Chapter 116: New Omen – 1

Chapter 116: New Omen – 1

The clean and sacredly glowing training hall of the Grand Cathedral.

Unlike the Grand Cathedral, which was stained with greed and lies, this was one of the few relatively clean places.

It was a place of education where not only the Holy Knights of the Holy Kingdom but also those deemed promising received training, and it was also a kind of sanctuary that the Holy Kingdom had not yet politically exploited.

“…After today, I will be leaving this place.”

“That is correct, Hero-nim. For soon, chaos will erupt in the world due to the invasion of monsters.”

“Monsters, huh… Why does God give us such trials? Trials that inevitably lead to death…”

“How could that be? Just as we humans have a God, those monsters also have a God. Their God has merely forgotten the past and bared its fangs once more.

Rather, God has watched over us humans and sent down Hero-nim.”

However, unlike its usual passionately boisterous atmosphere, the training hall was quiet today.

Only the cold moonlight illuminated the interior of the training hall and the two silently standing figures.

A continent on the brink of war, and the Hero sent down by God to overcome it.

As someone officially recognized as a Hero, with God personally bestowing power upon them in front of countless people, the Hero received the most intensive training in the Holy Kingdom’s training hall.

The result of endless training combined with the power bestowed by God was that she truly possessed strength befitting a ‘Hero.’

Even at a young age, she was strong enough to be recognized as one of the strongest in the Holy Kingdom.

“…Cardinal-nim, when do you think these monsters will begin their attack?”

“In this old man’s humble opinion, within a few months at the latest, and they will primarily attack the Empire.”

“Indeed…… The Empire has countless people and all sorts of magical items, so it would be the monsters’ first target.”

“That is why His Holiness the Pope has decided to send Hero-nim to the Imperial Capital. Not only for your understanding of the world, but also because the Imperial Knight Captain will be a sufficient training partner for you.”

As such a Hero, she became an idol-like figure in the Holy Kingdom, second only to God, the Pope, and the Saintess.

If the Pope was God’s representative, and the Saintess was a noble being who spread and practiced God’s will, the Hero was even considered an avatar of God.

In reality, she was merely a human who had received God’s power, but such details weren’t important to the people.

The cardinals of the church were already promoting her as God’s avatar and occasionally held events to showcase the Hero’s power, even earning money from them.

“…Leaving the church where I’ve lived my whole life, I feel a bit strange.”

“Do not worry too much. As always, God will be with Hero-nim.”

“That’s right. Even if I don’t trust myself, I believe in His power and miracles.”

“When you arrive in the Empire, the Imperial Family and the Knight Orders will treat Hero-nim well. As God watches over them, it will surely be so.

Furthermore, if Hero-nim wishes, you may act freely, so do not fear the Empire too much. They are merely humans after all.”

“Hearing you say that gives me strength, Cardinal-nim.”

“You think so highly of this old man, I truly don’t know what to do. Now, it’s late, so please rest comfortably.”

With that, the Cardinal withdrew, and the Hero, who had been taking one last look around the training hall, finally looked up at the sky.

The chilling moonlight reflected off the scabbard, and that light once again illuminated the training hall and the entire Holy Kingdom.

“…Is he gone? Seriously, dealing with that old man is exhausting. Why do those damn monsters have to cause trouble and make a fuss?”

……Along with the Hero’s appearance, which was slightly different from the noble image she outwardly presented.

***

In the Empire, there’s a joke that “everything belonging to the Holy Kingdom is different on the inside and out.”

It’s mostly a joke made by those who’ve had bad experiences with the Holy Kingdom, but it’s subtly used in many situations.

Well, in reality, with the church, the Saintess, and even the cardinals all being different on the inside and out, it wasn’t far from the truth.

And this joke, which contained an excessive amount of truth, even applied to the Hero……

“Tsk, after being cooped up in this damn training hall my whole life, what? Go to the Empire and train? Are you kidding me?”

‘…Even so, playing around too much is……’

“Self-proclaimed Holy Sword-nim, be quiet for a bit. You’ve been rotting in a scabbard your whole life, in a similar situation, so why are you talking so much?”

‘……Until now, you’ve relied heavily on my power, not your true skill! You also promised to train properly when you go to the Empire!’

