"So, you''re letting me go now?" I asked, a hint of skepticismcing my words.


    "Ho ho, if you say it like that, your words can be misunderstood, you know, sir hero," the Pope replied with a chuckle, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.


    "I told youst time, right? I don''t like speaking in riddles, right?"


    Guessing the implication of my words, the Pope sighed and shook his head, his expression betraying a mix of resignation and understanding.


    Even if he denied confining me to this kingdom, he knew for a fact that it wasn''t entirely true.


    The number of times I had requested to leave over the past few days had been strictly blocked by him. And even after pledging my alliance and connection to the church with Elena, he still had multiple high-ranking Temrs monitoring me.


    Some priests and staff even acted as spies... Just how paranoid was this old man?


    "You are truly blunt with your words, sir hero," he remarked, bowing his head slightly in acknowledgment. "I sincerely apologize if my indirect actions have caused you difort, sir hero... This may seem like a lie, but it was all for your sake…"


    "Yeah, sure…"


    Making a cough at my nonchnt answer, he then stood up, his movements deliberate and purposeful.


    "Your journey is about to unfold, sir hero, but that doesn''t mean you have to do it alone. Just like the tales of old, the hero needs hisrades. The demons alone aren''t your only enemies, after all. Having trustedrades by your side to make decisions and take actions that don''t restrict your role as a hero is much needed. As you may be the light of this world, but you''re walking in constant darkness," he said with a slight hint of excitement, as if relishing the opportunity to share his wisdom.


    I could then hear a flurry of footsteps entering the grand hall from the side as therge door swung open, revealing a group of people.


    The first to enter was a man with brownish skin, carrying a gigantic ck axe behind him. One nce was all it took to recognize him as being from a barbarian tribe.


    The sheer amount of muscle he exposed made it seem as though he werepletely naked. His imposing tattoos,bined with his menacing face adorned with scars, exuded an aura of power and strength.


    Then, from his side, entered a very short man. Judging from his slightly pointed ears and very big beard, he was probably a dwarf. He was holding a shield and a heavy hammer, his sturdy frame suggesting a formidable warrior.


    Next to him stood someone I was quite familiar with—Isabe, the apostle of love. Was she nning to join my party, or was this something the higher-ups had decided? I already had Elena in my party, though, so I didn''t think any more priestesses or saintesses were needed.


    When she looked at me, she avoided my gaze, her cheeks flushing slightly. Even though she was blindfolded and couldn''t see, the way she acted made it seem like she could fully perceive the world around her, as always.


    ''Mom you didn''t interfere right…?''


    For some reason I had a feeling the only reason Isab was here was because of mom.


    As I looked at the other two joining, my eyes slightly widened in surprise.


    "Yo!" a voice I was quite familiar with boomed, carrying a manly atmosphere. With red hair that seemed to ze like an inferno and crimson eyes, he could easily be mistaken for one of those demons from Japanese games.


    But despite his appearance, he was probably the kindest person here... Alex Darja, one of the few friends I made back in Estelle Academy. It had been truly a long time since Ist saw him.


    "Alex?" I eximed; my voice filled with surprise… ''as always, I was a great actor''


    "Surprise? Hahaha! Before you ask me any questions about how I got here, please don''t, because I don''t even know myself. All I heard was that the Emperor ordered our patriarch, and now I''m here. I hope we get along as always, Adria— I mean, sir hero! Hahaha!" he said, his enthusiasm contagious.


    With a smile spreading across my face, I shook his hand firmly. "With you around, I guess I don''t have to worry about pure firepower."


    "You bet!"


    And then,stly, I looked to my side, and a very unexpected yet somewhat expected person appeared.


    "Hello…" she said quietly, her voice carrying its characteristic sleepy tone. With light blue hair reminiscent of a pure, gentle sky-blue color, and a gigantic witch hat adorned with ornaments, she held onto her staff and a pillow beside her.


    It was the sleepy witch, Be Raiseinler, once the top student of the magic department back at Estelle Academy.


    Our rtionship was strange—we weren''t exactly close, nor did we hate each other. So, seeing her again just felt awkwardly familiar.


    So, these five were my new party members. If you added my already existing party of Elena, Aria, and Louise, we would be nine in total. Wasn''t that a bit too much for a hero''s party?


    As I nced at each of them, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of both excitement and apprehension. Each member brought their own strengths and quirks to the table, but whether we could all work together harmoniously remained to be seen.


    I don''t know about the first three, but Alex and Be, along with my fiancé''s, are enough to sustain a good party.


    So why did they n to get these other three along? Isabe can be understood, in a sense, that she was probably more versatile when ites to team fights than Elena considering mom made her, her siantess, but the dwarf and the gigantic man are a problem.


