How did things end up like this.
Before my eyes, I could see people praying in front of my home.
Some of them had even left offerings.
They were mostly sweets.
Apparently, I'm being worshipped now.
I've basically been relegated to the role of some local land deity.
How did things end up like this.
If we trace it back step by step, it all started with the bandit hunting.
I'd pretty much wiped out all the bandits in this area, but one time I happened to run into some adventurers.
It was probably a quest to clear out bandits, too.
Yeah, they saw me hunting bandits dead to rights.
Thanks to that, I think word spread among the adventurers that there's a spider monster out here that takes down bandits.
See, I'd been secretly threading ultra-fine threads throughout the town.
These threads are so thin they're almost invisible to the naked eye, but they're incredibly tough and hard to cut.
I use them like a string telephone to pick up sounds and conversations from around town.
I figured if I listened to enough conversations, I might eventually pick up the language of this world, so I gave it a try.
Well, I still don't understand a thing, though.
Anyway, there was one word that kept coming up with ridiculous frequency in the conversations carried through those threads.
It was mainly the adventurers and soldiers who kept saying it while looking in my direction.
I'm pretty sure that word was referring to me.
From what I could tell, after they witnessed me hunting bandits, people had started developing some kind of weird respect—no, more like a religious reverence toward me.
I knew things were getting dicey right around that point.
And then, to pour salt on the wound, a certain party of adventurers visited the town.
When I took a closer look, I realized they were the same group I'd saved from a snake back in the dungeon.
They'd apparently heard there was a giant spider web near the town and came to check it out, which is how they ended up at my place.
I'd evolved since then and my appearance should have changed somewhat, but the adventurers apparently still recognized me.
After showering me with what I assume were words of gratitude, they gave me another Klikta fruit, just like that time.
They were really happy about that, too.
Somehow, that story spread around town even further.
I'm not sure if it was some kind of courage test, but adventurers started showing up from time to time to feed me sweets.
They were really happy about that, too.
What really sealed the deal, though, was when I treated a sick child.
Word had apparently gotten around among the adventurers that I could use healing magic, and a mother holding a sick child came to me.
She was crying and begging.
I ignored her for a while, but she just kept shouting pleas at the top of her lungs, and eventually I got fed up and gave in.
When I used Appraisal, I found the child was riddled with a pretty severe illness.
The kind of illness that normal healing magic couldn't cure.
Well, obviously a fantasy world like this wouldn't have technology to cure cancer.
The child had liver cancer.
Could kids even get liver cancer?
That was my first thought, but when I checked the child's Status, I more or less figured out what happened.
The child had the Evil Eater Title.
They must have been from the slums.
They'd probably been eating all sorts of poisonous and terrible things just to fill their stomachs.
The digestive system was probably protected by the Title's effect, but the liver couldn't withstand all the accumulated toxins.
The mother was the same—her body was pretty much falling apart.
I had no obligation to heal them, but I figured I had nothing better to do, so I went ahead and treated both mother and child.
Since normal healing magic alone wouldn't cut it, I had to use a rather… forceful method.
Sedate them, remove the organs, and regenerate new ones with healing magic.
Any modern medical professional on Earth would probably faint seeing that approach.
Truly a fantasy world.
But I did it on a whim, and I ended up regretting it later.
Starting the next day, a flood of injured and sick people came to me for treatment.
At that point, I'd sort of reached the "whatever, it is what it is" stage, so I just treated them one after another.
This is weird, though.
I'm doing the complete opposite of what I originally planned.
As a result, I'm being worshipped like crazy.
But honestly? I'm fine with it.
All the offerings I get are my favorite foods.
The sweet paradise I'd only dreamed of has finally been realized right here.
Ahhh, bliss.
Besides, treating people is basically a piece of cake for me.
The really serious cases at the beginning were a bit of a hassle, but even if something went wrong, I had nothing to lose.
Sure, I might stop getting sweet offerings, but I never anticipated any of this in the first place, so it'd just be back to square one.
Well, the fact that everything succeeded without a hitch is exactly why this whole land-deity boom is happening.
And on top of that, there was a genuine benefit for me, too.
What started as a spur-of-the-moment act of charity eventually landed me a Title.
"The Savior," "Apothecary," "Saint," "Messiah," "Guardian."
I snagged a whopping five Titles.
『The Savior: Acquired Skills "Healing Magic LV1" "Light Magic LV1": Acquisition Condition: Accumulate a certain number of Purification Points: Effect: Increases healing efficacy: Description: A Title bestowed upon one who brings salvation』
『Apothecary: Acquired Skills "Alchemy LV1" "Healing Magic LV1": Acquisition Condition: Use a certain quantity of medicinal substances: Effect: Enhances medicine efficacy: Description: A Title bestowed upon one who administers remedies』
『Saint: Acquired Skills "Miracle Magic LV1" "Holy Light Magic LV1": Acquisition Condition: Accumulate a certain number of Purification Points: Effect: Greatly increases healing efficacy: Description: A Title bestowed upon one who brings great salvation』
『Messiah: Acquired Skills "Benevolence" "Hero LV1": Acquisition Condition: Accumulate a certain number of Purification Points: Proficiency: Greatly increases Light-attribute aptitude: Description: A Title bestowed upon one who brings universal salvation』
『Guardian: Acquired Skills "Iron Wall LV1" "Shield Talent LV1": Acquisition Condition: Protect a great number of people: Effect: Increases Defense and Resistance stats: Description: A Title bestowed upon one who stands as a guardian』
The Messiah Title is the most busted of them all.
Why does it come with a ridiculous Skill like that?
And Hero, of all things.
I'm the Demon King and the Hero.
You can't make this up.
As if that weren't enough, the "Sovereign of Benevolence" Title tacked itself on as a bonus, naturally.
That makes six Titles.
I literally cannot stop laughing.
『Benevolence: The power to approach divinity by n%. Exerts an effect equivalent to HP Super Rapid Recovery LV1 on all allies recognized as such within range centered on oneself. Furthermore, transcends the W-system and grants the right to interfere with the MA field.』
『Sovereign of Benevolence: Acquired Skills "Miracle Magic LV10" "Tribute": Acquisition Condition: Obtain "Benevolence": Effect: Increases MP, Magic, and Resistance stats. Applies a bonus to Proficiency of support-type Skills. Grants Sovereign-class privileges: Description: A Title bestowed upon one who commands Benevolence』
Are you kidding me!
Miracle Magic shot straight to max level in one go.
This is basically an upgraded version of Healing Magic—an absurdly powerful recovery spell that can almost bring the dead back to life.
And the Benevolence effect is insane, too.
It doesn't mean much since I'm a loner, but if someone commanding an army had this, they'd have an invincible legion on their hands in no time.
Oh, and I didn't even have to spend any Skill Points on this one.
Well, well.
Kindness always comes back to you in the end.