Chapter 6: Survival strategy (1)

If one were to summarize the characteristics of the nation of Salem in a single phrase, it would be “The Holy Kingdom.”

Salem is the most religiously saturated nation in all of Elpidion, with the influence of the Goddess Church deeply ingrained in every aspect of society, from top to bottom.

The majority of its citizens donate a portion of their earnings to the church, gather for worship every Sunday morning, and always offer a prayer of thanks to the Goddess before every meal.

The capital, Ashtaria, is home to the main headquarters of the Goddess Church, underscoring the inseparable bond between Salem and the Church.

However…..

“The issue lies in the fact that the Church’s power is gradually waning.”

Traditionally, the Church’s authority rested on two pillars, the divine power wielded by its priests and the formidable military strength of the Inquisitors and Holy Knights.

But as technological advancements have accelerated, both of these pillars have become less impressive.

In an age where alchemy can cure diseases and magitech produces cutting-edge weapons, the Church no longer holds a unique position.

Additionally, the long period of peace has led to the corruption of many priests, who have become more focused on personal gain than on dedicating themselves to the Goddess.

This corruption has even reached the central temple, the heart of the Church.

The decline of the Goddess Church signals the decline of Salem itself.

The global dominance that Salem firmly held 500 years ago has now shifted to the Empire of Espera, which has built a powerful military based on magitech.

Salem’s current international image is that of an old man who has passed his prime and is merely awaiting death.

“That’s why Salem can’t afford to lose her. Not under any circumstances.”

-“Heh…”

On the way back after parting with Mana, Sion explained her current situation to Exia.

“A new generation of heroes rising to protect Salem… Just that fact alone could reignite waning faith and drastically elevate our declining status in the international community. That’s why Salem will do whatever it takes to bind her to their nation.”

-“And that method involves marrying her to the prince?”

“Exactly. There’s already a precedent for it.”

During the period when Lier was married into the royal family and helped sustain the nation, Salem experienced a golden age. Naturally, the current king would want to recreate that glorious history.

“The problem is, this puts her in a rather difficult situation…”

-“Difficult? Why?”

“Hah? Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

Sion shot her a sharp look, as if questioning the obvious.

“I am a heterosexual, you know. I have no interest in getting involved with a man.”

-“ah….”

That’s right. It was easy to overlook given her current appearance as a beautiful young girl, but Sion was originally a man—one with a history of multiple romantic entanglements with women.

The thought of marrying a prince instead of a princess was hardly appealing.

-“Yeah, I can see why that would be unpleasant… So, are you going to refuse?”

“If it was up to me, I wouldn’t be agonizing over it like this.”

Sion sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead in frustration.

“For instance, let’s say she refuses. Do you think Salem will simply back off and say, ‘Alright, we respect your decision’?”

-“Huh? They wouldn’t?”

“Of course not. I told you, the fate of their nation is tied to the her actions.”

As Sion spoke, she picked up a small pebble from the ground nearby.

“If they try to persuade or threaten her, that would be easier to handle. But if her existence becomes an obstacle or inconvenience to them—”

With a sharp motion, she clenched her fist, crushing the pebble into dust.

“They’ll do this.”

-“…..”

Gulp.

The sound of Exia swallowing nervously was heard.

-“But aren’t you strong enough on your own? Even if you didn’t retain your former life’s magical power, I doubt you’ve been just sitting around doing nothing…”

“Ah, well, it’s true that no ordinary group could stand a chance against me now, even if they came at me in droves.”

Although her physical abilities have diminished due to her age, she still possesses overwhelming knowledge of magic—the very knowledge that once earned her the title of Demon Lord. With that, protecting herself would be no problem, but…

“The current me isn’t alone.”

-“Huh? Not alone? What do you mean?”

“I mean, I have a family.”

As she spoke, Sion recalled the old shack she had been living in until just that morning.

“My father, Bram, my mother, Claudia, my sister, Sylvia… Although they don’t really feel like a true family to me, they’re still people who have treated me with some measure of care. They shouldn’t have to suffer because of me, right?”

-“Suffer? Why would they?”

“If I refuse the marriage proposal, who knows what the royal family might do to them.”

-“uh…..”

Exia let out a small groan.

-“Would they really go that far? The royal family has its reputation to consider….”

“Quite the opposite. It seems you underestimate the nature of power.

Whether they are demons or humans, all sentient beings will do anything to maintain their control over others. Literally anything.”

-“Umm…”

Exia seemed unconvinced, her expression revealing her youthful naivety. Sion chuckled, thinking to herself that this was what made her still a child.

