The battle later known as the "Holy Knight Commander's Revolt" — Hinata's raid on the Monster Nation — came to an end with her defeat.
Without offering any defense, Hinata relinquished her position as Head Knight of the Papal Imperial Guard Division and severed all ties with the Holy Papal Kingdom of Lubelius of her own accord.
Since she had explicitly declared no relation, the Holy Papal Kingdom of Lubelius — represented by the Seven Luminaries Elder — could not very well impose punishment on Hinata. And so, with no other recourse, they had no choice but to adopt a stance of quiet observation regarding this incident.
The Western Holy Church, however, could not remain passive.
They had launched a unilateral attack and suffered defeat. A loss at the hands of monsters would have been bad enough on its own, but every single one of their soldiers had returned alive. It was also confirmed that those among them who had been detained inside the Monster Nation were all safe.
They had struck by surprise and yet ended up in a total rout. It was a debacle of such magnitude that no excuses could possibly be made.
If anything, had everyone died, the Church could have leveraged the cruelty and threat of monsters to justify its own legitimacy and rally humanity into forming a coalition. But that was precisely what had not happened.
In a sense, this was the worst possible outcome from the Church's perspective.
Even so, Nicolaus was genuinely relieved that Hinata had returned safely.
But that was one matter, and this was another. A problem remained a problem.
To Cardinal Nicolaus, who held his head in his hands, Hinata said: "I acted on my own authority. I deceived the Holy Knights and launched the attack of my own volition, independent of the Church's will.
I have begun to question the Church's very doctrine that all monsters are evil, but that one point alone must not be used to invalidate everything the Church does.
The Church is still necessary for the weak. An organization that can extend a hand to those who cry out for help — we cannot afford to lose that, can we?"
She fixed Nicolaus with a gaze brimming with unwavering resolve.
This was a far cry from the Hinata of old — the one who had looked down on others and rationally pushed forward with her own agenda. The old Hinata had been a pragmatist who would not hesitate to cut down even her own kin if she deemed it necessary.
Or perhaps, even if the target of that blade was herself, there would be no hesitation.
Moreover, the change in her disposition was evident: the Hinata who had once clung single-mindedly to doctrine and pursued an ideal society above all else showed no trace of that former self.
On a face that had always been taut with tension, there now floated a gentle smile — one that had never graced it before.
Nicolaus could not bring himself to refuse her offer.
Though Hinata appeared to have softened, her core remained unchanged. She had reached this conclusion after thinking it through thoroughly, and Nicolaus understood that this course of action would inflict the least damage upon the Holy Church.
"Hinata-dono... have you changed, perhaps...?"
"Hm, have I? I can't really tell myself. But I do think I was too hasty.
I want to help those whom I can help with my own hands. That's what I've come to believe.
I don't think the idea of sacrificing a few to save the many was wrong. I can say with pride, chest held high, that I acted on conviction and did the right thing.
But... saving everyone within reach is also the right thing to do.
It seems I had my eyes fixed so firmly on the bigger picture that I lost sight of what truly matters.
I don't want to save the masses. I want to save everyone.
If you want to laugh and call it a pipe dream, go right ahead.
I've decided to judge things with my own eyes and walk the right path, never to be deceived again."
"Is that because the Demon Lord told you so?"
"No, that's not it. I suppose it's because a teacher I respect admonished me, and I came to acknowledge the Demon Lord's way of being."
"You acknowledged... the Demon Lord?"
"Yes. That person was not evil. Living openly and honestly, just as a human heart would — that's how they lived."
"Is that so...? Then I will trust Hinata-dono. And I will trust the Demon Lord whom Hinata-dono has come to trust."
For Nicolaus, Hinata was everything.
Even if she had lost, the fact that she had returned safely left him with no complaints whatsoever.
Should the Holy Papal Kingdom of Lubelius ever move to denounce Hinata, Nicolaus had resolved to lead the Western Holy Church in her full defense.
This time, that worst-case scenario had been averted, and Hinata had stepped down from the position of Holy Knight Commander of her own free will.
The incident would be handled under the label of the "Holy Knight Commander's Revolt," but Hinata would become an adventurer and be set loose into the wild.
A savior of the weak, a giver of hope — a "Hero." The Holy Knight Commander who had lived by the doctrine would die, and in her place, a Hero who walked among the people would be born. That was how Nicolaus understood it.
