Hero Summoned
“This is troublesome.”
“What is it?”
Upon waking up, the Saint was unfolding a single scroll before my eyes.
Next to it lay a letter envelope that had already been torn open. It seemed to be a missive from the church.
“Whoa, when did you wake up? Even a ghost needs to maintain a little presence~♡”
“...Anyway, what is this?”
“A summons for the heroes.”
“Eh.”
How long had it been since we all gathered?
“Why are they calling us?”
“It says a Leviathan-class monster has appeared near Habsburg City. It seems they’re gathering for extermination.”
Habsburg? They really used the name of some real noble family as a place name.
“But a Leviathan-class monster? Isn’t that the same one Elfride exterminated?”
“Exactly. A monster even your so-called hero could never scratch with your pathetic abilities~♡”
“...Then we’re not going?”
“Of course we are. What’s the point of going if it only means the hero will die? It would be hilarious in its own way if the hero just dropped dead suddenly like that~♡”
That’s a relief. I’m still the kind of guy who catches even lower-class monsters while they’re injured, but how the hell do you take down something like a Leviathan?
“Then can I sleep more?”
“No. The sun’s already up high and you still want to sleep? You’re hopeless~♡”
“...I’ll get up.”
Even today I’m here chasing monster quests. With that mindset I lightly rose, only to feel once again how life never works out as planned.
#
“Shit.”
“Bad language.”
You use bad language too, so why the hell won’t you shut up about it when I’m the one who has to hear it?
Right now the Saint and I were heading toward Habsburg City.
The Saint had sent a refusal letter to the doctor, but since Revius’s location was too far away, Elfride and I had to arrive early and prepare. That was why we received a quick reply ordering us to come immediately.
After reading the reply, the Saint let out a deep sigh and said to me.
“Hero, just stay put. With your bug-like strength you’d only get yourself killed anyway~♡”
I didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. With my current ability, how could I hope to fight a monster like that? I’d just have to pretend I came here to admire Elfride’s beautiful face.
“Hero.”
“Yes, Saint?”
“Even though you’re a hero, you can’t just stand there idle in battle, can you?”
“You told me earlier not to do anything.”
The Saint gave me a playful wink.
“Of course you can’t do anything against a Leviathan-class monster, but surely you can handle the lower-class monsters that will swarm alongside it? Or are you going to say you can’t even do that~?”
“Don’t Leviathans appear alone?”
“Of course not. Monsters naturally command weaker ones as subordinates. A Leviathan-class monster would bring out mid-class monsters at the very least.”
Oh, so I didn’t have to stand there like an idiot.
“But can I even handle all those monsters?”
“This time it’s real combat, so I’ll fight too. I can’t leave everything to a weak hero like you~♡”
“Oh, the Saint will fight as well?”
“And I’ll cast a blessing on you.”
...A blessing?
For a moment my head went blank.
Shit, could I even use buffs? Then why the hell didn’t she use it until now, you damn woman?!
Still, I couldn’t say that, so I simply endured and gently phrased my words.
“...You’ve never done that before.”
“It’s because your basics are too weak. Even with a blessing you won’t become stronger, so it won’t help your growth at all.”
“...Hmm.”
If I said that, then I had nothing left to say.
“But today is proper real combat, so of course I’ll cast a blessing.”
“Understood.”
“Even with such a brain as yours, you still understood. That’s really fortunate~♡”
Heh heh.
“There it is.”
The Saint pointed ahead with her slender fingers. Following her gaze, a rather large fortress came into view.
This place, which carried the feel of a medieval city, was Habsburg City. Yet the atmosphere felt strangely peaceful. Wasn’t a Leviathan-class monster supposed to appear?
“Hero.”
“Yes?”
“From now on we’ll meet the lord of Habsburg City, Count Vaterk. We need to receive information about the monster.”
“Understood.”
So?
“You know the etiquette nobles require, right? Or did you forget it already~?”
“...I remember.”
“Just keep that in mind. I’ll handle the rest.”
I nodded, and the Saint showed me her signature arrogant smile.
Why is she smiling like that? You’re really pretty, aren’t you?
#
When we visited the mansion of Habsburg City’s lord, Count Vaterk, the count himself rushed out to greet us barefoot.
“Welcome, Hero!”
“It is an honor to meet you, Count Vaterk.”
“The honor is mine! Come inside, come inside.”
Being a hero really is something. Even the ruler of such a city treats us like that.
Count Vaterk led us to the reception room. The mansion was so vast and grand it left me speechless. As I looked around in amazement, the Saint chuckled softly.
“Hero, you look like a primitive person encountering civilization for the first time~♡”
“...Shut up.”
I should have never seen a mansion this big.
As we entered the reception room behind the count, another person was already there. A woman with the beauty of a golden-haired hero.
“Elfride!”
“Hmm, Abel. You’re here.”
It was the Hero Elfride. Today she wasn’t alone. Beside her stood a silver-haired woman dressed neatly in nun’s robes.
I realized this was the Saint who traveled with Elfride, someone I hadn’t seen before. The moment I saw her, the only thought that came to mind was one word.
Insane.
I’d call it an immense divine power pocket. Hers was truly immense.
“Hero.”
“Yes?”
The Saint narrowed her eyes and glared at me from beside.
“Where are you looking? Are you a pervert?”
“...Sorry.”
Hopeless.
Her tone suddenly felt sharper than usual...
“Abel, sit over there instead of standing like an idiot.”
“Ah, yes.”
I sat on the sofa facing Elfride. The Saint plopped down right beside me.
...It felt like an uncomfortable feeling was leaking out from every single action these past few moments.
