1.
A brilliantly shining cross-shaped eye.
Feeling an inexplicable chill from the divine power, Nahan quickly checked his status window.
【Name: Yuria】
– Alias: Saint of Insight, Saint of Judgment, Extractor of Rotten Teeth, Slayer of the Wicked.
– Rank: SS+
– Information: A tragic nun who lost her home due to <Viscount Gapelt> and the <Black Fang Mercenary Corps>. Saved by Black Wolf, she intended to return to him after completing her revenge. However, just as she was about to do so, she received an invitation to join the <Hero Party> from its leader—Asha Mirabelle—and is currently contemplating the offer.
Saint Yuria.
In the original work, she lost everything at the hands of Viscount Gapelt, suffered all kinds of atrocities, seized an opportunity to escape, and then took revenge.
However, with Viscount Gapelt being preemptively annihilated by <Black Wolf>, she misheard only up to “Black…” and misunderstood, redirecting her fury toward them.
Thanks to Asha’s proposal, she later joined the Hero Party and persistently tormented <Black Wolf> until just before her death—a relentless and ruthless saint.
But was it because Nahan had saved her first, unlike in the <original>?
“Give it to me, quickly.”
She smiled faintly, requesting the item she had previously entrusted to him. There wasn’t even a trace of hostility in her voice.
Nahan quickly formulated his thoughts.
‘Yuria’s innate authority—her passive skill—is Aria’s Scales, which discerns truth from lies.’
While observing upon entering this place, she must have already realized that I am ‘Black Wolf.’
Thus, excessive deception would only backfire.
‘Actually, this works out well. Since it was Black Wolf who saved her, not Ian Red, I might even be able to gain her help.’
Yeah.
I had made plans just in case.
‘Let’s execute it now.’
Having reached his conclusion, Nahan, in the guise of ‘Ian Red,’ began acting as ‘Black Wolf.’
If it were Black Wolf.
“…Huh?”
Even under the overwhelming pressure of divine power, he would nonchalantly return the item first.
Without a word, Nahan opened his subspace storage and searched through it.
Then, he carefully retrieved the items Yuria had entrusted to him earlier and handed them over.
At that moment, Yuria’s eyes widened.
“…Huh? Back then, I’m sure…”
Her outstretched hands trembled as they reached for the items.
The reason was simple.
– Can you fix it, Ruby?
– Yes, Captain!
Anticipating this encounter with Yuria, he had them repaired beforehand to prevent a bad ending.
…Clink.
As Nahan gently placed the items in her hands, Yuria lifted her gaze to meet his, tears welling in her eyes.
“How… No, why…?”
“Didn’t I say it was collateral?”
“Huh…?”
“It’s only natural to maintain something if you want to get a better price for it.”
Yuria’s cross-shaped eyes glowed faintly.
[Statement: False.]
Feigning ignorance, she averted her gaze before asking Black Wolf once more.
“That’s all there is to it?”
“…Yes.”
[Statement: False.]
“Is it not because… it was precious to me…? Because you feared it might decay and disappear… and so you protected it somehow…?”
“What a foolish thing to say. Do I seem like such a kind person? Unfortunately, I had no such feelings.”
[Statement: False.]
“…Then, one last question.”
After hesitating for a moment, Yuria clutched the received items dearly and asked.
“That day, why did you save me…? Why did you eradicate the wicked?”
“Because it was the right thing to do.”
Had he not followed the system’s guidance, this world would have ended in a bad ending.
That was Nahan’s true sentiment, but—
[Statement: True.]
“Ah…!”
To Yuria, it sounded a little different.
Based on her authority’s results, he had not repaired the items for mere profit.
‘He tried so hard to act like a ruthless person, but wasn’t every word he spoke a lie?’
Surely, Black Wolf had repaired these items to safeguard my heart.
Yuria was certain.
The [Black Wolf] before her was a man who eradicated villains beyond the reach of the law.
His false identity as [Ian Red] helped the Hero Party ensure that the law functioned properly.
Even the faint presence of the [Yellow Dragon]—was he not a hero supporting the empire?
The very man who saved her from that iron cage.
The one who punished evil on her behalf.
The possessions that were finally returned were pristine…
Amid the whirlwind of complex thoughts, Yuria recalled the moment she received a revelation as a saint.
【My beloved child, follow the one who has but one true name yet is called by many. The path he walks shall be the only hope to save this world, so doubt not and follow him in silence.】
Nahan entered Yuria’s field of vision.
[??.]
[Black Wolf.]
[Yellow Dragon.]
[Ian Red.]
A name even the Goddess’s authority could not identify, alongside countless others.
“…Ah… Ahhh…!!!”
Finally reaching an epiphany, Yuria prostrated herself before Nahan and murmured.
“…Savior…”
Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Nahan instinctively took a step back and stared at her.
‘What’s with this girl now…?’
Why was it that this world seemed devoid of normal people?
.
.
.
[??.]
[Black Wolf.]
[Yellow Dragon.]
[Ian Red.]
[Savior] (New!)
2.
Inside a guest chamber in the Imperial Palace.
She had been sold off as a maid when she was around ten. Now, at nearly sixty, she was approaching retirement.
