《For the Hero [Isekai One-sided Romance]》 Prologue I¡¯ve always thought that love is a mental illness. People glorify and obsess over it, exaggerating their feelings for something that could easily take everything away. It¡¯s like a drug, an addiction that the government has legalized. I was certain, so sure, that I wouldn''t end up an addict like everyone else. After all, someone like me, who could see through the nature of human beings, would never grow feelings for something so feeble and so easy to break. But in the end, even I fell victim to its cruel game. The moment I met you, I knew I would get into trouble¡­ and trouble did come, because it was so difficult to detach myself from you when you just wouldn¡¯t leave me alone.
¡°Fuck, it¡¯s so hot,¡± Clementine complained as he and Hero walked side by side. It was the middle of summer, and the sun was relentless, beating down on them with a scorching 40-fucking-degrees Celsius. The school had ended classes early in the afternoon because they were too cheap to buy something to cool off each student. Clementine was pretty sure they would have let the students roast alive in the classroom if they could get away with it. But he guessed a lawsuit would be more expensive than just buying a damned cooler. ¡°Can you, like¡ªfucking not, Hero? Get off me, you sweaty moron.¡± Hero laughed at his best friend¡¯s complaints, grinning ear to ear as he hooked his arm around Clementine¡¯s neck and shoulders. The heat was unbearable, and both of them were drenched in sweat. But Hero refused to let go, enjoying the moment too much. ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon Clem!¡± ¡°I am not risking a heat stroke because you are clingy. Get off me, I¡¯m dying from the heat!¡± Clementine¡¯s words eventually convinced Hero to let go, making the shorter boy sigh in relief as he started fanning himself with a folder that held both of their monthly quiz results. At this point, he didn¡¯t care if it got crumpled. ¡°Shit, ice cream would really hit the spot right now.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you, like, lactose intolerant?¡± Hero teased, grinning, knowing exactly what kind of response he would get. And, true to his expectations, Clementine glared at him, which made him laugh. ¡°You think we give a shit?¡± Clementine scoffed, then yelped when Hero started clinging to him again. ¡°Get off! I said it¡¯s too hot!¡± ¡°Well, knowing about lactose intolerance, I know damn well you will definitely give a shit. Literally.¡± Hero barked with laughter, hugging his best friend close despite Clementine¡¯s protests about the heat. ¡°Ha-ha! Very fucking funny. Now let go of me, clown!¡± Clementine backed away, insulting Hero but then looking away with a sigh.
¡®Sometimes, I wish days like this would continue a bit longer.¡¯
The two boys walked along the road leading to the mall. They had planned to get some ice cream and cool off with the free air-conditioning in the building. Still, it was so damned hot that they were actually suffering from the heat. Even their skin felt like it was burning. Clementine finally noticed this and slipped out of Hero¡¯s hold, grabbing his wrist and heading toward the shade of a tree. ¡°Hmm, taking a break?¡± Hero laughed, though he seemed relieved as Clementine pulled out his tumbler bottle and shoved it his way. ¡°Thanks.¡± Clementine only scoffed at Hero¡¯s thanks, sitting down on the grassy patch of ground. He knew Hero wouldn¡¯t be too worried about the heat because he was careless like that, but Clementine was more concerned about these things, especially since there had been a lot of heatstroke cases in their country recently. ¡°Fucking hell, it¡¯s like we¡¯re on a sizzling plate at this point. Our country has never been this hot before¡ªeven the roads are melting.¡± Clementine muttered under his breath, glancing at his friend who was about to empty his bottle. ¡°Oi! Leave some for me, you ass!¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry!¡± Hero laughed, giving the tumbler back to Clementine, who wiped where Hero had drunk. ¡°Hey, you act like I have germs or something.¡± ¡°Are you stupid? I ain¡¯t licking your saliva.¡± Clementine took a swig of the water, which was still a bit cold thanks to his tumbler¡¯s temperature insulation. He sighed in relief, but then grumbled when Hero sat close to him again. ¡°You really are clingy, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, can you blame me?¡± Hero grinned widely at him, laughing loudly and brightly¡ªlike the sun. ¡°¡­ you¡¯re like a second mother to me.¡± ¡°Fucking really? Mother? Not even a brother?¡± Clementine sighed in exasperation, which Hero laughed at even more. ¡°Great, I¡¯m now parent-zoned. I better get an award for that.¡± ¡°Weeeeell~ Aren¡¯t I a good trophy to have? Like, a trophy friend, or something?¡± But Hero was just pushed away, making him the one to complain, albeit playfully. ¡°I don¡¯t need any trophy friends. You make it sound like I use you to look good.¡± Clementine rolled his eyes before looking away, trying to cool down as much as he could. While he seemed mean, Clementine actually enjoyed Hero¡¯s company. And Hero understood that, seeing through Clementine¡¯s harsh exterior to the part where he was genuinely happy.
