A messenger arrived .
It seems that the Goddess is calling for Banewolf .
Scratching his unkempt hair, a frown appeared on Banewolfâs mouth .
[Maybe theyâre worried that Iâm going to say something unnecessary to Sogou-chan . Good grief......]
However, he also doesnât have any good reason to refuse .
[Well then, Iâll see you later . ]
Saying that, Banewolf left .
After a few moments...
[Iâve finally done with those . ]
The Goddess is back .
Itâs as if she has just swapped places with Banewolf .
The Goddess smiles towards me .
[If youâre flirting with a man, theyâre really beneficial especially when theyâre protecting you at times like this . Itâs an amazing way to get through life . However, could you not waste your time only seducing men...... You also have to quickly unlock your unique skills, donât you think? Could you not waste your time only seducing men...... Please? Could you not waste your time only seducing men......]
Banewolfâs personal opinion may have been correct .
Taken aback, the Goddess quickly puts her hand over her mouth .
[Ah, this wonât do...... I have to be careful . I was just behaving as usual, but for some reason, it seemed like I could keep my composure...... Itâs all Sogou-sanâs fault......]
At that moment...
[Vysis-sama . ]
A messenger rode his horse next to the Goddess .
Not towards that portable shrine, but towards the real Goddess riding next to me .
[A magical war pigeon has sent a message for you . ]
[Yes, thank you for your good work . ]
The Goddess unfurled the rolled-up paper and looked through it .
When she finished reading it, she returned the paper back to the messenger .
[Can you read the contents of that paper out loud so that those around us can hear?]
[Hah! C- Certainly!]
The messenger began reading out the contents of the paper .
And as the contents of the paper became evident, the soldiers...
[OHHH......!]
âlet out cheers .
The magical war pigeon delivered a report of the Eastern Armyâs battle results .
The contents were as follows:
The White Wolf Knights launched their attack from Fort Ira, the foremost line in Easter Magnar .
It was apparently led by Knight Leader Sigurd Sigmus himself .
The Heroes, Takao Sisters appear to have accompanied them with their attack .
And in what became the first battle of the Eastern Armyââ
It ended in a complete great victory .
It is estimated that at least 2000 monsters have been killed .
Now, the enemy has stopped their advance .
âThe Black Wolfâ Sigurd Sigmus especially mentioned...
[âThe Takao Sisters...... I was particularly astonished by the results of the S-Rank Hero, Hijiri Takaoâs battle...... According to the people who were able to witness their battle, they even went so far as to say that their performance was comparable to that of Sigurd Sigmus . â]
A light of hope shone in the eyes of the reading messenger .
âThe Heroes from Another World really are our saviors . â
It was as if the voice in his heart could be felt by the people around us .
ââââWe can win .
There was a mixture of nervousness and boredom in the atmosphere of these soldiers marching with us .
However, there were other dark emotions looming within this army .
Itâs fear .
That recent news of the Western Magnar being completely trampled down had shaken a few soldiers .
However, the news of this victory pushed the fear that had been lingering within their army .
And as if it was being replaced, their morale was filled to the brim .
[We can do it...... We will do it! Isnât it true that even in the west, the Holy Extermination Force led by the Saint is pushing back the Great Demon Emperorâs Army!?]
Their feeling of euphoria from that victory quickly spread out .
[Iâve heard about the sheer amount of enemies we were going to have to fight...... To be honest, I was a little freaked out......]
[I was also worried about the burden from the Tyrantâs Miasma......]
[However, I think we could fight against them just fine...... I mean, the Western Army is putting up a good fight against them without any heroes within their ranks, right? That means...... We can also do this!]
[Moreover, our Southern Army have the Goddess herself leading us, and thereâs also the Four Revered Saints and the Dragonslayer here! Comparing the greatness of their reputation, the people we have wouldnât lose against the White Wolf Knights or the Holy Extermination Force!]
[The Heroes from Another World were also amazing people themselves! Itâs only been less than six months since theyâve been summoned, right? And yet, they werenât that inferior even compared to that Black Wolf...... As we thought, the Heroes from Another World really are our saviors!]
Naturally, the soldiersâ gazes gathered towards the Heroes .
They were particularly directed towards Kirihara and me, the same S-Rank Heroes as Hijiri .
The eyes of the soldiers are filled in expectations .
I could only look down towards my horse .
(I hope I can live up to these expectations... . . )
[Fufufu, thatâs what I have expected from the Black Wolf . One of the most important factors in wars is the morale of the soldiers . The Saint was also aware of this, thatâs why she launched their attack a bit later than him . ]
Watching the soldiers becoming uplifted, the Goddess said .
[It seems that the Argyle and Sinbapaâs tragedy has caused no small amount of disturbance and fear among the soldiers of each country . ]
I feel impressed .
