Chapter 4

Thomas’s strong face stiffens slightly. As if in a daze, he opens and shuts his hand a few times. “Wow…incredible…” “Not bad, right?” It looks like this is his first experience with high-level buffs. Thomas gives a silent nod. I smile, relieved. I have to hurry and finish up here before Toudou gets tired of waiting and starts into the forest. After I finish the buffs, I make the basic preparations for the next day and return to the inn, where Toudou and the others are discussing our plans moving forward. “…Did you get it figured out?” “Yeah, fortunately… It should be dealt with by tomorrow.” I did my part. Even though their opponent is a demi-dragon, they should be able to defeat it as long as nothing out of the ordinary happens. Toudou probably has questions, but he doesn’t say anything. Limis, on the other hand, makes no effort to hide her dissatisfaction. “…Nao said we would defeat the monster…but you went and got another party to do it…” “…Nao?” I say, thrown off by the unfamiliar name. Aria sits beside her, sighing. I get the feeling that things went downhill when I flared up at Limis. If I hadn’t been preoccupied with that, I might have been able to stop the village headman the moment that he brought up his request. “She means Sir Naotsugu Toudou. It seems that in Sir Naotsugu’s world, Toudou is his family name and Naotsugu is his first name.” “I see. The Nao came from Naotsugu. Should I call you by that, too?” It seems like somehow while I was gone they all became friends. Toudou glances at me with a tired expression. “…Sure. Do whatever you like.” “Hey! Don’t just ignore what I said!” says Limis. Her expression is stern, like something rubbed her the wrong way. Dealing with her is aggravating. I breathe a sigh, toss the cloth bag I’ve brought with me onto the table, and remove my priest’s tunic. Nao looks from the bag to me. “Ares, what’s this?” “It’s a weapon for the princess over there. It’s not like she can go hitting people with her staff.” I sit in an open chair and remove it from the cloth bag. Nao looks at it. “A gun…?” he murmurs. “…Oh, you’re familiar? It’s just a minor weapon, though.” “I mean, I know it…but…” I hold the revolver I’ve just purchased at a weapons shop by the grip and lift it to show him. The weight of the metal and the black barrel of the gun give a sinister impression. I go through the unfamiliar movements of shaking open the cylinder and carefully loading the bullets. Limis watches warily, as if she’s never seen this before. “…What is that thing?” “It’s a weapon called a revolver. You load the metal bullets like this, and when you pull the trigger, it uses the force of gunpowder to shoot. Even someone as helpless as you should be able to use it.” It isn’t a very powerful weapon, so it’s really only useful for delivering a finishing blow, but it’s more legitimate than striking with a staff. However, Limis must have doubts about my intentions, because her face starts to turn red, and she shouts at me. “Huh? Why do I have to?! No way! I’m a mage!! An elementalist!!” A mage who has a contract with only one spirit is in no position to complain, you faker! I refrain from voicing my frustration and glare at Limis. “So how do you plan on fighting in the forest, then?” I ask, trying to appear as calm as possible. “You’re not planning on using fire magic, are you?” “Um… W-well, I—” Probably having put no thought into it, Limis hastily turns to Nao and Aria. “Setting fire to the Forest of the Vale would definitely be problematic. Do you want to burden the renowned hero with the crime of arson? Hmm? Miss Limis, what are your thoughts on that?” “U-um… Hold on! A contract—I just need to make a contract with another spirit! If I do that—” “All right then, go and make that contract.” “……” A daughter of the House of Friedia, one of the great elementalist houses, who has a contract with only one spirit… It sounds absurd, but if you think about it, there must be a logical reason. All the money and power of the prince of the Kingdom of Ruxe may not be sufficient to learn what that reason is, but it probably exists. I fold my arms and look down quietly. Limis glares at me, biting her lip, saying nothing. At this point, Nao takes a deep breath in and puts an end to the discussion. “Ares, you’re too harsh. And, Limis, it’s dangerous to face monsters without a weapon. Whether you actually use it or not is one thing, but since Ares went through the trouble of buying it, at least keep it for the time being.” “…If you say so, Nao…” At least it seems she’ll listen to him. Now that she’s calm, I continue. “We’ll start off in the shallow layer of the Forest of the Vale. Even if Limis is useless, we should be able to fight with just Aria and Toudou—I mean, Nao. If someone gets hurt, I should be able to heal most injuries.” Our armor is first-rate. As long as we don’t go too far into the woods, the possibility of sustaining major injuries is low. Nao’s combat strength is still an unknown, but I can guess Aria’s from her swordsmanship background. It’s just Limis who will be totally useless in the first skirmishes. “HEY!” barks Limis. “Did you call me useless?! So rude!” “Well, do you have any means of being useful?” Typically, mages have very low physical strength and stamina. But with her, I’m concerned she won’t even be able to walk through the forest without getting hurt. Limis scowls at me, teary-eyed. I can hear her mumble, “I can use fire, y’know,” but I wonder if she’s realizing that just isn’t enough as an elementalist. She doesn’t give me a clear answer. She turns her gaze to Nao. “Did you stock the supplies?” I ask. “…No.” What were they all even doing while I was talking to the monster hunters? …Well, whatever. I also didn’t tell them to do it. “All right, then the first thing is to stock up on supplies. There are some things you can find in the forest, but it’s essential to be prepared with food and water. Right now, we already have enough, so no need to get more. But we should get a variety of recovery medicine to make sure we have what we need. I can heal and cure poison using holy techniques, but you never know what’s going to happen on the battlefield, so it’s best to be prepared with some of each kind of the essential medicines.” At that point in my explanation of demon-hunting fundamentals, Nao interjects. “Holy techniques…” We make eye contact. I suddenly recall that in certain kingdoms, clear black eyes are a symbol of holiness. “Can I also learn holy techniques?” “You can.” Elemental magic requires a natural aptitude, but the holy