Chapter 24

The beautiful girl appears to be around the age of 13-15. She walks towards us with a smile, the atmosphere had caused us to relax our guard. The woman who is leading these groups of men must be a high ranking official from the Church. Such a person is probably not a bandit. She must had noticed that we were armed and cautious of her group. Otherwise she wouldn’t be trying to explain her situation. Also she mentioned, Hero.

She calmly approaches us.

Me a Hero? Surely, I do have the Divine Protection of many G.o.ds, but Heroes only exist in manga and anime. If I am not mistaken Lux did mentioned something about a Maou that exist in this world. Doesn’t a s.h.i.+nto Priest have the right to select a Hero and grant them a Divine Protection of a G.o.d?

I check the Status Menu.

Seira Diano                         s.h.i.+nto Priest Lv. 20                          Age 14

『Selection of Iyakami』             Can grant a Hero Divine protection.         Single effect.

Her clothes are worn, but without a doubt this beautiful girl is a 『s.h.i.+nto Priest』. However unlike Baara who only has the Skill Recovery Magic, this girl has a Divine Protection of a G.o.d.

Seira is standing directly in front of us. From the rear of their group, a Knight in red armor runs up to Seira and says something to her.

「Seira-sama, I’ll worry, if you rush ahead alone.」

「I’m sorry, Alfred. But, I can finally meet the Hero at last.」

The Knight with the highest Level spoke to the beautiful s.h.i.+nto Priest.

The leader of the Knight’s seems to be named Alfred.

「I understand, but still this forest is home to many Monsters. Please be more careful.」

「Oh well, you should have scouted ahead first.」

While retorting back to Alfred, Seira greets us with a graceful bow.

「Nice to meet you. My name is Seira Diano a s.h.i.+nto Priest elected by the Thora Church. The oracle foretells of the Maou revival, and the arrival of the Hero. I welcome you my chosen Hero.」

She presents her right hand, in preparation to welcome me.

「Oh, will you please kindly accept? My Hero, Hylux the Brave Heart.」

「… why are you say my name?」

The chosen Hero seems puzzled. My face is a little red. I’m ashamed of myself, I thought I was the chosen Hero.

「I have researched, and discovered that you are a descendant of a Hero.」

「I’m no longer related to that house!! And… because of me, you have arrived here in such a battered condition!!」

「You are a selected s.h.i.+nto Priest of the Thora Church, you needn’t be acting like a common Adventurer.」

Alfred who has been waiting behind Seira intervenes. Lux glares at Alfred with a sour face. When Baara was still a member of the Church something must have happened. Lux doesn’t make a move, it seems that whatever he wanted to say is conveyed through his eyes.

Seira brushes away the heavy silence.

「I understand, you have some complicated history, but will you please let me speak.」

At her request Lux stops glaring. However his body language shows that he is still irritated.

「First of all, has everyone awoken?」

I confirm with Lux by whisper. I didn’t know the situation and did not feel safe with the current circ.u.mstances. I want to check with Baara first.

「I’m sorry Hibiki, could you take care of that?」

His expression slightly loosens, I nod. I approach the tent where everyone is sleeping. The location of the tent is a little distance away from the campfire. Away from open s.p.a.ce it is hidden near the bushes. It is strategically chosen in case of an a.s.sault.

Gary, unlike the others is resting near the back, hidden away by the trees. As soon as I get closer his eye opens.

「Is there something wrong? It’s still too early to switch.」

「Ah, we have guest.」

His expression briefly changed but refocused the moment he heard we had guest. He may have figured out that the situation wasn’t direr from how easy-going I was.

「Our visitor is a selected s.h.i.+nto Priest from the Church and some Knights as guards. They say Lux is the chosen Hero.」

Gary’s face warps when he hears the news.

