I Became the 101st Hero – Chapter 7

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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“You’re saying you know the location of the relic I’m looking for?”

“Yes.”

Relics.

They were objects imbued with divine power, possessing special effects.

They were also essential for becoming a hero.

Of course, it was possible to become a hero without a relic.

In fact, some heroes wielded powerful stigmas and made their mark without relying on relics. But even then, they were considered incomplete.

A hero’s true power erupted explosively when their stigma and relic synergized.

Ultimately, to reach the ranks of high-ranking heroes, a relic was absolutely necessary.

Not just any relic, but one recognized by the Church as 4-star or higher.

There were no explicitly defined rules, but that was the reality.

Heroes were those who could face 10 hero candidates simultaneously, and high-ranking heroes had to be able to face 100 such heroes at once.

That was impossible without the aid of a relic.

However, in most cases, obtaining a relic wasn’t particularly difficult.

Upon becoming a hero candidate, they received a mass-produced 1-star relic.

Once they became a hero, the Church would provide them with up to a 3-star relic based on their achievements.

And if they were deemed to possess the strength and deeds worthy of becoming a high-ranking hero, it was customary for the Church to assign them one of the 4-star or higher relics in their possession, along with the position of a high-ranking hero.

There were other ways to obtain relics as well.

They could be inherited directly from a mentor, stolen by killing the previous owner, or even found lying on the road, like a stray cat.

But none of those applied to Gwen.

The Church didn’t possess a 4-star or higher relic that matched Gwen’s stigma.

In the first place, the relic that suited her didn’t exist in the known world.

Her relic was hidden away, unclassified by the Church, in a place that was hard to reach without deliberate effort.

A relic that had to be discovered.

But conversely, it meant that if you followed the guide, it wasn’t too difficult to find it and become a high-ranking hero.

That, along with the [Precociousness] trait, was the reason she was popular among beginners and why beginners followed the guide.

But that was the Constellation’s perspective.

Gwen’s situation was a little different.

She didn’t know the location of the relic yet.

“The location of the relic. Don’t you want to know?”

And the Gwen I knew longed to obtain her own relic.

After hearing my words, Gwen stared blankly into the air for a moment.

Then she said,

“But what can I do? It seems my Constellation is against it.”

I expected it. Rather, I knew that the player would oppose her obtaining the relic.

The key to raising Gwen was to delay her acquisition of the relic as much as possible.

It was because of her trait, [Precociousness].

[Precociousness] seemed like a trait with only advantages and no disadvantages. It was just a trait that accelerated skill proficiency.

That might be true for now. But when considering the future, it was a different story.

The risk of [Precociousness] would manifest the moment Gwen obtained her dedicated relic.

The time she had accelerated for growth would catch up to her, and she would begin to age rapidly.

Even though she had only grown a little faster than others, once she obtained the relic and became a high-ranking hero, she would age and die within a few years.

The important thing was that the content of Hundred Braves didn’t end with becoming a high-ranking hero.

The goal was to raise the strongest hero possible, placing them high in the hero rankings, and eventually even nurturing them into a Saint-rank hero. To achieve that, she needed to grow as much as possible before obtaining the relic.

‘However…’

I wasn’t asking the player, the so-called Constellation.

I was asking Gwen.

“What about you? Don’t you want to know the location of the relic?”

What mattered here was Gwen’s decision.

Characters, like Allen, didn’t always blindly follow the player’s commands.

Of course, Allen was a bit of an extreme case.

In any case, Gwen could easily ignore the Constellation’s commands.

And if she had played the game to this extent…

“You’ve noticed it too, haven’t you? That the Constellation isn’t a perfect being.”

Even if you followed the guide, this game had too many variables.

No, it was probably natural for there to be many variables in the real world.

A beginner’s judgment would inevitably make mistakes in the face of each variable.

In the process, someone like Gwen couldn’t help but notice.

“Right?”

Gwen let out a chuckle.

“Even so, it’s rare to see someone speak about the Constellation like that.”

Well, it was only natural, considering I was also one of the so-called Constellations.

“So, what’s your offer?”

“Let me make it clear. I won’t completely believe you until I find out what this ‘trade secret’ you’re talking about is.”

“That’s fine. I just need to get to the trial.”

“No, that means I don’t believe you know the location of the relic either.”

I didn’t expect Gwen to be this cautious.

But she continued.

“However, it wouldn’t hurt to gamble once. As you said, I was planning to go to the trial anyway, so it’s a win-win situation for me.”

I did it.

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Clatter, clatter.

The sound of cutlery echoed through the humble dining table.

There were only two plates, forks, and spoons.

