I'm the Only Totem in Another World - Chapter 96

Chapter 96: 7 Paladins （6）

Dina’s Special Forces and I moved to the village.

“The Paladins are here!”

“You came to save us!”

“You idiot! Malak-nim summoned them!”

The residents of Martba enthusiastically welcomed Dina’s Special Forces. Somehow, they seem to like them more than when we first arrived.

As expected of the civilized people’s idols and humanity’s last pride, the Paladins.

They would be in the hero’s position if this were an isekai story.

“Are all these people going to the Tribal Federation after the sea monster subjugation?”

Dina, who came to this side after receiving the villagers’ welcome, asked me.

It seemed like she was asking if these people were worth saving to you.

━ They are my followers now.

Of course, they are worth saving.

It’s not because I’m a person overflowing with humanity or because I’m drunk on the job of being a god.

As the number of followers increases, the points are copied. I save people and earn points.

This is a total win-win situation.

━ All followers will be under my protection.

And… I think it’s right to save them if I can. I’m not trying to say something about justice, morality, or belief.

It’s just that I feel uncomfortable. Unless the conditions are impossible, it’s doable, so it’s not right to abandon them and leave to save myself.

I’m sure I’ll regret it someday, saying, ‘I shouldn’t have done that.’ And my mental state will be severely damaged.

It’s better to live as a person who gains small profits and occasionally suffers losses than to wear out my humanity.

“…Are you thinking of rebuilding this world?”

Dina glanced at the crops that had grown strong with the power of the Wind and Rain God. She must have heard the villagers whispering, ‘Malak-nim did it.’

━ I promised my followers victory and glory. I will do so.

Rebuilding. Honestly, I haven’t thought that far. I’m busy subjugating demons, so where’s the time to think about rebuilding?

If I stay here even after the clear, it would be fun to help with the rebuilding or watch it.

━ …

Fight hard, defeat the Demon King, and look back on the world I saved, filled with satisfaction.

Kyaa. What a romantic ending.

At least that’s how all the isekai hero stories I’ve seen ended.

There were some stories where the hero was betrayed and died or died together with the Demon King, but I didn’t like that kind of ending when I was young.

I prefer to survive even if it means being pathetic rather than dying coolly and meaningfully. I think a forced happy ending is better than a plausible bad ending.

You can give that much small happiness to the hero who has worked so hard.

“As your guardian said, you might be the one this world truly needs.”

Dina chuckled and then left, saying she needed to rest because she was tired.

The one this world truly needs… It’s scary that I’m no longer embarrassed by such words.

Time flew by as we each found a place to stay, finished our meal, and took a rest. It’s already evening.

The sea monster subjugation team gathered in front of the lantern to plan for the future.

Rake, Hanna, Dina, Gukbap, Jackson, the Bella sisters, the seven of them surrounding the lantern, it’s like, what should I say, an adventurer party?

It would have been more like an adventurer party if it were in front of a bonfire instead of a lantern, but we can’t even light a fire because of the sea monsters.

“Dina-nim, when did you arrive in Martba?”

Hanna was the first to start asking questions. She seems calmer now that she’s used to the situation.

“Last night.”

“You seemed to be wandering around Martba. Did you see the sea monsters’ base?”

“No. Everyone was tired from the march, so I was exploring the city alone.”

“And then you ran into us.”

Dina nodded.

“Netkama… -nim, do you know their base?”

It was Jackson who asked the question. It’s a little awkward to hear Westerners saying ‘Netkama’ in the Middle Ages.

It’s no wonder everyone has a hesitant expression.

Rake asked me what Netkama meant earlier.

‘So, Netkama… is that what you say when a man pretends to be a woman? What’s a crossdresser…?’

‘What? Then that Paladin is a man, not a woman? How can he be like that…?’

‘It’s even more incomprehensible. Why does a woman call herself a crossdressing man?’

I gave up explaining. I can’t believe it’s this hard to make a barbarian understand the concept of a Netkama.

It might be as hard as making the warriors of the Mongol Empire understand the concept of a vegetarian.

“Yes. They’ve settled near the harbor.”

“How many are there?”

“More than 200. It’s easier to think of them all as warriors.”

Hanna added that they were all carrying weapons.

“200… That won’t be easy.”

“The ones we fought in Quinton were each as strong as a low-ranking demon. The one who was acting as their leader was as strong as a mid-ranking demon.”

Jackson sighed, and Dina looked at the lantern with a thoughtful expression.

