Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN)

"Masaki-kun, can I count on you for it?"

Asked by my childhood friend, Tachibana Yumiri, I--Masaki Hayato went to a shrine near our school.

I was to fetch a talisman for Student Council.

Dunno why they need it now that third semester is over, but I can't say no to my childhood friend, not when she had so much on her plate already.

"Thou boy over there, pray tell what business dost thou have here?"

A cute girl with colorful hair called out to me.

She's got a weird way of speaking, probably mimicking some sort of anime or manga.

"Oh, I'm here to get a talisman."

"Umu, that is a good thing. Thou look like thou wilt have an agonizing future, do take a lot with ye."

Agonizing... What an amusing kid.

Wonder if I'm just imagining things or is her hair color different from before.

"Sorry, it's actually for someone else."

I could have played along with the little girl miko pretend, but ended up blurting out my real objective somehow.

"Fumu, well fine. This shrine's talismans possess a miraculous quality to them, use only when the need truly calls for it. It shall sweep away thine trouble, although only once."

"Was it only once?"

Shouldn't it have been thrice in that old tale?

"That is the case with three talismans. One talisman for one save, thou see."

Come to think of it.

I walked toward the shrine office while talking to the girl.

"Give this boy a talisman."

"Nn."

A little girl with almost light blue colored hair nodded, wonder if she's the girl's little sister.

My eyes gravitated toward a fortune slip cylinder while waiting.

That reminds me, I always had my fortune taken whenever I came here with Yumiri when we were little.

"Draw one."

I put small change as well as the fee for the talisman on the saucer and drew my fortune.

The fortune stick I drew had a lucky looking number of 77 on it.

"Fumu, 77 is it--a number that signifies thine fate indeed."

The girl muttered as she peeked from my side.

"Here thy go, 77th."

"Thanks."

I read the fortune slip the girl handed me.

[Hit] is written on the spot where either Good Luck or Bad Luck should be. Oh they've got something like this nowadays huh.

Person waiting, forthcome.

Journey, hardships ahead. Consult with friends.

Sought after, hindrances. Better not flustered.

Engagement, on that side. Answer sincerely.

That sure is a lot of incomprehensible words on this fortune slip.

"Talisman."

"Ou, thanks a lot. Are you helping out? What a good girl."

I took a talisman the little girl presented.

Getting my praise, the little girl nodded while puffing out her chest, "I'm, good girl". Little girls are cute. Only my little sister or the baby faced Yumiri could rival this cuteness.

"Fumu, 『Hardships ahead』 is it--go cleanse thyself at the shrine."

The girl which had a once again newly colored hair pointed at the front shrine.

I wonder if this girl is hiding lots of wigs under her sleeves or something.

Since I'm here and all, I tell her, "Yeah I'll do that." after tying up my fortune slip on a branch and go to pray at the front shrine.

It's been awhile since I put my hands together in a quiet shrine like this.

--Hayato-chan, what do you want to be like when you're all grown up?

I had a flashback of my childhood days in my mind.

--Me? I wanna be an adult who saves those in trouble!

Even today, I'm living my life true to those words I declared in my childhood.

"Umu umu, that is a good heart, a rarity among youngsters these days."

"Nn, pass."

I could hear the colorful girl and blue haired little girl having that conversation like they could read minds.

A moment later, light emerged below me.

I saw a magic circle straight from anime under the blinding light.

--Oh crap.

My instinct prompted me to get away but my body refused my command and wouldn't budge an inch.

"Keep that talisman close with thou."

My consciousness was swallowed in the magic circle's light with the girl's words as the last thing I heard.

◇

<Summon><Notification><Confirmation>

When I came to, I was floating in a light blue space.

<Summon><Notification><Confirmation>

Words that feel like lumps of concepts resounded inside my head.

Looks like it's coming from a blue sphere floating in this light blue space.

<Hero><Summon><Confirmation>

The image changed a bit.

Apparently I'm getting summoned as a hero.

My mind is hazy, I can't think straight.

