The Right Man for the Job

Chapter 4

No.

"Ah, welcome to the Seven Star Church, yes sir!"

No.

"If I had to guess, I would say you are the new Star Axe Hero, are you not?"

Nothing about this was okay.

Surprise, disgust, confusion. These were some of the emotions coursing through me. I saw him in both versions of the manga as well as the anime, but I wasn't prepared to see him. Especially since he wasn't in the Four Heroes Church like I thought he'd be. No, he was the pope of the Seven Star Church.

"...Yes." I replied as best I could.

Before me stood a fat man in small, reflective glasses who reminded me of Beloukas. I remembered reading about him from Reprise, but seeing him in person in priest robes was just too weird. I also thought he was the head of the Four Heroes Church, but I guess I was wrong, or this was yet another difference.

Now, I don't believe they were actually related, but he had the same appearance and mannerism as the slave trader in Melromarc, according to Motoyasu. I haven't met the slave trader yet, obviously, but this was what I imagined he would look like, with a ringmaster outfit in place of the robes and top hat in place of whatever that thing was called.

I felt like my thoughts were repeating, but I just couldn't help it. Registering in the Four Heroes Church was easy enough. He wasn't there, so I assumed it was another difference, and then I came here and got ambushed with this surprise.

"Little man here needs to copy a few of the relics." Khana said for me, tacking on a new nickname, apparently. That was indeed the main reason for coming here. Meeting with...the pope...was something that was expected of me, I guess.

"Of course, of course." The man nodded, his eyes hidden by his shining spectacles.

The rest of our time there passed quickly. I got a few weapon forms, though almost all of them were too high a level for me. Summoned heroes sometimes lost weapon forms from the previous wielder, even if the time between heroes wasn't large, so it wasn't odd I didn't have them. The one that I could currently use was more practical, and wasn't actually a relic but something they had for all the heroes here.

Bracelet Axe
(abilities locked) Equip Bonus: agility 1

The stats and bonus were nothing to brag about, but I could appreciate having this. As it was, I tried sleeping with my armor on—and, thus, my axe on my back—and with my axe in my hand. Neither one was all that great.

After chatting with the pope a bit more—and calming down from my surprise—the two of us exited the church. Khana's party was nearby, along with Lloyd's griffin, who was staring furiously at Hailey. Lloyd was with Hailey and Rato, who had since dismounted, and were talking. In fact, Hailey was eating something out of Lloyd's offered hand.

"Ah!" The hero looked at us like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Just offering your filolial a small treat. I hope you don't mind. I can't raise any with the griffins I raise around."

"No problem." I told him.

"Grah!" The large griffin stomped over and stood over me once more. Instead of doing whatever it was I thought he might, he instead lowered his head and bumped into me.

"Oh. Friendly, aren't you?" I gave the side of his head a scratch.

"Gweh!" Hailey protested, stopping a talon on the ground.

"Heh, heh. Jealous, actually." Lloyd scratched the back of his head. "Draak doesn't like it when I pay attention to anything that isn't a human or griffin."