Is this Hero for Real?

[Act 10] Holy Sword for Beginners

Heroes, demon kings, knights, kings, princes, princesses, ladies, villainesses, tyrants…

They’re a staple of romance fantasy genres.

Maybe not Heroes and demon kings, but sometimes it’s fun to see the cold demon king get tamed!

*t/n: referring to the female protagonist ‘taming’ a cold-hearted tyrant trope in romance fantasies.

But there was something that was unacceptable.

“Why do I have to fight!?”

‘This is the worst!’

Hero Jang Miyeon was genuinely furious.

She welcomed it when pretty boys fought for their lives for her!

But fighting ‘for herself’ was much too scary and dangerous.

From that day she was traumatized from almost getting assaulted by a gnoll…

“Calm down.”

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

“S-sorry.”

The boy, summoned in the middle of the night for a meeting to discuss fighting strategies, bowed to apologize.

Code name: Shield A.

He was someone she hadn’t even looked at in school, but arriving in that world, she’d been looking after him little by little.

—Because he fought well.

Usually, he was a speck of dust that didn’t stand out, but the minute he went to a hunting ground, he turned into a dependable shield.

Although that annoyed her even more…

“Don’t be sorry𝅘𝅥𝅮 I came off as a bit harsh, right? I’m sorry, forgive me~”

Clasp!

The girl, even prettier after multiple Blessings, gave an adorable apology as she put her hand on his.

Shield A waved his hands in denial.

“No! I’m okay! Everything’s fine!”

Yeah, right!

Shield A’s face was as sullen as a wet dog.

If she left him like that, he would probably be sullen all day.

“Ah…”

Jang Miyeon let out a deep sigh and piteously deplored her own fate.

She’d gotten off on the wrong foot from the start.

She should have been reincarnated as a princess or noble lady, already making her beau monde debut!

She was even okay with going to an academy. She would hate the homework and tests, but she’d be able to meet all kinds of handsome men like Prince Alsus.

Anything would be better than her current state.

“Stop sighing. Is it that time of the month?”

“…Thanks for worrying about me, but that doesn’t bother me thanks to my Blessing𝅘𝅥𝅮”

She wanted to kick the bastard spewing random crap out of his mouth.

That little shit was Shield B.

He was an animal who had nothing but dirty thoughts in his mind, but she still had to keep that son of a bitch with her because he was a good fighter.

“Why did you call us over at this time of night anyways? I was getting all excited.”

Shield B complained with a very disappointed face.

What the hell was he getting excited for?!

She’d invited three of the best Heroes(male) on her team to her room. Wasn’t it obvious it was going to be for an operation meeting?

Things would have gone really wrong if she’d called him alone.

Jang Miyeon smiled with transcendent patience.

“Sorry I got your hopes up𝅘𝅥𝅮 I called just you three over because I have something important to tell you.”

“You’re pregnant?”

“…I’m going to kick you out if you make another lame joke.”

“Oops! I’ll shut up now.”

Shield B pretended to zip his mouth with a smile.

“Thanks𝅘𝅥𝅮”

He couldn’t have been that horrible in school.

After a big breath, Jang Miyeon went to the point.

“This is closed information, but they’re going to choose Heroes to send to the Academy soon!”

Hero Jang Miyeon’s eyes started to gleam as she explained.

The Academy!

It was the main scene in romance fantasy genres that she’d been dreaming of.

In that inferno that forced a lovely girl into savagery, it was her only escape.

“Academy…?”

“I’m gonna puke.”

Shields A and B looked extremely displeased the second they heard the word “Academy”.

Of course they would!

‘The Academy is going to be full of fine gentlemen who can’t even be compared with these extras.’

And so Jang Miyeon couldn’t let it go.

“I’m going to go to the Academy.”

[A certain bold god of Beauty strongly supports you.]

[A certain sea god is interested.]

[A certain innocent goddess looks at you suspiciously.

[A certain god…]

The gods showed a variety of reactions to Jang Miyeon’s bombshell.

Most were positive.

It looked like the gods wouldn’t stop being interested in her, even if she went to the Academy.

“My queen.”

“Go on.”

“May I ask you a question?”

“I’ll allow it.”