<I><Little Goddess><True>

An image of a little girl making a plea got transmitted to me.

This girl seems to be a little goddess who summoned me.

<Thou><Hero><Appoint>

Apparently the little goddess has appointed me as a hero.

I strive to not desert those in needs and reach out to those who seem troubled, but I don't consider myself anywhere near the level of a hero.

<Thou><Qualified><True>

A keen wish jumped into my head.

Wanting me to believe in the little goddess.

<Salvation><Yearn><Choice>

She wants me to be a hero and save the world.

Despite of that, she still gives me the ultimate choice.

But I can't just flat out refuse the plea of an innocent little girl.

Dunno what I can do to help, but I'll be sure to give it my all.

<Gratitude><Approval><Hero>

An image of the little goddess smiling broadly got transmitted to me.

Oh man, now you're making me blush looking that happy.

<Deposition><Authorities><Pick>

I see, she's lending me powers to save the world as a hero.

I hold my hands over the blue light as the image conveyed to me told me to.

First of all--the power to defeat mighty foes.

A small fragment floated out of the light and jumped into my chest.

--Strongest Pike (Nothing cannot be pierced)

It seems to be a power to pierce through everything.

Then the next power is decided.

Just like before, the second fragment of power came to dwell in me.

--Invincible Shield (Nothing can pierce)

The strongest shield that can guard against any attack.

A power I need to accomplish my mission and to reunite with my little sister and Yumiri.

<Deposition><Authorities><Pick>

The little goddess urged me.

Looks like I can still pick another authority.

She's quite magnanimous.

<Correction><Physique><Warning>

Whoa there, I didn't say fat.

That was supposed to mean generous.

<Acceptance><Correction><Word>

Is the little goddess bothered by her physique?

I held back my laughter while having fun.

<Deposition><Authorities><Pick>

Little goddess urged me once again.

I took my pick after pondering a bit.

Several fragments float around the blue light before one jumping into my chest.

--Unlimited Regeneration (Endless Heal).

An authority that can automatically restore all kinds of wounds even limb loss without magic.

I had considered putting everything into defense since I don't like pain, but since an attack that can get through [Invincible Shield (Nothing can pierce)] wouldn't leave me unscathed no matter how much defense I put in, or so the authority told me, I chose a way to recover myself instead.

<Blessing><Authority><Acquisition>

The little goddess praised my picks.

<Wish><Use><Salvation>

The little goddess wished for me to master the Authorities she lent me and save the world.

That image came up in my mind.

Yeah, just leave it to me. I'm gonna go save the world.

<Caution><Use><Excess>

Apparently I shouldn't overuse the Authorities.

Must be too powerful for humans since they're originally gods' powers and all.

Make sense, even medicine becomes toxic if you don't follow the dosage.

<Blessing><Hero><Hope>

I left behind the light blue space as the little goddess gave her blessing to me.

◇

"We did it, hero-sama has been summoned!"

My hazy consciousness was aroused by an elderly sounding voice and huge cheers.

"Where, am I?"

I recalled the conversation I had with the little goddess in the light blue space as I murmured.

I have been summoned to another world as a hero.

I get back on my feet and take a good look around.

Surveying the surroundings. There's a gigantic magic circle drawn with me in the center inside a solemn temple-like big hall, with men and women in priest clothings outside the circle looking at me. Those priests look dead tired like they're about to fall any moment.

Then, a dazzling group of people tore open a path between those priests.

A beautiful girl around my age, a handsome young man wearing a full plate silver armor like he's that girl's protector, followed by a big-breasted priestess slightly older than me, and an elderly lady with a sharp gaze in military uniform. As for the official-looking men around them, guess the fact that many of them have got beards is the only thing worth mentioning?

Suddenly, several pieces of information came up in my mind before disappearing out.

"Hero-sama, you have our most heartfelt gratitudes for answering our prayers."

The beautiful girl knelt down and greeted me like it was a scene in a fantasy.

I found out the beautiful girl is called Maryest, a princess of Saga Empire, she's a year older than me at 16.

