He was the Second Holy Emperor of the Holy Astran Empire, Ashfon Astran Löwenherz. A powerful fighter from the Level 7 Champion Realm, who united the Terran continent into a single nation and made their land prosper.

He has many titles as one of the most powerful individuals in this world below the Gods, but right now, [King of Knights] is the most well-known, even among the leaders of other races. 

Ashfon minimized poverty and corruption throughout his domain, earning the loyalty of many. Claiming the throne at the age of 21, Ashfon ruled for half a century as he enriched the lives of his people.

He had a natural talent for directing his affairs and governing the people of the Empire. One of his most useful skills for this is detecting lies; not reading people's minds or hearts, but knowing if they are lying or not.

If it had been possible, Ashfon would not have summoned foreigners from their homeworlds and involved them in his problem. He would have wanted to end the threat through his people and his own abilities. 

However, the situation required a more direct and specific solution where they needed the blessings of the Goddess to eradicate their enemies.

There are many requirements to successfully summon heroes, such as a large amount of divine energy from high-ranking priests to fuel a long summoning ritual and several very expensive symbolic materials with strong natural energy as a sacrifice.

Through that ritual, individuals with unique abilities and magic never seen before can be brought to this land. In fact, the founder of this empire and Ashfon's father, Astran Löwenherz, was an otherworldly hero with unmatched abilities.

On the other hand, those who receive the goddess's blessing can unleash their hidden potential and become more powerful than the average human. But the blessing really only awakens when he judges that they truly have the heart of a hero.

The gods are not omnipotent. They can read the hearts of mortals, but not their minds. Not only that, but they even make mistakes. Although this heretical opinion should not be heard from the so-called “holy emperor” under any circumstances.

Ashfon, who was contemplating these matters in his mind as we walked down the corridor towards the imperial chamber, massaged the temple of his head and a laugh reached his ears.

"That's what you get by working too hard and stressing yourself out, stupid Emperor."

"You reap what you sow, you basically manage in one night an arsenal of documents accumulated over four months... Are you an idiot?"

"Take care of your health... it's hard for me to take care of you all the time"

Those words were addressed to him as we entered the throne room.

Hey, please cut me some slack. Four months of finished work is like heaven for me in the next four months. Ah... my headache is tormenting me!

When they reached the Throne Room, Ashfon sat on the uncomfortable throne and examined the heroes. They are all different from each other, being of different species and races.

There are still some factors that prevent the magical energy of all the heroes from manifesting, but that is a matter for another time. 

Cardinal Lampard then spoke to the Emperor with a respectful attitude but enthusiasm in his voice.

"Your Highness! These are the thirteen summoned heroes! They seemed to be seeking knowledge now, so if you want..."

"Thirteen? Lampard-sama, are you a fool or have you simply forgotten how to count correctly due to old age?"

Violetta is ruthless... Hang in there, Lampard....

Asfhon comforted the poor Cardinal of the Church of Salvation in his heart.

"There are fourteen presences, you know?" Violetta told him in a tone of 'It's obvious, don't you see?'? although everyone here probably couldn't match her in terms of perception at all. 

"Huh? I apologize for this mistake, Violetta-sama... But who is the remaining hero? I don't see anyone else..."

"Behind, heroes, please make way"

At his casual request, the Heroes obediently separated; as if heaven and earth had split, allowing Holy Emperor Ashfon, Cardinal Lampard, court mage Violetta, and the two royal guards to see ha... ...

....................

.........

....... A girl standing there, stunned, while the people in front of her left her no place to hide. 

The girl looked to be about ten or eleven years old and was wearing an oversized plain white shirt. Her delicately cute little body was trembling like a frightened kitten. Under the thread of her shirt, two slender, snow-white legs were revealed. 

Her bare feet looked like a white lotus and her exquisite toes were as clear and beautiful as the carving of a work of art.

The detail that caught the most attention for a moment about her was her hair. It was unexpectedly platinum white, a hair color that only the Holy Emperor should have had.

But everyone quickly focused on something else.

This girl was beautiful…..with a smooth white face without spots, like porcelain. Every one of her facial features was beautiful to a fault and all of her combined made her incredibly perfect. 

Not even Ashfon believed that there was anyone who could find words to describe this girl's exquisite appearance.

She was obviously a real person, but everyone, not just him, couldn't seem to help but feel that she was completely unreal. Because in our subconscious we did not dare to imagine that there was a mortal who had such a perfect face. 

Perhaps, only the goddess Nyvalis should possess this beauty…

Liona, daughter of the most important nobles of the Holy Empire, was the number one beauty of the imperial capital.

Known as the "Flower of High Society" throughout the Holy Empire of Astra, there was probably no one who could compare to her. Something the Holy Emperor agreed with when he met her once.

However, when he looked at this girl's face, he was stunned, as if his soul had been severely hit. He would never have thought that the face of a single person would affect him so strongly to the depths of his soul.

At that time he only looked about twelve or thirteen years old. If she grew up to Liona's age… That would be simply unimaginable! 

Maybe then he could cause chaos with just a tender smile. 

Suddenly, someone screamed in disbelief. "A little girl?!" having regained her ability to think again, waking the rest from the commotion.