arts are different. The essence of holy techniques is prayer. Through prayer, priests ask God to perform miracles. It’s only logical that Nao, who has been given so much divine protection, can do this as well. “Are you interested?” Nao closes his eyes. His loose, heavy clothes rise and fall slightly with his breathing, and finally he opens his eyes again. “…I am… Can you teach me?” “I guess I have no reason to refuse.” Versatility in battle is the hero’s privilege. If the hero himself can use holy techniques, that will be to our advantage in the confrontation with the Demon Lord. The range for holy techniques is fundamentally low. If there are more party members who can use it, the security of the party greatly increases. When Nao hears my response, the corners of his mouth raise just a little. This might be the first time this hero has directed a smile at me. In contrast to it, a strange feeling of dread or guilt stirs in my chest that I cannot quite pin down. I feel compelled to look away from Nao and turn instead to the other two, who are quietly observing us. “Nao is still new to this world. It’s best for him to learn everything he can. We are…all in this together.” Either we succeed in defeating the Demon Lord or we falter along the way. We can only go down one of those two paths. Thankfully, there isn’t a cloud in the sky the day of our departure. We quickly finish up our breakfast and head for the edge of town. We travel light because we’re making use of a magical tool from my kingdom that stores items away in another dimension. The tool is in the shape of a ring, and it is a precious, one-of-a-kind item. As our leader, Nao is the one to wear it. It’s still early in the morning, and there aren’t many people outside. As we walk, I check with the group. “Nao, have you ever defeated a monster?” “…I haven’t,” Nao responds sleepily. He slept in Limis and Aria’s room again last night. “I have.” “I have, too. It was only a monster that my father had weakened for me, but still…” Limis and Aria chime in with their answers. There aren’t many people in this kingdom who have never delivered a killing blow to a monster. In order to establish their basic abilities, most people reach level 5 by no later than the age of ten. Just the fact that Nao has never defeated a monster demonstrates that he was summoned here from another world. It’s a mystery to me how someone who has never defeated a monster has reached level 15, but Holy Warriors will never cease to surprise you. There are similar things written in the records of past heroes. “Have you ever encountered a monster?” “I’ve seen a doglike monster that was in a cage.” “Are you confident you can defeat them?” “…Yes.” I wonder if he really is. I don’t sense any anxiety in his definitive response. At that moment, the ground shakes slightly—a sign of something coming this way. Nao looks in the direction of the woods. A sturdy wooden cart trundles down the center of the road, the remains of an enormous monster resting on it. The beast’s body is a deep-blue color. It has many thin layers of skin, and there’s a slash straight across its torso from which deep-blue blood is flowing. The lower half of its body is covered in countless creepy little legs. “…What is that? …It’s huge… There are monsters like that?” “That’s a pretty big one. They don’t live in the shallow part of the forest where we’re going.” The group of mercenaries and merchants is a hunter’s party. They carry their game proudly. The man leading the group notices us and opens his mouth to say something, but when I make a point to look away, he laughs instead. Hearing his sudden outburst, the rest of the group eyes him curiously. It’s best this way. You have completed your task, and we have no further business with each other. We stand aside to give them room on the road, and the remains of the glacial plant pass us by. Nao waits for them to pass completely. “Wow…I have to be able to defeat monsters like that,” he mumbles. “I wonder if I can do it.” He seems to be talking only to himself. Surely, he must understand that, in his current state, he could not defeat such a beast. It’s not actually a question of if he can defeat it or not—eventually he must be able to defeat it. And not just glacial plants but other things well beyond them. It is for that reason you were summoned to this world, Naotsugu Toudou. Although we call it a neighboring village, Vale Village is several kilometers from the Great Forest. I sit in my usual spot on the driver’s bench of the carriage, and to my surprise, Limis comes out to join me. “I—I…I’ll drive.” “…Do you know how to drive a carriage?” I ask, considering her skeptically. This is a bit unexpected. The Friedia House is the most distinguished family in Ruxe Kingdom. She’s probably never driven a carriage before, and it does require a certain amount of physical strength. Once we get to the forest, we’ll be fighting battles. The mage is important, and I don’t see any reason to exhaust her unnecessarily with this task. “S-so…I will permit you to sit next to me and teach me how,” she says, obviously reluctant. This really isn’t something she needs to do… So where did the sudden sense of duty come from? “I won’t waste time complaining about how you phrased that, but anyway, if I’m going to teach anyone to drive the carriage, I would prefer it to be Aria or Nao.” “Huh? What do you mean by that?” It’s not that I hate her—I just have come to see her as a selfish, helpless, useless person. I choose my words carefully so as not to make her angry. “Mages don’t have much physical strength, and it’s a bad idea to waste it on driving a carriage. Even if you can’t be of any use in these woods, it’s still best to stick to the principle.” “…You—you are seriously so rude!” “In the teachings of the Church, lying is a vice. Not many people actually follow that, but as a faithful servant of God, I am honest.” Incidentally, alcohol, tobacco, and women are all vices, too. Could anyone really abstain from all of them…? Limis frowns at my joke but quickly responds. “We can’t have Aria or Nao do it.” “…Why’s that?” They all seem to have bonded—I think they’d do it if she asked. They’re all aware that they’re beginners at this. To my surprise, Limis has quite a logical explanation. “First, for Aria, it’s physically impossible. Apparently, she…doesn’t have any magical power.” “…Wait, what? Hold on—” It’s true you need magical power to be able to use magical tools, but for starters, magical tools were created specifically for people with low magical power and unable