And so he did not oppose it. He would come to regret that decision later.
Before the assembled Holy Knights and the Blood Shadow Berserkers, Hinata declared her resignation as Holy Knight Commander.
The Holy Knights accepted it. The Blood Shadow Berserkers, however, pushed back.
"Hinata-dono has been corrupted! She lost to the Demon Lord and grew weak!
She must have been bewitched by the Demon Lord, no doubt about it! We must open her eyes!"
The Blood Shadow Berserkers rattled on like this, making things difficult for Hinata.
To them, she said: "I hear an underground labyrinth has been constructed in the Demon Lord's nation. If you can conquer it, an audience with the Demon Lord apparently becomes possible.
If you truly intend to open my eyes, why not start by clearing that labyrinth?"
When Hinata said this, a portion of the Blood Shadow Berserkers along with several Holy Knights rose to their feet, accepted the challenge, and departed.
"Is that really alright?" Nicolaus asked.
"Sure. That labyrinth won't kill anyone, after all. It's practically being run as a game by the Demon Lord.
But for us, it will serve as an excellent training ground.
Whether it was intentional or not, that place is perfect for tempering the soul."
Hinata replied casually.
Having fought the Demon Lord Rimuru head-on, she had developed a certain degree of trust in them.
Furthermore, through a thought conversation with Arnaud, she had gained a rough understanding of the situation. Sending people to conquer the labyrinth would not cause any significant problems.
Rather, while Hinata might have a chance, she did not believe the Blood Shadow Berserkers could clear it. For those driven mad by blood and blind to anything beyond their doctrine, being broken in spirit by the labyrinth would be a valuable lesson.
These words of hers would eventually earn the underground labyrinth the name "Soul Training Ground."
You could die and try again as many times as you liked — so long as your spirit didn't break.
Just as Hinata had said, it was the ideal place for training those weak of will.
The remaining Blood Shadow Berserkers returned to the Holy Papal Kingdom of Lubelius.
They had been members of the Holy Papal Kingdom of Lubelius from the start — those who had sworn their loyalty to the Pope himself.
Hinata watched them go and murmured, almost lamenting: "I truly hadn't seen anything at all, had I..."
The aura they carried was thick with the scent of blood.
It was the same deathly presence she had sensed when she had gone to report to the Holy Papal Kingdom of Lubelius. That unnervingly mechanical quality — the absence of anything that felt truly human, the movements governed by an order beyond understanding — so that was the reason behind it all. Hinata arrived at this realization.
It was an obvious conclusion in hindsight.
When Hinata had gone to make her report to the Pope and departed from the presence of the Seven Luminaries Elder, she had worn her nerves thinner than ever before, making sure not to let on that she had noticed anything.
Could she win if she fought? They radiated an inhuman magical presence.
It was puzzling that she hadn't noticed until now.
The truth was that this was something she could only perceive because she had ascended to a higher plane as a "Hero candidate," though Hinata herself was unaware of that fact.
She simply convinced herself that it was because her eyes had been clouded, and she had failed to see what was right in front of her.
That wasn't entirely wrong, but it wasn't the full truth either. Still, this misunderstanding undoubtedly contributed to Hinata's growth.
The Holy Papal Kingdom of Lubelius was most likely a facade. Its true form was probably a dark city ruled by powerful monsters — likely of the Demon Lord class.
For hundreds of years, without its true nature being discovered, it had manipulated the minds of the humans living within the city.
This was not something on the level of simple brainwashing. It had been carried out meticulously from the stage of education itself, making it irreversible.
Hinata concluded that they were a terrifying enemy.
At her current level of strength, she would be no match for them.
And yet, the people there did enjoy their peace — that much was a fact.
Monsters who refused to acknowledge any monsters other than themselves. Or rather, because they refused to acknowledge any who stood against them, had they declared all monsters to be their enemies?
Either way, their thinking seemed simplistic, but their cunning and caution made them a genuine threat.
The old Hinata might have challenged them to battle on the spot. But now, she had learned to think about priorities.
Hinata had begun to see things more deeply and think more carefully.
Rather than sprinting down the shortest path, she chose to take the long way around, walking at her own pace on her own two feet.
And so, one could say that Hinata was no longer at a loss.
Hinata left the Western Holy Church behind.
