Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside - Volume 6 - Chapter Pr

Prologue

A Villain’s Divine Blessing

All living beings in the world, except the Asura demons, were granted a Divine Blessing at birth by almighty Demis. Divine Blessings bestowed strength in the form of levels and skills, allowing frail creatures like humans the ability to fight giants and monsters on equal terms. Were it not for Divine Blessings, people would have perished long ago.

That was what the village priest said to the kids gathered in the little holy church. Children were struggling to sit still and listen, and every once in a while, one would poke the person next to them and start messing around. Among the restless kids, Ruti and Gideon sat quiet and proper.

Rather than thinking them well-mannered, the priest felt unnerved by their maturity.

A charming young boy named Tapp raised his hand. “Mr. Priest! Why do monsters have Divine Blessings? Aren’t they bad?”

Monsters came in many forms, and to say that all were evil was an over-generalization. Still, it was true that the majority of them were harmful, and many savage monsters attacked people for sport, not survival. What’s more, there were beings with blessings that could truly be called wicked—demons. Undoubtedly, everyone had thought at one point or another that humans and elves would be better off if evil beings didn’t possess Divine Blessings.

The priest, whose Divine Blessing was Adept, had asked the same question in this very holy church when he’d been a child.

“The answer to that lies in our own Divine Blessings, Tapp.”

“In ours?”

“Divine Blessings grow when a bearer kills another with a blessing. But if there were only good and righteous people in the world, then whom could we slay? God wishes for us to live more righteously by fighting evil. That is why God gave the wicked Divine Blessings.”

Tapp nodded at the priest’s answer, seemingly understanding. The young boy who had connected with his Fighter blessing proudly declared, “I’m gonna kill even more monsters!”

His blessing was level 3. He already regularly went out with adults to hunt monsters with his spear and bow.

“Excuse me…,” a voice called as a small hand rose in the air. It was soft, yet it still carried a strength to make itself heard, despite the rambunctious kids. Other children quieted down and cautiously looked at the girl that had spoken.

“What is it, Ruti?” The priest recoiled slightly. It was the first time that mysterious girl had ever posed an inquiry.

“What is the reason for impulses?”

“Hm, ah, yes. That’s a good question.”

The priest patted his chest as he breathed a sigh of relief. The purpose of impulses was self-evident, tautological. It was akin to teaching that one and one made two. It comforted the priest to know that Ruti was fairly normal on the inside, even though she was odd.

“As you all know, Divine Blessings have urges. My Adept blessing motivates me to protect everyone’s peace of mind and to use my magic to aid the suffering. It was those impulses that led to my becoming a priest.”

His blessing also discouraged new thinking and prioritized conservative ideals, but the priest decided there was no need to mention that part.

“The Divine Blessings that God has granted us bestow tremendous strength. Our impulses keep us from using that power recklessly and guide us along the path we should walk in life. Obeying your blessing’s urges grants a sense of security in your heart. That is the key to living a happy, righteous life.”

Hearing that, Tapp clenched his fists with determination. He would later go on to beat down all the boys in the village who liked to fight, becoming their tyrannical leader. It all started with what the priest had said.

Undoubtedly, the priest’s words had a strong influence on all the children.

Ruti’s expression remained placid, however.

Time passed, and Gideon and Ruti were now fighting on their own.

Villagers were being evacuated in the face of an attack by the demon lord’s army. At present, Ruti was resting at the feudal lord’s manor.

An inauspicious feeling struck the girl, and she picked up the magic blade that her brother had given her. A single large bat was hanging from the ceiling. Ruti immediately pointed her sword at the creature. In response, the bat grinned and dropped to the floor.

There it transformed into a human and bat hybrid, with bat-like wing membranes extending from its arms. This was an animal transformation skill, but that was not what surprised Ruti.

“You’re…human?”

Her opponent was neither an orc nor a demon. It was a human with an Assassin blessing.

Ruti had never fought against another human before during her journey to stop the demon lord’s army.

The hired killer wielded a sinister, twisted shortsword. It was a brutal weapon that magnified the pain of those cut by it, though to Ruti, it just looked challenging to wield.

A grin formed on the half-bat’s face.

“Pretty girl, those red eyes of yours will make an excellent addition to my collection.”

Ruti didn’t reply, instead listening coolly to the assassin’s little speech.

His present state was undoubtedly a result of the impulses of his Assassin blessing blending with his own desire to imbue his work with a sense of artistry. This man took pleasure in killing people. Thus, he was an enemy who had to fall.

Ruti readied her sword, determined to fight.

The battle ended with her killing the one who had come to take her life.

That day, the Hero’s level rose by 1, for a total of 10.