An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

Kaori imagined herself smiling as her tail swung. Seeing Kaori's smile, His Highness Randhir blushed instantly. Even so, he still tried to act like a man and launched a courtship offensive against Kaori.

"Yeah, it's been a while. I couldn't sleep or eat while you were in the labyrinth. Are you hurt? If I were stronger, I wouldn't let you do this..."

Lord Randhir bit his lip in regret. Although Kaori didn't want to be simply protected, the boy's aspirations made her smile.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. But you don't have to worry, as I am doing this voluntarily."

"No, Kaori isn't cut out for combat. Um, um, there should be safer jobs out there, right?"

"Is it a safe job?"

Hearing Lord Randel's words, Kaori tilted her head in confusion, only to see Lord Randel's face turn even redder. Shizuku, who was watching the show from the side, understood what was going on and couldn't help but smile at the boy's relentless attack.

"Hmm, um, how about a maid? Well, if it's right now, I can make you my personal maid."

"Maid? No, I'm sorry, I'm a healer..."

"Well, then, just go to the infirmary. There's no need for you to go to a dangerous place like a labyrinth or the front lines, right?"

The so-called medical center is a state-run hospital located next to the royal palace. Simply put, His Highness Randhir simply doesn't want to be separated from Kaori, but the slow-witted Kaori doesn't understand the boy's feelings.

"No, if I'm not on the front lines, I won't be able to heal my companions immediately. Thank you for your concern for me."

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"

Lord Randir realized that no matter what he did, he couldn't shake Kaori's resolve, and he groaned softly. Then, the troublesome group of goodwill, the brave Glory, who didn't understand the situation, joined the battle with a smile.

"Your Highness, Randir, Kaori is my precious childhood sweetheart. As long as I am here, I will definitely protect her to the end."

As for Guanghui, he said this to reassure the young boy, with pure good intentions, but it was inappropriate in this situation. His Highness Randhir, in love, paraphrased it like this:

"Don't lay a hand on my woman. As long as I'm here, Kaori won't be handed over to anyone else! Absolutely!"

The brave man and the healer snuggling up to each other affectionately is such a beautiful picture.

His Highness Randhir showed a look of regret and glared at Guanghui as if he were looking at a sworn enemy. Because in his heart, the two looked like a pair of lovers.

"You let Kaori go to a dangerous place and you didn't take it seriously at all. What right do you have to say that? I will never lose to you! It's definitely better for Kaori to be with me!"

"Well……"

Hearing Lord Randel's hostile remarks, Kaori gave a wry smile, confused, while Kouki was stunned with astonishment. Shizuku couldn't help but sigh at the sight of Kouki's expression.

Seeing His Highness Randhir's furious expression, Guanghui didn't know what he had done to anger him. Before he could say anything to further anger His Highness Randhir, a calm yet majestic voice rang out.

"Randil, stop messing around. Kaori is in trouble, isn't she? And you're also causing trouble for Mr. Kouki."

“Sister, sister!?… But, but!”

"No buts. Everyone's exhausted, and you've left them stranded here... Who's the one who's been inconsiderate of the other?"

“Ugh… B-but…”

"Randil?"

"I, I remembered I have something else to do! Excuse me!"

His Highness Randir seemed unwilling to admit his fault. He suddenly turned and ran away. Princess Liliana watched him go and sighed.

"Kaori, Mr. Kouki, my brother was rude. I apologize to you on his behalf."

Liliana lowered her head as she spoke, her beautiful straight blonde hair flowing down smoothly.

"No, I don't care, Lily. Lord Randir is just concerned about me."

"Yeah, I don't know why he's angry, but if I did something rude, I should be the one apologizing."

Hearing Kaori and Kouki's words, Liliana gave a wry smile. As an older sister, aware of her brother's feelings and the fact that Kaori, who was completely unloved, was not taken seriously, she felt a certain sympathy for Randel-sama. Furthermore, she knew that Randel-sama's sworn enemy was actually someone else, needless to say.

Incidentally, when His Highness Randhir met with his sworn enemy, there was quite a commotion... but that's another story.

Liliana is a talented fourteen-year-old woman with striking beauty, beloved by her fellow citizens. She is a beautiful blonde with blue eyes. She possesses a serious and gentle personality, yet is not overly rigid. Her words and actions are sensitive to the time and place, and she treats the servants with kindness, possessing a friendly side.

