The journey began with the objective of retrieving a magic staff, proposed by Elise during a “Bath Meeting.”
Elise desired the magic staff, which was said to be located in the deepest part of the underground dungeon within the Old Portland Castle Ruins.
From the “Princess Harem” party members, I selected Elise, Mai, Swan Hilda, Kirika, and Freya, and we headed for the Old Portland Castle Ruins in the Southern Nations.
Among the selected members, Elise, Kirika, and Freya could be considered stakeholders, as this trip also served as a journey to visit their respective homelands.
Mai is sensitive to presences, so she would likely demonstrate her true worth at the Portland Castle Ruins. Swan Hilda, on the other hand, was chosen because her true identity was that of a Valkyrie, making her the strongest combatant.
Later, Liliana and Shera newly joined us during the journey.
However, the magic staff in question was no mere magic staff. It was the divine artifact “Holy Staff of Dawn and Dusk,” bestowed by the Great Earth Mother, Dentemetina, to one of the ancient heroes, Ensherry Portra.
Furthermore, within the “secret small room” at the deepest part of the underground dungeon, Ensherry Portra’s remains were enshrined, still embracing the “Holy Staff of Dawn and Dusk.”
Not only was it an enshrinement, but it also served as “God’s Yoke” to seal the “Great Calamity,” and this seal was still active, preventing the recovery of the magic staff.
Nevertheless, on our way back, Dentemetina’s thoughts reached me, and as a reward for bringing Elise to this place and replenishing the seal’s power, two “Torii Gate Magic Staves” were bestowed.
Afterward, merely as an aside, we stopped by the Old Kingdom of Vandis, which was Freya’s homeland and located in the same Southern Nations. Despite its primary industry being marine products, we encountered people suffering from poverty due to rough seas.
We then rescued Solange and Mariel, who were attempting to commit suicide by drowning, and Freya performed a miracle at the “Thanksgiving Concert” held at the temple of the Asgard Holy Church.
As a result, Freya was awarded the grand epithet of “Diva of the Calm Seas.”
Here, Aquaanar, the goddess of water, declared Freya as the true diva through her thoughts, and we were able to witness the miracle of the rough seas calming.
This journey blessed me with the good fortune of receiving messages through thoughts from two high-ranking deities.
Such an experience was a stroke of luck I never attained even as Lester the Cleric in my previous life.
The return journey was smooth, the weather was stable, and the horses were pulling the carriage energetically.
Although the way back was a slight detour, we traveled along the coastal road and coincidentally enjoyed swimming in the sea.
On a small island we visited with Solange and Mariel’s guidance, the skin of the precious party members of “Princess Harem” was heavily sunburned due to the strong sunlight and seawater.
Of course, it was healed with “Healing Magic.”
However, during a subsequent swimming session, they asked me to apply sunscreen, and it took considerable effort to meticulously apply it to the bodies of seven beautiful girls.
It was indeed a laborious task as per the prior information, but it was also a pleasant time, and I believe we made some good memories.
Then, bidding farewell to the seaside road, we entered a deserted mountain path when, suddenly, Valkyries descended from the sky.
I believe these sisters were present when Swan Hilda manifested as a Valkyrie.
“It has been a long time… our youngest sister, Swan Hilda!!”
“Hal Raymond! Your deeds this time were magnificent.”
“Dentemetina, Aquaanar, and Crouneruia are greatly pleased, and they have ordered us to invite you ‘to the Garden of the Gods’ and entertain you.”
” ” “Then, come with us quickly.” “”
“Noble Valkyries, we humans and demi-humans cannot fly. Also, if I may be so bold, could you tell us your esteemed names?”
The Valkyries in light armor who had descended were messengers to entertain the “Princess Harem” in the “Garden of the Gods” for their achievements.
However, the Valkyries who ascended back into the sky, excluding Swan Hilda who was also a Valkyrie, seemed to have forgotten that we could not fly.
Furthermore, I pointed out that without knowing their names, I could not address them.
“Oh, how could we have forgotten… My name is Frist.”
“I am Mist. Remember it from now on.”
“I am Elune. Be good.”
We learned that the esteemed names of the Valkyries were Frist, Mist, and Elune.
Frist had her long blond hair loosely braided and flowing down her back.
Mist also had a similar hairstyle to Frist, but hers was silver hair.