‘Is this enough to fill my stomach?’

The food in this world was generally tasteless.

The crude stew-making method of throwing everything into a pot aside, the ingredients themselves were bland.

I could really feel the difference between the ingredients here and the improved varieties of the modern world.

‘At least it’s better than military rations.’

I finished my portion and put down my spoon.

Then, the innkeeper, who was eating across from me, asked,

“Need more?”

“No, this is enough.”

It wasn’t exactly a taste I craved more of.

As I got up with my plate,

“By the way, Allen.”

“Yes.”

“How long do you plan on staying at the inn?”

I put on my most amicable smile and replied,

“Until I die of old age?”

“Even though I don’t have children, I’m not planning on leaving the inn to you.”

Of course, my statement about staying at the inn until I died of old age was a joke.

It was practically impossible, considering the upcoming events.

Allen Blake had to leave this place soon.

But it was a bit hurtful.

After slaving away at the inn for years, this was how I was treated.

Well, it was only a few months that I actually worked.

“I’m sorry. But I hope you won’t feel too offended.”

“Huh?”

“I want you to go to a bigger city, not just stay in this rural village. I want you to see and hear and experience many things. Even if you come back to the inn someday.”

Come to think of it, he was right.

The innkeeper was a good person to Allen Blake.

Almost like a father figure.

He was also the reason Allen Blake was unable to leave his hometown.

‘He’s definitely a good person, but…’

That’s why I had to leave this place quickly.

Before I became too attached.

I was wondering how to bring it up, and he initiated the conversation first.

This made things easier.

“Actually…”

“Yes?”

“I was thinking of leaving soon.”

He seemed momentarily flustered by my words but quickly regained his composure.

“Where to?”

“I’m thinking of going to Sak first. It’s difficult to reach the Reim Kingdom without going through the capital, Hailen, and I heard Sak is a big city, not inferior to the Reim Kingdom.”

Sak was indeed one of the places I had in mind.

I had things to do at the ruins before that.

“Sak… but I heard the security in Sak isn’t very good.”

“The back alleys are like that.”

For the record, the back alleys of Sak were notorious for being one of the most dangerous places in this world.

“So I won’t even step foot in those areas.”

Actually, I probably would end up going there briefly. But I couldn’t tell him the truth.

“Hmm…”

“It’ll be fine. I even caught a robber recently.”

“That’s true… so when are you planning to leave?”

This was a bit of a difficult question.

But I couldn’t avoid answering.

“Three days later.”

I was scheduled to leave in three days.

It was the result of hastily setting a date because I couldn’t hold Gwen back any longer.

“Three days later?”

“Yes.”

“So suddenly? And just now you were saying you would stay at the inn until you died of old age…”

This time, the innkeeper couldn’t hide his surprise.

It was an expected reaction.

Because I expected it, I had prepared what to say in advance.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking about leaving for a while now.”

This is where Allen Blake’s past came in handy.

“I’m sorry, but I wanted to find my birth parents.”

Allen’s mother abandoned him at the inn after he was born.

The innkeeper took him in and raised him.

“But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. To leave you, the person who raised me, behind. To be honest, I’m still hesitant. That’s why I’m trying to leave as soon as possible.”

“I see… You’ve thought it through.”

The innkeeper seemed saddened by the thought of me leaving.

I remembered him saying he wouldn’t leave the inn to me, so I felt a bit smug. Still, I told him,

“Of course, I’m not going to obsess over finding my birth parents. I’m going to broaden my horizons by seeing the world, like you said. If fate allows it, I’ll find them someday.”

“I’m sure you will find them.”

The innkeeper hesitated for a moment before saying,

“So, should I just say goodbye?”

I appreciate it, but…

I still have three days left.

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“The innkeeper, is he your father?”

Gwen asked while polishing her sword in the room.

“No, he’s the one who raised me after I was orphaned.”

“Then he’s even greater than a father.”

She said that as she lifted her sword and examined the blade.

The lamplight reflected off the sword, casting a reddish glow.

I felt a chill run down my spine for a moment, but I knew she wasn’t the type to harm someone indiscriminately.

“So, did you wrap things up properly?”

“Yes. I even said my goodbyes in advance, so now I can focus on preparations.”

Gwen glanced at me and sighed.

Then she said,

“I thought you would be somewhat prepared when you asked me to take you to the trial. But to think you haven’t prepared at all… I feel a bit deceived.”

“Without your help, it would have taken years, let alone three days.”

It was true.

Gwen shook her head at my shamelessness and stood up.

“Then, follow me.”

“Huh?”

“Three days is not enough time. We have somewhere to go.”

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