Do Heroes Need Welfare Too? - Chapter 29

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 29

All the people at the Temple were friendly toward the Hero. Even considering that he had the public image of being the current Hero who received divine oracles, they wanted to build relationships with the Hero.

Even if the Hero had confessed honestly that he ‘could no longer hear the oracles,’ they looked like the type who would encourage him instead, saying it was God’s will.

‘Adam couldn’t have failed to notice that either.’

Was there something complex going on?

Or maybe there was another reason.

‘Ah, this is giving me a headache. I can’t give any more oracles anyway. I don’t even know what’s ahead of me.’

Who would have thought about the game after the ending?

The Demon King was dead, and the Hero could no longer hear oracles. Then wouldn’t it be neat to just settle down and farm near the Demon King’s Castle? Honestly speaking, achieving all this was Adam’s doing. Even without me, Adam’s self-developed swordsmanship skills and brilliant mind were incomparable to anyone.

A god who ran away as soon as the Demon King was killed was a completely unnecessary existence to him.

“I don’t know what voice the Hero is talking about, but I didn’t hear it.”

“…I see.”

A look of obvious disappointment flashed across his face.

Either he thought I was lying to gain sympathy, or he was genuinely so disappointed that he couldn’t manage his expression – it had to be one of the two.

However, after a moment of disappointment, Adam composed his expression.

He returned to the kind Hero’s face I always saw and smiled.

“Still, I’m glad you returned safely, Eve.”

If he was trying to make me feel guilty, I’d like to tell him it was a great success.

I was already considering whether to confess honestly.

“…I’m also glad to be alive.”

If it had really been an explosion from the Sacred Relic and I’d been caught up in it, I would have died.

I might have met a dog’s death without even being able to return to the original world.

‘Hero’s welfare…’

Stress – 73%

Seeing the glowing number above Adam’s head made me sigh unconsciously. He didn’t ask about it, probably thinking it was a sigh of relief, but I felt frustrated inside.

‘It seems like making it 0 is the top priority, but how?’

Because of the Sacred Relic incident, the stress level I had worked so hard to lower over several months had returned to what it was in the Primordial Village.

“Oh, and don’t worry because the Sacred Relic isn’t lost!”

I held up the Sacred Relic that I’d been clutching in my hand, unable to find the right timing to mention it.

Adam’s eyes widened as he stared at it quietly.

“Here!”

It was originally Adam’s anyway.

I grabbed his hand to place the ring on his palm.

Thwack-

“…Ah.”

A suffocating silence enveloped the room.

Adam had swatted my hand away. The Sacred Relic flew and rolled across the floor.

Half of me thought, ‘Is it okay to throw around the Sacred Relic like that when this is a Temple and it’s the Temple’s symbol?’ and half was flustered by Adam’s sudden action, leaving me standing there with my mouth agape.

“I’m sorry, Eve. I remembered something important.”

“Ah, yes…”

Adam left the room just like that.

I couldn’t even stop him and had to watch his disappearing figure in a daze.

‘Did he dislike me grabbing him suddenly?’

Even though sleeping rough on the ground was fine, when his former comrades like the Mercenary Queen or Bandit Leader acted friendly toward him, he would push them away.

So that kind of reaction might have come out in that moment.

Thinking it wasn’t a big deal, I got up from my seat and picked up the ring that had fallen far away.

‘Then should I go put it back myself?’

Since they said the Sacred Relic couldn’t be touched by anyone who wasn’t chosen, I had to go myself even though it was troublesome. I thought if I gave it to Adam, he would handle it.

Getting up from my seat, I went outside.

I came to the Temple for no reason and almost had my identity exposed to Adam through that strange system.

It wasn’t an ability that came from being possessed by the game, but rather this ring seemed to be the problem.

‘Is this the medium?’

The medium that allowed me to know Adam’s thoughts and send him oracles.

Honestly, I was tempted.

