Chapter 9: Legend

“Let’s put the marriage talk on hold for now.”

After I recovered, the king’s first words were unexpected.

Had he realized his mistake? If he had a conscience or a mother, that would be the right conclusion, but considering who he was…

Given his age and past actions, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had neither.

If he wanted to postpone the marriage, he was probably plotting something.

While my judgment wouldn’t be clouded by mere alcohol, I decided never to drink while in this world.

No, I even needed to be careful with water. In a world like this, the existence of aphrodisiacs that amplified sensitivity 3,000 times wouldn’t be surprising.

‘But is there a way to avoid that?’

I’d need to consider magic that detected poison or methods to build resistance.

Or perhaps contraceptive magic. It should never happen, but even in the worst-case scenario of spending a night with her, I could avoid consequences as long as there was no pregnancy.

If she were a pure virgin, it would be different, but Princess Penny was already used goods. I could use the logic that one more use wouldn’t change the value of used goods.

Whether used once, ten times, or a hundred times, used goods were still used goods.

The value might change, but the fact that they were used wouldn’t, so surely no one could refute that.

‘Or is there a way to prevent an erection altogether?’

I wasn’t sure what the Goddess would think of this thought, but I vaguely felt it was related to her domain.

It was a kind of chastity belt, so couldn’t the Goddess’s power control it?

With that thought, I went to see Jarvis. He was resting in a room provided by the royal family.

He was praying alone, facing a wall in a room devoid of any sacred objects. He rose immediately when I arrived and turned to me.

“Hero, are you feeling better?”

“Yes…I just lost my strength. I recovered quickly after resting and eating. By the way, doesn’t this world’s religion have sacred objects?”

“Huh?”

“In my world, when we prayed to God, we did it in front of a cross…a sacred object. I was wondering if this world had a similar practice.”

He had been praying to empty air, both in the temple and now.

I asked him about it, wondering if it was unusual, and Jarvis replied with a solemn expression,

“…No, it’s not that we don’t have them. They’ve just been forgotten.”

“Forgotten?”

“After the first and last hero descended 1,000 years ago, many teachings, including those related to sacred objects, were lost. Of course, we tried to restore them, but it was so long ago that we haven’t made much progress.”

“But in a world where God exists, hasn’t there been any kind of revelation?”

“Unfortunately…no one has received a revelation from the Goddess since the first hero. Naturally, the church’s influence has waned, and the temples have fallen into disrepair…”

“Huh. Then, should I mention it to her next time? Ask her what the sacred objects are.”

“N-Next time…?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you? I met her when I fainted before.”

“Y-You met her?!”

The agitated Jarvis grabbed my shoulders and exclaimed.

Taken aback by his unexpected outburst, I froze. Jarvis, realizing his impropriety, quickly released my shoulders and said,

“M-My apologies! It’s just so unbelievable…”

“Don’t all heroes meet her?”

“No, as far as I know, even heroes haven’t met the Goddess directly.”

“I see…”

“But…what did you talk about…?”

The conversation, honestly, was mostly incomprehensible.

“She said I had a mission besides defeating the Demon King. Something about the duality of purity and the chain of non-virgins… Do you understand what that means?”

“W-Well. I’m hearing this for the first time… Perhaps the pontiff would know.”

“Pontiff?”

“The highest leader of the church. The one who acts in the Goddess’s stead until the hero appears. Normally, the pontiff guides the hero, but ours wanders the world, carrying out the Goddess’s will…”

“So, you don’t know where he is.”

I finally had something to learn, but the pontiff, like some runaway teenager, was wandering around without a home.

With the pontiff like that, it would be a miracle if the church functioned properly.

“I finally have something to learn…”

“Something to learn?”

“Well…”

The ensuing conversation revealed the shameful secrets of this country.

Jarvis, more than a follower of the Goddess, was a citizen of this country, and he couldn’t contain his anger at the king’s tyranny.

His pale face flushed red. His bony arms clenched and trembled.

“H-How dare he treat the Goddess…!!!”

“It’s not surprising anymore. So, is there no solution?”

“Unfortunately, I have no experience with such matters and don’t know of any such miracles. However, if you pray to the Goddess, she will surely grant you a miracle.”

“Ha…”

A hero praying to the Goddess to prevent erections… Even I found it ridiculous.

Embarrassment aside, would she even grant such a prayer?

Strangely, I thought she might.

“I understand. I’ll be leaving for the royal capital soon, but what about you…?”

“I’ll stay here. I won’t be of much help there, and there might be lost lambs seeking the Goddess’s teachings here.”

“…I doubt it.”

At least, in the villages I’d seen so far, there wouldn’t be anyone hoping to join the church.

I’m not one to criticize non-virgins, but anyone who understands the importance of purity wouldn’t have those numbers above their heads.

“Then, good luck. That’s all I can say.”

“Those words are enough. As a servant of the Goddess, I’ve witnessed her grace firsthand at the end of my life. What could be more fortunate?”

“Don’t exaggerate…”

“No, it’s not an exaggeration. You are truly…”

Just as Jarvis was about to say something, someone knocked loudly on the door.

“Hero! It’s time to depart. (Experience Count: 5)”

“Alright. What were you about to say?”

“It’s nothing. You’ll find out eventually, so don’t worry about it. Now, go…”

Jarvis, with a benevolent smile, gestured towards the door.

What was he about to say?

I buried the question in my heart and stepped out the door.

‘It must be him.’

When did Jarvis become so certain?

Clenching his fist as if grasping the conviction swelling in his heart, Jarvis recalled the previous day.

The day the hero and Galeon first met. The hero, facing the king, declared his ambition without hesitation.

His conviction to uphold the virtue of purity, even at the cost of his life, and the noble white shield that protected that conviction.

The moment he witnessed that scene, like a reenactment of a myth, Jarvis felt the presence of the Goddess for the first time.

Noble. Beautiful. Pious.

There were countless words to describe a martyr who risked his life for his beliefs, but even all the words and phrases related to virtue in this world couldn’t capture the magnificence of that moment.

Yes, it must be him. That hero…

“The one who brings freedom to all virgins when the meaning of purity fades and the world is drowned in lust…”

Cherry Boy.

A legendary figure passed down through the church along with the legend of the first Hero of Purity who descended 1,000 years ago.

Jarvis was certain. That hero was undoubtedly Cherry Boy, the one who would bring freedom to all virgins.

Thus, to be formally recognized as the hero, and to gain the strength to wield the Holy Artifacts, I embarked on the journey to the royal capital with the king.

I was worried they’d make me march, but thankfully, we were traveling by carriage.

The king’s procession was surprisingly modest, consisting of only dozens of mounted knights and four carriages resembling props from medieval dramas or movies.

Realistically, no one would be foolish enough to attack a procession bearing the king’s banner, so this force was probably sufficient.

Despite their ordinary appearance, these knights were residents of a world of swords and magic.

They only seemed weak because I had repelled all their attacks, but they could be elite warriors capable of taking on a hundred men each.

“This is the carriage for the hero. (Experience Count: 4)”

The second carriage, slightly behind the lead carriage. The knight pointed to a beautiful carriage resembling a jewelry box.

“How many days will it take to reach the capital?”

“About ten days, if there are no incidents… (Experience Count: 4)”

“Will my butt survive…?”

This was my first time riding in a carriage, and I doubted the ride would be comparable to a modern car.

With a mixture of anticipation and anxiety, I opened the carriage door. And…

“……” (Experience Count: 1)

I seriously reconsidered the ten-day journey.