Chapter 4 That Goddess crafts a clever plan.

Among the Four Great Gods, three had already chosen their heroes after declaring their wager to defeat the Demon Lord.

Only Goddess Eruza had yet to select a representative, her hero remaining elusive.

Some whispered that Eruza no longer cared about the conflict between humans and demons and had distanced herself from the other gods. Others speculated that her chosen human might have perished before being revealed.

For three years, Nos endured in silence, concealing her identity as she lived the life of an adventurer.

…From a girl to a young woman, she rose to Silver Rank after completing numerous missions, often accompanying the goddess's women beyond the boundary.

Earned rewards and advanced in rank with ease.

At first, others doted on her as the youngest adventurer in the city, but as she grew older and quickly surpassed the Bronze Rank, jealousy began to cloud the eyes of those around her.

Not all adults were Silver Rank or higher… after all. Nos had clearly outpaced many of them.

Even the goddess, under her guise as El, a Guild staff member, became the subject of rumors.

Some accused El of using her charm to manipulate skilled adventurers into helping her younger sister advance without effort.

Though it seemed like a cheat, El technically broke no rules. Nos had fulfilled the required number of missions to meet promotion criteria, and none of her team members had ever lodged complaints.

The goddess used the Memory-Erasing Grass on everyone connected to those women who came too close. Nos sometimes wondered if Eruza secretly cultivated the toxic herb somewhere. How else could she have so much of it?

However, the local adventurers didn't take kindly to her, viewing Nos as a child with connections but no real skill.

No one had ever seen the full extent of her power.

Even Nos herself had never seriously fought a demon alone. On rare occasions, when a mission group seemed on the verge of failure, she would subtly lend her strength during the chaos to turn the tide.

If she were to evaluate herself, Nos believed she was already at Gold Rank.

The other Heroes also seemed to be at Gold Rank, each achieving many performances. Yet, in the past three years, none had come close to the Demon Lord.

This mystery—where the Demon Lord was and why he hadn't acted despite knowing of the gods' chosen heroes—remained unsolved, even by Goddess Eruza.

For now, Nos continued to train tirelessly, waiting for the day her goddess would permit her to reveal her abilities and step forward as the Final Hero.

"I saw a young female adventurer today, about your age," Eruza remarked upon returning home.

Nos froze at the words.

Every time the goddess spoke of a mortal, it meant one thing…

She had a new target in mind.

And this time, someone her age?

The curse that required Eruza to take a new partner every seven days had persisted so long that Nos had grown numb to the ever-changing faces of the goddess's victims. But this one… this was harder to accept.

"Do you expect me to learn something from someone my age, My Goddess?" Nos asked, her tone laced with a hint of bitterness, though her face maintained its usual smile.

Eruza wasn't one to take an interest in mortals unless they served her purpose.

As Nos imagined what the goddess might want, her thoughts could only veer toward that sort of thing. What did that girl have that she didn't?

If they were the same age, if they were both women, if the goddess needed someone to ease the curse, why couldn't it be her instead?

Her eyes widened in shock at her thoughts.

It was true she had grown up enough to understand such things, but... to think of the bedchamber... with the goddess... She had never dared to imagine anything like that before.

"I don't intend for you to learn anything from her. I only thought you might want something called a friend," Eruza replied, removing her guild staff uniform and hanging it by the door.

Nos glanced at the goddess for a long moment before continuing the conversation. "I'm your tool, My Goddess. Do I need friends?"

At least she felt some relief knowing Eruza didn't see the girl in that way.

"Then think of it differently. You might not want a friend, but you'll need allies—people you can trust when it comes time to face the Demon Lord." Her tone was steady as always, offering guidance. "I've taught you much already. Perhaps the time is nearing when you'll..."

Nos barely registered the words. Her thoughts wandered, unbidden, to memories from her childhood.

The image of the goddess's bare form emerged vividly, as though etched into her mind. Her alluring curves, a face overwhelmed with desire, and her long, blue hair cascading over delicate, vulnerable places…

It made her feel… as though something was swirling in her stomach like she was reliving the first time she had ever seen her goddess.

