There Is No Place For Fakes [EN]: Chapter 147

“Who is that person…?”

People murmured. Some recognized her.

“Wait, that face… it’s Princess Philomell!”

The murmuring quickly grew louder.

“Philomell? As in, the princess of the Belleroph Empire?”

“What? The *former* princess of the Empire?”

“Isn’t she rumored to be the daughter of the Magic Tower Lord?”

A middle-aged priest beside Killian shouted.

“Lady Philomell! What did you just say?!”

Philomell knew him. She had met him a few times at official events.

Archbishop Milov from the Belleroph Empire. One could say he was instrumental in making Killian who he is today.

Archbishop Milov was a distant relative of Killian, and he devoted himself to nurturing the young Killian into a hero.

Philomell answered the Archbishop.

“What did I say? I said I oppose Killian Escal becoming a hero.”

Milov, with a nervous expression, pointed his finger at Philomell.

“Do you know the weight of those words?!”

“Of course, I do.”

Killian stepped forward, replacing Milov, who was making a fuss at Philomell’s nonchalant reply.

“My Lady, objecting to the final three questions isn’t simply opposing a hero candidate.”

Philomell met his piercing gaze without flinching.

“I know. It means recommending another hero candidate.”

“If you know that, I presume you have a hero candidate to recommend.”

Killian’s eyes quickly scanned the wedding hall.

Eventually, his gaze fixed on a corner, where Nasarr was hiding among the people.

Killian sighed, as if annoyed.

“Please return. This place is not for your romantic games.”

Philomell sneered, guessing what delusion was in his head.

“How rude. From now on, I hope you will be polite to the opponent you will have to face.”

“…What?”

“Isn’t it right in front of you?”

Philomell confidently declared, lifting her chin.

“The person I recommend as a hero candidate is me, Philomell.”

The venue became as silent as if water had been poured over it. Fortunately, everyone seemed to have heard her correctly.

The Archbishop was the first to react.

“What nonsense! You’re going to be a hero?”

“Yes. I am formally applying to the hero selection ceremony.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

“Why not? If you have the qualifications, shouldn’t everyone have an equal opportunity to become a hero?”

“So, you’re saying you have the qualifications…”

Philomell didn’t wait for him to finish and stepped forward. Step by step, only the sound of her footsteps echoed clearly in the silence.

“The qualification is right here.”

Philomell pointed to the top of her head with her finger.

Killian and the temple officials finally recognized the object placed on her head.

“Impossible!”

Milov, forgetting his manners, ran out and snatched the object.

“There’s no way this is the real Crown of the World Tree!”

However, what seemed impossible was indeed happening.

*Whoooooosh.*

The crown made of branches and leaves glowed with the divine power that the Archbishop had blown into it for confirmation.

A clear sign that the World Tree itself had woven the crown.

Mouths dropped open.

Philomell, who had gone up on the platform, declared once again in front of everyone.

“I, Philomell, as someone who has been rightfully recognized as a hero, challenge Killian Escal to a duel.”

Killian’s expression hardened.

“No! This is logically absurd…”

Milov’s words, shouted frantically, were soon swallowed by the uproar.

The audience chattered among themselves.

“So, is former Princess Philomell officially qualified as a hero?”

“If that’s really the Crown of the World Tree…”

“Judging by the reactions of the priests, it seems to be true?”

“Does that mean…”

Someone said in a particularly loud voice.

“That person is the rumored hero!”

Starting with that, the commotion grew uncontrollably. The priests stationed at the scene tried to calm them down, but it was in vain.

“Receiving recognition from other races…”

“Creating medicine to cure the plague that spread in the southern part of the Empire…”

“The one who was said to appear like a comet at this selection ceremony… the rumored hero?”

Philomell smiled, as if she was that hero.

“That can’t be!”

Milov persistently denied it. Most people in the venue looked doubtful, as if they couldn’t believe it.

Philomell shrugged with a relaxed attitude.

“You can check with the World Tree. Oh, and this is the title I received from the Fairy and Dwarf clans.”

She held out her hand to another priest next to her.

The priest, with a dazed expression, emitted divine power, and a pickaxe symbol appeared on her white hand.

The priest who confirmed the content said.

“It’s a unique symbol of the Dwarf clan! The content is… Benefactor of the Dwarf clan. The hero who subdued the White Demon.”

Next, the Fairy clan’s symbol located on her forehead was also confirmed.

“Benefactor of the Fairy clan. The savior who saved many from threats.”

People who had been dubious began to believe Philomell’s claims.

“It’s not easy for other races to recognize humans…”

“And the Fairies and Dwarves are both exclusive races.”

Philomell looked directly at the two.

“Do you have anything more to say?”

Killian and Milov were silent with serious faces.

* * *

A restaurant in the Holy Land.

Philomell, with food in front of her, spoke to Nasarr.

“Wasn’t it quite successful?”

“Yes. You looked very dignified, even to me.”

The selection ceremony was abruptly suspended. With the appearance of a variable called Philomell, the temple officials entered a meeting.

They would announce the decision as soon as the policy was decided, but the outcome was obvious.

‘They have no choice but to hold a hero test between me and Killian.’