“Anyway, do you understand the situation I’m in now?”

“Well, I get the general idea. You have to find a way to avoid this marriage naturally. So, let’s see…”

Exia pondered for a moment before suddenly exclaiming as if she had come up with a brilliant idea.

-“How about coming out about your sexual orientation? Then you could marry the princess instead of the prince! And when it comes to the bedroom, you could transform back into a man and—”

“No.”

“That won’t work. Social acceptance aside, the only princess in the royal family right now is a year younger than the crown prince. The succession rights would get tangled up.”

-“Succession rights?”

“Yes, those exist.”

If the age difference were greater, it might not matter, but with only a one-year gap, it becomes a serious issue.

Even if the crown prince has superiority in legitimacy, power, and ability, the title of ‘Hero’s Partner’ could easily override all that.

Doing something like that would disrupt the carefully established succession structure and earn the enmity of the crown prince’s faction. It wouldn’t solve anything.

-“…..Or, wait, how about using transformation magic to turn the prince into a princess? That way, everyone would have a happy ending!”

“Do you really think that would work?” *Thunk!*

-“Ow!”

Sion lightly flicked her sword against Exia’s forehead. Despite the gentle tap, Exia cried out as if she’d been struck hard.

-“Ow, that hurt! And here I was, trying to help….”

“Help? With that brain of yours? No matter how much you think, your ideas are always the same.”

-“Watch your mouth!”

Exia yelled back, her voice high-pitched and indignant. Sion, barely acknowledging her outburst, drifted into thought.

‘If things keep going like this, I’ll end up married to a man… And that’s definitely not something I want. But considering the consequences, I can’t just refuse easily.’

Was there no way out? A way to avoid this forced marriage without causing any backlash…

“…….”

Sion pondered for about ten minutes, her finger resting thoughtfully on her lips, until she finally arrived at a suitable solution.

“It seems there’s only one way.”

-“???”

Exia’s face was full of question marks.

-“Why? Did you come up with something?”

“Yes. It’s a bit of a roundabout approach, but it should work.”

-“A roundabout approach…?”

Exia’s confusion lingered as Sion looked up at the sky.

A bright full moon stood out, asserting its presence among the stars.

“Then let’s begin. The grand deception for survival, Act One.”

A sly smile spread across the girl’s face.

The “Blessing of Spring Pilgrimage” is one of the most significant annual events in Salem.

As winter’s long reign comes to an end and the spring days begin to stretch out, a grand procession sets out from Ashtaria.

The procession includes thousands of priests, knights, and attendants, all escorting the king himself.

For about two to three weeks, they journey across Salem, performing blessing rituals throughout the land.

The purpose is to pray earnestly so that the earth, which lost its vitality during winter, might receive the goddess’s blessing and regain its vigor, ensuring a bountiful harvest for the year.

The blessed land, under the care of the goddess of life, becomes more fertile, yielding more grains and crops.

Compared to neighboring countries that don’t conduct such pilgrimages, the yield is said to be double, proving its effectiveness.

Although the Empire’s recent development of “fertilizers” has somewhat overshadowed the short-term efficiency of the blessing pilgrimage, the pilgrimage remains the safest and most reliable method to enrich the land without side effects.

Thus, the Spring Blessing Pilgrimage continues uninterrupted unless something truly extraordinary happens—like a natural disaster, an invasion by a neighboring army… or the appearance of a new hero who draws the sacred sword.

“Report the situation.”

The 36-year-old King of Salem, Gasantius de Salem, entered the temple and spoke. The chief aide beside him bowed his head and reported.

“Yes, Your Majesty. The girl chosen by the Holy Sword is being escorted to the inner sanctum of the temple, where she is being protected in utmost secrecy. Fortunately, according to the priests, she is calm and not resisting.”

“Have you confirmed her identity?”

“Yes. She is an eight-year-old girl named Sion, residing in Undercut.”

“Undercut?”

Gasantius frowned. Undercut was known as a slum area, wasn’t it?

“A girl from that place pulled the Holy Sword? Really?”

“Yes, there is no doubt. We have already secured both her parents, and cross-verification of testimonies confirmed that the girl is indeed their daughter.”

“Cross-verification…. You didn’t let her meet her parents, did you?”

“Of course not.”

The aide nodded.

Though the girl was calm now, there was no telling how she might react if she met her parents. To prevent any troublesome variables, it was best to keep them apart.

Gasantius stroked his beard, lost in thought.

“From the slums, huh… Depending on how we use it, it could either be a great seasoning to the legend or a bothersome shackle.”