to use spells. This carriage is a pretty pricey item, and I would guess from the design that it was made specifically for use by humans. Even though my magic power isn’t very high, I’m able to drive it just fine. A close-combat specialist like a swordmaster tends to have lower magical power than a mage, but powerful sword techniques still require magic. There’s no reason why a level-20 swordmaster like Aria should be unable to use it. I frown and ask again, praying that I misheard the first time. “Did you say…she has no magical power?” “Yeah.” “As in…absolutely none?” “Yep.” Seriously…? I discreetly glance back at Aria. A swordmaster with zero magical power. Zero, huh? How is she planning to fight? Maybe if we hadn’t had the revelation that Limis can use only fire magic just yesterday, I would give Aria an earful now. But the second time, the shock factor isn’t as bad, and I manage to assimilate this information with just a frown. I’ve heard it said that in rare cases people are born with magical power of absolute zero, but it’s supposed to be something like one in a hundred thousand or one in a million. If you’re one of those people, though, that means you can’t use any magical tools or close-combat techniques that require magic. No matter how you look at it, she isn’t suited to be a magic-based warrior. I imagine her life in general is more inconvenient, too. Daughter or not, why would the grand swordmaster put forth someone in this position for the mission to defeat the Demon Lord? This isn’t some fucking game! I exert pressure on my temples to relieve the dull, throbbing pain and limit myself to saying the most constructive thing possible. “There is a type of support tool for people who have zero magical power that enables them to use magical tools. It’s a crystal that functions as a storage container for magical power. You just have to replenish it when it runs out. When we go back into town, let’s request one from the kingdom. So what about Nao?” “…You’re so calm,” says Limis, looking a little surprised. I’m not calm at all! I really would like to tell her off for withholding that information for so long. But it can’t be changed, so it’s pointless to even mention. “So what about Nao?” “……” Limis lowers her eyes and hesitates for a moment before immediately looking back up at me. “I think it might be better not to tell you, for the sake of your…mental health.” “Too late now—my mental health is in bad shape after the last few days. I don’t think it can get any worse. Just tell me.” If you don’t deal with problems head-on, you’ll pay for them later. Might as well get everything out in the open at the start. If she tells me now that our hero can’t use magic, either, that might be the last straw, but I doubt that’s it. “…No, I think it’s best not to say. Nao isn’t an option—let’s leave it at that.” “…I mean, just for the sake of knowing, I’d like to hear it. Does he have a physical disfigurement or something? Or is his magical power so low that he can only use it for magical tools?” A physical disfigurement… That’s probably not it, but at this point, nothing surprises me anymore. Noting my increasing anxiety, Limis quickly shakes her head. “No, it’s nothing like that… There are just reasons.” “Uh, okay…” What kinds of reasons…? I really would like to know, but I say nothing and scoot over. Limis sits down next to me in an awkward motion. She asked me to teach her, but the actual operation of a carriage is simple, and the driver just needs to get a feel for it. The carriage starts moving slowly. Limis smiles a little at the swaying of the landscape. It’s been thirteen days since the hero was summoned. We have only seventeen more days until the predicted day the demons will realize he’s arrived. I quietly make the sign of the cross and pray that, in the journey ahead, no trials will stand in our way. Ex. That is the name by which the holy sword that holds the power of light is known. The sword, thought to have been forged by God himself, has the ability to exorcise darkness, and its power is said to increase in response to the spiritual strength of the holder. Using that sword, a previous hero supposedly battled a high-level demon with a devil sword and cut him down. Who knows if the rumors are true, but seeing the weapon wielded right in front of you, you can sense its power. The bluish-white blade reflects the sunlight pouring through the gaps in the trees and draws a line of light on the ground. Letting out a battle cry as he strikes the olive-brown evil treant, Nao easily slices through the hard trunk and cuts it in half. As the monster’s screech of agony echoes through the woods, Limis makes a face and covers her ears. Our first battle in the Forest of the Vale went better than expected. We encountered just one monster, and even though Aria had her sword ready, the battle was over before she could use it. Nao looks down at the body of the evil treant and deftly drops his sword into its sheath—an impressive display. Aside from defeating a monster, Nao also got a little battle practice and executed a clear, unwavering slash attack. However, the most unusual thing was that in his first battle with a monster, Nao didn’t seem afraid. Most people in their first battle are so terrified that their movements become rigid and jerky. When I was expecting to have to jump in and help, this is like a bolt out of the blue. “Well done, Nao,” says Limis, running over to him. But even after so easily defeating a monster in his first battle, there is no joy in Nao’s eyes. “No, no… Of course I should be able to do this. I’m the hero.” “No, your swordsmanship was magnificent,” says Aria. “Do you have training in sword techniques?” Limis and Aria show their admiration. There’s no doubt that his swordsmanship was excellent. Looking down at the remains of the monster he has killed, Nao smiles just a little. “No, really… This is the first time I’ve been summoned. Before this, I’ve only done kendo at school.” “I see… To wield a sword without any hesitation is no easy feat. I feel you have considerable talent,” says Aria. “Ah…thank you.” Nao not so happily thanks Aria in spite of her praise. “This monster that I just killed… Do we just leave it like this?” I step forward and examine the creature’s remains. The cut from the sword is perfectly clean. Surely that can’t be from the strength of the blade alone. “The bodies of treant-type monsters make excellent kindling. There are those who cut out the eyes—the most valuable part—and leave the rest in order to lighten their load, but since we