(note, this isn't mine, it's for offline reading purposes, and yes, copy and paste)
「Hey! How long will you keep looking at us like that? It's disgusting! 」
Mash was shouting at Seiya in front of the church's ruins. Seiya finally diverted his eyes from them and muttered with a repulsive voice.
「No use. 」
「…What? Hey you, what did you just say? 」
「I said "no use". Your status are too low to even talk about. I don't have a use for comrades like you. 」
「Say what again!? You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!! 」
Mash was looking quite furious at Seiya, but Elle managed to keep a smile.
「*laugh awkwardly* Well, we are still gaining experience! So I hope you'll look at us with different eyes, is that alright? 」
However, Seiya looked at the red-haired girl with cold eyes.
「By the way, it seems you have fire magic but that's also one of my attributes. I don't need you. 」
「Did you just say that you "don't need me"? That's cruel!! 」
「Besides, even though you say you're still gaining experience, I don't see any development, 'cause you were standing there doing nothing; you didn't even recognize that the priest was an undead; so how can you be useful to me from now on? 」
Both of them couldn't speak back and they just stayed silent while clenching their teeth. I was the same as both them before.
「It can't be helped, Seiya. The priest was hiding every trace of being an undead, so it was hard for humans to notice anything strange. I also didn't know it was him… 」
「No, that's not it. Their ability to detect danger is extremely low. I will be exposed to danger if I'm stuck with these two. Let me be clear here, this is bothersome. 」
Mash was at the limit of his patience and was spiting continuously on the ground.
「Hey, Mister Hero. Just because you are strong, it doesn't give you the right to look down on other people, got it? 」
He stood face to face with Seiya and glared intensely at him.
「Don't you dare measure people by their status alone! Do you want me to show you my real strength here? I don't care if you're a hero who received a G.o.d's revelation, but in my Nakas.h.i.+ Village, I am called the "Hero Mash"!」
「Okay. Let me show you the differences between our abilities in a second.」
I stepped in between both them to stop their intense rivalry.
「Calm down you two! Also, Seiya! You said very harsh things to them! Apologize to Mas.h.!.+ 」
「Why? I don't need to apologize. 」
Seiya looked at Mash and shooed him away.
「I'll say one more time. I don't need you. Go back to your Nakayos.h.i.+ Village. 」
「Nakayos.h.i.+…? My Village is called Nakas.h.i.+, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!! I won't forgive you!! 」
Mash was going to hit Seiya, but Elle stopped him.
「Stop Mas.h.!.+ You mustn't fight with him! 」
「Shup up! Let me go! 」
I let Elle handle Mash for now, and I went to speak with Seiya.
「Seiya, listen to me. According to the information of the Great G.o.ddess Isister, there seems to be a hidden place with a special seal that can only be opened with the dragon crest on the hands of both of them. In other words, we can't save Geabrande without it. 」
「Do you mean we have to take them not as allies but as "keys"? 」
「Well, I guess it's okay to interpret it like that… 」
I had no choice but to use this strategy to take them with us. However, I didn't notice at all that Mash pushed Elle away and was listening to the story I just told Seiya.
「We're "keys"!? Don't you dare treat us like items!! 」
「No!! That's not what I meant!! 」
*feeling regretful* I poured oil in the fire!! How can I fix this mess!?
Now what to do…
*crying sound*
I could hear an agonizing voice. Then, I saw that Elle was crying endlessly. Suddenly, it became rivers of tears.
「*cries continuously* First it was "no use", after that was "keys", I can't take it anymore!! I trained so hard ever since I was born, this is unfair!! 」
「That's right! I completely understand! So, please don't cry Elle! 」
「What's this? Kindergarten now? This is ridiculous. 」
「Seiya, be quiet!! 」
A hero who is insensible. A crying "dragon girl". An angry "dragon boy".
Ah!? The atmosphere unexpectedly turned into a horrible mood!? I mustn't allow this!! As a G.o.ddess, I need to put some order into this situation!!
I somehow managed to find a solution and pointed towards a group of armored Knights that were pa.s.sing by.
