway. “I don’t need a thank-you. Give that to the priest in your party, okay? Help him out.” The world would really benefit from more capable priests. If an ordinary person were to do this kind of thing, you’d wonder if there’s a catch, but when a priest does it, you can trust him as a faithful servant of God. “Huh? Oh… Well, then, at least tell me your name—” “—Oh, I didn’t do enough for that…” I look at the pleading man, then steal a glance at my surroundings to check if I’m being observed. This is a business opportunity. Bad deeds are easily broadcast; good deeds less so. I breathe a sigh and give my name as if I could do nothing else. “Ares Crown… I am just a humble servant of God. May you receive the blessings of Ahz Gried.” “Hey, Ares! Where have you been all this time?!” “Sorry. Morning worship…and guiding little stray lambs.” By the time I finished my morning worship and returned to the inn, the day had already begun. I finished my preparations and met with the rest of the group in the dining hall where they were getting something to eat. Limis looks surprised by what I said. “…So you really are a proper priest, Ares…” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “No, it’s just that…the way you talk is kind of crude compared to the clergymen I know.” It’s true my manner of speaking is pretty rough around the edges, so I understand why she says it. Originally, my job was primarily the extermination of darkness, and those kinds of priests are different. If you smile, you’ll be caught by the underlings of darkness. Of course, I can’t be too honest about that kind of thing. I think for a moment and give a short answer. “This is just—how I normally talk.” “…Isn’t that more of a problem?” Toudou points out. Where’s the craziness from last night? I wonder. He seems like he’s completely back to normal. I respond with a forced smile. “Of course, I am perfectly capable of polite speech… If this is preferable to you, I will adjust my manner of speaking, Sir Toudou, Miss Limis.” “…Uh, no. That creeped me out just now.” The two of them look at me like I’m weirding them out. So what the hell do you guys want me to do?! Aria seems to be on Limis’s side. “Although…I had also been wondering about the way Ares speaks to Sir Toudou…” “R-right! Isn’t he rude to him?!” Holy Warrior is a high title, and respect for the hero is deeply rooted in the people. Aria and Limis are proof of that. However, my purpose is to lead the hero. I can’t be subservient to him. As I’m wondering how to respond, I notice Toudou has a sour expression on his face. “Politeness isn’t necessary,” he says. “Not just Ares. That goes for you, too, Limis and Aria. I’m almost embarrassed to be called sir. I’m not that kind of person.” “So I’m told, but…?” He doesn’t seem to have that attitude of superiority. The abomination I witnessed yesterday seems like a lie. What was it that they said about him…? Oh, that’s it—they said that Toudou was a student in his world. Not an aristocrat or anything, just a commoner. That explains the humility in his speech. “But…you’re the legendary Holy Warrior, and—” “Limis, it’s fine. I’d be much happier if you’d call me by my name instead of using the formal titles.” Limis is baffled. Toudou looks at her with an expression of total seriousness, reflected clearly in his perfectly symmetrical features. If someday they write about Toudou’s deeds in the scriptures, he’ll probably be described as “the most handsome man in the world.” Although I think “most in the world” is a little excessive. Toudou and Limis are still gazing at each other. I deliberately ignore the feeling that I shouldn’t interrupt. “Well, in that case, thanks, Toudou!” I say, giving him a slap on the shoulder. “EEP?!” he yelps. I didn’t hit him that hard, but it made him jump in his seat. “HEY!” shouts Limis, slamming her hand on the table. The look in her eyes now is totally different from a few moments ago. “Forget politeness; you don’t even show the hero any respect!” “Ha! I am a faithful servant of Ahz Gried, and you say I don’t have any respect for the Holy Warrior?” “Uh…w-well…” Ridiculous. There is no one I respect more than the hero. If I didn’t, I’d have abandoned this mission a long time ago. After I mention God’s name, Limis hesitates. Being the daughter of a prince, she must have had a good education. I have never thought once of mocking God. I am willing to die daily for my faith. “Limis, don’t argue with him,” says Aria, looking at me reproachfully before turning back to Toudou. “Sir Toudou, since all the party members are assembled, shall we head out soon? I’ve been told that by carriage it takes five or six hours at a steady pace to get to the village near the Forest of the Vale.” “Yeah…you’re right… There’s no time to waste.” The way to the Forest of the Vale is on the main roads for the most part, but that doesn’t mean you are completely protected from monsters. It’s just relatively safer than other roads. When they