「The s.h.i.+nto Priest called Lux the Brave Heart. Is Baara somehow related to any of this?」

I end the conversation there and part with Gary, it is not my place to concern myself with other people’s affairs. I move to the tent to speak with Ayla and Amy. It’s good that I don’t have to re-explain the situation, everyone already understand based on my talk with Gary.

「Ayla, Amy. Sorry for waking you up. Are Kuesu-sensei and Baara up?」

If I recall, Ayla and Amy are staying in the same tent as Kuesu. Ayla may have been half asleep while I was on guard duty.

「Good morning Master, the two of us are now up and ready.」

「… what do you mean by “good morning”?」

Ayla, while fully awake remains alert, but Amy seems tired and slightly sleepy.

「Lux has visitors, please ask Gary for details.」

「I understand, should we prepare to depart?」

「Considering the possibilities, should we prepare for departure?」|

「Yes, please do.」

「Ah, also survey the area for Monsters. Amy come with me.」

「Yes.」

I bring Amy along in order to ask her questions about the things I don’t know about in this world. The ignorant me, didn’t know about the existence of a s.h.i.+nto Priest or the Church.

I left the tent where Ayla stayed and return to Lux, with Amy and Gary.

「Lux, how are you doing?」

Gary asks as he immediately moves to stand near Lux. Two other women run up to Lux without delay.

Lux confirms his Party Member’s faces. He tells them he is okay.

「Who is the b.a.s.t.a.r.d that has chosen our leader?」

Gary makes a menacing face and scowls at the visitors.

「It is I.」

Seira steps forward, the atmosphere she emits would make even the bravest of men step back.

「I, Seira Diano, a s.h.i.+nto Priest of the Thora Church has elected Hylux as the Hero.」

Similar to how she greeted us before, she makes a graceful bow. There is a reaction from Baara after hearing the word s.h.i.+nto Priest.

「With my given right, I nominate Hylux as the Hero, this is my decree. Hylux do you disapprove?」

「I am but an ordinary man, for me to be a Hero, even temporarily I must decline.」

「Will you please accept my refusal, and kindly return back to Welberg?」

All the members are shocked and speechless, Lux has undoubtedly refused.

「Please do not say something so selfish, we are too exhausted to accept such a response.」

They let their true feelings slip among their whispers. Seira is looking this way, however our party has already come to an agreement.

「I understand, my group will make preparations to return tomorrow morning.」

「Please do so.」

After the conversation ended Lux and his companions returned to the camp. I talked to everyone about our future plans after we had returned.

It seems the person who was supposed to watch the fire was gone, he may have disappeared when we were talking to Seira.

「s.h.i.+nto Priest, I want to ask one of your Knights to watch over our campfire.」

As I talked to her I could hear that her voice was rough.

「Why should I let my guards a.s.sist you!!」

「Well, Lux is currently at my campsite. This could be your chance to earn his favor.」

Seira’s expression appears mortified.

「Why don’t you explain to me how “brown nosing” to Lux, will benefit my party?」

Eh!?

「Well, you could watch our campfire as a way to apologize to Lux, and he may be grateful.」

After saying what I needed, I move towards Amy near the campfire.

「Wait!!」

「What is it?」

「I will watch the campfire?」

「Aren’t things fine the way they are now?」

Seira arrogantly asks, I reflexively refuse.

「Eh!?」

「Weren’t you the one who suggested that?」

Seira blushes.

Ku, ku, kuku

「If you no longer have any business with me, please leave, I have to get up early tomorrow.」

「Ah.」

「Ah?」

「Could you please let me watch the campfire!!」

I’m satisfied now that I have gotten her to politely ask.

「It can’t be helped, you may switch with me.」

Perhaps, Seira had a mortified expression but I couldn’t see it, she was facing the other way. I head back to the tent. Amy seemed to be muttering something.

「Master, you seem lively.」

I returned to the tent, Ayla was preparing for the departure tomorrow morning. The tent had been taken down, three people were carrying it on their shoulder. Lux and the others were packing up the blankets.