That was the rule, and since Philomell had declared it in front of many people, the temple had to follow the rules.

At that time, a group of guests entered the restaurant.

“Did you hear about the selection ceremony?”

“Who knew the rumored hero would be the former princess.”

“It was really an unexpected person, just like the rumors said.”

They were busy talking about Philomell and the selection ceremony.

Thanks to wearing Jeremiah’s necklace, Philomell appeared different to others.

‘Lexion gave me the necklace, which helped a lot.’

Now she didn’t have the Ring of Crimson Flames, and the transformation magic that Le Guin had cast on her had long expired.

Only the automatic protection magic was still intact, but who knew how long that would last…

“So, who do you think will be the hero in the end?”

Philomell listened to the conversation at the next table again.

“If it’s like the rumors, it’ll be the princess.”

“Wait, do you really think that’s logically possible?”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. Everyone’s been talking about those rumors for the past few days, but am I the only one who finds it strange?”

That was a valid question.

‘Because it’s an artificial rumor.’

The performance of the Advanced Megaphone [a magical item used for spreading information] was better than imagined.

Philomell used the Advanced Megaphone just before leaving the Magic Tower.

The content was roughly like this: On the day of the selection ceremony, a new person who appears like a comet will become a hero.

In addition, as clues about that person, she attached her achievements—though it was embarrassing to call them that.

She didn’t directly reveal Philomell, but it seemed to be judged as a player’s good deed, and the rumors spread like wildfire.

The rumors arrived at the Holy Land before Philomell and Nasarr. Considering the nature of rumors, it was a truly unrealistic transmission speed.

Nasarr seemed to have similar thoughts, whispering to Philomell.

“There was no need to come so early.”

Contrary to expectations, if the rumors hadn’t spread enough, they were planning to find people and spread them artificially.

However, when the two arrived at the Holy Land, everyone was talking about it.

Amazing, Advanced Megaphone!

Moreover, the effect of the megaphone was not limited to this.

‘A well-bred former princess turns out to be qualified to be a hero?’

It seemed that many people were readily accepting this unconventional truth thanks to the megaphone.

‘If I had to pick one drawback…’

Another woman at another table excitedly said to her group.

“Lady Philomell sent a noble young master who was harassing the palace maids to the afterlife with one punch.”

“Oh, how wonderful.”

“No, I heard she ripped out that guy’s heart with one finger.”

“Really? Truly an unparalleled hero who will save the world from the crisis of destruction!”

Philomell chewed the food in her mouth with an uncomfortable face.

‘…I never said anything like that.’

As rumors usually do, it had been distorted.

She had given up on her goal of living quietly a long time ago, but somehow her life was becoming more and more eventful.

‘Well, let’s think positively.’

The more Philomell’s reputation rose, the more advantageous it would be to become a hero.

After finishing their meal, the two walked slowly towards the Grand Temple.

This time, she had taken off Jeremiah’s necklace. A hero shouldn’t hide too much.

“There, it’s Lady Philomell!”

“We support you, do your best in the selection ceremony!”

Philomell waved to the people who were cheering for her. It seemed that she already had some supporters.

Nasarr, who was walking next to her, said quietly.

“We also received a message from Ludia saying she was cheering for you.”

Ludia, who had transported them here, had returned to her home early in the morning. She was uncomfortable with crowded places.

“Also, she left a message asking you not to forget your promise.”

“Of course. Please tell her that I will definitely keep it when she contacts me again.”

“What promise is it?”

“It’s a secret between women.”

It happened yesterday. Ludia hesitated and made a request to Philomell.

“To introduce her to Jeremiah?”

“Yes, it’s my lifelong wish! Actually, I was too embarrassed to tell my master and young master…”

The reason she learned swordsmanship was because of Jeremiah.

Years ago, Jeremiah, who happened to be passing by, saved Ludia, who was gathering herbs, from encountering a monster.

She said with a blissful face.

“At that time, after seeing the dazzling swordsmanship of the Ice Prince, I thought I wanted to be like him too! Although I didn’t have the talent.”

“…Well, if it’s just meeting him, I’ll try to bring it up.”

Philomell felt so ashamed that she wanted to hide in a mouse hole.

To be jealous of such a person, she seemed to be a bit too jealous after all.

‘Ugh, I remembered again. I barely forgot about it because of the selection ceremony.’

The word jealousy automatically brought up what happened the other day.

Philomell glanced at Nasarr. Her eyes kept going to his lips.

‘His lips… were much softer than I thought.’

Yesterday, she couldn’t think of anything else, so she couldn’t even make eye contact with Nasarr properly. He seemed to feel the same way, and an awkward atmosphere overflowed between the two.

‘Ludia teased us, so I was in big trouble.’

At that time, an unexpected person appeared in front of them.

“Lady Philomell! Long time no see!”

Emily. She used to be a maid who worked as a spy under the fake Elencia according to Philomell’s orders.

“Emily! Why are you in the Holy Land?”

“Hehe, I’m serving His Majesty the Emperor these days.”

“His Majesty…?”

Emily looked around and then lowered her voice.

“Actually, His Majesty is secretly visiting the Grand Temple.”

Justis is here.