appear, they appear. At this point, I announce in a decisive tone the goal I have privately set. “To start with, we’ll get Toudou’s level up to thirty in two weeks.” “…What?! Two…weeks?! That’s just—,” says Aria, shocked. Toudou and Limis don’t seem to understand. One day, one level. The kind of goal that would make a mercenary ridicule you for your recklessness. But if I support with holy buffs and Toudou throws all the finishing blows to the monsters, it isn’t an impossible number. “That’s absurd! No, there’s no way! Are we really in such a hurry?!” “At level thirty, there’s a higher possibility that he’ll be able to run away from a demon if attacked. I want to get his level up before the demons become aware of him.” Ignoring Aria’s outburst and the severe expression on her face, I turn to the hero in question. I’m starting to understand his personality. “That said, we’ll certainly be on a very strict schedule. If you think it’s impossible, Toudou, I’ll reconsider, but—” “I’ll do it.” I don’t know if maybe he remembered our conversation from yesterday, but despite his face turning somewhat pale, he replied immediately. I recall the previous night for a moment and wonder how I should report it to Creio. “I’ll get stronger. I will. I’ll get strong enough to protect Limis and Aria.” The jet-black irises of his wide-open eyes burn brightly. Is that fear or resolution? Either way, he seems determined. All that’s left is to fine-tune that determination and make sure it doesn’t turn into recklessness. What will we do about transportation? is the one question that had been on my mind, and it was resolved by the magical item Aria brought along from her home. Grassland Wind, it’s called. A magical carriage built by sprites. Normally small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, this legendary magical item transforms into a full-size carriage when charged with magic. Being the only person in the party who knows how to drive a carriage, I sit alone on the driver’s bench. How many years ago was it that I learned to drive? The carriage accelerates quickly, and the refreshing spring breeze brushes against my face and sweeps around behind me. The driver’s bench has room for two, but no one sits next to me. Preferably, I’d have had someone sitting beside me and learning how to drive, but as they all seemed somewhat tired, I put that on hold for the moment. The horse golems that pull the magical carriage are very easy to handle. In these circumstances, it would probably be easy even for an amateur to learn. In the area around the capital, it’s mostly wide-open fields with few hills. To the east are grasslands with nothing obstructing the horizon, and one can see far. The magical carriage has the smoothest, most comfortable ride of any I have ever ridden. Steering it while gazing out over the beautiful grasslands, for a moment, I’m able to forget all my obligations. I drive briskly for an hour. As I do, I chase away the monsters that occasionally appear using murderous intent. Suddenly, the curtain behind me is thrown open. “Yeah, what’s up?” “Ugh…” Out pops Toudou’s face from the carriage. He’s completely pale, and his eyes are clouded over. It isn’t like the madness from before—he just looks like he’s not feeling so good. He clutches his mouth with his right hand as he looks up at me in desperation. “Guh… I j-just need some…fresh air…” I look down at Toudou in astonishment. Did he actually get nauseous from this level of movement? Behind the hero are the concerned faces of Aria and Limis. The two of them don’t look sick at all, which makes sense, because this carriage makes for a pretty comfortable ride. “D-don’t look—at me—like that—!” “The carriage is well ventilated. The air outside probably isn’t much different from the air inside.” Toudou refuses to back down, so I jab my index finger at his cold, clammy forehead. “Mini Recovery.” Who would have guessed my first use of magic on this journey would be healing motion sickness? Pale-green light glows at my fingertip, then slowly spreads out across Toudou’s entire body. It’s instantly effective. With his hand still covering his mouth, Toudou looks at me, stunned. “How do you feel?” “Uh…um…” Toudou gingerly releases his hand from his mouth. The blood has come back to his cheeks, and his complexion is entirely different from what it was moments earlier. “Wha…what did you do…?” “I’m a healer.” We don’t have the time for disputes or rest. If we stop every time someone gets sick, the sun will be setting before we know it. Toudou looks baffled for a moment but withdraws without a word back into the carriage. I wait for a short while, watching the cabin, and when I’m sure Toudou isn’t going to come back out, I face forward. “…Looks like we’ve got a lot of difficulties in store for us.” Will he get used to it? Maybe as his level increases, he won’t get so sick? It’ll probably be fine, but I’m worried. Eventually, the hero ends up coming out for air three times