1vs1

"Holy Maiden Sama, we have established contact with the Sword Hero Sama."

In the main hall of the Holy Temple, priests inform Holy Maiden Ariana of their success in contacting the Sword Hero.

"Great job," Ariana responded and inquired further, "What kind of person is that?"

The priests explain, "I heard that, before becoming a Hero, he alone killed the Hobgoblin with their strength."

"Hob... Hobgoblin?" The Holy Maiden was confused

In the past sixteen years, Holy Maiden Ariana has rarely engaged in verbal communication with outsiders and possesses limited outside knowledge.

As the Holy Maiden, her primary mission involves communicating with God.

If she had not become a Hero, communication with the likes of other individuals would be unnecessary.

Still, the prospect of talking to someone one-on-one holds a certain allure for Ariana, as she will be appointed the leader of the Hero group shortly. Therefore, she wishes to escape from her identity as the Holy Maiden and interact with the world openly.

"Hobgoblin," the priests explain, "is similar to a goblin, albeit larger in stature at three meters tall.

These monsters possess the capacity to demolish an entire house with ease. Even a group of class 1 monster hunters can barely hold their own against these creatures, and even sustain damage in doing so.

"Yet, before the Sword Hero was recruited, he alone managed to vanquish this foe."

Ariana acknowledges the report with mild approval, yet remains curious.

"Anything else?"

Following a short pause, the priests continue to offer information.

"The Sword Hero refused our invitation. The hero expressed gratitude to us but stated that protecting his village from further invasions was currently more important. He explained that while defending their family from the invasion of monsters, he nearly lost them. Therefore, he seeks to utilize his newfound powers to secure the physical safety of his loved ones."

After the priests finished relaying information, Holy Maiden Ariana nodded approvingly, exclaiming, "Very good, he seems to be a person of both strength and spirituality worthy of the title of 'Hero.'"

Despite Ariana having yet to witness Anyi's face, she has an outstanding impression of the individual based on the priest's description.

Furthermore, during the conversation, a previously unknown event is uncovered.

"Pope-san," the holy maiden addresses the pope.

"Yes, Holy Maiden sama, I would like to ask what your orders are?" the ever-majestic pope replied with respect.

"According to the will of God," Holy Maiden Ariana affirms with confidence, "In this vast world, numerous Heroes will be birthed.

"Of course, if their motivation is to vanquish monsters, family members should be prepared to endure counterattacks from the creatures."

"Before recruiting them to aid the world, is it not logical to protect their loved ones?"

Pope considers her words for a brief moment, nodding resolutely.

"Holy Maiden Sama is correct, I will now mobilize our forces to safeguard the Hero's family's affairs."

...

On the second day, a messenger from the Aldrich Theocracy arrived at Anyi's home in the morning hours.

The messenger was accompanied by increasing numbers of individuals, riding elegant carriages, proclaiming their desire to relocate to the Theocracy's major metropolis while dwelling within the Assel family's residence.

Anyi, who felt resolute yet remained honest, decided to accept the offer as this was the outcome he desired as well.

He expressed his intention to assist his village's recovery process with housing repairs on the previous day, thus leading the Theocracy's senior leadership to deploy forces to safeguard his immediate family.

In his previous life, Anyi functioned as a solo hero. He rarely engaged with other people, while only possessing basic knowledge regarding the activities of the Aldrich Theocracy.

If they truly desire to achieve positive outcomes for humanity, Anyi expects them to comprehend that his home nation requires protection.

He does not wish to rely on the Theocracy for safety if the leadership harbors ill intent.

Yet, his current situation presents him with the option of relocating his family to a comparatively safe city, which provides a similar outcome.

The Theocracy's proposition has concluded, but Anyi ponders the real issue, which is successfully convincing Assel.

Anyi's father rejects the notion of relocation with force, exclaiming, "I refuse utterly! Moving to a large city... I refuse 10,000 times over! Who will protect our village after we leave?"

"Our religion has dispatched the most elite soldiers, who are responsible for safeguarding the safety of the village in question."

"If you deploy numerous soldiers to this area, why is a relocation necessary?" Assel inquired while crossing his arms, his expression displaying hesitation.

The messenger continues to appeal to Assel, explaining the advantages of relocating to the Holy City.

"Please, this is one additional step to ensure your safety, so I hope you can move to the Holy City."

"Impossible! This area is my home from birth until my final breath, I cannot go anywhere!" Assel adamantly rejects the idea.

Elza remains silent but observes the situation.

Annie experiences confusion but is ultimately open to moving to the metropolis.

For her, safety is only provided by the presence of Anyi, who has twice rescued her from the siege of their village.

If Anyi chooses to remain in the village, Annie will stay too.

Still, Anyi desires to vacate for a while and return for an extended period.

On account of this, Annie is unable to remain calm and wait while situated within the village.

If she moves into the large city, safety would become more guaranteed than remaining in the original settlement.

Therefore, Annie deems it beneficial to relocate alongside her parents, as she and Anyi share this opinion.

Anyi requests the messenger to exit the house shortly, urging them to converse as a family in private.

The messenger, after a moment of silence, agrees and exits the room.

As soon as the messenger leaves, Assel queries Anyi, "How are you planning to proceed, Anyi? Despite the village's hazardous condition, it is imperative to accept responsibility! If we flee to the city as evacuees, wouldn't that indicate a significant lack of responsibility towards our fellow villagers?"

Anyi calmly and quietly looked at him. 'Remaining here is not a responsible choice for the safety of my mother and sister. If a monster enters, would you take responsibility for dragging them to their deaths?'

Although he wishes to say this, upsetting Assel at this moment would prove futile and a waste of time.

"One decade." Anyi's tone changes, utilizing a pleading voice, rather than the calm demeanor he typically displays.

"We will return, but, please, grant me ten years. Within these ten years, I will neutralize the Demon Lord and evict the monstrous inhabitants of this world. However, since eliminating monsters simultaneously with protecting your safety is not possible, I shall permit you to reside in the City in absolute security. I shall only be able to prevail over the monsters after this point, without holding any worry."

Anyi and Annie unite, with the latter supporting the former's contention and speaking firmly to Assel.

The older gentleman, stunned for a lengthy duration, subsequently breaks into laughter and responds, "Ha ha ha ha ha... Excellent! As the children mature, they begin to deride their father, don't they? Beyond this, Annie can no longer be regarded as a minor, as she is growing into an adult. Regardless, the two kids have allied themselves, to face against me!"

Assel grins and shifts his focus to Anyi, proclaiming, "Anyi! I shall not hide from this challenge! Since you desire me to leave, we shall partake in a fair and honest duel! A one-on-one combat! The ultimate confrontation between men! Surrender! I shall vacate this village!"

In response, Anyi displays a serious demeanor and remarks, "Excellent."