Only the Party Members Returned, Not the Hero

50. Commoner’s Achievement (4)

50.

“… That’s why the hero had no choice but to be an aristocrat.”

Old Febro sighed deeply and ran his hands over his dry face.

“Aristocrats with the most power, too. Powerful people who already have a solid foundation that will not be shaken no matter who shakes them, and all they need is a handful of honor. Or contributors.”

“… Then, the school of the brave….”

“Ah, that’s why the school for the brave was built.”

The school of warriors.

That’s funny.

What school is necessary to become a warrior?

The saying that you have to go to school to become a hero, and you have to go to school to become a sword of mankind was even funnier.

I could do training anywhere. Dalian also had to be done anywhere.

What is the reason for regulating sparring as an activity that can only be done among nobles?

As a slang word, if you punch each other without killing each other and learn something from it, that’s sparring.

“Because I couldn’t help but watch it.”

The Pope smiled bitterly.

“Commoners, aristocrats from the outskirts, and those who don’t know where they came from…. Because I couldn’t afford to see him become a hero, consumed, and abandoned. It created an atmosphere where only aristocrats could become warriors.”

So the tower lord and the temple took over the kingdom and established a warrior school.

Even if it’s for a ridiculous cause, grabbing onto the crotch of your pants and dragging it by force.

With the hope that at least the scion of a mighty noble who will not be abandoned will become a hero.

The commoners who flowed like fate into the hero school that was established like that, the children of the apostates.

Who would have known that he would become a warrior?

“That word.”

“Yes, Sanctum.”

The pope took off the pope’s hat that was on his head and set it down on the table.

The grizzled old man’s hair sways weakly.

There wasn’t much he could do.

“I am of the same opinion as you. I intend to support the hero.”

To be considered useless and incompetent.

Being ridiculed.

Being ignored.

Abandoned.

“At least, those who served humans should not be abandoned by humans.”

To prevent such a tragedy, Pope Febro has made a decision.

The Pope, who can be called the Erantera Temple itself, will go with Ellen.

“… Even if that is not the will of the goddess?”

The Sanctum asked the Pope.

The pope laughed.

The boisterous old man’s laughter stopped, and silence fell over the Pope’s chambers.

Saintham was thinking that far.

Something happening in the temple might be the will of the goddess.

It was a vague suspicion that the meaning of the goddess and the meaning of religion might be different.

Because the pope already knew such a sanctum’s disposition.

He smiled softly.

“Saintham, you are a trustworthy person. I’m not kidding. If I had to pick the most trustworthy people in this temple, it would be you and EL.”

“… This is an overestimation.”

“So, you watch over me. I am too old.”

I couldn’t even remember when I was over 100 years old.

Blessed by the goddess, it is not an exaggeration to say that divine power flows through his body instead of blood.

But it was only later that he realized that even if the body does not age, the mind does.

“If that is not the will of the goddess.”

Pope Francis held up the teacup with his wrinkled fingers.

“You decide which side to follow.”

Single.

The interview ended with a handful of tea.

***

“So how are you going to use the essence of the moon?”

“Huh?”

El asked where the essence of the moon could be used.

I looked at her wondering what that meant.

“Wasn’t it supposed to be given to Tania?”

“That was my wish, but I can’t stop Ellen if she wants to write it elsewhere.”

If she says she writes elsewhere, where should she write it?

You can get a lot of money if you sell it, but it’s not like you’re short of money right now.

But I don’t know what’s good for me to eat it all.

Above all, giving Tania the essence of the moon wasn’t just an act to buy Tania’s favor, so there was no reason to worry.

Even now, I have a friendly relationship with the Ergenuke family, but that was only limited to my personal relationship with Elise.

If you heal Tania’s ban with the essence of the moon here, my image will rise dramatically.

You may be able to gain support from all the people who serve the Ergenuke family.

He seems like a very calculating and snobbish person when he says this.

You have to get what you get. Compassionate.

“I’ll just give you Tania.”

“I thought so.”

“If you think so, why ask?”

“Do you want to hear Ellen’s voice?”

“You’re still listening.”

“I want to listen to it while sleeping. Oh, even right after it happened.”

Let’s not talk.

I sighed and sat down on the bare floor.

