Brainwashed Then Woke Up To Find My Childhood Friend a Hero

22. A New City Comes into View…

We had escaped the prison of the Magic Empire, disguised as a group of traveling merchants, heading toward the Holy City, rumored to welcome all kinds of people. Apparently, the newly appointed Saint was said to possess unparalleled virtue, aiming for a world where all races could respect one another. Moreover, the faith in the goddess was strong, making it undoubtedly a paradise for the various races. Yes… when it comes to the races…

“What should we do…?”

Elg confessed inside the carriage.

He was referring to a demon girl who looked up to him as “Papa.” Since the only word she could say was “Papa,” communication was difficult. When asked where she grew up or where her parents were, she would only respond with “Papa!” Over the course of this month-long journey, we had taught her many words, improving our rudimentary communication, but we still hadn’t gleaned much information.

One day, as this routine continued…

“Hey! Gora-san! The Holy City is coming into view!!”

I heard Wide’s voice from the front, urging the horses onward.

Driven by curiosity, I peeked out the window.

“Wow!”

I couldn’t help but exclaim at the breathtaking sight.

Surrounded by walls that sparkled like a clear blue sky, there was a small mountain at the center, topped with a temple that looked both divine and fresh. It seemed there was a water source at the peak, with water flowing down and circulating throughout the country. Even from a distance, I could see several massive facilities, bustling with life.

“Beautiful! Papa!”

The demon girl, whom I had recently started calling Eg.

The reason for the name was that, in the kingdom’s tradition, children inherit part of their parent’s name, and I had given her mine. In doing so, I had truly become a father.

It’s a bit empty, considering I’m not even married…

While I was lost in thought, Eg leaned out the window, pointing at the temple and excitedly shouting, “Castle! Castle!”

“Yes, yes, Eg, that’s not a castle; it’s called a temple.”

“Inden?”

“No, it’s pronounced shin-den.”

“Shu-den!”

—

Well, I guess it’s fine because she’s cute.

As I was feeling warm and fuzzy, Aira spoke up from beside me.

“In the beginning, I thought you were a total failure as a father, leaving everything to the Resistance’s mother, but looking at this, you’ve really started to act like a dad.”

She teased me with a smirk.

“Stop it, stop it.”

I waved my hand dismissively, but deep down, I couldn’t completely deny that there was some truth to her words.

As we got closer, we began our preparations. We were going to disguise ourselves as a traveling merchant group.

Gora and the elite members of the Resistance were hired mercenaries.

Wide and Aira were the merchants.

It seems Wide has some experience in trading.

The rest of us, including me, were playing the roles of apprentice merchants or helpers.

We were assigned various roles. By the way, I was in charge of the horses.

Why, you ask?

Because it wouldn’t matter if I got kicked…

By the way, my backstory is that I lost my wife and was traveling with my daughter, but we were saved by adventurers when we were lost on the streets. It’s about 80% different, but it’s definitely convenient.

By the time we finished our preparations, we lined up for the entry inspection into the Holy Kingdom. Several caravans were already in line, and at this rate, it was expected to take until the evening.

Using this time, Aira and Wide went to secure accommodations. Apparently, there’s a large inn aimed at merchant groups like ours, and among such establishments, those recognized by the country can operate while waiting in line for entry inspection. Either way, I had no choice but to wait with Eg.