¡®I don¡¯t need to look good; I just need to know that you¡¯re happy, well, and loved. After all, in this world, the only genuine thing that exists is your smile.¡¯
¡°God, you are so annoying.¡± Clementine could only sigh in irritation, which Hero only grinned brightly at. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Love you too, buddy.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡±
¡®You say those words so easily, without even knowing how much it means to me. Sincerely, you are the most annoying and lovable thing in the world.¡¯
¡°We should get going.¡± Hero finally stood up, stretching and feeling a bit better now despite still feeling too warm. The thought of the air-conditioning at the mall was so enticing that he couldn¡¯t wait. And ice cream too¡­ ¡°Aren¡¯t you craving some vanilla ice cream?¡± ¡°Vanilla is your flavor, dumbass. You seriously don¡¯t know my favorite flavor?¡± Clementine stood up as well, wiping some sweat from his forehead before placing his tumbler back into the pocket of his bag. ¡°I¡¯m getting rocky road today.¡± ¡°Ehhhh~ How am I supposed to know when you eat a lot of flavors?¡± Hero huffed, pouting but grinning afterward. ¡°What flavor do you like, anyway?¡± Now he was curious. Really, the most he had seen Clementine eat was vanilla. What he didn¡¯t know, however, was that Clementine simply ate vanilla because he wanted to enjoy what the other was eating too. ¡°I dunno, figure it out yourself.¡± Clementine snorted, starting the walk toward the mall again, leaving Hero to look at him for a moment before chasing after him. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s unfair! You know I like vanilla but I don¡¯t know what you like!¡± Hero complained, sounding childish to Clementine, who smirked at having one leg up on his best friend. ¡°You¡¯re smiling, you are definitely smiling! You are so unfair, man!¡± ¡°The fuck you mean unfair? I knew you liked vanilla because I noticed you eating it a lot¡ª¡± ¡°You eat a lot of vanilla too!¡± ¡°Yeah, but doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s my favorite, idiot.¡± The two chattered, seemingly not moving on from discussing Clementine¡¯s favorite ice cream. Hero was adamant about extracting that information from Clementine, who was very tight-lipped about it. He wanted to keep Hero curious; maybe this time Hero would pay more attention to what ice cream he ate. But then again, it didn¡¯t really matter what Clementine¡¯s favorite was. He just wanted to be able to enjoy something sweet with someone he cared about the most¡ªand Hero made everything much sweeter. Three years of friendship, and he never knew ice cream, pudding, and candies could get sweeter when you eat them with someone you like a lot. He had really missed out on a lot of things by being unfriendly, huh? ¡°Hey¡ªHey¡­!¡± Hero rushed toward the road when he saw a small kitten wobbling in the busy street. It alarmed Clementine, who shouted after him. ¡°Oi! Are you insane?! Get the fuck back here!¡± Clementine¡¯s heart raced with worry, a pit in his stomach as he looked left and right with vehicles whizzing by. He couldn¡¯t just cross; he wasn¡¯t stupid! ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I got the little guy!¡± Hero cheered, still crouched down as he looked at Clementine. But then he froze when he heard a large horn honking as a big truck closed in. He actually wanted to move, but for some reason, he was just stuck in place. ¡°You¡ªIDIOT!¡± Before either of them knew it, Clementine was by his side, having run through the traffic, pushing Hero out of the way¡­ but it was already too late. The loud ringing of a truck¡¯s horn, the alarmed and shocked look on their faces... and a bright flashing light followed. Clementine felt like he was in a void for the longest time, his soul being torn to little pieces¡ªas if he were being torn apart and put back together again. It was like his very being was swimming in the deepest depths of darkness before feeling like he was being pulled out of it by an invisible noose around his neck. Wake up¡­ Is that what he was hearing? Wake up¡­ heroes¡­! Violent coughing wracked Clementine¡¯s body as he woke up, his chest feeling tight and heavy. It was like trying to breathe through a straw, every gasp of air painful and harsh. His eyes were unfocused, blurring the strange surroundings as he struggled to catch his breath. Panic clawed at him, a sense of suffocation taking hold until suddenly, a warm, pleasant light enveloped him. The pain and panic subsided, and after one final deep breath, he looked around to find Hero beside him, looking worried. They were surrounded by people dressed in elaborate, strange costumes, like they were at some high-end cosplay event. It was surreal and confusing. ¡°The¡­ fuck are we?