have a magical storage tool, we can take all of it.” “I see… Got it.” The hero leans over the body of the treant and touches it, using the magical tool. In an instant, the treant’s color changes to black, and it disappears into thin air. The power of the magical tool has stored it within another dimension. Nao takes a deep breath, standing up slowly. “Tired?” “No, I’m all right. Actually, that was easier than expected.” “From what I saw, you didn’t seem to have any trouble. Now, let’s see if we can raise your level.” “Ah… Right… Do you have to actually touch me to do that?” he asks evasively. Your level increases when you receive the life force of a defeated monster, but it doesn’t happen instantaneously. If you leave it be, the body will start evolving on its own, but one of the roles of a priest is to accelerate this process. Being level 15, Nao should have experienced this several times before. “It’s easier if I am in direct contact with you, but I can still do it without.” “…Got it. So you can do it without touching… Okay, let’s do it that way.” Come to think of it, he does seem irritated every time I touch him. “Nao…do you have some kind of issue with physical contact?” “Um… Yeah, a bit.” “You know, the buffs and healing spells used in holy techniques are based on physical contact…” “……” Nao says nothing, an uncomfortable expression on his face. I sigh back at him. Thinking again about the situation thus far, it seems like he’s not going to die just from being touched. If I have to cast something on him, I’d better just cast it and touch him whether he likes it or not. This problem doesn’t compare to the importance of his life. I raise my right hand high and hold it as far as I can above Nao’s head. “Blessing of Ahz Gried.” As I speak the prayer, a glittering, golden light radiates from the palm of my hand and covers the hero’s body. As the beam touches his body, it disappears like melting snowflakes, and after a moment, his entire body glows with a bright-white luminescence. “Looks like you accumulated enough life force to level up.” The glowing light is evidence that the vessel is filled with life force—proof that a level up is possible. Aria’s eyes open wide. She looks impressed. “Ares, you can perform the level-up ritual?” “I can.” “…But I heard that even among priests, only those who are mid level or higher are able to perform it…” “…There’s no way the Church would dispatch a priest who can’t perform the level-up ritual to join the hero’s party.” Aria nods in understanding, but her expression is somewhat skeptical. This certainly isn’t a ritual that a level-3 priest can perform. That’s a hole in my story for sure. Moving on, I grasp my right arm as I lower it, then make a small cross in front of the hero’s body. Nao lets out a tiny sigh. In a few seconds, the light that had covered him is gone. His physical appearance hasn’t changed, but Nao is now level 16. His ability points should have increased as well. “Urgh… No matter how many times I do that, I just…can’t get used to that weird sensation. Feels like it’s crawling up from deep inside my body.” “That can’t be helped. Think of it as your existence moving up by a degree—there is a sensation reflecting that change. By the way, until you reach the point where your level increases naturally without the use of the level-up ritual, a less intense version of that sensation will continue for a few days after.” “…It will? That sounds…unpleasant,” says the hero, looking deeply unhappy. Lastly, I say the words that conclude the level-up ritual: “Nao has now reached level sixteen. Two thousand five hundred and eighty life force units are required to reach the next level.” “…When the sister performed the ritual for me at the castle, she used that gamelike wording, too. Is there a reason for it?” “It is established in our creed that at the time of a level up, we must announce the experience needed to achieve the next.” “…Why does this world feel like a half-assed RPG…?” he mumbles. I can’t make sense of what he’s saying, but he’s got a perturbed expression on his face. I take a few steps back to give him his personal space. He suddenly looks up at me. “Oh! That level-up ritual—I can learn it, too, right?” Usually, it’s enough for just one person in the party to know the level-up ritual. But… “…Yes. I’ll teach it to you after you have gotten comfortable defeating monsters and have learned the more critical holy spells. For now, it’s enough that I can do the level ups, and there is bound to be at least one priest who can do it in every town.” “…I defeated a monster just now, though, didn’t I?” “That was a plant type. Fighting an animal-type monster is different. There are a lot of people who have a difficult time with animal types.” Well, someone like that wouldn’t really qualify as a hunter, but there are plenty of people who dislike animal types. Nao looks at me in disbelief, his eyes narrowing seemingly in contempt. “But…why?” he asks. “Because of the smell. Sometimes you get covered in blood and innards.” “…Ohhh…” Some people even vomit if they aren’t used to the smell of blood. It ought to be called something like the hunter’s baptism. Nao responds in grim acknowledgment. Aria and Limis nod in the same bleak manner. Actually, the way I see it, there’s no reason for concern. Nao can defeat any animal-type monsters that we encounter in exactly the same way he defeated the plant type: slaughter without a moment’s hesitation. Seeing his strength of will and incredible raw nerve, his mercilessness and value of justice, I understand for the first time since joining this party that the hero isn’t just an ordinary human being. He cut down life without any elation or sadness, as if it was just a job. There’s something that feels inhuman about a hero who doesn’t even blink at the splatter of blood. After finishing our battles for the day and getting what we could from them, we set up camp on the riverside while there is still daylight. In the three hours that we spent in the woods, we encountered around fifty monsters. That being said, Nao wiped out the majority in a single stroke. Even though most of the beasts were high level, Nao was able to defeat them because the blessings of the Three Deities and the Eight Spirit Kings greatly increase his strength. As the daughter of a grand swordmaster, Aria showed considerable strength as well. Limis and I basically just tagged along behind the two of them as they cut down all the monsters in their path. After defeating fifty or so monsters, Nao increased two levels and is currently