Jang Miyeon naturally played along with the odd boy who called his own classmate “my queen”.

That loyal subject was Shield C.

He was one of her fans who’d followed her around at school, and he’d gotten even more extreme after coming to the fantasy world.

But he wasn’t a bad guy.

…Right?

“Can all applicants be admitted?”

“No. they said they’re giving preference to Heroes with a higher overall score, and four people total will be chosen.”

“Then you must be all set.”

“That’s right!”

Jang Miyeon looked like she was on cloud nine as she replied to Shield C.

Escaping that prison was a done deal for her!

If she just bore through a few more days, she’d move on to the romance fantasy express train of her dreams.

“And I guess our team will be disbanded as well.”

“Probably.”

It could be seen as betrayal, but she didn’t have any regrets. Most of the boys were as dirty-minded as Shield B, anyways.

“Why are you telling us this?”

“I want to enroll with you<3”

“You’re kidding, right?”

‘“No, I’m serious.”

“I don’t want to look after you when you’re dating some prince on a white horse. For free, at that.”

‘This little shit hit the nail on the head!’

But Jang Miyeon wasn’t going to back down so easily.

“I promise I won’t<3 If I break my promise, I’ll do something you want. How about it?”

“Really?!”

“The gods are listening. Does it still sound like a joke to you?”

“…no.”

Shield B, who she guessed would be the hardest nut to crack, was persuaded.

Did she truly want to get enrolled with those guys?

Of course not.

“I’ll go with you. I’ll go anywhere as long as you’re happy…”

“My queen! Use me however you like!”

“Dangit! No matter how I think about it, I feel tricked… but alright.”

All of the Shields accepted.

“Thank you guys<3”

Hero Jang Miyeon gave them a hearty smile, thanking them from the bottom of her heart.

Shield A’s overall grades were ranked 4th, Shield B 5th, and Shield C was 7th place.

Everyone but her was male!

In order for her to stand out as a (female)Hero, she needed to have extra (male) Hero sidekicks.

One female main character in a romantic fantasy is enough, after all.

Her plan was perfect.

“Please do your best for me at the Academy, too<3”

Hero Jang Miyeon anticipated the day to come soon.

* * *

* * *

According to the guardian, there were beginner’s holy swords buried in certain parts of the plains.

Apparently, the level 10 Heroes dropped them right after graduating from their training…

“Why?”

“It would be hard to understand for someone who easily slaughtered 300,000 orcs like you, Hero.

“Wait! Don’t talk about me as some ignorant human. You said they graduated. Shouldn’t they be strong if they could defeat you?

That orc was exceptionally strong.

His secret was on his status window that I got to look at because we’d become friends.

[Name] Green Guardian

[Level] 8

[Blessings] Warrior A, Surveillance B, Mettle A, Will B, Dignity B

[Curses] Hero A, Relic D, Human C

He had the Heroes’ Curse, the one you get if you run away after losing to a Hero!

It was an A rank, too.

I couldn’t even imagine how many Heroes he’d lost to.

I may have struggled with him, but maybe he was weaker than I thought.

The orc argued.

“Defeating the orc wasn’t the only way they could graduate. They naturally got exiled once they reached level 10.”

“Aha!”

“And killing a Hero is another way to get the Heroes’ Curse.”

“I see!”

That meant killing a holy sword-wielding Hero in self-defense would ruin your life!

I felt bad for the villains.

But that guardian was an exception.

[Relic]

>You have been bound to the ruins for the sake of the relic!

>Acts against the intended use of the relic are strictly prohibited.

“I am the last strong opponent to test new Heroes.”

“That’s your purpose?”

“Yes.”

So he was the tutorial boss in a role-playing game?

“So you’re not actually a guardian.”

“I never said I was a guardian of the humans. I am the guardian of the orcs; I protect their homes.”

“Aha!”

The orc, captured and bound to the ruins by humans, was given the power fit to be a ‘strong opponent’.

An immortal body, an eternal lifeline…

Apparently, he wasn’t that strong at first, but got more skilled as time went on…

“But you still lost.”

“…”

“A certain demon I know is pretty weepy, but you’re pretty sentimental, too.”

I didn’t want his ugly face to be on the brink of tears.

It was really hard to watch.

