Click (2): Who’s Most Rattled by El Dorado’s Investigation Team?
With the Saint Country El Dorado dispatching an investigation team, who was the most confused of all? The friend of the previous Hero, Cardir? No. Ludwig, or perhaps the families of the investigation team? That wasn’t it either. It was none other than Asella, the traitorous Hero who had ties to Ludwig.
What in the world is the Saint Country... why are they doing this to Teacher...?
In a dimly lit room of the inn where she’d barely managed to secure lodging, illuminated only by a lantern’s glow, Asella pored over the newspaper with rapt attention.
Shocking! The reason a traitorous Hero was born: the knights’ own mentor?
Unjust ideologies breed misguided beliefs.
El Dorado’s ideological verification: Those who fail to pray to Goddess Aris once a day are deemed impure elements...
It had only been a day. Just one day since news spread of the investigation team’s desertion, and already these papers were flooding in with pre-prepared condemnations. Asella was utterly bewildered.
But what hurt her the most was the part about Ludwig.
Ludwig, the former instructor of the Holy Knights. It turned out he’d insulted Aris. The blasphemous Holy Knight, Ludwig. Where has he fled? The Holy Knights he trained are now under massive investigation...
Asella knew Ludwig’s upright and stubborn nature all too well. She’d grown under his guidance and been selected as a Hero because of it. He’d treated her so kindly that she could feel his favoritism. For an orphan like her, starved of adult affection, Ludwig had been like a father.
A misunderstanding... there has to be a misunderstanding...
Asella crumpled the newspaper in her fist.
El Dorado had shown one disappointing act after another. But it was a nation founded to worship Aris and the gods. It was El Dorado that had raised an orphan like her into a proper Holy Knight.
Is all this... my fault?
Asella recalled the moment she’d drawn the holy sword, Revolution. The oracle that had come directly from the goddess the instant she did. Its contents were hard to believe: a shocking prophecy that she would bring about El Dorado’s downfall.
She’d thought it was a mistake at first, but when she came to her senses, she was a fugitive. After that, El Dorado had publicly branded her a traitor on a massive scale, leading to the current situation.
I’m not a traitor...
Asella knew better than anyone that she wasn’t a traitor. That’s why she assumed Goddess Aris had misunderstood. Blasphemy to suggest the goddess could err—but Asella’s circumstances were enough to cause severe cognitive dissonance.
Even if I prove I’m not a traitor... can Teacher regain his honor?
Ludwig’s reputation was already hitting rock bottom. El Dorado had full media control, and this was a major scandal. Even the Immortal King incident seemed to be getting swept under the rug, leaving her chest heavy with grief.
El Dorado had been nothing but disappointing lately. This might be its true face—the “Saint Country” mask hiding a pretense of righteousness all along.
The Saint Country I knew wasn’t like this...
The El Dorado Asella remembered was truly beautiful. A nation under the protection of Goddess Aris and the gods, where everyone was happy. Guarded by Holy Knights armed with service and self-sacrifice. A place where even orphans could achieve their dreams—and become Heroes.
But its recent actions were the complete opposite.
It’s just... wandering astray. No one goes without wandering, after all.
Just as people wander, so do nations. El Dorado was originally founded to stand against the Demon King—Mephisto’s threat. But Mephisto had softened with cultural development, embracing conciliation. They’d become obsessed with ball games, tabooing violence, even issuing polite apologies. El Dorado had no choice but to lose its way.
This is when you hold on to faith. The worst thing is abandoning someone in their time of need.
It was a life lesson from Ludwig. Staying by the side of those in hardship was the true virtue of a Holy Knight. Even for a nation, it should be no different. Asella steeled her resolve once more.
She failed to realize that she herself was one of the people in the world facing the greatest hardship. The other was breaking his back in the Four Seasons Forest.
I wonder what Grills is up to right now?
Asella connected to the Gallery, curious about YasaengGrill’s recent status. Thanks to him handing over a sword to Ludwig, the investigation team had been able to scatter safely. The papers even said Ludwig had wielded an evil “demon sword” to let the wicked ones escape. Plus, various testimonies in the Gallery confirmed it was Grills’ gift.
Truly, the heavens were infuriating.
“Eek?!”
Asella let out a strangled yelp. YasaengGrill’s latest post demanded such a reaction.
From time immemorial, the heavens were known as the domain of the gods. She couldn’t just gloss over it, figuratively or literally.
Did Grills commit blasphemy against the divine again?
He had a habit of it whenever the chance arose, so she dove right into the post. If so, she’d give him a stern warning.
Truly, the heavens are infuriating.
YasaengGrill (video of rain pouring outside the cave)
How long ago was the last rain? It’s pouring again, fuck. The oven and furnace are covered with tarps so they’re fine, but the fish traps are gonna get washed away again...
The heavens definitely hate me. That’s why I curse them.
└Cheonma The heavens are infuriating... Does this lady dislike them too?
└YasaengGrill No no. You’re the exception, Cheonma. You’re higher than the heavens lol.
└Cheonma True enough.