As for Gasantius, he wasn’t a genius, but he was reasonably shrewd.

 He understood the power that came with the title of “Hero.”

Although the influence of the Goddess Church had waned, it was still the dominant religion spread across the entire region of Elpidion.

And a Hero, as the focal point of the Goddess Church, could serve as the perfect diplomatic card to bring Salem back to prominence on the continent—if, of course, she were a real Hero and not a fake.

“She really pulled the Holy Sword, didn’t she? There’s no trickery involved?”

“Absolutely. Thousands of pilgrims present at the scene witnessed it with their own eyes. Even His Holiness the Pope came out personally to verify it, and more importantly…”

“More importantly?”

“The Holy Sword Exia herself declared the girl as the next Hero. There’s no room for doubt.”

Indeed… if the Holy Sword itself spoke, then it was believable. If it had been a fake, Exia could never have been deceived.

“Then let’s assume the Hero is real, and from now on…”

Gasantius’s mind quickly ran through several calculations.

Seeing his expression, the aide cautiously spoke.

“Um… If I may ask without being rude, what should we do about her parents? We’ve detained them for now, but…”

“Hmm? Right….”

Gasantius thought for a moment before speaking.

“Release them. Give them a reasonable amount of money and send them off. If they’re from the slums, that should satisfy them.”

“Pardon? Just let them go?”

“Yes. But make sure you get a commitment from them that they won’t speak of this matter carelessly.”

“Understood.”

The aide nodded.

Gasantius, watching him, suddenly added as if he had just thought of something.

“Oh, and just in case, make sure you don’t take a threatening approach.

Assure them gently that their daughter, the Hero, will be well protected by the state and that they can return home without worry. Do you understand?”

“Yes? Will that really be alright? What if they start getting ideas above their station…?”

“We have no choice. For now, it’s more important not to upset the Hero. If we mistreat her parents and the Hero finds out later, how do you think she’ll react? Don’t forget, she’s just an eight-year-old child.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. My thoughts were too shallow. As expected, Your Majesty is wise.”

The aide bowed deeply, fully convinced.

“Then you may go.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 He bowed low and quickly walked away.

Gasantius watched him for a moment, then turned towards the inner part of the temple.

“A next-generation female Hero, huh…”

Gasantius couldn’t help but think of his eldest son.

Currently, his son was ten years old—around the time to start finding a match for him.

Originally, he had planned to marry him to the eldest daughter of the Granphil family, and there was even a verbal agreement in place…

“I’m sorry to the duke, but the marriage proposal must be canceled.”

Breaking it without a clear reason could lead to significant backlash, but the potential gain outweighed the risks.

 The benefits of a marriage with the Hero were far too great to ignore.

“If we don’t properly secure her now, it could become a serious issue.”

Mana, the headmaster of the academy, had once served as the mage of a Hero’s party.

Someone like her would certainly be interested in the newly emerged Hero and would likely do everything in her power to bring the girl to the academy and personally teach her.

That’s all fine. But the Academy is a place where nobles from all over the world gather to learn.

What if the Hero were to fall for one of those foreign nobles? And what if that noble happened to be from Salem’s greatest rival, Espera?

“That would be a disaster.”

Such an event would strike a fatal blow to the delicate balance between the two nations, which was already teetering on the edge.

Salem could even end up as a vassal state of Espera. To prevent such a future, the new Hero must marry his eldest son. If she were to refuse…

“In the worst case, I may have to secretly ‘deal with’ her.”

As a leader of the Holy Kingdom, it was a thought that should never be entertained, but Gasantius was already resolute.

The presence of the Hero wielded the power of a ticking time bomb.

If she couldn’t be controlled, she would have to be removed. That was the principle by which Gasantius had always governed his nation.

“Is this the place? Where the Hero is?”

After walking for some time, Gasantius stopped in front of a small door at the back of the temple. The guard leading him bowed his head and spoke.

“Yes. She is currently in training.”

“Training?”

Gasantius was puzzled. How could a girl who had been a mere slum dweller with no knowledge of the world until yesterday suddenly be in training?

The guard hesitated, then replied, fumbling for words.

“Well… You’ll understand once you see it for yourself.”

“Hmph.”

Gasantius considered telling the guard to stop beating around the bush but decided against it when he saw the guard’s expression, as if saying, “It’s difficult to put into words.”

Well, he would see it soon enough.

“Open the door.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At Gasantius’s command, the attendants around him slowly pulled the door handle.

—Creak—

The heavy back door swung open, and then…

Gasantius saw a god.