Chapter 31

I had Roka run an errand to bring the princess, but now I feel like I should’ve gone myself.

How heavy is my butt that I made Roka do it? How precious are my feet that I didn’t go myself? Regret is hitting me hard.

“Did you two fight or something?”

The atmosphere between the two of them was icy cold.

I didn’t expect them to have a lively conversation while walking, but I hoped they’d at least get along a little. Maybe that was too much to ask. I guess I wanted more than I thought.

“Fight? How much do I like Roka? Right, Roka?”


“…Yeah. We didn’t fight or anything.”

Looking at them, I was sure of one thing.

Never leave them alone together. Absolutely not. I’d rather move with one of them than leave the two together. It looked like someone would get hurt.

‘If they ask to learn acting with the Phylogenetic Seedling, I should definitely not approve.’

Look at that awkward atmosphere. Anyone can tell they clashed.

Roka quietly came over and hugged me. I thought she had something to say, but it seemed she just missed my pats. When I patted her, her expression finally softened.

Seeing Roka’s melted expression, the princess made a displeased face.

I don’t get it. She’s such a cute, small child. Why is Princess Ardein so prickly?

She’s kind, polite, and smart even if she doesn’t study.

She’s diligent, never refuses errands, eats well, sleeps well, has lots of charm, and is full of aegyo.

So why is the princess looking at Roka with such a sour face?

“Saint. Does that wolf… I mean, Roka, always act so… submissive in front of you?”

The princess’s expression as she watched Roka nuzzle into me was beyond disbelief, tinged with shock and horror. It seemed like she didn’t even know what to say.

“She likes me a bit, right?”


“It’s not just liking—it’s like she can’t live without you…?”

Aww, this cutie.

I couldn’t resist and kept patting Roka, who looked at me with honey-dripping eyes. When Roka giggled, the princess finally sighed.

“I expected it, but this is really dangerous.”


“Me?”


“Well, it’s fine now. I’ll be by your side, Saint.”

Anyway, after patting Roka,

and brushing her ear fur neatly,

the princess and I began preparing for our adventure. The princess had plenty of field experience, and I had followed the Hero Party around, so preparations were quick.

“Do we need to bring water?”


“Just one canteen each? We can make a spring if needed.”


“The weather’s warming up, but we still don’t know. Should we pack thick clothes?”


“The Bluebird’s feathers can handle that.”

Thinking about it, the miracles I received from the Lord mostly help with adventures.

They can be used for other purposes, but if I don’t travel, they’re practically useless. The sanctuary’s candles, the reviving spring water, and the Bluebird’s feathers were all gained during adventures.

But fundamentally, they’re miracles.

Given by the Lord, and I’m just a vessel.

This humble priest has served the Lord for almost 20 years. Not satisfied with just receiving, I’ve created some techniques by applying the Lord’s power.

“We can use the Ugly Jar, so let’s pack as much as we can. Especially candles.”


“Ugly Jar?”


“It’s not a miracle from the Lord, but something I created. That’s why it’s ugly. Compared to the Lord’s miracles, it’s really trivial.”

I call it a divine power.

The Ugly Jar. A portable warehouse larger on the inside.

Things stored inside don’t weigh anything, don’t spoil, and are preserved. If you put warm soup in, it stays warm no matter how much time passes.

Even if it’s called a jar, it can be made small enough to fit in a pocket. Since divine powers are entirely my application, this level of use is simple.

This reduces the amount you can carry, but it’s still much more than a backpack.

“If we really run out of food, though I’d rather not, we can use the Mud Oven.”

The Mud Oven is another divine power I created. Bake sand, and it becomes cookies. Shape and bake mud, and it becomes bread. The texture and taste are no different from flour-baked bread.

“You’re saying we’ll bake mud to eat…?!”


“Saint, if it comes to that, I’d rather reveal my identity and get money.”

But I rarely use this power unless it’s to save the truly hungry.

Even if mud becomes bread, it’s still made of mud. Even if it’s for the poor, if there’s other food, I don’t want to hand them mud-baked bread and tell them to eat it.

“So let’s prepare thoroughly. It’s best if that doesn’t happen.”

I always pray, but most of my prayers are thanks to Him.

I don’t ask for things. Relying on the Lord’s power should be the last resort. After all, we’re the ones living in reality, and we’re responsible for our actions. Travel preparations must be thorough.

If you’ve checked all preparations thoroughly and still face a crisis, then you can pray to the Lord. But if you prepare carelessly and face a crisis, will you go looking for the Lord then?

It’s better for everyone to prepare so that doesn’t happen.

“Bring enough money too.”

If one person carries all the money and loses it, we’ll be homeless.

I have another divine power, Night’s Shelter, but it requires a large empty area. In the mountains or plains, it’s fine, but in the city, money is important.

“When I first came to this city, it was so cold tears would freeze, but lately, the weather’s warmed up, so walking shouldn’t be hard.”


“Aren’t we taking a carriage?”

Are you suggesting we walk to the capital? We could, but in the empire, not the demon world? I thought that, but the princess seemed to have a plan.

“There’s a place where we can borrow a carriage. It’s quick from this city to there, so just trust me and follow.”

Alright, I’ll trust her.

With the winter wind fading and the spring breeze blowing,

it’s time to head north to the capital. I’ll drop off the princess there and go further north.

To a place where even demons don’t go.

The frozen land of the Arctic.

*****

Going outside is tough. The fastest and surest way to realize that home is the most comfortable is to leave home and travel far.

Outside the crumbling thatched house, a few centipedes scurried away. The Hero Party’s expressions weren’t much better than the fleeing centipedes.

“Honestly, I never thought I’d miss that shelter.”

Yurinel Larkponsia shook her head.

“But suddenly, I miss it.”


