Divine Protection of Many Gods

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The beautiful girl appears to be around the age of 13-15 . She walks towards us with a smile, the atmosphere had caused us to relax our guard . The woman who is leading these groups of men must be a high ranking official from the Church . Such a person is probably not a bandit . She must had noticed that we were armed and cautious of her group . Otherwise she wouldn’t be trying to explain her situation . Also she mentioned, Hero .

She calmly approaches us .

Me a Hero? Surely, I do have the Divine Protection of many Gods, but Heroes only exist in manga and anime . If I am not mistaken Lux did mentioned something about a Maou that exist in this world . Doesn’t a Shinto Priest have the right to select a Hero and grant them a Divine Protection of a God?

I check the Status Menu .

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Seira Diano Shinto Priest Lv . 20 Age 14

『Selection of Iyakami』 Can grant a Hero Divine protection . Single effect .

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Her clothes are worn, but without a doubt this beautiful girl is a 『Shinto Priest』 . However unlike Baara who only has the Skill Recovery Magic, this girl has a Divine Protection of a God .

Seira is standing directly in front of us . From the rear of their group, a Knight in red armor runs up to Seira and says something to her .

「Seira-sama, I’ll worry, if you rush ahead alone . 」

「I’m sorry, Alfred . But, I can finally meet the Hero at last . 」

The Knight with the highest Level spoke to the beautiful Shinto Priest .

The leader of the Knight’s seems to be named Alfred .

「I understand, but still this forest is home to many Monsters . Please be more careful . 」

「Oh well, you should have scouted ahead first . 」

While retorting back to Alfred, Seira greets us with a graceful bow .

「Nice to meet you . My name is Seira Diano a Shinto Priest elected by the Thora Church . The oracle foretells of the Maou revival, and the arrival of the Hero . I welcome you my chosen Hero . 」

She presents her right hand, in preparation to welcome me .

「Oh, will you please kindly accept? My Hero, Hylux the Brave Heart . 」

「… why are you say my name?」

The chosen Hero seems puzzled . My face is a little red . I’m ashamed of myself, I thought I was the chosen Hero .

「I have researched, and discovered that you are a descendant of a Hero . 」

「I’m no longer related to that house!! And… because of me, you have arrived here in such a battered condition!!」

「You are a selected Shinto Priest of the Thora Church, you needn’t be acting like a common Adventurer . 」

Alfred who has been waiting behind Seira intervenes . Lux glares at Alfred with a sour face . When Baara was still a member of the Church something must have happened . Lux doesn’t make a move, it seems that whatever he wanted to say is conveyed through his eyes .

Seira brushes away the heavy silence .

「I understand, you have some complicated history, but will you please let me speak . 」

At her request Lux stops glaring . However his body language shows that he is still irritated .

「First of all, has everyone awoken?」

I confirm with Lux by whisper . I didn’t know the situation and did not feel safe with the current circumstances . I want to check with Baara first .

「I’m sorry Hibiki, could you take care of that?」

His expression slightly loosens, I nod . I approach the tent where everyone is sleeping . The location of the tent is a little distance away from the campfire . Away from open space it is hidden near the bushes . It is strategically chosen in case of an assault .

Gary, unlike the others is resting near the back, hidden away by the trees . As soon as I get closer his eye opens .

「Is there something wrong? It’s still too early to switch . 」

「Ah, we have guest . 」

His expression briefly changed but refocused the moment he heard we had guest . He may have figured out that the situation wasn’t direr from how easy-going I was .

「Our visitor is a selected Shinto Priest from the Church and some Knights as guards . They say Lux is the chosen Hero . 」

Gary’s face warps when he hears the news .

「The Shinto Priest called Lux the Brave Heart . Is Baara somehow related to any of this?」

I end the conversation there and part with Gary, it is not my place to concern myself with other people’s affairs . I move to the tent to speak with Ayla and Amy . It’s good that I don’t have to re-explain the situation, everyone already understand based on my talk with Gary .

「Ayla, Amy . Sorry for waking you up . Are Kuesu-sensei and Baara up?」

If I recall, Ayla and Amy are staying in the same tent as Kuesu . Ayla may have been half asleep while I was on guard duty .

「Good morning Master, the two of us are now up and ready . 」

「… what do you mean by “good morning”?」

Ayla, while fully awake remains alert, but Amy seems tired and slightly sleepy .

「Lux has visitors, please ask Gary for details . 」

「I understand, should we prepare to depart?」

「Considering the possibilities, should we prepare for departure?」|

「Yes, please do . 」

「Ah, also survey the area for Monsters . Amy come with me . 」

「Yes . 」

I bring Amy along in order to ask her questions about the things I don’t know about in this world . The ignorant me, didn’t know about the existence of a Shinto Priest or the Church .

I left the tent where Ayla stayed and return to Lux, with Amy and Gary .

「Lux, how are you doing?」

Gary asks as he immediately moves to stand near Lux . Two other women run up to Lux without delay .

Lux confirms his Party Member’s faces . He tells them he is okay .

「Who is the bastard that has chosen our leader?」

Gary makes a menacing face and scowls at the visitors .

「It is I . 」

Seira steps forward, the atmosphere she emits would make even the bravest of men step back .

「I, Seira Diano, a Shinto Priest of the Thora Church has elected Hylux as the Hero . 」

Similar to how she greeted us before, she makes a graceful bow . There is a reaction from Baara after hearing the word Shinto Priest .

「With my given right, I nominate Hylux as the Hero, this is my decree . Hylux do you disapprove?」

「I am but an ordinary man, for me to be a Hero, even temporarily I must decline . 」

「Will you please accept my refusal, and kindly return back to Welberg?」

All the members are shocked and speechless, Lux has undoubtedly refused .

「Please do not say something so selfish, we are too exhausted to accept such a response . 」

They let their true feelings slip among their whispers . Seira is looking this way, however our party has already come to an agreement .

「I understand, my group will make preparations to return tomorrow morning . 」

「Please do so . 」

After the conversation ended Lux and his companions returned to the camp . I talked to everyone about our future plans after we had returned .

It seems the person who was supposed to watch the fire was gone, he may have disappeared when we were talking to Seira .

「Shinto Priest, I want to ask one of your Knights to watch over our campfire . 」

As I talked to her I could hear that her voice was rough .

「Why should I let my guards assist you!!」

「Well, Lux is currently at my campsite . This could be your chance to earn his favor . 」

Seira’s expression appears mortified .

「Why don’t you explain to me how “brown nosing” to Lux, will benefit my party?」

Eh!?

「Well, you could watch our campfire as a way to apologize to Lux, and he may be grateful . 」

After saying what I needed, I move towards Amy near the campfire .

「Wait!!」

「What is it?」

「I will watch the campfire?」

「Aren’t things fine the way they are now?」

Seira arrogantly asks, I reflexively refuse .

「Eh!?」

「Weren’t you the one who suggested that?」

Seira blushes .

Ku, ku, kuku

「If you no longer have any business with me, please leave, I have to get up early tomorrow . 」

「Ah . 」

「Ah?」

「Could you please let me watch the campfire!!」

I’m satisfied now that I have gotten her to politely ask .

「It can’t be helped, you may switch with me . 」

Perhaps, Seira had a mortified expression but I couldn’t see it, she was facing the other way . I head back to the tent . Amy seemed to be muttering something .

「Master, you seem lively . 」

I returned to the tent, Ayla was preparing for the departure tomorrow morning . The tent had been taken down, three people were carrying it on their shoulder . Lux and the others were packing up the blankets .