Chapter 54: Qualification (1)
When I came to my senses, the ceiling was unfamiliar But it wasnt.
Unfortunately, nothing like that had happened.
It was a white room.
I was lying in a white room.
No, it was so uniformly white in all directions, without a shadow, that I couldnt even be sure it was a room.
I couldnt even tell whether the ground I stood on was up or down.
Where am I?
Even after looking around for a while, I found no reference point.
The entirely white world made me feel as if I had gone blind.
Im certain I havent seen a place like this.
No area or place like this existed in the game Reincarnation of the Sword Saint.
Considering I was quite the expert on the game, it was impossible for me not to know.
In the game, driven by Yuras evil intent, I played as the screw-up, Shiron, and had tried hundreds of times to clear the game.
I had no special reason to retry so many times.
I just hated seeing a character that resembled me continuously fall and ultimately get frustrated.
In retrospect, I felt even by my standards, it was kind of insane.
Of course, in trying to clear the game, I considered every possible scenario. I went through community sites and even wikis, using every character and item appearing in the game to clear it, but I could never succeed.
I lost count of the playtime.
I started playing the moment the game was released. After clearing the game as Lucia, I played sleeplessly as the unlocked character Shiron.
So, I could confidently say I knew Reincarnation of the Sword Saint best.
There was never a room where the whole screen went white. I had never seen or heard of an event where the entire screen turned white as if there was an error.
So, why was I left alone in such a place?
I tried to remember the last thing I could recall.
Right, I was being followed.
While listening to the identity of the one controlling Berta like a puppet, Encia noticed someones gaze.
Following that train of thought, I arrived at one conclusion,
I called out her name.
Seira.
The companion of Hero Kyrie and an elf magician. Having sealed the demon 500 years ago and still being alive, she could easily deceive Encia and Ophilias senses.
As soon as her name left my lips, everything before me turned white. It seemed like some kind of magic, perhaps a beam of destruction? Having been hit by it, I mightve died instantly.
Seriously, isnt killing me for just mentioning a name a bit extreme?
I sighed deeply.
But then,
Wasnt my voice just a bit deep?
Huh? Oh! Oh!?
It was deep. My voice was deep. A voice familiar yet foreign.
It was not the voice of young Shiron but my voice before the possession.
It had been a while since I heard my own voice.
So
I looked down at my hands and feet.
They were big.
Large hands that had never wielded a sword. They were rough, and as my gaze shifted, I noticed long, toned limbs. However
Why am I naked?
I was stark naked. Not a single shred of cloth covered me. As ludicrous as this naked form seemed
Based on my previous conjecture, this place was the world you went to after death.
It was said everyone became humble before death. Maybe I was meant to approach heavens gates in this pure, unclothed form
Does it matter?
I no longer felt embarrassed.
I moved forward, presumably to knock on heavens gates.
Thinking this was heaven was purely my speculation.
I had lived so damn well, so it was natural for me to think Id end up in heaven without a doubt.
Anyway.
Maybe because I drank, I had to pee.
It was just a vast white landscape everywhere. I just pulled down my metaphorical pants and relieved myself on the ground.
Swoosh.
Ah refreshing.
Hey!
Huh?
What are you doing in a sacred place?
I didnt know how to respond. Suddenly, a black-haired girl appeared before me. The girl, looking quite angry, seemed to be scolding me.
Whos this kid?
My gaze was fixed on the girl. Not because she was berating an adult but because of her unique appearance. I was so drawn to her that her actions seemed irrelevant. The girl wore an unusual hair accessory. It was round, and rather than just sparkling, it emitted a radiant light.
Floating above her head was undoubtedly
I am an angel.
An angel?
Yes. Gods representative and servant, the magnificent bridge between heaven and earth. Thats me!
The girl who claimed to be an angel puffed out her chest with pride.
It seemed like she knew what I was thinking; she answered without me even asking.
I believed her easily. In a world where demons existed, why wouldnt angels?
So, little angel.
My name is [Latera].
Latera. Hmm, its a pretty name.
Of course! Someone gave me that name!
Perhaps because I complimented her name, Latera giggled, placing her hand on her hip and nodding.
I found that endearing and chuckled.
Who gave you that name? Your mother? Do angels even have mothers?
Dont look like that. Im genuinely curious.
I wont make any other remarks since I dont sense any ill intentions. A senior gave me the name.
Latera glared at me. Feeling a bit embarrassed because I was naked, I said
I should wear this for now. Its a bit awkward to be seen like this.
Perhaps sensing my discomfort, Latera took out clothes from thin air and tossed them to me. I hurriedly put them on. They resembled a priests robes.
Latera, if youre an angel, is this place heaven?
Why would you think that?
I felt like I died, so I assumed this would be the next place.
I asked her the question that had been on my mind. My consciousness was clear, making me certain of my existence here. This wasnt a dream.
Youre quite shameless, peeing in this sacred place just now.
Latera took out a book and showed it to me. Being shorter, she had to tiptoe to show it at my eye level.
And did you know? If this were really heaven, youd have received a 5-point penalty for that action.
Youre oddly specific.
Anyway!
Lateras voice cracked.
This isnt heaven. And youre not dead either.
Well, thats a relief. Wait, what? Hero?
Yes! This is the Heros House!
Latera replied gracefully, bowing her head. She wasnt wearing a flowing gown but a uniform-like costume. More than looking elegant, she looked adorable.
Nonetheless, I was baffled by what she said.
Whats with that old-fashioned name? It sounds so outdated.
Names like House of Love and House of Hope came to mind, reminding me of welfare centers Id visited in middle school to earn volunteer credits.
Lets say this is the Heros House. Youve mistaken me for someone else. Im no hero.
What?
At my words, Lateras eyes widened in shock.
Wha- Youre not the hero? Thats impossible!
Then, she began to flip through the book. It was the leather-bound book that had just been pushed in front of my eyes.
Here Here! Shiron Prient! Its clearly written here!
Lateras face was already on the verge of tears. With her brows furrowed and stomping her feet in frustration. She looked like she was on the brink of crying. However, I couldnt fulfill her wishes. My true identity wasnt even close to a hero, let alone Shiron Prient.
So, who are you then? Only heroes can enter the heros house.
I dont remember how I got here. When I woke up, I was just here.
Thats because you must have said the trigger word.
Trigger word?
Yes.
Latera closed her mouth tightly and nodded once.
When someone with the qualifications of a hero says the name of a magician that has been erased from the world, theyre set to come here. My senior told me that.
Ah
I sighed deeply. Turns out, I wasnt dead. I was simply summoned here by accident. My head was throbbing, so I pressed on my temples.
So, what are the qualifications of a hero?
Hehe, the hero is quite curious, huh?
I told you Im not.
Ignoring my head shake, Latera pulled out a quill from her pocket and began to write in mid-air. When she turned around, there were no wings on her back. It seemed that angels here didnt have wings.
Its unconditional devotion. Lets see.
As she tapped the air, the characters began to glow. And then, Latera looked in a certain direction.
Following her gaze, far away, there was a single dot. A dot that suddenly appeared in the empty space and began to grow larger.
Vroom vroom.
Now, it was making a roaring sound. It was undoubtedly approaching.
Right in front of my nose, the thing turned out to be a transparent coffin. And inside it, a woman lay.
She didnt look normal. Parts of her arms and legs had turned pitch black, looking like they would break at any moment. Some parts were already shattered.
I knew who this woman was.
Kryie.
Hero Kryie achieved unconditional devotion. She was truly an inspiration for heroes.
Latera said, caressing the coffin.
But, after saving the world, the one who should have been the happiest in the world, in reality, she gained nothing.
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