“We have to sleep here…?”


“Either set up a tent outside or sleep here. This is better, right? Just chase away the bugs, and we can get some sleep.”

Kyle’s divine power, Night’s Shelter, is based on the cabin of Helmut, a hunter from Pumpkin Vine Village, Kyle and Yurinel’s hometown.

Helmut was a good person. He allowed children to use his cabin when he wasn’t there.

The hot spring behind the cabin was the same. He built the cabin where the hot spring was, but for country kids with nothing to do, his cabin was a playground and a shelter.

‘I didn’t like that ability because it kept reminding me of that shabby village.’

The cabin, complete with the hot spring, is Night’s Shelter.

Helmut’s cabin was quite large, with several rooms, so even ten people could stay comfortably, and the hot spring was perfect for washing up.

You could even cook eggs in the hot spring for a quick meal. The cabin had ingredients, so it was fun to search for them.

‘Who knew I’d miss it so much? Life’s full of surprises.’

It’s not a bad place to rest for a day before setting off, but thinking it could always be replaced with camping was the downfall.

“Ugh… I feel itchy. Is there anywhere to wash?”


“I saw a pond earlier. Wash there.”


“That place full of tadpoles? No way. I’d rather stay dirty.”

Despite saying that, the mage used water pillar magic to wash herself. Of course, after seeing that, others requested the water pillar magic multiple times.

One person kept watch, two prepared meals and camping, Parnell made water pillars, and another washed and passed the spot to the next person. Kyle’s divine power could be replaced by human effort, but it was undeniably more tiring.

“Saint, can’t you make something like spring water?”


“It’s not that simple…”

Araidel spoke with an apologetic expression.

“The goddess governs the earth, not lakes and water sources. Of course, not the earth itself either. She can enrich the earth, but spring water is a bit…”

It’s not that she can’t, but she doesn’t. What can you say?

If anyone’s to blame, it’s the Hero Party, who hired her as a saint without an interview, saying she could start tomorrow.

“Then there’s no choice.”


“Can you at least make a shelter?”


“Is that something a priest usually does?”

Araidel looked at Reinhaim in confusion.

The bishop, Reinhaim, shook her head.

“Isn’t that something a dedicated supporter or the whole party working together should do?”


“The bishop is right.”

Lucia reluctantly nodded. It’s true. What more is there to say?

They’re priests, not architects or well-diggers. They heal in battle, treat wounds, and assist in demon hunting with holy magic. That’s their job.

What party asks a priest to build houses and make springs? Even the Hero Party didn’t do that.

‘They didn’t ask him to make it.’

Only then did Yurinel realize Kyle’s contributions. Things that seemed trivial were actually not as simple as she thought. They were just taken for granted.

‘He just made it, and we thought it was normal.’

Thanks to human nature adapting to what’s easy and convenient, no one questioned Kyle. Over time, it became accepted as the priest’s job.

Looking back now, it wasn’t originally the priest’s job, but continuous favors made it seem like his duty.

“We should’ve at least brought a supporter.”


“Not this again?”


“No, it’s just regrettable. It’s not worth whining about, but it’s a bit disappointing.”

With all the miracles and divine powers gone, the adventure became several times more inconvenient. There are alternatives, but Plan B is Plan B for a reason.

Plan A is much better. Alternatives are just that—alternatives. The ideal situation is when you don’t need them.

“Stop it. This isn’t something to fight over. No one knew it would turn out like this.”

Yurinel was right. One reason Kyle’s absence is so felt is that times have changed.

The party, always buying supplies from demon merchants, only realized the food was poisoned after eating it. Moreover, when they heightened their guard, they felt eyes watching them from all directions.

Even a village child was an enemy scout, and a goat herder was an enemy informant.

There were no civilians—no civilian demons. Harmail’s influence had reached even here, the outskirts of the demon world.

The feeling that demons were unifying into a single organization grew stronger.

The poison was easily flushed out with the reviving spring water, but now they knew they couldn’t trust anyone, so they had to stay alert.

That’s why they chose remote places to hide. As a result, exploring uncharted areas became routine.

Lucia sighed as she watched the campfire burn.

“Be careful, always careful. This is enemy territory.”

The mage Parnell nodded as she set up barrier and alarm magic.

“In the worst case, Harmail might come looking for us herself.”

If Harmail has any sense, she won’t. Yurinel chuckled.

“So what if she comes? It’s not like we’re powerless.”

There’s no guarantee she could annihilate the Hero Party even if she came herself,

and Harmail’s authority isn’t absolute. Demons are inherently prone to infighting.

The more resources Harmail invests in capturing the Hero Party, the harder it is for her to suppress and lead the unruly demons.

If Harmail confidently steps forward and loses to the hero, no demon will sincerely follow her from that moment. Demons worship strength.

“It’s unnecessary worry. Even if we can’t beat her, we can escape.”

The emperor personally leading is a burden, and only an overwhelming victory can break even. The demon kings submitted to Harmail but didn’t bow down, always ready to rebel and return to the old ways.

They remembered the ideal era when they divided the demon world.

They didn’t like Harmail lording over them.

Of course, they’re demons too and won’t help the hero rebel against Harmail.

At best, they’re neutral, and that’s opportunistic. If conditions are right, they could be friends, but that also means they could become enemies if conditions change.

In reality, the chance of them becoming enemies is overwhelmingly higher. The only demon king who could’ve been a friend, Horisa, committed suicide in the Hittite Gorge.

“Well, that’s true.”

So it’s best not to let your guard down.

Even if she says it’s no big deal, Yurinel has a lot on her mind.

‘We need to be more careful.’


“Hero, if you have time…”

When her mind was cluttered, the saint quietly approached and spoke.

“Could we talk for a bit?”