The image of Eruza, suspended between divinity and corruption, stirred a deep, hidden desire, to help complete what felt incomplete.

"Little girl," the goddess's voice called her from her daze.

"..." Nos immediately straightened, swallowing the thick lump of guilt in her throat.

She shouldn't have let her mind wander…

"I said you should start finding allies on your own," Eruza repeated, her piercing blue eyes reflecting the dark-haired girl before her, a hint of reproach in her tone. "I'll introduce you to that girl."

Even her stern expression was mesmerizing…

The girl Eruza introduced was a new adventurer, a Bronze Level Five.

She looked like she had just registered at the Guild, standing alongside a group of similarly aged boys who seemed ready to take on their first mission together.

By fifteen, they were officially considered adults, though their bodies still had room to grow. It was also the age when most youths began taking responsibility for their own lives. With the strength and vitality of youth, the Guild actively encouraged boys and girls around this age to join and take their first steps as adventurers. That explained why so many teenagers in the city, dreaming of an adventurous career, came to register around fifteen or sixteen.

But how could these kids be considered worthy allies to face the Demon Lord? She would have to train them from the very basics!

Eruza was tricking her into making friends…

"No," Nos declared, marching straight to El behind the Guild counter.

The teens behind her furrowed their brows in confusion at Nos's sudden actions, but none of them followed her to listen in.

"To understand the strong, you must also understand the weak. Simply killing demons won't fulfill my purpose," the goddess said. Her words carried no true goodwill for Nos but rather a hidden intent behind her actions. "You are my tool; you must obey me, mustn't you?"

"...Fine," Nos murmured, nodding softly.

"Little girl," the goddess's voice softened. "From now on, show your full abilities, and I will use the divine voice to proclaim to every temple that you are my Hero."

The goddess's Hero...

Her Hero...

Nos felt her face flush with heat.

"I won't let you down, My Goddess," she declared eagerly, her smile widening.

Even though the mission involved escorting these teens beyond the boundary, she felt closer than ever to becoming truly useful to the goddess.

Whatever it took, she would do it!

"We're the Black Rabbit Group. Nice to meet you, Nos," said the only girl in the group of trainee adventurers, grinning as her new teammates returned to their seats.

"My name's Chubb," said a stout boy, introducing himself.

The others followed, stating their names in turn, though Nos didn't bother remembering most of them.

Including the hero herself, there were now four teenagers seated together on the recreational chairs in the Guild's Hall.

"So, what mission should we take? If it's another herb-gathering quest like yesterday, I'll die of boredom," Chubb grumbled.

"Sorry… about suggesting the herb-gathering thing,"

"Don't fight amongst yourselves," the one who seemed to be the leader interjected, then turned back to the girl who had just apologized. "It's not your fault. We're Bronze Level Five, after all—just registered yesterday. Other than helping people in town, there's not much we can do yet."

"But Nos is Silver Rank, right?" the stout boy said, glancing at the silver badge engraved with a "2" pinned to her collar and the lily-emblazoned sword at her hip. "I read in the Guild rules that we can take higher-level missions if we have a high-ranking teammate."

Nos simply smiled, letting them discuss and decide without offering any input.

"That's not safe," the girl countered. "And besides, Nos is..."

"..." Silence fell over the group for a moment.

After a pause, the large boy, lacking any tact, blurted out, "Is it true what they say? That you're Silver Rank just because your sister works at the Guild?"

The Black Rabbit group echoed the rumors they'd heard that Nos's rank was a fraud, elevated solely through connections.

In a city teeming with adventurers near the boundary, Nos was well-known as the girl who had joined the Guild at the minimum age and climbed the ranks at a shocking pace.

Her badge now displayed Silver Rank Level Two, meaning she was just two steps from Gold Rank. Considering she had achieved this in only three years, it was nothing short of astonishing.

"Mm-hmm," Nos replied with a smile.

She didn't bother denying it. Everything she had now came from the goddess, so there was no reason to refute the claim.

