What should I do if the hero is resurrected in the Monster Girl Encyclopedia?

Chapter 15 The Heroes (3)

Awakening from his coma, Eugene squinted and confirmed that he could still feel his right hand, but it was bound behind his back along with his left hand, so tightly that even the power he had received from the blessing of the hero could not break free.

Spare me… For the first time since receiving the blessing, Eugene felt powerless in terms of physical performance. He had experienced the feeling of his past pride being crushed so many times in a short period of time that he was somewhat numb.

"You're awake. Would you like some water?"

The blond priest knelt down and handed him a bottle of warm water. Perhaps it was Eugene's imagination, but the anger that had been simmering between them during their earlier confrontation had dissipated considerably.

He whispered a thank you, took a sip from the bottle, and subtly surveyed his surroundings.

It appeared to be inside a hotel. Klinshid was also bound beside her. She was awake, but seemed to be in poor mental condition; her mouth was gagged, preventing her from casting spells. Another nun sat in a chair, her identity unknown…

The ribbons and wreaths hanging outside the window looked somewhat familiar to him.

Bluebells, lilacs, and chamomile. If I remember correctly, it's near Second Avenue, a bit of a distance from the church, but very close to the college.

"This room is shrouded in a spell that keeps people away, so the church can't find it."

As if seeing through his thoughts, the blond priest smiled, extinguishing the spark that had just ignited in his heart.

"Tell me about yourself. I heard you came from a church-run welfare orphanage?"

This wasn't exactly a secret; his colleagues all knew about his past. The key question was why the other party brought up this topic.

"Yes, that's right. The treatment there was pretty good, and after confirming my qualifications, I naturally joined the church and became a hero."

"So, in order to protect the children in the orphanage, you chose to obey the church's orders."

As expected. It's impossible to ask about his background without any basis. His private conversation with the bishop should be unknown to anyone, so why does the other party seem to know so much about it?

No, we can't be fooled by their bluff. It's still unclear how far they've progressed in their investigation.

But if it possesses a power that can even suppress heroes, perhaps…

Eugene was well aware that he was a coward.

It's easy to do things against your conscience by deceiving yourself, and you can't help but place your hopes on the person in front of you who has enough power.

Anyway, things can't get any worse, right?

"...Sort of."

"Ughhhhh?!"

The listless Klinshid beside him suddenly opened her eyes wide and looked at him. Although she covered her mouth and said something, she was probably questioning him about why he had leaked information so easily.

If you ask why, the other person didn't seem like a bad person, and there was even a sense of friendliness... and perhaps the guilt in my heart was slightly stronger.

Hyolita was right.

The hero, who came from an orphanage, was blackmailed because he couldn't abandon the orphanage, and was forced to do things against his will.

The image of the nun confidently patting her chest, assuring him that she would not make a mistake, was still vivid in Mirad's mind. Although he was mentally prepared after learning that someone had used magic to cast spells and spells to avoid people, the efficiency of the monster's infiltration was still beyond Mirad's imagination.

Mirad set his water glass aside and occasionally chimed in with Eugene's ramblings.

Once they started talking, the conversation flowed much more smoothly. Eugene, who couldn't hold back any longer, blurted out all the details about the children in the orphanage that the bishop had mentioned from time to time, as well as the contents of the secret letter regarding the deals and orders.

Even heroes are human, and naturally have human weaknesses. The children in the orphanage were such a person to Eugene; just the bishop's intentional or unintentional mention of them would put him on edge, making him afraid to disobey the bishop's secret letter and reluctantly carry out orders against his will.

Cowards cannot imagine their lives outside of order, and are consequently more easily controlled. Was that why he was chosen? And what about the other one?

"So... if it's discovered that Klinshid and I are missing, the bishop will definitely target those children. I know I've done wrong, harming innocent people, and I can't escape my guilt. Since you have the power to suppress us, could you please save those children?"

Eugene knew perfectly well that he was a coward.

Therefore, he dared not rebel against the cult, dared not break the fragile balance, dared not imagine the consequences of failure, and dared not face the children's smiles. Even his colleagues often laughed at him for lacking his own opinions.

