episode_0137

Galatea and her child.

That is, after proving the possibility of combining humans and beasts.

“Ian.”

Two guests came to the office.

“A thin flame, Esther sees the guidance of the light.”

Esther, Bishop of the South Central Diocese.

The former Crescent Territory and current Ian Territory is in the southwestern part of the continent, but it is centrally southern under the jurisdiction of Seonghwagyo.

This happens because the regional divisions of the imperial family and Seonghwagyo are somewhat different.

And the other one.

“Little spark Veronica sees the guidance of light… .”

It was Veronica, the bishop of the church in my land.

Perhaps because they know that I am the second apostle, they have a particularly difficult time with me.

The reason these two came to me, of course, was because of the beastmen.

“Accidents never stop happening wherever you go.”

Esther said, smiling softly.

“That’s right.”

“This may also be the fire illuminating a new path. Sister Helena, are you healthy?”

“It’s hard sometimes because I’m so energetic.”

“Hehehe. That’s a good thing. I hope to see you again someday.”

hmm.

I don’t know what happened to Helena’s faith, so I wonder if we can meet her.

Anyway, Esther opened the conversation, and Veronica cautiously intervened.

“I listened carefully to what you said. What I said to people in Galway… . but. It is difficult to accept easily.”

It was expected.

In Seonghwagyo, we have no choice but to be sensitive.

I asked Charles to bring back the papers I had organized and handed them to Veronica.

“Please read and listen step by step.”

Veronica started talking to the beat of reading the document.

What I found out.

Distinction between demons and beasts.

Instead, this time too, there was no talk about Seonghwagyo’s manipulation of history.

If only Esther was there, I wouldn’t know.

It was awkward to tell such a heavy truth to Veronica.

“… at last. Because of the Demon King, beastmen and humans have been at odds for a long time.”

“I see… .”

He nodded, but still looked confused.

On the other hand, Esther was calm.

He is the most faithful person I know, but that also makes him the strangest.

He is unusually clean for a high-ranking religious figure, and while being faithful enough to be transparent, he readily accepts changes that run counter to religious doctrine.

Of course, we must also consider that, unlike Veronica, he has a lot of authority to access a variety of information.

So, there is a possibility that she knew the truth about the beast earlier than Veronica.

“So… It happened. First of all, I understand this… .”

It was rewarding to quietly promote Le Sentimant.

When I was persuading Veronica, I told her that the beastmen, led by Lescentimants, had helped the permanent residents, and she accepted it quite favorably.

It was like that when I was persuading people in the square earlier.

“I may need to think a bit more, but I will follow Ian’s wishes.”

So, Veronica and Esther persuaded.

*

“Thank you.”

Ramnus, the leader of Lescentimants, bent his waist at a right angle.

The prisoners who followed him all bowed their heads.

The office is filled with dozens of Le Sentimants members.

“Why are you like this, so unfamiliar.”

“… … .”

Rhamnus remained in a bowed position and did not say a word.

Only, the large bear’s body trembled slightly.

Very late, he opened his mouth.

“How should I repay this… . Really, I never thought there would be a person like you… .”

“That’s it. Excessive greetings. This isn’t because I’m an excessive philanthropist.”

It’s true that I did this because of Kati.

However, I have no intention of unconditionally granting favor.

“The method of repayment is simple. You guys are basically good at fighting, right?”

“Yes. I guarantee that.”

“Work. As a guard of my land.”

“… ?”

Now Rhamnus raised his head.

He looks puzzled.

The same goes for the prisoners who followed suit and raised their heads.

“Then you were trying to sit down for free?”

“Oh, no, that’s not it. But anyway, is it okay to entrust the military duties on earth to us, prisoners?”

That’s a valid point.

Hiring someone as a military means providing them with the appropriate amount of equipment and citing military force.

It could be said to be too unconventional to give to a beastman who has just begun to shed the name of a devil.

but.

“You guys. Are you going to aim for my back?”

“… what? What is that… !”

“That won’t happen, right?”

If there is no possibility of betrayal, there is no reason to worry about that.

It may be a dangerous trust.

I have just been recognized as a person.

There will be some residents who oppose it.

If such friction builds up, there is a good chance that they will rebel against me.

but.

This infinite trust can sometimes offset such antipathy.

“You… . really… .”

“Well, there won’t be times when you don’t like something and want to hit it or rebel against it. But think carefully. What kind of cat is the cat guarding next to me?”

It must be shown that there is a basis for control here as well.

Trust may be infinite, but it is useless without power.

“… her. ha ha ha. Haha! You are truly… .”

Rhamnus stretched out his hand again.

It was a handshake request.

I corrected him and grinned.

“Please take care of me. Ian.”

“This is it. And they don’t necessarily send you to the guard because of fighting. You must show that you are devoted to the safety of humans. That way, the perception will change quickly.”

“I see. Was there even such a calculation? .”

“It’s not so great that it can be called a calculation.”

Rhamnus suddenly got down on one knee in front of me.

“I will repay you. Definitely.”

The other prisoners also knelt down.

“Hmm. I’m going to die from the burden before I get anything in return.”

Prisoners who knew how to do something other than fight were separated and assigned to different jobs.

Charles helped with the work.

As soon as Lescentimants leaves.

“Master.”

Katy suddenly came to the office.

“Huh?”

She approached me with long strides and immediately hugged me.

“Suddenly what… .”

“Thank you.”

It was a short greeting.

Contains a lot of meaning.

Kati no longer wears an eye patch.

Galatea also took off her turban, and Zion no longer needs to hide it.

From now on, Lescentimants will no longer live in hiding.

The housing supply plan has been roughly determined.

