The Hero Appointment Ceremony

"...Is this all? It feels way too different from the appointment ceremonies I've seen before." I couldn't help but whisper the question to Olga as she prepared for the ceremony.

In my memories, the Hero Appointment Ceremony had been closer to a grand coronation announcing a warrior blessed by the goddess. Countless students and faculty, along with important figures from the empire, kingdoms, and churches, would gather to witness the birth of the Hero. It had been quite the spectacle.

But now... "heavily simplified" would probably be the kindest way to describe it.

"Artin~! You got this!"

"Hey, Artin! Don't chicken out! Show some dignity like a proper sworn brother of mine!"

Instead of imperial envoys or kingdom warriors, I spotted Agnes and Master Marianne waving at me as representatives of the imperial princess and the royal daughter. That wasn't all. The dean and vice-dean had shown up, but most of the professors were absent.

"S-Sergei, sir! A-are you sure it's all right for someone like me to be here?"

"No need to be so nervous. You are responsible for guiding Miss Senia, Sir Cayen Silversword, and Lord Artin Ludwig. You have every right to stand here."

I could also see Senia sitting beside Sergei, her ears trembling with nerves as they spoke. Still, compared to the grand event burned into my memory, the scale here was easily one-tenth of what it should have been.

"Oh my, are you dissatisfied, my dear husband? I prepared everything modestly on purpose..."

"On purpose?"

"Yes. You've already taken down one of their executives. Drawing any more attention than necessary could be dangerous, couldn't it?"

"...Even so, isn't this a little too plain? This is the ceremony to appoint the Hero who's supposed to defeat the Demon King..."

I glanced over at Cayen, who was carefully watching my reaction from a distance. I still hadn't lifted the approach ban, but this was one of the few important moments where he would be officially recognized as the Hero. The thought that he might feel hurt over it kept nagging at me.

"Don't worry too much. I've already coordinated with Agnes. It may look simple, but the Hero's actual authority will become far stronger than before."

"...Stronger authority? How?"

"Hehe. My dear husband, you say that even though you know how many of your women are the true powers behind this world?"

Ah... I slowly nodded at her words. Marianne was close to me, and Agnes was my fiancée...

"I've already spoken with the Northern Church. I sent word to Zorba Pelkas regarding the Republican Federation, and the King of the Plains has apparently ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠persuaded the other divine beasts on behalf of the Southern Church."

"Zorba and who? The King of the Plains? That useless guy?"

"Yes. He said to tell you he's repaying the debt from last time..."

He must have meant when I forced Unicor onto him. It had definitely been infuriating enough to drive me insane back then. Not that I regret it, exactly... I hadn't really been paying it any mind, but if they were willing to help out of consideration, that was even better.

Originally the Hero had been chosen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠arbitrarily by the Northern Church, so the Southern Church never recognized Cayen. We always had to start by earning that recognition first. This was a massive improvement.

"I am aware. I know exactly what kind of monumental mission that gay bast— I mean, Cayen carries. Personally I would rather not touch him with a ten-foot pole, but officially I intend to provide maximum support."

I nodded in understanding at Olga's words. It was like converting marketing expenses into membership benefits.

"And since you are the Hero's Companion, my dear husband, authority will extend to you as well. Please look forward to it."

"Wait, wasn't that just an empty title?"

Suddenly I realized I had never asked the most important question until now. What exactly is the Companion of the Hero?

I had assumed Olga simply slapped a convenient label on us so Cayen and I could operate more freely, but her expression told me it was more than that.

"Oh my, it's exactly time. I'll explain the rest during the ceremony itself, all right?"

Olga trailed off like someone hiding a surprise gift and vanished. Well, I'd find out eventually.

Then I should return to my seat...

I swallowed dryly and slowly lowered myself into the seat beside Cayen. We hadn't crossed paths once yesterday, so the atmosphere was incredibly awkward.

"...Ah, h-hello, Artin? There are quite a lot of people here today, aren't there?"

Whether he genuinely didn't know how twisted my insides felt or was just pretending, Cayen kept talking to me despite my sour expression.

The even more fucked-up part was that looking at him no longer brought up the usual disgust or irritation. The fact that I felt strange about my own lack of reaction disturbed me.

Did they actually do something to my brain?

I made a mental note to get examined by Olga or Violet after the ceremony and shot a glance at Cayen, who was sweating coldly while staring at me.

"...You look like you're in a good mood. Not upset?"

"Huh? W-what would I be upset about?"

"You barely get treated like a proper Hero except at times like this. Don't you want something more grandiose?"

Cayen's eyes widened like he'd been asked something completely unimaginable.

"Hmm... I don't really mind."

"You don't mind? The whole Hero thing isn't exactly a proper job. It's basically putting a collar on you that says 'professional sufferer,' isn't it?"

"It's fine. You'll be with me as my companion, right? That's enough."

He said it with a light smile. It was a strangely familiar smile. I wondered if this was what Caren's smile had looked like—completely unlike the Western pretty-boy features Cayen had. Thinking about it pissed me off all over again.

"Move your seat further away."

"E-eh?! Why all of a sudden?"

"The thing you just said really pissed me off."

When I dragged my chair slightly further away and Cayen made a visibly dejected face—

*

"Hero Cayen. Do you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠swear before the Saintess, the holy representative of the Goddess, that you will devote yourself fully to your mission as the Hero?"