Elune had pale blond hair, but it was permed and cut to shoulder length.
“Thank you very much for telling me your esteemed names. By the way, in your initial greeting, you mentioned the names of the Great Earth Mother and the Goddess of Water, and then also the Goddess of Time and Space. I have not encountered the God of Time and Space, Crouneruia. Are you mistaken?”
“Hal, you are quite dense, aren’t you…”
“W-what do you mean!?”
“Unfortunately, I am forbidden to speak of it. But you can infer it for yourself, can’t you?”
When I inquired about the relationship between us and Crouneruia, Frist was exasperated, and Mist told me to infer it.
The possible reasons that came to mind were that I chose to reincarnate in this era, and that I retained memories from my previous life.
Furthermore, royal princesses and imperial princesses from fallen nations had gathered around me one after another.
However, I knew that further questioning would yield no answers and that inadvertently saying something that revealed my past-life memories would be disastrous.
This was a topic that piqued my curiosity, but I decided against pursuing it further.
“Then, let us make our carriage fly. As for Swan Hilda, you will fly.”
“Ugh… Understood… Elune, Elder Sister, you’re stingy.”
“Did you say something, Swan Hilda!?”
“N-nothing. I didn’t say anything.”
“Then it’s fine.”
Elune then stated she would make our carriage fly, but she seemed to be strict with Swan Hilda, her sister Valkyrie.
Whenever Swan Hilda complained, Elune would immediately retort, forcing Swan Hilda to make excuses.
The “Princess Harem” party members, excluding Swan Hilda, maintained their silence, fearing the wrath of the Valkyries.
This kind of emotional maneuvering was indeed characteristic of former princesses.
“Huuuuuh!”
Elune turned her right palm towards our carriage and blew on it.
Then, a cloudy, mysterious substance enveloped our feet, and the carriage floated up!
Moreover, the two horses pulling the carriage stopped and froze in place.
“If we ascend like this, won’t we be conspicuous?”
“There is no way we would make such a mistake. They will not notice due to perceptual impairment.”
Thus, our two-horse carriage, now airborne, began its journey to the “Garden of the Gods,” where the Valkyries resided.
It was an incredible situation, with four Valkyries – Frist, Mist, Elune, and Swan Hilda – accompanying our carriage.
“Hal, what you spoke about earlier was very interesting.”
“Liliana, what was so interesting?”
“Of course, it was our relationship with Crouneruia, the God of Time and Space.”
Liliana brought up the topic again, her eyes sparkling, which I had given up pursuing for fear of stirring up trouble.
The cold sweat trickling down my back was not my imagination.
There was no trace of the captivating beauty who was once called the “Melancholy Blue Moon Princess,” given her usual melancholic demeanor.
“What are you curious about?”
“Hearing your conversation earlier, I am convinced!”
“Convinced of what??”
“That you, Hal, were originally meant to be the Hero.”
“From that conversation, how do you conclude that I would become the Hero???”
“W-well, that’s because–”
As soon as Liliana, a hero enthusiast, activated her hero switch, her gentle disposition as a former princess turned into talkative paranoia.
Liliana pressed me, while the other party members were unnerved.
According to Liliana’s explanation, numerous heroes had risen throughout history.
In this world, those bestowed quests and divine artifacts by high-ranking deities are called heroes.
This is an element that always appears in the folk tales told to children from a young age, so it can be considered common knowledge.
And there are quite a few high-ranking deities.
In our case, the high-ranking deities involved have already reached three: the Great Earth Mother, the Goddess of Water, and the Goddess of Time and Space.
However, if we look back at history, it was unprecedented for two high-ranking deities to certify heroes in a single era.
And considering the present, it is also a well-known fact that Calyun, the God of Fire, bestowed the holy sword Calyute upon Hero Albert Sandia and issued a quest to defeat the Demon King.
From that context, Crouneruia, unable to officially certify me as the Hero, sent former princesses and imperial princesses to assist me through indirect means.
Therefore, she concluded that “Princess Harem” could effectively be rephrased as a Hero Party.
Liliana, who had forcefully presented her theory, had the expression of a dreamy girl.
Thank you for reading.
Episode 21-2, “You inexperienced fool!”
was scheduled for automatic posting at 0:00 on August 14th.
