At the start of the new year, the Kingdom of Messiah welcomed the coldest day since winter began.
Save for the frozen refugees and vagrants, the streets were nearly deserted.
Even the guards had ended their patrols early, retreating to their homes to bask in the meager warmth of their fireplaces.
But at this very moment, the royal palace of Dikden was a hive of activity.
“Your Excellency the Hero, it is truly our honor to have you grace our kingdom!”
“Lord Hero, the future of our nation rests entirely in your hands!”
“With both the Hero and the Saintess here, what Demon King or monster could possibly stand in our way?”
Under dazzling lights and enchanting music, people clad in opulent attire either danced gracefully or sipped fine wine, gathering in clusters to engage in lofty discussions.
Yet the black-haired, red-eyed youth surrounded and flattered by these nobles was far from pleased.
Luke had been summoned to this world by the Goddess of Light three years ago, tasked with saving it from the threat of the Demon King as one of the “Heroes.”
Yes, Heroes—plural. He was not the only one.
It was said that over the past decades, the Goddess had summoned and selected over a hundred thousand Heroes, with some thirty thousand still active in the world.
In truth, the so-called Heroes were little more than expendable pawns.
Luke had clawed his way through countless near-death experiences to rise as a somewhat renowned Hero in the southern continent.
The taste of hard-earned success was sweet, but more than being worshipped, he longed to complete his mission and claim the Goddess’s reward: a return to his original world.
After all, he had unfinished business there—and a computer full of files he hadn’t had the chance to clear out…
“Lord Luke, you truly are a remarkable figure!”
As for the current situation… Luke understood the principle of not slapping a smiling face. His own face bore a practiced, perfunctory smile.
But forming any fondness for these nobles? That was a tall order.
Take, for instance, the finance minister with his beaming smile and deferential posture, who was thinking:
[‘What Hero? Just some country bumpkin who got lucky! He only accepted the king’s invitation because he’s after our kingdom’s wealth. Hah, with me here, he can forget about it!’]
Then there was the kindly-looking duke, whose thoughts were:
[‘Marry my daughter to him, or adopt him as my son—either way, my plans will be foolproof!’]
Even the military minister, who was at least thinking about matters related to the Demon King, was entirely at odds with his outward demeanor:
[‘Another cannon fodder to throw at the Demon King… But this guy’s got some fame. Could he be here to steal my glory? Damn those temple bastards, always wasting our resources!’]
The noblewomen and young ladies were no better. Some fantasized about a fleeting romantic encounter with him, others about devouring him entirely, and more than a few were plotting to cuckold their husbands for the thrill of it. It was, frankly, a chaotic dance of demons.
Yes, you might have guessed it: the Goddess had granted Luke the ability to “read minds.”
This power wasn’t limited to humans, and it was precisely because of it that he’d survived in a world teeming with monsters and beasts.
From what he’d seen of other Heroes, this ability was at least SS-tier, just a step below the ultimate SSS-tier.
Its only drawback was the risk of growing dependent on it. For safety’s sake, though, he kept it active around the clock.
Naturally, facing these scheming nobles, he felt no inclination to grow close to them.
But there was no need to worry about slipping up. Through long practice, he’d mastered the art of maintaining a calm facade—or even flashing a pure, guileless smile à la Ding Zhen—despite knowing someone meant him harm.
“Lord Luke, Saintess Elia will be arriving shortly. She is the most radiant jewel of our Kingdom of Messiah. You must treat her well…”
Here came an enthusiastic earl, blissfully unaware of Luke’s inner disgust.
As for the Saintess Elia mentioned by the earl, Luke was actually somewhat intrigued.
[‘Damn it, that adorable, pure little Elia, snatched away by this country bumpkin… What a travesty, Your Majesty!’]
[‘Compared to the peerlessly talented and beautiful Saintess Elia, it’s a tough match. I’ll have to find a way to make the Hero my adopted son or my daughter’s lover…’]
[‘With Elia here, this guy probably couldn’t die if he tried… Damn it, to think such a precious, powerful Saintess is being handed to a nobody. The heavens are forsaking our kingdom!’]
Thanks to his mind-reading ability, even without prior intelligence, Luke could gauge a person’s character just by the thoughts of others during introductions.
Even the duke, who played the part of a gentleman, had about thirty percent of the room quietly dissatisfied with him.
But Saintess Elia? Not a single negative thought.
[‘These filthy men! So what if the Saintess is stunningly beautiful, kind-hearted, virtuous, and stronger than those marshals and generals? What’s so great about that!’]
Even the jealous mutterings of the noblewomen and young ladies were, in their own way, glowing praise.
Luke had heard of Saintess Elia’s reputation as early as his first year in this world.
Much like the Heroes, there were over ten thousand Saintesses across the continent.
Ninety percent were apprentice Saintesses, with only a thousand official Saintesses, and at the pinnacle, just seven candidates for Great Saintess.
Elia was one of those seven—the Saintess among Saintesses.
So when the Kingdom of Messiah extended its invitation, Luke had agreed without hesitation.
