第１１８掘：状況把握 (Part2)
"Come to think of it, she wasn't from another world."
"I recall hearing the title 'Hero of Love.' It wasn't from another world, was it?"
"I see. That is wonderful. To think a Hero would be born from our own continent."
"I’m happy about that, but she’s a slave, you know. Wait a minute—Master, did you say 'Hero of Love'?"
Rurua latched onto that with strange intensity. Why?
"Yeah, I definitely said Hero of Love."
"Doesn't that have something to do with Lilishe-sama?"
"..."
We immediately summoned Lilishe to begin the interrogation. Unlike Luna, Lilishe lives in the Weed territory, serving as a priestess at the Ritea church. She had spent years trying to improve the state of the church, but her efforts were ultimately fruitless, leading to the current situation. Apparently, she had even tried to visit the Great Cathedral in her capacity as a priestess to plead her case, only to be turned away at the gates.
When Alstaire and Rurua heard this, they nearly fainted. Turning away the very deity they worshiped is beyond mere sacrilege. Though, to be fair, that happened several generations before Alstaire and Rurua’s time, and Lilishe had been quietly working as a local priestess ever since.
But I digress. The current problem is this "Hero of Love."
"Oh, so that girl came here, did she? She became a Hero just as I envisioned!"
She actually smiled and confirmed it!
"Lilishe-sama, would you mind explaining?"
"Of course. It happened about ten years ago..."
She explained it simply. Each god can select one Hero associated with them. Basically, a god chooses someone they deem capable or someone with a similar mindset to act as their instrument. These individuals receive a massive boost in power—far beyond that of a Saint or a Sage—and truly earn the name of Hero.
However, there is a catch: the title of Hero isn't handed out like candy. Once every hundred years is the fastest pace allowed. Usually, those who hold the title are thrust into the front lines of war and politics, and they rarely live long. That was why Lilishe, while serving as a priestess at the time, had scouted Ria and set up the conditions for her to awaken as a Hero.
But right now, she’s a slave!!
"Oh dear, Ria-chan is a slave...? That is tragic. But if she is in Weed, she is safe. I believe she can awaken as a Hero safely here."
No, I’d be extremely inconvenienced if she awakened here!
"Um, Lilishe-sama. What exactly are the conditions for her awakening?"
"It is the symbol of love: intimacy! But you mustn't force her, of course. If you force the issue, her power will go berserk and blow the entire area away. To protect Ria-chan, the safety measures around that are perfect."
That’s not perfect at all! I’d have to issue evacuation warnings for the residential district of Weed!
"...Wait a moment. So, Ria will eventually awaken as a Hero?"
"Yes. It’s rare for someone to go their whole life without ever being intimate with anyone. Plus, if her life is in danger, the Hero’s skill will activate to protect her, so Ria-chan won't die unless something truly catastrophic happens."
Hmm. Perhaps it’s thanks to Lilishe that Ria is still just a slave. If things had gone differently, she might already be a corpse. And yet, there’s no stopping the inevitable awakening. The realization that Weed could be caught in the blast left everyone in silence.
"Master."
"What is it?"
"Win Ria’s heart."
"Huh!?"
"You understand, don't you? If things continue as they are, the secret of her being a Hero will be exposed, and Weed will suffer the consequences. Normally, one would just let nature take its course, but we cannot overlook this."
"Hey, hey, I’m not some kind of heart-thief..."
"I know. That’s why, if you and Ria truly love each other, there won't be a problem."
Is she serious? Her eyes are dead serious.
"Master. There is no 'correct' path to love. Just as it was for me. Please, protect her and love her."
Rurua hugged me from behind. I understand what she’s saying. I understand the necessity. The problem is that she’s telling me to target a specific "prey" and win her over. I’m not the protagonist of a dating sim! And to top it off, I have to be prepared for the entire neighborhood to be blown to bits during the climax. What kind of difficulty setting is this?
Mission: Win over the human bomb.
Failure condition: The area gets blown away.
Note: She carries emotional scars. Details unknown.
Also, since she is a beautiful girl, there is a high probability that other men will try to pursue her.