42 Proposing the Leech-style Mob Life (1/2)

What started it all was a single letter from Alpha. There was only one sentence on the letter.

”If you're free, then come to the Holy Land.”

That was it.

Due to half the academy being burned down, summer holidays began early, so I am indeed quite free. And speaking from experience, Alpha's invitations do lead to fun events the majority of the time, so I set off for the Holy Land the very next day after I saw the letter.

Lindwurm, the Holy Land.

Actually, I've been there once before. It is one of the holy sites of the most widespread religion of this world, The Word. It is a monotheistic religion that believes in Beatrix, the goddess who had granted powers to heroes in the legends.

Getting from the academy to the Holy Land takes four days by carriage. It's within the country, and actually not that far away.

I was torn between dashing there at my full speed or taking the slow carriage as a mob, but in the end decided to diligently be a mob. Everyday decisions are important for character building, is what I told myself while putting on airs in an affected manner.

Now I really want to punch that past me.

I should have just ran. If I did it seriously during the night, it would have taken no time at all.

The result of not having done so is that I am now inside the carriage belonging to the Student Council President, Rose Oriana.

Inside the extravagant and spacious and comfortable carriage is just Rose and me. After taking a cheap carriage to an inn town, I had coincidentally bumped into Rose, who then enthusiastically invited me to ride her carriage. I had refused. I did refuse, but ended up losing to the power of royalty and thus ended up having to go to the Holy Land together with her.

According to her, there's some event called Trial of the Goddess that's going to be held there, and that she had been invited as a VIP to said event. While thinking that that's probably what Alpha's invitation is referring to, I continue listening to Rose.

But it's just that about halfway through, she loses me completely.

”Someone who possesses a heart as gallant as Sid-kun's truly must not die in an incident like that.”

So says Rose with a gentle smile. Un, I'm just a mob, so I'm not gallant or anything, and since when have we been on a first name basis? But no matter, at least I can still understand her up to here.

”The day I heard that you had survived, I felt that it was fate. The fact that the day has come where we can talk with each other again like this surely must be proof that the world has given us its blessing.”

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This is the part around where I start to get lost. I don't even believe in fate in the first place, and what the heck does she mean by 'the world's blessing.' I belong to the faction that sticks up our middle fingers to the world.

”Our path will surely be one filled with thorns. With no one to bless us, and no one to acknowledge us.”

Didn't you just say that the world is blessing us?

”But the great hero in the legends who received his strength from the goddess is said to have been a commoner who built up enough wealth and fame to finally marry the princess of a great country. The path might be full of thorns, but there surely is a blissful future on the far side of it. This I truly believe.”

Is this some religious doctrine? The part where an extreme example, the hero in this case, is raised in order to bewilder the average person is really religion-like.

”Overcoming this time's Trial of the Goddess would be sure progress down that road of thorns. I, too, would be able to tell my father the story of a gallant boy.”

Guess whoever overcomes that trial would be a lucky fellow indeed.

”That path of thorns must be traversed, one step at a time, but as two people together. And thus each step would engender deeper and stronger love that is tied all the tighter.”

So, like a three-legged race? That mentality of helping each other really does sound like a religious doctrine.

”I haven't told anyone else yet, but let's work hard, for a happy future.”

”Sounds good.”

Rose offers me her hand, so I shake it. I really don't know about all that religious mindset or teachings, but I do agree with the part about the happy future. Happiness is important, yep. For me, I mean. What do I care about other people's happiness?

While feeling Rose's fiery gaze and slightly sweaty palm, I silently consider taking a distance from this girl. I don't mean to reject religion, but it's just that the difference in temperature is a bit hard to bear. I think everyone would be happiest if people on fire stick to hanging out with others similarly on fire.