I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

"Good morning, Miss Nero! Here to take on more quests today? You've been so active lately—Axel is truly fortunate to have an adventurer like you. Thank you for your continued contributions to our town," said Luna, the guild receptionist, with a warm smile.

"Umu! Good morning, Miss Luna. Your gratitude is well-received! Feel free to rely on me even more—solving problems for the people is my duty as Emperor. If there are any troublesome quests, don't hesitate to leave them to me!"

"Miss Nero, you're so dependable. If only other adventurers were half—no, even a third as proactive as you, I might actually have some free time to do things outside of work… like, say, dating. Anyway, as it happens, we do have a few challenging quests today…"

Though it was overcast, the day remained stiflingly warm.

The Adventurer's Guild was sparsely populated. Thanks to the freedom of their profession, adventurers in Axel usually only took quests when they needed money. Once they earned enough, they would indulge in leisure until they ran out, then return to the guild to accept more quests.

Additionally, due to the inherent danger of their work—where one misstep could mean death—adventurers preferred to avoid quests involving powerful monsters, even if the rewards were significant.

Nero, however, was an exception.

Not only did she actively seek out high-level monster quests, but she also completed them with astonishing speed.

Some quests that had languished on the board for months, or even years, were taken up and successfully finished by Nero.

Luna still vividly remembered the day Nero completed several of these "pickle quests." Her smile had been the brightest Nero had ever seen—though, during the payout, Luna had clung to the reward money with startling strength, reluctant to part with it.

"Speaking of which, is it just you today?" Luna asked, glancing around in mild surprise. "Aren't Miss Iris and Miss Yunyun with you?"

"Umu! They said they wanted to take the day to explore the town properly. They mentioned that since arriving in Axel, they've been too focused on quests and haven't really experienced the town. They didn't want to leave with only memories of monster hunts and quests—it'd be too regretful."

"That's true," Luna agreed warmly. "Axel may be a beginner's town, but I'd proudly say it's as charming as any other. I'm sure Miss Iris and Miss Yunyun will have a day to remember."

Luna's voice, as soothing as a spring breeze, left Nero momentarily wondering why such a kind and beautiful woman was still single.

Leaving the guild, Nero strolled alone through the bustling streets.

It was rare for her to walk around town unaccompanied. She took the opportunity to observe the lively street vendors and the charming architecture.

"Umu! What a thriving, vibrant scene! Truly, this is Rome!" Nero exclaimed, taking in the energy of the bustling marketplace.

Diligent people, happy people, fulfilled people.

Rome wasn't built from grand cities or exquisite palaces, but by the tireless efforts of people striving for a brighter future.

"Umu! Even in another world, Rome's spirit shines brightly!"

Nero nodded in satisfaction.

CRASH!

As Nero enjoyed her leisurely stroll, the sharp sound of shattering glass pierced the air, drawing her attention.

Not far ahead, she saw a church-like building with a large, shattered window on the second floor. Shards of glass littered the street below, evidence of the source of the noise.

From inside the building came the muffled sounds of angry shouting. Of course, if this was indeed a church, the occupants would be furious. To them, the church represented sacred, inviolable ground under the protection of their deity.

As for the perpetrator of this blasphemy… Nero didn't need to look far.

On the street, standing alone, was a blue-haired girl clutching several stones in her arms. She glanced around nervously, likely having heard the angry voices from within the church.

And then… her eyes met Nero's.

Nero raised an eyebrow, a sense of foreboding washing over her.

What is this idiot goddess planning now?

Before Nero could react, Aqua darted over at lightning speed, a sycophantic smile plastered on her face. She shoved the stones into Nero's hands.

"Hi! Please hold these for me. Don't drop them, okay? Thanks, bye!"

Speaking absurdly fast yet enunciating every word clearly, Aqua turned and bolted.

Barely a second after Aqua disappeared, the church's doors burst open, and several furious clergymen stormed out, veins bulging on their foreheads.

"Umu… framing me, is it?" Nero glanced down at the stones in her hands, then at the approaching clergymen. She sighed, a mixture of exasperation and disbelief. "Why is it that this idiot goddess only shows any semblance of cleverness when it comes to causing trouble?"

The church Aqua had targeted belonged to the Eris faith, a sect that worshiped the Goddess of Fortune, Eris.

Eris worship wasn't just widespread—it was the state religion of this country. Eris herself governed this world, making her far more revered than Aqua, whose domain was limited to Japan. This explained why Aqua handled the transfer of Japanese souls into this world.

Seeing Aqua throwing rocks at the church's windows, Nero had immediately guessed her motives.

Despite being Aqua's junior, Eris was far more popular, and her faith overshadowed Aqua's Axis cult in both reputation and size. Aqua, consumed by jealousy, often spread baseless rumors about Eris.

Her followers in the Axis cult shared her hostility. Darkness, for example, was frequently pelted with rocks and spat on by Axis devotees due to her allegiance to Eris. But, as a masochist, Darkness perversely enjoyed the humiliation, often provoking further ire by declaring her faith in Eris openly.

The leader of the Axis cult once even claimed he could find pleasure in anyone—regardless of gender, age, or even species—except for demons and Eris followers, whom he despised with all his heart.

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"..."

- Gardevoir

(End of Chapter—Support the translator at [patreon.com/WiseTL]!)