「What!? Everyone, look at that!! Something is coming on our direction!! I wonder what's going on!? 」
Good! In some way or another, I succeed in changing the mood…Yet, the five Knights that were walking stopped right in front of us and looked serious as they shouted repeatedly.
「Some people alerted us about a huge uproar coming from the area around the church…What the h.e.l.l happened here!? The church was burned down!! 」
「Look over there!! The Sister is lying unconsciously on the floor!! 」
「Hey, you people!! Explain what happened over here!! If you don't give a credible answer, I'll keep interrogating you all!! 」
What is this!! The atmosphere became worse than it was before!!
「Well, about this, you know… 」
When I tried to justify the occurrence, the nun woke up.
*panicking* This is getting worse!! She will tell the Knights that it was Seiya who destroyed the church!!
Still, contrary to my thoughts, the nun protected us.
「Gentlemen. The truth is that the priest of this church was an undead in disguise. These people here helped me. 」
「The church collapsed because of that? 」
「I guess…I can't recall that event too well because my head still hurts. But…well…I'm sure the undead ignited the fire and destroyed the church in the end… 」
The nun looked serious and she continued talking with confidence; she didn't seem to be lying to them. I am sure the nun didn't want to believe that a "hero destroyed a church", so she went ahead with the undead story.
「However, there is one thing that I clearly remember. The undead told us that ten thousand undead warriors would arrive in the following morning.」
「What did you say!? 」
「Ten thousand…!? It can't be true…!! 」
「I heard that the undead army that destroyed Klein Castle was moving southward…but who would have imagined they would be that many…!! 」
The Knights became scared after hearing the nun's words. Yet, she smiled.
「Please, rest a.s.sured. G.o.d did not abandon us, because He sent these people to our town to protect us. The G.o.ddess was descended from the heavens to save Geabrande. In addition, we have a hero who received the revelation of G.o.d. Besides, we also have here today two people from the Dragon Tribe who saved Geabrande since the ancient times. 」
The Knights changed the gaze of their eyes when they heard the nun's words. Meanwhile, a veteran Knight with a beard was saluted.
「Please forgive us for our rudeness! We are the Knights of the Rosgard Empire! We were dispatched to save the town of Semul from the undead army! Forgives us for any inconvenience that we've caused! 」
The five of them bowed to us in unison.
「Hero! Please, defeat the army of the undead!! 」
Unusually, Seiya looked up to the veteran Knight and spoke to him.
「I want to ask you a question; if I defeat the army of the undead how much will I receive? 」
「Ah…? What do you mean? 」
「I am talking about money, of course. 」
「Wait a moment, Seiya!! Why are you talking about money at a time like this!? You are a hero, not a mercenary!! 」
「Recently, I thought about a new skill. Therefore, I need money to practice my new skill. 」
What…skill? What kind of skill is that that requires…money?
「Of course, we can give you a nice incentive from the Empire. At least thousands of gold coins… 」
「Okay. In that case, you need to write that down. I want to have a guarantee that you'll pay that money in the end. 」
After writing the memorandum, the veteran Knight gave it to Seiya with a smile.
「There will be arriving more Knights! Two hundred Imperial Knights will cooperate with you on the battlefield! 」
However…
「I don't need it. 」
「What!? You don't need their cooperation!? 」
The Knights were astonished by Seiya's sudden response.
「Even so… 」
「I said I don't need them. There are a few people remaining in this town, right? Then, stay here and protect the town. 」
The Knights were caught in surprise. Next, Seiya sent a gaze at Mash.
「Hey, you mushroom from Nakayos.h.i.+ Village. 」
「I'm Hero Mash from Nakas.h.i.+ Village!! You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, I've told you that many times already!! 」
「You're noisy. More importantly, do you think you can manage this situation by yourself? 」
「Ah? What do you mean? 」
「What I am asking is if you can handle a ten thousand army of undead by yourself. 」
「About that… 」
The "dragon boy" and "dragon girl" look at each other speechless. Seiya spoke in a fed up tone.
「See? You guys can't do anything about this situation. But, I can handle it. If you understand, then go back to your Nakayos.h.i.+ Village. 」
「I told you it's not Nakayos.h.i.+ Village!! I won't return!! 」
「If you don't wan