Heroine Hunter

Click. Click.

Lea approached me from the side.

“Well done, Ian.”

With a small gesture of her fingers, a screen appeared before me. It revealed Rose’s image as if we were watching a movie.

“Let’s go, Priestess.”

Female paladins from the ship disembarked, guiding Rose toward the ship.

“Wait. Just a moment.”

Rose hesitated, her feet unable to move as she looked back at the island.

“What’s the matter?”

“N-no. It’s nothing.”

She kept glancing back several times before reluctantly boarding the ship.

I reached out toward the screen pointlessly.

“Rose…”

Lea stood next to me and glanced my way.

“This, this… If Seol-ha and Ji-yoon saw this, they’d feel left out.”

I awkwardly scratched my temple and changed the subject.

“Ahem. So, I did another big thing, right? Is there a reward?”

Lea smiled and moved a few steps away.

Click. Click.

“You may have succeeded in winning Rose’s heart, but the story hasn’t fully shifted yet.”

“So no reward at all? Not even a ‘you can have me’ prize?”

Lea rubbed her forehead.

“One minute you’re touching my heart, and the next you’re back to being vulgar.”

It seemed she had been genuinely moved by my feelings for Rose.

I quickly calculated some dates and said, “Skip about a month ahead and send me to the capital. By then, Rose will be there, right?”

“She’ll have already arrived. Let’s see… Alright, I’ll send you to the front of the store you run.”

“Oh, the toy shop?”

Lea nodded.

“Yes. Your father, Pedro Castollini, cherished it dearly. So, make sure to run it well and keep the setting intact.”

“Like a side quest?”

“Hmm… Not quite a side quest. More like… Something else.”

“What did you prepare this time to make you grin like that?”

“Did I smile like that?”

I nodded.

“Anyway, I think the shop will do just fine even if you don’t put in much effort.”

“Well. That’s good then.”

A toy shop in a fantasy world. 

I was vaguely curious, but honestly, I had no idea how to run one.

“I’m ready. Send me off.”

Lea raised her fingers but then paused.

“Ian?”

“Yeah?”

She smiled warmly at me.

“You did well this time too. Thank you for saving Rose.”

I grinned.

“If you’re really grateful, let me-“

Smack!

Lea snapped her fingers.

Whoosh.

Everything before my eyes turned white.

———

One month later.

Pisac, Capital of the Lorelein Empire

[Pisac Grand Cathedral]

Emilia Rosebloom gazed blankly out the window. The white priestess robes made exclusively for her were adorned with mysterious gold embroidery, evoking a sense of divinity in all who saw them.

Knock. Knock.

Emilia turned her attention away from the cathedral garden.

“Come in.”

A young acolyte entered and bowed his head.

“Holy Lady, it’s almost time for mass.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The acolyte quietly exited, gently closing the door behind him.

Since she returned from the island, Emilia Rosebloom had become venerated as a saint. 

The wooden shelter she couldn’t have possibly built on her own. 

The countless crabs and fish she couldn’t have caught by herself. 

Leaving Ian out of the story had turned these events into miracles.

“So the trees just fell, and suddenly the shelter appeared?”  

“The fire started by itself?!”  

“The fish and crabs gathered at your feet, Priestess?”  

“… Yes.”  

“My goodness. This is a miracle!”

Though she hadn’t performed miracles like preventing bodies from decaying, Emilia was suddenly hailed as a saint. 

The empire and the Holy See didn’t care whether the miracles were true or not. 

What they needed during the war with the demons was to spread the belief that God was watching over them.

And if a miracle had happened with the already-famous SSS-tier beauty idol-priestess of the empire?

There was no reason not to make her a saint.

“Ian… Are you satisfied?”

Emilia muttered softly to herself, her expression tinged with bitterness. 

She had investigated every toy shop in the capital and nearby cities, but there was no owner by the name of Castoloni. 

In fact, there wasn’t even a store with the name Castoloni.

And what about Ian suddenly disappearing on the island?

All the clues seemed to deny Ian’s existence.

‘Was I just insane? Did I imagine the whole thing?’

At times, she found herself doubting everything. 

However, Emilia Rosebloom believed in Ian’s existence. 

The happiness she felt when he whispered love into her ear. 

The sensation of him loving her body. How he handled her roughly sometimes, and tenderly the other times. Those feelings were engraved on her body.

Knock. Knock.

“Huh?”

The door opened, and the same acolyte entered again.

“Holy Lady, the ship that went to the island has returned.”

“Really?”

Emilia jumped to her feet.

“The captain is here. Shall I bring him in?”

“Yes, quickly.”

A moment later, a muscular woman entered the mass preparation room.

“Holy Lady.”

The captain respectfully removed her hat and greeted the saintess.

“Hello. Please have a seat.”  

The two sat across from each other as an acolyte brought and poured tea.

The captain spoke first.  

“The vision was correct.”  