¡± he rasped, his voice rough. He glanced at Hero, who was thanking a priest before turning to Clementine. ¡°Hero¡­ where are we?¡± ¡°We are summoned, apparently.¡± Hero rubbed Clementine¡¯s back, trying to comfort him. Clementine was still shaken from the memory of the accident, but Hero¡¯s concern pulled him back to the present. ¡°They called us Heroes¡­ like those ¡®other-world¡¯ manga and anime we see online these days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a moron.¡± Clementine snapped, sighing as he started to calm down. He stood up, positioning himself protectively in front of Hero, his smaller body shielding his friend from the whispering crowd. ¡°Well? It¡¯s not funny pranking teens who just got into a fucking accident!¡± The crowd fell silent, staring at him with strange looks. On a flight of stairs, a man sat on a golden throne, looking every bit like a glorified Santa Claus. He was boring holes into Clementine with his gaze. ¡°Heroes.¡± The King¡¯s voice boomed, silencing everyone and freezing the two friends in place. ¡°Our deepest apologies for summoning you here, in a land far different from yours. But our kingdom is in dire need. Our lands have been polluted by evil miasma from the Demon Lord¡¯s influence¡­ monsters have been ravaging villages, killing the young and elderly alike. Our Prophet has spoken to the Gods above, pleading for aid¡­ and we are told that we are to create a ceremony to summon Heroes with pure hearts to become the vessels of Gods¡¯ powers.¡± As the King explained, Clementine¡¯s face twisted in irritation. Something about the King¡¯s words felt off, like they didn¡¯t really need help at all. The King wasn¡¯t asking for help¡ªhe was demanding it. He noticed the King¡¯s eyes flicking between him and Hero, searching for weaknesses. ¡°I am King Salazar the Great. I rule the Kingdom of Axis. We summoned you here today for aid. Would you lend your hand to save our Kingdom and all the Four Great Continents against the Demon¡¯s Army?¡± ¡°No.¡± Clementine¡¯s response was immediate, making the gaudily dressed nobles gasp in horror and disdain. ¡°We are just teenagers, we are not even eligible to join the army yet. Return us back, me and Hero are not going to join in your dangerous quest and shit.¡± He turned to Hero, grabbing his arm to pull him up. He looked at his friend firmly, making Hero glance nervously at him. ¡°And you¡­ you are not going to listen to this shit, are you?¡± Hero looked conflicted, which pissed off Clementine even more. His grip on Hero¡¯s arm tightened, but not enough to hurt. ¡°Clem¡­ they¡­ they brought you back to life.¡± Hero looked away, guilt evident on his face. ¡°You were dead on arrival¡­ I-I begged them to help you. If I say no now¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°You fucking idiot!¡± Clementine was about to start arguing, but the crowd watched them intently, like they were some sort of drama on TV. From the whispers, he realized they were casting him as the antagonist. ¡°What makes you think they summoned us for good? For all we know, the accident was orchestrated! Or this is some sick prank adults are playing on us!¡± But Hero just looked down and shook his head. Clementine stared at him in disbelief, letting go and taking a step back. ¡°I¡­ I already accepted to become their hero¡­ w-why not accept it too? They helped us, you know?¡± Hero gave an awkward smile, which felt wrong to Clementine. ¡°This is fucking stupid.¡± Clementine ran a hand through his raven hair. ¡°Playing the hero.¡±
¡®I hate it. I hate that you are so good. I hate that you have a good heart¡ªbecause I know you wouldn¡¯t be able to say no when someone asks for help. Even if their intentions aren¡¯t any good.¡¯
¡°Just get me the fuck out of here.¡± Clementine glared at the King, but his disrespect was cut short when a knight clad in armor grabbed him harshly and forced him to kneel. ¡°H-Hey¡­! Don¡¯t hurt my friend!¡± Hero yanked Clementine free from the knight¡¯s grip, surprising the knight with his strength. ¡°Hurt him, and I will refuse to work with any of you¡­!¡± And thus, the strained tone of this shitty new life was set. Thankfully, Clementine was let off and told he didn¡¯t need to do any heroic things. They were given rooms to rest in, separate but across from each other. He never knew a hellish life would come just because he wanted to keep himself and his best friend safe. The Hero and the Zero (1) ¡°Cleeeeemmmm¡­!¡± Hero clung to Clementine, who was sitting cross-legged on his bed, silently munching on a plate of cabbages and ham. The taller teen draped himself over Clementine''s shoulders, guilt radiating from his every move. ¡°Clem, give me attention! Stop eating for a moment!