Barbara, the head maid who had received love calls from numerous nobles, found herself unable to hide her emotions for the first time in decades.
“…Homemade cooking, you say?”
“Yes.”
“Hah…”
The woman before her was Asha Mirabelle.
Just like herself, Asha had taken on great responsibility at a young age—becoming a Hero and someone Barbara had personally served for years.
– I will help you prepare for training.
– Thank you.
– I will prepare your meal.
– Thank you.
– May you have a peaceful night.
– Thank you.
For nearly ten years, they had exchanged only formal, matter-of-fact conversations.
Yet now—
“…Is it difficult? I heard that my benefactor enjoys meat dishes, so I wanted to make one myself…”
For the first time, Asha was making a personal request.
Because of this, for the first time, Barbara responded with a personal question.
“Would that benefactor happen to be the Free Priest?”
“…! How did, oh, ouch… H-How did you know…?”
Still expressionless, yet visibly flustered.
‘Ah, as I thought, it is love. I had always been concerned about how cold she seemed, but now she finally looks her age… What a joyous occasion.’
The usual faint smile Barbara wore widened ever so slightly.
“You wish to cook for him yourself, correct?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Have you decided on a dish?”
“…Spicy meat stew.”
For the first time, color bloomed on Asha’s otherwise pale face.
Realizing this herself, she unconsciously scratched her cheek.
‘What is this odd, ticklish feeling?’
…She still couldn’t figure it out.
But one thing was certain—
‘…I want to see him.’
Just like before, she wanted to spend time with him, under the pretense of seeking advice, chatting about trivial things.
Preferably face-to-face.
If possible, meeting eyes.
‘…And maybe, when he prays for me, he could hold my hand too…’
Thump.
The moment the words left her lips, a wave of heat flushed over Asha, making her instinctively cover her face.
What was this?
Why was she feeling like this?
Her body wasn’t even capable of catching a cold.
Barbara, amused by the sight, let out a small chuckle. For the first time, she crossed the boundary between maid and master, taking Asha’s slightly trembling white hand and guiding her.
“This works out well. A fine cut of meat came in today, and I was wondering how to cook it. Lady Hero, would you spare this old woman some time?”
Asha parted her lips to answer but, for some reason, felt too embarrassed to speak. Instead, she simply nodded.
At this, Barbara suddenly rolled up her sleeves and made a firm declaration.
“I’ll teach you how to cook it so well that he’ll beg you to make it every day!”
3.
And so, the stew was completed.
Served in an undeniably expensive dish, Nahan took a generous spoonful and tasted it.
A rich, deep meaty aroma.
Tender, succulent meat.
A spicy yet clean finish.
“…! This is amazing.”
What he had described to Asha was kimchi stew, but this reminded him more of a spicy tomato pasta sauce—and yet, it was far better than he had expected.
Seeing his genuine reaction, Asha hesitated for a moment before bowing her head and murmuring,
“…Thank you.”
“Huh? You cooked this for me, Lady Hero. I should be the one thanking you.”
“…Thank you for thanking me.”
“…What?”
It felt like talking to a broken machine.
‘Is this because she feels guilty about being cold to me at the banquet? Or is it the whole “using up my lifespan” thing?’
He wasn’t sure, but it was all in the past, so it didn’t matter much.
‘Anyway, this is seriously good. It’s on a completely different level from the stew Lactea used to make.’
That one felt like it came from a whole other dimension—probably the Demon Realm or the deep sea or something.
“You should eat too, Lady Hero.”
“Ah, uh, th-thank you…”
“Enough with the thanks. Just eat. Here.”
“…!! C-Can I really—Mmph!”
“It’s good, right?”
…Nod, nod.
As Nahan tore apart some bread and enjoyed his long-overdue delicious meal—
“This really is quite good.”
“…”
Yuria, who had naturally joined the meal, suddenly turned to Asha with an innocent smile and asked.
“So, were you busy cooking while the orphanage burned down and the children were kidnapped?”
“…I was in the middle of leading a campaign against the demons.”
“Oh, I see. So you were too busy being manipulated by that foolish Empress to care about the people?”
…Right.
Yuria and the Hero Party didn’t get along.
She had joined Heroes of Light because their goal of saving the world aligned, but she resented them for neglecting Viscount Gapelt’s atrocities.
So naturally—
“…I’ve been meaning to ask. Are we supposed to prevent every misfortune in existence?”
“Isn’t that what being a Hero is about?”
“Oh, is that how it works? Understood. So that’s why you slaughtered the innocent families of the Black Fang Mercenary Corps as collective punishment? Just like any other piece of trash.”
“…Say that again.”
“I’d be happy to.”
Yeah. They were always at each other’s throats at the slightest opening.
‘…I’m going to get indigestion.’
The heaviness in his chest made Nahan open his mouth to say something—anything—to calm things down.
But before he could—
“Asha Mirabelle. You’re such an incompetent Hero that the priest has to burn through his lifespan just to clean up after you.”
“That’s…!!!”
“You even came here today to ask Duke Halorand for help, didn’t you? Shamelessly asking him to stay by your side for a while!!”
…Wait a second.
That’s actually something I want her to do.
“…I suppose I really have been shameless.”
No, please be shameless and ask!
