Or more like, if even a vice-captain of the knight corps can’t stop Regine-san, just how much of an amazoness is she?

“The guys that have a contemptuous attitude like ‘it is only cooking’ I have -without exception- sunk them in the sink. Are you saying this job is plain and stupid compared to being a knight? But you see, I am doing that job more seriously than anyone else. Whether it is the vice-captain or the captain, I have no intentions of letting them get in the way.” (Regine)

I am already on a sure path to being punched till death.

‘Mother, Father, I am sorry for not being able to come back’…is what I was thinking, when…

“In that case, I will be the one getting in the way.”

A new person appears in the kitchen.

And this person was so unexpected that everyone who saw that person raised voices of surprise.

“Hero-sama?!” “Hero-sama?!” Hero Karen-sama?”

The light hero, Karen-san.

‘What is the representative of the church doing in this kind of place?’, is what would normally cross one’s mind, but there’s no other reason but me.

Karen-san confirms my hung upside-down state. And then, she saw the figure of Regine-san being clung onto by two people and soon understood the situation.

“Regine-san, I am truly sorry.” (Karen)

Saying this, she lowers her head deeply.

With only that, everyone in the place was overwhelmed.

“I was the one who dragged Haine-san out while he was in the middle of his work. The assistance of Haine-san was necessary. If you are to blame someone, please blame me.” (Karen)

“Then…!” (Regine)

As expected, even Regine-san isn’t that brash as to talk big when the hero is lowering her head.

She falters and is at a lost of words.

“Haine-san is a necessary talent for the future of the light church. I have no intentions of looking down on your job but, can you please hand over Haine-san to us on that basis?” (Karen)

“…Can’t be helped.” (Regine)

That scary pressure draws back as if it had been a lie.

“Being asked by the light hero, I can’t just say no. This is the light church’s kitchen after all.” (Regine)

“Thank you very much!” (Karen)

Karen-san turns towards me who was in joy and unsheathes her holy sword.

With one swing of that holy sword, the rope that was tying me was cut down.

“Wa!”

Of course, there wasn’t a single wound in my body even when the rope was tied tightly around my body.

It would be unthinkable, but at times, Karen-san is plain scary.

“Then, I will be taking Haine-san with me! Thank you very much for everything until now!” (Karen)

“Wa?!”

With those words, I was dragged out from the kitchen.

And then, from there on, there was never a second time I would be stepping in this kitchen as an apprentice cook.

• 32: Conferring of Decorations

“Me as a knight?”

The first matter I was told about after being taken away by Karen-san was that.

“Knight as in…a knight of the Aurora Knight corps, right?” (Haine)

“Yes. I have not heard of other knight corps here after all.” (Karen)

“That’s not what I am trying to say. What I mean is, is it okay? I don’t have a single drop of light element, you know.” (Haine)

“That’s fine. In the first place, it is strange to decide the fighting personnel on only the element. If there’s an element number that’s higher than light, it would be better to have them go to their respective church and show their strength there. That would help everyone, and yet, ‘increasing the military power of other churches is a no’, is the kind of reason they use to keep them in place!” (Karen)

I did think that was the case but, it seems that really was the reason why the people who failed the exam were made to work in miscellaneous jobs and being kept here.

“But there’s currently no church that is related to Haine-san’s dark element, that’s why, it is better to have you work here—Ah, oops.” (Karen)

Karen-san places her hand on her mouth as if she just remembered something.

“This was still supposed to be a secret.” (Karen)

Right.

I don’t know how to announce to the world the existence of the Dark God, and it has been 1,600 years since those damn five Gods sealed me. Rather than saying me, my very existence as a Dark God completely disappeared from history.

Compared to the other Gods that have created churches and are worshipped by the humans, I am in a situation where my existence is not even known.

“I am thinking about tackling some old books in order to investigate the details of this Dark God! If the existence of a sixth God of Creation is confirmed, it will definitely become big news!” (Karen)

“Eh?”

Why is Karen-san in such high tension?

“Ah sorry, I derailed the conversation. We were in the middle of our talk about Haine-san joining the knights.”

She derailed the conversation herself, and she returned it to its trajectory herself. This tension really is abnormal.

“At any rate, Haine-san joining the knights is something that the Founder-sama already allowed to begin with, so no one will be able to complain -even if that person is the Knight Commander.” (Karen)

“Ah, that person…I feel like he would reeaally want to complain though…” (Haine)

“Yes, but we won’t allow him to!” (Karen)

“You are in perfect form huh, Karen-san.” (Haine)

“And so, about the post you will be taking, Haine-san…” (Karen)

Hero’s assistant.

“A thing like that was newly established.” (Karen)

“Hero’s assistant, huh.” (Haine)

“With Haine-san’s specialty, it would be hard to get used to the normal missions of the Knight corps, and most importantly, I scouted Haine-san to do things normal knights wouldn’t be able to do anyways! If we don’t create a new post for the sake of that, it wouldn’t be effective!” (Karen)

“Ah, now that you say it, there was that.” (Haine)

“Most of the job is just as the name states, assisting the hero which is me. Since this a unique post, there’s quite the extensive authority to it. The treatment will be like that of a vice-captain. But the only ones you have to obey orders from are the Founder and I, and in principle, it is okay to not obey even the Knight Commander.” (Karen)

That’s good to hear.

“You can’t have direct subordinates, but in emergencies, you can be given the commanding rights to a platoon. For now, this much is what has been stipulated, but from now on, depending on the needs, we intend to increase the authority even more!” (Karen)

“Why are you filled with so much ambition? I want to live as peacefully as possible you know…” (Haine)

“That’s because…!” (Karen)

Karen-san suddenly holds my hands. She holds both of my hands tightly.

“I…want to change this world. Into a world where people don’t have to get attacked by monsters; a world where we can live at ease. Even when I became a light hero, things didn’t go as I wanted. But I thought about doing what I could and mixed in with the recruitment group, in order to search for a person that could be of help.” (Karen)

And so, she met me huh.

“‘If it’s Haine-san, he will fight together with me’, that’s what I thought. But Haine-san, you surpassed by lengths-and-bounds my expectations; you were amazing. You confronted the Knight Commander face to face, fixed my friendship with Mirack-chan, the power you have is incredible, and even the Founder-sama is completely cooperating with Haine-san…” (Karen)

The Founder Yorishiro has some special circumstances regarding me though…

“At this point, I don’t even know who is the one standing at the front anymore. I once again ask of you. Can you please help me make this world better?” (Karen)

Karen-san asks this with slight uneasiness.

From the high tension just now, it suddenly went to a gloom one. It is only proof that she can think of other people’s feelings.

“…”

I bent my knees and knelt in front of Karen-san.

“If I am to become a knight, I would need a knighting ceremony, right?” (Haine)

“Haine-san…” (Karen)

“Kuromiya Haine humbly accepts the post of hero assistant. Uhm…I swear by this sword?” (Haine)

I said whatever knight-like thing came to mind.

Karen-san simply looked happy, and a single tear flowed down her eyes.