She had already informed Nicolaus of the personnel arrangements she recommended: promoting the Deputy Holy Knight Commander Leonard to Commander and appointing Arnaud as Deputy Commander.
"Understood. I shall see to it that everything proceeds without a hitch.
But Hinata-dono — this place is still your home. No matter when you choose to return, we shall all be here waiting for you."
At Nicolaus's words, the Holy Knights bowed their heads in unison.
Even now, the memory of it warmed Hinata's heart.
She had lived her entire life cutting everything away, and yet there had truly existed those who believed in her and followed her regardless. That was something she found genuinely moving.
For their sake, too, she felt she should not linger at the Holy Church.
But — "Are you alright with this?"
Without turning around, she addressed the figure following behind her.
"Absolutely. I had my heart broken multiple times in that battle too, you know. Thanks to those damn dogs... Besides, at the banquet afterward, I talked with those monsters and realized just how narrow-minded I'd been.
I'm coming with you. And as for the Western Holy Church — they'll still need manpower going forward. They can't spare anyone to serve as your escort.
Well, having only me as your bodyguard is a bit concerning, but please leave it to me! Monsters like that thing are few and far between!"
"Do as you please. What an odd one you are...
But, thank you.
Oh! When I say do as you please, that does not include ambushing me while I sleep, understood? If you try anything like that, I won't forgive you."
"Wha—! What do you take me for!? I'm not so suicidal as to lay a hand on Hinata-dono!
Besides, if I did something like that, Cardinal Nicolaus would kill me!"
That man really doesn't know the meaning of holding back — he'd come after me for real.
The instant Fritz caught a glimpse of that smile from the corner of his eye, his eyes went wide, his mouth fell open, and he lost all ability to form words.
(Oh crap, seriously, oh crap... For a split second, I actually thought about reaching out for her even if it meant death) Fritz broke into a cold sweat and forcibly shook the thought from his mind.
Hinata was beautiful, but she had always seemed lacking in human warmth. Her strength was overwhelming, but as a woman, she had little in the way of charm. That had been Fritz's assessment of her, and like everyone else, he had never once been conscious of Hinata as a woman.
But the smile Hinata now displayed was so radiant it shattered every one of those prior evaluations.
(Holy crap... Am I seriously the luckiest guy alive...? If anyone finds out about this, I'll have every man in the world gunning for me...)
Once he'd calmed down a little, Fritz collected his thoughts.
It's fine. No problem. Fritz concealed his trembling composure and resolved to behave as he normally would.
Completely unaware of Fritz's inner turmoil, Hinata perched her round spectacles on the tip of her nose, tilted her head, and turned to face Fritz.
Still wearing that small smile, she said: "Mm. I'm counting on you, Fritz."
For Fritz, those words were the finishing blow.
(Cardinal Nicolaus, I'm sorry, but I believe I've fallen for her, truly) For Fritz, this was the precise moment when Hinata ceased to be the ruthless Holy Knight Commander and became a woman he wanted to protect.
Fritz chose not out of loyalty to Holy Knight Commander Hinata, but of his own free will, to follow at Hinata's side.
And so, their journey together began.
The five children the Demon Lord Rimuru had spoken of — that matter weighed on Hinata's mind.
Approaching Kagurazaka Yuuki was dangerous, but she had prepared magical items as a countermeasure against brainwashing. She had no intention of doing anything reckless.
Her goal was to assess the situation and, if the opportunity arose, rescue the children.
The relationship between Curse Lord Kazalim and Yuuki remained unclear, which was also a source of concern, but she intended to avoid direct contact. She did not believe she would lose in a fight, but
However, if Curse Lord Kazalim was the one manipulating Yuuki...
That was something she absolutely could not allow.
Having spent over a decade being manipulated and subjected to thought control herself, Hinata understood better than anyone why such a thing could never be forgiven.
In Hinata's memory was a boy who smiled gently.
(I will make sure that smile is genuine. And I will rescue the children.)
Once she focused her thoughts, her resolve crystallized. Hinata made her decision and set out.
The destination was the Ingracia Kingdom.
A city that was believed to be deeply influenced by Yuuki — or rather, Kazalim's — thought manipulation.
A transfer via magic circle would risk immediate detection if there were any moles inside. And so, Hinata and Fritz took to the highway, making their way to the Ingracia Kingdom.
The curtain on a new battle was about to rise.