Chapter 6: The Delinquent? – 2

“Mother’s Touch.”

–Saaa…

The moment High Priest Liv whispered the phrase, golden energy wrapped around my shattered hand.

In the blink of an eye, my hand was restored, and I turned to him with gratitude.

“Thank you, Your Holiness. I honestly didn’t know what to do about it.”

“It was nothing. More than that, I think it’s you who’s more admirable—standing up to the Hero like that.”

“Hahaha…”

While chatting casually with High Priest Liv, time slipped by before I even noticed—and then the changing room door opened, and Ariana stepped out.

Her skin looked soft and clean, and she was already dressed in her Saintess robes.

Even before she bathed, she looked holy, but now she looked even more radiant.

“Did I keep you waiting? We can head back n—oh? Brother, you are…”

“Ah! I greet the Goddess’s brightest child, Saintess Ariana Astraea!”

Liv quickly clasped his hands together and greeted Ariana with urgency.

Ariana returned the greeting with a bright smile.

“You must be the High Priest in charge of the Hero. Thank you for all your hard work.”

“O-Oh, no! The Hero is just… going through a difficult time right now. As a servant of the Goddess, I must guide him to the right path!”

“Fufu, may the grace of the divine be with you.”

“M-May the grace of the divine be with you.”

After their brief exchange, the three of us began walking together—me and Ariana in front, with Liv following behind.

As we walked, we once again came face to face with the Hero.

The moment he saw us, he shouted loudly.

“Ariana! There you are! Come on, let’s go already!”

He reached out for Ariana like it was the most natural thing in the world, and of course, I blocked him.

Don’t just reach for her like that.

“Hero, the Saintess has a full schedule today.”

“Oh, what now! What could she possibly be so busy with?”

“The Saintess is scheduled to visit Clover Orphanage, Cat Orphanage, Pure Orphanage, and Well Orphanage.”

“Afterward, she will have lunch, offer a short prayer for the victims of the monster Wave, then visit the Holy Knight Training Hall to greet and encourage the knights, and finally prepare for departure to the Empire.”

A schedule packed to the brim.

Sorry, Hero, but the Saintess doesn’t get breaks.

Especially not for small talk with you.

Faced with the overwhelming itinerary, the Hero’s mouth dropped open in disbelief as he stared at me.

Then, with hesitation, he asked.

“…The orphanage stuff—does she really have to do that? I mean, the nuns can take care of those orphan brats, right?”

That line… was the last thing someone like the Hero should be saying.

“…Did you just say ‘orphan brats’?”

“Yeah! They’ve already been taken in—that’s enough. Why go out of your way to do more?”

“…That doesn’t sound like something a Hero should say.”

“What?”

–Thud.

My armored hand, made heavier by the plating, gripped the Hero’s shoulder.

“Hero, I may not be very old, but I’d like to offer you a piece of advice that might help in life.”

–Crack…!

I tightened my grip on his shoulder.

“You possess immense power—power that can save lives… or take them. You carry authority with you.”

Confusion filled the Hero’s eyes.

He was probably wondering why I was suddenly talking like this.

But this was something I had to say.

“Hero. Great power comes with great responsibility. You are the chosen agent of the divine—handpicked by the Goddess who watches us from above. That’s why everyone respects you.”

However.

“Your actions lately have strayed far from what befits a Hero. It’s not just your own reputation you’re tarnishing—your behavior also brings shame to the Goddess who chose you. And know this: we, the people of the Holy Kingdom, are ready to act if the Hero steps too far.”

In the game, when the Hero tries to go down the Demon King route, a secret knight order known as the Solar Eclipse Sword—sent by the Holy Kingdom—suddenly appears, triggering a battle.

“To be frank, Hero, you’re at a crossroads. You can become a symbol of hope, a Hero admired by all… or you can keep acting like a delinquent and die without saving anyone.”

I let go of his shoulder and knelt on one knee.

A gesture of sincere respect.

Looking straight at the silent Hero, I pleaded with my whole heart.

“Please, give me a reason to believe in you.”

***

“Please, give me a reason to believe in you.”

That was the line spoken by the Saintess’s personal holy knight to Hero Luin.