“…?” 

Emilia looked up.

She had claimed to receive a divine revelation that a treasure was hidden on the deserted island and used her position as the Holy Lady to send the church’s ship there, hoping to find Ian. 

But… Was there truly treasure?

“There wasn’t exactly a treasure chest, but after a thorough investigation of the entire island, we discovered many rare plants and animals that had never been found before. We also found minerals that caught the attention of the mages. Perhaps these were what you saw in your vision.”

“By any chance…”

Emilia interrupted, her voice urgent.

“Yes?”  

“Was there… No person found?”

“A person? Hmm…”  

The captain tilted her head, searching her memory. She cautiously continued.

“There were no people, but… Are you asking about a castaway? Did you see a person in your vision?”

“Oh, it just came to me in a dream recently…”  

The captain nodded.  

“I see. If I may be so bold, perhaps you dreamed of a person because you were worried that another survivor might have been left on the island?”  

“… That must be it.”  

“In any case, your vision was correct, and this exploration has greatly benefited both the empire and our goddess’s church.”

“That’s a relief.”  

“Thank you for your time, Holy Lady. I must now report to the imperial palace.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Emilia saw the captain off and returned to the mass preparation room, collapsing into a chair.

“Ian… You said you’d come for me.”

Lowering her head, Emilia quietly sniffled.

———

I opened my eyes. 

I stood at the edge of a road that followed the river. 

To the left, the street had a bright, cheerful atmosphere. It appeared to be a ‘main road.’ 

But to the right, the street immediately turned grim, leading into a gloomy alleyway. 

I stood at the entrance to that shadowy street.

The clothes I was wearing were quite fancy.  

‘Ha… Being a toy shop owner in a fantasy world sounds kind of romantic.’

I looked up at the sign of the shop in front of me.

“Haha… Did I see that right?”

I rubbed my eyes and looked again.

The smile naturally faded from my lips.

“Oh, Father… This can’t be real.”  

I couldn’t believe I was blaming a father I’d never even met. At least not outside of the story’s backstory.  

With a sigh, I pressed my hand to my forehead.

[Pedro Sextoy]

Lea’s words came to mind since she told me to take good care of the store.  

‘Lea, were you mocking me this whole time?’

‘How is this place supposed to survive? I’d rather be unemployed than tell Rose this was my shop.’

Look at this. 

To top it off, there was even a recruitment sign on the glass.  

[Hiring Sales/Review Staff]

– Room and board included  

– Experienced applicants preferred  

– Bonus based on sales

“Well, isn’t that something…”  

It was so absurd, I couldn’t help but laugh. 

The inside of the store was dark. The door was locked.  

I fumbled in my pocket and found a key.  

Click.  

The door unlocked. 

I stepped inside.

The interior was surprisingly spacious.  

Dildos, onaholes, vibrators, and an array of other devices were neatly arranged in display cases. 

There were risqué costumes, fitting rooms, and… The shop was clean, large, and well-maintained.  

It appeared that Ian Castoloni had done a good job maintaining the legacy of his father, Pedro.

‘Oh no.’

Suddenly, a headache hit me. 

‘Rose must have already checked every toy store in the capital.’

I started worrying about what excuse I’d come up with when she found out.

‘For now… Let’s finish looking around.’

After climbing two steps, I arrived at what seemed to be my desk—likely both a cashier’s counter and an office.  

Around the corner, there was a break room hidden from customers. 

The space was large, furnished with sofas and tables. Deeper in was a small studio room and bathroom for a staff member to live in.  

Upstairs, a spacious house occupied the second floor.

‘Seems like I live here.’

I went back down to the first floor and collapsed into the cushy chair behind the counter.

‘Still, having my own place in this strange world isn’t so bad.’

It felt like finding a little sanctuary after being stranded.  

At that moment, the door jingled as someone entered the shop.

*What? A customer already?*

I hadn’t prepared anything yet, so I jumped up.  

“Um…”  

A girl stood there, breathing heavily.  

I found myself staring at her in shock. 

She removed her shabby hood, revealing a stunning face.

“Yes? Is there something you’re looking for?”  

She approached the counter.  

“I saw you were hiring…”  

“Huh?”  

“I’d like to work here.”

‘You? Why?’

 I wanted to ask, but I held back.

Instead, I asked, already intending to reject her.

“Have you worked in a place like this before?”

“Yes. I’ve worked at another store for about two years.”

“… I see.”

It was obvious she was lying.  

[Evangeline Lorelein (Virgin)]

[Occupation: Princess]

[Status: Anxious]

[Just hurry up and hire me, you idiot.]

From outside, I could hear the sound of horses’ hooves.  

“Where did she go?”  

“This way!”

The imperial princess Evangeline was known as the Blue Jewel of the Empire.

She was one of the antagonistic heroines from ‘The Black Knight’s Oath to the Blind Saintess.’

She stood right in front of me.