    ''Tristan would''ve been a better choice honestly.''


    Now that I think about it, why wasn''t he the one who was rmended here? Did Siena prevent it?


    Shaking my head, I dismissed such useless thoughts for now. I could just ask Alex about Tristanter.


    He seems to also be wanting to ask me something, I just hope it isn''t anything about Aria….


    "Sir hero, these are all your party members who will be joining you on your journey. Ladies and gentlemen, would you be so kind as to introduce yourselves?" one of the priests who apanied them shouted with a loud voice, surprising everyone.


    As the priest''s words echoed through the hall, a sense of anticipation filled the air. It was time for each member to step forward and reveal their strengths, their backgrounds, and perhaps even their reasons for joining this perilous quest.


    Though from what I knew from the information Elena gave me during their meetings, it seemed the world leaders had simply decided who was the most skilled and strongest in their regions.


    I thought they would bombard me with each and every one of their citizens, but I guess only the truly strong countries managed to implement one of their people into my party.


    The gigantic man then walked forward. "My name is Buka, son of the chieftain of the ck Wolves, Kavin. As a warrior, it is the greatest honor to apany and help you on your journey, sir hero," he said with reverence, kneeling and punctuating his words with a firm fist against the floor.


    This man was more honorable than I thought. Honestly, I had expected him to act more like a savage, but I guess judging a book by its cover truly was wrong.


    Next, the dwarf came forward towards me. "Hey kid, so you''re the hero?" he asked rather openly. "Tsk, tsk, for the hero to be this thin, you should eat more meat, kid," he said quite brazenly. Was he insulting me or not? Judging from his actions and words, he was probably just being honest, albeit bluntly so.


    "Please do forgive Sir Darius for his words, Sir Hero... Dwarves as a whole just have a very unique way of speaking," the priest rified, adjusting his sses nervously.


    "Hahahaha, I guess I forgot to introduce myself. My name''s Darius Emerald. I''m one of the few dwarven warriors left in our country. Nice to meet you, kid. Oh, and did my words offend you, kid? No worries, my intentions mean no harm. I''m just trying to state the truth. As someone born from the great Kuru, the god of the earth, we dwarves can never lie," he said,ughing heartily.


    "I see…" I replied, somewhat taken aback. If this is just how he naturally is, I guess I don''t mind... I don''t even mind if he dies as we go along...


    "Isabell—" Isabe began to introduce herself, but I cut her off.


    "You three don''t need to introduce yourselves," I stated firmly, as I looked at Alex, Be and Isabe.


    "Ok"


    "Sure"


    "As you wish"


    All three of them spoke simultaneously


    "I hope you don''t mind the excessive amount of people joining, sir hero," he said, his words carrying weight. "As the kings and queens of each country discussed which individuals would be permitted to join your party, we ended up selecting the best of the best, those whom we were sure could aid you on your journey."


    The pope''s voice then chimed in, its resonance cutting through the air. Instantly, the five individuals standing behind me shifted, their deference to his imposing presence palpable. I couldn''t help but reflect on my own initial encounter with the pope, remembering how I too had felt a need topose myself in the face of his undeniable aura.


    "Well, I can see that," I responded, my gaze sweeping over the five figures behind me. My eyes lingered on Alex and Be, both already renowned for their exceptional skills in their respective fields. Be, in particr, seemed to emanate a newfound strength, her presence exuding confidence and power. It was evident that the decision to include Buka and Darius in the party was met with pressure, likely from various countries vying to invest in my sess.


    With the inclusion of the five new members, it became apparent that our departure would be dyed. Training as a cohesive unit in groupbat would be essential, adding anotheryer to our preparations.


    Now, with them among us, our partyposition consisted of two vanguards in Darius and Buka, two mages in Aria and Be, a summoner Louise, and two main damage dealers in myself and Alex. Isabe and Elena filled the roles of support, rounding out our lineup.


    While our party boasted formidable strength, its bnce was questionable. I couldn''t shake the feeling that wecked effective ranged attacks, especially considering our reliance solely on spells.


    Despite my reservations, I decided to put them to the test. Since they were all gathered here anyway, why not assess everyone''s abilities firsthand?


    Gathering at the training grounds, I observed as the five individuals readied themselves, each assuming unique stances and activating their abilities.


    They awaited the signal to begin our practice skirmish.


    It would be just Elena and me versus the five neers for now. As I looked over the assembled group, I couldn''t help but feel a twinge of uncertainty.


    Would they live up to my expectations?


    [Authority: Sword of light (Activated)]


    ''I may not look like it but I certainly am strong… especially with the progress I had with my swords skills, I''m confident I wouldn''t lose''


    Not long after that I lost miserably…