“Well, I have to do enough so that it doesn’t get back to that Pope guy in a weird way, right? I’m trying to manage my image too, you know?”

‘…Why on earth did He choose such a person as the Hero…… He could have just chosen the person He originally intended to…’

……It was a different kind of twist than the others in the Holy Kingdom.

If the Saintess carried the lie that she was created by the church, and the cardinals held a reversal that could overturn the Holy Kingdom, believing themselves to be superior to God……

The outwardly passionate, diligent, and noble Hero actually harbored the twist of being a lazy girl who just wanted to play and eat.

‘It’s the end of the world if someone like this is praised as a Hero…’

“I do well in front of others, you know? That way, I can live comfortably later.”

‘…For now, thanks to the power He bestowed and my help, you can handle strong enemies, but that only applies to divine power, so please, train a bit…’

“Anyway, I’ll probably improve by just fighting casually in the Empire. You said you rotted in a scabbard for hundreds of years, didn’t you? Shouldn’t you be more excited?”

‘That’s when the world was normal! The world is about to be engulfed in war by monsters, aren’t you worried?!’

“Anyway, the Empire and the Holy Kingdom will handle it well on their own. I’ll just casually swing my sword a few times on the front lines and pretend to fight adequately.

In the first place, just my presence will boost morale, so haven’t I done my part as a Hero?”

‘No, that’s not the problem…! Sigh. So, do you have the confidence not to run away when the time comes?’

“To live comfortably and play later, I shouldn’t run away, right? I want to live a long life, but I don’t want to live a long life while being cursed at, you know?”

With that, the Hero once again looked up at the sky.

The cool moonlight shone as before.

…Even on the Hero’s face, which was beaming with a smile, without even trying to hide it.

“Well, tomorrow I’ll be out of this damn ascetic and utterly boring country, so let’s pack my bags!”

‘Haa… My God…… Seriously, why didn’t you choose the person you originally intended to, why this lazy one……’

……She was a Hero who had no interest in the world’s wars or crises.

***

“Huh? There are a lot of people on the street today?”

“There are, aren’t there? It’s not usually this crowded at this time.”

Since I had devised a suitable potion disposal method, I was planning a pleasant outing with Lily…

But contrary to expectations, there were a lot of people.

…A lot.

“Is there some kind of procession today?”

“A procession? Not really… Ah! Now that I think about it, the Hero is supposed to arrive in the Empire soon, isn’t it because of that?”

“Hero? …Right, they said there’s a being called the Hero in the Holy Kingdom.”

“That’s right. I heard they’re considered one of the strongest in the Holy Kingdom! They look like a lively and cheerful girl, but when they enter combat, people say they give off a distinctly sacred feeling.”

“…A girl? Not a boy?”

Clearly, according to my memory, the Hero was male.

This was a clear memory, leaving no room for error.

But… a girl?

Even the system seemed to consider the Hero male?

*…You know, things in the world, when one thing changes, something else completely unrelated can change too…?*

‘……It feels like you guys have become quite incompetent lately?’

*That’s unfair! How were we supposed to know that God of this world would cause such a ruckus?!*

……Just as I thought, the system was being the system again.

At first, it clearly felt like a transcendent being reigning over all principles and laws of the world, but why does it seem so flimsy these days?

Anyway, the fact that the Hero had changed to someone other than who I knew was really bad news.

…Because it meant I would have to face a protagonist I didn’t know as a branching point for the first time.

“……? But, Lily. Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Oh, no, it’s just… you and the Hero seem strangely similar, Boss-nim?”

“Me?”

“The Hero also looks like an ordinary girl, but they say she’s one of the strongest in the Holy Kingdom.

Of course, she’s taller than Boss-nim and has some muscle, so she doesn’t look delicate, but… I just get a similar feeling.”

“…You’re not just subtly insulting me by saying I’m short, delicate, and weak, are you?”

“Th-that’s not it.”

I wanted to press her further on Lily’s expression, which clearly indicated that was exactly what she was doing… but unfortunately, I couldn’t.

A deafening marching band began to play.

“Hero-nim is making an appearance!!”

……And with that, the person who would become my future branching point appeared.