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I don't like it. I don't like it at all! I don't want to be a hero! That's not what I want! I don't want to be tasked with saving the world… Ugh! I know I want to grow stronger to protect those I love, but it's not to the extent of becoming a martyr for all of humanity!
"Also, I would… like to request if Aquarina could also be revoked of her title… pretty please?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
The three Gods, as well as the other minor Gods/Spirits present in the area looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.
Huh? What's wrong? Is it bad that I asked this question? I don't think I've offended them, though?
"In all the years I've blessed Heroes, this is the first time I've seen someone decline… the title of a Hero," Theia said.
"Wait, what? Seriously?" I asked.
"Indeed… Sylph. You must not reject your duty as a Hero… this world is dangerous. Humans are finally in an era of peace after the war against the Demon King. However, the world itself does not want our children to live peacefully. It wants to destroy them just because we take from nature, just because we try to survive… this haven of a world doesn't want us and see us as invaders… and you, Sylph... you're also seen as an invader, you know?" she told me.
"I… I know," I replied with a nod.
"Therefore, you're an enemy of the world the moment you were born… trying to stay out of the main conflict will only bring even more danger to you. You must use the talents you were born with and fill yourself with the resolve to fight against the ever-expanding darkness that desires to devour everything we hold dear. Sylph… don't you have people you love?" she continued.
"I do…"
"Then, you must think about them. Think about them as you train, as you fight, and as you brace yourself to protect humanity. I cannot revoke the title I shall bestow upon you as it is an order from the Original Gods, my creators. Nor can I do that to Aquarina either. She had already been baptized," she concluded.
"I see… so, there's no way out of this?" I asked, just to make sure.
"There's no way out," Theia replied, shaking her head while closing her eyes.
"I… I'm sorry about this, but there's no other way around it. Sylph, I'm entrusting with you a special duty, a very special one…" she said, forcing the conversation to continue.
Ugh… shitty ass goddess! You're not getting through me with your sweet words and your false compassion! I've already figured out this entire façade.
Basically, these group of divine assholes are tasking literal children with the quest to save humanity from the threat of monsters made by the world itself because they're too lazy or too cowardly to move their own asses and defend their own creations.
With that, the only thing they'll do is lazily bestow a few shitty blessings on us before leaving us out there to die in a hopeless war.
I've already heard from my parents that more than half of the original 12 Heroes died in the war… all these innocent people forced to fight to death just because these arrogant bastards couldn't even lift a finger!
I'm not a naïve little kid. I was already almost 19 in my previous life. Do you truly believe you can get through me by just sugarcoating your words?
Then again, what can I even do? What can I even do than sit here and accept it? She already said it's impossible to revoke it. I bet she can actually do it, but she just doesn't want to.
She's simply trying to manipulate me into thinking this is the duty I was born with.
I don't know why they're not entrusting this to the Heroes of the past generation. I guess they always want fresh generations to die. Then again, I don't blame them for doing it that way. Perhaps the Heroes of the past as of now are already rusty compared to when they were at their peak…
They have to change their tools when they get too rusty, right?
With that, I glared at the Goddess embracing me with a defying glare. I tried to insult her directly at her eyes without even saying a word by merely giving her a nasty look.
"Hm?"
She noticed the intent within my glare. Something was wrong.
"I accept… there's no other way, right?" I sighed as I asked.
"I-Indeed… l-let me give you the title," she replied, stuttering for some reason.
Perhaps she's thinking to herself, 'It must have been my imagination.'
Unfortunately, the literal and only thing I can do against this bitch is give her a nasty look.
Moving that aside, she suddenly kissed my forehead as a power encompassed my body with a bright light before disappearing quickly after.
At that moment, I felt as if my soul was given "something." It felt incredibly weird.
"The Hero Seed has been planted. Now, my child. Go back to your body, being here for too long might affect you negatively, after all," Theia said, smiling sweetly at me.
"T-Thanks…" I nodded, sighing inwardly.
Fiere and Aeolus nodded at each other after that as they suddenly touched my shoulders. Surprisingly, they imparted me with a bit of their power as well.
"Take this as a parting gift."
"A bit more of our power. Just a little push."
It seems that these two have "chosen me" aside from the Chief Goddess. I guess it's the same with all Gods? A Chief God bestows them the title and then other "lesser gods" give them a blessing?
Well, they don't seem to know the greater scheme, and it might be likely that they're just believing anything the Chief Gods and the Original Gods say… so I'll just give them the benefit of the doubt.
In any case, I already don't like this Theia woman…
"May fate bless your path, dear," Fiera told me.
"Where there is sunlight, there will be a path for you to walk… go now," Aeolus said soon after.
"Take care…" Theia was the last one to talk.
FLASH!
Not long after that, I felt as if my entire soul was stretched back to my body. For a split second, I felt like I turned into some sort of needle.
Ugh.
I woke up in the middle of the night. On top of that, I have a slight fever…
So… I'm officially one of the twelve, huh? I can't help but have a bad feeling about this.
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