As much as I appreciated the whole thing about me becoming a hero who stopped a robbery, it had completely ruined my plan to stay low. My name was spreading faster than a wildfire in dry grass. But honestly, who cared. I was Satoru Gojo. If people wanted to treat me like a celebrity, I would at least enjoy some benefits.
"So when you are done would you mind… ermm…" the girl squealed out with a tiny blush on her face. Her voice cracked like she was confessing some forbidden secret. I peered over and chuckled.
"Speak your mind," I said, leaning back. I took a sip of the drink she bought earlier. Sweet, cold, refreshing. My legs were casually crossed up on the table. I needed to stay comfortable somehow. When you are strong enough to punch a dragon into retirement, you earn the right to put your feet wherever you want.
"So… ermmm…" she muttered again, glancing between me and the drink. Then she covered her face with her arms like a shy squirrel, "did you like the food?"
I smiled, "No, I loved it." I replied confidently, then glanced back to see her reaction.
Her face turned red enough to light a lantern. She sank into her own shirt like she was trying to become a turtle. "Well, my dad actually owns this place. I'm really happy that you enjoyed it."
Ah. That tiny bit of guilt I had about getting free food suddenly evolved into a slightly bigger guilt. But only slightly. I mean, it tasted great. That had to count for something.
"Well tell your father that I really enjoyed it," I proclaimed, lifting my arm like I was making a royal announcement.
Her eyes widened like she had just discovered treasure.
"I'll say this is the best in Strahl. Best in the west, or even the entire central lands," I said with a relaxed yawn. "Thank you for the meal."
I stood up, stretching my arms. The atmosphere of the restaurant felt warm, comforting. The smell of herbs and baked bread filled the air. People chatted softly in the background, waiters carried plates, children laughed outside. In a world filled with demons and magic, moments like this were precious.
"What is your name?" I asked, gesturing a hand toward her.
"My name is Helga," she said. She was blushing again.
[image]
"Nice to meet you, Helga. Maybe we can meet sometime in the future," I said, waving casually.
She nodded so fast her ponytail nearly turned into a helicopter. I made my way toward the exit, the sunlight spilling into the room as the door opened. Outside, the city was as noisy and alive as ever. Merchants arguing over prices, priests giving blessings, adventurers bragging about quests. A typical morning in Strahl.
Walking over to a casual receptionist near the plaza, I asked her to direct me to the nearest church. I got halfway through my sentence before three people suddenly appeared beside me, like they had been eavesdropping since birth.
"We will direct you. Please, follow us," one of them said.
They wore church robes and had silver chains with small crosses. Genuine, official, holy… or at least holy-looking. I assumed they were with the church and followed. The streets gradually grew quieter as we moved. A few normal turns, then an alleyway that smelled like old cheese and secrets, then another road with barely any people at all.
The voices of the city faded behind us, replaced by an eerie stillness.
It felt less like being guided to a church and more like being escorted to a secret base. If they pulled out some blindfolds and told me to hop in a carriage, I would have believed it.
After a few minutes, we arrived in front of a building that definitely was not an ordinary church.
The building had a massive cross on it. It towered above everything else, like someone glued a gigantic holy symbol to a fortress. The walls were painted midnight black, as if the church wanted everyone to know it was both holy and terrifying. The windows were shaped strangely, yet a strange divine glow leaked out from them. Even the statues were unsettling: a woman in an overgrown gown, and a man holding a cross like a weapon.
"Woah," I muttered, staring up while the churchmen smirked like they had just revealed a secret collector's edition cathedral.
"Sir Heiter is inside," one of them said.
My heart nearly stopped.
"Heiter as in the priest from the Hero's party?" I blurted, choking on my own breath.
They nodded with the kind of smug grin that made me want to poke their cheeks. "Yes, that very one… Satoru Gojo."
They puffed up proudly, like peacocks wearing choir robes. "You saved a hero the moment you entered the town."
"B-but shouldn't he be old and wrinkly and weak? Plus, who would try to steal from a priest?" I asked, waving my hands like that explained common sense.
"No one would try to steal from a bishop, especially one of Sir Heiter's caliber," one of them replied matter-of-factly.
"Oh? So I just happened to see him crying that someone took his wallet?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
"That is where you are wrong," the second replied in a dramatic whisper.
"Just go inside and you will see your answers," the third added, pointing toward the huge cathedral doors.
I stared at the entrance. The air felt heavier the closer I looked, as though the building itself was breathing. A faint pressure pushed against my skin, something like holy energy or just the world's strongest air freshener.
The churchmen stood silently behind me, waiting for me to step in.
Part of me was curious. Part of me was suspicious. And part of me was already thinking about how many magical traps might be behind that door.
But curiosity and stupidity are close cousins, and I was certainly one of them.
Looking inside, I saw a man standing near the altar. His presence was overwhelming, not in a suffocating way, but in a strangely gentle one. He seemed to emit pure benevolence, like a walking blessing. His entire aura screamed holiness so loudly that even a demon would probably feel guilty for breathing near him.
He slowly turned, robes flowing with a dramatic elegance. I was pretty sure he practiced in front of a mirror.
"Oh?" he said with a soft smile. "Here comes my hero."
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Guess who is unbanned? Yeah, this guy. So it means, I can finally reply to comments.
Power Stone Goals:
500 - 1 Bonus Chapter
1000 - 2 Bonus Chapters
Chapters are RELEASED early on my discord: discord.gg/QRSjC6pNF4