TL: It will now be changing to Karen’s POV for a while.

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In the time Haine-san was having an exciting journey at an unknown land…

I -the light hero, Kourin Karen- was in a bad mood.

This is the first time…that I wasn’t able to accompany Haine-san in a journey of his.

In the Trishia Forest, Radona Mountainous District, Hydra Ville, and the ‘Nameless Desert’ where we arrived at the Underworld Country; no matter where it was, we would always go together, and yet, this time, I am holding the fort on my own.

I don’t approve of this.

More so after hearing the objective of his journey.

This time, Haine-san went to search and defeat these things called Mother Monsters.

When I asked what they were, I was told that they were monsters that give birth to monsters. It seems all monsters come from them.

In other words, if all Mother Monsters are defeated, new monsters will not be appearing anymore.

It means monsters will be eradicated from this world.

If that’s true, there’s nothing as amazing as that. I want to help in that too.

Dealing with monster problems is exactly the job of us heroes.

And yet, Haine-san didn’t bring me with him.

How mortifying. I don’t agree to this.

We can save the whole world; I can be of help to Haine-san.

To think I wouldn’t be able to do anything when I am aware of those chances…

*****

“…So?”

In the Grand Church’s parlor room of the Light capital, Apollon City, a displeased voice reverberated.

Even though my bad mood won’t lose to it.

“Are you telling me we have been gathered here just to hear you complain?”

“To sum it up, yeah.” (Karen)

“Don’t joke around!!”

Two hands slammed the table hard. Because of the vibration it created, the tea I took the trouble of making almost spilled.

“You are noisy, idol woman.” (Mirack)

Mirack says at the opposite seat.

This girl, she is chewing on the slice of lemon that was accompanying the tea.

“Show etiquette in a tea party. Wasn’t your outward appearance your only good point?” (Mirack)

“Shat up, shemale! In a place like this, I would forget my manners and etiquette!” (Celestis)

The water hero, Celestis-san, hits the table going *ban ban ban!*.

How surprising. I thought she was a more rational person.

“…It was unexpected. I thought the light hero was a girl with a bit more common sense than this.” (Celestis)

“Eh? Isn’t it fine? In the times when something crazy happens, anyone would want to call their friends over to talk about it.” (Karen)

“If you are going to call people, call the ones that are close, please! Don’t go gathering people that you need to call with an ethereal wireless phone and takes half a day to arrive with a flying machine!” (Celestis)

Today’s tea party members.

First, there’s me, the light hero, Kourin Karen; next, there’s the fire hero that is based at the neighboring Muspelheim, Katack Mirack-chan; and lastly, the water hero that is based even further than that at Hydra Ville, Celestis-san.

Those are the three here.

As heroes, we have similar worries and interests, so I thought that we would have many things in common to talk about, and tried calling them here.

Since the time we defeated the Great Sea Dragon in Hydra Ville, we have understood each other’s hearts, so I thought it would be nice to open up at least once and have a talk.

And so, it leads to the present.

“…Uhm, Karen-chi, it is true that I have suspended my idol activities since the trouble with the Great Sea Dragon, so my schedule has opened up slightly, but we are already planning on resuming activities. The first live for my return has already been decided, and with my motivation rising, I was itching to do some rehearsals, you know?” (Celestis)

“Congratulations. I will send you flowers in the day of your live!” (Karen)

“As if some flowers will be sufficient! Calling me just to have a damn talk when I am super busy with rehearsals and meetings! If you yourself don’t appear as a guest, the cost and return won’t match!” (Celestis)

You are so energetic, Celestis-san.

If someone were not filled with this much energy, they most likely wouldn’t be able to do something as taxing as being a hero and idol at the same time.

“Were you okay with being called here, Mirack-chan?” (Karen)

“Hah…what are you saying, Karen? Do you think I wouldn’t move once called by you?” (Mirack)

Saying this, Mirack-chan sips her tea sonorously.

“No no, isn’t that something you ask before you call a person over?”, is the retort of Celestis-san that I ignored.

