Chapter 130

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Who was the most confused by the Holy Nation of Eldorado’s decision to dispatch an investigation team?

Kadir, the previous Hero’s close friend?

No.

Ludwig’s family or the families of the other investigators?

Not them either.

It was Asella, the renegade Hero who had ties to Ludwig.

’What in the world is the Holy Nation...?’

Inside a room at an inn where she had barely managed to secure food and lodging, Asella carefully studied a newspaper under the light of a single lamp.

[Shocking! Was the Renegade Hero Created by the Paladins’ Instructor?]

[Corrupt Ideology Inevitably Gives Rise to Misguided Convictions.]

[Eldorado Begins Ideological Inspections: Those Who Do Not Pray to the Goddess Ares Once a Day to Be Considered Subversives.]

It had only been one day.

These articles had poured out just one day after news spread that the investigation team had fled.

Their condemnatory tone made it seem as though they had been prepared in advance.

Asella was bewildered.

What pained her most of all was what they were saying about Ludwig.

[Former Paladin Instructor Ludwig Revealed to Have Insulted Ares.]

[Ludwig, the Blasphemous Paladin—Where Is He Now?]

[Paladins Trained Under Ludwig to Undergo Extensive Investigation...]

Ludwig was an instructor responsible for raising and training paladins.

Asella knew better than anyone how upright and uncompromising he was.

Had she not grown under his teachings before being selected as the Hero?

He had treated Asella so warmly that even she could tell he was especially fond of her.

To Asella, an orphan who had grown up starved of an adult’s affection, Ludwig had practically been a father.

’There must be... some misunderstanding...’

Asella clutched the newspaper tightly.

Eldorado had repeatedly disappointed her of late.

Nevertheless, Eldorado was a nation founded to worship the gods, including Ares.

It was also Eldorado that had taken in an orphan like Asella and raised her into a respectable paladin.

’Is all of this... my fault?’

Asella recalled the moment she had drawn the Holy Sword, Revolution.

The instant she drew it, the Goddess herself delivered an oracle.

Its contents had been difficult to believe.

It was a deeply shocking prophecy declaring that Asella would destroy Eldorado.

At first, she thought it was a misunderstanding, but by the time she came to her senses, she had already become a fugitive.

Eldorado subsequently proclaimed her a renegade on a national scale, leading to the present situation.

’I’m not a renegade...’

Asella knew better than anyone that she had not betrayed her faith.

Therefore, she concluded that the Goddess Ares had misunderstood her.

The notion that a goddess could be mistaken might sound profoundly blasphemous.

However, Asella’s circumstances were more than sufficient to cause such cognitive dissonance.

’Even if I prove that I’m not a renegade... will Teacher be able to restore his honor?’

Ludwig’s reputation had already begun plummeting.

Eldorado completely controlled the press, and this was a considerable incident.

Even the Immortal King incident appeared to be getting quietly swept under the rug, leaving her heart heavy.

Recently, Eldorado had done nothing but disappoint her.

Perhaps this was its true face.

Perhaps it had merely worn the mask of a "Holy Nation" and pretended to be righteous all this time.

’The Holy Nation I knew wasn’t like this...’

The Eldorado Asella knew had truly been a beautiful place.

It was a nation where everyone lived happily under the protection of the gods, including the Goddess Ares.

It was a place protected by paladins devoted to service and sacrifice.

A place where even orphaned children could not only realize their dreams but become Heroes.

Yet Eldorado’s recent conduct was the complete opposite.

’It must have lost its way...’

Just as people sometimes lost their way, nations were likely no different.

Eldorado had originally been founded to resist the threat of the Demon King, Mephisto.

However, as culture developed, Mephisto began pursuing conciliatory policies.

He had become so obsessed with ball games that he came to consider violence taboo.

He had even offered a courteous apology, leaving Eldorado without a clear purpose.

’At times like this, you have to keep believing. Abandoning someone when they’re struggling is the worst thing you can do.’

It was one of the life lessons Ludwig had taught her.

Remaining beside those who were suffering was the true virtue of a paladin.

