Raising Yanderes to save the world

”Did she just say there is a fake hero?”

”Does that mean our current Hero is fake? But then who is the real Hero-”

Ehem

”Everyone, please do not panic. I know that you are all confused by what happened, and I understand it. But this must have been the Goddess’s will as well. She sent us a signal to show us the way. Now, do you have anything to say for yourself, faker? Or, would you give up the title of ’Hero’ right here and now?”

Cardinal Flux was riding the current wave, and he decided to question Leon about it.

Kael wanted to interfere, but he was not sure when he should interject in this conversation without making the situation worse.

Was Leon annoyed? Scared? Or confused?

Seraphina’s words had thrown everyone for a loop. No one expected such a prophecy to come out of her mouth.

”Well, Hero? Do you have anything to say in your defense?”

Cardinal Flux asked Leon even more arrogantly, and Kael decided to interfere and protect him.

However, the second he made up his mind, Leon also spoke up.

”Then, does that mean I can retire?”

People instantly began to gossip and point toward Leon. This was tanking his reputation big time, so Kael decided to interfere and position himself between the people and Leon.

”Well, Leon never called himself a Hero. You are the one who found him and proclaimed him the ’Hero.’ So if you now say that he is not the Hero, then I guess it’s your responsibility to correct it. Does this mean I can head back with Leon and Seraphina now?”

Leon did not even sound concerned by what he had just heard, and Kael noticed Cardinal Flux’s face becoming redder and redder by the second.

He knew he had made a bold move by challenging the authority of the Cardinal, but he also knew he could easily get the public on his side.

And that’s what happened as well.

These gullible people instantly started thinking the way Kael wanted them to.

”Hey, isn’t he right?”

”The temple is responsible for checking the Hero. So if there is a fake, they should have known.”

”Usually, I would chalk it up to coincidence, but isn’t the temple making too many mistakes these days? I am afraid they are no longer as responsible as they used to be.”

The more Cardinal Flux heard these words, the more irritated he became.

Leading a single person astray was usually difficult, but diverting the attention of the masses was easy. All Kael needed to do was plant the seed of doubt in some people’s minds and let it sprout.

From there on, it was up to the people to spread those words. And they spread them really fast.

Kael expected this to be the end of Cardinal Flux. After all, he was a man with a fragile ego who wanted to save face. There was no way someone like him would be able to take the heat from so many people.

But for the first time in his life, Cardinal Flux decided to act like a responsible person and own up to his responsibility.

”I understand that this is a mistake the temple made. That must be why the Goddess chose to send a message to us through her Saintess. However, this also makes it the temple’s responsibility to correct it.”

Silence fell around the room at the Cardinal’s words.

Once he was sure he had everyone’s attention, he decided it was time to finally drive the point across.

”Well, since it is a problem the temple caused, we will also be the ones to correct it. The Goddess’s chosen Hero will be Neil, while Leon will face charges of impersonating the Hero-”

”Those are some serious charges. The temple made a mistake, and they want a kid to pay for it?”

”I knew something shady was going on with the temple. I guess they are trying to bury their filth by doing this.”

People immediately started pointing out the temple’s flaws.

Kael expected this to happen ever since he planted his seed of doubt. Even if the temple had a point, as long as it looked like they had the upper hand, people would find a way to criticize them.

Cardinal Flux knew that as well, and decided to change his plan at the last second.

”-However, seeing how the situation can become confusing, we would like to offer Leon a pardon. A young soul like him can easily be influenced by the path of evil. Leon, if you renounce your title as Hero, no action will be taken against you. So, what will you do?”

Cardinal Flux pretended to leave the decision up to Leon, and Kael could see the anticipation in his eyes.

He was expecting to crush Leon and, by proxy, Kael by humiliating him.

However, Leon did not look even a single bit bothered.

”Finally! I can give up this unnecessary burden. Go ahead and make someone else the Hero. I don’t care for the title at all. So, can we leave now?”

Leon actually looked like he could not be bothered to care about what was happening. He was even yawning while he was being threatened.

The Cardinal, who had been smirking in glee just moments ago, looked as if he had been slapped by Leon’s response.

He clearly had a lot to say, but there were too many people around for him to let his true thoughts out.

Cough

”I guess you no longer have a need to come to the temple since you are no longer the Hero. Now, Saintess, would you please-”

”Hey, wait for me! I want to go back home as well.”

”Saintess-”

Leon was already dragging Kael out of the hall, and Seraphina left her place as soon as she noticed this.

It did not matter to her that she was in the middle of a ceremony or that the Cardinal needed her.

”Hey, you all, stop her! What are you doing? Move!”

Cardinal Flux commanded, but the guards were conflicted. They wanted to follow his orders, but their true allegiance lay with the Saintess.

And in the end, the Saintess won over the Cardinal and left the temple.