Prologue: Outside
In a chamber within the royal castle of the Alstoval Kingdom, a gathering of over a dozen individuals surrounded a circular table. At the center of this assembly sat the king, who had summoned Ferno Desire, the Hero destined to confront the Demon King. He conveyed the mission to Ferno and entrusted him with three companions, each bearing the title revealed by divine prophecy. Alongside them, the king provided several forms of support, including the Holy Sword, as they prepared to embark on their journey to defeat the Demon King.
“Have we all gathered? Then let us commence this emergency meeting,” the king declared from his elevated seat. He confirmed with a nod from his aide that all participants were present before initiating the meeting’s purpose. Since the Demon King’s resurrection, such meetings led by the king had occurred nearly a hundred times, yet the atmosphere in the room felt unusually tense and heavy.
“The agenda for this meeting includes the descent of the Apostle of God, the revocation of the Hero’s title, the emergence of a new Hero, and the whereabouts of the remaining executives of the Demon King’s Army, along with the still-missing Demon King. Let us proceed in order. Regarding the descent of the Apostle, I ask for your insights, Your Holiness,” the king said, directing his attention to an elderly man clad in a cassock seated at the table.
“Indeed,” the Pope replied.
The topics of discussion were broadly divided into three categories. The first concerned the Apostle’s descent, specifically the angels who had stripped Ferno Desire of the Holy Sword and the Holy Mark. To delve deeper into this matter, the king turned to the Pope for detailed information.
“First and foremost, I must clarify that our Holy Church has had no involvement in this descent event. Therefore, I do not possess complete knowledge of how it transpired. My report will be based on the words conveyed to us by the Apostle,” the Pope explained.
“That is acceptable. It is better than being left in complete ignorance,” the king replied.
“Thank you. The beginning of this matter lies in the Sage’s discovery of a discrepancy between the movements of the stars and the current Hero situation. It became evident that the events were progressing at an unusually accelerated pace. This realization was shared with the Saint, who, along with the Sage, continued to harbor doubts about Ferno Desire,” the Pope continued.
“I see. And what transpired next?” the king inquired.
“I believe everyone is aware of the chaos caused by the Saint and the Sage, so I will omit those details. However, they both became convinced that Ferno Desire was traveling without even perceiving the existence of the Light Spirit, the final proof of a Hero’s worthiness. To confirm this suspicion, we turned to our great Lord with a simple ritual and prayer, which ultimately led to the descent of the Apostle,” the Pope explained.
“I understand… And what did the Apostle say?” the king pressed.
“There was a distortion of fate, within which undeniable truths existed, prompting the descent and subsequent actions. The unique aspect of this event was that the Hero’s title was restored while simultaneously imposing restrictions to prevent the irreparable distortions from being restored,” the Pope elaborated.
“Very well… Thank you for your insights, Your Holiness,” the king said, expressing his gratitude.
The truth behind the angel’s descent, as recounted by the Pope, was largely consistent with what Ferno Desire had learned from the angel. However, the angel had concealed two crucial facts from the Pope: that Ferno Desire was a reincarnated individual with memories of his past life, and that he possessed the power to distort the world during that reincarnation.
The angel’s reasons for withholding this information stemmed from Ferno Desire’s willingness to acknowledge and present it to the angel, as well as the understanding that he had not misused these abilities during his time as a Hero.
“As you can infer from the preceding discussion, it has become clear that Ferno Desire has not been a Hero for the past five years. Consequently, a new Hero has emerged to take his place, one who has not only defeated numerous executives of the Demon King’s Army but has also extended aid to the injured citizens. If this were to become public knowledge, it would undoubtedly lead to chaos. The nobles would likely incite a rebellion against Ferno Desire, who has earned the gratitude of the people,” the Pope warned.
“Then what course of action do we take? If we cannot make this public, should we continue to present Ferno Desire as the Hero? This could provoke the wrath of God and backlash from the Saint and the Sage,” one of the nobles raised a concern.
