I Kidnapped the Hero Party – Chapter 21

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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A multiple choice question appeared before me as I faced the Saintess.

Option 1 was described in great detail, and it seemed like a good future awaited even without checking the answer sheet.

‘Well, the correct answer is obviously 1.’

Anyone would shout that option 2 is wrong.

The moment I betray Minerva, my multiple choice ability would disappear.

Minerva herself was the question maker, and I was her follower.

Clinging to another goddess would be considered insane.

‘…But I’m a bit curious about the future.’

Should I just take a little peek?

At that moment, another choice appeared before my eyes.

“…”

Right, since Minerva dislikes it, I shouldn’t look at the answer sheet-

That was what I tried to do, but I was too curious about the future.

With the feeling of sneakily peeking at the back of a workbook, I decided to check the answer sheet for option 2.

…

The Hero’s party successfully defeated the Demon Lord’s.

The Mage didn’t attend the party celebrating the Hero’s party.

And I was quietly guarding behind the Saintess.

“Big brother Jun.”

“Yes, Lady Estia?”

“How do I look today?”

“You look beautiful today as well.”

“Hehe, I knew you’d say that. I hope the Goddess’s blessings are with you today too.”

Saintess Estia was relaxed.

She showed a benevolent appearance and was beloved by the people.

On the other hand, she also showed the appearance of a mischievous child.

Behind such a Saintess, I just stood still.

‘…What on earth is this.’

It was so unrealistic, it was absurd.

Why was I just standing there like a slave?

No matter how much it was my future self, it was behavior I couldn’t understand at all.

As I stood there quietly, other Hero party members appeared from far away.

Luna and Hare.

They had matured over time, and both had grown into unimaginably beautiful women.

Estia saw them and waved her hand, shouting.

“Luna~ Hello~”

“…Hello, Estia.”

Hero Luna.

She just gave a light greeting and passed by, looking at me with pitying eyes.

“Hello to Hare too?”

“Y-You… I’m going to kill you…! I’ll definitely kill you…! Always watch your neck…!”

“Ah~ So you were the one fighting with big brother yesterday? Okay~ Try your best to kill me, Hare!”

Hare trembled with anger, then met my gaze.

She made an expression of deep sorrow and clutched her heart as if in pain.

“Mister..”

Then, as if she couldn’t bear to look anymore, she quickly left the place.

‘This is confusing.’

What kind of relationship is this?

Watching Hare run away, Estia stood up from her chair and approached me.

“Big brother did well yesterday. So I’ll praise you today. Here, your head!”

Should I give my head or not?

It seemed my voice wasn’t heard.

My future self naturally offered his head to Estia.

It felt strange to have someone much younger than me patting my head.

“Big brother. You protected me well yesterday. Thank you.”

“Yes.”

“Then, as a reward, I’ll give you holy water! You really liked it when we first met, right? Come on, open your mouth, big brother.”

“…”

My future self naturally opened his mouth.

White light sprang from the Saintess’s hand, forming a river in her palm.

The river flowed like a stream, pouring into my mouth.

Gulp- Gulp-

I drank as if not wanting to miss a single drop of the flowing holy water.

Right after that, my future self began to tremble.

As if he couldn’t feel his face, he even slapped his cheeks.

Then afterwards, he caressed his cheeks with a happy expression.

The rest of the answer sheet was mercilessly torn, as if it didn’t want to show any more.

…

“Isn’t this insane?”

I shouldn’t have looked.

It would have been better if I hadn’t seen it.

It was hard to bear seeing the broken state of my future self.

Moreover, it wasn’t his body that was broken, but his mind, which made the shock even greater.

“Minerva should have warned me properly…”

“You’re just telling me to hit my own head. Can’t you take a joke, Minerva?”

Bonk-

I hit my own head.

The citizens around looked at me like I was a strange person, but I didn’t particularly care.

‘Well, since I’ve confirmed a future where I break down, the correct answer must be 1.’

Number 1.

Kidnap the Saintess.

It was clearly the correct answer even without looking at the future.

I thought about checking the answer sheet, but I decided to save the second chance to look at it in case I needed it during the process of kidnapping the Saintess.

Then, now I just needed to follow the Saintess and find the right timing…

“Excuse me.”

“…?”

A sensation was felt on my sleeve.

Someone was grabbing my sleeve.

The voice was the familiar girl’s voice I had just heard.

“Lady Estia. You shouldn’t move around carelessly.”

“It’s alright. I have something I want to ask this person.”

“Me?”

“How insolent. To dare speak informally to Lady Estia…!!”

“Holy Knight Eric. Stay still. I said I had something I wanted to ask.”

“…Yes.”

Unlike her benevolent appearance from earlier, Saintess Estia’s voice was cold.

This firm and benevolent current appearance.

The relaxed and mischievous future appearance.

I couldn’t tell which was her true self.

“Don’t mind them. The holy knights are usually sensitive to the outside world.”

“…I see, but you said you had something to ask me.”

“Yes, I just became curious about something. Just a moment…”

Estia trailed off and began to look around me.

She seemed to be observing something carefully, even bringing her nose close and sniffing.

Each time she did this, the holy knights’ gazes became more hostile, but I deliberately avoided making eye contact with them.

“Hmm…”

“…What’s the meaning of a person smelling another person, are you a dog?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I smelled something and unconsciously…”

She said I smelled even though I was sure I washed thoroughly.