According to the Goddess of Light’s oracle, defeating the Demon King required the aid of a Great Saintess. With no Great Saintess yet chosen, teaming up with one of the seven top candidates was undeniably the best option.
Besides, Luke wanted a journey free of scheming and trouble. A pure, kind, and upright beautiful girl practically delivered to his doorstep? There was no reason to refuse.
“Her Highness Saintess Elia has arrived!”
A herald’s cry rang out from the entrance, and the musicians began playing a melodious, ethereal hymn.
The crowd quickly adjusted their appearances, parting to either side and casting eager, expectant gazes toward the newcomer.
The first thing that caught the eye was a cascade of lustrous, soft pink hair.
Her face was exquisitely delicate, her smile sweet and approachable, her expression gentle and kind.
Her skin was as smooth and fair as snow, her slender, graceful figure draped in a magnificent, pristine white gown.
Every gesture was elegant, dignified, and noble, yet carried an approachable warmth, as if an angel of happiness had descended to bring blessings to the world.
[‘No matter how many times I see her, Elia is always so breathtaking… This is the greatest, most noble Saintess of our Kingdom of Messiah. What do you think, Hero Luke?’]
The crowd watched Elia approach Luke with joy and pride.
To be honest, Saintess Elia was indeed the most beautiful girl Luke had ever seen in both of his lives.
Some top-tier beauties might rival her in appearance, but when it came to matching the lofty, sacred role of a Saintess, Elia’s beauty was unquestionably peerless.
The compassion and kindness in her flowing gaze, the angelic gentleness and warmth… If Luke didn’t have his ability, he might have believed it all.
Unfortunately—
[‘Admire me! Praise me! Worship me! This lady is just that stunning and divine!’]
Luke had extensively studied and honed his mind-reading ability. Beyond hearing thoughts, he could now see the mental state—the expressions and actions—of a person’s inner self.
The beautiful Saintess before him, with her serene expression, had a chibi version of herself in her mind, head held high, reveling smugly in the adoration of the crowd, even letting out a dramatic three-part laugh he’d only ever heard in anime.
Was this girl treating herself like a queen?
Luke was a bit speechless but still performed a courteous hand-kiss.
“It’s a great pleasure to meet you, Your Highness Elia.”
“I’m also delighted to make your acquaintance, Lord Luke.”
Elia responded with elegant politeness, but her inner self smirked triumphantly.
[‘Completely smitten by my beauty, aren’t you?’]
Not at all.
Luke mentally rolled his eyes. He wasn’t surprised by her inner arrogance, though.
A sheltered young girl, basking in universal adoration, yet maintaining perfect Saintess decorum on the surface while being a bit smug inside? That was already quite commendable.
[‘Look at that dazed expression. Don’t tell me he’s already fantasizing about getting it on with me? Disgusting! Just another filthy Hero, no different from those lecherous old nobles!’]
Given the unsavory thoughts swirling around the room, Luke could understand her judgment—except the part about him.
[‘But too bad for you, I have zero intention of adventuring with you! I’m living the good life in the kingdom. Why would I go out and suffer? So give up, you’ll never get me.’]
Luke wasn’t too shocked.
Fighting the Demon King’s army was dangerous work.
Half the Heroes and Saintesses he’d met were slacking off, and of the rest, at least thirty percent had died in battle.
For someone as pampered as Elia, the idea of her willingly leaving with him was a long shot.
[‘And don’t even think about pestering me. I used to be a man, so there’s no way I’d fall for you… Honestly, these idiots have no idea and are still swooning over me. It’s hilarious, hahaha!’]
Huh?
Luke’s mind froze.
The Goddess changing someone’s gender upon summoning wasn’t unimaginable, but more than the initial shock, he was utterly repulsed by Elia.
He sought a companion only to ensure a bit of insurance against the Demon King. He’d always worked alone, and he’d accepted the king’s invitation only because a Saintess of this caliber wouldn’t hold him back.
But if she was deceitful and vile, no amount of strength would make him want her along.
Since Elia had no intention of adventuring with him either, he decided to find a polite excuse later—one that wouldn’t overly trouble the kingdom—and decline the arrangement.
With his mind made up, Luke adopted a performative attitude, engaging Elia in small talk. After some meaningless chatter about the weather, the crowd gathered around, toasting their meeting and the world’s future.
“Lord Hero, Your Highness Saintess, may you swiftly defeat the Demon King and save the world!”
Sure, but not with this Saintess.
Luke thought.
Elia’s inner voice echoed her own slacker sentiments:
[‘Sure, but not with a side character like me. The game’s main protagonists will handle it. Don’t disturb my comfy life in this other world.’]
Luke froze again.
Huh?
Game?
Main protagonists?
He couldn’t help but turn to look at Elia, a strange idea dawning on him.
Was this a game world?
And she… did she know the future plot?
Elia, meanwhile, smiled at him.
[‘Even if I’m super-duper gorgeous and adorable, you don’t have to stare at me like that!’]
[‘Otherworld men, so pathetic!’]