episode_0090

The first time I met that child face-to-face was when I was young and was about to head deep into the forest to hunt animals with my father.

“Hah! Hup!”

The sound of a person’s yell.

Although it was a forest, this place was still near the village. Therefore, it couldn’t be said that there were no people at all, but the yell coming from there was something else entirely.

My father surveyed the place from which the sound came, just in case.

What could be seen at the place we walked to following the sound was a young boy holding a crude wooden sword that looked like he made himself, swinging it in the air.

At that time, the boy who looked to be the same age as me, the definitely young boy, what on earth was he looking at?

What on earth was he looking at to be able to swing the wooden sword so powerfully with such passionate eyes?

“──That’s your child. To be training from such an early hour, that’s commendable. I often heard from that child’s parents that he always said he wanted to become a great knight. So he was training in a place like this.”

“Knight?…”

“Yes. Filia, you also need to work hard if you want to become a great hunter?”

That was the first meeting.

It was Leon and my first meeting, seen from a distance.

Why was it?

That I was drawn to the boy who was nothing special at that time.

After that day, I often observed Leon.

We lived in the same village, but I looked at that child whom I had never paid attention to. Simply put, that child was extremely kind.

“Haha, thank you. Leon. Thanks to you, I lived.”

“Not at all. Because it’s something…, I can do!….”

“Leon, will you help us with our work too?”

“Of course!”

Talking with the village elders in a friendly manner and helping them with their work,

“Brother Leon! Make one for me too!”

“Okay, okay. Wait a moment. I’ll make you a cool one.”

“Wow! I’m a knight too!”

“But you shouldn’t swing it at people, okay? Because knights don’t attack people recklessly.”

Making wooden swords for the village children, and also taking them out to play.

While living so busy….

“Chaap!!”

He did not stop training himself by swinging the crude wooden sword he made every single day.

After realizing that, I often went to see Leon.

“Leon! Wake up quickly~!”

“Haaam….”

Every early morning.

I went to Leon’s house before anyone else.

As I visited often, I was able to build a relationship with Leon’s parents too. Because of that, the relationship between my parents and Leon’s parents also improved, but that wasn’t important to me.

Leon, looking not yet fully awake from sleep, yawning and walking out lazily.

I wanted to see him. I didn’t want to lose him to others. That’s why I visited Leon every morning.

“Let’s go hunting for animals quickly~!”

“…I have to go for morning training?”

Leon, scratching his head and speaking, looking troubled.

Even saying this, he didn’t refuse. Because he was so kind, he always went hunting with me, even though he was troubled, without ever refusing.

“Euat?!”

“Puhahahaat~!”

I burst into laughter watching Leon falling down comically while trying to catch a rabbit.

Was it because I laughed too much?

Leon pouted his lips.

“Aren’t you laughing too much?”

“But it’s funny! You can’t even catch a rabbit, how are you going to become a knight?”

“Euum….”

Having nothing to say to my words, he just turned his gaze away with a troubled expression.

“I told you! You have to move very carefully to catch a rabbit. Because rabbits are fearful animals.”

“That’s hard to do.”

“I’ll show you a demonstration. Look, you do it like this.”

It was fun.

It was enjoyable. Every single moment spent with Leon was simply good.

Why did I only come to know Leon now?

It was to the extent that such thoughts came naturally.

Of course, we didn’t hunt all day long.

If the hunting time ended, the next was Leon’s training time.

What I did during this time was just watching Leon training.

Swaek! Pat!

“Heup!”

Chaat! Pat!

“Hat!”

Leon’s training time was nothing special. After finishing basic physical training, he always swung the wooden sword stubbornly.

I captured every single aspect of that appearance in my eyes.

“…Hey, you know.”

“Huh?”

“Leon, why do you want to become a knight?”

“Hmm…, that is.”

Leon, who was swinging the wooden sword, relaxed his posture and roughly wiped off the sweat with a towel.

Then he looked at me, brought one finger to the corner of his mouth, and said.

“Is this a secret from other people?”

“Is it that much of a secret?”

“Yeah. So Filia. Only you know this. Because this is something other people…, or even family doesn’t know.”

A secret just between the two of us.

How attractive that word was.

I liked the fact that only I shared Leon’s secret which even his family didn’t know so much that I nodded my head several times.

“Actually, I met the Goddess.”

“Goddess?”

“Yeah. She said a time would surely come when my power would be needed, so she asked me to train my strength and wait until then. She said something like that.”

A completely absurd story. Words that could simply be dismissed as a child’s lie, but I believed Leon’s words.

Because Leon at that time was truly shining.

That’s how time passed. Time enough for both me and Leon to have our coming-of-age ceremonies and become adults.

Leon was still working hard on his self-training, preparing to become a knight…, no, a Hero.

On the other hand, I…, had merely learned a little hunting knowledge and skills as a hunter’s daughter.

‘What if Leon becomes a Hero and leaves the village?’

Leon will become a Hero.

To fulfill a Hero’s duty, he would have to leave the village and travel the world.

Then what about me? What will happen to me?