“But, weren’t you given strict orders by the Fire Church to not move from the base?” (Karen)

Because she has been visiting Apollon City too much lately, the Fire Founder-sama and many others were angered by it.

She wasn’t able to accompany us in the search of the Underworld Country due to this.

“Is it okay already? Was your restriction lifted?” (Karen)

“Don’t worry, Karen. Who the hell do you think I am? You are talking to the one that’s boasted as the strongest within the heroes, the fire hero, Katack Mirack, you know. I have long been prepared to be scolded!” (Mirack)

“That’s not okay at all!!” (Celestis)

Celestis-san makes an intense retort in my stead.

In this time when Haine-san is absent, she is quite the priceless treasure in this group.

“…Good grief. To think the fire hero and the light hero had such high quantities of crazy inside of them. This is way too surprising.” (Celestis)

“You as well, it is surprising that you have such a straight man side.” (Karen)

“It is just that you two have way too much to retort about! Ah geez! I have been shouting so much that my throat has dried! Give me another serving of tea! Serve me one that has honey syrup that’s gentle to the throat!” (Celestis)

Yes yes, on my way.

But this very situation of having heroes gathered like this with no pressing business and simply drinking tea, wouldn’t have been possible a few months ago.

Mirack-chan aimed to be the strongest and viewed the other heroes as her enemies, and Celestis-san was endeavouring in her idol activities so the other heroes were not even in her view.

“…So, that tough guy-kun, where is he?” (Celestis)

“Eh?”

The sudden question of Celestis-san made me stop my hands that were pouring tea from the pot.

“The things that you would call us to complain about are limited, right? Things related to monsters and the church, and things that you wouldn’t want to leak to the general populace. Also, the cool guy that you have been together with all the time lately is nowhere to be seen today of all days. It is way too clear that it has something to do with this, you know.” (Celestis)

“Celestis-san, contrary to your looks, you are actually intelligent.” (Karen)

“Can I leave already?!” (Celestis)

No no, I won’t let you go.

I have been given the chance to talk, so I will have them hear everything I have to say.

From there on, my words flowed out fluently.

I will have Mirack-chan and Celestis-san hear about how Haine-san left me behind, without leaving a single detail.

• 101: If

“Mother Monster?”

After spitting out all that was accumulated in me, Mirack-chan and Celestis-san both showed equally bewildered expressions.

As if saying, ‘Unbelievable’.

“Are you serious? If that story is actually true, that’s way too incredible!” (Celestis)

“That’s only if this thing called Mother Monster actually exists, right? Wouldn’t it mean that if we just defeat those guys, monsters won’t be born again?!” (Mirack)

That’s right. It means that we would be able to completely eliminate the monsters that have been a harm to humans for close to a century.

And our Haine-san went out to defeat them. Leaving me behind, he went all on his own.

“Wah~, I did think he was an incredible dude, but this Haine-chi is more than I imagined. To think he would be able to catch the existence of such a thing.” (Celestis)

“He has a part of him that no one can measure after all. I have never been able to predict what he will do next.” (Mirack)

That’s right, Haine-san is amazing.

As expected of the person I love. But that’s the very reason why…

“What’s the meaning of this! Why didn’t he let me help him?! I am a hero, you know. If it’s about doing something about the monsters, I should be the one moving to action!” (Karen)

“Simmer down, Karen-chi, simmer down~~!” (Celestis)

Celestis-san tries to calm me down as if I am a horse.

“Karen, what did Haine tell you that made you stay here?” (Mirack)

“That’s…’the duty of a hero is to protect the people from monsters. Properly staying in the capital to enforce this is important’, he said.” (Karen)

“Isn’t that a sound argument?” (Mirack)

I don’t want to hear that from Mirack-chan who comes to other cities with the resolve of getting scolded by the Founder-san and the others just to have fun.

I was the one who called her here though.

“What’s with this group of people that I can’t find enough words to retort to?!” (Celestis)

Celestis-san, who was filling up the straight man role in Haine-san’s absence plenty well, was shuddering.