¡± ¡°I am giving you the attention you currently deserve, so give me some space or it¡¯s your dumbass face this fork is going to.¡± Clementine''s tone was sharp, but it was clear to Hero that his friend was worried. Clementine had this habit of eating whenever he was stressed, and right now, he was on his fourth plate of food, something he¡¯d reluctantly requested from the assigned servants. ¡°You¡¯re going to make me choke with your damned clinging, you piece of shit.¡± ¡°Look! I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± Hero pleaded, his arms tightening around Clementine. ¡°I¡­ I saw you just lying there cold and dead. I-I begged them to bring you back to life. They did and¡ª¡± ¡°I get it, I get it. Just¡­ just let go because I actually am getting suffocated.¡± With a heavy sigh, Clementine gently pried Hero off and looked at him with a serious expression. He felt helpless but couldn¡¯t show it. Not here, not now. They were in an unfamiliar place, and Clementine needed to stay alert. ¡°Knowing you, you¡¯d be devastated being unable to save anyone. So I understand, but I¡¯m just¡ªso fucking upset. Not at you, but at the situation.¡± Clementine knew he had to explain himself before Hero ran off, trying to fix everything on his own. Hero was a people pleaser, and Clementine was the distrusting type. They balanced each other out. Hero would let people know Clementine wasn¡¯t so bad, while Clementine kept away those who might exploit Hero¡¯s kind and gullible nature. They were a team, and Clementine wanted to believe that. ¡°But¡­ but you were so mad when I said we can both¡ª¡± ¡°Well, yeah. You made a deal with strangers, Hero. And practically, you¡¯re about to sell my soul to people we don¡¯t even know.¡± Clementine shook his head in deep disapproval while Hero sat there, looking dejected and guilty. ¡°If it ends up that you¡¯re forced into doing things, at least one of us can drag you out of the situation. We need an escape plan, and I¡¯m going to make sure to dig us a hole out of here.¡± ¡°But¡­ but what if they actually needed us?¡± Hero¡¯s eyes met Clementine¡¯s with a determined look, but it quickly faltered under Clementine¡¯s intense gaze. He looked away, pouting slightly. Damn, Clementine always knew how to put him in his place. ¡°I¡­ I want to help. I genuinely do.¡± ¡°Hero, I am not a ¡®hero¡¯-type, and you know that very well. I¡¯m not about to give my life to people. I am selfish and vain. I only do things out of self-interest. I¡¯m a bitch for myself, not for others. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to risk my life for shits that could do everything by themselves. Hell, if they had the power to bring us here, they should have the power to keep things in order!¡± Clementine knew they both understood that. What he was doing was out of self-preservation and his own irrational distrust of others. And¡­ well¡­
¡®I need to keep both of us out of trouble. That near-death experience was more than enough for me to know I can¡¯t afford to lose you.¡¯
¡°¡­ but since you¡¯ve gone and accepted their little stupid ¡®quest¡¯ anyway, I will be with you.¡± Clementine sighed, and Hero¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Then¡ª!¡± ¡°BUT! Your stupid ass should not expect me to become a hero. I¡¯m your assistant. Assistant! Just a shitty assistant, got it?!¡± Clementine always compromised for his best friend. He wasn¡¯t about to leave Hero to fend for himself¡ªnot when this idiot was honestly gullible, especially when people said ¡®please¡¯ and ¡®help¡¯. ¡°I¡¯m not going to go on saving people, I¡¯m just going to make sure your ass doesn¡¯t get accidentally sold into slavery or worse.¡± ¡°Waaaahh! You¡¯re the best, man!¡± Hero laughed, launching himself at Clementine and giving him a big hug. Poor Clementine almost dropped his plate of cabbages, barking at Hero to stop, but Hero didn¡¯t. ¡°In this place, I only have you to have my back~¡± ¡°Fucker, let me go!¡± Clementine tried to pry himself away, but this time it looked like Hero didn¡¯t want to let go. Clementine ended up sighing, letting his clingy best friend hug him until satisfied. ¡°Pay me for my services, bitch. I¡¯m not doing this for free.¡± ¡°Yeah, I probably should¡ªconsidering you¡¯re dieting like a goat right now. I¡¯ll be your Sugar Daddy or something.¡± Hero chuckled, squeezing Clementine tight before finally letting go. He was very aware of his clinginess, and Clementine was the only one who let him cling without getting disgusted. ¡°Why are you eating cabbages anyway? Isn¡¯t the King a bigshot? You could probably eat the whole pantry and he could replace it.