(I see...... By quickly reporting their victory results to the rest of the army, he restored the morale of the soldiers who had been becoming anxious......)
Thatâs why he said they launched their attacks .
Itâs not that they clashed against them .
He just said they assaulted... and killed them .
The difference between those few words may be bigger than I thought .
Moreover, itâs the sortie of some with a value on his name .
âWeâve got people on our side who will bring us to victory . â
A symbol of victory .
Its very existence gives people courage .
With just these two victories, they have dispelled the losing mood around us .
(Perhaps, this is what the word âHeroâ means...... Theyâre people who give bravery to others . )
(T/N: Heroes could also be read as Braves)
When I think about it like that, that word âHeroâ doesnât seem to sound bad at all .
[......Vysis . ]
[Ara, what is it?]
Kirihara lined up his horse next to the Goddess and called out to her .
[In this battle, have you diligently prepared the stage most appropriate for me? Failing to think ahead is unforgivable, you know......]
[Kirihara-san is our hidden gem, after all . I thought that it would be a waste to just show you off that easily . ]
[I know thatâs indeed the case, but youâre a goddess who excels in deception . If the battle was to be decided by just the east and the west...... Itâs a stigma of your uselessness, showing how incapable you are for a goddess......]
[Eh? What did you just say?]
[Turning your eyes away and covering your ears, that certainly is something that weaklings do . Donât you dare run away from reality, you hear me......?]
[Fufufu, youâre too bitter, Kirihara-san . In short...... You must be feeling like Hijiri-san is one step ahead of you, right?]
[I canât help but think that it should have been a given......]
Looking forward, Kirihara lazily swayed on his horse .
[Itâs just that thereâs nothing more unfortunate for this world than to be mistakenly recognizing Hijiri as the strongest of the Heroes...... To put it in another way, itâs like mistaking the identity of the King . ]
Kirihara slightly tilted his head .
Clack
[I have to use this battle to show the whole nation who is the true owner of the Kingâs Vessel . That is fate......]
[Kirihara-san, do you want to be a King?]
[Itâs not that I donât want to be one, but Iâd become one whether I like it or not . If I have the environment to show my power, Iâll definitely become a king . In short......]
Kirihara exhales .
[The King in me will not allow me to run away from my throne . ]
[Are you interested in the throne of one of the countries?]
[......Iâm not uninterested . Well, itâs not a bad idea for me to leave a seed to someone worthy of me and to leave some excellent offspring in this world...... However, itâs just that I donât know how many people in this world are worthy of me......]
[Couldnât it just be one of your classmates?]
[It might be better if it were Hijiri or Ayaka, though that might have been too limiting for me...... I canât help but think they would become a hindrance once we return back to our previous world . ......That Princess Knight of Neia that youâve mentioned before had already died, right?]
[Thatâs right . ]
[Tsk...... I guess that leaves me with Jonatoâs Queen and the Saint . The only one that seems a bit better than the others would be that Nyantan...... However, that one has a questionable lineage . If she has a poor lineage, she could possibly muddy the kingliness of this Kirihara......]
[Then, how about the White Wolf Knightsâ Artlight Sisters, theyâre both beautiful and famous for their talent . Theyâre also a nobleâs daughter . ]
[If I feel like it, Iâll be happy to eventually meet them . But first, I have to show them what a king is all about...... Iâm not some kind of small-fry thatâs all bark and no bite . ]
Kirihara brushes his hair behind his back .
[Of all the Heroes summoned, none of them have been able to keep up with my level . Iâm now level 279...... Even the runner up, Hijiri is more than 50 levels behind me . You know what this means, right? Even though our growth has slowed down, thereâs still 50 levels of difference between us...... This proves that thereâs still a hierarchy even among the S-Ranks as well . In shortââ]
Letting his right hand go of the reins, he thrust it forward .
Itâs as if heâs trying to show off something .
[It means that no one is capable of surpassing this Kirihara . ]
Then, Oyamada leaned his upper body out of the carriage .
It seems that heâs listening to the conversation .
[To be honest, canât Takuto already kill that Great Demon Emperor all alone!? To be honestly honest, whether itâs that Sham Value Yasu, or the S-Rank Fraud President or those crazy twin sisters, donât you think theyâre not needed in this Another World Heroes story!? You over there! Goddess-sama! Listen! Listen! Listen!]
(T/N: è¦ãããæ ªä¾¡ / Misikake Kabuka Yasu)
Holding unto the reins again, Kirihara turns around .
[Shougo, theyâre also part of this story . Itâs just a story about how they finally became aware of their place...... Moreover, so that you could tell the difference between me and those small fries...... You would need to summon âeveryoneâ from class . When we go back to our previous world, the hierarchy within our class would be definite . And that hierarchy wonât be changed as anyone pleases......]