The same should apply even when the one suffering was a nation.

Asella steeled her resolve once more.

She remained completely unaware that she herself was one of the people suffering most in the entire world.

The other was currently working himself to the bone in the Forest of Four Seasons.

’I wonder what Mr. Grylls is doing right now?’

Curious about Grylls’s situation, Asella accessed the Gallery.

Because he had given Ludwig a sword, the investigation team had been able to scatter safely.

Had the newspapers not claimed that Ludwig had wielded an evil "demonic sword" to help wicked individuals escape?

Various testimonies had also been circulating throughout the Gallery, so Asella was certain it was Grylls’s gift.

[I Seriously Resent the Heavens.]

"Huh?!"

A strange sound escaped Asella as if she had bitten her tongue.

Anyone would have reacted that way after seeing the title of Grylls’s latest post.

Since ancient times, the heavens had been regarded as the domain of the gods.

Whether he meant it figuratively or literally, she could not simply ignore it.

’Has Mr. Grylls committed blasphemy again?’

Since he committed blasphemy at every opportunity, she immediately opened the post.

If that was what he was doing, she intended to give him a stern warning.

Title: I Seriously Resent the Heavens

Wild Grylls

(Video of rain pouring outside the cave)

How long has it even been since the last rainfall? Why the hell is it raining again?

The oven and furnace are fine because I covered them with waterproof tarps, but I think my fish traps are going to get washed away again.

The heavens definitely hate me. This is why I curse them.

└ Heavenly Demon: You resent the heavens...? Does that mean you dislike this lady as well?

└ Wild Grylls: No, no. You’re the exception, Heavenly Demon. Haha. You stand even higher than the heavens.

└ Heavenly Demon: That is also true.

└ Ugh, he’s going to wear his tongue out from all that flattery lololol

└ Just look at how perfectly those two play along with each other lololol

└ Are you two seriously using the Gallery to socialize? Lol

└ Are you going to the Forest of Four Seasons to socialize with them? Lolol

└ We should allow this one. That’s gone beyond ordinary socializing. ;;

└ Lololol, the Forest of Four Seasons should obviously be treated as an exception~

└ SwordMaster: Since you’re in a forest, it seems to rain frequently. Why not devote this opportunity entirely to training?

└ Wild Grylls: I’ve been doing that constantly, but my aura just keeps getting bigger.

└ SwordMaster: Wait, what?;; What kind of training are you doing to become absurdly strong like that?

└ Wild Grylls: Nothing special... I eat, practice my cultivation method, consume an inner core, and practice my cultivation method again. That’s all.

└ SwordMaster: You consume inner cores as though they were medicine?

└ Wild Grylls: For now, yes. I’ve set aside enough for Ppareumbo to eat, but I still have extras. Is that strange?

└ SwordMaster: What the fuck? I’ve never met anyone who gobbles down inner cores like medicine. ;;

└ That’s why he’s becoming ridiculously strong lolololol

└ At this rate, won’t his aura eventually reach the heavens?

└ Is he going to shout, "My aura is the aura that will pierce the heavens!" someday?

└ Wasn’t that what that absurdly powerful Sword Saint used to shout? Lololol

└ Yeah, lololol. I thought it was so damn cool back then, but now it’s just... lolololol

└ What are you talking about? It’s still cool.

└ Starlight Princess: Don’t resent the heavens too much. I resented them too, but I was fortunate enough to survive.

└ Wild Grylls: That wasn’t the heavens. I was the one who helped you.

└ Starlight Princess: When you put it that way, I don’t really have anything to say. Still, you mustn’t think too negatively! It’s always important to maintain a positive attitude.

└ Wild Grylls: Was that how you lived, Starlight Princess?

└ Starlight Princess: No, haha. I spent every day waiting to die.

└ Wild Grylls: Ma’am...;;

└ Starlight Princess: But just as I met you, Mr. Grylls, you might meet a benefactor someday too!

└ When will that day come?

