Only the Party Members Returned, Not the Hero

47. Commoner Hero’s Achievement (1)

47.

The news that the hero Ellen single-handedly defeated the Moonlight Caulcasus quickly spread throughout the continent.

There were people who didn’t believe it at all, and there were people who raised conspiracy theories saying that they borrowed the power of others, and on the contrary, there were people who decided to stand on the side of the hero.

There were still more people who didn’t believe him, but Ellen’s name was gradually gaining persuasiveness as a warrior.

Influential families including Ergenuke.

The nobility of the continent.

And the news reached the king.

The elders of the temple were no exception.

“Recently, I heard that the Ergenuke family has completely decided to side with the hero.”

With a thunk, a beautifully embroidered gold teacup is placed on the table.

“Other nobles must be worried too much.”

“Not only the nobles, but also the meritorious people should gradually decide where to stand. Before that, though, the king will have to set the direction.”

“The King….”

The sixth elder kept quiet. He was a person who knew very well that the end of his careless words returned to his throat as a dagger.

The sunlight that beautifully breaks through the color of the glass illuminates the table.

At the top of the window frame, a phrase was carved in intaglio.

The goddess is always watching over us, so act without shame.

The third elder said to the sixth elder.

“This letter was left in front of my office this morning.”

Sure.

A piece of stationery sticking out between his fingers.

“This is a letter from the Commander of the Royal Knights. Please check the contents.”

“The captain of the royal knights.”

The sixth elder, recalling Flavor’s face from a bad memory, picked up the unsealed letter and looked at the contents.

The elder’s hollowed-out eyes move following the words written on the letter paper.

“… Huh.”

Heavy silence.

On the letter paper, there was a personal conversation between the hero and Flavor. The main content was focused on the last remarks of the hero, and unless you are an idiot, you could understand that the content was to accuse the hero’s disrespectful remarks.

If you’re not a hero, what do you hold a sword for?

It was a statement that could not have been made by the descendants of nobles who considered the title of warrior an honor.

“Is this a letter addressed directly to Elder Sanctum?”

The third elder, Sanctum, shook his head.

“I didn’t hear that a letter would come.”

“Then it could be a letter from confession.”

Confession is the act of confiding the secrets of one’s heart to a priest. Priests who heard confessions were obliged to observe the duty of secrecy.

It was an old rule, but as old as it was, it was strictly followed.

“Then it would be difficult to directly ask the person about their intentions.”

“As you said, it could be a confession.”

The obligation to maintain confidentiality also had to be observed by the person concerned.

Click.

Saintham, holding up a teacup to quench his thirst, continued.

“Do you think the warrior’s remarks are a sense of punishment?”

“I think it’s a pretty disrespectful statement, but I don’t know. Is it right to punish….”

The sixth elder was unable to utter his words clearly and shut his mouth.

Discipline.

The mission of edification given to believers in the temple.

Although it was said as if it were fair to everyone, in reality it was not possible to punish just anyone.

Even if Ellen, the hero right now, was just a commoner warrior with no achievements until a week ago, it was possible to punish him if he pressed him somehow.

I couldn’t help but feel burdened at the moment.

Click.

This time the sixth elder raised the cup.

In his opinion, he didn’t need to restrain a warrior who had just started walking.

It was the right choice to collect the disciplinary measures one by one and use them as a leash or as a condition of negotiation when the status of a warrior rises.

After completing the calculation, the sixth elder put the cup back down and said.

“I will not judge, Elder Sanctum. Isn’t that a letter from me?”

That was an irresponsible remark.

As Sanctum looked at him intently, the elder turned his gaze to the window.

The sixth elder’s thoughts were clearly reflected in Sanctum’s narrowed eyes, but Sanctum didn’t express himself, lowered his head and nodded slowly.

The Cleric’s Corruption.

A temple where only those whose personal safety is more important than doing good according to the doctrine of the goddess remain.

To my shame, it wasn’t even a day or two.

“Okay. The conversation ends here. I will pass this on to the Pope.”

Saintham got up without saying goodbye and headed straight for the door of the office.

Kik-Tak.

The door to the clunky elder’s office opens and closes.

***

Tak.

Taktak.

Tak-tak-tak.

A fine index finger repeatedly taps the table.

An antique office room painted in dark brown and light red colors in harmony.

Elise Ergeneuk could not sit still in her private study and continued to walk in circles.

It has been several hours since I walked slowly around the table with a nervous expression on my face as if I was waiting for something.

Beat, beat, beat.

On the soft carpet, the light footsteps of a woman remain like traces.

Trumbling.

After two more laps, the attendant’s footsteps outside the door gradually drew closer.

“… ….”

Elise stopped her steps and listened to her.

Knock-

“-Please come in.”

Elise tells her to come in before the first knock is finished.