The knight is Jerid of Duke Orisagas house, 22 year old. Looks strong--the moment I thought that, information about how he's level 44 and all the skills he had rapidly streamed in like a chain reaction.

Not sure what's going on here, but having information that should be foreign to me flown into my head feels gross.

The big-breasted priestess behind the princess also greeted me. She's got a really strong sense of formal religious aura to her.

The knight and the military old lady were silent. Or more like, their gazes are scary. Their glaring eyes feel like they're evaluating me, quite unpleasant.

Urged by the princess, I was brought to a parlor inside the temple.

Some old men who look like cabinet ministers and officials were also going to accompany us, but the princess ordered them to disperse. She seems like quite a strong-willed girl.

◇

"I am the 21st princess of Saga Empire, Maryest Saga. By command of his imperial majesty, we have carried out the [Ritual of Summoning]."

At first I thought the little goddess summoned me, but it appears these guys were the one who performed a hero summoning ritual.

On a closer look, the princess's gorgeous blond hair is golden colored.

I've never seen such a fantastical beauty in real life.

Would have been perfect if she were a bit more cordial.

"This man here is silver knight Jerid Orisagas. He's a prominent master fencer in Saga Empire, as well as a candidate for Hero-sama's attendant. Next to him is Sword Saint Burume Julberg-dono. She is a former attendant of the previous hero, she will be in charge of Hero-sama and your attendants' upbringings. Lastly, the lady over here is Parion Temple's priestess Loreiya. She may not have a high court rank, but she's the cream of the crop in holy magic among priests."

The princess introduced me to the three in the room.

But still, Loreiya's sure got a big rack. Since I prefer younger, [that's huge] or [she's probably got stiff shoulders] were the only things that came to mind, but the guys at my class would have kicked a major fuss had they seen her.

"Would it be acceptable if I could have Hero-sama's name?"

"Ah, excuse me. My name is Masaki Hayato. Oh but I guess it's Hayato Masaki over here?"

I forgot to introduce myself till the princess pointed it out.

"Masaki? Is it written like 'Ripping Evil Apart'?"

"Oh no, it's Ma from truth, and Saki like Nagasaki--not like you'd get it though, it's written like ya-Masa and Ki from Kiseki--Princess-sama, do you know Kanji?"

"Yes, we have a few books pertaining Japanese language left behind by previous generation heroes in the Hero Study section of the library."

Come to think of it, we're talking to each other but not in Japanese.

"Now that you mention it, I'm speaking--"

"Saga National Language commonly spoken by the populace of Saga Empire. By God Parion's gift, Hero-sama can communicate with all people in every country, please don't worry."

That's handy.

Little goddess, thanks.

The princess also said, "I believe you can read words as well." and brought a bundle of documents with her.

All of them look like curriculum vitae or personal history. There's more than 100 pieces.

"These are candidates for Hero-sama's attendants. They all have been carefully selected, we would like hero-sama to pick among them. Please feel free to consult to me or Burume-dono."

"--Your highness."

The military old lady--Burume-san interrupted her imperial princess's explanation.

"Your highness will be busy with the lecture for a while, right? Now that we've named each other, I'll take my leave here. Gotta drill those chicks before they could be of use to hero-sama as his attendants."

"I understand. They will be in your care."

This Burume-san is amazing. Her level is the highest at 52 among everyone here, and she moves like someone in her 20s despite being 83. She doesn't look like someone that's older than my grandmother.

"You're coming with me."

"Burume-dono, my mission being an escort to her highness means--"

"The hero this time is a decent one. Your escort isn't needed. And her highness's taken getting pushed down into consideration anyway, am I wrong?"

The knight got mad, "How shameless!", but the princess had no comment, only smiling lightly.

"Besides, it's not like they're going to be alone. Loreiya's here too. A virgin ain't got the guts to get to threesome right away."

Even though she's speaking the truth, my pride took a beating being told that in front of beautiful girls, but since that was her way of showing her trust to me, I didn't talk back.

Seems like life of another world's hero is bit more than I bargained for.