“However, if we declare Ferno Desire is no longer the Hero, it would surely incite a significant uprising. Reflecting on his past actions, if the kingdom were to be divided, it would be a minor issue compared to the potential collapse of our nation,” another noble added.
“Indeed, the foreign nations would not remain silent either. Many have come to regard Ferno Desire with gratitude and would welcome him. If he is free to live as he pleases, it is not unreasonable for him to seek refuge in another kingdom,” a third noble chimed in.
“I understand the concerns of the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Defense. The Foreign Minister’s predictions are also quite plausible, given his character… Therefore, what we must decide in this meeting is how to keep Ferno Desire within our kingdom while simultaneously deceiving and separating him from the newly recognized Hero and his followers,” the king stated, addressing the worries expressed by those around the table.
As the king articulated his premeditated conclusion before the meeting began, the nobles surrounding the table appeared relieved and impressed by his decision. They were prepared to accept the burden of disgrace in order to protect the future of the Alstoval Kingdom.
“The lovestruck Saint, the prideful Sage, and the sudden emergence of an enigmatic Hero… I have weighed these against the achievements of the man who has defeated over half of the Demon King’s Army in just five years. I believe this course of action is correct and will benefit the future of our kingdom,” the king concluded.
“Indeed, a splendid judgment. But how do we gradually separate them? Furthermore, will we publicly announce that Ferno Desire is no longer the Hero? How will we address the potential rebellion that may arise from this?” another noble inquired.
“First, we must announce the change in Heroes. However, it will not be our responsibility to make this declaration; it will be entrusted to the Magic Union,” the king replied.
“Is that truly acceptable?” the noble questioned.
“Rather than being a matter of acceptance, this is a proposal from the Union Leader and the Pope. Is that not correct?” the king asked.
“Yes, indeed. We will declare that Ferno Desire was not the rightful Hero based on our analysis of historical records. Additionally, we will have one of the Cardinals of the Holy Church publicly confirm that the Apostle’s descent was witnessed and that the Holy Mark and Holy Sword have changed their owner,” the Pope added.
“However, that would mean…” a noble hesitated.
“You are concerned that we will be tarnished by this decision? There is no need for such worries. We are not a group that concerns itself with public opinion. If we were, we would have imprisoned and executed the Sage when he began to spiral out of control. The fact that we did not do so speaks volumes. Moreover, we are a collection of individuals who could not thrive in the mundane world, so worrying about such matters is futile,” the Pope reassured.
“The Church has no issue with publicly announcing the Apostle’s descent and the change in the Hero’s title, provided we set aside personal feelings and emotions. There are numerous witnesses to the Apostle’s descent, so there should be no doubt cast upon us. Following that, the Church will seek a path forward, ensuring we remain in the background while focusing on healing the wounded,” the Pope concluded.
“I see… However, as a nation, we must also make our stance known. What will we do in that regard? Remaining silent may lead the populace and lower nobility to believe we are endorsing the new Hero,” another noble pointed out.
“Indeed, we will ensure that our declaration follows the announcements from both the Church and the Union,” the king affirmed.
The king’s decision, the concerns raised, and the subsequent strategies were all laid bare. The leaders of the three factions—kingdom, church, and union—who typically acted in their own interests, were now united in their efforts to protect Ferno Desire, even at the cost of their reputations. Those present at the meeting, particularly those with less connection to the Pope and the Union Leader, watched in astonishment.
As this scene unfolded, the king prepared to address the second agenda item: how to respond to Ferno Desire, who was no longer recognized as a Hero. He spoke clearly, ensuring that all present could hear his words.
“I, no, the royal family of the Alstoval Kingdom, shall bestow upon Ferno Desire the title of ‘Hero.’ Not as a mere decoration, but as a title that replaces the Hero’s title, awarded to the one man who has illuminated the path to hope for the future.”
No one raised an objection.