Ch.22Chapter 22 – Mina Endras (4)

“This is a scam……”

I couldn’t help but nod at the words coming from the blonde female student’s mouth.

Yeah, when I first saw my ability, I almost blurted out the word “scam” without even realizing it.

Something’s broken? Your tool is rusty? Your food doesn’t taste good?

Just three strikes with a hammer and presto! It’s fixed!

If I had written an advertising slogan like this during my company days, people would have reported it as fraud or false advertising, and I would’ve been fined.

Honestly, it doesn’t make sense. Just three strikes with a hammer and anything gets fixed.

Is this truly an ability bestowed directly by a goddess?

“A scam? I’m hurt you would say that. This is an ability granted directly by the goddess herself.”

“I’ve never heard of such an ability, nor have I ever read about it in any book!”

The blonde student raised her voice after hearing my words.

“If such an ability existed, the goddess would have bestowed it upon someone long ago! But in books covering thousands of years of history, not a single line mentions anyone with abilities like yours!”

“Is that so?”

Hoo. So my ability is completely rare then.

Considering it hasn’t appeared even once throughout thousands of years of history.

But was the history of this world really that long, spanning thousands of years? I’m not sure about that.

It seems there’s still a lot I don’t know about this world.

When I have time later, I should go to a library or somewhere similar to borrow or read books about history.

As for the shop, I’m the owner, so if I don’t open it, what will the customers do?

Originally, my purpose for coming to Arkenium was to meet Mina.

But I’ve already achieved my primary goal first?

And I still have plenty of money left, so I don’t necessarily need to open the shop.

Rather, it’s time to get rid of this uninvited guest who barged into my store.

“That’s right! If you’re not lying, it would be something that would shock the world upside down!”

“Is it really that remarkable?”

I had roughly sensed how valuable my ability was, but still, as someone living in this world—especially from someone who appeared to be a noble—I wanted to hear about the value of my ability.

It’s not often that one gets the opportunity to objectively understand the value of their ability.

Of course, in this life, I’d prefer to live long and steady rather than short and intense.

Finding a good wife, having a son and daughter, and living happily together until the end of my days.

That’s what I want in this life.

Of course, for that to happen, the heroines would need to grow and overcome the crisis approaching this world.

In that sense, I want to use this ability to help the heroines until this world becomes safe.

And for that, I need to understand just how valuable this ability of mine is.

“Haa, you really are someone who knows nothing. Let me explain so you’ll remember. An ‘ability’ is not something you receive just because you desperately want it.”

When I deliberately pretended not to know the value of my ability, Elena sighed and began a lengthy speech.

“An ‘ability’ is a gift bestowed by the gods. They give it to those who, in their eyes, would use it best for the world.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. That’s why there are never more than 100 ability users in a single era. During truly peaceful times, there were reportedly fewer than 10 ability users.”

“And how about these days?”

I asked the blonde student a question to confirm which time period of Erasto Chronicle I was currently living in.

“These days, an unusually high number of ability users have been appearing. Just from what I’ve heard through my father, there are already over 200.”

I recall reading a developer interview stating that the number of heroines in Erasto Chronicle is around 150, and including those to be released later, it would be about 200.

This means there’s a possibility of even more ability users appearing beyond the 200 expected in this era.

“Sounds like some crisis is approaching the world.”

“Yes, that’s one way to look at it… Wait, why am I having this conversation with you?”

Tsk. I had more I wanted to know, but unfortunately, the blonde student came to her senses.

“Anyway, what are you trying to say?”

“Although the number of ability users has increased rapidly recently, among all the abilities that have appeared so far, no one has received an ability similar to yours. I want you to be honest. Did you really receive your ability from a god?”

“Yes, I did.”

No, seriously, I really did receive my ability from a god. I’m just not sure if I should mention her name, so I’m keeping quiet about it.

“Do you know of a goddess named ‘Epitrina’?”

I asked the blonde student if she knew about Epitrina.

“H-how dare you speak that name so casually?”

I had merely mentioned the name of Epitrina, the goddess who gave me my ability, but the blonde student showed a startled reaction.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Of course you did! You freely spoke the name of the Great Goddess who is the mother of all gods and rules this world! If you carelessly speak her name, you’ll receive divine punishment!”

“Divine punishment? Is there a problem with speaking her name?”

“Haah, you should run to the nearest cathedral or altar right now, kneel before the sanctuary, and offer prayers of repentance. At least then you might avoid losing your life.”

Hmm. It seems Epitrina’s name shouldn’t be spoken carelessly.

“Well, if Epitrina were that kind of goddess, she wouldn’t have given me this ability.”

See? I’ve spoken her name twice now, and nothing has happened to me.

“I-impossible. Why is nothing happening when you speak her name so carelessly?”

Why? The answer is obvious.

“Isn’t it natural?”

I smiled at the blonde student and revealed the truth.

“This ability I possess was given to me by the Goddess Epitrina.”

“Ah, aah……”

When I revealed who had gifted me my ability while looking at the blonde student, her face instantly filled with despair.

Was the goddess that frightening? When I saw her, she did naturally exude an overwhelming power, but such a frightening goddess… actually, yes.

Thinking back, I remember unconsciously using formal speech when I first met Epitrina.

Somehow, I felt like I had to speak respectfully to her.

Hmm, maybe I should visit a temple later and offer a prayer?

Then I might be able to have a brief conversation with Epitrina.

At that moment, the blonde student suddenly knelt before me and began prostrating herself.

“I-I’m sorry! I have committed a great disrespect to the apostle sent to this world by the Great Goddess!”

She kept apologizing while saying incomprehensible things about me being Epitrina’s apostle.

What on earth is going on?

“Elena, so you were here!”

“M-Miss Mina……”

Suddenly, the repair shop’s door burst open with a bang, and Mina appeared.

Mina was panting, as if she had run all the way here.

Mina’s appearance, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, was overflowing with sensuality… No, you crazy fool.

How can you think of such things in this situation!

“W-what are you saying? Mr. Pathos is an apostle of the Great Goddess?”

“H-how long have you been listening?”

“W-well… since the moment Elena entered the shop……”

“What?”

“But! Elena left with such an angry face this morning, so I was worried something bad had happened……”

So she followed her from the academy and listened to everything the blonde student and I were saying from outside my shop?

I never expected to see this different side of Mina. An unexpected gain.

“You don’t need to apologize, just please get up.”

“I’m truly sorry. I was disrespectful.”

“No, please just stand up.”

Originally, I’m not Epitrina’s apostle, but a pitiful person who was reincarnated into this world due to an accident.

“Then, do you forgive me?”

“Sigh, there’s nothing to forgive. I’m not an apostle of Epitrina or anything like that.”

I reluctantly helped the blonde student who was prostrating on the floor to stand up.

Mina also approached and helped the blonde student, Elena, to her feet.

“I’m just an ability user who received a gift from the Goddess Epitrina, so don’t think too grandly of it. If you have anything that needs repair later, bring it here. It might be a bit expensive, but I guarantee the quality of my repairs.”

“Ah, understood! Thank you, Apostle!”

No, I’m telling you I’m not an apostle!

I desperately tried to explain that I wasn’t an apostle, but this woman named Elena seemed firmly convinced that I was Epitrina’s apostle.

However, it felt awkward to just send the two of them away, so I gave them each a loaf of bread that I had made delicious with my ability and a mana potion before sending them off.

And the next day.

“Um, is this the place that sells that delicious bread?”

…It seems something must have happened at the academy.

I should ask the two of them about it when they come by later.