As the hero was leaving his house to meet the emissaries of the church, he saw the three Saint Paladins. He was displeased to discover that the Saint had not come personally to fetch him. He was supposed to be the most important person in this world, but somewhere along the way, that no longer seemed to be the case.
This person, known as the Saint, held a status somewhat similar to his own, and in this era, there was only one such individual. She was none other than the beautiful Mary Mar, chosen by the goddess.
Even though she possessed powerful holy power and great intelligence, the first thing people noticed when they saw her was her beauty. Even though many had never seen her, rumors of her beauty could not be stopped.
Although she was poor company for the hero, he had thought she would come for him out of respect for his status, but it was clear that wasn't the case.
"Her status is slightly close to mine, and her position isn't as high as mine. What makes this woman so confident to act like this?" the hero sniffed.
At that moment, one of the Saint Paladins noticed that the hero was standing in front of the door.
"Good day. It is an honor to be the ones escorting you, great hero Iróas, Chreíos Ischyrós."
The hero walked toward them to greet them.
While the man who had greeted the hero first spoke, his companion remained silent. There were three carriages bearing the church's crest. Beside them was another man, dressed in light armor and carrying no visible weapons.
"Hero, allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Heseh, known as the Soul Fisher in the church. I am a Saint Paladin of Cell 0 of the Inquisition, and this is Butler from the Prayer Cell. Please forgive Saint Paladin Demigra, as her condition prevents her from leaving the carriage.
Due to certain circumstances, she cannot exit without prior notice. We ask for your understanding."
"I don't mind," the hero affirmed as he dismissed Atlanea, who could not accompany him.
And he didn't need the system to know that Heseh wasn't lying; he occasionally avoided being too dependent on the system, though he used it without hesitation.
"Thank you, dear Hero, for your magnanimity. Now that we are introducing ourselves, allow me to finish. Demigra is also part of Cell 0 of the Inquisition, just like me. The only reason we were sent is to ensure that your journey proceeds peacefully."
The hero nodded, finding the situation more amusing than anything else, but sometimes people had to follow protocol, even if it made no sense.
Once the introductions were done, Heseh invited the hero to board his carriage to head to the church.
The church's goal in sending three Saint Paladins was not only to show that, regardless of the schemes of various kingdoms and the dubious circumstances that led to the hero's summoning, they were still working hand in hand with the hero. Rather, they were using the hero as bait to catch a bigger fish—something the hero had not yet realized, as he was too immature.
The hero was sufficient as a choice bait, and the Saint Paladins, who were few in number within the church, were also valuable. The loss of even one of them would significantly reduce the church's military power, given the immense resources required to train just a single Saint Paladin.
As the hero gazed out the carriage window, Heseh silently observed him.
Due to the season, the sun was scorching, and the air was dry.
The delegation was passing through the hero's domain, traveling along a paved road. Seeing this, Heseh took the initiative to speak to the hero while they were alone in the carriage.
"This place truly feels like another world."
The domain was slightly influenced by the hero's knowledge, giving it a unique dynamic. Although the hero could not recall all the concepts and processes from his former world, he had managed to recreate the essentials, making his domain resemble the territories of 1800s England.
By using the resources of this world and his knowledge, the hero had introduced new concepts, which wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Of course, certain technologies were exclusive to the hero's domain, and this was evident due to the stark difference in atmosphere compared to the rest of the kingdom. Moreover, the hero was adamant about maintaining a monopoly.
It was therefore difficult to reproduce what was found in this domain, and the surrounding people joyfully benefited from the hero's grace.
"It's one thing to hear about it, but seeing it is another. Praise the goddess for her chosen one."
"It's not much," the hero replied modestly.
"You are too humble. If your advancements could spread across the entire continent, it would be a great boon for everyone." As he said this, Heseh narrowed his eyes before sighing. "But I fear it won't be so simple."
The hero's presence was truly a blessing, as all the technology produced through his knowledge was regulated and controlled. What Heseh feared was the potential conflict over the hero's legacy if this matter was not handled properly. After all, the world was not a simple place.
The hero was clever, but his reasoning was no more advanced than that of a teenager. "I think the Saint Paladin worries too much. I will make this world a better place to live."
Heseh remained calm for a moment before responding, his mind processing the information.
"Praise the goddess," he said, offering a quick prayer.
Worship in this world followed certain principles, one of which ensured that divine names were not spoken in vain. Whether in prayers or hymns, titles were used instead, such as "goddess," "mother of the sky," and so on.
After seeing Heseh's quick gesture, the hero asked him a question as the carriage left his domain and entered a vast plain of grass.
"Why three Saint Paladins? The church knows full well that I am not someone who needs protection. Otherwise, my presence in this world would be meaningless. Of course, for a serious matter like the visit of a hero, it's natural to prepare a choice escort. But currently, we have three Saint Paladins, three coachmen, and me—a total of seven people. It feels like we're minimizing losses or preparing for an attack."
The Saint Paladin remained silent for a moment, surprised by the hero's sharpness. Of course, the church's intentions were obvious, but he hadn't expected the hero to address it so directly.
"I am somewhat surprised," Heseh admitted.
As he spoke, the hero stared at him as if he could read him like an open book.
**Condition: Faith, Surprise**
Heseh wasn't the only one surprised; his condition was also unexpected for the hero. Of course, it was negligible, but since they had been stuck together for a while, such things were bound to happen.
Despite all that was said about the hero, his sharpness of mind was not sufficiently emphasized in higher circles. He was often called a heartless idiot, a child with great power. But I suppose I must revise my evaluation of the hero. Depending on his actions, he could become more dangerous than expected.
"You must have noticed that we moved up the official date of your visit to the church. This is part of a larger objective. The hero's mission is sacred, and it is the church's duty to support him in preparing the appropriate environment. The church has decided to actively participate in the fight to protect the world."
"We, the Saint Paladins, have been dispatched for a mission of escort and subjugation!"
The sun was setting, casting an orange hue over Heseh's serious face. The hero maintained an impassive expression, appearing more serious than ever, but the truth was that he had fallen asleep.
"If we are attacked now that the date has been secretly moved up, then..." Before Heseh could finish speaking, a loud boom echoed. The third carriage, the one carrying Saint Paladin Demigra, had just exploded.