It was both a chilling warning—and a desperate plea.

Though crooked, Luin wasn’t so dense that he couldn’t understand what was being said.

And having already picked up the weight behind the knight’s words, he found himself unable to reply right away.

‘A mere holy knight lecturing me?’

Part of it came from his arrogance—the belief that some lowly holy knight had no right to offer advice to the great Hero.

But…

‘Great power… great responsibility… Why is he so desperate to ask me this?’

Part of it also came from confusion—why such a strong and unshakable man would make such a heartfelt appeal.

Luin, who had been neither the best nor the worst, hesitated for a long while before finally speaking, almost painfully.

“Hey.”

A Hero is supposed to be upright and unwavering.

Holding that belief in his heart, Luin spoke to the holy knight before him.

“You—fight me.”

He wanted a match with me, the holy knight.

“Let’s see if you’re really in any position to lecture me.”

If he, the Hero chosen by the Goddess, were to lose—then maybe that meant the knight’s words were right.

Twisted as he might be, Luin had never once stopped believing in the Goddess.

***

“You—fight me.”

That’s what the so-called Hero said… to me, a mere holy knight.

‘I’m screwed.’

For a second, I thought he’d snapped and was trying to kill me out of spite.

I looked up quickly—but…

‘His eyes…?’

Unlike what I expected, Luin wasn’t wearing a sneer or an arrogant smirk.

Instead, he looked… uncomfortable.

Troubled, even.

“Hero! Ace only just became a holy knight—he’s not—”

“It’s alright, Saintess.”

I stopped Ariana, who had stepped forward to protect me, and rose to face Luin.

“Very well, Hero. I accept your challenge.”

“Ace…!”

I turned to Ariana, who still looked worried, and offered a few reassuring words.

“It’s alright. The Goddess is watching over us.”

And I meant it.

Even if… I had once heard something like “this is your last chance” from the Goddess.

Still—just maybe, maybe—there was a chance that Luin could be redeemed.

If I turned down his duel now, that chance might never come again.

***

“Are you really sure about this? If things go wrong, even if I heal you, the injury might leave lasting effects.”

“I’m sure, High Priest Liv. Please begin.”

Liv looked at me as if I were heading off to die.

Now serving as the referee for this duel, he seemed like he was desperately hoping I’d back out at the last second…

But I’m sorry—if I want to reform the Hero, I can’t back down.

“Sigh… O Goddess, please don’t let anything terrible happen…”

With a heavy sigh and a quick prayer, Liv shut his eyes tightly and shouted.

“Begin!”

–Shrrring!

A sharp, violent sound rang out as the Hero drew his sword.

Unlike me—who had already readied my shotel and shield—his action felt careless, arrogant, lazy.

“I am the Hero. I can’t be wrong.”

Whooom!

“!!”

A wave of divine energy burst from the Hero’s body, momentarily shaking my balance.

–Boom!

In the next instant, he was right in front of me.

I quickly raised my shield, infusing it with holy power to brace for the impact.

–Screeeeech…!

His sword slammed into my shield with a horrid screech, sending shock through my arms.

Immediately, I swept my leg toward his to trip him.

“!! You little—!”

Unlike me, who’s fought plenty in back alleys, the Hero was easily tripped up by such a cheap move.

Without hesitation, I slammed my shield down toward him.

“Hrgh…!”

But my shield was effortlessly caught in his left hand—and he immediately swung his sword at the arm holding it.

‘Let go.’

Since he had my shield locked down, I released it without hesitation and retreated.

–Whoosh!

I narrowly dodged his sword, but now the shield was his.

With a wicked grin, he held up my shield in his left hand.

“Looks like your shield’s mine now. One hit and you’re done for, huh?”

I didn’t respond. I just charged at him again.

Confidently, the Hero raised the shield, now glowing with divine energy, to block my attack.

And I swung my shotel—straight at the shield.

“Idiot—”

–Whip!

“Wha—?!”

With a twist of my shotel, the shield slipped right out of the Hero’s hand.

As he stood there, caught off guard, I offered a bit of advice.

“Shotel is a weapon designed to disarm shields.”

I smiled with satisfaction, then swung the shotel at the flustered Hero.

–Thunk.