To show that they were fully cooperating, Le Sentimants took charge of material transportation, processing, and construction itself.

“Thank you. I do this because it benefits me. Your security power will increase, and if you do well, you may be able to receive help if a war breaks out later… .”

Kati put her hand on my shoulder and slowly lifted her head.

Then he looks at me as I speak.

“… Why do you look at me like that?”

“Master. You’re embarrassed.”

“What?”

“It’s okay to be honest. Because I know the master’s mentality well.”

“… … .”

“Why do you act as if every time you do a good deed, it is based on cold-hearted profit?”

“… Because that’s true.”

“There were many times when the owner I saw was not like that.”

Why is he like this today?

Katy suddenly put her leg on top of mine, as if she was going to climb on me.

“Don’t keep stimulating me.”

“No, what! I didn’t do anything!”

“Every time I see my master so embarrassed, I can’t stand it.”

“What on earth… .”

“Please be careful.”

Kati, who had whispered in my ear, was already far away.

Before leaving, she smiled at me.

Amber eyes sparkled.

It’s okay if you don’t have to wear an eye patch anymore.

*

“Yes, Ian.”

“Yes.”

“The elves just want to stay in the castle’s guest rooms. I like it because it somehow makes me feel like a VIP.”

“Umm… . Yeah whatever. Tell him to do it that way because it’s the spare room. Are you at the castle now?”

“Yes, yes. As the elves in Galway returned, the elves in Margrave Frederick also returned for a while.”

“Hmm. Yes.”

Now, until the war starts, they can just stay on Margrave Frederick’s side.

Anyway, it was now after the fruit warriors’ training had ended and it was after meal time.

“Ian.”

Lucia asked.

“Yes.”

“How strong is the first hero party?”

Silence fell as if a bomb had been dropped.

Vivian and Helena turn around with stiff movements.

“Now that I think about it, I’m curious. I know very well that they are needlessly strong, but I don’t know how strong they are.”

“Hmm.”

During this sea dragon subjugation battle, they saw the first party fight for the first time.

Even though Sylvia was the only one who fought properly, it was probably enough to feel their power.

“It’s a wall we have to overcome someday. I want to know.”

“I understand. Let me explain this using objective indicators that are easy to understand. Everyone now knows about the hero’s rank.”

F~D are temporary warriors.

Official warrior from C.

“Yes, I also roughly figured it out. And I heard that there are about 100 people who are level A or higher.”

“That’s right! Above that, there are very few S-class and SS-class!”

Helena replenished once.

“There are about 30 S-class people. SS level has 12 people.”

Four people were recently killed by Beatrice, so there will now be eight.

“So the first party is the number one among those SS-class heroes?”

Vivian asked, tilting her head.

No matter how much Vivian and Helena were their fans, they don’t seem to know the meaning of the name ‘First Hero Party’.

I shook my head.

“No.”

“Then what?”

“The first hero party is the first hero party.”

“… Yes?”

“There are no grades for them. Because it’s meaningless.”

I’m not sure now because Beatrice and Kylie are so weak.

At least, that’s what it really was when it got that name.

Grading was a luxury.

“The first hero party is a unique name that only they can use.”

There was a time when they were also graded.

When the first SS-class dungeons appeared, they were SS-class parties.

And the country that was destroyed because of that SS-class dungeon, Jeriha.

After the operation to recapture Zeriha, the rank was eliminated and it was only called the ‘1st Hero Party’.

“… … .”

Stiff silence.

What is each person thinking?

I’ve reached C level now, but it’s a distant dream.

“Do you think we can overcome Ian?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t that too immediate?”

“Because I always thought about it.”

“… … .”

There is a difference in experience, so it will take time.

But I’m sure.

Helena looked at Katy as if she had suddenly remembered something.

“Katie, then… .”

How strong is it?

I’m curious about that too.

The first party’s skills are declining.

Kati herself has become stronger now because of Galatea and Marlion.

Is there anyone on the human side stronger than Kati as a single entity?

Kati remained silent and just looked at me at the end.

For them, the first party is not the only wall.

Kati is a comrade and is now a warrior, but she has not yet joined forces with them.

The skill gap is too severe.

So, it could be said that Kati was also a wall for the fruit warriors.

*

I have now been able to check the artifacts and relics obtained from the sea dragon.

A ring, a necklace, and a suspicious rock.

I plan to check it first and then let my companions know.

‘First of all, I can’t even guess what it is.’

This stone the size of your fist.

What on earth?

The surface of the gray-white stone was slightly soft, like sand clumped together.

‘Is this called sandstone?’

At first I thought Kati had brought it by mistake, but she was adamant.

He said that it must have come from a sea dragon, along with the ring and necklace.

‘I’ll have to try it once.’

It is a field far away from the castle, just in case.

I held the stone and poured out mana as if activating an artifact.

-Pass… .

Then, the stones turned into sand and flowed down.

“Huh?”

Did you hear something inside?

But there was nothing on my hand, where the sand was completely scattered.

“What… .”

That moment.

There’s something in my head… .

[Fragments of time.]

[Journal of the lost timeline.]

“What… . What did you just say… .”

Deja vu.

It’s a terrible feeling of déjà vu.

The feeling I felt when I first fell into this world.

“This couldn’t be… .”

I had an unpleasant feeling of information being forcefully fed into my brain.

It exactly matches the moment when the phrase forcing the subjugation of the devil was stuck in my mind.

The next moment, text without any voice or emotion was injected into my head.

Seeing, hearing, these are feelings that cannot be expressed.

All we can do is ‘perceive’ the incoming information.

The next moment, the type that came to mind froze me on the spot.

[I killed the devil.]