A glimmer shone in the sky, which had already lost the light of day. Once again, it wasn't a star but something approaching at great speed. In reality, it was the hero, who had leaped from somewhere to reach this direction.
From the moment he had left the holy paladins, he had been aiming for the distant group, suspecting that the mastermind was there. Using his skills, he confirmed their location and then rushed forward as fast as he could. However, after noticing that some individuals were disappearing, he jumped in an attempt to reach the place in a single leap.
But what awaited him exceeded his expectations.
He landed with a loud boom at the spot where his sword was planted, kicking up dust. Just as he touched the ground and was about to finish the phrase he had started— "The hero is in the—"
A dreadful sensation crawled up his spine. Instinctively, he retreated as far as he could. His movement was so quick that the speed with which he had arrived seemed laughable in comparison. He dared not look and kept his eyes shut.
"What the...!" He was so shaken that he only now noticed the system's warning.
Mission failed
Alert: Do not approach the area!
Alert: Do not look!
Alert: Leave the area!
Update: Proceed to the church
Demigra, who had noticed the hero vanish almost the instant he arrived, was surprised. She hadn't expected him to come here. When the carriage had been destroyed, she had immediately stepped back to track the enemies, assuming that the hero would fight alongside the holy paladins.
She didn't know what effect her condition would have on him, and it wasn't worth the risk. Even though heroes were replaceable, this was a serious gamble. She had assumed that even if the hero tried to rush here, Heseh and Butler would dissuade him. Clearly, she had miscalculated.
"At least he had the instinct to retreat before coming any closer!"
Demigra gazed at the hero from afar with a composed expression. She looked like any ordinary nun one might find in a church cell—if not for her bizarre outfit and chains. If not for that, she could have passed as just another woman one might find anywhere. Of course, the enemies who were supposed to fight her were now nowhere to be seen.
Still keeping his eyes closed, the hero sensed something as he gripped his sword tightly. As he turned to strike back, his arm was stopped—his attack had not reached Heseh's neck.
The latter let out a quiet chuckle, as if to ease the tension. "Calm yourself, Hero. This was our fault. We couldn't warn you in time. You didn't need to intervene—at least, not on this side."
As Heseh spoke, he was joined by Butler and the remaining carriage drivers.
Butler stepped down from the carriage. "You left so quickly, Hero, that we couldn't warn you that Demigra would handle it. We've put you in an awkward situation. I hope you'll forgive us for making you rush here for nothing."
It was indeed an awkward situation for the hero. Not only had his grand entrance been cut short by something he didn't even understand, but his quest had also failed before he could prove himself useful or gain the church's favor.
"I... I see. It doesn't bother me that much. I rushed here thinking I'd find the enemy, but there's no one. And that person over there... who is she?"
Of course, the hero had forgotten Heseh and Butler's names, so he structured his sentences in a way that avoided using them. This was due to his habit of shutting himself off when people introduced themselves, often missing conversations he deemed unimportant. He sometimes regretted it, but it was stronger than him—he nurtured this habit.
"The hero is understanding, so I commend your quick reaction," Heseh said. "You must have realized by now—Sister Demigra has a unique condition, which makes it necessary to limit all contact with her."
"Since you are the hero, we truly don't know what would have happened in your case, and we would rather never find out."
Butler and Heseh now stood before the hero. In the distance, Demigra remained, none of the three daring to approach her recklessly.
Then, one of the coachmen from Butler's carriage stepped forward.
"Sirs, holy paladins, the carriage has been prepared. We are ready for the consecration ceremony."
The coachman who had driven Demigra had died instantly. Of course, he could not have survived such an attack. He had not been weak—he was among the staff trained for combat—but despite all their preparations, they had been caught off guard. What had truly killed him wasn't the attack itself but the destruction of the carriage.
All the coachmen shared the same fate, yet those who remained were efficiently setting up the ritual site, working as if they were accustomed to such situations.
"I still don't fully understand what's going on!" the hero complained.
The system provided him with little information about the current events. Even if he wanted to ask questions, he didn't know where to start. Worse yet, it was nighttime.
Even with his skills allowing him to see in the dark, night was still night.
And the night was not really ideal for handling this kind of matter.
"Forgive us. Everything will be explained, but before we move forward, allow us to conduct a small ritual. It concerns everyone's safety."
"In the meantime, you may rest in the carriage!"
The hero felt slightly uncomfortable. He wanted to act as he pleased right here and now, but the truth was, he was exhausted.
He accepted the suggestion and stepped into the carriage.
As all this unfolded, Demigra remained where she was, gazing at the starless sky.
The ritual Butler was about to perform aimed to turn the second carriage into a space that could contain Demigra's nature, using his bibliomancy and a sealed artifact designed for the rare occasions when she was allowed outside.