The Half-Puny Priest Hopes To Retire

195 – Life of a Herbivore (4)

Who is the strongest?

It is a very simple and clear question that most people in the islands would definitely mention the name of a warrior without the slightest hesitation.

However, it was quite obvious that if the question was answered with a modifier that excludes warriors, a fierce debate would open up there.

In essence, the strongest position is like the supreme throne placed on the platform of numerous competitors.

Even at this moment, when the owner of the throne was decided, there were quite a few envious looks from those who coveted that position.

Those currently heading to the Vatican were among those guests.

Before Abigail’s appearance, she was constantly talked about as a candidate for this generation’s Hero.

S-class adventurer. Dragon slayer. Carlos Zilga.

Black hair, which is quite rare in this island.

Sleek light armor that emphasizes movement rather than defense.

Even down to the cumbersome cape that goes down to the knees.

His appearance her her, which seemed to embody the appearance of the first warrior in a fairy tale, seemed to show his admiration for the warrior.

There is one difference : the eyepatch covering one of his eyes

There were many people who wondered why he was blocking half of his vision when both eyes were fine, but since Jilga himself kept his mouth shut, the truth was out there.

”The destination is right around the corner. Everyone, stay alert.”

”Hey. It’s creepy, so don’t speak so loudly.”

Jilga rolling around on the bare ground.

The person who can point out his eccentricities is his twin brother within the party. The female wizard Carlos Lanar was the only one.

”What is it, leader? Is it starting again?”

”Ranar is having a hard time because of his immature brother his his… ”

”Other than that, he’s a trustworthy leader…”

Other colleagues were equally fed up with the leader’s behavior.

His boastful claims that he was the reincarnation of the first warrior were often made fun of by the village children.

Nevertheless, the reason his colleagues followed Zilga’s footsteps was no different.

Aside from his usual eccentricities, his skills and personality, he was at a level that could easily be called the embodiment of a hero.

The story of defeating a giant dragon that had taken up a castle as its home after a three-day struggle was such a holy feat that he even sold to a famous bard.

The reason he was able to be recognized as an S-class adventurer recognized by the royal family, even though he often made bold remarks about being a descendant of a warrior, was because no one in the system dared to disparage his skills. Br＞

An unprecedented situation in which the Holy See, located in the capital of the archipelago, was caught up in a dungeon disaster.

It was unnecessary to explain how outstanding an adventurer Jilga was, considering that the royal family had entrusted the mission of preliminary investigation to them, who would have originally considered it taboo to even know the fact.

”What is this bag of flour? Why did you bring this again?”

”Heh. Even if you don’t know anything, you still don’t know much. Little brother. If you sprinkle fine powder in a closed space and light it on fire, an explosion called a dust explosion will occur! The more treasures you have, the better!”

”Ha·····. Who else? The b*stard who gave this idiot some strange nonsense…”

A person who has numerous strengths, but whose weaknesses are so great that they eat away at all of those strengths.

Some people used to express Jilga’s portrait in that way.

”Hey leader… Could you please take this mission a little more seriously? The fact that the royal family entrusted preliminary reconnaissance to us rather than a hero party may mean that they have high expectations of us…”

”Yes, that’s right! Leader! This is your chance! A golden opportunity for our party to make our name even bigger than the hero party! Aren’t you angry at the leader!? The warrior’s mission that I had long for! It was taken away just because I received the trust first!”

”Except for what you’re doing is a bit disgusting! There is no one better suited to be a leader than a leader! At least we can say that!”

The party members’ continued torch for a while, not knowing whether it was praise or criticism.

The underlying emotion was a mixture of blind faith in the leader and half-repulsion against the famous hero party.

A warrior’s achievements that are periodically announced to the people of the islands as part of the work to promote the authority of the royal family.

He cut a giant dragon the size of Mount Tai in two with just one swing.

For example, he fought for his life by holding his breath for hours in a swamp of miasma, where even a single breath of air threatened instant death.

Like how he rescued an unfortunate person who was lost in a vast snowy mountain by identifying him solely by smell.

This was because the legendary anecdotes that ordinary citizens, who had no interest in adventure, could not help but cheer, could only be heard as empty boasts by adventurers in the same industry.

