Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Hero Emerges from the Cathedral
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“The hero has appeared?”
The cathedral announced that a hero had emerged.
“No way, how?”
I couldn’t help but question that concept post.
It made sense, since the holy sword was currently at Ggotjugeo’s vampire castle.
It was obviously the cathedral pulling aggro.
It had to be a fake hero dressed up to look convincing.
- lol hero? does that even make sense?
- fr lol doesn’t Judak have the holy sword?
ㄴ Cathedral... you confident?
ㄴ fr just stay quiet, but they keep acting up
The gallery’s reaction was predictably cold.
The cathedral’s image was already unfavorable.
No, after the last incident, it had plummeted straight to rock bottom.
“Why pull this kind of aggro?”
I couldn’t understand it.
Still, the title was solid aggro bait.
The moment I clicked on that post out of curiosity.
[Title: Hero Emerges from Cathedral (For Real).jpg]
I’m not clergy btw
Not cathedral shill ㅇㅇ
This morning the cathedral announced a hero, thought it was another dumb stunt so I checked it out, fellow galerian...
(Hero standing next to the pope screenshot)
(Holy Sword of Adrian in the hero’s hand screenshot)
Holy shit it’s real
How the fuck did they pull this off bastards
[Likes 5232] [Dislikes 102]
- Wait what this is real?
- Is it really real?
- (Pottery farmer with cracked head meme)
- ???
“Huh.”
But it was real.
The sword gripped by the silver-haired man introduced by the pope as the hero was definitely the holy sword.
It hit me like a blow to the head.
“Did it escape?”
I’d clearly left it at Ggotjugeo’s castle, or rather entrusted it briefly.
For a second, I thought it was some high-level illusion.
Judak*: (Hero holy sword screenshot)
Judak*: This real???
Ggotjugeo Heupseol: It escaped while I was sleeping
Ggotjugeo Heupseol: My death penalty...
But Ggotjugeo’s confirmation made it certain.
That was my eco-friendly lighting for sure.
- If it’s real then what’s Judak?
- Didn’t it glow when Judak grabbed it?
- But this hero guy’s making it glow too?
- Recently Judak handled light magic, maybe he just faked the glow on the holy sword?
The comments were predictably exploding.
Split between it being cathedral aggro and the fact that the pope acknowledged it plus the holy sword means it’s real hero.
And seizing the moment, the cathedral issued a statement.
[Title: We Will Hold the Hero Investiture Ceremony.]
Author: Pope Pavier
(Hero holding the holy sword screenshot)
Recently, the heavens appointed a hero
The hero visited our cathedral with the holy sword out of nowhere
As pope, I will hold an investiture ceremony formally recognizing him as the hero in accordance with heaven’s will
This is a joyous day
All imperial citizens, attend and witness the legitimacy of the hero chosen by the heavens
[Likes 5232] [Dislikes 102]
- Sigh...
- No way the hero’s legit
- Wasn’t hero just a legend?
- If real then what’s Judak?
ㄴ Author: We’re not disparaging Judak
ㄴ Author: But there’s only one hero chosen by the heavens, so Judak must be fake
- But it glowed for Judak too
ㄴ fr seemed brighter than that one?
ㄴ But the pope tested it. Possibility Judak faked it with light magic ㅇㅇ
The cathedral was planning a hero investiture ceremony.
If the hero’s legitimacy was proven there, I’d naturally become the fake.
No, beyond fake, I’d be guilty of impersonating a hero with the stolen holy sword.
“Hmm...”
But.
“Hmm?”
Truth be told, I wasn’t that interested.
I had zero interest in debates over whether I was the real hero or a fake.
What even was a hero to begin with?
“So is this related to the gallery?”
More than that, I started scrutinizing the silver-haired hero in the screenshots.
“Sigh... feels like I’ve seen him somewhere before?”
He had the handsome looks and radiant silver hair perfect for a hero, anyone could see that.
But something about him felt familiar.
I stared at the man, lost in thought for a while.
*
“Ah, Hero, there you are?”
In the spacious waiting room.
Pope Pavier approached the silver-haired hero with a kindly smile.
The man called the hero looked at the holy sword before standing from his seat.
“Your Holiness.”
“No need to be so tense. Soon you’ll stand before the whole world as the hero, no?”
“But...”
Hero, the church’s legitimate firepower.
But both the pope and the man called hero knew.
That his holy sword had never glowed.
Rather, the pope had manipulated it to look like it glowed.
Even so, Pavier treated him with utmost courtesy, as if he were the real hero.
“Hero—or rather, Darian.”
Because.
“Don’t worry. The truth doesn’t matter.”
The truth didn’t matter.
Pavier placed a hand on Darian’s shoulder.
Then, as if it had never happened, he grinned like a snake and whispered in his ear.
“When you showed up at the cathedral with the holy sword, you can’t imagine my shock.”
