I Just Wanted to Avoid a Gruesome Death, But Everyone Keeps Holding Me Back - Chapter 2

Schedule: Wednesday and Sunday

The three heroes stood before the dais, poised to address the High Priest. He, seemingly moved by the collective awe of the throng filling the hall, began to commend their deeds, his voice thick with emotion. “…And so, for the grace of the Gods in delivering these three heroes unto this land, we humble mortals offer our deepest gratitude. Therefore, oh, heroes three!” So overcome was he that his final exclamation ended on a slightly strained note. “Seikan Perdian! Reynard Mason! Helion Ziek! On this occasion, let those who have long awaited your return hear your voices!”

As the High Priest’s lengthy tribute concluded, the picturesque man with short silver hair and blue eyes, kneeling before him, raised his head. Seikan Perdian. The first sword of God, the least p*rverse of the original male protagonists, yet so ridiculously strong he’d often leave Hestia aching all over. He parted his perfectly sculpted lips. “I…”

At the sound of his captivatingly deep voice, the hall held its breath, anticipating his next words.

‘Yes, say it quickly. Say you want to stand by the Princess’s side!’

‘Say you love her, or want to be her knight, just say it!’

My heart pounded in my chest.

Then, it happened. The azure pools of his eyes, fixed on the dais, shifted.

“…Huh?”

I’m not particularly self-centered. There are simply too many beautiful people around for me to develop delusions of grandeur. Yet, even I couldn’t deny it—Seikan’s gaze locked onto me with unwavering certainty.

‘Why? Why are you looking at me now?’

“High Priest, I…” Staring directly at me, though I must have appeared no larger than a shrimp from that distance, Seikan’s lips slowly parted. Behind him, still kneeling with heads bowed, Reynard’s green eyes and Helion’s violet ones followed the slow lift of Seikan’s chin, their gazes also settling on me.

Thump, thump. My heart began to race, its rhythm erratic, caught off guard by their unexpected behavior. Seikan’s lips twitched, a beat of hesitation, before he spoke with resolute conviction. His clear, resonant voice filled the majestic hall. “For too long, in my pursuit to save countless lives, I have neglected my own personal desires. If the High Priest and His Majesty the Emperor permit, I wish to cast aside the mantle of hero and embrace the simple joys of an ordinary man.”

Seikan’s words weren’t far from what I’d expected. But the problem was… why was he looking at me while saying them, and not at Hestia? “I share the same sentiment. Not as a hero who saved the empire, but as a man harboring affections for a certain woman, I wish for my feelings to be acknowledged here.” Reynard’s words followed, and then Helion’s, “Though it may be presumptuous, I too feel the same. Having contributed to the long-awaited peace, this humble servant dares to voice a simple dream. I, Helion Ziek, wish to confess my lowly affections to a certain woman.”

Helion’s declaration, too, aligned perfectly with the scenario I had long envisioned. But…

‘Look away! Look the other way! Say that while looking over there!’

I frantically wiggled my fingers, trying to remain inconspicuous.

‘Not here, over there! You’re supposed to say that while looking at Princess Hestia, you fools!’

I pointed at my eyes with two fingers, then gestured towards Hestia from beneath the folds of my priestly robes. My desperate attempts to direct their attention with my lips went unnoticed by the three of them. No, they actually turned their bodies towards me. And then…

“Adelina!” Seikan’s booming voice calling my name made me bite my lip.

‘Is he crazy? Why is he calling me at a time like this? Did you drink the Monster King’s blood or something? Is that why you’ve lost your mind?’

With his naturally loud voice, he shouted my name in the stunned silence of the hall. “Adelina! I, Seikan Perdian, the First Sword of the Temple, on this glorious occasion marking the Monster King’s demise, ask for your hand in marriage! Be my partner!”

“Reynard Mason, the Second Sword of the God, at your feet, Adelina…”

“Helion Ziek, the Third Sword of the God, and…”

“Helion! I was speaking!” The three handsome men, their expressions previously solemn, now raised their voices, their bombastic declarations dissolving into a squabble.

I recoiled from the absurd, unbelievable scene unfolding before me, only to bump into something and halt. “So that’s how it is.” It was Priestess Leah. Her tear-filled eyes gleamed ominously.

‘So that’s how what is?’

Priestess Leah clasped my hands tightly, her voice trembling. “The power that saved the world was love, after all.”

‘No, it wasn’t! I don’t think that’s it!’ A shiver ran down my spine, and I squeezed my eyes shut. Then, a sudden thought struck me—how would the original female lead, Hestia, react to this situation? I looked up towards the dais. “…Uh…”