“You girls, even if you can fly wherever you want with that flying machine of yours, aren’t you moving around way too much? I think heroes should be standing by, prepared to act for the sake of the church and the people. Haine-chi may have been late in noticing this, but he has now.” (Celestis)

“But if we defeat the Mother Monsters, there would be no need to do that anymore, right?” (Mirack)

The mission Haine-san left to accomplish had enough power to completely flip around the situation in this world.

“Uhm…you two…” (Karen)

At this moment, I decided on asking the question I have been holding until now.

Mother Monsters. The moment the existence of something like that was made clear, a question was born inside of me.

“If monsters disappear from this world, what would you do?” (Karen)

“Hm?” “Eh?”

Being thrown that question, Mirack-chan and Celestis-san looked as if they were caught off guard.

We are heroes.

The duty of heroes is to fight monsters. Fight monsters and protect the people; we continue doing this forever. There’s no end to it.

If I had to mention an end in it, it would be when we run out of stamina or physical strength; till the moment we are unable to continue fighting.

In that way, several heroes in the past have taken over the standard, and have inherited the title of hero.

But that’s only because there are monsters in this world.

Heroes exist in order to oppose the threat called monsters. Putting it in another way, once monsters are gone, the heroes won’t be needed anymore.

Haine-san is a strong and incredible person. On top of that, he is kind, cool, intelligent, sincere, and once he says something, he will definitely accomplish it.

If it’s him, he might be able to eradicate the monsters from this world.

But, when that happens, what will we do?

The great exploit Haine-san is trying to accomplish might take away our whole raison d’etre.

“Hm~, well, when that happens, we heroes will be going to the trash bin.” (Celestis)

Looks like Celestis-san reached the same conclusion. Moreover, her expression was dry.

“I don’t really mind.” (Celestis)

“Eh?”

“Because you know, once I am out of the hero profession, I can just concentrate in being an idol. From the very beginning, I was not thinking about living a life of being only a hero.” (Celestis)

The water hero is strong.

It is true that Celestis-san, who is wearing both pair of shoes for a hero and an idol, has that kind of choice.

“Well, it is fine for people like me who can fall onto something, but the people that can’t…might be quite pitiful~.” (Celestis)

“I also don’t mind, you know.” (Mirack)

“Eh?”

Celestis-san send a malicious gaze towards Mirack-chan, but it seems Mirack-chan also isn’t adhered to being a hero.

“Thinking about the original reason I aimed for when becoming a hero, there’s no need to be a hero for eternity, that’s all there’s to it. If monsters disappear from this world completely…it might be nice to aim at being the strongest among all humans. It could be more of a heated competition than fighting against those brainless monsters.” (Mirack)

“Uwa…battle junkie.” (Celestis)

“Also, if I am not tied down by the duty of a hero, I can hang around Karen’s place without restrain!” (Mirack)

“So in the end it falls to that!” (Celestis)

Celestis-san and Mirack-chan had a mindset that was so free it was surprising.

I see, there’s no real need to continue being a hero.

Before being a hero, I am a human, I am a girl. This goes for Celestis and Mirack as well.

If I were to stop being a hero, what kind of new life should I walk?

“…Haine-san’s wife.” (Karen)

“Eh?” “Eh?”

That’s right. Why didn’t I notice such a splendid life plan until now?

By the way, the number one reason for heroes retiring is marriage…in other words, a congratulatory retirement.

For some reason, there’s a weird law in this world stating that heroes have to be single, so once I marry Haine-san, I would have to stop being a hero.

In that case, in the time I retire as a hero, wouldn’t it be best if the root of all evils was eliminated?

Without leaving a single trace behind.

“Right. In the first place, the duty of us heroes is to protect the people from monsters. And the ultimate duty would be to eradicate monsters itself. Why should we hesitate after learning the way to do that?!” (Karen)

“Eh, before that, wait a bit, Karen. Did you say something about marrying? Eh?” (Mirack)

For some reason, Mirack-chan suddenly got restless.