at level 18. As your level gets higher, it becomes more and more difficult to level up, but I would say we made good progress for the first day. Once it becomes completely dark, the movement in the woods is revived and creatures that respond to darkness—different from those we encountered during the day—begin to appear. Hunters typically have to set up camp in tents, but we have our carriage. If you close up the hood, it keeps wind and rain out completely, and it’s much more spacious than an ordinary tent. Aria is on first watch, Limis is gathering tinder for the fire, and I’m at the river filling my canteen with water to cast a prism that will keep monsters away. I notice that Nao is observing me. “…You use water, huh?” he says. “Not just regular water. This is holy water.” I continue my work while I explain, as he is showing interest in holy techniques. “I’m going to cast a prism that will keep away the weaker monsters. Holy water is the simplest medium to use for a prism.” Nao looks confused. “You say holy water, but didn’t you just take water from the… Wait, is that river made of holy water?” “No, actually, I’m blessing the water. Making holy water is one of the clergyman’s skills, so naturally a priest can do it, too.” There are other positions besides priest in the priesthood, but blessing water is a basic skill that people of any position should be able to perform. Nao looks on with curiosity as I bless the water. I hold the canteen so he can see and make a cross over it. “Blessing of Water.” The water emits a bright light for just a moment. The light goes out, but the water hasn’t lost its holiness. Nao observes with unwavering attention. I show him the canteen. “That completes the blessing. It has gone from ordinary water to water with one hundred lux per canteenful.” “…It’s fairly simple, isn’t it?” “Priests in training will often make holy water as part-time work.” Holy water has various other uses besides creating boundaries, and these days, there is never enough of it. “…So you can cast the blessing just by making the cross symbol?” “Not just that—the important part is the prayer.” “…In my world, nothing happens when you pray.” Nao looks down dispiritedly and sighs. “Each time I see that kind of magic, it’s a reminder that I really am in a different world, you know?” “Holy techniques aren’t technically magic… Did you say that in your world magic doesn’t exist, Nao?” “…Yeah… Well, actually, until I came here, I didn’t know it existed at all.” An emotion that I cannot describe comes over Nao’s face. Could it be that he misses his home? Or maybe regrets having been summoned here? I can’t even imagine a world without magic. Being born into this world, to me, magic is something that was always there. I think for a moment, then tip the canteen and dump out the holy water I just made. I fill up the canteen with water from the river again and toss it to Nao, who stares at me wide-eyed. He hurries to catch it, uncertainty on his face. “Try to make some holy water.” “…Huh?” He looks down at the canteen in his hands and then back up at me, unsure what to do with it. “I…don’t know how.” “You just watched me do it. Make the cross over it and pray.” The most important part isn’t really your faith or the way you make the cross—it’s your spiritual power. I explain it again more clearly. “Make the cross and repeat after me. ‘Lord, please help us. With your power, through the Holy Spirits, give us your blessing. Blessing of Water.’” “But that isn’t what you said before,” he says. “That was an abbreviated version. Would you really want to say that whole wordy thing out loud every time? I said it all in my head.” “Ares…are you actually a priest? You don’t seem to have even a fraction of the religious devotion of the sister at the castle.” Nao is raising his eyebrows at me in rebuke. He lets the subject drop when I prompt him again to try the spell and returns his attention to the canteen. He focuses intently on the water and says the prayer, looking even more nervous than the first time he swung his sword. “Lord, please help us. With your power, through the Holy Spirits, give us your blessing. Blessing of Water.” In an amateurish gesture, he makes the shape of the cross, and at the same moment, the water emits a faint glow—evidence that he was successful. His blessing isn’t as strong as mine, as it is my profession, but it’s unmistakably a blessing and proves that Nao receives divine power from the gods. “That is a blessing,” I say, wanting to make it clear to Nao what he has accomplished. “That in itself is proof that you are loved by the gods of this world.” “Proof…that I’m loved by the gods,” he repeats. As Nao stares down at the holy water, dumbfounded, he looks almost too helpless to be a hero. But we can’t let him back down. Of all the Holy Warriors summoned before him, there isn’t a single record of a hero who returned to their own world. Heroes are granted protection from the gods, but in the end, that isn’t worth much to someone who doesn’t want the job. It would be good if the gods could provide the hero with at least a little mental support, too. I watch Nao as he looks down at the holy water, unmoving. “Ahhh… What a pain in the ass,” I say, the words slipping out of my mouth. “What is?” Well, anything and everything. I got the short end of the stick here. I understand that if I take on this task, then someone else doesn’t have to, but I don’t have that kind of selfless spirit. Which means I’m not really in a position to say anything to the hero about dedication. I take a breath and am careful to respond so that Nao doesn’t sense what I’m thinking. “Putting up the boundary.” “The boundary… You said you use the holy water to put it up, right?” “Correct.” Perhaps he wants to learn this technique, too. He hesitates for a moment, wondering how to pass the holy water back to me from far away. Rather than bothering with it, I go to where I poured out the holy water on the ground earlier and stamp on it. “Hexa Holy Field.” A wave of light spreads out from the earth soaked with holy water. It makes no sound, and the light is faint, but a perceptive person would be able to pick up on the change in the environment even with their eyes closed. Monsters tend to appear in stagnant places. In this moment, the power of the gods has purified the area around the camp. For a period of time, monsters will instinctively avoid it. I wonder if he can feel the change. Nao blinks in amazement and looks back and forth between me and the holy water. “Huh? …What was that?” “That was the