The attendant outside the door thought about whether she should knock one more time out of etiquette, then just opened the door and went inside.

“Hello. I’m here to deliver a letter. Ellen’s….”

“… Ellen?”

Elise deliberately took a break from saying Ellen’s name.

The fact that he answered before the attendant’s words were finished, and the fact that his white face, which was spinning around the table with a hard expression, turned red again.

What was she waiting for?

Even the attendants, who had to pretend not to know her, were told so well that it was embarrassing.

Because, unfortunately, it wasn’t a direct letter from Ellen.

“Ellen’s…. This is a letter from the royal palace to congratulate you for your achievements.”

“… Okay. A warrior deserves a reward. But why did the letter come to me instead of going in person?”

“The royal palace seems to think that the Ergenuke family is the official patron of the hero.”

Recently, the rumor that the Ergenuke family has suddenly turned to the side of the hero has been quite popular.

Until then, the family had been impatient with not being able to kill and eat the hero, led by Tania, but there were also considerable speculations as to why Tania and even Elise were on the side of the hero.

The hero grilled and boiled Tania.

She holds Tania hostage and even her sister Elise in her grasp.

I heard she played with two people at the same time….

It was always like that.

Rumors of unknown origin and peripheral interests spread easily.

To the point where it’s annoying to feel ashamed of her as a woman.

“If it is inconvenient, I will deliver it directly to the hero.”

At the words of the attendant, Elise shook her head.

“No.”

Elise didn’t care about such rumors.

She was more concerned that her hero might use a strange trick than her own honor, which would be consumed by her gossip.

Elise put her letter from her palace into her breast pocket.

“I will deliver this myself.”

“Okay.”

“Do you have anything else to say?”

The attendant walked to the door of Elise’s room.

She stuck her head out the door, checked her movements, locked her door, and quickly walked towards Elise again.

“Raihandro and Flavor contacted each other.”

A small voice that cannot be heard even if it is only a few centimeters away quickly disappears.

“Is this going to be a problem?”

Elise, who was not yet familiar with the situation of her temple, asked back.

The attendant quietly whispered to Elise again.

“Rayhandro has been directing visitors of her temple to her office through her darhan for several days now. We’re not bringing them all, but we haven’t figured out the criteria yet.”

“Is that so?”

Rayhandro Lergen.

Flavor Hearts Pone.

As she repeated the names of the two, Elise tilted her head slightly to her side.

“… They are not the kind of people who welcome Ellen.”

I already knew about the relationship between Flavor Heartpone and Ellen.

There was a high probability that Raihandro also harbored bad feelings for him.

“Sometimes it looks like they are decorating something.”

“As you said, we are putting Ergenuke’s top priority on not being exposed, so we haven’t been able to find out any more information yet.”

“It’s okay. Please keep doing that.”

Reyhandro disobeyed the saintess’ words and issued an order to keep quiet, the royal knight commander Flavor, who had a meeting with Raihandro, and Ellen, who seemed to have a bad relationship with such a Flavor.

Ellen wonders why she doesn’t get along well with Plever.

I heard that the two of them had a bad relationship for quite some time.

“… I think we can win both….”

Elise bit her lips, startled by the muttered words to herself involuntarily.

She recalls her father’s teaching that she should always be careful with what she says.

Flavor.

Rayhandro.

Humanly, I didn’t like people very much.

Rayhandro enjoyed being too political for an elder, and Flavor was too dependent on the goddess for a royal knight commander.

It’s as if the two people’s original positions have changed.

Elise said to her attendant who was waiting beside her.

“I’ll listen until here. Please look closely in the future.”

“I will keep this in mind.”

The attendant bowed his head and quickly retreated out of the room.

The office is empty again.

As of now, there is nothing I can do except wait for information, so I turned to look out the well-cleaned window to clear my thoughts.

The scenery outside the window was beautiful with the mountains, rivers and trees well suited.

It reminded me of the meadow at dawn that day.

“…… Hmm.”

In the end, Ellen didn’t contact me today either.

I thought I would get in touch soon.

Aside from personal matters with Elise and Ellen.

… Of course, it would be nice if you paid a little attention to that too.

For the next move of the expedition, it would be easier for Ellen to consult with Ergenuke.

You can write a permit on the spot.

I can help you too.

Isn’t that kind of a powerful family right next to Ellen?

“That’s strange.”

I thought that would be an attractive option for him as well.

Or maybe he hasn’t decided on his next move yet.

It could be healing your body, or figuring out how to use your rewards.

If he also asked for help, he would be happy to help.

Yes, that’s probably why.

“… That must be it.”

You are doing well. You will do well in the future.

Ellen’s voice passed her ears leisurely.

The figure of Elise is reflected in the window.

Elise, reflected in her window, was blinking her eyes with a sullen expression.