Kail mulled over the words of the saintess in front of him as he gazed at her.
“What? Hero?”
“Yes, Hero.”
“No, where do you see it?”
How could a man who came back covered all over with clumps of blood be called a hero? Kail shrugged his shoulders as if he couldn’t understand.
However, the saintess shook her head from side to side, as if to say otherwise.
“That blood and flesh belong to a demon, and one who has smeared themselves with its blood all over is surely worthy of being called a hero. How could it be wrong for me to call you a hero?”
“Well, just because I caught a demon or something…”
“A demon is a formidable foe that even a Master would risk their life against. Not to mention, it’s not an enemy that a still-growing hero like yourself should be able to defeat. If you fought such a creature risking your life and managed to drive it back, then surely you deserve to be called a hero.”
It was easier than I thought… Kail scratched his cheek thinking this way. It seemed the saintess believed he had defeated the demon after a fierce life-or-death struggle.
But that wasn’t the case. The demon hadn’t fully descended, and its corporeal form lacked reason.
It was no different from a beast driven purely by instinct. And no matter how strong a mindless beast may be, it will eventually be hunted down by hunters.
Yeah, if anything ─ this demon hunt was closer to hunting rather than a battle or bloody combat.
“But anyway, if I accept being called Hero, is there any benefit?”
“…Pardon?”
“Like some title effect or something?”
Being officially called a hero by the saintess herself could mean gaining an official status in the Holy Kingdom, and there must be some perks to being called a hero by the nation.
Kail looked at the saintess expecting benefits akin to an American Medal of Honor. The saintess wiped off a cold sweat at his somewhat materialistic demeanor.
“…Before that, may I know your name?”
“Kail, Kail Meyer.”
“Kail Meyer… Hmm, this must be─.”
“My father.”
“I see. Hero.”
The saintess said this while lightly smiling, raising the corners of her mouth with both hands.
“You asked what you can gain by receiving the title of hero?”
“Yes.”
“How about my smile?”
“…Pardon?”
Not knowing how to respond to that, Kail stiffened awkwardly as he stared at the saintess. Sensing Kail’s frozen expression, the saintess burst into laughter and naturally lowered her smile.
Feeling the atmosphere turning strange, Kail tried to lighten the mood with a bit of a joke.
“Rather than that, why don’t you let me touch your chest?”
“…Eh? Well, since I am a saintess, that’s a bit…”
“…No, just kidding.”
Their conversation cut off, and Kail, not knowing what to do in this awkward situation, casually extended his hand.
Realizing the intention behind the handshake, the saintess covered her chest with one hand and took his hand with the other.
At the moment their hands touched, the saintess flinched as she felt an aura surging through her hand like lightning.
“─Ah, wait a moment, Hero. How old are you this year?”
Sensing something odd, the saintess immediately asked Kail’s age. Kail revealed his age as if wondering why she was asking.
“Fifteen this year.”
“Wha, fifteen?”
Hearing this, the saintess started scrutinizing Kail’s face, unable to believe it. Indeed, he did look young enough for his age of fifteen.
However, she also found it hard to believe his age. The saintess recalled the wave of aura she felt when they held hands, a tide whose depth she couldn’t fathom.
That wasn’t power someone in their teens could possess. She knew very well what to call those who possessed such strength.
‘Master…’
There were rare cases of people possessing master-level power in their teens. For instance, the saintess herself had gained such power at the age of five when chosen by God.
Even now, after nearly a decade, her faith in following God or the speed of reciting prayers had improved, but her divine power hadn’t changed much.
However, that was an exceptional case. There were very few others like her.
And in Kail’s case, he didn’t obtain divine power by being chosen by God, nor did he have innate force abilities.
“Hmm… Hero, if you’re fifteen─ are you attending an academy?”
“Yes, well. Diaros Academy.”
“Is that so. I understand.”
As the saintess turned to leave, she carefully pulled Kail’s hand and began gently scratching the back of his hand.
Feeling the ticklish sensation on the back of his hand, Kail watched the saintess questioningly, only to freeze upon seeing the golden cross engraved on his hand.
“This is…”
“You just asked if there’s anything to gain by becoming a hero, right?”
The saintess tapped the cross etched into the back of his hand. The golden cross tattoo shone brightly, beginning to bless Kail’s body.
Kail looked down at the cross, feeling his physical abilities strengthen beyond what even his aura enhancement could achieve.
“This is the Stigma I bestow. If you infuse this cross with aura, it will become your power whenever you need it.”
“The tattoo is a bit…”
“…It won’t be visible normally, so it’s fine.”
The saintess slightly chuckled awkwardly at Kail and carefully stepped back, clasping her hands together in a prayer pose with a bright smile.
“─Thank you once again for stopping the demon before it caused greater harm.”
“I just did what I had to do.”
“It wasn’t necessarily the right thing to do, but it was what needed to be done. And since the result was good, it deserves praise.”
The saintess smiled brightly and said this to Kail.
After exchanging final greetings, the saintess returned to her unit and rode her horse toward the city.
Perhaps to erase any remnants of demons, undead, or black magic left within the city.
Watching the saintess disappear, Kail soon turned his body toward the count.
“Let’s head back now.”
“Eh, yes. We should…”
The count, who had been watching Kail and the saintess’s exchange and what they gave each other from nearby, gave a bitter look at his son before issuing the retreat order.
* * *
The ruined Etalin territory.
The paladins began purifying the city, exorcising the remaining undead and lingering spirits that hadn’t yet departed.
However, they all knew very well what would happen to this city.
A city contaminated by the blood and flesh of a demon. This city, destroyed by a black mage, would likely be completely wiped away without leaving a trace.
Since the demon’s flesh had flowed out through the sewers, the entire sewer system would need to be overturned and purified. The costs would all be charged to the Empire and become revenue for the Holy Kingdom.
“Looking at the surrounding scenery, it must have been a beautiful city…”
The saintess sighed with regret as she assisted in cleaning the city. Each time she swung her mace brimming with divine power, five-story buildings began collapsing entirely.
The dust and debris that emerged at this time couldn’t rise due to the power of God and remained on the ground.
As the city’s cleanup neared completion, the saintess paused upon seeing a paladin approaching her.
“Saintess. I have something to ask.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“What were you discussing with that man earlier? It sounded quite rude…”
“Were you eavesdropping? How disrespectful.”
“Sorry. Your voices were loud enough that I couldn’t help but hear them.”
The paladin pointed out that the saintess had mentioned not being able to offer her chest or body. Hearing this, the saintess turned her head slightly and remained silent.
“Saintess?”
“…It was sexual harassment.”
“That wasn’t my intention. I’m sorry.”
“Yes, well. I think you didn’t mean it seriously.”
The saintess swung her mace again, smashing another building, as she recalled Kail’s face.
“Paladin. Do you know the saying that every force has its counterforce?”
“Yes, in turbulent times, heroes are born, and trials come to heroes.”
“Well, it’s a chicken-and-egg kind of discussion, so let’s set that aside… In the end, a hero is someone prepared for the upcoming trial.”
In turbulent times, heroes are born.
However, clerics interpret it differently.
No matter the difficulty, God sends someone capable of resolving it.
“But what if there’s someone who seems absurdly powerful? Someone everyone believes must become a hero? How should we view that?”
“Saintess, what do you mean…?”
“Here’s what I mean. A trial so severe that it requires a genius who becomes a master in their teens.”
The world would come to need Kail Meyer.
This was a kind of prophecy.
“We’ll need to prepare as well.”
A trial is coming.
A trial so terrifying that history has never seen a hero great enough to face it.