└Whoa. They’re so in sync, it’s wild lol
└Look at those two lovebirds lol
└You guys cliqueing or what? lol
└Cliqueing your way into the Four Seasons Forest? lol
└Gotta admit, that’s beyond cliqueing;;
└Fr lol, Four Seasons Forest is the exception~
└SwordTasteStar Seems like it rains a lot in the forest. How about focusing on training while it pours?
└YasaengGrill I’ve been doing that, but my aura’s just getting bigger?
└SwordTasteStar No way;; What kind of training makes you that strong?
└YasaengGrill Just... eat, circulate internal power method, eat inner cores, circulate internal power method. That’s it.
└SwordTasteStar You eat inner cores like candy?
└YasaengGrill For now. I save some for Ppareumbo, but I’ve got extras. Weird?
└SwordTasteStar First person I’ve seen chowing down inner cores like meds;;
└That’s how he’s getting crazy strong lololol
└Won’t his aura reach the heavens at this rate?
└Next he’ll be yelling, “My aura pierces the heavens!”?
└Wasn’t that what some crazy strong sword saint shouted? lol
└Yeah lol Thought it was badass back then, but now lolol
└It is badass tho?
└StarlightPrincess Don’t resent the heavens too much. I did once and got lucky to survive.
└YasaengGrill That was me helping, not the heavens.
└StarlightPrincess Can’t argue with that. Still, don’t think so negatively! A positive mindset is key.
└YasaengGrill Did that work for you, StarlightPrincess?
└StarlightPrincess Nope lol. Just waited to die day by day.
└YasaengGrill Dude;;
└StarlightPrincess But just like I met you, Grills, you might meet a benefactor someday!
└Wonder when that’ll be
└One thing’s sure: it’s measured in months lol
└Ludwig entered the Four Seasons Forest, so you’ll meet eventually. From the heavens lol
It was the real deal—not Aris, but resentment toward the heavens themselves. Still, indirect disdain for the gods seeped through everywhere.
Someone who hates the gods because they doesn’t want to hate people...
Asella pondered. Could she change Grills’ mindset? But if he couldn’t resent the gods, he’d end up hating people. Grills’ attitude needed serious thought. Humans are animals that can’t survive without hating sometimes. That’s why we express emotions with joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.
Then I need to guide him to hate a little less!
Asella’s signature positivity kicked in. She left a comment on Grills’ post, where replies were steadily regenerating.
└Don’tAbandonHero This is when you pray to the heavens! Pray for the rain to stop!
└YasaengGrill Don’t sell me snake oil.
└Don’tAbandonHero Gods don’t sell snake oil!!! Just listen once!
└YasaengGrill Sigh. Fine. What do I say?
└Don’tAbandonHero O Goddess Aris of war and wisdom, I beseech thee. Please lift the heavens’ wrath and grant me freedom of movement!
└YasaengGrill Hold on. I’ll pray with those exact words.
└Don’tAbandonHero Perfect!!
Her persistent convincing had finally paid off—Grills said he’d pray. He just had nothing better to do, but Asella was thrilled regardless.
This should ease his hatred toward the gods a bit, right?
Asella waited quietly for his reply, praying for good news.
About 30 seconds later, Grills didn’t comment. Instead:
Judaek You Scamming Bastard!!!
Asella’s eyes went wide as she opened the new post. Wondering what happened, she clicked in without hesitation.
Judaek You Scamming Bastard!!!
YasaengGrill (video of cave outside, like a hole ripped in the sky, torrential downpour)
What? Pray and the gods listen? What a joke. The gods definitely hate me. Prayed, and now it’s raining even harder.
Asella stared blankly at the Gallery before quietly logging off.
Goddess Aris doesn’t answer everything!
Classic ever-positive Asella.
Knock knock knock—
“Excuse me, guest. Are you in there?”
It was right after she closed the Gallery. Someone knocked from outside. Asella realized it was the innkeeper’s voice, but instinctively circulated her mana. She then checked for presences—not just behind the door, but throughout the inn.
Someone’s with the innkeeper...
It wasn’t just the presence that was suspicious.
“She’s definitely here?”
“Yes. Orange hair for sure.”
“Then we move in. The reward after we capture the traitor alive.”
“Oh, thank you.”
They’d whispered, but Asella heard it all. Not like sound waves hitting her ears, but more like the presences taking shape.
They’re already tracking me...
She hadn’t even stayed a few days, and pursuit was already here. Asella bit her lip and hurriedly prepared. First, she gripped Revolution and headed for the window.
I need more time. Time for the misunderstanding to clear.
Asella flung open the window and leaped out.
Crack!
At the same moment, the door burst open forcibly. The pursuers had broken it down. But Asella was already gone through the window—they struck only air.
Goddess, please grant me the strength to overcome this trial.
Asella fled without losing faith in the goddess.
*****
At the time Asella began her escape to shake off her pursuers.
“Uwaaaah! You fucking beasts! Get lost!! This is my house!!”
“Kieeeek!”
“Keeng! Kekek!”
YasaengGrill was struggling to fend off a sudden beast wave.
“Get out of my house right now!!!”