Probably the smell the Saintess was talking about was something else.

As a goddess’s apostle, I could smell Grimoire too.

The Saintess must have noticed Minerva’s scent.

It seemed there was a mark that religious people could check among themselves.

“Ah, I understand now. It’s the smell of a kindred spirit. A very strong smell of a kindred spirit at that. May I ask the name of the goddess you serve?”

“Minerva.”

Goddess Minerva.

Her only apostles were me and the owl.

Estia seemed to have heard of her, as she smiled in surprise.

“Ah~ So you’re an apostle of a goddess belonging to the pantheon. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you.”

Bow-

Estia politely bowed 90 degrees.

It was a completely different feeling from her appearance I saw in the future.

After apologizing once, Estia raised her head and suddenly grabbed my hands with both of hers.

“Our goddess order welcomes apostles of all 12 goddesses! So, would you like to come to our church once…?”

“Come to the church…?”

Hearing those words, memories of the past surfaced.

‘Kid, won’t you come to church?’

‘N-No, ma’am! I’m late for my taekwondo class, I have to go quickly…!!’

‘Don’t be like that, just listen for a moment~’

‘Aargh-!!’

I recalled the memory of being scolded by the instructor for being late to taekwondo class.

Actually, what was more impressive was my face pickled in holy water that I had just seen, but.

Recalling that memory, I didn’t particularly want to follow Estia.

“No, I don’t think I can go today because I don’t have time.”

“You don’t have time…? You say you believe in the goddess but now you don’t have time to come to church? Are you a heretic?”

“No, why does it turn out like that.”

“I’m joking. You might not have time to pray today. I understand. It’s okay to visit the church next time.”

Estia stuck out her tongue, creating an atmosphere that it was just a joke.

However, seeing how she had dead fish eyes when I said I couldn’t go to church, it seemed about 50% sincere.

‘For now, not the church right now, but later I’ll visit wearing a mask…’

If I followed her now, I felt like I would be pickled in holy water, so I decided to quickly leave the place.

“Anyway, not today but next time. I’ll definitely visit the church.”

“If that’s the case, thank you! Making apostles happy and comfortable is what our goddess order does. Please make sure to use our services next time.”

Smile-

Estia saw me off with a smile like a cafe employee.

However, why was it that her smile was like an ominous smile as if it would devour me.

“…Well then, goodbye. I’m going.”

“Just a moment before you go.”

“Yes?”

“Can I call you big brother…?”

Jun oppa.

She called me that in the future.

If that’s the case…

“No, just call me mister.”

“…Is that so? That’s a shame. I wanted to call you big brother.”

Smile-

Estia was still smiling, but the ominous atmosphere absolutely did not disappear.

This is scary, I should just leave quickly.

I turned my back to Estia and quickly ran far away.

At that moment, I heard Estia’s voice from behind.

“See you next time. Big brother.”

“…”

I had a feeling like my whole body was chilling like midwinter.

Estia, the Saintess of the Hero’s party.

What was her true self?

Pondering this, I returned home and began preparing to kidnap her.

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At the church.

In her private resting space, the Saintess-in-training Estia shouted.

“Ah, I need holy water. I’m getting tired of acting.”

Her benevolent appearance was nowhere to be seen, and a mischievous girl picked up a water glass.

Splash-

Then, she poured all the water inside onto the floor.

“Estia loves~ holy water~”

Humming-

Estia wet the floor with water while humming a tune.

She was already in a good mood because the happiest time of the day was coming.

However, one regretful moment from today came to mind.

“…That big brother was a bit disappointing. It’s been a while since I met an apostle of a goddess~ If he followed the goddess, he would surely have liked holy water~ I wanted to show him this happiness~”

Divine power appeared in people with sincere faith.

Estia’s divine power was of a unique constitution.

It brought happiness and made worries disappear.

It made one fall into long-lasting pleasure and forcibly replay happy memories in their head.

It was truly a miracle of the goddess.

It was no different from a goddess’s miracle for people living to be happy.

Estia began to fill the water glass with holy water, stretching out her hand.

“Well, he said he’d visit the church later. Should I show him then? Kekeke.”

Splash-

I’m sure that big brother will like it too.

Because holy water is the goddess’s blessing.

There’s nothing in the world that goes against the goddess’s will.

Estia picked up the water glass filled with holy water.

Holy water that was white but contained brilliant light.

Looking at the holy water as if enchanted, Estia recalled Jun-woo’s back and said,

“I’ll soon have that pitiful and desirable big brother, I’ll make our big brother with the rich scent of the goddess happy, so just wait a little, okay?”

Gulp- Gulp-

Estia drank the holy water without hesitation.

Her golden eyes trembled at the approaching happiness, she dropped the glass on the floor, and sat down in that spot.

There was no pain at all.

Rather, only pleasure that made her body tremble dominated her.

“Ah, aah.. Th-This is it… It’s thrilling…”

I’m happy.

People who don’t know this happiness are so pitiful.

People who don’t know the goddess’s blessing are so pathetic.

Estia hugged her shoulders with trembling hands.

Saliva was dripping from her mouth, but it didn’t matter at all.

Because she was happy.

Because she was addicted to happiness.

“G-Goddess… Thank you for… gi-giving me such a blessing today too…”

Estia prostrated on the floor as if praying.

The last companion of the Hero’s party.

The Saintess.

She was a severe holy water addict.

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