boundary technique.” “…But you didn’t use any holy water.” “I did.” I just made use of the water that I tossed earlier. “…It looked like you just stomped on the ground, though.” “I said the proper prayer.” “…You’re joking, right?” “The gods don’t like jokes. Well, probably.” If this situation was some kind of joke, I might have stepped down as a servant of God. A joke you can’t laugh at. But there’s no use lingering over these things. I don’t know about Limis, but Aria has fought pretty well so far, and Nao is stronger than I expected, which has made me more optimistic. He still looks like he doesn’t understand, so I wave it off. “Prisms are the most difficult type of boundary technique. It’s one of the last things that you’ll learn.” “…All you did was stomp your foot on the ground where you spilled the holy water… I don’t get it.” “I told you, I prayed. Now I say, ‘Please forgive me for stomping my foot.’” By the way, God may not like jokes, but I kind of enjoy them. Nao clicks his tongue loudly. Maybe I messed with him a little too much. I move past it and give him his next task. “Okay, Nao. I’ve laid the boundary, so this area is safe for the time being. Go with Aria and find something for us to eat. No monkeys or wolves—something that tastes a bit better.” We do have some food stored away, but procuring food is a survival skill I’d like them to learn through practice. That’s one of the reasons I chose these woods for our hunting grounds. Nao takes a long, hard look at me. In a voice like a whisper, he asks, “Are we actually going to eat monsters?” “If there’s an animal that isn’t a monster in these woods, we can eat that, but I’m doubtful you’ll find anything.” “But the sister told me that, according to the doctrine of the Church, you’re supposed to avoid eating meat from monsters…?” “Don’t worry. I’ll eat it.” Of course, I wouldn’t eat a demon, but the monsters in these woods are essentially just animals that have grown extra hair. Nao looks up at me like he thinks I’m beyond help. “…Ares, you are a priest, aren’t you? Don’t you intend to stick to your creed?” “I do. The boundary technique I just performed is proof of that.” “It looks to me like you do nothing but break the commandments of your religion.” “I get that a lot.” I’m just stating the facts, but Nao stares at me indignantly. I wasn’t trying to taunt him, but not wanting to end up as rust on the holy sword, I explain myself. “I understand that the act of eating a monster doesn’t look good from an outsider’s point of view, but it isn’t actually prohibited by the Church.” “…Is that so?” Nao doesn’t seem entirely convinced by my differentiation of prohibited and to be avoided. “These woods have a village nearby, so food is accessible. As your level increases, though, we’ll have to defeat monsters that live in more remote locations. When that happens, our only option will be to eat whatever lives there.” “…I see your point.” People can’t live if they don’t eat. The Church understands that, which is why they label this as to be avoided and not specifically prohibited. He seems to have understood to an extent, but Nao doesn’t look totally satisfied by my explanation. He walks over to Aria. He says a few words to her, and she looks at me in shock. Aria is just as straitlaced as he is… This is really no big deal. Anyway, we’re going to have to do it no matter what. Once I see that Nao and Aria have left to find food, I sit down next to Limis, who has gathered a lot of branches and is preparing the fire. It’s a clumsy pile of tinder but enough to get a fire started. “Do you have a fire starter?” “…I don’t need one.” As I reach to take out my own magical fire-starter tool, she grumbles, annoyed. I notice the sleeve of her loose robe move unnaturally. A shiny red lizard leaps out of her sleeve and lands soundlessly on the ground. No, it isn’t shiny—it’s actually giving off light. About ten centimeters long, it has smooth crimson skin and dark-red eyes that shine like gemstones. It has the aura of a creature that transcends both animals and monsters. “This is your fire spirit?!” “Garnet.” My eyes widen with surprise. She doesn’t answer my question, only saying that single word. As if in response, the lizard’s little tongue flits out to lick one of the branches. In the blink of an eye, the branches are engulfed in colorless flames. The transparent flames create a dreamy haze, warming the breeze. It’s a small fire, but it produces tremendous heat that warms my whole body. I am quiet for a moment and look away from the fire to Limis, who appears to be a bit proud of herself. “The fire is too strong. We don’t want to burn all that up right away.” “Huh—?! …Garnet!” A fleeting glimmer passes through the lizard’s eyes. The blazing transparent flames turn red, and the fire grows dimmer. Most of the wood was reduced to ashes, so I gather another bundle of branches and leaves from the forest and add it to the pile. As I quietly watch the burning and crackling of the fire, I take a moment to think. The technique used to manifest a spirit as one of the life-forms of the physical world is extremely high level. I didn’t think someone at level 10 would be able to do it. An ordinary elementalist is only able to manifest a spirit’s energy as magical spells. That being said, how is it she’s able to manifest spirits but has made a contract with only one spirit? She’s too far to the extremes! After thinking it through, I end up being direct with her. “Can you call your fire spirit?” “It’s Garnet.” That appears to be its name. The lizard’s eyes do indeed shine like garnets. The fire spirit raises its head slightly to look at me. “A salamander, huh?” The strength of an elementalist is proportionate to the strength of the spirit it contracts. Fire spirits are the most popular spirits to contract with. They tend to have above-average strength, and often mid-level elementalists make contracts with them. But usually mid-level elementalists aren’t able to manifest them, so they can’t take a physical form. In response, Limis glances up at me and mumbles something that shocks me. “…Garnet can change shape, y’know.” At Limis’s signal, the glimmering lizard swells, changing into a large ball of light—and explodes. The blast is so bright that it blinds me for a moment. When I can see again, in front of me is an enormous light, about two meters tall. Its silhouette is blurry, but I can make out that it’s mimicking a humanoid shape. The energy swirling around the half-transparent body isn’t something one can ordinarily see. The strength and density