Chapter 21: You Are the Boxing Champion
Misa finally cleared the room, leaving only himself and Arlo.
He didn’t waste time on pleasantries, getting straight to the point: “After falling off the cliff, the hero—”
Arlo: “You’re a demon.”
Misa: “…Ah?”
Arlo rarely interrupted so rudely, and this statement was so abrupt that Misa struggled to understand its meaning.
Arlo sighed deeply. “He was chosen as the hero by the gods in their council.”
Misa was confused. “I know that. Is… there a problem?”
Arlo: “Your identities are different.”
Misa: “Ah?”
Misa scratched his head, not understanding Arlo’s meaning.
But after saying this, Arlo seemed to think he shouldn’t interfere in others’ relationships. He stopped there and fell silent.
Misa didn’t understand why Arlo had suddenly said those things.
But he felt it wasn’t the time to speculate. The hero’s behavior was becoming increasingly strange. If they didn’t guide him back to the right path, they didn’t know what he would do next.
Misa: “That’s not important.”
Arlo: “…”
Good. It seems they not only have something going on, but Misa doesn’t see a problem with their relationship.
Heh, young people.
So fearless and naive.
Arlo sighed deeply.
But since he knew them, since they had this connection…
He would do his best to protect them!
Misa ignored Arlo’s unusual behavior.
Thinking about recent events, he couldn’t wait to tell Arlo that the hero had asked the goddess for an oracle, and that next, he might unite the dwarves and humans.
This situation was strange, even more unfavorable to the god’s plan for the hero to save the world. Misa thought they should find a way to guide the hero towards the Demon King’s castle, instead of letting him create his own strange storylines.
But Arlo’s expression was complicated, and he sighed deeply.
“Misa, haven’t you gotten used to it yet?” Arlo said helplessly. “I don’t think he intends to be a world-saving hero.”
Misa: “…Ah?”
Arlo: “I think he just wants to make money.”
Misa: “…”
Misa felt Arlo had hit the nail on the head.
“No, he doesn’t just want to make money for himself,” Arlo sighed again, covering his face. “He wants to involve everyone else, to make everyone make money with him.”
Misa: “…”
Misa remembered the Welfare Land he had painstakingly created.
“I slept for three years, and you waited for three years,” Arlo’s gaze grew despondent. “I finally understand how you felt these past three years.”
Dealing with a hero like this…
It might take them decades to return to the divine realm.
Misa: “…”
No! Misa wouldn’t allow that to happen!
His beautiful, meticulously cared-for wings had already been burned in the human world. He couldn’t accept any more damage to them. He had to return to the divine realm and enjoy his dream retirement.
He would find a way to get the hero back on track!
Misa thought that even if the goddess was talkative, the oracle to the bishop should be over by now.
He didn’t know what the hero would do next, so he had to check the situation. He stood up, giving the injured Arlo some time to rest, saying, “I’ll come back after I watch Lance and the knight’s duel.”
Arlo paused, bewildered. “…Duel?”
Misa nodded seriously.
He didn’t know how to explain this farce to Arlo. He scratched his head, vaguely remembering the root of it all was…
Wait, Arlo the boxing champion.
He’d forgotten to tell Arlo about the boxing champion thing!
Misa nervously sat down with a thud, swallowing hard, carefully saying, “I… I told the hero…”
Arlo was curious. “Said what?”
Misa: “That you are the invincible boxing champion.”
Arlo: “…”
Arlo: “What champion???”
Emissary Arlo felt he was facing the greatest challenge of his life.
He, Arlo, a man who had studied healing magic for centuries.
Although he was an emissary and physically strong, his knowledge of martial arts was still at the beginner level. He could barely distinguish between a left hook and a right hook. He knew nothing else.
In other words, he could take a beating.
But he couldn’t fight.
How could he be a boxing champion!!!
But he couldn’t blame Misa.
His demon colleague was still young and lacked experience in dealing with strange heroes, and Lance was exceptionally odd.
He understood Misa’s panic. Now, he could only cooperate with Misa’s lie and play the role of the boxing champion.
Damn it, he shouldn’t have taken this damn mission.
What kind of strange hero was this? The divine realm’s hero selection system needed an update!
Arlo sighed deeply, feeling his head ache even more.
