---Apparently, the Demon King is about to return.
I wonder when was it that I heard such a story. Maybe when I was still a kid.
It is said that the Demon King is a great villain who will spread calamity to the world if he is resurrected once every hundred years.
For me, those monsters who devours the crops that I've grown with great care seems to be more of a great villain.
And, the one who is born to stand up against the Demon King is called 'Yuusha', the agent who is chosen by god. He is the embodiment of justice who helps the weak and crushes the evil, they say.
In any case, I want Yuusha-san to manage the trouble-making stupid son of the village chief. I found that he had scribbled on the wall of my house, so right away after I stripped him naked, I scribbled his whole body with a paint that doesn't easily come off and left him hanging upside down from above the tree.
Well, If I have to be honest, it is a story that is outside the bounds of my understanding. For me who lives in this remote countryside, even if it is said 'world crisis', it doesn't really come to my mind. Rather than that, it is more important to have a wife and live peacefully while growing the crops leisurely.
--- I was vaguely thinking about such things, when.....
"I'm--- the Yuusha?"
"That is right. You are the one chosen by God. The hope of mankind that we were waiting for, the Yuusha."
... I was truly stunned by the scene that was unfolding in front of me.
"Hope of mankind..."
The village youth named Relix is muttering dumbfoundedly. He is the village's most handsome guy in about the same age as me. He is not just a handsome guy, he is smart and has a good personality as well. He is so handsome that I can't help but wonder why he was born in such a remote countryside.
He is like a leader of the young ones in the village and it is also said that the position of the next village chief is not a dream. The chief of this village has been hereditary for generations, but it is inevitable because the village chief's only son is too stupid and Relix is handsome guy and too excellent. If that idiot, who only caused trouble to other people, were to become the village chief, the village would be destroyed. If so, it would be better to entrust the village to a promising young man like Relix.
Such Relix, a candidate for the next village chief, is facing a certain group in the plaza in the center of the village.
They are the people of the 'Church' who came from the Royal Capital.
The church seems to be a religious group who worships the 'God' who is the one who chooses the Yuusha. The reason why I said 'seems', is because I am not very interested in God or some such and I don't even remember the official name of their church at all.
There is also a church in this village, but the Priest is already a senile old man who seems to be buried almost up to his knees in the grave. On the other hand, all the church members from the Royal Capital are young people with sharp looks. The one, who is taking the lead and talking to Relix, is a man wearing the most decorated clothes among his group.
Self-introduction was late, but I'm Yukina. Perhaps if I put my title into words, it must be something like 'Villager No. 1'. I'm intending to watch the scene of Relix and the members of church facing each other from among the curious onlookers who surrounds them.
The man from the church continued.
"Your right hand should have a birthmark since your birth."
Hearing the man's words, Relix was surprised and looked at his right hand --- the back of his hand. I've also seen it before and a birthmark is certainly there.
Seeing the back of Relix's hand, the man said with a smile.
"That surely is, the stigma that has been engraved on the one chosen by God. It is a proof that you are unmistakenly the Yuusha."
"I'm... the one chosen by God."
Ooh, is this somehow witnessing a historical moment?
...In any case, I should get an autograph from that Relix guy later.
Soon, I can even sell it with a catchphrase such as "The Yuusha's autograph! A commemorative autograph when he was just confirmed as the Yuusha!". And if there's a "Premium" attached, it may sell at a better price.
And, it was an event which I was thinking as other people's affairs until four days later after that.
That very same day as well, when I was dripping with sweat and doing farm work, I was suddenly called to the village chief's house.
...Don't tell me I will be reprimanded for hanging that mischievous kid while naked?
While resolving myself in case the village chief will also strip and hang me naked if I would be reprimanded, I arrived at the village chief's house.
"Pardon the intrusion~"
"You arrived? We've been waiting for you."
The one who I first met after opening the door was the village chief. Contrary to my initial expectation, he don't seem to be angry, but he have a serious expression on his face for some reason.
When I was prompted inside and headed towards the living room, I saw a familiar man. If I'm not mistaken, he was a member of the church who came from the Royal Capital in this remote village in the countryside for some business four days ago.
"... Eh? What's this about?"
I couldn't grasp the situation so I unconsciously turned towards the village chief, but he just silently pointed at the chair facing the man.
For the time being, I cluelessly sat face-to-face with the man from the church.
The man from the church opened his mouth.
"Nice to meet you --- is what I want to say, but my face must be familiar to you due to yesterday's occurrence. I will introduce myself again, I am Pain. I am person who has been appointed as the bishop by the church."
I don't know how great a bishop is, but for the time being, it would be better to sit down and deal with it.
"Etto... I am Yukina."
"I know about you. Because it was none other than me who called you here today."
"Haaa... So, what do the Bishop-sama of the church want from me, the 'Villager No. 1'? Unfortunately, I don't remember doing something that needs to be preached by the people of the church, though."
Oh, the Village Chief's face twitched. Perhaps in his heart, he must be thinking 'You humiliated my son!'.
I don't feel any guilt towards that matter. Because in fact, I was praised by the villagers who had became victims of the village chief's son's mischiefs. All of them had their crops ruined and they were very angry. I hope he would think that it had been settled with his son just being hung at the tree.
I will leave the matter about his idiot son next time. Right now, let's focus about the bishop.
"By the time you arrived here, I am sure you have some idea about the talk that's about to start."
"No, none at all. I have no idea at all."
When I answered honestly without a moment's delay, Bishop-sama froze up. I mean, I can't really think of anything. It can't be helped.