"I swear it."

It felt fresh seeing it after so long—the Saintess Olga and the Hero Cayen. Looking at them like this, they really do resemble the Hero who will save the world and the holy, benevolent Saintess I once knew...

In the audience, some people were already shedding tears or making the sign of the cross at this sacred moment of the Hero's appointment. Since they had no idea what these two were really like, I suppose they could lose themselves in the moment.

"From this point forward, I recognize you before all the world as the Hero chosen by the Goddess. Your authority shall be guaranteed by the Empire's great Transcendent, the Heavenly Emperor; the Emperor who rules all imperial ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠territories in his stead; the noble bloodline of the kingdom; the head of House Rectour, ruler of the kingdom, His Majesty King Charlemagne; the chairmen of the Republican Federation; and the Transcendents of the Southern Church."

At Olga's declaration someone began to clap, and soon the entire church thundered with applause from countless people.

"Look! It's holy light! The Goddess herself is bestowing her blessing!"

"The angels... have descended in person! To bless the new Hero!"

...What the hell is this?

At the same time, a sight I had never witnessed before unfolded right before my eyes. From the cathedral ceiling, an overwhelmingly bright yet warm light poured down onto Cayen. From the empty air, angels began to appear and descend toward that radiance.

A-angels...? And with four wings...?

The blue-haired angel holding a sword and the green-haired angel slowly descended, radiating holy power that had no equal in this world, and approached the Hero, Cayen.

"Receive this, Hero Cayen. It is the Holy Sword Ellentar, a sacred artifact of the Church forged in heaven."

An angel personally descending from heaven to bestow a holy sword—an unprecedented miracle. The Northern Church believers began shedding tears, clasping their hands, and praising the Goddess.

"...Thank you."

Even Cayen seemed unable to anticipate this event; he accepted the holy sword with a bewildered expression. Of course I was completely stunned too. Angels? I never dreamed the beings who only appeared during the worst crises to perform miracles would show up here. Four wings meant they were mid-rank angels. Even Sirca at full power probably wouldn't stand a chance against them.

Olga really went all out...

Anyone who witnessed this scene would never be able to doubt the Hero's authority again. It would also make excellent missionary work toward the kingdom's people, who were strong believers of the Southern Church. She had killed two birds with one stone.

...Huh?

Right then, my eyes briefly met the angels'. Did I see wrong just now?

Did the blue-haired angel just wink at me...?

While I stood there bewildered, the angels spread their wings and ascended back into the sky, vanishing.

"The Goddess's holy miracle...! This Hero may truly be the one to subjugate the Demon King!"

"Ooh! The time has finally come to end this terrible war! Cayen! The birth of Hero Cayen!"

While everyone marveled at the miracle of the angels' descent, I couldn't stop thinking about the angel who had winked before disappearing. I must have seen it wrong, right? An angel winking at me? That was impossible.

"Next, Artin Ludwig, who has been chosen as the Hero's Companion. Please step forward."

When Olga called my name, I felt every murmuring gaze in the church converge on me at once. Well, I was used to attention. Without trembling I walked straight ahead.

"Artin Ludwig. You are the only individual chosen by the Goddess as the Hero's Companion. Your words shall become the Hero's words, and I believe every good deed and holy, heroic feat you accomplish will become a beacon illuminating this world. Artin Ludwig, will you accept this mission?"

The Olga standing before me now was clearly not the same woman who clung to me and whined in my arms. The incidents of the past few days suddenly felt like demonic hallucinations meant to deceive me. Could this holy and sacred woman truly love me—enough to even cry out in such a lewd manner?

"...Artin Ludwig? Is something the matter?"

"Ah, no. Yes. I swear to accept the mission and become the Hero's Companion."

When Olga looked at me with gentle, closed eyes as if asking what was wrong, I answered hurriedly and bowed my head. I had prepared a much cooler oath—something about eradicating evil and restoring order with grand, impressive words—but seeing Olga's noble bearing made my mind go completely blank and I forgot everything.

"Very well. Artin Ludwig. From this moment forward, you are the Hero's Companion and sole representative acknowledged by Olga Virtus, the Saintess and representative of the Goddess."

As soon as Olga finished speaking, applause and cheers erupted from the crowd just like before. But unlike Cayen's appointment, there was no pillar of light or reappearing angels, so I felt a little deflated.

Well, it's a position Olga invented, so I guess it can't be helped.

Still, it was far better than being the third son of a minor baronial house in the kingdom. I was thinking exactly that when—

"Now, raise your head and receive the baptism befitting the Companion."

"...Yes? What do you—"

The moment I lifted my head at the word "baptism"—

"...Chuu♡"

".......Ugh? Uuuugh?!"

The soft sensation covering my lips startled me so badly I nearly screamed.

"...Huh?"

"What am I even looking at? The Saintess is kissing a man...?"

The shock spread slowly. For a Saintess who was supposed to uphold the virtues established by the Goddess as an example to all, purity was an extremely important moral principle.

The murmuring grew louder and louder, but my own head was turning completely white.

What the hell? What is this? How is she planning to handle the aftermath...?

I had no idea what Olga was thinking. Was she trying to seize the lead in the harem with this stunt? Just as that thought crossed my mind... the answer appeared before my eyes.

At the same time, an intense swarm of light began to envelop my entire body.