Chapter 176-177 - Returning leaders

In this world, the title of hero is incredibly specific.

From the earth, water, fire, wind, and light church, each one of them choose their respective strongest divine power user, and they lead the other warriors to fight against the monsters. Fight monsters and protect the people.

That’s what heroes are, and that’s the hero’s duty.

And so, it has been close to a hundred years that the monsters have appeared, and has continued being that way. Of course, there’s no way a single human would be able to continue on active duty for so long.

In history, there have been many people who have received the title of hero from their predecessors and taken their place.

And so, the current heroes are Karen-san, Mirack, Celestis, Sasae-chan, and Hyue.

There’s obviously going to be previous heroes that have fought just like them.

If it’s the previous generation, they probably hold the same amount of power compared to the present active heroes.

And so, the ones that are currently in front of us are exactly that, the previous generation heroes.

The previous fire hero, Abi Kyouka.

As expected of the senior of Mirack. Her body is well-formed and muscular, however, her gaze is a lot sharper than Mirack’s, and it makes it even more likely to mistake for a man than Mirack.

The water hero, Ra Sarasa.

It looks like she got along well with the current hero, Celestis, and has an air of elegance and charm. The gesture of hiding her mouth with a folding fan made it feel like she had the refiness of a noble.

Those two speak.

“…Hm, the Light Church’s headquarters huh. This is the first time I have stepped in it but, just as I thought, it stinks of mold.” (Kyouka)

“Truly a church whose only trait is its age. No matter if mold grows or spider webs appear, do they think that it is fine to just be old?” (Sarasa)

You were the ones who came raiding this place and you say that?!

“To think that the fire hero would run into such a mold stinking hole like this, what is the meaning of this, Mirack?” (Kyouka)

“U-Uhm…you see…!” (Mirack)

Mirack has turned pale and is trembling?!

“What’s wrong? If you have something to say, say it without reservation.” (Kyouka)

“K-Kyouka-anesan! The era is progressing and we can’t always be fighting each other!” (Mirack)

“Don’t spew out excuses!!” (Kyouka)

“Guhoooh!” (Mirack)

Unreasonable physical violence?!

Mirack was kicked and send flying?!

“Pathetic! This is pathetic, Mirack! You had quite the prospects even within my juniors, so I left you with being the successor, but it looks like I was completely mistaken. To think that you would forget about the duty of a hero and go into wagging your tail to others!” (Kyouka)

Wagging her tail.

“You have perpetrated the same offence, Celestis-san.” (Sarasa)

This time it was the previous water hero that was reprimanding the current hero.

“From the beginning, there were voices of discontent in the church regarding you. They said that you dared to play being an idol, and that maybe you are neglecting your main job as hero. But you didn’t stop at that, this time, you even tried holding hands with the enemy. How outrageous. Even the esteemed people of the church and I as well can’t forgive this, you know?” (Sarasa)

“…Tch, what a noisy gold-digger.” (Celestis)

“Did you say something?” (Sarasa)

“No, nothing at a~ll!!” (Celestis)

From the conversation they had, I began seeing the issue here little by little.

“Please wait!” (Karen)

It looks like it was the same for Karen-san. She jumped into the conversation as if she couldn’t endure it anymore.

“Could it be that you two are reprimanding Mirack-chan and Celestis-chan because of the Hero Alliance?!” (Karen)

“That’s right.” (Kyouka)

“We came here to crush this so called Hero Alliance.” (Sarasa)

The Hero Alliance where the five heroes will join strengths to fight against monsters.

This was something impossible to think of with the common sense we have had until now. Because the heroes originally didn’t get along with each other.

In the past, the five Churches were stealing believers from each other, opposing each other, and there was even a time when they were at war.

Because of the enemy of all humans -the monsters- appearing, it naturally ended and became hazy in that sense, but even with that, the view of the churches towards each other is still that of looking down and antagonizing. ‘We are the superior church’, ‘the other four are lower than us’.

The previous heroes must have had that kind of thinking deeply edged in themselves.

“A few days ago, a message came to me. This is what it was written. ‘The current heroes have thrown away their pride and are trying to hold hands’.” (Kyouka)

“A similar thing happened at my place as well. I was surprised when I received the notice. The junior that I believed and entrusted with the job, to think that she would do something akin to stepping on my good will.” (Sarasa)

The previous heroes said without hiding their anger.

“That stupid friendship; there’s no way I can overlook it as a former hero.” (Kyouka)

“I may have already retired, but I do feel a sense of duty and obligation towards my church. There’s no way I can just not correct the mistake that my junior has made.” (Sarasa)

So it really was about that huh.