He wasn't exactly a strongman among the heroes; the power he received from the blessing was the only thing he felt he could be proud of.

But that pride was crushed into dust.

Having power alone is useless in front of the church, and it is also useless in front of an absolute strongman.

If it were the blond priest in front of me, such an absolute powerhouse, standing in my position, everything would be different.

Eugene's Adam's apple bobbed as he made up his mind.

Eugene twisted his body, adjusted his sitting posture to kneel up, took a deep breath, and slammed his forehead hard against the ground.

This time, Mirad didn't stop him; he just watched as Eugene smashed a hole in the floor, and the cracks spread to his feet.

The room fell silent instantly, with only Klinsid, her face flushed, still trying to say something in a muffled, "uh-oh" sound.

"Those children were evacuated by Sister Siolitta's men before they even arrived at the hotel. They will be protected until this is over."

"Hey, it was just a small favor!"

Hiolitta gave a thumbs up, "Who wouldn't love such cute and sensible children? I promise they'll be well taken care of."

Lifting his head from the pit, Eugene beamed with relief, but before he could say thank you, Mirand interrupted him.

"I won't force you to stay here. It's your choice whether you want to go with the children or stay in Elcia. Now, let's talk about why you've been inciting the people..."

Raising his hand, Mirad dispelled Klinshid's silencing spell, and in advance, he deployed an air barrier to block the incoming spittle.

"Don't believe them, Eugene, you idiot! They're monsters and demon heroes, can't you tell?! They're trying to drag Elcia into the demon world!"

Krinshid, another female warrior, lost her balance and fell to the ground, wriggling like a caterpillar. Completely abandoning her ladylike demeanor, she recklessly attempted to attack Mirad's boots with her pearly teeth.
"Otherwise, how could I possibly lose to a little girl! She must be a high-level, spell-wielding monster... Yes, that must be it!"

“Of course I know that Mr. Mirad and Sister Siolitta might… be connected to monsters. But we have no other choice now. During this time of being out of contact… hasn’t the Church already labeled us as deserters?”

With splinters of wood from the broken floor still on his forehead, Eugene frowned as he looked at his colleague, who seemed completely unaware of what was going on. What was this guy up to now...?
"Gulp... My ideal... Kill me! You fallen ones who willingly side with monsters! Why spare my life! To humiliate me! Fine, then bring it on!"

Her disheveled gray hair fell across her face, and her meticulously applied makeup was smudged. Compared to her renowned magical genius and heroine, Klinshid now resembled a shrew.

Mirad silently took a step back.

"This Siolitta is indeed a monster, but I am not the demon hero you speak of... If I had to say, I would be considered your senior."

"Is it almost time for the much-anticipated reveal of the masked hero's identity?! But why was my identity so casually mentioned?! It's making the surprise less exciting!"

Mirad was all too familiar with that affectedly sweet voice; he had experienced it many times before, as a prelude to a prank.

Hiolitta shook her head, and Mirad thought she looked like she was trying to shake the water out of her brain. Amidst Eugene and Klinshid's mixed expressions of surprise and fear, a pair of backward-curving monster horns slowly grew from her forehead.

The shape of those sharp horns fits anyone's definition of a monster. And in the eyes of the heroes, white hair, red eyes, and monster horns correspond to—

"Ta-da! It's Lilim! Did you guess it?"

“Li...Lilim…”

She swallowed hard, her voice trembling. She felt as if her bones had been removed, and she went limp, leaning against Eugene.
"It's...it's all over! Elcia is doomed! Guh...kill...no, if you're going to turn me into a monster, could you at least turn me into a noble...something a little bit?"

"Of course! Slime or goblin, it's your choice!"

With a giggle, Siolitta held up two fingers and waved them in front of Klinshid.
"Aren't slimes and goblins more numerous than rats on the street?! No, just kill me!"

Klinsde immediately adopted a tearful expression, a change in demeanor that left Eugene and Mirad somewhat dumbfounded.

(End of this chapter)