¡± ¡°Are you stupid? If I eat too much, I¡¯ll gain weight again. I chose vegetables because they won¡¯t make me gain too much.¡± Clementine sighed, putting the plate away before cracking his neck. ¡°Anyway, did something happen to you last night? I couldn¡¯t sleep for shit.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry about that. Forgot!¡± Hero was genuinely apologetic, rubbing the back of his neck with a helpless grin. ¡°I actually got knocked out the moment I laid down on the bed. It was so soft and smelled so nice, I couldn¡¯t help it!¡± He laughed to himself, and Clementine looked at him incredulously. ¡°Fucking seriously? God, one of these days you¡¯re going to get murdered in your sleep.¡± Clementine ran his fingers through his hair, not believing Hero slept through everything. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any self-preservation?¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Well, I guess when I get emotional and pressured, I just sleep immediately and deeply the moment I hit the hay.¡± Hero laughed nervously, sensing Clementine¡¯s worry. ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, we can always sleep next to each other.¡± ¡°No.¡± Clementine¡¯s face scrunched up at the offer. He shook his head and looked away. ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping in one bed with you.¡±
¡®In the end, of all the people who I protect you from, I am the one who needs to be distanced from you the most.¡¯
¡°Heeeeh?! I actually expected you to accept that.¡± Hero''s eyes widened in surprise. In situations like this, he thought Clementine would be worried enough not to want to be separated from him. ¡°It could be like a permanent sleepover, you know?¡± ¡°No and no. I really don¡¯t like sharing a room or bed with others,¡± Clementine stated firmly, making sure to emphasize his point without further explanation. He wasn¡¯t about to reveal that his feelings for Hero were more than just platonic friendship. ¡°Anyway, what are the plans now?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± Hero felt a bit dejected, but he quickly shrugged it off and flashed a big grin. ¡°Well, we are going to play Heroes and Assistant, apparently. They said we need to get some rest before we get evaluated for any abilities. We are summoned here to be heroes, after all.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ those fuckers really like to keep it suspenseful, huh?¡± Clementine laid back on his bed, the plate beside him clacking as it shifted. He glanced at the servant who had been standing diligently by, awaiting any instructions. ¡°Uhh, can you please take this away?¡± ¡°Ohhhh~ Is Clem being polite?!¡± Hero exclaimed teasingly, making Clementine glare at him, his cheeks tinged with a hint of red. ¡°You even said please without cursing her~¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up, Hero. You¡¯re making Minty uncomfortable.¡± Clementine sat up, grabbed Hero by the collar, and shook him, trying to suppress the laughter bubbling up from his best friend''s antics. Meanwhile, the servant, who was gracefully and quickly taking the plate and silverware, froze just before she could exit the room. Her eyes widened before softening as she observed the two ¡®heroes¡¯ making a ruckus. She was surprised that Clementine remembered her name. She had introduced herself briefly as his assigned maid, but she hadn''t expected him to remember, given the cold reception she initially received. Despite the limited interactions and her lowly status, a hero recognizing her name felt oddly comforting. Maybe serving him would be worthwhile, unlike what other maids thought. ¡°Look, you made her uncomfortable, you fucking idiot.¡± Clementine let go of Hero, who was now lying back on the bed as his laughter subsided. ¡°I¡¯m not a bastard who just curses at people doing their job.¡± ¡°Well, I am doing my hero job, but you are still cursing at me.¡± Hero chuckled, making Clementine roll his eyes and finally stare at him. ¡°The difference between her and you is that she knows what she is in for. You, however, are a fucking idiot who just signed up and got himself enlisted.¡± Clementine sighed and stood up, stretching his arms and back. ¡°Besides, she is just doing her job. I bet it¡¯s already miserable enough working here because, God, I can¡¯t stand rich assholes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should be amazed or insulted.¡± Hero laughed, standing up and hooking his arm around Clementine''s shoulders. ¡°Well, one thing¡¯s for sure, though! You are cursing a lot at me because I am special~¡± ¡°Fuck off, man.¡± Clementine barked at him, making Hero laugh even more. ¡°Special~¡± Hero patted his own chest with pride, and Clementine could only groan at the other¡¯s narcissism.
