Ch.68Request Denied, Absolutely Not Going to the Holy Kingdom

Two weeks. It’s truly a long time, but also ridiculously short.

It’s a very long time for enjoying hobbies or entertainment. Long enough to enjoy pretty much anything you want to do.

But two weeks is woefully insufficient to accomplish something. Especially to achieve something great.

Moreover, the path I must take is indescribably treacherous and steep. So much so that it would be far more beneficial to just give up and wait for death.

Still, I can’t stop.

Someone has been working toward this moment for centuries. People want to live much longer than just two weeks.

So I must never stop now. I have to keep moving forward.

To defeat the Demon King, no matter what.

That’s why I’m making breakfast.

…It might be hard to believe, but this is the best choice I can make.

Training in this body would be meaningless anyway. So why not find someone who can help us?

I’m making breakfast now to persuade that person who can help us.

This is truly maddening.

***

As always, an ordinary breakfast time…

“Lite? Don’t you think the food is too salty?”

“Would you like me to pour in a whole container of sugar like yesterday?”

“…The seasoning is perfect. It’s fine.”

An ordinary breakfast time passed by. And as always, I got ready and headed to the office.

And as always, I was on my phone doing nothing…

…Is it really okay for me to live like this?

Certainly, I can’t accomplish anything. No, with this pathetic body, I’ve already accomplished enough.

I saved two reincarnators and Leo too. Though my lifespan was severely shortened in exchange.

Anyway, thanks to my shortened lifespan, there’s even less I can do. Not that I could do much to begin with.

So whether I’m on my phone or making some effort, the result will obviously be the same.

But is it really okay to live like this?

I really want to do something, but there’s nothing I can do. Still, I need to accomplish something.

So instead of just playing around like this, I should find something I can do…

“Anyone want coffee?”

“Me.”

“I do.”

“I’d like some too, please.”

For now, let me just drink the coffee Leo makes and then look for something to do.

Leo is terrible at cooking, but somehow makes excellent coffee. So I can trust that.

But how can someone who makes such awful food make such fantastic coffee? Did the Demon King cast some cooking curse before dying?

As long as it tastes good, that’s all that matters. Let’s just accept it and move on.

“Does anyone have a preference?”

“I want a waffle.”

“I’d like a chocolate cake.”

“I’ll have a cafe mocha.”

“Going for something sweet this time?”

“I used to enjoy bitter things too, you know?”

“I never said anything about that.”

“…”

If I ever return to being a man, I’ll definitely drink bitter coffee proudly in front of Leo…

…But when that time comes, Leo won’t be here anymore.

Leo will disappear sometime this week or next, using the excuse of going to the magic tower.

And then he’ll die alone, with no one knowing.

No matter how I think about it, two weeks seems far too short.

That thought naturally makes me solemn.

“So that’s two cafe lattes and one cafe mocha, right?”

“Yes.”

“That’s right.”

Today again, Agath and Rebecca ordered strangely, but Leo understood them perfectly.

“How do you understand what they’re saying?”

“Just intuition. Anyone want latte art?”

As soon as latte art was mentioned, Agath shouted as if having a fit.

“Absolutely no cockroaches like last time. It was so realistic it was disgusting!”

“You want a cockroach again?”

“No. I’ll pass.”

I wonder how realistic it must have been to make her react like that? But a cockroach in latte art would be truly horrible.

Even if the shape disappears after one sip, how could you drink something so unpleasant?

Perhaps that’s why silence fell over the office. Everyone probably doesn’t want to experience such a thing.

“So no one wants any?”

“No.”

“I’m fine without it.”

“I absolutely refuse.”

“Well, alright.”

With that, Leo went to the home coffee machine. And the aroma of coffee filled the office.

“It’s ready.”

Shortly after, the coffee was done.

The coffee I received was truly perfect. It smelled good and was pleasantly sweet. Yet somehow, the coffee tasted bitter.

Two weeks really is short.

***

Time was passing meaninglessly as usual. Then a nun entered our office.

“Is Lite here?”

“Yes. Why?”

“The Pope has asked me to bring Lite to the Holy Nation. He says there’s something you need to do regarding the Hero’s Trial. If you don’t want to come, you don’t have to.”

Is this related to the trial Ju-an mentioned before? If there’s something I need to do, there’s no reason not to go.

At least it’s much more productive than sitting around playing with my phone.

“Well, I’ll go then.”

“Thank you! Just pack your things and come to the Grand Cathedral whenever you’re ready.”

The nun was smiling brightly as she was leaving, but stopped and added one more thing.

“Oh right, the Pope said that Agath and Rebecca must come too.”

After the nun truly left, the atmosphere suddenly became extremely heavy. In that atmosphere, Leo spoke first.

“Have a good trip. I’ll watch the place.”

“What are you saying? That’s obviously a cult.”

“That’s right. We should just stay here like usual.”

