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“So, I’m selling you two some top-grade holy water for 6 gold! How does that sound?”

Didn’t you say last time that you’d give it for 6 gold in exchange for keeping it a secret?

I almost let that slip out but managed to swallow my words and keep quiet.

“Haha… I still have some from last time…”

There was a palpable atmosphere that urged me to buy something, and since it actually felt cheap, I ended up purchasing three bottles… But really, what would an average person even use top-grade holy water for?

The holy water I bought for the hefty sum of 12 gold was merely resting in my bag.

“How about you, Deretia? This is super effective against the demonic race, you know? I think it would be really useful for someone who will someday become a hero like you!”

The hero’s purpose is to defeat the Demon King.

Naturally, on that path, heroes will encounter many demons, and top-grade holy water would certainly be a great help.

But despite that, Selian still showed no interest, not even glancing at it.

“Buying and selling holy water… isn’t that a blatant defilement of the sacred?”

“But even Goddess Serena permitted it…”

Selian seemed just as negative about the buying and selling of holy water as I was.

“Hmm. Besides, once I become a hero, I’ll be supported by the temple anyway. Do I really need to spend money preparing something?”

“U-uh, I suppose that’s true…”

It was quite fascinating to watch Mariel, who was shamelessly peddling holy water even in front of the holy sword and the goddess, floundering before Selian’s impenetrable rejection.

It was clear that Selian was logically cornering Mariel.

“Aren’t we supposed to be the ones protecting the Saint now? Shouldn’t the Saint be providing a few bottles of top-grade holy water for us instead?”

“T-that’s true…”

“To be honest, you said you’d give it for 6 gold especially, right? What’s the basis for that price?”

“Top-grade holy water is hard to come by, even if you donate dozens of gold…”

Mariel tried to argue against Selian’s words at every turn.

But sadly for Mariel, Selian was a much stronger opponent than she had anticipated.

“That belongs in the realm of charity. You can’t lessen the meaning of a noble donation by treating it as mere commerce, especially not from the Saint.”

“Ugh… then how about 4 gold per bottle…”

Excuse me, Mariel! Didn’t you just say it wouldn’t even leave you with any profit at 6 gold last time?!

Sure, there was a buy 2 get 1 free deal back then, but can you really just drop the price like that?

“Honestly, I still think 4 gold is too pricey. Moreover, it feels excessive to stock up on top-grade holy water…”

“3… 3 gold… If it’s at this price, I really won’t have any profit left!”

…She finally came down to 3 gold.

“As far as I know, the cost of making holy water is just for the bottle and water. The divine energy? The Saint has more than enough of that…”

“…2 gold. That’s my final offer.”

“Alright. Just give me 10 bottles. Since I’m buying in bulk, you’ll throw in an extra one for free, right?”

In the end, Selian walked away with 11 bottles of top-grade holy water for just 20 gold.

Mariel was even shaking a bit as she handed over the holy water to Selian in exchange for the gold coins.

Suddenly, I noticed the three bottles of holy water I had stashed in my bag.

Three bottles… 12 gold…

When I looked up, I locked eyes with Mariel sitting across from me.

She stared at me with an empty gaze, as if her soul had been sucked out, but soon her eyes flickered with a spark of determination.

“W-we don’t offer refunds!”

Seeing Selian buy 11 bottles for 20 gold, Mariel’s voice trembled with fear that I might ask for a refund for what I paid much more for.

In the meantime, the way she clutched her bag tightly to avoid having it taken away made it feel as though I was the one trying to rob her.

Selian, what have you done to the Saint?

Looking at Selian, she seemed pleased with the transaction, beaming as she stacked the holy water neatly into a carrier she had brought along.

*

“So, you’re maintaining the divine barrier well, right?”

As Mariel, who seemed untrusting of everything despite being a Saint, finally calmed down, Selian asked.

“Yeah. The demons and demonic beings won’t notice our carriage at all. You don’t need to worry.”

The divine barrier currently surrounding the carriage was a bit different from the one installed in Felches.

It’s a spell that has no effect on non-demonic beings but can perfectly conceal our appearance and traces from demons.

Of course, if we sacrificed stealth, we could enhance durability, but in this situation, there was no need for that.

Fortunately, thanks to the divine barrier, it seemed like the demons were oblivious, and there hadn’t been any attacks from bandits or other monsters so far.

That’s why we were being careless.

Boom!

“AAAH!”

With a huge crash, the carriage, equipped with basic protective magic, shook violently, almost sending us flying.