[Frankly speaking though, I think the Takaos and that Asagi were really annoying~! Theyâre already crumbling down the balance of our class just by being here~! Honestly, Iâm really annoyed with those people who canât understand the hierarchy~! If you just leave them as is, they would end up dying as a sh*tty trash just like that misunderstanding mob Mimori-chan~! Theyâre just crumbling down the whole ecosystem~!]
Then...
[That Mimoriâs death is too unsightly, dying just as we came into another world . Heâs really acting like the typical mob he is...... Well, thatâs the role of a mob . Itâs like itâs in their fate already......]
Yasu, who had been silent until now, said with a distorted grin on his face .
[Mimori was a fake and I am the real deal . I mean, we were supposed to have just landed on the main story itself...... My nature is that of a hero, while Mimoriâs nature is that of a mob . ]
[Ahh!? What the hell are you suddenly saying, you bastard Yasu!? Youâve changed your character too much in a seriously lame direction!]
[So, this is the jealousy for the real ones huh...... . Itâs quite comfortable . Well, Oyamada would be quite suited to his role of being Kiriharaâs flunky, the flunky who barks at every single thing he sees . You canât even ride a horse after all . ]
[Iâll kill you, bastard!]
[Kuhaha . That eldest sister of the Four Revered Saints were always talking down on you, but you canât even do anything but bark...... Kuhahaha! Youâre too unsightly! Really, really unsightly!]
[............Ah, Iâll seriously kill you . ]
[I told you not to get involved with Yasu, Shougo . ]
Kirihara stops him .
[But Takuto~? We seriously need to make them understand their place . Too bad that we donât have any internet nor social media here, so I canât expose his unsightly video around the world . ]
[Thatâs what happens when midgets like him suddenly acquire power thatâs more than he could hold...... Itâs the same way those nouveau riche ruins themselves . However, heâs a pierrot after all...... Heâs going to die away and disappear before you knew it . Thatâs why, you just need to wait until that time that Yasu gets forgotten in time......]
[......Fuunnn, hear that? Sham Value-kun?]
[Kuhaha, so even Kirihara started barking huh . Kukuku...... As expected, you would find this Black Flames Hero very frightening...... How comfortable, your fear is......]
[You canât be saved from your stupidity anymore, Yasu Tomohiro......]
Watching such a scene, the Goddess brought her hands together and smiled .
[Itâs great that everyone strongly wants to reach the top, isnât it?]
â½
The army heading for Magnarâs royal capital along with me were supposed to take some rest along the way .
It seems the place we would be resting in is a fortress called the Anti-Demon White Castle .
It happened a few days before we reached that castleââ
A magical war pigeon that regularly comes, bringing a message .
A message that was directly handed over to the Goddess .
The Goddess looked through it as she always did .
However, her complexion suddenly changed .
[Did something happen?]
The one who spoke to her was the Four Revered Saintâs Agito Angoon .
[......Iâve heard that the monsters in the Eastern Invasion Force suddenly increased . ]
[Suddenly? Does that mean they were lying in ambush?]
[No...... This amount of monsters isnât something that they would be able to hide for a long time . If there were many of those monsters moving around, our side would have noticed it sooner......]
[You mean...... They just showed up out of nowhere?]
[That might be so . ]
The Goddess has an unusually grim expression on her face .
[It seems that the foremost line in the Eastern Army, led by the White Wolf Knights abandoned Fort Ira and is currently retreating towards Fort Horun . Since theyâve decided to quickly withdraw, they didnât lose that many people but......]
The Goddessâ voice became softer .
Itâs just loud enough that I could barely hear her from where I am .
Unlike that time when the magical war pigeon brought news of victory, I donât think this is the kind of news that she would want to let everyone know .
[Are you saying that thereâs some kind of large-scale teleportation that happened over there? But Iâve never heard of something like that, so could you please stop fooling around......]
[No...... If they have something like that, they would definitely use it for surprise attacks . Using that method doesnât allow the opponents any time to retreat . ]
[Ah, I see . Now that you mention it, that might be the case . ]
[Like I said, I donât think it is some kind of teleportation ability . If that were really the case, this kind of increase in the amount of monsters should haveâ-]
Furrowing her eyebrows, the Goddess quietly stared at the letter she received .
[I can only think that place may have turned into a new spawn point . ]
[Eh? That would mean......]
[Yes...... Itâs only natural to this so because of âitsâ characteristics that had been described through the past information . I donât know what itâs intentions are...... but as expected, we canât ignore this . Howeverââ I see, so thatâs how it is . ]
As if sheâs being enveloped with the dry, cold air from the midwinter cliffs, I couldnât feel any hint of warmth on the smile that appeared on the Goddessâ face .
[So youâve finally decided to come out, Great Demon Emperor?]