before we even reach the village near the Forest of the Vale. The village is simply called Vale Village. It was established as a gathering place for the mercenaries who would come to level up at the Forest of the Vale and the merchants who would come to do business with those mercenaries. Because it’s near the Great Forest, it’s surrounded by sturdier walls than an ordinary village and is always crowded with people, although few of them actually live here. If anything, it feels more like a town than a village. As we pass through the gate, we come upon a bustling scene different from that of the capital. Mercenaries’ wagons rattle as they pass by, loaded with the enormous bodies of the monsters they’ve hunted, and the air stinks of blood and sweat. It’s almost like a battlefield. Word of our journey must have spread throughout the kingdom. When I show our travel certificate, we are guided to the home of the village headman. The Vale Village headman is a short, bearded man in his prime. He smiles broadly as he bows to Toudou. “We heard from the capital and have been waiting for your arrival, our hero.” Perhaps Toudou isn’t used to being bowed to by someone his senior, because he’s blushing furiously. “Ah, no…there’s no need to bow. You call me hero, but I haven’t even accomplished anything yet…” “No, that’s not—” Toudou takes on a humble attitude, and I avert my gaze from him in embarrassment and notice that Limis is looking curiously around the room. In battle, the mage is an essential element. I can stand in for Aria on the front line if necessary, but I can’t use elemental magic. The efficiency of our leveling up depends considerably on what magic Limis can use. She probably hasn’t been out of the capital much before. Being in a new village seems to have put her in good spirits. “Hey, Limis.” “Hmm? What?” she responds moodily. She clutches her metal staff with its enormous red stone tightly as she turns to me. She’s distant toward me, but we can let that resolve itself with time. “What type of magic are you best at?” Star of the battlefield—the mage. The tremendous power of the offensive magic used by mages is unmatched by any of the other classes, and on top of that, it can be used long-range. The mage class is so remarkable that some say in battle everything is decided by the number and skill level of your mages. The House of Friedia is known for its elementalists, who are masters of elemental magic. As the name indicates, elemental magic borrows energy from the various spirits living in the world to perform miracles. Compared to the level of magical energy it consumes, elemental magic exhibits a high level of power. Those well versed in magic will say that if you’re going to put a mage in your party, you can’t go wrong with an elementalist. Limis stands there silently, giving no response to my question. I suddenly get a bad feeling. “…Don’t tell me that you’re like Aria, and even though you’re from a family of elementalists, you can only use necromancy?” “H-hey! What do you mean by that?!” Aria, who’s standing next to Toudou, whips around. I guess she heard me. What a pain in the ass! You’re the one who made the decision to leave your family’s school. Before telling us your level, use some common sense and share all the facts! “D-don’t go making fun of me!” Limis shouts back, red-faced. “Obviously, I can use elemental spells!” “All right, I hear you… Sorry for the comment, then.” “Hey! Ares! What did you mean by that?!” I completely blow off Aria, who looks about ready to whip out her sword, and turn my attention to Limis’s staff. The rare gemstone it’s decorated with is a highly transparent red lotus crystal. I’m certain it’s one of the flare rubies, a high-grade gemstone preferred by fire spirits. Elementalists collect weapons to optimize their skills depending on the spirits they contract with. Since Limis has a flare ruby, her strongest attribute is probably fire—the most powerful type of elemental magic. If she doesn’t want to talk about her magic, that’s fine, but I have one thing to say. “Don’t use fire-type magic in the forest.” “?!” Limis is obviously startled by this. Her cheek twitches as she stares at me. Seems like I hit the bull’s-eye. The strength and range of magic is wide, so it’s important that mages consider their environment and exercise self-control. You need to pay careful attention if you use fire magic in an area where there’s a danger it could catch and spread. In the heat of battle, there is no time for hesitation, and you have to keep in mind that you could actually kill your own team members if you use fire instead of choosing a safe alternative like water or wind magic. Her staff is intended for fire magic, so other types won’t be as powerful, but I guess that can’t be helped. I was just giving reasonable advice, but Limis shoots daggers at me. “Hmm? What’s the problem?” “……rit.” “Huh? What was that?” And just as I’m feeling relieved to hear that she can use