Usually, Heroes defeat the Demon King, and in recognition of that achievement, they marry the kingdom’s princess.

If Leon becomes like that too…. What about me? What will happen to me?

I liked him first…, I liked Leon first!….

Around the time such thoughts filled my head, special guests visited the village.

Knights wearing pure white armor.

They were the Holy Knights of the Holy Kingdom.

“The Saintess’s prophecy has descended upon this place! Is there a man named Leon!”

“!!”

Truly.

Leon was truly chosen as the Hero.

No.

No. No.

No. No. No.

No. No. No. No.

Like this…, I can’t part like this!….

“Leon!!”

“Fi, Filia?”

I grabbed hold of Leon who was about to leave with the Holy Knights of the Holy Kingdom.

Holding the hunting bow I usually used in one hand, and with a quiver full of arrows slung over my shoulder, I spoke.

“I, I want to…. follow!….”

“Uh…, suddenly?”

Leon looking at me as if troubled.

But Leon wouldn’t refuse. Because he was so kind.

‘I will be with him too. I will…, protect Leon.’

* * *

『Holy Kingdom – Byzantia』

A religious state gathered by those who believe in the Goddess Elone.

The Elone faith is a popular religion spread throughout the central continent of Pilgrea, and as such, the Holy Kingdom holds immense significance in the central continent. In fact, they possess the three Holy Swords said to have been left by the Goddess.

The biggest characteristic of the Holy Kingdom is that people of various races are gathered there.

In terms of geographical location, it is situated close to the Western Continent of Pilgrea, so it is common to see demi-humans, including elves who primarily live on the Western Continent. This is because they are those who believe in and follow the Goddess’s first teaching, 【The value of life can never be prioritized or ranked, therefore, you shall love others.】, and thus they keep their doors open to everyone, including demi-humans.

“….”

And a priestess who was from such a Holy Kingdom and received the Goddess’s teachings as a priest.

Noren was now kneeling, her face pale.

She was now in the center of the Holy Kingdom.

She had been called to the Great Temple of Elone, where the Saintess, including the Pope, resided, and was facing the Pope.

“Noren.”

Holiness. And something that could not be approached.

At the same time, as a voice containing a slight hint of anger spoke her name, Noren trembled.

“Raise your head.’

“Yes, yes…. Your Holiness the Pope.”

Her breath caught in her throat at the Pope’s gaze looking down at her coldly.

She had certainly expected that she wouldn’t receive very good treatment when she came here.

But she had not imagined that she would meet His Holiness the Pope directly, so Noren trembled.

“I believed in your sincerity.”

The Pope spoke as if persuading, or as if scolding.

“It cannot be said that you overflow with talent, but I did not doubt that your sincerity would sufficiently fulfill the role as a pillar for the Hero.”

“….”

Gulp.

She swallowed her saliva due to tension.

Perhaps thanks to the unusually quiet surroundings, the sound of her swallowing seemed to echo everywhere.

“However, Noren. You…, have disappointed my expectations.”

“!!”

Noren quickly bowed her head.

“Forgive, forgive me! Your Holiness the Pope!….”

“…If you did not like the Hero you were in charge of, you should have spoken to me first. Not betray the Hero in this manner….”

“I have nothing…, to say….”

“However, you…, have betrayed the Hero once again.”

Once again….

That is, from Hero Leon to Hero Abel, but then leaving him once again and coming here, that’s what it must mean.

“Forgive me…. However, Filia, Hero Leon’s companion and childhood friend….”

“I do not want to hear excuses.”

“Heup….”

Pure white divine power circulates around.

The being who can cause the greatest miracles in this world, excluding the Saintess.

No, if one considers that the miracles the Saintess causes are prophecies delivered upon receiving the Goddess’s call, then the Pope, indeed, can be seen as wielding power worthy of the name miracle.

“Did you say you wanted to know the location of Hero Leon? Yes, of course, we have grasped his location.”

“!”

“He is currently in a foreign land, preparing to eliminate the Demon King’s fragment.”

At the Pope’s words, Noren’s eyes opened wide and round.

Who…, that Leon?

Certainly Leon is gentle and kind.

If gentleness and kindness could be converted into strength, he would surely have been very strong. But…, unfortunately, gentleness and kindness did not directly correlate with strength. Although I know of Leon’s efforts, he had no talent.

Because he was chosen as a Hero, he received a growth limit where he could grow infinitely, but due to his lack of talent, he was too weak.

That Leon…, is preparing to eliminate the Demon King’s fragment?….

“Noren. I hope you will take time for self-reflection for the time being. I already know all the actions you have taken. Even if…, you made incorrect choices by simply craving pleasure despite not having love, as long as you claim to be a child of the Goddess, I will not impose a great punishment upon you. Therefore, find your sins yourself in the chamber of repentance and atone.”

“…I understand….”

“…Return.”

The divine power that was weighing down her body disappeared, and the Pope turned his body and moved his steps.

Following him, several High Priests also moved from their places.

At the same time, the High Priests’ gaze containing faint contempt was etched in Noren’s heart for a long time.