For me and Selian, it wasn’t a significant problem from our training, but Mariel seemed to have hit something inside the carriage as she clutched her arm in pain.

“Selian! Elysia! Protect the Saint!”

Selene, the professor, shouted from outside the carriage.

Selian and I quickly led Mariel, who could no longer function, out of the carriage.

Even with the protective magic absorbing the shock, the carriage was visibly wrecked when we stepped outside.

It was a relief that Mariel only had some minor bruises.

“Professor Hilfin!”

Disregarding her pain, Mariel ran toward Professor Hilfin, who had taken the brunt of the first attack, his abdomen was completely exposed.

Though he hadn’t died from it, he was clearly suffering.

“Goddess…”

Mariel gathered her hands to pray, trying to ignore the pain in her arm, but Hilfin’s wound showed no signs of improvement.

“Damn it. How did the demons get here…”

Looking around at Selene’s murmurs while facing a demon, I noticed a few demonic beings and demons circling our vicinity.

“Cough cough… This is quite the surprise. I didn’t really think you’d come. If I’d known, I would’ve brought some friends along.”

The weak demonic beings wouldn’t pose a big problem. But the real issue was the demons.

As long as they weren’t top-class demons, Selian and I could manage to handle them. In fact, Selian might be able to easily defeat them.

But the situation wasn’t great.

Aside from one demon still facing Selene, four others were positioned as if they would charge at us any moment.

Even a simple standoff felt dangerous, especially with the Saint, Mariel, behind us.

There was uncertainty whether her divine magic could protect her from the demons.

That’s why we had to direct all our movement toward protecting Mariel.

Naturally, this meant we could only act passively, and given we didn’t know our enemy’s abilities, we would be at an even greater disadvantage.

At least it was fortunate that the demons seemed to have no intention of charging in right away.

Perhaps it was because Mariel’s divine energy was irritating them, or maybe they believed they already had us cornered.

“Selian! Catch!”

As we escaped the carriage, I took out two bottles of holy water I had brought just in case and tossed one to Selian.

She effortlessly sliced through the bottle with her sword, soaking it in the holy water.

I then opened my bottle and quickly poured its contents over my sword.

If the Saint hadn’t scammed me, at least this would provide some minimal assistance.

“Hahaha… Look at those guys squirming.”

“Don’t let your guard down. One of those two in front of us is a hero.”

“Even so, she hasn’t fully awakened yet, has she? Alton, your timid nature is a problem!”

“Well… it is a good opportunity to take out both the hero candidate and the Saint at once.”

Those demons were blabbering aimlessly.

But we couldn’t afford to make the first move.

“Ugh…”

“Professor!”

Despite Mariel’s healing magic showing no effect, Professor Hilfin groaned and pulled Mariel toward him.

He whispered something into her ear, too quiet for us to hear.

“We’ll strike together. If we get the chance, aim for the Saint first.”

It seemed no signals had been exchanged, and as soon as the demon called Alton finished speaking, the demonic beings and demons lunged at us.

I swatted away the claw of the nearest demon, but even beyond my sword blessed with top-grade holy water, I felt a tremendous resistance.

Mariel didn’t seem to just stand by either; she actively cast spells to bless us or block difficult attacks as she fought back.

But we were critically short-handed.

Each time I managed to fend off one attack, another immediately followed, and meanwhile, the demons behind us were inching closer, ready to pounce on the Saint.

Even in a massively advantageous situation, those demons weren’t letting down their guard and were holding back.

“Gah… If only I had drawn strength sooner…”

I could hear Selian struggling behind me.

There was no help to be expected from Selene, and we couldn’t hope for reinforcements.

It was an absolutely unfavorable situation.

And eventually, one of the demonic beings aimed its weapon toward Mariel.

Clang!

“AAAH!”

Fortunately, Mariel managed to block the attack with a hastily conjured barrier, but my and Selian’s nerves were naturally directed toward her.

Taking this opportunity, the three demons unencumbered by the one blocking me moved in on Selian with claws, swords, and magic.

Damn it! The hero and saint are in danger, and where is that goddess?!

“Damn goddess! Do something!”

And at that moment, as if she had heard my voice, a beam of light descended from the sky and enveloped us in an instant.

Slowly.

Slowly, a sword began to descend from the heavens.

The holy sword that had always hung on the wall of the temple now appeared before us.

The demons were shouting something in panic from beyond the pillar of light, but I couldn’t hear them.

In the noise-less silence, Selian was the only one maneuvering through the space filled with brilliant white light, reaching out to grasp the holy sword.

The holy sword descends from the sky,

And a hero is born on this land.