”Furthermore, according to what I heard, this generation’s warrior asked to have a statue of himself erected in a remote village! He even said he had a history of destroying something he had just made just because he didn’t like the shape! How evil! I can’t even be called a hero!”

The story of a warrior destroying his own statue with his own hands was a fairly famous story among some adventurers.

A rumor created by people who had no way of knowing that the hero did such a thing to save the child, as a substitute for a drink.

The rumor, which was dismissed as a baseless rumor by the majority of the island’s citizens, was a snack that couldn’t be more delicious for those who were jealous of the warrior.

Moreover, there are few spices that stimulate the psychology of those with a twisted nature as much as the deviation of the hero everyone admires.

It was not unusual for his colleagues, who admired Jilga, to harbor resentment towards the hero.

”The leader also saw the hero in person at the blessing award ceremony with us not long ago! That light impression! No matter how I looked at it, he didn’t look like a superman who had single-handedly defeated a dragon!.”

”Hey, you’re so excited…”

A royal order given directly by the royal family. Performing a mission that depended on the future fate of the party, the newcomer, who seemed dozens of times more excited than usual, made a passionate appeal.

However, while the other colleagues were trying hard to dissuade him, Jilga himself, who was actually listening to the story, broke into a cold sweat as soon as the hero’s name was mentioned and turned away from the gaze directed at him.

”Everyone, everyone. Oh, what should I have for lunch today?”

”Lee, leader…?”

Just looking at his pitiful tone, there was no doubt that he was anxious to change the subject.

”What. New toy?”

Amazing!

It was right after that.

Beyond that solemn space filled with awkward silence, an ecstatic voice that seemed to have touched one’s consciousness was quietly heard.

”─!?”

Even though no one had given a separate signal, they were ready for battle in an instant.

In the area where all those horrified gazes were gathered, there was a girl with an ominous smile who looked more like a neatly sculpted doll than a person.

◈◈◈

”Big, big!”

Wink. It literally happened in an instant.

A strong faction of the party. An unknown girl who appeared like a mirage right in the middle of it all.

The powerful flash that erupted from her swallowed up the entire group of skilled adventurers in the room.

Where did the intense pain that spreads throughout my body come from?

I wasn’t even sure if the scream that was ringing in my ears was my own or someone else’s.

What they were fully aware of now was that they, who had crossed all sorts of lines of fire and subjugated countless monsters, had been completely annihilated by just one girl.

And the unbelievable reality was that this strange being was staring down at them as if they were bugs rolling around on the street.

Pure white hair. Red eyes. Bronze skin.

Those heterogeneous shapes that did not match any race they had ever seen, coupled with the current miserable situation, imprinted a primal fear in their minds.

”Wow. So many toys. What should I play with first?”

A strange voice, as if a strange being was imitating a human. The ominous melody was slowly but surely closing the distance towards them.

Beat, beat, beat. The reason that the dusky noise that permeated my eardrums sounded like the footsteps of the grim reaper was not at all due to my mood.

Dangerous. That thing is dangerous.

It felt like my instincts as a living being screaming at me at every moment, not my experience as an adventurer.

”Everyone, everyone! Run away from here quickly!”

”Lee, leader!”

The only one who could shake off the whispers of death was their leader.

However, that reliable light, which was reminiscent of a huge rock wall, has long since been reduced to the appearance of an old fence that is not surprising even if it collapses at any time.

My whole body is covered in blood. The arm he seemed to be using to have been broken somewhere, hanging limply and fluttering in the air.

A bleak situation with not even a ray of hope in sight.

Even though their expressions showed their will to resist, it was clear that deep down they were all already accepting death.

Kwaang!

It was right then.

Like a brilliant beam of light cutting through dark clouds, a brilliant flash of light suddenly revealed itself and cut through the darkness covering their skin without hesitation.

”A hero appears!”

Messiah. A savior has appeared.

It was a moment when their thoughts, which had been divided into thousands of branches, were perfectly unified due to the constant flashing lights in their minds.

‘I’m getting eaten like a dog by the priest tonight! I’m getting eaten like a dog by the priest tonight! I’m getting eaten like a dog by the priest tonight!’

The Savior’s inner thoughts were quite miserable, but fortunately, the sound of his harsh heart did not reach their ears.