She worries about the summoned people like Kouki not only as a princess, but also as individuals. She also seems to feel guilty about dragging these unrelated people into her world.

Because of this, Liliana took the initiative to interact with the students, and it didn't take long for her to become close friends with them. She was particularly close to her peers like Kaori and Shizuku, and they were so close now that they addressed each other by nicknames and used no honorifics when speaking.

"No, Mr. Glory, you don't have to worry about Randir. He just lost control of his emotions. Let's not talk about that... I want to say welcome back to everyone again. I am sincerely happy that you have returned safely."

Liliana said this, then smiled softly. Even though her classmates were surrounded by beautiful girls like Kaori and Shizuku, they blushed immediately upon seeing that smile. Liliana's noble royal aura and elegant beauty were something the other two lacked. It wasn't something that could be countered by a little bit of resistance to beautiful girls.

In reality, the boys in both the Nagayama and Little Villain groups were blushing, frozen in place as if lost in thought. Even the girls' cheeks were slightly flushed. It would be absurd for ordinary modern students to remain calm about encountering a true princess in another world. It was the Kaoris who were the exception, treating her like longtime friends.

"Thank you, Lily. Seeing your smile makes all my tiredness disappear. I'm also very happy to see you again."

Guanghui nonchalantly delivered his affected lines with a bright smile. Once again, Guanghui harbored no evil intentions. He was genuinely simply happy to be back alive and see his friends again. He was simply insensitive to the effects of his appearance, words, and actions, to the point of being pathological.

“Eh, yeah? Uh, um…”

As a princess, Liliana was accustomed to hearing compliments mixed with social etiquette from the country's nobles and envoys from various cities and the empire, so she naturally developed the ability to see through the mask of smiles and the ulterior motives.

Therefore, she understood that Guanghui's words came from the heart, with no ulterior motives at all. It was an experience she had rarely experienced outside of her family, so Liliana's cheeks flushed unconsciously, flustered and unsure how to respond. This contrast was one of the reasons for her popularity.

Guanghui continued to smile, completely oblivious to the impact of her words and actions. As expected, it was Shizuku who sighed deeply. Her habit of working hard had been trained into her, though she certainly didn't agree with it.

"Well, thank you all for your hard work. The meals and bathrooms are ready, so please feel free to rest and relax. The envoys from the Empire will not arrive for several days, so you don't need to worry."

Liliana finally recovered from her mental confusion and urged Guanghui and his group.

While Kouki and the others recovered from their fatigue in the maze, they informed the remaining group about the Behemoth subjugation. Everyone cheered, and more members returned. Aiko-sensei began to be referred to as the "Harvest Goddess" by some, which embarrassed her. Despite this, Kouki and the others relaxed and healed their fatigue from the maze. Kaori, though she felt a strong desire to return, was unable to calm down.

Then three days later, the empire's envoy finally arrived.

Now, in the audience hall, standing in the center of the red carpet were about five imperial envoys, meeting with His Majesty Elicid. Also present were the Glory group, members of the labyrinth raid, the kingdom's authorities, and several priests led by Ishtar.

"Welcome, envoy! Please witness the supreme bravery of these heroes."

"Your Majesty, thank you very much for agreeing to this hasty visit from our country. May I ask which of you is the Brave One?"

"Well, first, let me introduce you all. Lord Guanghui, could you please come forward?"

"Yes."

After His Majesty exchanged the usual formalities with the envoys, it was Guanghui's turn to appear. At His Majesty's urging, Guanghui stepped forward. Unlike when he was summoned, Guanghui's expression had become considerably more shrewd, even though only two months had passed.

If the palace maids, noble daughters, or the remaining admirers of Kouki were to see him, they would undoubtedly sigh passionately and gaze at him in ecstasy. The number of young ladies who have launched a love offensive against Kouki alone exceeds two digits, but... even their advances, Kouki's only reaction is "What kind and gentle people!", which shows that Kouki is extremely slow-witted, the epitome of the slow-witted protagonist.

"Oh, you are the hero? You look quite young. With all due respect, have you really reached the sixty-fifth floor? I remember a monster called Behemoth roaming there..."

The messenger looked at Guanghui with a look of suspicion. Although he wouldn't show it so openly in front of Ishtar, there was a hint of suspicion in his eyes. One of the messenger's guards looked Guanghui over from head to toe, as if assessing her worth.