elemental magic, Limis says something I can’t believe. “H-how am I supposed to fight without a spirit?!” Her angry outburst is so loud that the room shakes, and Toudou and the village headman suddenly stop their discussion and turn around to face us. And here I am, with no idea what she’s talking about or why she’s angry. “What do you mean how…? You just need to use energy from another type of spirit.” When elementalists are young, they make contracts with spirits of various types so they can use all the elements. Spirits and magic users have varying compatibility, so it’s natural for a mage to have strengths and weaknesses, but to say that you won’t fight because you can’t use fire is just stubborn and childish. As I recall the other elementalists I have met before her, Limis answers with tears in her eyes. “I can’t.” “…Huh?” I tilt my head to one side as I take this in. Aria, Toudou, and the village headman all hold their breath and watch us intently. “What are you talking about? All I’m saying is that you should just use any type of magic other than fire—” “I can’t.” …What the hell is she talking about? I let out a forced laugh as I look down at this level-10 mage. Somehow, I find myself in a cold sweat. “Ah-ha—ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! What are you talking about? Friedia is in the top three houses for elementalists. That blood has been passed down through generations, and the present head of the family is supposed to have made contracts with two great spirits—isn’t that right?” “That’s…my dad!” “Hey, I’m not fucking kidding around here!” Without realizing it, I had grabbed hold of her fragile arm and was berating her from a distance of centimeters. In her blue eyes, I can see my reflection, and my own eyes look as they did the last time I faced a follower of darkness. “So you’re telling me that the direct descendant of His Excellency the Prince, he who has the divine blessings of the spirit kings, can’t use any magic other than fire? Seriously?!” It’s absurd. Unbelievable. She doesn’t even meet the minimum standards for a mage. Well, I’m not going to make it my job to protect her! Aria and Toudou try to separate us, but I pay them no mind and stare right down into Limis’s face. “This isn’t even fucking funny. Limis Al Friedia, how the hell do you intend to fight?” “Th-that’s what I’m saying! How am I supposed to fight?!” “Hell if I know! Come back and join us once you’ve got a contract with another spirit—then you might be halfway useful!!” Unbelievable… An elementalist who can use only fire magic… That’s extraordinary in its own way. After a short while, the burning anger subsides in a wave, as if it were never there at all. My grip on Limis’s arm loosens, and Aria and Toudou quickly pull me away and hold my arms back from behind. “Hey, Ares, stop it! Relax!” …All right, all right. I’m calm. I mull over the implications of Limis’s revelation again and again. It’s fine. It’s just that a bad situation has gotten a little worse. It’ll be all right. No problem. If I had to put it into percentages, I’d say we had a 5 percent chance of success before, and now we’re down to 0. If we have to get it up to 100 anyway, then 5 percent isn’t that big a difference. “…Yeah, I’m fine now.” When I catch my breath, I look back at the two holding my arms, and they finally release me. Still under watch, I turn to a startled Limis and make my apology. “I’m sorry, Limis. I lost my composure.” “Um… Right…” “I’m gonna go cool down a bit. I’ll be right back…so wait for me.” My head is still spinning, maybe from the shock. I quietly cast a spell to stabilize my mind, and with everyone’s eyes on me, I leave the room. As I try to get my breathing back to normal, I exit the front gate of the village headman’s residence. I confirm no one is around and use magic to activate my earring. It’s all right. This isn’t at the level yet where you should lose your cool. As soon as the line connects, I say, “This is Ares. Connect me to Cardinal Creio.” “You seem upset, Ares. I will connect you.” The operator’s emotionless inflection is somehow comforting. Then I am immediately greeted by the familiar, informal voice. “Has something happened, Ares?” “Yeah. It’s about Limis Al Friedia.” I try to present the information without getting agitated. Certainly, there must be a way for us to replace an elementalist who can use only fire magic. If not, then the people in charge must be insane. I explain the situation. What? Are you telling me to look for a spirit to contract with the elementalist while I level up the hero? Ridiculous. My role is supposed to be only to take down the Demon Lord. I’m willing to help raise my companions’ levels, but I don’t intend to do any more than that. “Hmm… Well, I understand what you’re saying. But the bottom line is—” “The bottom line?” I wait for him to finish as he takes a breath. “You must continue with things as they are.” “As they…are…?!” And just how are they, exactly? “Ares, those