They scoff at me, “Are you planning to enter little miss nun?”
“And what if I am?” Because If I could, I’m sure I could end that thing within seconds. If I can’t heal people, then I can at least try and help them with my power. For now at least. And if they have healers then, I can also learn from them after defeating the demon.
“No.”
“What?”
“It’s not for little girls.” Claude says arrogantly.
“Claude, don’t be rude, she fed us after all.”
“I don’t mean it in a bad way. But, she’s a nun. They’re meant to heal. She’s better off in the medic division.”
It’s like he forgot I was the one who killed the boar they so desperately ate and used for energy.
“I wouldn’t want to see someone like you get hurt.”
“Someone like me?”
“We had people with good intentions try, but they were the ones who ended up getting eaten. I can see it in your eyes. You intend to try and reclaim our freedom from our town’s leader.” He pauses for a moment, “That’s why my brother and I have trained so hard to make it all work out. So no one else has to die.”
“He’s kind of right. We finished our training and going into the forest was the last bit of it. We’ve gained the power we need, and thanks to you we were able to eat so that these next few days we can rest and go at this demon without regret.”
“Besides… Earlier we saw a more powerful creature and were able to withstand its attack.”
“A more powerful creature?”
“Yes…” Antoine appears to be a bit shaken, “It was an attack from the skies. Sudden storm clouds had shown up and attempted to strike us down. If it weren’t for Claude’s quick thinking, it would have taken me out.” Antoine turns his leg and shows a fresh scar, “We were quick enough to avoid a fatal blow, but…” He smiles, “I’m in so much pain right now! If that’s the case, then there’s no way the demon the leader holds is that strong! I’ve seen the people recover from his attacks, this wound right here is a wound of hope!”
I can’t tell them it was me who casted that spell accidentally. It’s just too embarrassing. How would I even bring that up? Hey so, I was attempting a healing spell and yeah… That secret is coming with me to the grave! Still, if my attack was that strong to them. That just means this demon shouldn’t be an issue at all.
“Whatever is going on through that head of yours, stop it. There’s no need for you to fight this thing while we’re here.”
He was right. Upon thinking about it, I wouldn’t be able to anyway. If word got around, eventually it would spread and my dad would know that it was me who had helped these people. If I wanted to kill this thing, it would have to be covertly.
“I guess…”
“Anyway, what’s up with that staff of yours? It’s kind of… Creepy.”
“What do you mean ‘kind of’? Antoine. That thing could give a child nightmares.”
They laugh. I hold my staff closer to my chest, “What’s wrong with it?”
“Maria… Have you gotten a good look at that thing? Why does it have eyes?” The eye’s gaze hits them, “Even worse, it looks like it’s actually watching me.” Antoine shivers.
“Can we not judge my weapon please!” Another thing I couldn’t explain to them. “It’s just how it was made.”
“Scary.”
After a while of talking with them and them getting some rest, I was able to learn a lot. The town wasn’t too far off and they were planning to go back once they had caught the boar. They also mentioned that the people would be friendly, and that I wasn’t the first missionary sent to their town. In fact, most of the missionaries here would be forced to enter the Grand Warrior’s title challenge and ultimately fed to the demon. So I was told to not preach about my cause. Which wasn’t going to be a problem for me anyway, but it was nice that they cared enough to tell me. The leader of the town though seems to be the worst. He uses that demon to get the people to pay higher taxes and to steal from shop owners on the things he deemed “unsellable”. They also expressed their dismay towards the knights in the town since most of them are lazy and always turn a blind eye. Although, I want to believe it’s because of the demon. What could they do? I had asked them about any adventurers who would come to their town and if they’d try to help, but they told me it’s usually the young naive types. Sometimes they would also try to enter the challenge but they’re the ones who become severely injured and end up living the rest of their lives in the town. In fact, they told me a story of two adventurer’s from another town who had attempted the challenge and failed. They both became severely injured and had to wait until they could move properly again. The same two had become very well acquainted and raised two kids together until they passed. Antoinne and Claude were the two kids. In a way, it’s almost poetic that they’ve been working so hard to defeat this monster. But also Ironic. The very same monster was the reason for their existence in the first place. I asked if defeating the demon was an act of vengeance, but as they said before, they just want respect from the townspeople. No one seems to believe that the demon is beatable and as they open up more to me, I begin to understand why these two are scrutinized. The number of people who enter the challenge or even consider training for it are often deemed as fools. I start to wonder if killing it in secret would be a good idea. Not because I wanted the glory for myself, but because I can understand the value in training that they’ve been doing to beat this thing. My dad would often make me perfect a skill before moving onto the next and ingraining it in my head that “If it isn’t perfect, it’s not worth it”. And knowing the satisfaction of being able to accomplish something on your own far outweighs waiting for someone else to fix the problem for you. They were also able to dodge my attack by working together, which means as a team, they could just very well defeat the demon. Even if their methods of doing it are silly. To me they’re ordinary humans who don’t compare to the creatures in the underworld, but that’s just it. I haven’t lived in this world to know how the power levels scale at all. In Terrance’s memory alone, humans are powerful enough to acquire chantless magic through training and given titles for their prowess. They live in a meritocracy to some degree and can show for it.