Even without giving oracles, I could disconnect and reconnect the synchronization at appropriate times to easily understand Adam’s inner thoughts. Since Adam always wore a smiling face and never revealed his true feelings, it was the perfect item for understanding him.

‘But I can’t just take it with me like this.’

The Sacred Relic belonged to the Temple, and more broadly, to the Hero.

If Adam refused it, then it belonged to the Temple as the next in line.

Even if I wanted it, it wasn’t something I could take carelessly. Putting aside my regret, I headed to the sanctuary where the Sacred Relic had been placed.

When I entered the sanctuary, there were several High Priests and the Elderly High Priest inside.

Ugh, the Elderly High Priest was somewhat uncomfortable.

However, upon spotting me, he approached me first with recognition.

“What brings you here? Are you feeling alright?”

“I came to return the Sacred Relic. They said other people can’t touch it.”

“Ah, we did say that Miss Iberis could definitely touch it.”

“Yes. Even now.”

I placed the ring on my palm and extended my hand to show him.

The Elderly High Priest smiled and reached out his hand toward me. More precisely, toward the ring.

Crackle-

I felt no reaction at all, but the Elderly High Priest’s hand was repelled by some invisible force. His fingers swelled up slightly.

The Elderly High Priest hid his injured hand in his wide sleeves and put on a benevolent face.

His smile was even deeper than when we first met. His eyes sparkled as they looked at me.

“As expected, there’s nothing wrong with the Sacred Relic, and it seems God has chosen Miss Iberis this time.”

“That can’t be. The Hero is right there, isn’t he?”

“There isn’t necessarily only one chosen person per generation. The first Saint also had someone beside her who received a revelation to kill the Demon King.”

When I still showed a reluctant reaction, the Elderly High Priest urged me again.

“And since the Hero didn’t take it either, it was just being displayed in the Temple, so God would want Miss Iberis to take it.”

Please tell the god who’s listening that I didn’t think that way.

Is it really okay to just give the Sacred Relic to anyone like this?

Since they were telling me to take it, it was clearly something useful, but somehow I felt uneasy. However, I hadn’t expected it, but since they were offering, there was no reason not to accept.

When I didn’t refuse again out of politeness, a High Priest who had been waiting nearby brought me a cord. I put the ring on the cord and wore it as a necklace.

The ring was a bit too big to wear on my finger, and even though it was a ring, it felt somewhat inappropriate to wear a Sacred Relic.

‘Being able to know the Hero’s thoughts to some extent is quite a big gain.’

I didn’t know if I’d use it, but there was also the ability to send him messages.

Though I had the synchronization turned off right now.

When I returned to the Demon King’s Castle, I thought I should ask Ben to prepare some special meal for the Hero, and I set out to find Adam.

Since I had pretended to faint because I hadn’t thought of an excuse after the barrier was roughly handled, I was actually fine.

I returned to the room to tell Adam about the Sacred Relic. Adam, who had said he had something to discuss with the Elderly High Priest, was already in the room.

‘Come to think of it, wasn’t the Elderly High Priest in the sanctuary?’

Hmm, we might have passed each other.

I didn’t want to stay in the Temple any longer, not knowing what else might happen. Adam probably felt the same way.

“Hero, let’s go back now. I’m fine without any injuries, and we’ve finished our business!”

I ran up to Adam and showed him my arms from various angles, appealing that I was perfectly fine.

I felt the ring jingle and move around my neck.

Adam’s gaze also moved to the Sacred Relic around my neck before meeting my eyes again.

“Didn’t you faint?”

“That was because the mental shock was too great earlier, but now I’m really fine.”

Adam was the one who had suggested returning to the Demon King’s Castle, but for some reason, now I was the one urging him.

“No.”

Huh? I said I’m fine though?

But Adam smiled deeply.

“Just in case there might be some problem, the Temple side wouldn’t feel good about sending you away like this either.”

“No, I should be going home…”

“Perhaps something you don’t remember might come to mind in the meantime.”

“…”

She felt silent pressure from his smiling face.

This Hero seemed intent on persisting until I told the truth.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————