“Buy dirt on your ass.”

“Be healthy when you get close to the soil.”

“Really? Then me too.”

Beside me, EL sat down on the bare floor.

EL, sitting cross-legged, hugging her knees next to me.

“Buy dirt on your ass.”

“They say you have to get close to the soil to get healthy.”

Bet an obvious fight and listen to an obvious answer.

At that distance of two spans, I let out a sigh.

EL asked as she turned her attention to the distant forest.

“So, did you find any help?”

Ellen was able to recall EL’s words without difficulty.

If obtaining the essence of the moon would help me, not the expedition, I was asking you to believe in yourself as much as it helped.

As a result, I was able to gain a lot by following EL’s direction.

The improvement in Tania’s skills that will naturally follow when the ban is lifted,

A future improvement in the relationship with the Ergenuke family.

It was all necessary for the commoner’s expeditionary force.

Then what helped me?

Things about my image.

Memories of the past.

And a single blue rose.

If Eli hadn’t asked to get the essence of the moon, if only she hadn’t bothered to practice cutting her mana.

A new level that could have been attained after quite some time.

That definitely helped me.

“Yeah, that helped a lot.”

As far as I can tell.

“I’m glad. How much will you trust me then?”

Half-joking, half-seriously, half-seriously, EL’s eyes sparkle with anticipation.

EL asked me to believe only as much as it helped me.

So I spread my thumb and forefinger in front of EL.

About half a span.

“How much?”

“… ….”

El’s twinkling eyes began to die.

I spread my fingers a little further.

About a span.

“…… How much?”

El opened his eyes with an axe.

I quickly spread my hands side by side, leaving them quite apart.

“… This much.”

“Ha ha ha! Is it so. That’s enough to sense something.”

EL turned his head to the side with his snort as if pouting.

I intentionally showed her that way to tease her, but it was also not easy to gauge the amount of her help.

I lowered my open hand.

I touched EL’s back as if she was sitting on the opposite side of her body with her elbow.

“Oh, why?”

An instant response.

Still a pouting voice.

“No, what.”

Anyway, she tried.

So.

“Let’s do our best in the future.”

That’s what I said.

.

.

.

.

And the reason why I am walking on a trail in the woods again now.

EL went back to the inn, and Tania was the next hitter for her, but she said that Tania had something to sort out and that she would see her in the evening.

And the reason why I am walking on the street right now.

Facing Elish, squatting in the woods and staring at the base of the tree.

“… ….”

“… ….”

Elish’s back view.

Her fluffy hair hangs down to her waist and rustles whenever the wind blows.

Her ears, visible through her hair, were so focused that even when I walked right behind her, she couldn’t hear a single sound and stayed there.

I stretched out my hand.

She pinched Elish’s ear with her forefinger.

“Huhhhhh?! Ha ha ha what?! Ellen?”

Elish patted her shoulder, startled as if it was going to cause a game, and then, without looking back, she recognized it as me.

Is this the power of a direct contract?

“This is how it sounds when you startle Elish.”

“What are you talking about?! Are you surprised! I know it’s someone else….”

The voice raised by surprise gradually goes down.

Her ear held by my finger gradually turned red as if blood were rushing to it.

Hot hot.

“… Uh, how long will she hold on….”

Elish, who couldn’t bear to shake off my hand, turned her head slightly to the side and looked at me with her side eyes, she said like a sigh.

I let Elish go.

“What are you doing here?”

“Now, even if you come and ask…. They were looking for materials to perform the ritual of transferring ownership of the lunar essence.”

“At the base of a dying tree.”

“It is not death, but the circulation of life force. The tree dies, but because of the tree, the grass and bugs around it live. In the end, the total amount of life force does not change.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Why did you ask….”

Elish grumbled in a low voice and stared at the tree trunk again.

I stood next to her and looked up at the sky on the other side.

“So, when do you think we will be able to transfer ownership?”

“Theoretically, it is still possible. Do you want to do it quickly?”

“Yes. There’s nothing good about dragging time, wouldn’t it be better to solve it quickly?”

Elish stood up with a handful of soil he had been examining closely at the base of the tree.

“Once you start a ritual, it cannot be undone. Do you know?”

“Yes. Here.”

I handed the Holy Cup back to Elish.