I had already killed a Demon King???
That would mean I was a veteran (Grandpa), a Demon King Killer—and yet, he looked me up and down with visible confusion…
"But then why does Big Brother Hero look weak???"
Perhaps emboldened by my previous softness, Clara's eyes—now shining with a mixture of confusion and lingering admiration—scanned my form…
I looked down at myself…
I was in casual clothes: a black and white hoodie, comfortable jeans, and sneakers…
I looked like I was out for a weekend outing in a park, not like a legendary warrior destined to face the [Black Calamity]…
Even from the perspective of a Medieval Civilization I felt Lacking…
"Ummm, Saintess???" another young priestess muttered cautiously, her face troubled…
She really felt the Saintess was being too naughty today…
Was she trying to anger the Hero???
"Ohhh???
The Saintess baby is so bad…
Let me teach her a lesson!!!
How dare you question the Authority of I, the Hero-sama???"
I said it in an affectionate, mock-threatening voice…
Amidst the crowd's collective exclamations of surprise, I reached down, scooped Clara up into my arms, and twirled her around…
I spun her fast enough that her white robes flared out like the petals of a lily…
She let out a genuine, high-pitched giggle, her laughter echoing through the hall for the first time in what must have been years…
I let her go after a few spins, setting her back on her feet…
"Ahahaha!!!
Big Brother, stop!!!
Clara understands…
Clara won't do it again!!!" she said, stumbling slightly as she felt dizzy from the ride…
She clutched my sleeve for balance, her eyes bright and full of life…
"Humph, now you understand my Terror…"I harrumphed like atypical Tsundere though it looked awkward but others didn't know it so nothing happened…
The others in the hall also sighed in collective relief…
They finally understood that my mood was good—I wasn't the cold, distant "Hero" they had feared…
Of course this was just an Initial Impression…
After a little play, I let her go and asked gently…
"So the name of our baby is Clara???"
"Yes, Clara is Clara Despond…
And Clara is not a Baby…"
She said, regaining her composure and giving a formal bow although I ignored the last line…
It was a noble's greeting, but it had a few clumsy mistakes, likely due to a lack of practice in a world where "etiquette" had been replaced by "survival"…
I frowned slightly at the name, but quickly smoothed my expression so she wouldn't see my displeasure…
Why Despond???
My voice was cold as I voiced the question telepathically to the Goddesses…
Iridia answered me immediately, her voice heavy with the same disgust I felt…
"She was the last survivor in a village near the outskirts of Valroy…
She was found amidst the ruins, seemingly abandoned by her parents during the flight…
The soldier at the time who rescued her gave her this name at random…
A name for a child born of despair…
However, the Child still developed the highest affinity for faith…"
I sighed inwardly…
To name a child "Despair" and then ask her to be the beacon of hope for a kingdom was the ultimate irony…
It's so disgusting…
I looked at the Old Priest impassively, who nodded at me, mistaking my silence for readiness to move on…
"Please come with me, Lord Hero…
We still have to meet the Queen, and then the Banquet is prepared in your honor—"
I interrupted him the moment the word "Banquet" left his lips…
My voice was gentle, so as not to scare Clara, but it was as firm as iron…
"I can meet the Ruler of Valroy, but there will be no banquets…
People are dying outside those walls every hour, and I didn't come here to eat so called fancy food and bear those idiotic nobles…
Prepare maps and guides for me immediately…
I will depart for the frontlines within an hour…"
My cold commanding tone vibrated through the hall, silencing the priests…
I didn't mind being a big brother to Clara but that's not the same for others…
After all, a hard working Good Baby is not the Same as some Old priests or some corrupt aristocrats…
Yeah, it's a Face World and everyone likes beautiful things…
Clara looked up at me, her eyes wide, remembering that the "Weak-looking" brother was, in fact, the Hero she and the others had summoned…
He was the Hope coming here to free them from the Abyss of Despair…
But of course Clara was still worried about how the Queen would act…
Thinking so Clara was a bit hesitant while the Priest who knew more about the current Depravity of the Royal Family was even more troubled…
Idiotic Nobles???
Thought the old priest as if he could see disaster coming a mile away and sighed imperceptible invisible to others other than myself…
I noticed this detail and gave a wide grin away from the others…
It would be fun…
Hehehehehe…
And so we started our Journey to the Throne room…
And so we started our Journey to the Throne room…
Through long corridors and gaudy decorations and hastily travelling Maids and an annoying number of guards, we finally reached The Throne Room…
The double doors of the Throne Room, forged from heavy oak and reinforced with dulling silver, swung open with an unpleasant noise perfectly showing how unnecessarily opulent the nobles of this time are living even in such an emergency time…
I guess no proper Human Geniuses rose unlike in other novels where MC is usually stopped by many people as even Military has all kinds of crazy outspoken geniuses and yet the gate alone has told me that not much has changed…
I hope it's not too bad…
With little hope, we entered the Door…
Inside, the sight was a testament to human denial…
In a world turning to ash, the nobility of Valroy had retreated into a cocoon of silk, velvet, and gold…
'Of course the Opulence was Max…
No matter what is happening outside, their fat bellies never seem to decrease in size…'
I sighed secretly for the Nth time and prepared for another disappointment…