At that gaze, Kouki shuddered uncomfortably and replied:

"Um, then, do you want me to describe it to you? Like, how did we defeat it? Ah, how about showing you a map of the sixty-sixth floor?"

In order to convince the other party, Guanghui proposed many plans, but the messenger shook his head and rejected them without hesitation, showing an arrogant smile.

"No, no need to explain. I have the simplest and quickest method. Could you please have a mock battle with one of my guards? That way, the hero's strength will be clearly apparent, right?"

"Uh, I don't mind..."

Kouki glanced back at His Majesty, looking slightly bewildered. His Majesty, catching Kouki's gaze, checked with Ishtar, who nodded in agreement. He concluded that while it would be easy to convince the Empire to recognize Kouki as the leader of humanity by faking divine power, the fastest way to earn the Empire's sincere acceptance of him, which prioritized strength above all else, was to have them engage in battle.

"Don't worry, Master Guanghui. Please show your strength to the fullest."

"Then it's decided. Please help them prepare the venue."

Thus, the mock battle between the heroes and the imperial envoys' guards was hastily decided to be held, and the group moved to another location in groups.

Kouki's opponent was a seemingly ordinary-looking man. He was neither too tall nor too short, with no distinctive features, his appearance so ordinary that he would be instantly lost in a crowd. He looked anything but formidable. He held an unsharpened greatsword, which hung carelessly, looking exhausted, and he didn't even strike a stance.

Guanghui felt that he was being looked down upon and was a little angry. He thought that as long as the first attack caught the opponent by surprise, the opponent would take it seriously. So he decided to take the first attack seriously and show his strength.

“I’m on it!”

The light transformed into a gust of wind, and with the help of "Shrinking the Earth", it approached at high speed. With the strong wind, it swung its sword and chopped it straight down at the opponent's forehead.

If it were just an ordinary soldier, it would probably be difficult for him to even see Guanghui's movements clearly. Of course, as for Guanghui, he planned to stop there.

However, that worry seemed unnecessary. Instead, it turned out that those who underestimated others were actually glorious.

"ah!?"

The impact was sudden, and with a scream, the person who flew backwards was actually Kouki.

The guard raised his sword high, looking down at Guanghui. When Guanghui's power was about to stop, the sword that had been casually hanging down suddenly swung up, knocking Guanghui away.

Guanghui slid along the ground, barely stabilizing himself, and looked at the guard in astonishment. Although Guanghui had been concentrating on his own thoughts of stopping at the right time, he could hardly see the guard's attack.

The guard relaxed his strength, lowering his raised sword in a natural position. Indeed, the attack just now was too natural, lacking any sense of danger, which was why Guanghui was unable to react.

"...Hey, hero, you don't have to fight?"

Whether physically or mentally, Guanghui was deeply shaken. The guard narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment, then suddenly questioned Guanghui in a rather arrogant and rude manner. Faced with the sudden question, Guanghui stammered but still replied:

"Eh? Uh, yes, that's right. I was just an ordinary student."

“…But now he’s an ‘Apostle of God’?”

The guard glanced at Ishtar and the other members of the Holy Church, snorted in displeasure, and then, with a very natural pace, closed the distance between them and Guanghui.

"Raise your sword, brave man! If you continue to be so cowardly..."

Goosebumps rose up Guanghui's back. He knew exactly what was coming next, even without needing to say it. As he sensed the intense killing intent, his instincts suddenly kicked in. It was only by sheer luck that Guanghui was able to follow his instincts and immediately raise his sword to block it.

“Wuwuwu!?”

Clang! A powerful clash echoed around him, accompanied by a magnificent explosion of sparks. Kneeling, Guanghui took the heavy sword's blow from above, his mind shrouded in astonishment. "When did he get so close?" he wondered. At close range, Guanghui met the guard's downward gaze. Instantly, an even thicker murderous aura seemed to pierce Guanghui's body, striking him.

“Ah, wow, wow aa ...

Guanghui unconsciously let out a cry that was indistinguishable between a wail and a cry, and a huge surge of magical power erupted from his entire body.

The guard was pushed back by the force, losing his balance. Guanghui took advantage of the opportunity and swung his holy sword. But just before it was about to strike his opponent, the holy sword's speed slowed noticeably. It was more an unconscious reaction than a reaction to the mock battle. The guard narrowed his eyes, and then...