of the spirit’s magical power materializes around it like burning flames. I feel the heat radiating from it, and unconsciously, my breathing becomes strained. I can’t take my eyes off it even for a second. The voice that emerges from my lips is dry as bone. “No way… Ifrit?! How does a level-ten elementalist have one of the most powerful spirits?!” “…Ares, you’re…surprisingly knowledgeable.” It is said that high-level spirits can change their form at will. If that’s true, then this must be its natural form. It hasn’t completely manifested. A completely manifested spirit looks like its previous salamander form, with a clearly defined shape. Even though it isn’t complete, just being able to manifest a spirit of this class is clearly natural talent. But somehow…she’s still at level 10. “To put it your way… ‘There’s no way the Prince of Friedia would send an elementalist who can’t manifest to join the hero’s party,’” she says with satisfaction. Retaliation for my earlier comments. “Does that sound about right?” Surely the kingdom didn’t send Limis as a joke. Her actual fighting ability aside, in terms of aptitude, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone better. Seemingly content with my reaction, Limis snaps her fingers, but it doesn’t make any sound. Garnet, having understood his master’s intent, shrinks down and returns to salamander form. Limis blushes with embarrassment, but I can’t even bring myself to make fun of her. “Why…?” “…?” “Why the hell can you do that, but you still haven’t made contracts with any other spirit types?!” “Huh?!” That is seriously strange. An elementalist who can manifest Ifrit is extremely rare! It’s weird… It’s too weird. It’s so weird that I feel like I’m having a terrifying nightmare. “…I-it’s really none of your business!” Limis barks back, her face twitching. It’s true that I am a complete stranger. I don’t have connections to anyone in the Friedia House, and I don’t have any intentions of meddling in other people’s affairs. The point is that we need to win. If we win, then none of this matters, and if we don’t, all is lost anyway. “You’re right, it really isn’t my business. It isn’t, but damn… Nothing makes sense in this world!” That headache that I finally got under control comes back at half force. Between a mage who can handle Ifrit but use no other magic types and a mage who can use all magic types equally, I would choose the latter. It would be nice if I had that option. It’s important to be able to choose your magic type to suit your opponent, and what’s more, there is a possibility that even Ifrit in his optimal condition may not be a match for the Demon Lord. Enduring the persistent throbbing in my head, I regard Limis seriously. “Limis, I’m not doubting your abilities… You’re obviously a prodigy.” “…Huh? What’s this sudden change of tune?” I’d much rather make fun of you, but I don’t have a good reason to!! I lower my head at Limis, who looks uncomfortable. “Please, for the sake of the world, just make a contract with another spirit and learn to use other elemental spells.” “…What? I can’t.” “What do you mean, you can’t?! Don’t fucking toy with me!!” “Wait a min—” The sounds of my wailing and Limis’s shrieking cut through the air and echo through the night into the Great Forest of the Vale. Ten days have passed since our plunge into the forest. Although there was some anxiousness at the beginning, as we’re leveling up, things are moving along really smoothly. Our hero, Naotsugu Toudou, is strong. I sensed in his first battle that he has talent. As a warrior, as a monster hunter, and as a hero, he is naturally talented. That mercilessness that he showed in the first battle is not the kind of thing that can be learned overnight. That is certainly not only due to his blessings from the gods—he must have been that kind of person even before the summoning. In this ten-day march, his ability has already increased to a level that rivals mid-level mercenaries. If he continues to gain experience at this pace, I have no doubt he will acquire a level of strength befitting a hero. I guess my only complaint at this point is that the three of them sleep in the carriage at night while I sleep outside alone. Apparently, his dislike of physical contact is limited only to men. Or maybe it’s limited to just me, but either way, I decided to just accept it rather than deal with the hassle. It’s an issue that will likely resolve itself in time. Nao’s strength far exceeds my expectations, and Limis and Aria aren’t too bad, either. For Aria, there were two major points of concern—her change in swordsmanship schools and her lack of magic—but neither of those has presented any major problems in battle so far. To the untrained eye, her swordsmanship looks excellent, and she should be able to continue fighting without magic for a while. There is the question of how far she can go without any magic, but that’s not for me to decide. She’s a sincere, dedicated warrior, and I have confidence that she will come to that decision on her own. About Limis, I have nothing noteworthy to say for the time being. Although she may actually be the strongest of the group, since she can use only fire, her role is limited to lighting campfires and the like for now. She undoubtedly understands the danger of using fire in the forest. During battle, she stands by me, looking a little dejected but dutifully supporting Nao and Aria and refraining from using her magic. She hasn’t really participated in a battle yet, so it’s hard to say what her weak points are, but if I had to guess, I would say that her pride as a mage and an aristocrat might be one. In the first few days, for example, when we ate monster meat, she was the one who showed the most aversion to it, and she also gave no indication that she wanted to practice with the gun. Eventually, she did eat the meat (albeit reluctantly) and did use the gun a few times to finish off monsters, but she clearly wasn’t happy about any of it. Leaving it alone might result in more trouble later, but since the issue is rooted in her way of thinking, it’s difficult to immediately resolve. Whether it’s having a conversation about it or checking her pride more directly, I intend to observe the situation and take action accordingly. My primary role as the senior member in a party of my juniors has become teaching Nao holy techniques and instructing the party in survival skills. Originally, I had planned to participate in battle, but as Nao and Aria have done well on their own, I’ve resigned myself to watching from the sidelines