An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

"Nai-chan. Nez Grun. Are you really going to do this?"

Mireidi was not sad about the rejection of her lobbying.

But I feel sad about his lifestyle.

"That's good."

"……Yeah?"

Meredy smiled faintly and walked through the portal without looking back.

Oscar didn't look back and prepared to pass through the "portal".

"...One day, when our journey comes to an end."

"?"

"Can I visit you as a friend?"

"...I'll consider it."

Oscar nodded slightly and disappeared on the other side of the portal.

Natsu stared at the empty space.

"...I just said we wouldn't meet again, and you're changing your mind right now?"

Natsu's soliloquy was filled with self-mockery.

Prequel Zero Chapter 4: The Liberator and the Apostle of God

A young girl walked forward with heavy steps, her back to the Red Dragon Mountain. She was Miledi.

Oscar used a black umbrella instead of a parasol and walked silently beside her.

Meredi didn't use ice or wind to adjust the temperature, so the black umbrella was now the center of attention. A layer of ice formed on the umbrella surface, like frost, and then the wind blew it down.

Oscar glanced at Meredith.

She looked so depressed that she could almost feel the sound of her dejection.

(She probably acted like this when I rejected her.)

Even now, Oscar didn't think his decision was wrong. But when he thought about her walking back home in frustration at night after he refused, Oscar suddenly felt an indescribable sense of guilt.

Whether she's in good spirits or not, she's a troublesome girl. Oscar sighed softly.

"Are you frustrated that he won't be your companion? Or do you feel sympathy for his situation?"

"Both."

"Can't you agree with his lifestyle?"

"right."

"But that's his decision."

"I know, so I didn't say anything more later."

Her voice sounded unhappy and her cheeks puffed up angrily.

Meredith understood and respected Nizu's wishes. Since she had already received the answer, further insistence would be coercion.

She knew it.

But I just feel unhappy!

This is Meredith's true feeling.

The damage caused by Nizu's killing spree was too great to be dismissed as a simple matter of helplessness. As he himself said, considering the entire village, as well as the warriors and their families who may have been forced to obey out of a sense of obligation, his actions were truly a great sin.

However, he was only fifteen or sixteen years old at the time. How could he remain calm after witnessing the slaughter of his family? It would be illogical for him to suppress his anger by understanding that the villagers were fighting for the village and the soldiers were doing it out of duty. Even an adult would certainly not be able to do that.

Despite having lost everything, Natsu kept blaming himself, dedicating his entire life to atonement. Living in a cave like that, escaping if discovered, and then saving others...

That kind of life is really too sad.

“…Ah~~”

Meredith exhaled heavily, feeling very depressed.

Oscar pushed his glasses up with his index finger and said with an embarrassed expression:

“Before we left, I asked him if I could visit as a friend.”

"what?"

Meredith looked up suddenly.

"Unfortunately, he didn't agree, but he said he would think about it."

Meredith opened her eyes wide, Oscar looked at her and said:

"Let's continue our journey and visit him someday. It's not about inviting Natsu to be our companion, but as friends, we should help him. That approach... should be possible, right?"

Originally, a liberator is someone who extends a helping hand to the persecuted. It's only natural to lend a hand to a friend who is forced to live a hard life.

“Oh!”

"Wow!?"

Meredith suddenly hugged Oscar.

Oscar caught her in a panic.

"That's right! You're right! It's exactly as you said! We're already Naruto-chan's friends!"

"Ah~ Yes, that's right. So don't take it too seriously. Just think of it as us making powerful friends on this trip and confirming the rumors about the 'Desert Fairy'. So, let me go."

"As expected of Aou! As expected of my partner! We've gained a friend with the same power as him! If he needs it, we'll go help him! That's all right! I feel a little relieved!"

"That's good, so stop putting your face close to me!"

Oscar tried to pull her away, but Meredith's grip was too tight to pull away. Even if she'd been overwhelmingly defeated by twelve-year-old Sisha, Meredith was still a young girl. Oscar was a man, after all, and having seen something he shouldn't have seen just a short while ago, it was impossible for him to be completely indifferent...

However, when Oscar saw that Miledy seemed to have adjusted her mood a little and her originally gloomy expression had brightened up, he also felt that his wild thoughts were very ridiculous.

So Oscar gave up resisting, patted Milady's back, and let her hug him until she was satisfied.

After a while, the two finally moved forward again.

Meredith regained her spirits and strode forward, with Oscar following beside her.

Afterwards, the two crossed a few sand dunes and saw the familiar [Lib Village].

"...Hmm~? Oh."

"Yeah, something seems amiss."

Oscar uses the telescopic function of his black glasses.

"There are quite a lot of Erakus, and even carriages? And they're quite luxurious...Miledi!"

"What? What did you see?"

After a pause, Oscar replied with a slightly nervous tone:

"It's the Church of Holy Light."

Meredith's originally cheerful eyes then dimmed.

They arrived at sunset.

When they first saw Iraku and the carriage team in the distance from the village, everyone thought it was a caravan coming and was excited to be able to replenish supplies.

However, when they saw the armed men riding Iraku and their luxurious carriages, they immediately knew that it was not a caravan.