"do not fight."

As the guard said those words in a disheartening tone, his balance, which should have been lost, suddenly recovered. He easily avoided the blow from Guanghui, then distanced himself and sheathed his sword.

"Huh? Huh?"

Of course, Guanghui could only feel confused by his sudden action. The guard looked at him with a disappointed look and said:

"Hey, do you even understand what kind of enemy you're fighting?"

"Uh, well, of course, it's monsters or demons... beings that cause people pain."

"'Monsters or demons' huh... can you do that with a wimpy sword like that? I don't believe it at all, let alone leading us into battle. It's like being fooled by a dream."

The guard repeated Guanghui's answer with a pointed tone, not mocking or dismissing him, but simply stating the facts with a stern criticism. Hearing this, even Guanghui couldn't help but feel irritated and immediately wanted to retort.

"What's with all that cowardice and nonsense... Isn't that rude? I really mean it—"

"What can a brat who's afraid of hurting others and also afraid of being hurt do? There's no murderous intent in your sword. Stop with those high-sounding words. Wait until you've seen the reality a little bit before you speak of 'sincerity'."

Hearing him interrupt her, Guanghui was speechless. Although Guanghui wanted to retort, "I'm not afraid," before he could do so, the guard turned and walked away.

He had acted disrespectfully towards the Hero, having requested the mock battle himself, yet unilaterally declared it over without engaging in a proper fight. Seeing his attitude, the spectators from both the Kingdom and the Church began to murmur among themselves. As if encouraged by their words, Kouki prepared to protest... but before he could, a mature voice addressed the guard:

"Well, the Hero is still growing, and his lack of experience is understandable. There's no need to jump to conclusions. Anyway, consider my words just now as out of concern for the Hero. Otherwise, even if it were you who spoke, as the Pope of the Holy Church, I must confirm your sincerity in your faith in God. Do you understand me? — His Majesty Emperor Gaharud."

"...Ahem, I've been seen through, eh? Grandpa's still just as formidable as ever."

The guard cursed, his voice inaudible, and turned back, removing the earring from his right ear. Then, as if enveloped by a mist, the air around him began to turn white and hazy. When the mist dissipated, a completely different person emerged.

He was a man in his forties, rugged and imposing. He had short silver hair and a pair of piercing blue eyes reminiscent of a wolf. Though thin, even through his clothes, one could see that his body was compressed to the limit, his muscles incredibly strong. The moment they saw that figure, the surroundings erupted in a commotion.

"Your Majesty, Ga-Garrud!?"

"Your Majesty the Emperor!?"

That's right, this man was none other than the current Emperor of the Horusha Empire, Jaharud D. Horusha himself. Regarding this unexpected situation, His Majesty Elicid rubbed his brow and asked:

"What do you mean, Your Majesty, Gaharud?"

"Isn't this Your Majesty Elicid? I apologize for not greeting you properly. I simply felt it would be quicker for me to confirm it myself, so I put on a bit of a show. This is a matter of vital importance regarding the future of the war, so please forgive my rudeness."

Emperor Gaharud apologized verbally, but showed no remorse. His Majesty, Elicid, sighed, shook his head, and said, "Forget it." Guanghui and the others were completely bewildered. It was said that the Emperor possessed an incredible drive, and unexpected surprises like these were commonplace.

"Your Majesty Ishtar, as you said, my words just now were because I saw that the brave man was in a dangerous state, so I gave him some advice. We would never insult the apostle of God. The barbaric words I used were due to the national conditions. Please forgive me if I offended you."

Gaharud, with a tone that betrayed his true feelings, offered Ishtar a response that was unclear whether it could be considered an apology. Ishtar's eyes narrowed, but she maintained a gentle expression and nodded in understanding.

After that, as if to dispel the tense atmosphere, others came out to smooth things over. During the formal talks, the Empire also gave an unusual response, expressing its willingness to recognize the hero on the grounds of future potential, so the purpose of this visit seemed to have been basically achieved.

That night, in a room in the palace, when asked by his subordinates about his inner thoughts, Gaharud replied with disdain:

"That guy is no good. He's just a kid. People like him have unwavering faith in ideals and justice. But because of their strength and charisma, they're even more vicious. They're the type to kill others for their ideals."