Chapter 70: Journey to St. Veil

Three days later, at the airfield in the northern outskirts of Saint Rosse Port, a swarm of reporters wielding magical imaging devices crowded frantically around the enchanted boarding gates.

The appearance of Zhao Tianhe and several female heroes sent the frenzy of the press to new heights as flashes erupted from every direction.

“Excuse me! Why isn’t Miss Artoria, the female hero who repelled monsters and saved the public at the swimsuit showcase, part of this group when she was clearly selected?!” one reporter shouted at the staff member leading the group.

Artoria’s name had been dug up by the reporters through inquiries with Braniel and various restaurants.

“Miss Artoria already arrived at the capital last night, ahead of the group,” the staff member replied calmly. “She doesn’t care for such lively scenes. Her role as a swimsuit model at that event was merely to help a friend.”

“Nonsense! Both Artoria and Miss Ele’s boyfriend are on this airship—how could they not be here? Or is it that he’s cheating again?!” another reporter blurted out a string of absurd questions, leaving Zhao Tianhe both amused and exasperated.

“This hero is merely their teammate, nothing more. Please refrain from making baseless speculation and distorting the facts,” the staff member said sternly, pointing at the reporter. “There’s no public relationship among the three. Spreading unfounded rumors could land you in court.”

Deflated, the reporter backed down immediately. The legal team of the Dungeon Association was no joke—crossing them could easily mean a stint in jail. Besides, his questions had all been complete fabrications with not a shred of evidence.

“In any case, you’ll naturally witness Miss Artoria’s grace in the upcoming nationally televised selection. Please look forward to it.” With that, the staff drew up the VIP boarding gate.

Seated inside with several female heroes, Zhao Tianhe and the others all breathed a sigh of relief.

“Ah, I never imagined things would turn out like this this year…” sighed an elven woman with pointed ears. “To be competing with summoned beings, of all things…”

“Yes, but Miss Artoria truly is stunning,” chimed in a healthy, tanned blonde, grinning at Zhao Tianhe. “So, you sly dog, did you get up to everything you wanted with her? Heh heh…”

It seemed this beauty’s sense of humor matched her sun-kissed skin—one word: cheeky.

Yet Zhao Tianhe found himself conflicted by her question.

‘As a man, I’d like nothing more than to puff out my chest and say I did, but… it doesn’t feel right. If I lied and got found out, it’d be even more embarrassing…’ He sighed, then smiled. “They’re not mere summoned beings—they’re independent existences. I can’t force them into anything.”

“No way! With those two gorgeous women?! Are you even a man? Come here—let me check!” The tanned woman made a lewd gesture towards Zhao Tianhe, prompting laughter from everyone on board and lightening the mood.

“Enough kidding around. Even from the broadcasts, you can tell women like that aren’t easily won over.” The speaker was a tall, voluptuous, mature woman whose long silver hair floated gracefully around her. She smiled as she spoke. “She’s probably some kind of heroic spirit, right? Like a totem from your world’s culture?”

This woman, Alanta, was the highest-ranking among them—an A-Class hero, and, like Zhao Tianhe, a formidable heroic spirit from another world.

“Something like that,” Zhao Tianhe acknowledged with a nod.

“So it’s not as simple as dating an ordinary girl, is it?” Alanta smiled knowingly. “Then, do you often make use of the ‘special services’ in the hostel? Staring at such beauties every day…”

By ‘special services,’ she meant exactly what one might think. Being a hero was stressful, and most had little time for romance, so the authorities had thoughtfully arranged outlets for them.

Of course, those perks were reserved for at least C-Class and above—the lowest ranks had to fend for themselves.

Zhao Tianhe would have liked to say that he did make use of them, and frequently, but the problem was…

“I was just an F-Class hero three months ago,” Zhao Tianhe said to Alanta, his expression solemn. “And in a few days, I’ll be B-Class. Honestly, there’s been no time.”

At his words, everyone’s attitude changed; their gazes turned to respect.

“It must have been tough. Even for heroic spirits, that’s an astonishing pace, isn’t it?” the tanned woman asked Alanta.

“Tough doesn’t begin to cover it,” Alanta replied with a laugh. “I started at D-Class, and it took me half a year to reach B-Class—four more years for A-Class. But… as an F-Class heroic spirit, it must have been hard to awaken your abilities, right? To be honest, I’ve never even met an F-Class hero...”