“In that case, this is no time to be drinking tea! Defeating the Mother Monsters is the ultimate duty of us heroes! We can’t leave it all to Haine-san!” (Karen)

“No well, that’s good and all but, about the marrying thing… about the marrying thing!! Are you going to marry, Karen? With who?! I think you said Haine… There must be something wrong with my ears. Definitely!” (Mirack)

Haine-san, as I thought, I will be going as well.

I will help Haine-san, defeat the Mother Monsters, and bring about a world where the people all over the world won’t have to fear for their lives!

“Hey, listen to me! Listen to me, Karen! What’s this about marrying?! That’s not true, right?! No way that’s true!” (Mirack)

• 102: Could it be…

“So, where did Haine-chi travel to?” (Celestis)

“Ah.”

The calm retort of Celestis-san deflates all of my inflated tension.

“………….I don’t know.” (Karen)

“Eh?”

“Before he left, I asked him a lot, but he didn’t tell me. He said that I would definitely follow him if he were to tell me!!” (Karen)

“And isn’t that completely true? As expected of Haine-chi, his intuition is Godlike.” (Celestis)

Please don’t say that as if it’s someone else’s business.

We got all enthusiastic and, in the end, we are unable to make the first step forward.

“But thinking about it like this, there’s something that bothers me.” (Celestis)

“Eh? What is it?” (Karen)

“What in the world is Haine-chi?” (Celestis)

I couldn’t understand the question of Celestis-san right away.

“I think Haine-san is Haine-san though?” (Karen)

“No, it is not the kind of ‘I think therefore I am’… You know, don’t you feel like that guy is way too excelling in a lot of meanings? I have not seen it myself, but he has a rare power called dark element, right?” (Celestis)

That’s right, Celestis-san has not had the chance to see it yet, but Haine-san is a person that doesn’t fall into any of the elements known in this world.

That power of his is overwhelming, and the dark element Haine-san creates managed to block a high-temperature flash, could beat up the giant fire cow, and even turned it calf-sized. It even easily defeated the shadow-san that the light element was unable to scratch at all.

It was not Haine-san himself, but when the Great Sea Dragon attacked Hydra Ville and had released a tsunami on the level that could destroy the whole city, the mysterious dark giant-san created a weir with dark matter and reduced the damage on the city to zero.

If we think of Haine-san as the only human recorded in history that can utilize dark matter, calling this power rare wouldn’t be enough to describe how important it is.

“Haine-chi himself acted completely normal, so we also acted normal about it, but you know, in reality, isn’t his very existence something big enough to turn around the very principle of the five churches? What was it again? That uhm…Dark God, Entrocko?” (Celestis)

“Dark God, Entropy-sama.” (Karen)

What’s with that weird sounding name?

“That’s right. When I heard that from you girls, I was thinking ‘what kind of ridiculous thing is this woman saying?’, but…that Dark Giant that appeared in the fight with the Great Sea Dragon, isn’t that proof of the existence of that God? Such a truth like there being six Gods of Creation rather than five, that’s on the level of rewriting history, you know.” (Celestis)

That’s right. If Haine-san feels like it, he would be able to flip the world around to its very foundations.

No, in reality, he is trying to turn it around at this very moment. If Haine-san defeats the Mother Monsters, the world will change with Haine-san at its centre.

“Kuromiya Haine. Now that I think about it, he is one mysterious man. It feels as if he doesn’t belong to any part of the world, and it feels…as if the world will be revolving around him.” (Mirack)

Is what Mirack-chan says.

……..

The two of them are now friends. Friends that have overcome life or death situations together with me, and heroes that can share doubts and worries with each other.

It is exactly because they are my friends that I decided on revealing the feeling that has been lurking inside of me for some time now.

“Uhm, this is just for argument’s sake. Just for argument’s sake…!” (Karen)

“Hm?” “Okay?”

Mirack-chan and Celestis-san probably noticed the low tone I had, they both stayed silent.

“What if Haine-san himself is the Dark God Entropy?!” (Karen)

“………..”

The two of them were suddenly at a loss of words and had a dumbfounded expression.