The reason why Mirack and Celestis said that the Hero Alliance might not be possible to form, that’s because the previous heroes had heard from somewhere about the Hero Alliance, and were trying to revoke that.

“Why?! The Hero Alliance means that the heroes cooperate to fight against monsters! Rather than fighting alone, it is more efficient to fight by uniting all five of us and that will allow us to protect the people from monsters better! What about that is a mistake?!” (Karen)

For Karen-san, the Hero Alliance was a task that she placed her all to accomplish.

There’s no way she can stay calm after being denied that.

““Of course it is a mistake.””

But the former heroes rejected that.

“First of all, you guys are mistaking what you should be prioritizing. What a hero should truly be protecting is the authority of the church. The Fire Church that Mirack and I are affiliated to is the most superior one in the world. The hero fights in order to prove that.” (Kyouka)

“Didn’t you mean to say ‘the Water Church is the one that is the most superior in the world’?” (Sarasa)

Fierce sparks scatter even between Kyouka and Sarasa.

Even if the objective they came here for is the same, these two are in no way friendly with each other.

“In my opinion, the reason why you have to cooperate is because you are all weak. A true hero is strong. Because a hero is strong, they are able to protect the people even by themselves.” (Kyouka)

“Right. Trying to hide your own weakness with fancy words like ‘cooperation’, that in itself makes you a failure as a hero. As I thought, I will have you relinquish your title as hero right here and now.” (Sarasa)

Agitation ran through the current heroes as they heard those words.

“Mirack, relinquish your seat as hero. It looks like you weren’t appropriate to be the hero.” (Kyouka)

“You as well, Celestis-san. You should quickly return the title of hero that is way too heavy for you, and just go and play idol without the need of worrying about anything else.” (Sarasa)

The words of their seniors made the light in the eyes of Mirack and Celestis change. From the light of fear, it changed into hostility.

However, this didn’t apply only to those two.

“You say that, Abi Kyouka-san.”

“What.” (Kyouka)

The previous fire hero looks at me.

That’s right, the previous. She is already a person of the past.

“From what I remember…the reason why you retired from your post of hero was because you lost against the Fire Cow Phalaris, right?” (Haine)

“Ugh!!”

That is a story I heard when we went ourselves to subjugate that very Fire Cow Phalaris.

The giant monster, Phalaris, that was exercising its authority in the vicinity of Muspelheim. Its power was mighty, and the Fire Church tried sending subjugation teams many times, but they all failed and were turned their tables on.

“T-That’s true! I learned about my own powerlessness, so I relinquished my title as hero and left on a journey to strengthen myself. In order to one day defeat the Fire Cow and vindicate my honor.” (Kyouka)

“Ohohohoho~~, what a pitiful weakling-san.” (Sarasa)

“What did you say?!” (Kyouka)

This is something that I knew already, but the previous heroes are really in incredibly bad terms.

But right now, there’s a more important thing.

“Don’t you know? That Fire Cow Phalaris has been defeated.” (Haine)

“W-What?!” (Kyouka)

“The ones who defeated it were the ones there, Mirack and Karen-san.” (Haine)

• 177: Advocacy of the young

The Fire Cow Phalaris.

The biggest monster currently known that was properly confirmed by the five churches.

Its strength was also top class, and the Fire Church send subjugation teams several times, but they received a crushing defeat every time and escaped.

But the threat of the Fire Cow is gone now.

It has already been subjugated after all.

“Subjugated by the hands of the fire hero, Mirack, and the light hero, Karen-san.” (Haine)

“What stupid things are you saying?! There’s no way these two weaklings would be able to defeat that monster!!” (Kyouka)

“It is the truth. The fire hero and the light hero cooperated and defeated the Fire Cow Phalaris that you couldn’t defeat.” (Haine)

…And so.

“Can you say it again? Who is stronger than who? Small fry hero-san that couldn’t defeat the Fire Cow Phalaris –no, the former small-fry hero-san? Or maybe hero small-fry-san is better?” (Haine)

“Gununununu!!”

I thought I might have said a bit too much there, but I didn’t feel like loosening my hand here.

This is the bond that Karen-san and the others have risked their life to create. And yet, people that are trapped in past conventions are trying to destroy this? There’s only one option, fighting back with all we have.

“Kyouka-anesan.” (Mirack)

I was about to give my next attack, but Mirack interjected.

