The banquet hall was a nightmare of glittering chandeliers and the smell of roasted meats that made Han-eol's stomach turn. He sat in a chair that felt like it was carved from a single block of gold, flanked by the King and a row of high-ranking generals who looked at him like he was a winning lottery ticket.
'I want to go home. I just want to sit on my couch, eat lukewarm takeout, and scroll through Webtok until my brain turns to mush. Why am I here? Why am I the Dawn-Walker?'
He poked at a plate of expensive-looking grapes. Every time his fingers brushed the Holy Sword leaning against his chair, a small spark of white energy hissed against his skin. It was a constant, stinging reminder that his soul was currently tuned to Overlord while his body was wearing Hero gift-wrapping.
"Sir Elian," the King leaned in, his breath smelling of aged wine. "Allow me to introduce the heart of your future party. Without her, the journey to the Northern Wastes would be impossible."
A woman stepped forward from the shadows of the pillars. She wore white robes trimmed with silver thread, and her hair was a pale, icy blue that seemed to hold its own light. Her eyes were a sharp, freezing gray.
"This is Saintess Seraphina," the King announced. "The most powerful sensitive of our generation. She can detect a single drop of corruption from a mile away."
Han-eol felt his heart stop. Not in a romantic way, but in a 'my-execution-is-starting' way. He tightened his grip on the table, trying to keep his mana from leaking.
'A sensitive? You have to be kidding me. I'm literally a walking nuclear reactor of dark energy held together by a Rank S illusion. If she sneezes, she's going to realize the Savior smells like a demon's armpit.'
Seraphina didn't curtsy. She didn't blush. She walked up to Han-eol and stopped less than a foot away. She tilted her head, her nostrils flaring slightly.
"The Prophecy said the Hero would be a beacon of pure light," she said, her voice like cracking ice.
"I... I try my best," Han-eol managed, putting on his best 'I am a brave guy' face.
Seraphina leaned closer, her eyes narrowing until they were just slits of gray. "That's strange. Your light is blinding, Sir Elian. It's so bright it almost feels... artificial. Behind it, there is a smell. Like something burnt. Like old blood and sulfur."
The hall went silent. The King's smile faltered. Han-eol felt a bead of sweat roll down his neck.
'Fuck. She's good. She's way too good.'
"It's the burden of my mission, Saintess," Han-eol lied, his voice dropping into a somber, gritty tone. "I have spent so much time studying the enemy, the Overlord Varkas, that his filth clings to me. I carry the stench of the monsters I am destined to slay so that you don't have to."
He looked her dead in the eye, praying his 'Genius' trait would help him sell the bullshit.
Seraphina stared at him for a long, agonizing ten seconds. Then, she pulled back, though her expression didn't soften. "A dangerous method. If the darkness seeps too deep, I will be forced to purify you myself, Hero."
'Purify me? You mean kill me. She definitely means kill me.'
"I look forward to our travels," she added, her hand resting on a heavy silver mace at her hip.
The King laughed, breaking the tension. "Splendid! The Hero and the Saintess, already getting to know one another. To the Northern Wastes! To the death of Varkas!"
Han-eol raised his golden goblet, hiding his grimace behind the rim.
'Yeah, to the death of Varkas. Which is me. I am literally paying for my own funeral. When does this dream end? I just want to watch a 15-second video of someone dancing. This world sucks.'
As the music picked up, Han-eol realized, He was trapped in a party with a woman who was basically a living lie detector. Every step he took toward the "Villain's lair" was going to be a walk on a tightrope.
'I need to start the Villain act soon. If Varkas doesn't show up and do something evil, they're going to spend all their time looking at me.'