“K-Karen-chan, want a bite of my chiffon cake?” (Celestis)

“You can also eat some of my super spicy walleye pollack roe cake.” (Mirack)

Saying this, they both offer me their plates.

“Please stop it! Don’t act so blatantly considerate to me! Also, Mirack-chan, I wouldn’t want to eat a cake that would burn my mouth anyways!!” (Karen)

I was stupid for trusting these two!

Treating me like a pitiful girl that has some loose screws!!

“It can’t be helped, you crazy woman! In that case, let me say this. No matter how impressive his power is, there’s no way a human is a God!!” (Celestis)

“That’s why I said ‘for argument’s sake’, didn’t I! It is not as if I was confident about it when I said it! Celestis-chan, you should at least understand that on your own!” (Karen)

The tension got so high that my tone of voice towards Celestis-chan got rough.

“Whether you are confident about it or not, there’s a limit to what can be brought as a topic of conversation! We are in outline affiliated to the Church! Gods are the most esteemed existences for us, you know! Even if it’s just for a hypothetical situation of yours, there’s no way a God would just be walking around!” (Celestis)

“Ara ara, it is noisy here-desu wa ne.”

Our dispute must have been pretty tough for the ears.

The door of the parlor room opened, and a peerless beauty entered the room.

“Ah, Yorishiro-sama!” (Karen)

“Wa?!”

“Founder?!”

The Light Church Founder, Yorishiro-sama.

Hearing that name, Mirack-chan and Celestis-chan jumped up from their seats and stood upright.

“Go ahead and continue as you were. Is it a tea party between heroes? Deepening your friendship is a great thing, isn’t it.” (Yorishiro)

Saying this, Yorishiro-sama smiles, and at the side of that smiling Yorishiro, there’s a dark skin girl of around 14-15 years old.

“Ah, so Doraha-san is with you.” (Karen)

“Good day, light hero-sama.” (Doraha)

Saying this, Doraha-san gave a polite greeting.

“Yes, good day.” (Karen)

The identity of the shadow that we met at the Dark Underworld Country, Doraha-san.

When she was just released from the shadow, she couldn’t speak at all and was practically an infant, but after spending her days in Apollon City, her mental capacity recovered at a visible rate, and now, she is already at a level where even if she is standing at the side of Yorishiro-sama as her bodyguard, no one would find it strange.

Thinking about the monument that she left behind at the Underworld Country, she must have originally been an intelligent girl.

“Ah, if it’s okay with Yorishiro-sama and Doraha-san, how about joining us?” (Karen)

“I am sorry, I have a meeting I have to attend to. I need to have a talk with the Cardinal and the others about how they are not doing the amount of work that’s fit for their position, and have a discussion about how they are already too old for this…” (Yorishiro)

“I-I see!” (Karen)

Since the time Yorishiro-sama returned from the Underworld Country, it felt like some sort of switch was flipped. She is trying to sweep the decay that has been spreading for a long while in the Light Church.

Haine-san described it as: ‘her olden blood stirring’, but I didn’t really understand.

“Well then, the fire hero Mirack-san and the water hero Celestis-san, think of this Light Grand Church as your own headquarters and relax, okay?” (Yorishiro)

“I-I’m honored!” (Celestis)

“‘Kay! I mean, thank you very much!” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan and Celestis-chan were completely stiff in front of Yorishiro-sama.

Once the door to the parlor room was closed, they both instantly let out a long sigh.

“…I was so scared, seriously scared. So that’s the infamous Light Founder, Yorishiro-sama huh.” (Celestis)

“This is not my first time meeting her, but that mysterious aura she has is not something one can get used to. The rumor that a person dies every time she smiles must be true.” (Mirack)

The people outside were talking in such a way of Yorishiro-sama?!

Even though she is actually a really good person… Next time, let’s have Yorishiro-sama join us in our tea party.

“…Wait, the conversation derailed just now. As I was saying, there’s no way a God would be walking around just like that, you know! As if it would be so easy to encounter a God!!” (Celestis)

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