¡®If only you knew how special you are to me.¡¯
The two chattered along the hallways, following a knight clad in heavy armor who was leading them back towards the chapel within the castle. It was time to evaluate their abilities, and the knight looked particularly hopeful at Hero. Clementine noticed the favoritism. The knight ignored him at first, only engaging when Hero''s attentiveness made it unavoidable. ¡®Already showing favoritism to the one who is likely to listen,¡¯ Clementine thought while Hero chattered along, talking passionately about the paintings on the wall. Hero had always been a fan of art¡ªespecially paintings, as his late mother had been an obscure artist who loved painting in blue, purples, and reds, all on one canvas. While Clementine paid attention to his best friend, his mind was running, keeping alert around the people who seemed all too happy to have them¡­ more so Hero than himself. ¡®These bastards don¡¯t like me, fair enough. Their weak shit isn¡¯t going to stop me from protecting Hero from them.¡¯ Hero stopped in front of a painting, awe-struck for a moment, while the knight failed to notice them stopping to view a particularly striking piece of art. The painting was mostly white, with the only color being the brown skin of arms, shoulders, a neck, and half a face. The lack of colors was contrasted by the texture created by thick strokes of white paint forming a dress. ¡°That is the painting of our Saintess.¡± The knight, who noticed them stopping from afar, returned to explain. He wasn¡¯t one for art and couldn¡¯t appreciate the white canvas with only a small color and figure within. ¡°She has been here for five years, residing at Mercy Road¡ªthe Kingdom of Holy Spirits. One day, you are to meet her in your journey as heroes. You will need her songs and blessings to take down the Demon Lords.¡± ¡°Woaahhh¡­¡± Hero was in awe, his face flushing, which made Clementine shake his head. ¡°Really? Falling in love with someone through a painting?¡± he rolled his eyes before turning away. Though he wasn¡¯t about to admit it, something stirred within him when he saw the painting. It felt like he had seen her before. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°H-hey! I¡¯m just an appreciator of art, you know!¡± Hero sputtered and followed the two as they continued walking through the long halls of the castle. They were close to the chapel, but it was still a bit of a walk. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ª I find it really interesting, you know? I like it too! They used a pigment similar to your skin!¡± ¡°Hey, let¡¯s not go there, you fucking idiot.¡± ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not¡ª!¡± ¡°We are here.¡± The knight stopped in front of the large chapel doors, opening them to reveal a place reminiscent of the Church of St. Ignatius. Hero was completely floored, while Clementine looked up at the ceiling, observing the expansive painting of angels and gods. ¡°¡­ people call it a chapel, huh.¡± Clementine shook his head before elbowing Hero, snapping him out of his trance. Hero nervously rubbed the back of his neck, getting goosebumps for some reason. The knight noticed this and nodded. ¡°It is said that these paintings are a way for the Gods to test adventurers and heroes alike. Your reaction means that the Gods are taking interest in you.¡± The knight explained, while Clementine sighed silently. How subtle of him to imply that Clementine failed the test. ¡°I-I see¡­ It looked so beautiful¡­ it felt real for a moment there.¡± Hero felt a bit anxious, then looked at the very calm Clementine, who tilted his head in question. Somehow, the other''s calm brought a sense of peace within him. Like all the nerves he felt there went away. ¡°I guess this world has an amazing set of artists.¡± He laughed, trying to lighten the mood¡ªthough more for himself. ¡°Are you two ready for your evaluation?¡± the knight asked, and the two teens looked at each other before turning back to him. One with a big, bright grin, and the other with distrust and skepticism. ¡°I¡¯m more than ready, Mister!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to get it over with.¡± Whatever the results were, Clementine was more than ready to spring into action if they tried anything funny with Hero. Right now, even the priest was looking at Hero strangely, which was not the vibe Clementine wanted to be greeted with. Because priests and underage don¡¯t go together like fine wine. But internal jokes aside, he wasn¡¯t going to let Hero get dragged around by this ¡®great responsibilities.¡¯