━ Asha is the avatar of a god. An avatar is one who receives a portion of a god’s power. She will have power beyond that of a mid-ranking demon.

I mentioned earlier that the enemy we have to face is a force that serves another Loa hostile to me, and their leader is Asha.

I didn’t say things like ‘I’m different from bad Loas’ or ‘I’ll prove that I’m not a bad Loa,’ but everyone seemed to vaguely understand.

The fact that I am the only Loa friendly to civilized people and the possessed.

“…We’ll have to assume this Asha is a high-ranking demon.”

Dina hardened her sculpted face. It was an expression filled with the responsibility and anguish of a leader.

“It might be a bit difficult for the seven of us.”

━ Fear not. I am with you.

Ahem. Seven? I’m here too.

I lightly scolded Dina for her weak words.

I can make ordinary soldiers as strong as low-ranking demons. I can also cast area-wide debuffs to hinder the enemy’s movements and continuously heal allies.

I can even increase the number of allies with Zombie Control if the fight drags on.

“I heard you fought the Dark Cloud Demon. And you survived. There’s nothing to be afraid of, is there?”

Rake, who spoke confidently, also possesses the Meteor Sword, a hidden piece. The Meteor Sword, the rose knife of this world, should be able to cut through Asha’s crab shell.

“That’s right. We’ve even fought the Dark Cloud. What’s a crustacean monster?”

Gukbap chuckled.

“I thought I was really going to die.”

“We would have all died if it weren’t for Dina Unni.”

“My legs wouldn’t move.”

Jackson and the Bella sisters also added a word each. A strong sense of camaraderie could be seen in their eyes.

“…That’s true.”

Dina’s hardened face softened slightly.

Ha, it’s good that the atmosphere has become warm, but…

‘Malak-nim, please respond. Your girl Asha is eagerly searching for you.’

‘Is it truly that my prayers don’t reach you? Has something happened to you? To the extent that you can’t even receive prayers?’

‘My beloved, please let me hear your answer.’

Even in the midst of this, I keep receiving spam messages（voice messages） from Asha. It’s a yandere spam that’s more terrifying than romance scams.

I tried to ignore it and focus on the conversation again, but this time something happened in the Tribal Federation.

‘Malak-nim, it’s Priestess Paya!’

She said that several Soldier Demons had infiltrated the closest village to Symphony under the cover of night.

Tsk. Seeing how busy I am, I’m not sure being a god is all that great.

After telling them I needed to step away for a moment, I transferred my consciousness to Totem No. 2. Totem No. 2 was in Paya’s arms as she flew through the sky on Tteunteuni’s back.

“It’s over there!”

I checked where Paya was pointing. Six Soldier Demons were gathered, drawing something like a magic circle.

Seeing that it had taken shape to some extent, it seemed like it would be completed soon.

This is an emergency.

━ Where are the warriors?

“They’re on their way.”

━ How long do you think it will take?

“…At least seven minutes.”

No good. Too slow.

━ We’ll handle it.

Five should be fine.

“Yes!”

Screech━!

Tteunteuni screeched as if to say he understood. ‘The fundamental power that makes up a spirit is being concentrated in one individual,’ Beatrice said, didn’t she?

As she said, Tteunteuni is getting stronger day by day.

So much so that I wonder if it’s Tteunteuni, not Atomic Rex, who is the evolving monster.

“Let’s go!”

At Paya’s command, Tteunteuni rapidly descended. Paya’s hair and clothes fluttered in the strong wind.

Tteunteuni, arriving above the Soldier Demons’ heads, breathed fire.

Whoosh!

It’s not a fireball like before, but a fire breath.

The Soldier Demons, engulfed in flames, rolled on the ground. The ones who didn’t get hit by the breath charged, but were torn apart by Tteunteuni’s sharp claws.

━ One left.

I pointed at the Soldier Demon who was still scribbling the magic circle.

Tteunteuni spread his wings wide and flapped them. Feathers like blades poured down.

Woo…!

The last Soldier Demon collapsed, turned into a hedgehog.

“We won! Good job! Tteunteuni is the best!”

Paya smiled brightly and stroked Tteunteuni’s head.

━ Good work.

I didn’t know he’d become this strong. At this point, wouldn’t Tteunteuni be considered a level 5 or 6 Paladin?

Anyway, the midnight commotion ended easily.

“Let’s do that.”

“Let’s start in earnest tomorrow.”

When I came back, the conversation was over.

…Rake will explain it well, right?