The cathedral was already working on creating a fake hero under the pope’s orders.
That’s when Darian appeared.
Holding the real Holy Sword of Adrian.
“Where’d you say you found it?”
“Just picked it up abandoned in the forest.”
He’d simply picked up the somehow exhausted-looking holy sword.
“Yes, you’re no hero. Just happened to grab the holy sword by chance.”
Pure chance, as stated.
But Pavier saw it as the perfect opportunity.
What should’ve been in Judak’s hands was now in Darian’s—that was key.
“From today, you’re the hero.”
“But the holy sword didn’t glow.”
“We’ll make it glow with magic. If I call you hero, you are the hero.”
Even though it didn’t glow.
Pavier slowly lowered his body.
Through this investiture, gain legitimacy, reclaim power, he vowed.
“If that happens...”
Long ago, in the distant past before the gallery.
With a single gesture, he could kill the innocent, walk like a god.
And maybe banish that loathsome Judak forever.
“No, I’ll kill him outright.”
Perhaps even devour the gallery.
Pavier thought of that sweet future, slowly erased his smile, and stared at Darian.
“So don’t forget, Hero.”
With that, Pavier departed first to prepare for the impending ceremony.
Left alone in the waiting room, Darian slowly looked down at the holy sword.
-Hummm
It didn’t glow at all, but it was unmistakably the Holy Sword of Adrian.
Perhaps this was his destiny.
“I won’t forget.”
Darian murmured while gazing at the holy sword.
*
Things progressed swiftly.
Less than a day after the man called hero appeared, the investiture ceremony was set.
[Title: Hero Investiture Ceremony Begins]
Author: Pope Pavier
Seeing the top trending hero bait post in the gallery, I pondered.
“Damn, hero. What’s with this familiarity!”
Of course, I was still fixated on that.
No matter how I looked, I felt like I’d seen this hero guy before.
Pure Elf: Judak Judak
Pure Elf: You really just gonna let this slide???
Dragon Will Die: Well, mortals squabbling is entertaining...
Dragon Will Die: But it’s getting a bit excessive
Dragon Will Die: If you want, I’ll go sort it out myself
Despite the Pattaks’ concerns watching this, I took no action.
[Title: Hero Investiture Ceremony Begins]
Author: Pope Pavier
(Darian on stage screenshot)
(Pope explaining to everyone in front of Darian screenshot)
The hero sent by the heavens, Darian
As the cathedral’s representative upholding heaven’s will, I hereby appoint Darian as hero
(Darian raises the holy sword, bright light emanates from it screenshot)
Then the investiture began.
The pope called the man, and as he gripped the holy sword, bright light began leaking out.
“The light looks a bit off?”
Compared to the brilliant golden light when I held it, this was dull and artificial.
But the gathered crowd below cheered wildly in joy.
- Holy shit at this point he’s the real hero
- Kyahahaha finally a hero!!!
- Monster slaughter incoming~
- So Judak no explanation?
ㄴ fr lol still clenching teeth pretending not to see
Since I deliberately left it alone, trolls, spam, and chaos were piling up into a mess.
Pure Elf: Ugh Judak you dumbass idiot moron???
Pure Elf: Hit ban right now!!!
But despite the Pattaks’ worries, I kept staring at the man called hero in the screenshots.
Soon the pope in the video shouted loudly.
“With this, we have proven the hero’s qualifications!”
“By the call of the gods, I appoint Darian as hero!”
- Oh it’s starting?
- Never thought I’d live to see this lololol
At the pope’s call, the man slowly stepped forward.
And the moment his hazy features came into clear view.
“Oh, this guy’s the one I saw collapsed in the square back then.”
Darian—now I remembered the name.
The day I walked with Penny.
This so-called hero was the bum collapsed in the square.
“Pretty sure he said Darian Jallot or something?”
I’d given him a tuna can and a coat.
And in the video, Darian was wearing that exact coat.
No wonder it felt familiar.
“What’d he say to me back then...”
Darian had wolfed down the tuna can, then knelt before leaving and clearly said it.
I’ll never forget.
-Pffft
“Gasp.”
In that instant, the holy sword pierced the pope’s body.
It was so sudden.
I doubted if I was seeing right.
- ...? ???
- What the fuck?
- Huh?
Only the gushing dark blood confirmed it was real.
As everyone froze in shock and silence, Darian’s expression changed in a flash.
“Heretics all deserve to die.”
He erased his kind-looking smile, muttering with chilling blankness.
Then he yanked the sword free, kicked the pope off the stage, and stared straight at the system.
“Glory to Lord Judak!”
“What?”
Me?
As everyone stood stunned, the hero raised the holy sword high to the sky.
Then a system appeared before my eyes.
[1 empty slot remains.]
[Scanning...]
[1 eligible target nearby.]
[Designate target?]
>