└ One thing’s for sure—it’ll take months at the very least lolol

└ Apparently, Ludwig entered the Forest of Four Seasons, so they’ll meet someday. In heaven, of course. Lol

└ Youuuuu are seriously horrible lololol

The post had not been expressing resentment toward Ares, but toward the sky itself.

Still, his dislike of the gods was indirectly apparent throughout it.

’A person who hates the gods because he doesn’t want to hate people...’

Asella was troubled.

Would she be able to change Grylls’s mind?

Yet if he could not resent the gods, he would probably begin resenting people instead.

Grylls’s mindset was something she would need to contemplate carefully.

Humans were creatures incapable of living normally without hating something.

There was a reason their emotions were described through joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.

’Then I should guide him toward hating them a little less!’

Asella’s characteristic optimism asserted itself.

She left a comment on Grylls’s post, where new replies were still appearing steadily.

└ Don’t Abandon the Hero: At times like this, you should pray to the heavens! Try praying for the rain to stop!

└ Wild Grylls: Stop trying to sell me snake oil.

└ Don’t Abandon the Hero: Gods don’t sell snake oil!!! Please, just listen to me this once!

└ Wild Grylls: Sigh. Fine. What am I supposed to say?

└ Don’t Abandon the Hero: "I beseech Ares, Goddess of War and Wisdom. Please quell the heavens’ wrath and grant me the freedom to go about my activities!"

└ Wild Grylls: Just wait. I’ll go pray with all my heart.

└ Don’t Abandon the Hero: Very good!

Asella quietly waited for his next comment, praying that something good would happen.

About thirty seconds passed.

Grylls did not leave another comment.

Instead, he created a new post that made Asella’s eyes widen.

[You Fraudulent Admin!!!]

Wondering what had happened, she opened it without hesitation.

Title: You Fraudulent Admin!!!

Wild Grylls

(Video of a torrential downpour outside the cave, as though a hole had opened in the sky)

What? God will listen if I pray?

What a load of crap. The gods definitely hate me too.

Perhaps all her persuasion had borne fruit, because Grylls had replied that he would pray.

In truth, Grylls had only done it because he had nothing better to do, but Asella was simply delighted.

’This should help him let go of at least some of his hatred toward the gods.’

He had prayed, only for the rain to become even heavier.

That was the entire point of his post.

Asella stared blankly at the Gallery for a moment before quietly disconnecting.

’Lady Ares can’t grant every prayer!’

It was an answer befitting the ever-optimistic Asella.

Knock, knock, knock—

"Excuse me, guest. Are you inside?"

Someone knocked on the door just as she closed the Gallery.

Asella recognized the voice as the innkeeper’s, but immediately began circulating her mana on instinct.

Once her mana was circulating, she examined not only the presence behind the door but every presence throughout the inn.

’There’s someone... beside the innkeeper.’

It was not merely their presence that was suspicious.

’Are you certain she’s here?’

’Yes. I distinctly saw her orange hair.’

’Then we will enter immediately. You will receive your reward after we capture the renegade alive.’

’Oh, thank you very much.’

They were speaking extremely quietly, but Asella heard every word.

Rather than the sounds directly reaching her ears, it felt as though their presences themselves had taken form.

’They’ve already tracked me down...’

She had not even stayed here for several days, yet her pursuers had already caught up.

Asella bit her lip and hurriedly prepared to leave.

The first thing she did was seize the Holy Sword, Revolution, before heading toward the window.

’I still need more time. Time for this misunderstanding to be resolved.’

Asella opened the window and leaped outside.

Crash!

At the same moment, she heard the door being forced open.

The pursuit squad had smashed it down.

Of course, Asella had already escaped through the window, leaving them with nothing to find.

’Goddess, please grant me the strength to overcome these trials.’

Without losing her faith in the Goddess, Asella fled.

At the same time Asella began running to shake off her pursuers—

"Aaaaaagh! You bastards! Get lost!! This is my home!"

"Kyeeeeng!"

"Keeng! Kek!"

Grylls was struggling against an unexpected wave of beasts.

"Get out of my house right now!"