in charge have their own considerations that, for the sake of confidentiality, I cannot explain to you. The point is there are no substitutes.” “No…substitutes…” No…substitutes?! Hold on—what does that even mean? Do the rivers of Ruxe Kingdom run dry?! That’s not possible. “Our average level is only fifteen…,” I say, almost pleadingly. “Do the best you can. You’re on a trip with a couple of pretty girls—try to enjoy it. You like girls, don’t you?” What the hell is he saying right now? I take a deep breath. “I am…being serious here,” I say in a clear voice. “So am I.” I know from the cardinal’s resolute tone that there is no room for discussion. This isn’t something I can overrule. Even if I explain things, I won’t make any progress with him. Damn it all. At some point, I must have unconsciously pressed hard on the top of the gate, as my fingers are now sunk into the wood. I pick off the broken pieces and grind them between my fingers as I pose a final question. “…Cardinal, I want to ask just one more thing… Is this truly the will of Ahz Gried?” “It is, indeed, Ares Crown. May he guide you on your journey.” “To hell with him, then!” I spit out childishly, cutting the transmission. The sky is clear. Not understanding my turmoil, the sunlight shines cheerfully down on the earth. I rub on my temples and close my eyes to contemplate—to straighten out my thoughts. Rather than agonize over it…I just need to deal. By nature, a mage’s offensive magic is highly powerful. If we’re focusing on leveling up Toudou, then Limis’s strategic use of magic is important. It’s just that we’ve gone from strategic use of magic to no use of magic. The problem is, once we’ve finished raising Toudou’s level, how will we raise Limis’s? That, and…the issue of contracting with another spirit. While racking my brain on how we should proceed, I return to the room, where the atmosphere from before already seems completely changed. The village headman has tears in his eyes, and somehow Toudou’s face is brimming with confidence. When he notices me, he calls out. “Ares! It seems recently some high-level monsters have been appearing in this area and causing trouble. I’ve decided we’re going to take them out,” Toudou declares, his tone strong-willed. “Thank you so much! The way you immediately took up the task truly shows you are a Holy Warrior of legend!” I wonder if this is an unlucky year. I stare at Toudou, my head filled with emotions I cannot put into words. I frantically try to process what is going through the mind of this guy who can’t seem to understand that this may not be a monster he can defeat. And it’s likely that these are not low-level monsters. I mean, if the headman of a village filled with specialized monster exterminators calls them high level, that should mean something to you. Just what is going on in Toudou’s head? …Whatever, let’s just be calm. I glare at the village headman. “What’s the monster?” I ask shortly. “It’s something called a glacial plant… Since it’s called a plant, it should be a plant type, right? If Limis uses fire-type magic on it…” I’ve heard of these. Glacial plants…are not plants at all. They’re dragons. To be precise, they are a plant dragon—hence the name. More than five meters tall, it uses its roots to move and its countless thorny brambles to bind its opponents and then freeze them with its breath. It’s technically a demi-dragon type, which is easier to defeat than a dragon type, but that isn’t much of a consolation. The recommended level to battle these is 50, and that’s for a party with six members. This is an area where people come to level up to 30, so there certainly can’t be many mercenaries around here who could defeat this thing. Toudou… I glance at the village headman. He already appears fully confident that his request will be fulfilled. As a member of the Church, it’s not a good idea to undermine the authority of the hero. To those who believe in the Holy Warrior, from the moment he is summoned, he is considered a superhuman poised to defeat the Demon Lord. I’m sure the village headman has no ill intent, but… “I’m against it.” “Huh? …Why?” “We don’t have time to waste fighting a small fry like that.” I certainly can’t lower the hero’s reputation. The village headman glances at my earring, and an unmistakable frown crosses his face. I’ll fucking end you. I can’t put Toudou in direct conflict with a glacial plant. At level 15, it would take nothing less than a miracle for him to win. It’s true that fire is its weak point, but Limis’s level-10 magic probably isn’t enough. Toudou, not understanding my reasoning, takes a deep breath, as if taken aback. “Ares, I’m the hero. I can’t just abandon those who are being harmed at the hands of the Demon Lord.” The dedication is admirable—it’s like a line from a heroic tale. Where the hell does he get all this conviction from? As we glare at each other and the atmosphere between us grows tense, the village headman intervenes. “Well, now… As you say, the hero shouldn’t have to bother with monsters like demi-dragons, I suppose.” “…Dragons?” says Limis. