The Hero Obtained a Virgin Detector
"So? What's the unicorn's trait?" I asked the saintess. For some reason, she seemed to know quite a bit about unicorns.
Marian glanced at the unicorn before whispering cautiously to me. "Nothing special. It's smart, and doesn't tire out like other horses?"
"...That's it?"
"Ah, there's talk that the horn has potent medicinal effects... but that has nothing to do with you, right, Hero?"
I nodded at Marian's words. My body's defining trait was immortality. Naturally, it was immune to diseases too, so no medicine—no matter how miraculous—had any use for me. In other words, even if I turned into a unicorn, there'd be zero benefit to me.
I shot a disappointed look at Talion, who snorted irritably at my expression and took another smack for it.
"And..." But Marian's explanation wasn't finished yet. I turned back to her with a flicker of hope. It was a divine beast from legends, after all—surely more than just "smart" and "tireless"? Besides, willingly taking a slap it didn't need didn't scream brains to me.
"Well... um."
"Spit it out. And what else?"
"...It likes virgins. And on the flip side, it avoids the touch of non-virgins..."
Marian said it while glancing at Jena. Jena's face flushed crimson at the pointed barb hidden in those words.
"Th-that's absurd!"
Jena stammered a rebuttal at Marian, but it fell flat. Even Talion, who always obeyed her before, had rejected her touch—who wouldn't suspect her virginity now?
"Hah, it's not like I made it up. That's straight from unicorn lore—what can I do?"
"N-nonsense! No one's ever properly seen a unicorn anyway!"
The saintess teased Jena, who fired back again. Well, from my perspective—the guy who'd personally taken hers—the saintess's claim didn't sound so baseless.
"For now, let's call that unconfirmed." I told the saintess, subtly checking the holy knights. They pretended to be busy, but their ears were tuned our way. For Jena's sake—or rather, Duke Capella's—this needed burying here.
I eyed the unicornized Talion with fresh interest.
So, a living virgin detector, huh?
I'd pegged it as a worthless nag, but this was a surprisingly solid perk. As I'd said before, most of my revenge targets were women. My method? Corrupting them. But first timeline me was a total wallflower—hell if I knew which were virgins. Might not seem crucial, but Crown Prince Aaron had drilled it into me: seducing virgins versus sluts was a whole different game.
Which made Talion essential.
As I mulled that over, Marian—watching my mood—spoke up cautiously. "For now, we should notify the Church."
"...Why?" I asked with a frown. Was she angling for my virgin detector? Er, unicorn?
"No real powers, sure, but it's a creature from myths! A hero riding in on one? People's reactions will be massive."
I nodded. Good—she wasn't after it. And shifting public perception worked in my favor.
"Fine. Notify 'em or don't—your call."
"Then I'll do it." With my go-ahead, Marian lit up with excitement. Way better optics for her: mythic-mount hero over country-bumpkin savior.
"Um, excuse me—that's my horse?"
Jena piped up in protest, but one glare from me had her tail between her legs. She wouldn't be riding it anymore anyway.
'Long time no see.' I gazed at Lidea's massive walls, nostalgia washing over me. Truth be told, the imperial capital—smack in the empire's heart, far from any border—had zero reason for walls that towering and grand. Enemies breaching Lidea? That'd mean the empire, Lorein itself, was finished.
Case in point: even amid the continent-wide bloodbath of the Demon King's invasion, the army never so much as peeked at Lidea. Not for nothing had I set Ghetto up here.
"Hero, what do you think? First time in the capital?"
Jena sidled up as I stared wistfully. Keeping it casual, away from her subordinates' eyes. Her asking if it was my first time? Kinda hilarious—I'd prowled Lidea's hidden corners more than the holy knight captain ever had. But I just nodded. Couldn't spill the regression beans, and hey, it was my first in this life.
"Don't be too shocked, Hero. Nothing like your backwater village."
No clue why, but Jena puffed up like she owned the place, bragging away. I'd planned to let it slide, but that attitude grated. I beckoned her closer; she leaned in, curiosity piqued.
"A mount acting big in front of its owner?"
I chuckled as her face went nuclear red, then spurred my horse into the capital. Guards eyed us at the gate, but rolling with Gaiana Church holy knights? No sweat. We passed through the colossal entrance, Lidea's guts spilling into view.
As expected, can't stand the locals.
Holy knight order escorting the Hero himself, and the residents just gave our procession bored glances. Capital folk had noses so high—or some weirder brand of arrogance—it defied explanation.
I scowled instinctively.
"Don't take it personally, Hero. Locals never care about 'higher' affairs."
My mood must've shown; Jena rode up again, yapping. Her grit—after that roast—earned a straight answer.
"Not disappointed."
"They've only got their pathetic little lives anyway."
Noble blood, maybe? She viewed them through a different lens than me. Sure, some were busy with work, ignoring the rest... but Lidea's people in my memories? Different breed. Even at the Demon War's nadir, they'd treated my showdown with the Demon King like prime entertainment.
Kingdoms crumbling outside, imperial citizens massacred—and zero crisis vibe in Lidea. So when I won, them dismissing me like a has-been actor? Par for the course.
Hell, if I'd been a mage with Meteor, I'd have glassed the place without a second thought.
"Let's move. Church is prepping your welcome ceremony."
"Welcome ceremony?"
I tilted my head at Jena.
"Yeah. Got word from the Church earlier. They're setting up your big entrance."
I gave her a weird look. After the gate, she'd chatted with someone—must've been about this. I scratched my head, frowning. Not embarrassment over some ceremony. Just... this was new. First-life me never got one. Brain-fog from the deviation.
Well, if it's too identical to before, where's the fun?
Regression had already spawned changes. Hell, a unicorn showing up? Church hyping the Hero more was only natural.
"Fine. Let's see how extravagant it gets."
I wrapped it up, replying to Jena. Whatever curveballs came, nothing could top first-run hell.