[Vol. 9] Chapter 5: The Saint’s Cross, The Hero of Human
Carefully looking at the Princess’s clear and mysterious eyes, so pure they seemed like they did not belong to the mortal world, the priestess had many thoughts flashing through her mind, but she did not ask further in this situation.
After all, Menna was much more mature than normal girls her age. If she really thought this change was a problem or felt uneasy, even if Violet said nothing, Menna would surely find a way to explain it.
On the other hand, if she stayed quiet, it meant the change had not caused serious trouble yet. Besides, if this little girl really knew what “feeling embarrassed” meant, she wouldn’t have shamelessly arranged for her own sister to meet Violet and ask for help back then.
“Speaking of which, the time should almost be up, right? Why hasn’t that guy you invited arrived yet? Acting like he’s more important than us…”
Seeing Violet change the topic so quickly, the blue-haired girl smiled knowingly. Before Menna could answer, Miss Flora, standing nearby, spoke up first.
“Don’t tell me you can’t sense whether he’s here or not? And don’t try to fool me by saying you really have no connection to those people. That might trick others, but I don’t believe it one bit.”
“What are you… hey, I warn you, don’t go spreading lies.”
Violet rolled her eyes calmly, showing no panic at all. Just as she was about to deny it, the sound of footsteps—tap, tap, tap—came from the back of the tavern. Several figures stepped out quickly, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.
The young man leading them wore shining white armor, with a longsword at his waist. Hanging on his chest was not the holy symbol of the Goddess Church, but instead a white-gold cross-shaped emblem filled with an even greater aura of holiness and purity. In his left hand he carried a thick book, its cover glowing under the magical lights with one golden word, “Revelation.”
Looking at him, his bearing was upright and dignified. His face was not extremely handsome, but clean and pleasant to see. His whole body gave off a righteous and serious aura, yet gentle enough not to feel overbearing, naturally making people feel a subtle warmth, like the breeze of spring.
His arrival was like a sudden light shining in the dim room. The pure divine power and his standard equipment made it clear he was a Holy Knight. Behind him came several other figures, both men and women, each with strong and powerful auras. Among them were even ones clearly not of human race. Yet they stood openly, calmly enduring the many different stares from the crowd.
Seeing this, many people were secretly shocked.
Non-humans?
The Human United Kingdom was known as one of the most xenophobic, single-race nations in the world, keeping a strict isolation policy for hundreds of years.
Although the country formed good ties with the Northern Demon Mountains, the Eastern Holy Empire, and even the distant Southern Azure Sky Kingdom, old prejudice does not disappear overnight. People’s biases were like a mountain. It might take another forty or fifty years, when the next generation took the stage, for real change to happen.
Because of this, while non-humans could now legally walk freely on the streets of the capital and enjoy normal rights as citizens, the Human United Kingdom was still, at its core, a one-race nation. The participants in important events were always human pillars of society, so how could there be non-humans here…
Just as the crowd looked at the newcomers with curiosity, doubt, and even hidden hostility, the young human man at the front opened his mouth to speak.
“Praise the Goddess, may the Primordial Light shine upon you all. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Bowen, Bowen Bernard, from the Holy Empire.”
Just this short sentence instantly stirred up a storm in the crowd!
“Wait, what did that guy say his name was?”
“Is that for real… from the Holy Empire… could it be that Bowen?”
“Uh… what about his name? Why do I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t get it…?”
“Idiot! I told you to read more books and pay attention to big events abroad. You don’t even know about the ‘Hero of Mankind,’ one of the six Chosen Heroes? His fame has already spread to the skies!”
“I heard his hero team traveled across the lawless war zones, saving countless refugees along the way. Many locals even honored him as a saint. That’s not just praise for his character, it’s also proof of his great power. Do you understand what that means?”
“Yeah, yeah, exactly! A friend of mine who returned from the south told me that many bandits and villains had taken over land during the wars there, and some of them were even legendary-level fighters. When the Hero of Mankind passed through, he personally led his team to fight them. Guess what happened? One move! With just one move, Bowen captured that legendary fighter alive on the spot!”
“Hey, hey, isn’t that way too exaggerated? Or are the Chosen really all that strong? I mean, this young man doesn’t look that special… maybe it’s just someone with the same name, or…”
“Same name, my foot! Didn’t you see the cross necklace on his neck? That’s clearly a powerful magic item. It must be the weapon given by the Holy Empire’s Goddess to the Hero of Mankind, the [Saint’s Cross]. They say its power is no less than the Three Holy Artifacts of the Holy Empire. It can even bring the dead back to life, heal broken flesh and bones, and walk between the living and the dead to redeem lost souls. Who knows how much of that is true…”
“Uh… okay, I get it, but why would a hero of the Goddess Church come here?”
Taking in the noise and whispers all around the tavern, Bowen Bernard did not rush, nor did he act proud or arrogant. He simply gave a faint smile. His voice wasn’t loud, yet it easily rose above the chatter, echoing through the room.
“Some of you may have heard my name, others may not. But that doesn’t matter, because from now on we will have plenty of time to get to know each other slowly, and to fight side by side.”
“In truth, I don’t see past achievements as very important. I am only a Holy Knight from the Goddess Church, one who believes in the great Origin Light and longs for peace in this world. Together with my companions, I have traveled far and wide, only to seek the path of redemption.”
Bowen’s expression was calm, his tone steady, as if he was telling a story that had nothing to do with himself, yet his seriousness made people feel its weight.
“Not long ago, my companions and I were honored to receive the Goddess’s guidance. To face the coming disaster, we set out on a journey of trials. Starting from the Angel City, we followed the supreme Primordial Light across many lands, where we witnessed too much suffering and tragedy.”
“There is no doubt that war is the root of disaster. Conflicts between races, invasions from outside the world, it’s all the same. And now the flames of war are spreading even more fiercely, destroying more and more families and lives. To stop this, we have come here under the Goddess’s guidance.”
The people in the tavern looked at each other. Some seemed to understand what Bowen meant, but many were still confused. A few rougher men, less educated, couldn’t help but shout loudly.
“Why do people from your church always talk in such mysterious nonsense? Can’t you just speak straight? I came here because I heard Her Majesty the Queen was calling, not to listen to some Chosen Hero preaching!”