“Haha, of course! There’s only one F-Class in the world!” Zhao Tianhe laughed, nostalgic. “It was hereditary, but that system’s gone now—I’m probably the last.”

After sharing his story, the others took turns introducing themselves.

Aside from the staff, the heroes from Saint Rosse Port participating in the selection were four women:

Alanta, A-Class.
Jelly, the tanned woman, a seasoned C-Class warrior.
Lainia, the elven C-Class, an accomplished ranged archer.
Li Mei, B-Class—a spellcaster with a prodigious bust and an innocent face, whose loose mage’s robe barely concealed her amazing figure. She was every healthy young man’s dream.

As a native, Li Mei’s ascent to B-Class was a testament to her talent; like Jeros, some locals could rival heroic spirits in strength.

The journey to the capital was long—an entire day and night, with a transfer to another airship mid-way.

To stave off boredom for Artoria and the others, Zhao Tianhe summoned them, and together with the group of beauties, they played a card game.

“Three Kings.” Artoria, expressionless, threw down her cards. The game involved swapping and drawing cards, with the highest hand winning. Despite having only learned the rules an hour ago, Artoria had already won five rounds in a row!

“Cheating! You must be cheating! My General and Single King both lost!” Jelly cried in disbelief, throwing down her cards and collapsing in her seat.

“A bet’s a bet. Your vegetable bento is mine now.” Artoria’s gaze was sharp as she shuffled the cards, then stood and asked, “Anyone else?”

Silence reigned—no one dared challenge her further.

“Let’s call it a day. I still have two meals left. I’m not that hungry,” Zhao Tianhe quickly intervened, offering two bentos.

“…If you don’t eat your fill, how will you have strength for battle? But one is enough for me,” Artoria muttered, furrowing her brow in thought before reluctantly taking only one.

At that moment, as her Sacred Sword summoning time ended, Artoria automatically shifted into her Archer King swimsuit form.

“Whoa! That’s so cool!” Jelly exclaimed, sitting up and clenching her fists in excitement. “But it doesn’t have the same impact as the one in the poster!”

“Hmph…” Artoria was clearly displeased by the sudden transformation, so she changed swimsuits again—this time into a sporty style with a jacket.

“Ah, this one feels so energetic! Sis, can you really change clothes at will?” Li Mei asked with curiosity.

By now, Li Mei had swapped her mage’s robe for a simple top, and her formidable chest was impossible to ignore.

Artoria, sizing up the girl who looked even younger than herself and her overwhelming figure, felt a wave of pressure.

‘Damn, what a crushing defeat!’ Artoria found herself missing the sacred lance Rengominiad. ‘If Avalon hadn’t suppressed my growth and kept me eternally youthful, I too would…’

No matter how much Artoria hated to lose, in the face of such harsh reality she had no choice but to bow her noble head.

Zhao Tianhe patted Artoria’s shoulder with a sigh, sneaking a glance at Li Mei.

‘If it’s a contest of size, this girl would take the crown without a fight,’ he mused. ‘Women here are generally well-built, but from Rogue Town to Saint Rosse Port, I’ve never seen anyone this… formidable!’

Noticing their expressions, Li Mei scratched her chin in confusion.

“Don’t worry about it! That’s really above specification…” Jelly said, looking at Li Mei, a little depressed. ‘I thought mine was nothing to sneeze at…’

“A woman’s worth isn’t defined by size! We won’t let men’s standards define us!” declared Lainia the elven archer, leaping onto her seat and shouting, “Women’s rights must rise, we must—”

From her slurred words and flushed cheeks, it seemed she’d been drinking something alcoholic…

And so, amid laughter and banter, they finally arrived at their destination. Upon disembarking, they were met by attendants and escorted by flying vehicles to an exclusive hotel for contestants.

“So this is the once-every-five-years Robert Festival? And it’s in Saint Veil this year?” Jelly whistled at a handsome young man as she gazed at the bustling streets. “Looks like the entire capital’s packed to the brim…”

The annual Female Hero Selection was usually a minor affair, but being incorporated into this year’s Robert Festival made it a major event, bringing it to the capital.

This was why the selection attracted such intense attention, with magazines and newspapers clinging to the Artoria incident and making this journey unavoidable.

‘Hope Jeros wraps up the application soon. I just want to get back to monster hunting…’ Zhao Tianhe thought. He didn’t dislike festivals, but he didn’t care for them either—at heart, he was a bit of a homebody.