In response to the obviously exaggerated scream, the girl let out a screech and backed away as if seeking to hide. The way something like that scared her made her look so cute like a small animal, that she almost had a smile on the Emperor's face when she saw it. 

Somehow, she seemed strange due to her uniqueness within the group of heroes for having that beautiful white hair.

No...it's more like she's almost the same as me in appearance...But that's not important.

Ashfon needed to keep a straight face when facing these otherworldly people. The girl was not her main priority for now, so she decided to keep her short.

“KYAAAAA, SO CUTE!”

The one who let out that cry of joy was Edelweiss, who loved cute and adorable things as she looked at her with bright eyes. As for Lily, she seemed a little nervous seeing the little one there because she loves the little things about her. Violetta also looked at her with great interest in her eyes.

Councilman Isthal, who stood next to the cardinal at some point, cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. Something quite sad, since that was the only way for someone with a presence as weak as him to attract attention.

Such a weak man asked the girl a question in a solemn tone, “Girl, please step forward and say your name.” 

The girl took a step forward when Ishtal ordered her. Her steps are so small and careful as if she were slightly hesitant and preparing to flee at any moment. "My name is…..Asagao…Asagao Löwenherz." 

Did I hear that right?

She went and said that her surname is Löwenherz, just like the Holy Emperor himself. Councilor Ishtal and Cardinal Lampard even comically fell to the ground from the impact of his name.

Of course, Ashfon didn't remember having children with anyone, nor was he married. He also had no living relatives to consider. He no longer had anyone to call family in this world, after all they were dead... with the exception of his mother, who was a very special existence for all of Tsula.

Maybe….? No, I don't know any way… So you just want to pretend we're related? 

Ashfon inevitably thought that, due to the actions of those foolish nobles of the past who trusted the rumors of a secret brother or sister and tried to deceive him with fakes, he even remembered that it was a foolish thought, since she was someone from another world. 

He certainly shouldn't know her last name beforehand and pretend to be her supposed long-lost relative because of her platinum white hair.

There were already many nobles who tried it and were beheaded. This is how he obtained the title of 'Relentless King'. 

But this little girl really seems to be from my lineage... 

“Ehem!” Ishtal, who at some point got back up, cleared his throat again, instantly drawing everyone's attention to him. 

“You said your name is Asagao Löwenherz, right, little one?” 

Hearing his question, Ashfon stared at the girl, and she looked back at him with naive, shy, trembling eyes. Making eye contact with the Holy Emperor himself, she trembled, which made him smile. Oddly enough, that only scared her more and her face turned beet red from embarrassment or something.

That was nice 

 "Yes, it's like I said... Asagao Löwenherz" 

Oh...? 

She panics when his words are heard. These cute gestures are surely because talking about her is taking a toll on her, since she does it reluctantly. Ashfon didn't want to put a burden on her mind anymore, really, but he couldn't help it, so he spoke.

"Let me take things from here, Ishtal, I have to make my introductions too, you know?" 

With those words, the Holy Emperor stood up from his throne, looking serious, and made a great pose that he thought would be remembered in history, making everyone look at him (With ridicule and confusion, of course).

He, who didn't realize that as he immersed himself in his role, thought to himself. That's how it is! I am the Holy Emperor! Well, I'm really sorry for dragging you into our global problem, but we have to move on. This is not only for my Empire but also for all of Tsula!

"First I will introduce you to my royal guards! This woman in heavy armor, with stiff movements and a chest as magnificent as the plains! Her name is Edelweiss, better known as the 'Knight-sama of the Heavenly Plains'!"

From the expression on their faces, it seemed like a joke to them, but Ashfon really didn't tell lies there and, also, he wanted to take revenge from before. 

But well, he had to admit that Edelweiss is really beautiful and pretty. However, even with that positive attitude, she is a very uptight girl who follows her orders. She doesn't show much of her personality when she is on a mission or present in the presence of another person, however, she is a girl at heart.

"This girl here also has a magnificent and dignified personality and stiff movements, with beautiful buttocks and beautiful armor to cover her small chest. Her name is Lily, also affectionately known as 'Lily-chan'!"

Lily doesn't want to show any embarrassing behavior, so she keeps a straight face, but she is losing magical energy in her palm due to anger. However, she suppresses her urge to do something violent against Ashfon in front of the heroes to present herself as someone worthy.

"The honorable sorceress here is Violetta-sama." 

The number one woman Ashfon didn't want to mess with. Violetta is out of her reach. Not to mention that she is older than she looks. She is over a century old and can cast nasty spells with the right materials, she was an extreme pain in the ass. 

She also stands out as his right hand and the one who oversees everything within the Holy Astran Empire. Since the Holy Emperor's potential with magic is almost zero, her magical ability and vast magical knowledge prove useful in keeping the Holy Empire flourishing.

"As for me, I am the Holy Emperor of the Astra Empire, leader of the divine light faith, the strongest of the 8 Supreme Knights of humanity and I am also the one who gathered all the earthly nations under his single banner, obtaining the glorious title of 'Continental Conqueror' and also…”

"Vile man with no sense of direction"

"Holy Emperor idiot who can't get a woman for himself"

Two female knights said without barely changing their expressions, shooting invisible arrows at his heart.

