CH 16

*** Andrei’s POV ***

“Is this man really a Hero? A man with nothing became the Holy Sword’s wielder. Why on earth would a divine sword choose a guy like that?”

This was the council before Elroy entered. An older court noble spoke in a gruff tone. His tone was not aristocratic at all, and his demeanor was far from dignified, but since his rank and position were relatively high, no one pointed it out.

“That’s right. Just because he’s drawn a sword, he gained the confidence to think he has the world at his feet.”

In fact, the people around him were looking at him greedily. They all waited for a chance to gain his attention. It’s absurd to think they held positions, but at least they were competent. I sat stiffly, listening to the farce called the ministers’ conversation.

“Who did they say they kicked out of the party, the mercenary?”

“Man, it’s not about the mercenary. He said he kicked out the Saintess with his own hands. The damn Saintess! Can you believe it? A Saintess, a great envoy of the Holy Land, someone we dare not mess with.”

It was amusing to listen to for a while but became tiresome after five or ten minutes. ‘However, watching their expressions change throughout the hearing would be interesting.’ So I kept listening.

“Does this Hero really think he’s more important than the Saintess? That would be blasphemy even outside the Holy Land.”

The old courtier, who had been ranting, suddenly turned to me and smiled crookedly.

“Isn’t it so, Bishop? What an embarrassment we have in our country for one man.”

“Infallibility is the trait of God; men make mistakes, and we are men because we make mistakes. Just because you’re the Hero doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes.”

At my bland response, the courtier chewed his lip and racked his brain for a topic.

“Mistakes can be made,” he said, “But did you train the Hero to do this? I don’t know if he is even worthy of the Holy Sword.”

“…Or perhaps you’re doubting the sanctity of the Order.”

I replied coldly. My eyes stared at the courtier. He felt an inexplicable chill and broke out in a cold sweat.

“Oh, no, I’m just questioning your Hero’s qualities… There, look. There are other knights with more heroic qualities, and if the sword sees them, it may change its master.”

The courtier jerked toward the knights sitting in the back of the council. I followed the courtier’s gaze and lifted my head. Georg, a fellow member of the Hero party, was seated with other knights beside him. Presumably, knights of the same rank.

“As one of the high priests of this country, I cannot bear to see the wrong person wearing the mantle of the Hero. I will hold him strictly accountable for nearly bringing us into conflict with the Holy Kingdom this time.”

‘Firmly planted roots of hate. This hearing will not be so simple, Hero.’

I closed my eyes grimly at the thought. ‘You didn’t choose the easy way out. You could have taken the hand of the powerful and allowed us to control you, but you refused to be our sword and chose to act on your own and save the world.’

Like a true Hero

I slid my eyes open again and saw the door to the council chamber. A low-ranked nobleman opened it and spoke to the gathering of nobles.

“The Hero is entering.”

With a murmur, the door swung open, and the Hero strutted in in a pure white uniform. All eyes in the council chamber were on him. He seemed unfazed by the stares and returned them with a quick glance around the room.

“…His presence feels different, don’t you think?”

“Yeah. Was he always so calm? His seems to have changed.”

The nobles chattered. The murmur throughout the room gradually died down to sporadic whispers, and then slowly, like the setting sun, it faded away. The presence of a single person slowly dominated the atmosphere of the room.

All the while, I watched with interest. ‘The Hero had changed since the last time I’d seen him. Did something happen in the past few days?’ He looked around the room, and when his eyes met mine, he frowned slightly. I returned a small smile, then turned to the chairman of the hearing.

“We will begin the hearing now.”

‘What surprises will you bring to the table this time, and can you prove that you are the man the Holy Land has been looking for?’ I wiped his hands under the desk, anticipating the questions that would be asked of the Hero.

*** Elroy’s POV ***

As I entered the council chamber, I saw several familiar faces.

First, Georg, sitting in the far back with what appeared to be a group of Templars. I don’t have time to wave and greet him, so I settle for a quick nod. When I turned my head further, I saw Count Wallace. He made eye contact with me and then looked away.

“Don’t expect me to help you at the hearing. You have made me an enemy.”

Yuck.

And then, as I turned to see if I recognized anyone else, I saw Bishop Andrei. He was participating in this hearing as the representative of the Holy Land. I frowned, and the Bishop, seeing my expression, smiled wryly.

“We will now begin the hearing.”

The chairman’s solemn voice sounded.

“This hearing is being held to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the self-righteous behavior, oppressive speech, and arbitrary appointments of expedition personnel in the group organized to attack the ‘Seven Disasters’ led by the Hero Elroy. Hero Elroy, you may speak first.”

I stood at the podium, holding the statement I’d written last night. I quickly went over the polite greetings and spoke the parts that needed to be said.

“…As the Hero chosen by the Holy Sword, and as the leader of the party on this expedition, I have been entrusted with the power of selection, and I declare that the exercise of that power has been for official reasons and proper circumstances, and in no way the self-righteousness of one without official authority.”

The treat has been thrown. The dogs around me are ready to be the first to taste it. Only time will tell if it was spoiled or not.

“Are you saying, then, that your behavior during the attack on the Third Disaster, and your subsequent dismissal of key members of the expedition, was all done for good reason?”

It was Count Wallace who jumped in first. I rolled my eyes and looked at him, then answered.

“Yes.”

