NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 359
“Th-That means… I’m going to be a hero?”
The boy, now awakened as a true hero, managed to hear the Dragon Priestess’s words without fainting this time.
“Yes. Since I have chosen you, you will become a hero.”
“Wait… How can someone like me become a hero?”
With nothing to my name but this body… I’m just an orphan trying to tag along with other adventurers.
I was just stating the fact, or maybe putting myself down…
The boy was indeed not dressed well. I had guessed as much.
His clothes were tattered and patched up here and there, and the only weapon he held was a dull, chipped dagger.
He looked quite thin, probably not having eaten properly, and he wasn’t that tall, either.
Clearly, he was just a boy with nothing to his name… The only thing he could do was become an adventurer.
A boy like that becoming a hero? If it wasn’t for the Dragon Priestess saying it, no one would believe it.
Seeing such a boy, the Dragon Priestess softly asked,
“What do you think a hero is?”
“Huh?”
“What do you think a hero is?”
“A hero… well…”
After a moment of thought, the boy replied.
“A hero is someone who is talked about by many people. A hero who saves and helps many.”
Stories from the past. Tales of nameless heroes. Stories of those who traveled the world, defeating monsters and helping others.
In those stories, a hero was always a hero.
“No. You’re wrong.”
But the Dragon Priestess rejected such a notion.
“Huh?”
“A hero is a much simpler existence.”
“Simpler?”
The boy, unable to understand, inquired further as the Dragon Priestess looked him in the eyes.
“A hero is a blade granted by the Goddess of Life to this world. Holding the hero’s sword, they wield it in the name of the goddess.”
“That means…?”
“Moreover, it is the role of the Dragon Priestess to choose such a hero.”
After saying that, the Dragon Priestess straightened her posture and spoke.
“So, the person I chose is indeed the hero.”
“But, wait… I’m just an orphan with nothing to my name?”
“Such trivial things are irrelevant.”
The Dragon Priestess asserted confidently.
“The only condition to be a hero is that you’ve been chosen by me.”
“Th-That’s such an absurdity…”
“It’s not absurd. This has been confirmed by the Goddess of Life multiple times.”
‘Right? Me?’
“Uh, yes. It has indeed been confirmed several times.”
I never thought they would choose such a boy with nothing… Just based on their face alone.
But, wasn’t it the case for the first hero, too? That child was also an orphan taken in by the Church of Life.
But that child had at least a decent heart. Their face… well, it was average.
“But even so, making a decision solely based on someone’s face doesn’t sit right with me.”
‘It’s not just based on their face, though?’
“What?”
Their face… was it? No, but… hmm…
Is that a lie? It doesn’t seem like a lie, though.
‘Well, it’s a secret. It’s not just a simple choice based on their face.’
“Hmm… If you say so, then it must be.”
If there was some reason behind the choice, I had no reason to argue.
“I… a hero?”
“You’re the genuine hero confirmed by the Goddess of Life.”
Genuine hero? What does that even mean? It makes it sound like there are counterfeit heroes!
Well, I guess there aren’t any!
“But how can I be a hero…? I’ve never even held a proper weapon before… How could an orphan like me be a hero with such little combat experience?”
The boy continued to self-deprecate. Perhaps he was just stating facts. But it still felt like derision.
“Hmm…”
Seeing such a boy, the Dragon Priestess spoke in a calm voice.
“Do you know?”
“Huh?”
“A hero isn’t born; they are made through experience. The nameless hero didn’t have any remarkable talents, but after countless training sessions, they attained strength beyond that of humanity.”
“Is that really true?”
“Yes. This is also a story guaranteed by the Goddess of Life. So, please don’t belittle yourself.”
The Dragon Priestess encouraged the true hero and smiled gently.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Afterward, the true hero and the Dragon Priestess began to share various stories step by step.
They may not be the same age… probably not, but at least they looked to be around the same age on the outside, so they somewhat decided to speak casually.
By the way, it seemed the true hero felt quite burdened by the fact that the Dragon Priestess spoke to him in a casual manner, but the Dragon Priestess insisted on continuing it that way.
After that, it was time for a calm listening session for the true hero.
The true hero’s name was Eric, a commoner without a last name, and he originated from a region in the northeastern part of North Romania. It was a hard place to live, facing the northern cold and nomads coming from the east, where he had caught various large animals using traps and somehow managed to grow barley that could survive in the cold.
He had a family with parents and a younger sister, but when the Demon King’s army advanced south, the whole family set off to escape, only to be scattered due to monster attacks along the way, leaving him unsure whether they were alive or dead.
Afterward, he had to descend from the north and beg like a beggar to survive, trying various odd jobs, but he couldn’t do anything properly…. So he begged to join an adventurer party.
It was practically a gamble, but thankfully, since the adventurer party he asked for help were good people, he was able to learn little by little as a prospective adventurer without starving to death.
But as time passed, the monsters coming down from the north were growing stronger, and if he remained in North Romania, he would likely run out of lives to spare, which is why the entire adventurer party moved south.
Thus, the boy slowly shared his not-so-long life story with the Dragon Priestess.
And,
“You’ve been through so much.”
The Dragon Priestess began to comfort the true hero with a calm voice.
‘If only the Demon King hadn’t existed, if the monster armies hadn’t come down… then he wouldn’t have to endure such hardships.’
“But if that were the case, he would have lived a life as a commoner in North Romania, meaning he wouldn’t have met you, right?”
Upon my words, the Dragon Priestess nodded slightly.
‘That’s… certainly true. But still, it’s unfortunate what he’s gone through.’
“That might be true.”
But life as a commoner is not exactly smooth sailing either.
The harsh life of a northern commoner vs. the life of a chosen hero by the Dragon Priestess. Which one is better…
Well, I don’t know! But one thing is certain: neither life is easy!
No, life itself is not easy!
Thus, speaking of the arduous life, the Dragon Priestess hesitated for a moment and then said.
“Um… I don’t know if it’s okay to say this now, but…”
A hint of anxiety seeped into the Dragon Priestess’s voice. What could she be so worried about?
She has the power to do anything, the power to achieve anything. What could possibly cause her such anxiety?
“If you don’t want to be a hero… Hmm. I won’t force you. If you really don’t want it, just tell me. I’ll find someone else.”
Now? You’re asking that question now? Isn’t the order all wrong? No matter how you slice it, even if you just lost consciousness a moment ago…
I thought she would push me into it without asking!
“Originally, I was thinking of forcing you to do it, but… after hearing your story… I felt I needed to consider it a bit more.”
“My story?”
“Yes. You must have your own life, and I was wondering if it was right to force you into the role of a hero…”
But the order is all wrong! Normally, you would ask about the other person’s intentions first and then make a proposal!
The first hero… well, the sword was already stuck, so he understood that child’s intentions perfectly!
“If you’re okay with it, I would ask you to take on the role of a hero. But if you don’t want to… I can designate someone else as the hero. Of course, you’ll still help. Even if you don’t become a hero, you’ll help me find news of your family. If we defeat the Demon King… your homeland can regain peace.”
The Dragon Priestess continued to mumble as she spoke. Observing her, the true hero thought for a moment before speaking.