They are the bishop of the Church of Holy Light and the Knights Templar led by him.

As expected, upon arriving at [Lib Village], the person who emerged from the carriage was Argus Muillier, the bishop of the Church of Holy Light's Dumibar branch, and his priests. Surrounding them were over sixty Temple Knights, guarding them as if to intimidate or perhaps to demonstrate the Church's military might.

The Bishop of Argos was a young man, probably not more than thirty years old.

He had blond hair combed back, a delicate face, a gentle demeanor, and a constant gentle smile.

He looks like a clergyman and gives people the impression of being honest.

However, becoming a bishop isn't a position that a twenty-year-old can easily ascend to. While every large town has a branch and bishop, the maximum number of bishops is no more than thirty. Above the bishop are only seven archbishops and four cardinals, and then the pope. Rarely does a promotion vacate a bishop's seat.

The main reason for the replacement of bishops is that the previous bishop was demoted. The reasons for demotion vary, such as health problems, being criticized for mistakes, being exiled due to doubts about faith, accidental death, etc.

Argos's predecessor was convicted of heresy and executed, which shocked everyone at the time because he was a devout, almost blind believer.

In addition, the inquisitor who exposed him at the time was Argus, who was famous for exposing many heretics.

In other words, he was an expert in heresy inquisition.

The reason why he came to [Lib Village] specifically is probably easy to guess.

"Dear faithful believers of Libu Village, I have come here today because I have heard that besides our great god, there is a lunatic who dares to claim to be a god—the guardian of the desert. Does anyone know his identity?"

All the villagers were gathered in the square. When they heard Bishop Argos's question with a smile, Sixia and Yunfa felt as if someone was grabbing their hearts tightly.

I don't know who started it, but it must have been out of deep gratitude that someone called him the "Guardian of the Desert." And thanks to the approval of so many people who were saved, the name stuck.

After all, it was just a rumor, like a local legend, so the Church wouldn't specifically investigate it. But as a precaution, in addition to hiding his identity, and with the intention of diverting the Church's attention, they attempted to distort the rumor into a "desert goblin."

who knows……

(Is it too late?)

Sixia felt regretful.

Over the past two years, she has used every avenue at her disposal to try to change the rumors. The number of merchants, adventurers, and bards who agree with Sixia and are willing to help spread the rumor about the "Desert Fairy" has gradually increased. Even so, it's too late; the church has already set its sights on her!

"Si-sister..."

Hearing her sister's anxious cries, Sixia couldn't reply, "It's okay," and could only hold her hand tightly. Bishop Argos's seemingly gentle and harmless smile was actually terrifying.

In this [Lib Village], many people were rescued in times of crisis, and some of them had seen him in person.

Will they all be able to pass the interrogation of the Bishop of Argos...

"All branches of the United Nations are now mobilized to apprehend the heretic who calls himself the 'Guardian of the Desert.' Regardless of where he goes or what he does, if he attempts to defame our great One God, the Church will bring down divine punishment with all its might. This also applies to those who harbor heretics."

The Bishop of Argos gestured and gave a speech like a stage actor.

"Especially recently, there have been so many unscrupulous people emerging, the situation is truly lamentable. In order to eradicate heretics who pollute the pure world, we are strengthening our inquiries. Therefore, the Archbishop has allowed us bishops to carry out divine punishment on the spot when interrogating heretics."

As he said this, several parts and a giant blade were unloaded from the team's carriage.

"Guillotine?"

Someone said so. Indeed, in the blink of an eye, a simple guillotine was assembled.

Bishop Argos caressed the execution instrument lovingly and looked at the villagers. Fear was in everyone's eyes.

"You don't need to be grateful to the 'Guardian of the Desert,' nor do you need to pledge loyalty to him. If he weren't a heretic, he should have devoted his strength unhesitatingly to our Church and to Master Esid. If he didn't, he deserved death. Let us begin."

As soon as he finished speaking, Bishop Argos sat down on the luxurious chair that had been prepared, and the Knights Templar brought the villagers forward one by one.

After several villagers answered "I don't know", surprisingly, Bishop Argos just smiled and said "Really?" and let them go home.

The same questions and answers lasted about an hour, and as the night was about to fall, it was already dusk.

The villagers were originally terrified, thinking that they would be subjected to more brutal torture, but now they have begun to hold a faint hope in their hearts, thinking that this may be just a formal interrogation.

Then, a middle-aged man was brought before the Bishop of Argos and asked the same question: "Do you know the patron saint of the desert?"

Sixia couldn't help but let out a low "Ah!" because the man was "someone who knew the guardian of the desert."

He once said that his guardian deity had once given him valuable medicinal herbs that could only be obtained from afar, saving his family's lives. He was very grateful and would one day repay the favor.

At the same time, he also agrees with Sixia and the others' "Desert Fairies" and is one of their assistants.

The man whose son's life was saved by Natsu, Polka replied calmly:

"No, Your Excellency, I know nothing."

His poker face was perfect.

Bishop Argos said with a smile:

"You're lying, aren't you?"

The villagers were shocked and Polka's expression was frozen.

“W-What—”