“What happens when you do get the title? Not just what affects the people, but the person who wins?” I ask.
“They get specialized items to rule over the town.”
“Or they get a chance to leave.”
“Leave?”
“With the demon gone, who’s going to stop them?”
“And the items?”
“The items are just a crown and a scepter. There’s no doubt in our minds that the one who can defeat the demon would be the one selected as the new leader.”
“Same logic! Who’s going to stop them?”
“Is that what you two want?”
“It’s our chance to be revered as the most respected.”
“Maria, didn’t you listen to anything we were saying?”
“I’m just trying to get as much as I can! I want to be sure I understand you two. So rude.” I want to be sure so I know they’ll be fine without my help.
“Although…” Claude stares at me.
“What?”
“You could always boost us.”
“What do you mean?”
He continues, “As a nun of the church, you should have spells that boost our power and speed right?”
That would be true if I weren’t a demon myself. “Oh…”
Antoine interrupts, “But that would be cheating.”
Claude looks at him, “I guess you’re right. If we wanted an easy shortcut, we would’ve taken one by now!”
I’m glad they’re simple minded, because I had no excuse as to why I wouldn’t be able to provide them with stuff like that.
“One thing has been bothering me though.” Claude’s voice lowers, “Why are you here?”
“I’m looking for the town. I want to learn more about…” I pause for a moment. Do I mention that I’m trying to learn healing or… “I want to learn more about this world. I’ve been in the Cathedral all my life and finally, I am able to go for my outing. I want to save as many people as I can, and spread faith.” Of course I’m embellishing a little, but it’s not entirely untrue. These are the words Maria would have spoken, and the words I would have said in my own way. If I knew how to heal, this would most definitely be its own reality. “I want to be able to see each town and slowly see what I can do for those in need.”
“That’s… A nun answer…”
“What did you expect Claude?”
“I had to be sure!”
I interrupt them, “Are there also beastmen in your town?”
They both look at me, Claude speaks up, “That’s a weird question.”
“Well, we had a beastman in our church who served us as a knight so…”
“Oh, don’t misunderstand. I just meant, beastmen are always in towns. They’re also denizens. Ever since the Demon Lord’s disappearance.”
“Disappearance?”
“It’s just a story our mom and dad would tell us. A man from the underworld came and left a plague. All of which humans and monsters alike all set out to stop, in the end, he was defeated and all sentient beings just started to coexist.”
“This was hundreds of years ago too!”
“I guess you were sheltered over at the cathedral after all.”
My dad… Defeated? A defeat that also led to the unity of species alike… But he seemed so powerful, able to take on different kinds of demons in the underworld with ease,
“Is there more to the story?”
“There might be but…”
“It was more of a bedtime story really! A lot of us don’t believe in a Demon Lord.”
But then… Why would the king from way back follow the words of the cathedral and send Terrance and his group to stop a Demon Lord? Father Evin mentioned a prophecy too. What am I missing out on here… I had to ask,
“Have others talked about the Demon Lord?”
“A few who’d come by, but then they’d get eaten by the demon they were forced to challenge.”
“We never really cared. About the demon lord! Not the deaths of the innocent.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because the Demon Lord is just a legend, a story to tell during bed time so kids could sleep with hope in their hearts.”
“There’s no way something that strong could ever exist.”
In the end, my dad became a bedtime story for the generations to come.
“We have a real demon to face, and this thing isn’t a Demon Lord.”
“Claude is right! And even if a Demon Lord was real, we’d just train even harder to beat that too!”
They high five each other.
“I—”
“This is boring! We’ve got our rest. Let’s take you to town!”
Antoine and Claude stretch. Antoine then squats and puts his hands behind his back, his brother Claude then looks at me and gives me a thumbs up.
“What…?” I ask.
Claude then points at Antoine with the side of his head.
“There is no way…” I didn’t want to understand what he was implying.
“Do it.”
“No.”
“Do it!”
“NO.”
Claude then grabs me and puts me on Antoine’s back. Antoine then closes his arms like a seat for me to sit on, this is so embarrassing. Claude then takes my staff from my hands and attempts to carry it. Just like the Brother at the cathedral, it burns his hands.
“Yowch!” He drops it. “This is no good, it appears it has a sort of seal. Perfect for training my pain endurance!”
“I… I can carry that, you know!”
“Are you ready Maria?” Antoine asks.
“...”
“We’re heading back to town.”
“Meet you there.” Claude shouts.
Antoine takes his stance, and on Claude’s count to three, he dashes straight ahead. With Claude following slowly behind.
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