Besides, they were all the same age, yet she had far surpassed them in accomplishments. No matter how they rationalized it, they likely wanted to believe that Nos wasn't truly talented, that she had just been lucky.

And Nos agreed. She was the luckiest person in the world.

Because out of countless people across the three kingdoms, Goddess Eruza had chosen her and her alone.

How could anyone call that anything less than extraordinary?

"Hahaha! You admitted it so easily," Chubb laughed, slapping his thigh in amusement. "But we're not weak either! Let's take a demon-slaying mission. We can handle it!"

The stout boy, impulsive and reckless, seemed to lead the group's disastrous ideas, yet the other two didn't object. Perhaps they shared his confidence—or maybe they simply wanted to rise through the ranks as quickly as Nos, who was their peer.

Nos's blue eyes scanned her teammates' equipment. Their weapons seemed impractical, and she doubted they carried any potions or herbs for emergencies.

Still, this played right into the young Hero's hands.

The goddess had granted her permission to use all the skills she had trained in. Nos herself was curious to see how far she could push her abilities against demons.

To venture beyond the boundary, the group selected a mission from the Guild's task board and handed it to El. After receiving their permit, they brought it to the city gate guards, who stood not far from the Guild.

Their destination was the grassland beyond the herb forest, a common gathering place for low-level demons.

It was also the very spot where Nos had first encountered demons.

"You know, El and Nos may not look that alike, but both of you are so striking. You're siblings," the girl from the trainee group said, attempting to make conversation as they walked through the densely wooded area.

"Mm-hmm," Nos replied with a single hum, her All-Seeing Eyes scanning the surroundings for any threats.

"I heard your sister likes women. Won't the gods curse her for that?" the rude boy continued, clearly fishing for something to say.

Same-sex love wasn't widely accepted, though it was often overlooked in professions tied to the boundary. People in the city understood that adventurers risked their lives against demons and were less inclined to criticize the preferences of those who walked so close to death, far from the gods' favor.

The idea of being cursed for loving the same gender usually came from those in safe, sheltered environments who had too much time to impose their narrow classes of love…

"El just doesn't like men, that's all," Nos replied seriously this time.

Which god would dare curse Goddess Eruza? The thought was laughable.

"What a waste," he muttered before grabbing a red fruit hanging from a low branch.

He studied it briefly, likely thinking of keeping it as a snack.

"How did you guys gather herbs yesterday?" Nos ask.

"I memorized what the herbs looked like from the Guild's notice board," the group leader admitted. "But we didn't earn as much as I thought we would, even though we tried hard."

This boy didn't seem arrogant or boastful. If he'd agreed to join a Silver Rank mission, it was likely because of the significant difference in monetary rewards…

"You'll need to learn more than that," Nos said sincerely before nudging Chubb. "That red fruit you picked, it'll make your body sluggish for a while if you eat it. I wouldn't recommend putting anything unfamiliar into your mouth."

Hearing that, the rude boy immediately tossed the fruit to the ground.

Originally, it wasn't a serious issue. If they had remained at Bronze Level Five, they would have gradually learned how to survive beyond the boundary through experience.

However, their impatience and lack of foresight could easily place them in danger.

Nos began to doubt whether she should bring them to face demons at all...

But this mission was assigned by the goddess, and so Nos's feet continued moving forward, following the Black Rabbit Group leader's lead.

Before long, they emerged from the herb forest.

The sunlight and open plains seemed to invigorate the group of adventurers, prompting them to sprint into the clearing. Predictably, such reckless behavior drew the attention of every demon in sight.

Typically, high-ranking adventurers wouldn't waste time in this grassland. If they didn't need materials from the area, they would rent horses from the city and rush straight through, leaving the demons to regroup at the same spot later.

But this group, on foot and brazenly exposing themselves like that… Were they asking to be killed?

Nos sighed softly, though the faint smile never left her face.

"Those are… demons..." The girl trembled as she locked eyes with the vivid red gaze of a nearby demon.

