“……Understood.”
That voice echoed, and in the silent room where the meaning couldn’t be grasped for a moment, I, who was the first to realize its significance, couldn’t help but let out a sound.
“What are you saying, Aria?”
A moment later, those who understood that Aria was the speaker began to stir, and Feld raised his voice as if to rebuke her amidst the commotion.
“Aria, you!”
“Oh, so it’s settled then, Aria-san. I’m glad you understand,” Hero Klein decided on the “acceptance,” interrupting Feld before he could continue.
“Then, about the details—”
“—However,” Aria interrupted Klein’s words as he tried to continue.
“Elemental Dragons have a will. I’ll confirm that will first.”
“Hoh……”
Klein gave a thin smile at Aria’s words.
Indeed, dealing with an Elemental Dragon is different from exterminating rampaging Monsters….
Adventurers fight Monsters for materials, for a living, to survive… in a broad sense, it’s a “survival competition.”
They defeat them because they are obstacles to survival. They defeat them because they need their meat. They defeat them because they were attacked. They kill because it’s necessary, not because they want to kill.
The Fire Dragon only eliminated pests that entered its territory.
For over a thousand years, they have coexisted on this continent. If someone desires that place and considers the Fire Dragon an obstacle, then that person or nation should fight. There is no justice in it; it’s just a quarrel between neighbors. That means….
“……Is that alright?”
All eyes turned to me as I spoke again.
“Isn’t the Fire Dragon being an obstacle just Zentol Kingdom’s convenience? Are you saying the Hero-sama of the Holy Church is going to fight for the benefit of one country? Is that alright? So……”
—The existence of the Hero is cheap—
My interjection was directed at Vincent, the Temple Knight Captain, at the end.
Understanding the meaning, Vincent made a loud sound as if striking his heels together before the Hero or Cardinal could speak.
“Of course! A Hero would never act for the benefit of one country!”
The Cardinal was perplexed and remained silent at those words, and the Hero turned his gaze to Vincent and me.
“I see. Is that your opinion? If the Fire Dragon attacks a human city because of that, who will take responsibility?”
“Such a thing……”
Vincent was perplexed by the sudden talk of responsibility.
“It might attack. There happens to be a Hero here. Isn’t it necessary for the sake of the people?”
As Vincent began to be pushed back by such an argument….
“That’s why I said I would confirm the Fire Dragon’s will,” Aria voiced her opinion once more. Everyone’s gaze returned to Aria again, and Klein shrugged as if to say, “Oh well.”
“If, as a result, we let it go and it attacks later, can you take responsibility?”
“If, as a result of fighting, the Fire Dragon attacks the city, will you take responsibility?”
“If we defeat it, it will be resolved.”
“Then, will the Holy Church guarantee that the Hero will win for sure? If there is damage, will the Holy Church take responsibility?”
“That is, of course—”
“—Is there such a ridiculous story!”
Finally, the Cardinal, who had been fading into the background, raised his voice when the conversation turned to the Holy Church’s responsibility.
“This talk of responsibility is just a pointless argument! Klein! Go and confirm the will of that one and the Fire Dragon! Vincent! You go with him too!”
Klein shrugged at the sight of his veins about to burst.
“Oh well, I suppose I have no choice. I only wanted to know the abilities of the young ladies, but confirming the Fire Dragon’s will is more troublesome than defeating it, you know?”
Klein continued to complain in an unpleasant manner as usual. Should I interject since I have the chance?
“You’re a Hero, right? Maybe I’m mistaken?”
If you’re a Hero, you should be able to do that much, right? When I said that to provoke him, Klein gave an unpleasant smile and gave a courteous bow like a noble.
“I hope to see your power as well, lovely young lady.”
The meeting ended there. Putting aside the story of Aria joining that guy’s group, we ended up going to subjugate the Fire Dragon without a clear decision.
Confirming the Dragon’s will is fine, but why did Aria go out of her way to accept such a thing? Well, I can guess.
“Aria……are you there?”
“Snow?”
That night, when I went to Aria’s private room assigned by the Holy Church, she stopped maintaining her weapon and looked up.
“You’re as abstemious as ever. Mira is so angry that she invited Jesha to go drinking in the city, you know?”
I entered the room without permission and sat in front of Aria, who was working at the table.
“Why are you going along with what that guy says?”
There’s no need to go along with such nonsense. You’re a Hero, so you can’t be easily killed politically or in terms of ability, but wouldn’t Aria be able to assassinate him?
“It will cause trouble for Elena.”
“I thought so.”
To me, Aria is someone I would risk my life for, but the two of them are friends.
I sighed in exasperation at Aria’s words, and Aria smiled slightly and poured water from the provided pitcher into a cup for me.
I cooled the two cups that were offered with my cold air and pushed one back to Aria.
“Elena would tell you not to worry about it. But it’s not a good idea to ruin the Holy Church’s reputation.”
“That’s true.”
The Holy Church owes the Kingdom of Claydale a debt because of that fake-chan and the demon incident.
What I was wondering was that I thought Elena could refuse without worsening the relationship with the Holy Church that much.
But the Holy Church also has its pride. And there are factions within the Holy Church.
The Holy Church on another continent, which is the basis of the Holy Church on this continent. The Holy Church here cannot refuse the request of the Hero dispatched from there, and that Cardinal has connections with the Holy Church over there, so he can speak to the Hero, but he doesn’t care about the Kingdom of Claydale.
But, more than that….
“Do you think that Hero will directly harm Elena?”
“……There’s a possibility.”
It’s really troublesome…. Somehow, that Hero doesn’t seem to care about this continent at all.
He can do as he pleases and go home if it becomes a problem, and he might hurt someone out of spite. ……Is this what the opposing faction felt when Aria was moving behind the scenes? Well, the Hero is even worse.
“I have experience with people with that kind of mental structure. I’m going to figure that out in the Fire Dragon incident. Then, I’ll get Elena’s permission and change the way I do things.”
“……I guess there’s no choice.”
I sighed again and drank the cold water in the cup.
“Is it okay to cause trouble for me?”
When I said that to tease her a little in retaliation, Aria looked puzzled and smiled slightly.
“Is it too late to ask that now?”
Yes, really……Aria is unfair.
A person I want to protect because they are important.
A person who is important but also reliable.