Apostle of the Gods

「Speaking of which, under what circumstances did Arti become President-sensei’s disciple?」

「As for me, the conditions were unique」

「Unique?」

「From the start, my father was a disciple of Master」

「I see, did Arti become a disciple on your father’s recommendation?」

「No, my father passed away when I was five. Since then, Master has been my foster parent」

「Ah, sorry… for reminding you of something sad…」

「Please don’t worry about it」

In order to assert what she said, Arti smiled.

It seemed that, Arti lost her mother at the age of three, and her father at the age of five.

After that, Xenovia looked after Arti as she had no relatives.

Rosetta looked like it was difficult for her to ask any more questions, so I asked instead.

「Arti, at what age did you become a disciple?」

「At ten years old」

Arti said she loved practicing the sword by nature, and had always done it on her own.

And Xenovia also taught her at times.

Xenovia probably taught Arti in place of her father, rather than a guidance from master to disciple.

「I was adopted as a disciple after measuring the guardian deity love value」

In accordance with present-day custom, Arti had measured her guardian deity love value at the age of ten.

Thereupon, found out that the love value of Sword God was uncommonly high.

「At that moment, Master asked me if I wanted to become her disciple, for the very first time」

「Hee–… so that’s how it happened」

「Say… Arti, did anything change after becoming a disciple?」

「I started receiving guidance from Master every day」

Until that point, Xenovia had seldom taught Arti, and Arti had constantly trained independently.

After becoming a disciple, Arti was trained to her limits every single day.

As she had become a disciple, naturally there would be instances where she has to fight the Cult.

Arti was likely to lose her life if she were to stay weak. Thus, Xenovia had started teaching proactively.

I decided to tell Rosetta regarding the risks involved in becoming a disciple.

「Rosetta, you said that you wanted to fight the Beast of Calamity together with us right」

「Yeah」

「But, you can still turn back now. I can understand if you feel it is impossible」

「But that is…」

「No, please listen. Rosetta and Tina still haven’t met a real formidable enemy」

It is a question of whether your spirit would break when you meet an enemy that is far superior to yourself.

That is something you wouldn’t know until you’re in that situation.

If your spirit is broken, then it will be extremely difficult to fight against the Demon King Beast of Calamity, Tenebris.

「Once you become a disciple, it will be difficult to turn back」

「That… may be true」

「Even if you become a disciple, if your spirit is broken, it would still be difficult to fight in future battles…」

Even if you force a person with a broken spirit to fight, they wouldn’t be a decent fighting force.

Be that as it may, if you become a disciple, you can’t easily turn your back on the battles.

Even if you aren’t included in the fight against the Beast of Calamity, you would still have to fight against other enemies.

Besides the Demon King, there are many demons and formidable monsters within the Cult.

You would have to continue fighting against them with a broken spirit.

「Honestly, the likelihood of losing your life isn’t exactly low either」I said.

「Of course, the family members who are left behind will be looked after by the Salvation Organization…」

Arti supplemented while bearing Rose in mind.

「That is reassuring!」

Rosetta cheerfully smiled.

「What do you think, Tina? Aren’t you scared?」

「Of course I am scared. I even doubt if I will be helpful」

「Even someone as talented as Tina has such thoughts」

Rosetta was probably implying the fact that Tina has seven gods as her guardian deity.

Even Tina was aware of Rosetta’s implication.

「The number of divine blessings is not equal to talent」Tina said.

「That might be true…」

And then, Rosetta slowly began to open up.

「To be honest, dying in the fight against the Demon King and the Cult is not actually what scares me」

「……….」

As everyone listened quietly, Rosetta smiled embarrassed.

「…No, sorry. I lied. Actually, I am frightened」

「Yes, I understand」Tina said.

「But, the thing I am most afraid of is being a burden to everyone else」

「That too is understandable」

「I feel afraid when I think about how you all might die due to me holding back everyone else」

Thereafter, Rosetta thought a little more, and quietly muttered.

「…No, perhaps the thing I am most afraid of might be betraying everyone’s expectations」

「…That is not hard to imagine」

Even though I thought Rosetta had more potential, she is actually useless. Truly, Rosetta is a disappointment – Rosetta was afraid of Regina and Xenovia thinking as such about her.

And finally, she was also afraid of us thinking the same about her.

Such thoughts are understandable.

I would have stopped her from becoming a disciple if she absolutely didn’t want to be in the face of danger or if she never wants to fight formidable enemies.

Conversely, if she had declared that she didn’t fear death from the bottom of her heart, I still would have stopped her.

Rather, I am more afraid of including someone who doesn’t fear death into the party.

To Rosetta who was thinking seriously,

「I don’t think that is the case though」

Although Tina said that, Rosetta’s insecurity does not reduce.

「Rosetta, listen carefully」

「Yeah」

「I will be frank. Neither I nor Regina-sama, have as much expectation that Rosetta imagine we do」

As I said so, Rosetta looked at me with a little hint of sadness on her face.