Their hands shook so violently they could barely grip their weapons.

[ #$%&@ ]

The strange sound Nos always heard emanated from the nearest demon as it charged toward the frozen group, ready to take their lives.

In a single leap, Nos activated her blessing to enhance her physical strength. She shot forward like an arrow, slicing cleanly through the demon's neck, severing its head from its shoulders.

The lily-emblazoned sword danced through the air as Nos deftly carved vital parts from the demon's body. Its sharp blade, amplified by her incredible speed, sliced cleanly through bone.

The moment her feet touched the ground, she propelled herself with powerful legs toward a spotted demon nearby.

Every skill forged through the countless women of the goddess, combined with the Hero's Blessing and her finely tuned senses, allowed Nos to analyze the situation and anticipate her enemies' movements with accuracy.

To push her body to its limits without restraint made the young Hero feel free.

Flowing as swift as the wind…

Striking with the sharpness of stone… Chasing her prey like a raging flame…Taking lives with the cold precision of water…

The grassland could have turned into a pool of demon blood if their bodies didn't dissolve into the air upon death.

Nos aimed to extract every valuable piece from their remains, but two or three slipped through her calculations, leaving her less than satisfied.

Clearly, there was much practice she needed.

She gave her sword a firm shake before sliding it back into its blue scabbard as the battle ended.

"...You didn't even use your blessing, did you?" One of her teammates finally spoke, their voices tinged with awe and fear at Nos's superhuman abilities.

"I did," Nos replied while healing her muscles, which had struggled to keep up with the strain of her movements.

It seemed she would need to increase her physical training further; otherwise, her abilities would outpace what her body could handle.

"But you didn't use any of the four elements," Chubb said, still stunned.

In the previous situation, moving her body proved faster than directly using the four elements. However, Nos had, in fact, employed the Earth Blessing to pin her targets to the ground and the Wind Blessing to enhance her speed. The tall grass had merely obscured these actions, leaving the trainee adventurers unaware.

The Hero of Goddess Eruza stepped back slightly, trying to avoid overwhelming them further.

"Let's just drop it," the other girl exhaled, realizing her reaction had been inappropriate. "Thanks for helping, Nos. We overestimated ourselves from the start… and even… underestimated your abilities."

Nos said nothing in response.

The Black Rabbit group leader bit his lip, then relaxed, dispelling some of the tension. "And what about all these materials? Are you planning to take them all to sell yourself?"

There was a glimmer of greed in his eyes, though a trace of conscience held him back.

Nos considered the question for a moment before replying, "...I'll give them to you. We'll divide them equally."

"Really?!"

"Why?"

"There's one small condition…You have to spread the word about my skills." Nos reasoned this would align with the goddess's plan.

Eruza, having anticipated the eagerness of trainee adventurers to tackle higher-level missions, had clearly orchestrated this situation. Throwing Nos into the mix ensured they would seize the chance to hunt demons alongside her.

And it worked as expected. During their shared journey, Nos proved herself in front of witnesses, slaying numerous demons and collecting their remains as evidence. By the time they returned, their hands were full of demon parts to sell at the Guild.

El had devised a plan…Nos's teammates were to spread the word, letting it reach the adults curious about the immense profits from a single trip beyond the boundary.

The message would be clear: Nos was not only skilled but also possessed a noble heart...

The goddess likely intended to repeat this strategy several times before publicly announcing Nos as the Hero at the Temple of Lily.

By then, Nos would have earned widespread recognition, and her reputation would have been redeemed from the rumors that painted her negatively.

It was as if El had poured fuel in advance, ready to ignite a controlled blaze that would spread perfectly.

The benefits for the goddess were twofold. Not only would she gain acclaim as a beacon of hope in the fight against the Demon Lord, but the negative perceptions about her would also gradually diminish.

This, in turn, could buy the goddess more time before the next degradation forced by her curse. Perhaps, if Nos continued to excel, it might even lead to breaking the curse entirely.

Her goddess…

She truly knew how to extract every ounce of value from her tools.