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t know it was a dragon. Toudou stares wide-eyed. The village headman pays them no mind and continues. I really wanna punch this guy. “However…to us, this is a serious matter. Already the mercenaries have labeled this as a danger zone, and there are those even now abandoning the area. For the time being, there have been no major injuries, but rumors can spread quickly. My only course of action in this situation is to ask powerful warriors to defeat the glacial plant.” “Ares, I’m the hero. That’s why I was summoned. I have a responsibility to fight for the people of this world.” No, your responsibility is to defeat the Demon Lord. That’s it. Don’t waste time on foolish things. I just barely swallow my words. Stay calm, Ares Crown. The hero has no replacement—if he dies, we will be forced to abandon all hope. Toudou isn’t a fool. Surely, as we continue on our journey to defeat the Demon Lord, he will realize where his responsibility lies. You have to believe that, Ares! I grab Toudou’s shoulders and shake them. “No, Toudou, listen to me,” I say deliberately. “I’m not telling you to just abandon this village.” “?!” I let go of him and then turn to the village headman. This guy, causing us all this trouble… Well—maybe not. This might actually be a good thing. If the village headman hadn’t said anything, we might have unknowingly walked into the forest and encountered a glacial plant. “Hey, you just want to get rid of the glacial plant, right?” “Um… Yes… Yes, I suppose so…” “There’s no need for us to be the ones to defeat it. You don’t have any issue with other mercenaries from the town defeating it instead, do you?” “Of course, that thought has already occurred to me. But right now, there isn’t anyone that powerful here—” So it’s okay to force it on the hero? I take one long, resentful sigh and glare at him. Fuck you, asshole! “I’ll talk with the mercenaries. Then we’ll have nothing more to discuss here. Toudou, you’re fine with that, right?” The hero has gone slightly pale, but as he slowly nods, I feel a little relieved. It’s fine. I’ll do it. I’ll crush all the obstacles in our way. “Hey! Which of you here is the highest-level hunter?” They turn in the direction of my loud query. I’m suddenly struck with the feeling that I have entered the den of a beast. The tavern where monster hunters gather for a rest and a drink, known as Tuller’s, reeks with the smells of beer and tobacco, of blood and iron, and of people. There are a few patrons already passed out on tables from a full day of drinking. Among mercenaries, there are those who specialize in defeating monsters as their trade, dubbed monster hunters. They are professionals who hunt monsters for both the experience and the reward, and their levels are far above average. After what happened at the village headman’s residence, I’ve come to the Vale Village watering hole in order to do some negotiating. The mace that I’ve used for many years is in my hand. I grasp it tightly as I repeat: “I’m looking for the highest-level hunters in this village.” “…Whaddaya want, priest?” A woman with dirty rust-colored hair sitting right in front of me staggers to her feet. She’s about my height, with a large build. She seems to be a local worker—her arms are twice the size of mine, her chest is broad and muscular, and she wears clothing made of thick, heavy cloth. Next to her is a crude battle-ax the size of a grown man. With each step she takes, the floor creaks, and she comes close and looks down at me. Her breath smells strongly of alcohol. Her ash-colored eyes are cloudy, which might be from the booze, but her pupils shine with a robust, glaring energy. She’s built like a troll—this is promising. “There is a monster I want taken out—and soon. Today, if possible.” “…What kinda monster?” “A glacial plant.” The atmosphere in the tavern tenses at the monster’s name. “Take yer business elsewhere. There ain’t nobody here who could take that on,” says a redheaded mercenary curtly over his shoulder, without so much as a glance in my direction. The woman stoops down to peer at my expression as if there’s something funny about it. She roars with laughter. But I have no intention of giving up so quickly after being told no. I silently clap my hands together and pray. “Exa Area Recovery.” “Wha—?” Bright-green light bursts from my fingertips and floods the entire building. I ensure that it spreads through the bodies of a silver-haired young man lying down at a table, another absorbed in a card game, a man with reddish-brown hair drinking liquor straight from a bottle, and the woman standing in front of me. Then the light disappears. Well, they shouldn’t be drunk now. The woman’s eyes go wide with astonishment, and she howls like a hound. Her expression has completely changed. “Area of effect magic… No