 Oh... That really hurts me deep down. Difficult….! I feel like my heart stopped beating for a moment. Words are dangerous. I also have to be careful with what I say. . The return of a girl seriously hurts. No…I have to recover! I am the Holy Emperor after all…

Ashfon continued with his presentation despite the pain in his heart at those hurtful words.

"I am Ashfon Astran Löwenherz, the Second Holy Emperor of Astlan!" 

As stated, Ashton is the current Holy Emperor of Astran, the son of the founding hero of the new empire in which prosperity was brought. His father took this land from the hand of the king who plunged the land into chaos while continuing to cater to his pride and greed. 

Officially speaking, he is the last survivor of his family, the Löwenherz.

Anyone who claims to be your relative or family will fall under the judgment of your eyes. Hundreds of them came, but none came out alive when they provoked his wrath, which was not simple.

From there the Holy Emperor drew his power. And that power is nothing divine but pure evil. It is a power that existed to destroy and can never save anyone.

He considered it proof that he, Ashfon Astran Löwenherz, cannot be the savior of this world with his detestable power...

He saw himself as a fool of the present but at the same time, an Emperor with duties to fulfill. Therefore, it is expected that drastic measures will be used. 

Ah... The girl named Asagao got nervous when she heard my last name. Nice. Don't worry, I know you're not doing anything wrong.

"I was surprised that this girl and I have the same last name... Well, that will be a problem, but we will think about that later"

Ashfon dismissed the issue of him and the girl having the same surname and physical characteristics. There are more important things to discuss instead of focusing on her.

After all, they had priorities.

"Heroes, this is why we selfishly summoned you, I will apologize. As for the reasons..." I, the royal guards and Ishtal bowed to apologize to them. A king shouldn't be doing this, but I feel like taking them out of their own worlds, you know?

After that, I told them the background of our world and its current state and the calamity we are facing right now.

"We, the Kingdom of Astlán, request your help for this calamity we are currently facing. Please, brave heroes, answer our call"

We bow our heads again before the brave heroes hoping for a favorable response. Your decisions will determine the fate of the land. Now they are talking to each other. The little girl was left out of the conversation.

Don't you consider her one of them?

"King, you are too humble. This is my sincere opinion. We have no choice but to fight for your kingdom. To bow even further before us, it seems that you are truly in a desperate moment. This is what I would ask of you. You A method return, do you have any?

One of the heroes praises me for my humility. After that, he gave his honest opinion about the situation. They responded favorably “I am deeply moved by his honest response. Although I still apologize for involving you all in the problem of our world, let me express my gratitude. Of course, I will be more than willing to satisfy all your needs in my domain….Regarding the regression method…again, I deeply apologize, but we cannot. "To send them back, we would need to be able to determine the spatial coordinates of their home dimension and we don't have that ability."

Sorry heroes…That is a blatant lie.

There is a regression method that uses memories as a medium. The Holy Emperor honestly hated lying, but he had to make sure that all the heroes were focused on the upcoming training and their journey. 

Although I will assure you that you will not have any economic problems under my government.

"I see. Although we want to continue the topic, it would be useless. So please tell us your plan for us"

Ashfon was surprised and at the same time, happy at her composure. 

They want to discuss plans now. But we cannot discuss further at this time. They may soon reach their limits. 

It was a pity for the Emperor that he couldn't serve these heroes a fancy dinner, but anyway, he decided that they should go to the rooms where they will sleep for now.

"Okay, we will discuss plans tomorrow, the summoning may have used up most of your energy. I will have the maids... err... escort you to your rooms"

The Holy Emperor was about to say maiden, then he remembered that there was a maiden among the heroes.

He imagined a maid accompanying and serving another maid as well, and it was quite hilarious. The nominal leader of the heroes responded with "Alright", then they are escorted by the servants to their respective rooms. 

At that time, no one among the natives had noticed an interesting bug in hero summoning.

It would be many hours of studying summoning magic before the church could finish the work it began regarding the ancient ritual. But even in the end, even after triple checking his preparations with satisfaction, they would never notice their one mistake due to sheer inexperience.

The beasts were simple. It was easy to find a physically and mentally healthy creature to call the familiar summon among wizards. That's why they foolishly found themselves deceived by that common sense respect for the summoning of heroes, which they saw as something similar.

But...humans and other intelligent beings were another matter entirely, and the divination scanning component they wrote into the summoning spell was nowhere powerful enough to search the multiverse a precise match to their exact specifications regarding the heroes they wanted.

The divine energy was naturally diverted towards the easiest path: choosing the first themes that met the most criteria instead of searching for a perfect summon and recreating them if possible. 

Of course, Reshaping minds was a difficult and dangerous task, but recreating forms through divine magic was easily accomplished. Also, if it's minds, you could create a new soul or simply put an existing one into a new body...

That's why....they could never have guessed that these so-called heroes existed and at the same time they didn't.

That their current bodies weren't even the original ones. That they were just....humans inside originally fictitious bodies.....with the exception of Asagao herself and a maiden.