“Hero.”

“What?”

“Are you not going to leave?”

“That’s different from what you said earlier. You struggled to keep me in.”

“The mind of an orc changes frequently. Right now, I wish for you, Hero, to leave.”

“That’s harsh.”

I wanted to leave, too.

There was one problem:

It was hard to trust that orc when he could move around the entrance and exit of the relic at his will.

I would be in big trouble if he sent me to a holy sword that was in the ocean!

So I decided to test him.

“Dance.”

“…I may be bound to the relic, but I am not a Hero’s toy. We have a partnership of mutual respect…”

“Dance.”

“Are you listening to me at all?”

“I am. I’m going to abolish this inefficient partnership and establish a master-servant relationship.”

“That’s nonsense…!”

“I like your vigor. I’ll give you the right to die with honor.”

“That’s too extreme! Give me some time to think.”

“I see you’re playing hard to get.”

As if he wasn’t a guardian that prioritized his own life before hundreds of thousands of his people…

That easy orc already knew his answer.

“Alright”, I’ll do it.”

“Good call.”

“I absolutely did not give in because I’m scared of death. I only accepted because my purpose doesn’t change.”

“What’s your purpose?”

“I am a gatekeeper.”

“A gatekeeper?”

“I cannot refuse a Hero with a holy sword if they ask me to open the gates of the relic.”

“No matter what?”

“Yes. No matter what.”

The easy orc could’ve been lying to me.

But as long as the evil goddess noticed I was alive, staying in that city was dangerous.

No matter what, there would be danger.

Then I had no choice but to give him a chance.

But…

“Let these people go, too.”

“…Alright. I don’t want this city to be known by humans outside, but since I don’t have the power to stop you, even if I refuse…”

“So you’re well aware.”

Although everyone would die if the guardian of the relic chose the exit as a holy sword in the middle of the ocean!

I would never get out of that place if I did nothing but doubt him.

[A certain god complains this is too boring.]

Oh! There was a solution all along!

“Dear outsider god I respect…”

[A certain god pompously tells you to respect them more.]

“Dear outsider god I respect a little more. Can you look at where all the holy swords this orc put as an exit?”

I had an eco-friendly radar that came close to being a satellite!

[A certain god drills that that is very tiresome.]

Although it is slightly flawed.

“Please show some mercy…!”

[A certain god says they will make an exception and allow it just this time and sticks their nose in the air.]

[A certain god looks around.]

[A certain god drills it is very safe.]

At least that god was much more cooperative than when we’d first met.

“Thanks a ton!”

I told the humans waiting outside the relic it was time to go back to the home they missed.

But…

“I am %# $##. I’m already @#$ by the orcs.”

“I am also #$%. My home is %#$. It’s =%$ $# %# of the orcs.”

“I will go. There is a == woman back home. I will *#& %$ #*$ with her.”

“$#. I’m…”

I couldn’t understand more than half of what they were saying, but there were quite a few people who wanted to stay in the city.

“Mooo~”

“Moooo~”

There were a bunch of livestock the orcs had been raising, so they wouldn’t starve to death if they made good use of them.

“Only who wants to leave!”

I had no intention of forcing someone out into the world when they said they didn’t want to.

“% #$.”

“#*$!”

And so, only three people wanted to go with me.

Why were they trying to stay in that hell with only bad memories?

I couldn’t understand them.

‘By the way, green friend. What do I have to do to get back in here?”

“I can hear you if you talk to the holy sword.”

“Aha!”

‘As expected, this fantasy could do all sorts of fantastical things!’

I led the people to the giant Dolem.

“Hm…”

Enveloped in a black whirlpool, I couldn't see the other side of the exit.

[A certain god drills again that it is safe.]

“Okay, I’ll trust you.”

To ensure the other side of the exit was safe, I went through it first.

Pet-

I was engulfed in a warm light…

And in an instant, I was in a new place.

Turn turn!

I quickly scanned my surroundings.

It was a ‘lady’s bedroom’ that was decorated with exquisite furniture.

How was I so sure it was a lady’s?

I was certain from the white underwear thrown on the side of the bed.

Anyways…

“Where the hell am I?”

I’d just crash-landed somewhere unfamiliar again.