'Eh? What the hell are you saying, Sarah?'
Perhaps I heard wrong, but did this Priestess just reveal my Hero identity to the Adventurers?
Yeah, I must have heard wrong...
"He is the one and only Hero, prophesied to save the world! Show him your reverence!"
My eyes widened, and it took all of my willpower to maintain my calm demeanor.
'What the heck is she spouting? That isn't in the script, Sarah!!!'
There was no way I wanted anyone outside this town to know of my Hero identity—at least not until I had enough stability to actually get shit done.
Why the heck did she think I took on the Monika of Dragon Slayer instead? Did she ever wonder about that?
'Of all people, to the Adventurers? They're supposed to deliver my weapons to me, yet you're telling them something like this?!'
What if they ended up keeping the goods to themselves while operating on the notion that the Hero was kind and benevolent?
I wasn't running a charity here.
Just why did she have to ruin everything?!!!
"H-Hero...?" I heard a stuttering feminine voice.
It sounded familiar, and it came in the direction of the Adventurers, so it was easy to guess who the culprit was.
"Y-you are... the Hero...?" The young Adventurer's eyes were now widened, and her body kept shivering for some reason.
I nearly gave a deep sigh of exasperation.
'Look what you've caused, Sarah! This is why I wanted you to keep shut!'
"T-the Hero?!"
"For real?!"
The other two Adventurers were also recoiling from their shock, and now everyone knew what was up.
I couldn't deny it any longer, else that would simply ruin the mood.
Plus, a Hero never lies—and that would just ruin the whole aesthetic I had going with the people of this world.
'If I deny it, Sarah will also look like a liar. I can't do that to my favorite fangirl...'
Just by the sacrifices I was making for these people alone, I could feel the heavy weight of being a Hero.
I could see their gazes converge on me—expectations glimmering in their eyes. I knew it instantly.
'Looks like I have to give a response... and I have to give it now.'
It was bothersome, but...
"Greetings, Adventurers from Dulum—Asa, Liebert, and Gu. I welcome you to my humble abode. Indeed, I am the Hero."
... I had to do what I had to do.
"A-ahhh!!!"
"O' Hero!"
"Great one!"
The three instantly took to their knees and prostrated before me with absolute fervor. Their voices were loud, and the trembling of their body told me how much they revered the Hero persona.
'I mean, the denizens of this world must have been told the stories of the Hero since they were kids. It's probably like that group of people that was promised a Messiah...'
One was to obtain my Earth Dragon Weapons.
There was no way I would let go of something I had kept my hopes on for so long.
'I don't care if they think I'm a Hero! They're gonna cough my stuff up!'
As for the second thing I would like to achieve...
'In the previous timeline, these three left the Adventurers City and joined me. If I play my cards well, then it's possible that they do the same again.'
After going through their Character Info, I learned a couple of nice things about the three.
Especially one in particular.
It would be nice to have them under my rule—no, it was a necessity!
"Please, rise to your feet. I have only done what is expected of me as the Hero. In fact... I have not done nearly enough for this world." My voice trailed off in a thoughtful manner.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see them disagreeing with my words.
"N-no way, H-H—I mean, Sam! You've done more than anything we could have imagined!" Sarah stuttered with overflowing emotions.
"Y-yes! You saved a lot of lives in Dulum too! We are eternally grateful. Even now..." Asa defended me too.
Being modest truly paid off.
'By the way, if you guys are eternally grateful, then where are my weapons?!' I silently gritted my teeth while staring at the rising Adventurers.
None of them were with any sac that could contain my goods. Besides, I wasn't sensing any powerful Mana emanating from them, so there was no way they had used a Magic Item to store them.
'So why are they here? Where's my stuff?'
I certainly hoped they weren't here to give stupid excuses like;
*
"W-we're sorry, but an accident happened and—!"
*
There was no way I would be accepting something like that.
Still... the fact that none of them were talking about it made me feel like they were waiting for me to ask.
'Arghh! So annoying. Now that I've been revealed to be the Hero, I can't use my 'Tyrant Vibe' on these guys!'
Sarah really messed up this time.
I had to forgive this slip-up, though. Since she did it with pure intentions, she was justified.
Plus, with the ecstatic way the Priestess was currently staring at me, there was no way I could punish her—even if I wanted to.
"We greet the Hero with absolute reverence." Asa and the others slightly bowed once again.
'Urgh! Enough already. Just hand over the goods!'