“Then you’ll have to give me a rationale for that first. Isn’t it an abuse of authority to do something rash without any explanation and then say it was for official reasons?”

He asked immediately, not giving any second.

“As you said, I’m the Hero, but I’m also the expedition leader of this expedition to attack the Seven Disasters. If the expedition members don’t follow the words and orders of the expedition leader, wouldn’t it be right to punish them for disobeying orders?”

“Is the job of the leader to cut off disobeying members? No, they must coordinate the members of the party. What you are doing is clearly out of your authority.”

I snorted and wanted to scoff. ‘You want to bring me before the council and oust me for being out of control. For letting my voice be heard?’

“I could have banished him before our battle with the Disaster, but I gave him another chance. But he ignored that as well. I decided it was too much.”

“Then you are abusing your authority…”

“You keep saying I’m abusing my authority. Do you think I’m overstepping my boundaries? That would also belittle the one who gave me the power. I am only using the power the kingdom has given me. ”

I said with a wry smile. ‘You’re not the only ones who use it.’ As if realizing this, Count Wallace’s face turned thoughtful. Looking at Count Wallace with a pitying glance, the chairman spoke up.

“Very well, let’s move on from the mercenary for now. How about the Saintess? Did you kick her out of the party because she wouldn’t listen to you? She’s not from our kingdom but an envoy sent by the Holy Land to help you. Do you count her in your authority?”

‘A smart question… Not that it matters.’ I shook my head, ready with an answer, of course.

“No. I did not banish Iris because she never did what I said.”

“Then why did you banish her?”

My acting is essential here. I shifted my face into a serious and heavy expression and began to speak.

“Because while in the Hero Party, she was not only a hindrance to the party and a loss to the world.”

At my words, the council began to stir. Most people looked at me, then at Bishop Andrei, who was representing the Holy Land, and then at each other. Of course, he was just sitting there, staring at me with a genuine smile.

“No, no, what do you mean by that, Hero!”

“How dare you talk such nonsense in the presence of the Holy Land!”

“Do you think this hearing is a joke!”

The shouting match was short-lived. It was hastily silenced when the lesser commissioner banged his gavel to silence them.

“Order! Let’s hear what Hero Elroy says before we ask questions.”

Deep wrinkles creased the chairman’s forehead as he thought about the mess I’d made. He looks like he’s holding back a sigh and turns to me as if to say something. ‘At least he seems sane.’

“Saintess Iris can certainly work miracles. She can heal fatal wounds and keep the party’s morale high.”

But there are problems with her presence. For one thing, she cannot defend herself on a battlefield where monstrous creatures are lurking. Or, to put it more bluntly, she was something to protect on the battlefield rather than someone who had my back.

“But many of those wounds were inflicted to protect Iris because, on the battlefield, she is nothing more than another life I have to cover. Imagine having to defend civilians while fighting a Disaster.

In the original story, Georg was the prime victim of this, and while Iris did heal him, there were many wounds he would have been better off without in the first place. At my words, instead of questioning me, Count Wallace’s face twisted. Though his eyes were on Bishop Andre, not me.

“What nonsense… You mean to tell me you’re going to give up the goodwill of the Holy Land– nay, all the benefits it provides to the Hero Party, for that one thing!”

“It’s not only for the sake of the Hero Party’s security.”

“What?”

I hardened my expression for emphasis.

“We were lucky on our last expedition, but there’s no guarantee that the Saintess will continue to survive the next one. The Disaster will only grow stronger with time, and the support our party can receive will only diminish with time.”

I glanced at the chairman.

“The Saintess should not be a martyr. Her role is to travel the world, to heal the wounds of the Disaster. She is not meant to stand on the battlefield.”

Silence descended for a moment. With my words, in an instant, the nobles had become the ones who had pushed the Saintess into life-and-death battles.

“What… what sophistry! It is arrogance to act on your own judgment, a mere Hero, not the opinion of the Holy Land!”

‘If you shout sophistry without grounds, do normal words become sophistry?’ I ignore him and turn to the other side of the room.

“Bishop Andrei,” I said, “I apologize, but may I ask you to say something to this ignorant man.”

Bishop Andrei smirked and looked back at the Count.

“Well, I don’t see anything particularly wrong with what he has said, and I’d even go so far as to say that I’m grateful that he’s made a decision for us that the Holy Land couldn’t. But will you be able to fight without the Saintess’ healing? Only time will tell.”

Good work, Bishop. Though you’ve defended me a bit too well.

The Count’s face went white. He looked around as if trying to find an excuse, then spoke firmly. It was as if he’d decided to step up to the plate.

“No, a man as self-righteous, arrogant, and self-serving as you is not fit to wield that Holy Sword as a Hero. A true Hero would embrace all and move forward together.”

Not having a backup is very annoying. They won’t lose much if I win here, but I’ll lose everything if they do

“I ask you to prove your worth as a Hero. I have brought men from all corners of the kingdom who are far more worthy than you. If merely wielding the Holy Sword qualifies one as the Hero, then let these men try.”

With that, Count Wallace gestured to the knights lined up behind him. Georg had a puzzled look on his face. ‘Is that what you brought them for?’

‘Did you hear that, Holy Sword?’

(Ignorance is indeed bliss. To be unable to admit it until the end, even when there is no hope.)

Holy Sword’s archaic voice sounded.

(Go ahead, do whatever you want.)

‘With pleasure.’

I smiled and gripped the Holy Sword.