“You both know who she is. But a cult…”

Suddenly, Agath sharply cut off Leo’s words.

“If we go to the Holy Nation, we’re definitely taking you with us.”

“That’s right. It’s not fair for Leo to stay behind alone.”

“…On second thought, it does seem like a cult.”

Leo suddenly agreed. Does everyone have some bad memories about the Holy Nation?

“Do you all have something against the Holy Nation?”

“No.”

“No.”

“Why would I dislike my homeland?”

All three don’t seem to have any particular feelings about the Holy Nation. Agath even seems to like it. Then why are they all acting like this?

“Then why don’t you want to go to the Holy Nation?”

“…Actually, I hate the Holy Nation.”

“Why would I go to a country that worships a non-existent woman?”

“Actually, I hate my homeland.”

All three suddenly developed negative feelings that weren’t there before.

“Do you have any reason for disliking the Holy Nation?”

“You need many reasons to like something, but you don’t really need important reasons to dislike something.”

“The Goddess doesn’t even exist. Worshipping her is stupid. So I hate such a stupid country.”

“Do you enjoy going home for holidays?”

Rebecca might have her reasons. But Leo and Agath don’t really have any reason to act like this.

There must be something ominous about the Holy Nation. So I shouldn’t go there either.

As I was thinking that and about to return to my phone, I suddenly received a call from Ju-an.

I quickly answered the phone.

“Hello?”

-It’s me. Did you also get instructions to come to the Holy Nation?

“Yes. Did you hear about it too?”

-Some nun came today and told me.

So a different nun went to Ju-an too. Then is this real and not a cult?

Maybe a cult is deliberately trying to deceive both of us and take us somewhere. So I shouldn’t let go of my suspicions.

“Are you going to the Holy Nation?”

-Of course I have to go. I can’t become a Hero if I don’t pass the trial.

“Okay, see you at the Holy Nation later~”

I decided to go to the Holy Nation.

Why would anyone lie about something like this? Besides, even if they did lie, would it work with Agath and Rebecca right here?

By the way, now I’ll naturally be separated from that annoying orange-haired guy. That’s a relief. Surely that orange-head wouldn’t be tactless enough to follow me all the way to the Holy Nation?

“Then I’ll go prepare to leave for the Holy Nation. Agath and Rebecca, you should get ready to go to the Holy Nation too.”

“…Why us?”

“The Pope specifically asked you to come. Are you refusing?”

“That’s a cult, don’t believe it.”

“Is there a cult that targets a Saint and a Holy Knight?”

Agath sighed and said to Leo in a serious voice.

“Remember what I said about taking you with us if we go to the Holy Nation?”

“I understand, handle it like always.”

“Yes. Please take care of it as usual.”

As soon as the words ended, Leo took out a wooden club from the cabinet, Rebecca pulled out a rope from the corner, and Agath took out a gag from her pocket.

Then Leo said to me.

“That’s a cult.”

“…Why do you hate going to the Holy Nation so much?”

“…This is why I hate sharp kids like you.”

The three approached me slowly like predators stalking their prey.

As the distance between us narrowed, suddenly the nun from earlier rushed back in and shouted.

“I’m sorry! It’s the Pope’s orders, I have no choice!”

Then she pulled out some kind of scroll. Leo’s face turned pale.

“…We’re fucked.”

“Why?”

“That’s a teleport magic circle.”

“…Shit.”

“…We’re screwed.”

This was the first time I’d seen Agath and Rebecca swear. Do they really have some grudge against the Holy Nation?

“No! It’s not too late! We can still cancel it…”

“I’m sorry! It’s really an order, I have no choice!”

The nun pulled out about 30 more scrolls from her robe. Leo laughed with resignation and spoke.

“Holy shit…”

Then the scrolls activated, and we suddenly moved to a room that looked sacred.

“You’ve arrived. Have you been well?”

An extremely benevolent-looking middle-aged man spoke.

“It’s been a while, Your Holiness. Have you been peaceful?”

Suddenly Leo greeted the man with a respectful posture.

“May the blessing of the Goddess be with you. It’s been a long time, I’m sorry I couldn’t visit often because I’ve been busy.”

Rebecca, who had denied the Goddess, suddenly became a worshipper, and

“Holy Knight Agath. I have returned.”

Agath spoke not with her usual playful demeanor but with a truly noble atmosphere.

…What on earth is happening right now?

As I was confused, the man spoke in a kind voice.

“Ah, you don’t know who I am. I am Agathos, the Pope.”

After the Pope introduced himself to me, he smiled kindly and continued.

“By the way, could you give us some privacy? I’d like to speak separately with the reincarnator, the Hero, the Saint, and my daughter whom I haven’t seen in a long time.”

“Yes, understood.”

As all the guards withdrew, suddenly the Pope’s benevolence was replaced by an overwhelming pressure.

And the Pope spoke in what seemed like an enraged voice.

“Everyone except the reincarnator, bow your heads now.”