“Elfride, is the woman beside you the Saint?”
“Yes. She’s the Saint who travels with me.”
The silver-haired Saint looked at me with black eyes. Eyes that reminded me of Korean ones. She lowered her head and introduced herself.
“I am Cynthia, a faithful servant of the Goddess Lunaria.”
Lunaria? Just hearing the name felt like the Moon Goddess. Now that I thought about it, our Saint didn’t say she served the Sun Goddess?
I glanced back at the Saint. She was looking at Cynthia with an expression that didn’t seem pleased at all. Their relationship really must be bad.
After all, the sun and moon are opposites, and being on bad terms is basically their custom.
“Saint.”
“Yes, Hero?”
“You don’t seem to get along well with the Saint from the Lunaria Church.”
“...The church itself has always been that way, but this is the first time I’ve met her today. I can’t afford to worry about whether she’s good or bad.”
“Is that so?”
Then why does your gaze look like that?
“Abel.”
At that moment Elfride called me.
“Yes?”
“How long have you been a hero?”
“Um…a little over a month, I think?”
“Then it’s impossible for you to face a Leviathan-class monster yet. Your Saint’s ego hasn’t awakened either.”
What? You immediately figured out my full power?
“You would know that too, and seeing you come this far...
Wh-what? Did she catch me trying to take the bus?!
“As expected, you really are a proper hero.”
“...Eh?”
“Though your strength may be lacking, it’s because you wanted to save people, isn’t it?”
“Ah...”
I just came because they said to come, but Elfride was sending me eyes that expected me to say exactly that. Extremely intense eyes.
I couldn’t disappoint her, so I nodded.
“...Yeah.”
“Hmm, good mindset.”
I glanced sideways at the Saint. She was laughing softly, as if something was amusing her.
Shit, don’t laugh.
“Sorry, something came up and I was late.”
After guiding us to the reception room and disappearing, Count Vaterk finally entered. He was accompanied by one knight in shining armor. Judging by the gleaming plate armor, he was clearly the head of the knight order.
“This is Lord Rein, who commands our Vaterk family’s knights. Lord Rein, greet the heroes.”
“It is an honor to meet the Savior heroes. I am Rein, captain of the Vaterk Knights.”
Count Vaterk took his seat, and Lord Rein stood beside him. The count looked at us and spoke.
“Lord Rein will report in detail about the monster that appeared. I hope our gathered information helps you, heroes.”
“We’re listening.”
Elfride said, and Lord Rein cleared his throat once before beginning.
“The Leviathan-class monster is located east of Habsburg City. The distance is about two kilometers right now, but the monster is steadily approaching the city.”
“What form is it?”
“Floating.”
Floating?
From the side, the Saint whispered quietly to me.
“It means a monster floating in the air, Hero.”
“Ah, I get it, but...does every Leviathan-class monster look different?”
“Yes. From upper-class monsters onward, they’re classified by threat level, so form doesn’t matter. Really, you don’t know anything~♡”
“...The Saint knows too much, doesn’t she?”
“That’s basic~. The hero who doesn’t even have basics is the one who’s sloppy~♡”
How the hell am I supposed to know when I got isekai’d?
“Is that so.”
Elfride nodded seriously.
“I will fight the monster myself.”
“Oh, thank you, Elfride!”
“Abel.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, but please handle the other monsters under it.”
How is that sorry? I’ll do what the bus knight says.
“Okay.”
“Cynthia, let’s go.”
“Yes, Elfride.”
#
When I faced the Leviathan-class monster, it felt like common sense broke.
When I heard the word “floating,” I thought maybe it was some creature drifting in the sky. Like a jellyfish floating lazily in the air.
But what I was facing was...
“...Is that a Leviathan-class monster?”
“Yes. Don’t get too close to it. In front of you the hero is no better than an ant~♡ You’ll die like stepping on an insect~♡”
“...Even if you tell me to go, I don’t want to.”
There was a demon flying high in the sky. Its large, red wings fluttered, and it stared at people with countless small eyes.
It held a massive spear in one hand, exactly like a human knight. It looked nothing like the monsters I had seen before.
Below it swarmed lower-class monsters.
...This feels like a monster army.
It made sense why people were so shocked when I reported killing a Leviathan-class monster at the briefing.
“Don’t tense up too much, Abel.”
From behind, Elfride spoke to reassure me.
“I won’t push you too hard, new hero. I’ll handle that one myself, so just go process the other monsters.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, Elfride?”
“I’m fine. I’ve already fought Leviathan-class monsters a few times.”
“...You’re amazing.”
I could feel it just by looking. That monster was on a completely different level from the ones I had seen. I realized the Noble Chief I almost died to was nothing.
Elfride saying she had exterminated that kind of monster so many times was awe-inspiring. She drew her long rapier and charged toward the monster.
...Wait a second.
“Saint.”
“Yes, you pathetic trash hero~♡”
...Why was an extra honorific added? First, I’ll ignore the honorific and ask a separate question.
“You said you can exterminate Leviathan-class monsters, right?”
“Of course.”
“...Really?”
“Have I ever lied to you about this kind of thing?”
No, she had. But in the middle of serious talk she never lied.
“You can actually exterminate that monster, Saint???”
“Of course~. I’m not X-rated like you~♡ The hero has to be able to exterminate them someday too.”
“...That’s true, but...”
You’re not a hero, you’re a Saint. Usually Saints support heroes and aren’t that strong, right?
“If you don’t believe, I can show you, but...since I lost the lead this time, next time I’ll show you~♥”
“......”
...It seemed like it would still take a while before I could become strong enough for revenge.