“It is true that we were the ones who defeated the Fire Cow Phalaris. There’s definitely no way I would have been able to defeat it on my own. It is thanks to the cooperation of Karen and Haine there that we were able to defeat it.” (Mirack)

“Mirack! You are still saying such bullshit?!” (Kyouka)

“And with that in mind, I want to say something. Times have changed. The heroes can’t move only thinking about their own church anymore. Those kind of heroes are the ones that are a failure as heroes!”( Mirack)

As expected of the current hero. When she is not only trembling, she does have a sharp tongue. And that is obviously not something that only applies to Mirack.

Celestis also stands up trembling.

“Fashionable resident of Hydra Ville, Sarasa-san. You also know as well, right? The incident with the Great Sea Dragon that occured recently. You married into a famous and noble mercantile family, so there’s no way you would be estranged from information, right?” (Celestis)

“W-What about it?” (Sarasa)

She is talking about the giant water element monster that intruded on the Live of Celestis, the Great Sea Dragon, Hydra Serpent.

That monster, that attacked because of the Water God Coacervate, had created a giant tsunami and was about to destroy the whole Water capital, but the ones who managed to save it in the nick of time were the light, fire, and water heroes.

“Has a monster stronger than that Great Sea Dragon appeared in your active days? From what I remember, there’s none~. That Great Sea Dragon as well, without the help of Karen-chi and Mirack-chi, it wouldn’t have been possible to defeat it. Are you saying you would be able to defeat that? On your own?” (Celestis)

“Uuh…”

“If three heroes were not in that place at that time, Hydra Ville would have been destroyed by now. You and the house of your husband would have been swimming in the sea at this moment~. I will be saying this as well. The times have changed!” (Celestis)

The feelings of the new era that the old ones wouldn’t understand.

It looks like there’s no need for me to say anything more. Karen-san seems to be calming down as well.

“Fire Cow Phalaris and the Great Sea Dragon, and also the four Mother Monsters. Since the time we were made heroes, for some reason, there have been monster calamities of the highest class. In order to deal with those and reduce the casualties of the people, the work of each hero on their own is by no means going to be enough.” (Karen)

But before Karen-san fought the Fire Cow Phalaris and the Great Sea Dragon, there haven’t been similar others of those class before.

In other words, Kyouka and Sarasa finished their active days by only defeating the infinitely produced monsters of the Mother Monsters.

“We are in no way holding hands to deceive our own weakness. It is in order to overcome the difficulties that we wouldn’t we able to overcome otherwise. But that doesn’t mean we are holding hands against our will. We, the current generation heroes, respect each other and love each other.” (Karen)

“…Kuh.”

“Wu…”

The speech of Karen-san that couldn’t be more straightforward than that was not letting Kyouka and Sarasa find any words to refute it.

There was someone who came to my back and whispered to me.

“…I was wondering what would happen for a moment there, but it looks like it will go well. As expected of Karen. She could say all that even against Kyouka-anesan.” (Mirack)

“The one who blew the horn to counterattack was Haine-chi though. These couple are seriously strong and invincible with their mouth and their fist.” (Celestis)

“I am a complete newbie…and couldn’t say anything at all…” (Hyue)

Mirack, Celestis, and Hyue; you girls should also be showing sharpness here. They somehow managed to oppose them slightly by riding on the opportunity we created though.

“But you know, there’s no more awkward existence for a hero than their predecessor. We have to show respect to them, and in essence, they are our superiors.” (Celestis)

“For me, on top of that, I am also her pupil. Since the time I joined, she has looked after me, and she thoroughly knows my weaknesses. I don’t feel like I can win. It is truly a blessing that Karen and the others are here!” (Mirack)

For them, their predecessors are really a natural enemy huh.

But in the end, that applies only when in the same church. Karen-san is steadily cornering the outside former heroes.

“If you have no other opinions, please take your leave. Leave the problems of the present world to the currently active heroes.” (Karen)

Looks like the match is over.

When Mirack and Celestis came over crying, I was trembling in fear wondering what was the matter, but I am glad it ended up as a small problem.

…Is what I thought…

“I can’t leave it to you; you girls that just glance at illusory dreams.”

A new voice resounded in the parlor room.

A voice I don’t know at all, and a person I have seen for the first time.

“Y-You are—?!” (Karen)

Karen-san was stiffened at the arrival of this new person, as if she had met her nemesis.

“Long time no see, Karen-san. I am originally not in a standing that would have me step into the Light Grand Church anymore, but due to the amount of uneasiness you as the successor give to me, I had no choice but to return.”

The new person that appeared…is a blond short-cut haired woman. Her age seems to be similar to that of Kyouka and Sarasa, moreover, her atmosphere feels somewhat similar to that of Karen-san. Depending on the way of seeing it, you could even say that their atmospheres are the complete opposite.

Could it be that this woman is…!

“The previous light hero, Sunnysol Ates-sama?!” (Karen)