Chapter 12. Honor and Sacrifice (6)

The “Hero” was indeed heroic.

Ria is tall for a woman, but not overwhelmingly so. She’s just above average height, enough to look down at me.

However, Ria’s father, the Hero ‘Lee Do-hyun’, was not just ‘above average height’.

190cm… no, it seemed even more than that. I couldn’t quite gauge if he was truly 2 meters tall, but the sense of intimidation I felt was at least that much. Both his standing height and sitting height were immense, forcing me to look up at him.

The thickness of his arms was also incredible.

Don’t people sometimes measure the thighs of male athletes with a tape measure and compare them to the waist thickness of female celebrities? Well, the thickness of this man’s arms seemed comparable to my waist. His shoulders were broad, and the thickness of his arms and thighs was also quite cartoonish in many ways.

Hmm.

If he hit me once, I’d definitely break something.

That was my first thought upon seeing this gentleman.

Of course, I had no intention of saying that out loud.

He let out a deep sigh upon seeing me, which made me a little intimidated.

“Sister Anna, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Ah, yes, yes… My name is Anna. Please take care of me…”

“My daughter has been indebted to you.”

Even as he said that, his expression wasn’t particularly good. Was it because I followed along?

“Why are you scaring the child?”

Ria immediately snapped at her father.

No, Ria. Couldn’t you be a little more careful?

I’m a little scared.

Of course, I know this person wouldn’t hit me.

It’s strange. I’ve stood before a Cardinal and even fought against much larger monsters than this man.

…

Ah, I see.

Perhaps it’s because I was prepared for the possibility of being hit.

Ria entered with such confidence that she sat down without even saying she wouldn’t, facing her father. Then, she crossed her arms and glared at her father.

Normally, I would have unconsciously looked at Ria’s chest, which was raised upwards, but now it felt like it would cause big trouble.

So instead, I lowered my gaze slightly and timidly approached, sitting in a spot near Ria.

As if that was enough preparation for conversation, Ria’s father suddenly spoke.

“Come back soon, Chae-eun.”

And Ria replied abruptly.

“Dad, are you senile?”

“…”

Hearing the first words exchanged between father and daughter, I covered my face with both hands.

That…

I thought their relationship might be bad, but I didn’t expect it to be this 살벌 (chillingly hostile).

“You’re the one who brought me here, aren’t you? Weren’t you hoping I’d come back having learned some manners?”

“…”

Ria’s father seemed to have lost his words.

“Do you think my current behavior looks like I’ve learned manners?”

“No? I’m saying there’s no reason for me to follow your thoughts.”

Ria’s father, Mr. Lee Do-hyun, the greatest and first hero of this country, his mouth twitched. It might have been my imagination, but it seemed like veins were slightly showing on his forearm muscles.

“…Are you saying you have no intention of inheriting the family business?”

“Is it even a business worth calling a family business? You’re the only hero, Dad. There’s no need to talk about it as if it’s been passed down through generations, is there?”

Hmm…

Both of them have a point. If Ria had no talent, her father wouldn’t have had any expectations. If Ria had no interest or talent in fighting, but knew how to play the piano or violin, he might have supported her in that direction.

Conversely, whether Ria had talent or not, the profession Ria chose should be her own decision. As Ria said, even if it’s a family business, it’s only just passing its first generation.

The history is only a decade or so, so if you say ‘it’s not a family business,’ you could say that.

“Then what do you want me to do, Ria?”

Ria’s father said.

“Are you going to be stuck here forever-“

His emotions seemed to have escalated, and he stopped mid-sentence.

Even though the surroundings looked like an ordinary pantry, it was actually inside the church. While some people were just passing through, there were also those who intended to stay here for life. Even if Ria’s father, a man, didn’t enter the nunnery, who knows who might be walking past this door?

Therefore, the word ‘stuck’ is somewhat inappropriate. For some, that faith was genuine.

…

I didn’t expect myself to think this way.

“Are you seriously saying you’ll become a nun?”

“Not a nun, how about a knight?”

Ria didn’t look at me, perhaps intentionally.

Just as I didn’t ask God in front of Sister Maria, perhaps Ria is doing the same. To avoid burdening me.

…However.

If so, this would also be my fault. Ria had no intention of meeting her father in the first place, but she came out because I said I’d go with her.

“…Are you saying you’ll become a knight of the church? That you won’t marry and will live your life only by the law?”

“What’s wrong with that? That can also be called being a ‘Hero’.”

“Are you saying that because you don’t know what kind of life that is?”

Ria’s father said that, but Ria just crossed her arms and glared at her father.

Ria’s father’s gaze finally turned to me.

As I stiffened and tensed up, Ria suddenly spoke.

“It has nothing to do with Anna. It’s my choice.”

Even I was a little stunned by those words. No, of course, I know she’s saying that to protect me. I know that the reason Ria wants to stay is ultimately because of me.

But still, it was a little… unsettling.

“Actually,”

Ria murmured slowly.

“Dad, you sent me to learn from the Saint candidate, didn’t you? You never even met her before.”

“…”

“You only heard rumors, right? While rumors within the church are very factional, you can also hear stories from hunters. She’s pretty, and no matter how injured someone is, she heals them with all her might. Just by hearing the stories, she really is the best Saint in the world.”

Ah, this time my face turned a little red.

The part about the Saint candidate in the back is irrelevant. More than that, it was embarrassing that Ria called me pretty.

Trying hard to think of something else to avoid blushing, Ria spoke as if landing the finishing blow.

“You sent me to be by the side of such a Saint, hoping I’d be influenced, but did you really think I’d come out obediently if you told me to?”

I don’t think that’s it.

Rather, she probably hoped I was feeling a bit stifled here. Of course, she probably wanted me to have an influence too. From the church’s perspective, I was a troublemaker, but at least from the outside, I was a person with such strong faith that I could perform miracles.

If the fight with the Cardinal was seen as factional strife, it could be seen that way.

What Ria said was a denial of God.

It was also something a hero shouldn’t say. And that’s why the Saint and Lee Chae-eun in the original work fought all the time.

Although I was quite far from being that Saint.

“…”

Ria’s father remained silent for a while, then let out a long sigh and stood up.

“If that’s what you think, there’s nothing I can do.”

“It’s good that you know that now.”

Honestly, I wanted to jump up and stop him, but it was also hard to say anything.

It reminded me of my childhood in my past life.

I don’t know what kind of person Ria’s father is, but at least my father was like that.

In the end, without ever bridging our differences, I lived apart from my parents my whole life. I don’t remember what my end was like. Until recently, I just thought I read a novel and then the next day, I was whisked away to this world, but lately, I’ve been wondering if that wasn’t actually the case.

I pursed my lips and then quickly stood up.

“Ri, Ria- no, Mr. Chae-eun’s father.”

My words made the footsteps of the person about to leave the interview room stop abruptly.

Ria’s eyes widened as she looked up at me.

My heart was pounding. To be honest, this moment was much scarier than when I was in front of those giant monsters.

Ria’s father is scary, but Ria is scarier to me. If Ria gets angry and tells me not to meddle- now, I would be deeply hurt.

However, if I remained completely silent until the end, there would be no reason for me to have come along.

Even if I can’t reconcile them right now, I at least wanted to prevent the emotional gap from becoming too deep.

“I, I will protect you.”

At those words, the room fell silent.

It felt like even breathing had stopped.

I felt like I wanted to grab my head and roll on the floor.

No, Anna, what are you saying right now…