Misa told Arlo about the duel between the hero and Sir Samuel, scheduled for tonight. Arlo couldn’t watch, but Misa had to see it.
He was even worried.
“That Samuel seems pretty strong,” Misa pondered, then whispered, “Arlo, do… do you remember how you were knocked out?”
Arlo paused, instinctively touching his aching head. But everything happened so fast, he was knocked out before he could even turn around. He didn’t even see who hit him—the knights were all wearing helmets, so it was hard to tell.
Arlo could only shake his head. “I didn’t see clearly.”
He didn’t see clearly, meaning the knight was incredibly strong, stronger than anyone in the royal knight order.
Misa couldn’t help but ask, “Lance and Samuel both hit you.”
Arlo: “…”
No, let’s not talk about this painful topic again.
Misa: “Which one do you think is stronger?”
Arlo: “…Don’t talk about it, I don’t want to remember.”
Both of them hurt equally, so he didn’t want to compare them based on pain level.
Misa sighed worriedly again.
“I’m afraid Lance will lose,” Misa said. “Samuel seems stronger than the hero.”
Arlo: “…”
Arlo’s feelings grew even more complicated.
He finally understood their strange trio.
The hero and the demon were inexplicably together, while he, the hero’s supposed companion, was a poor soul, taking the worst beatings and watching these two annoying young people show their affection in front of him.
Arlo sighed deeply.
“Samuel thinks this is punishment,” Arlo said. “He won’t give it his all.”
Misa: “But Lance wouldn’t want a victory like that.”
Arlo: “…”
Misa whispered, “That’s like cheating.”
“He’ll win,” Arlo sighed again. “I feel like Lance wasn’t using his full strength that day.”
The way Lance hit his magical shield was effortless, as if hitting a fragile eggshell. He didn’t use much strength. It was more like a test, a casual sparring match, not a life-or-death duel, so he wouldn’t use his full strength.
Arlo even had a strange feeling.
The hero that day wasn’t so much worried about not being able to defeat the giants, hoping everyone would test him, as he was—
He wanted to test his own abilities.
“He won’t lose,” Arlo said confidently again. “You should worry about Samuel not losing too badly.”
Misa: “…”
Misa left Arlo’s room.
A monk sent by the bishop happened to be at the door, asking Misa and Lance to go to the cathedral to receive the goddess’s summons.
The monk was serious and didn’t speak to Misa. Misa didn’t dare ask anything until, outside the cathedral, even the bishop was serious, nodding at Misa, saying, “Emissary Misa, we’ll talk after Sir Lance arrives.”
Misa: “…”
Misa had difficulty explaining that he wasn’t an emissary.
Fortunately, the awkwardness didn’t last long. Lance arrived with the monk, and the bishop asked him to close the door, leading them into the prayer room.
Someone was already waiting—the lord of Celestial City, whom they hadn’t seen for several days. He looked serious, almost unable to contain his excitement, wanting to grab Lance’s hand.
Lord: “Sir Lance!”
Lance: “…”
Lance quickly dodged, perfectly avoiding the lord’s hand.
Lord: “…”
The lord was a little embarrassed.
The bishop cleared his throat, calling out affectionately, “Sir Lance.”
Lance: “…”
Bishop: “The goddess’s oracle tells us that you saved—”
Lance: “No, I didn’t.”
Bishop: “…”
Lord: “…”
Bishop reluctantly said, “That was…”
Lance: “It was the dwarves.”
Misa: “…”
No! Why did you say that!!!
Misa’s feelings were complicated.
He clearly remembered what the hero had said.
Humans are difficult to change their minds, so he couldn’t tell the goddess about the dwarves. Why did he tell the bishop and lord of Celestial City about the dwarves?!
The bishop was truly shocked. “Dwarves?!”
Lance was calm. “Yes, dwarves.”
Bishop: “But they are monsters!”
Lance: “They are touched by the divine call—”
Lord: “No, no, no, that’s impossible?”
Lance ignored the lord and bishop’s surprise, repeating each word carefully, “Touched.”
The lord still shook his head.
“That’s impossible,” the lord said. “Those monsters are dark and corrupt—”
Lance: “But aren’t the gods omnipotent?”
Bishop: “…”
Lord: “…”
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