Chapter 66

"Meaning... Lord Riroi is a priest?"

"Lady Titia is the Pope...!?"

Kent and Cocoa were so shocked that they trembled violently. While Riroi was one thing, they never imagined Titia would be the head of the country. She’s such a cute girl; I can understand their shock very well.

Titia approached Kent and Cocoa, knelt down, and looked them in the eye.

"I’m sorry for keeping it from you. ...Riroi and I are working with Sharon to reclaim the Grand Cathedral that has been taken over by Rodney."

"The Grand Cathedral..."

Kent clenched his fists and took a deep breath slowly. He slightly lowered his head, probably thinking hard about what to do.

The battle to reclaim the Grand Cathedral would likely be intense. At their current level, it would be difficult to stand a chance, and in the worst case, they might even lose their lives. It’s not something to be decided lightly.

...Once we finish leveling up, it might be best for Kent and Cocoa to evacuate to another country. Once they reach a certain level, they should be able to travel without any problems. They could even go to a neighboring country and change their class to a swordsman. As I was thinking this, Cocoa suddenly placed her hand on Kent’s shoulder.

"Getting so worked up isn’t like you, Kent."

"Cocoa, you..."

"Anyway, you’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you? I think it’s fine, too."

Cocoa, chuckling, seemed to understand Kent completely. Childhood friends aren’t for nothing, after all.

Kent, determined, raised his head.

"We’ll help Lady Titia too! ...We’re still weak and unreliable, but we’ll train with Sharon!!"

"Yeah. This is the country where we were born. We can’t let it fall into the hands of bad people!"

"――!"

Titia and Riroi were taken aback by the decision the two had made. They didn’t expect them to agree to follow after being told the truth. Titia, looking as if she had swallowed her tears, clasped her hands at her chest.

"I accept your resolve. ...Thank you."

In response to Titia’s words, Kent shook his head and smiled.

"No, we should be the ones to thank you... for always protecting our country. I do want to travel and see the world, but I still love this country."

"I’m glad to hear that."

With that, we decided to formally form a party and discuss our plans. Essentially, nothing would change from what we’ve been doing.

Level up, change classes, and reclaim the Grand Cathedral. And I will enjoy the scenery of this world! Titia and Riroi won’t be able to travel with us, but Kent and Cocoa want to see the wider world.

--- Well. The question we need to consider is how much to tell Titia, Riroi, Kent, and Cocoa.

The game knowledge I possess isn’t something to be shared lightly. It’s like introducing a completely new concept.

...However, if we’re to reclaim the Grand Cathedral with a small group, skill adjustments are essential.

As I thought about this, I looked at everyone’s faces. Even though we haven’t known each other for long, Kent and Cocoa seem much more resolute. Titia and Riroi are determined to fight for their beliefs. In other words, they are trustworthy companions, in my opinion.

I looked at Tarte, who was drinking tea, and spoke.

"Tarte. I’m thinking of having everyone do the bracelet quest."

"Sure thing, nya. I think these four will be fine, nya!"

"Yeah. I think so too."

Tarte seemed to agree with me. We nodded at each other and decided to talk about the <Adventure Bracelet> and how to acquire skills.

"Can all four of you swear to keep what I’m about to say a secret?"

"「――!?」"

My serious tone made the four of them catch their breath. Riroi was the first to speak.

"...Is there information that serious, Sharon?"

"There is. It will change the world, I’m sure."

I gave a sly smile, and Riroi swallowed hard, clearly eager to hear the information.

"―I swear. I will never reveal what I hear from Sharon."

"I will swear, too."

Titia was the first to speak the oath, followed by Riroi. Then, Kent and Cocoa nodded in agreement.

"I swear, too!"

"I swear as well!"

With all four of them nodding, I began to explain about the bracelets and skills. At first, they had a "no way" expression, but gradually their faces became serious.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, that’s impossible... No, so that’s why Sharon could use multiple skills from the beginning!"

"Indeed, that explains why Sharon is so exceptional..."

Kent and Cocoa, holding their heads, said, "We have no choice but to believe it." They knew about my skills at a low level, so they believed me easily. Titia said, "That’s amazing!" with pure belief, but Riroi looked slightly skeptical. Well, I hope he’ll be shocked by the bitterness of the <Skill Reset Potion> later.

"So, let’s all change to our secondary classes first. Then, we’ll reclaim the Grand Cathedral. It should be fine, as we can level up in a few days."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait? A few days?"

"Yeah. You can change to a secondary class at level 40, right? Kent, you can become a <Knight> or a <Shield Knight>. After <Knight>, you can become a <Dragon Knight>, and after <Shield Knight>, you can become a <Heavy Knight>. Consider these options when deciding your class."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait? What? <Dragon Knight> and <Heavy Knight>? Can you really become one that easily? No, wait, I can’t keep up..."

Kent kept repeating "wait, wait, wait?" He was in a state of confusion.

"Well, it’s understandable to be confused. If you’re focusing on the party, I recommend <Heavy Knight>, but <Dragon Knight> has high damage and can fight solo."

"That’s not the point!!"

However, to become an awakened class like <Dragon Knight>, you need to be level 100, which is quite challenging. You need to consider the hunting grounds and, most importantly, get good equipment.

As I was thinking, Kent let out a big sigh, "Haaaaa."

"There’s no point in being surprised by Sharon anymore."

"Right."

Kent and Cocoa were drinking tea and nodding. Tarte and Riroi were also nodding with good smiles.

"In Cocoa’s case, you can become a <Wizard> and then an <Archmage>, or a <Word User> and then a <Song Mage>."

"But, to become an awakened class so easily... I’ve heard that in each country, only a few people can do it..."

"There are only a few...!?"

Cocoa’s words made me realize that awakened classes are much rarer than I imagined. But dungeons haven’t been explored much either...

Once we reclaim the Grand Cathedral, it would be good to take some time to discuss the <Adventure Bracelet> information with Titia and the others. If more people start exploring dungeons, it would improve the flow of items and materials.

For now!

We decided to aim for level 40 and work hard. Kent also asked for some time to sort things out, which was a big help.

Thank you for the short story! If it’s not a main character, I always struggle with who to choose, so this is very helpful.

I will take it into consideration!