and keeping an eye on Limis. Nao is also making good progress learning holy techniques. As the one chosen by Ahz Gried, his divine protection is strong. He has already mastered most of the low-rank spells, and omitting offensive holy techniques—since Nao already possesses an abundance of physical attacks—the only thing left is prisms. He has also learned the level-up ritual, which is not a low-level technique, and although his holy energy is still low, it won’t be long before he can manage the work of a priest pretty well. Currently, Nao is level 27, Aria is 25, Limis is 17, and mine has not changed. Nao’s level is first priority, but as Limis has the lowest level at present, I would like her to reach at least level 20 by the time we leave these woods. The plan is to continue leveling up as we have been until Nao reaches level 30, at which point we can move on to the next location. Lastly—there are no signs that the Demon Lord’s assassins are nearby. The Church could be right that they have not yet noticed the summoning of the hero. That’s all I have to report. I finish my report and breathe a sigh. Cardinal Creio speaks to me over the transmission, chuckling softly to himself. “Heh-heh-heh… You seem to be enjoying yourself over there.” “…I’m not. I’m just…doing my job to the best of my ability.” While it’s true that things are going better than I expected, I still don’t have peace of mind. I don’t want him to misunderstand. I frown and look over at the carriage where the group is sleeping. “If I could quit right now, I would be running back to my old job.” “Unfortunately, I don’t know of anyone who is more qualified for this than you. Please keep moving forward and contact me if anything comes up.” “…Understood.” I confirm that the transmission has ended and click my tongue. My attention is drawn to the woods, where I can hear a strange, distant howling. Our journey to defeat the Demon Lord has only just begun. Then, on the night of the eleventh day in the woods, the hero suddenly says, “I think I’d like to briefly return to the village.” Nao’s current level is 27. He’s continuing to evolve at the moment, and by tomorrow morning, he should be level 28. Our initial goal was to get Nao to level 30 in two weeks, give or take a few days. Basically, we just need to get him to level 30 within the one month period before the Demon Lord’s forces become able to sense his presence. I stare at Nao, caught off guard by this idea that has never come up before. We sit on opposite sides of the fire. The orange glow of the flames is reflected in his ever-serious eyes. “I’d like to stay in the woods and level you up until you reach thirty. If we return to the village, we lose all the time it takes to travel there.” “But we have time, don’t we?” “…True, we do. If we stayed just one night in the village, we should still reach our goal.” I look over at Limis and Aria, who are sitting quietly. Maybe they’re exhausted. I can heal stamina with holy techniques, but I can’t do anything for the mental strain. Limis may also be increasingly stressed by her inability to fight. We will reach the target level in two or three more days. This isn’t the best timing, but I can’t neglect their needs…right? I don’t know what made Nao bring it up all of a sudden, but this is his party. “We’ll do whatever the leader thinks best.” “…All right, thanks. And I finally learned all the holy techniques up through the prism, too.” The hero slowly surveys the camp. Today Nao was the one to cast the prism. It isn’t as strong as mine, but that will come with practice. I think it’s sufficient for any of the monsters that would come out of these woods. “Well, I can’t do it quite like you can, with just a stamp of your foot…” “I do it in a particular way for efficiency. The original method is to set a boundary with holy water.” The most common method is to pour holy water in a line around the area, and that line becomes the boundary of the prism. “Right now, your maximum holy energy amount is low. But if you use the techniques every day, that will gradually increase.” Typically, priests will spend a lot of time practicing one technique, and as their holy energy increases, one by one, they learn new techniques. Nao went an entirely different route, so his holy energy is low. That being said, his primary role is to attack. It shouldn’t be a problem if he can use only small amounts of holy energy. Nao listens attentively to the explanation. “Once you get comfortable with the spells, you should take the exam at the church. If you pass, they give you a magical tool that aids in the use of spells.” “A magical tool for spells?” “This thing.” I show him the silver cross and moon earring on my left ear. The earring is proof of priesthood and that you can use holy techniques above a certain level. Nao is interested in the earring. “…What do you have to do for this test?” he asks, staring at it. “You perform the designated holy spells one at a time in front of an examiner. If you can use the spells I taught you, you should be fine.” The exam isn’t that difficult, but they do have a requirement for your pool of holy energy. It might be tough for Nao to pass in his current state. Nao stares for a moment, thinking. Having nothing else to say about it, he tosses a few branches on the fire and changes the topic. “If we go back, a good plan would be to leave in the morning, rest for the day, spend the night in the village, and head back here the following morning. “…And I should sell the remains of the monsters we defeated,” he adds. “Near the hunter’s tavern, there’s a marketplace specifically for this kind of thing,” I explain. “Or you can trade directly with the merchants. Typically, the hunters are easier to trade with, but the merchants will pay more.” This reminds me—I’ve taught them about survival and battle techniques but not about how to act in a village. Aria and Limis are both princesses. They probably don’t know much about these things. All of a sudden, Garnet, who was darting around near the fire, stops and looks up at me. The shimmer of the flames in his dark-red eyes feels like an ill omen, and I avert my gaze. I have more concerns than I can handle, but presently, things are fine. If we continue at this pace, things should progress well. The Three Deities and Eight Spirit Kings—the major spirits in this world and the three gods who are its pillars—are smiling down on this hero. “I’m sorry, Ares, but…could you leave the party?” And with that, back at the village, I am cut from Naotsugu Toudou’s party. Fuck you, Nao!