way, you’re…you’re a high priest?! Why’d you come to a village like this?!” High-level priests who can use area of effect recovery magic are rare. There certainly aren’t any here. I repeat myself one more time, patiently, like a parent instructing a disobedient child. “I’m looking for someone who can defeat a glacial plant.” “…What’s the reward?” This reaction is different from before—more interested. “The glory of defeating a dragon,” I say, maintaining my serious demeanor. “…So you’re saying there’s no reward?” “You can do what you want with the remains of the glacial plant. I don’t need a share.” Although it’s a demi-dragon, it’s still a type of dragon. Its hide can be used for armor, its fangs and bones for swords, and its organs for medicine. If you can defeat it, all of that becomes your property. There is also the glory of defeating a dragon in battle, which is a status symbol for monster hunters. Normally, a job without reward wouldn’t be worth considering. But the hunters raise their eyebrows and huddle together at their tables in discussion. What I need are the strongest hunters in this place. “You fool, a demi-dragon is still a dragon. The risk is too high.” “But we’ve got a high priest here. If we pass this up, when will we have another chance to take down a dragon…?” “Shit, why is it always at times like this that I don’t have my weapons? I thought I’d take a few days off and sent them in for repairs.” “Just think about our average level. It’s impossible!” Around the room, opinions are exchanged here and there, and appetites flit about. Monster hunting is an extremely high-risk line of business. Most lose their lives in battle before achieving any kind of glory. In order to be successful, you need great ability, but you also need a lot of luck. The buffs used by high-level priests are a game changer—to the extent that they can make up for a level that’s a bit too low. And the mercenaries know that, which is exactly why I came here to negotiate myself. “Can I just ask…? You’ll be in the battle, too, right?” “I won’t. But before you engage, I’ll give you all the buffs I can use. They last for ten hours, so they won’t run out mid-battle.” If I wanted to make absolutely sure, I would accompany them, but I can’t just forget about Toudou and the others. The tide of the discussion among the hunters changes once again—many of them had thought I would be accompanying them. The presence of a high-level priest would directly affect the outcome of a conflict. They might be uneasy about going in just with buffs. I don’t have any use for the hunters who hesitate. I need people who will deliver results. One by one, the hunters fall silent until, finally, only one party is left discussing. It’s a party of five, including the troll-like woman. Three members are front-line warriors, one is a mage, and one is a priest. Average level 40. That’s notably higher than most parties leveling up in these woods. The one who appears to be the leader—a bearded giant who looks to me like he would win in a fight with a troll—extends his hand. “I’m Thomas Gregory, the leader of this party,” he says in a deeply masculine voice. “This is our swordmaster, Gustaf; our mage, Damien; and our priest, Eric. The one who got up in your face before is our smasher, Marina.” He stands leaning on a massive bastard sword. The mage is a younger guy, reclining lazily in his chair, and next to him is a timid priest who seems like just a boy. I look them over and then turn back to Thomas. “I’m Ares Crown, a servant of God.” “Why’ve you come here?” “The only reason for a faithful servant of God to be here is that God wills him to be.” While I could say that I came with the intention of leveling up, this place is too remedial for me. I’ve been through here once and had no plans to return. So my only explanation for my presence is that it is the will of God. “Well, I’m thinking of retiring from service before long.” “Hmph… But you’ve reached the point of being able to use area of effect spells. Why quit?” “Because God’s servants get pretty rough treatment.” If this ordeal is a trial from God, then God must be an awful sadist. Marina—her gentle name completely contrary to her troll-like exterior—looks at me with interest. “You’re a funny guy.” “Glad I can entertain you. Now, let’s get down to business. The day is wasting away.” My negotiations with Thomas proceed without a hitch. When people are profiting from a situation, things tend to move along smoothly. We wrap things up, and lastly, I cast the buffs on Thomas and his party. I’m not trying to rush things, but I want to move quickly so I can get back to Toudou and the others. Responding to my prayer, a bright light shines from my fingertips, wraps around Thomas, and suffuses into him. The color of the light emitted by a buff depends on its type. The various shades look like the stained glass windows of a church, and it is sufficient to make a person grasp the power of the God of Order.