Heroes and Machine Girls Looking at Profiles

2 – ‘Profile’ Skill

Hero Hans.

No, originally named Park Hyun-su, I was suddenly summoned to a kingdom on the Martacia continent in this world.

“Hero, please save us with your strength.”

Suddenly summoning me and requesting me to defeat the Demon King and save the world without any apology.

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It was quite rude and unpleasant, but it didn’t really matter at the time.

After all, I lost all my family when I was young, and as a new member of society, there was no friend to call close.

Even if I disappeared, my coworkers would just end it with ‘There was such a guy’.

But then, without any reason to refuse when they said they would defeat the Demon King and marry me to the princess.

It wasn’t only the princess.

The church gave me the saint as a comrade, and the Magic Tower gave me the girl who will become the next Magic Tower Master, and made a marriage contract with them.

Princess Anies Cloeti, Saint Ciella Frost, and Magician Alessa Reitly.

They are all beautiful and charming women.

When people started complaining that the name Park Hyun-soo was hard to pronounce, I casually requested everyone to call me Hans instead, and with an invigorating step, embarked on my journey to vanquish the Demon King.

As a summoned hero, constantly surrounded by my faithful companions who always showered me with love and encouragement, I was on a journey to improve my exceptional potential. Truly, it was an adventure following the perfect stereotype of an isekai novel, growing stronger while effortlessly travelling.

That smooth journey, however, completely overturned one day.

Months had passed since the journey began and continued. While on the journey to suppress the Demon King, we were preparing for a battle to liberate a metropolis that had been occupied by the demons within the republic.

To prepare for the battle, I spent the evening in my room, updating my status card, my eyes widening in disbelief.

In the skill slot of the status card, a new skill had been added.

Every new skill I had learned as a hero so far had been extraordinary, so I couldn’t help but look at the card nervously, hoping for another such skill.

The name of the skill inscribed on the card, however, was nothing I had anticipated.

“…What is this? …A … Profile?”

It was completely a new skill to me.

When I lightly pressed the word ‘Profile’ that appeared in the skill slot of the status card, the description of the skill popped up.

“…Displays a brief information of those who meet the condition? …like a downgrade of Emotion?”

In this world, there is a skill called ‘Emotion’ which displays detailed information of any target.

Humans, objects… it indiscriminately shows everything from their state to skills they possess.

Emotion, thus, is one of the most elite skills that displays all detailed information of a target.

But compared to Emotion, a skill that is limited to people, requires certain conditions, and only displays brief information… isn’t it considered a degraded version, honestly?

Although it was a hero’s skill, I felt a tad disappointed that it wasn’t an advanced skill like Emotion.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

“Hero, are you there?”

“Ah, yes Annie. Yeah, I’m in.”

The door opened, revealing the blushing and shy Princess Annie.

“…Because there’s an operation to reclaim the metropolis occupied by the demons tomorrow. I wanted to talk to you before that…”

“Uh… Yeah, sure.”

Princess Annie, now in a negligee.

Her appearance was extremely striking, but I just swallowed my saliva and looked down.

I had never spent the night with the ever-romantic ladies who always whisper lovey-dovey words but assert premarital chastity with a barrier.

…Well, I’d no choice but to accept the importance of chastity for aristocrats.

“Hero…”

Looking straight into Princess Annie’s moist eyes.

…I had once worriedly asked her if it was okay for her to marry a hero from a different world.

‘No, it’s actually a pleasure to be devoted to such a wonderful person like you, Hero.’

I knew it could have just been lip service, but I was really happy back then.

It was the moment when I was about to hold her hand and draw her into an embrace.

I distinctly felt something inside of me reacting.

‘This is…’

Because it was my skill, I instinctively knew.

Princess Annie, she met the condition for the ‘Profile’ skill.

‘…Would…it be okay? After all, it’s just the brief information…’

Thinking like that, I used my skill while facing Princess Anyes.

‘Profile.’

With a gentle flick, a transparent window appeared before my eyes.

Name: Anyes Dela Chloeeti

Age: 18

Class: Magic Swordsman

The first princess of the Chloeeti Kingdom.

Among the kingdom’s proficient dealers in magic and outstanding swordsmanship.

Likely betrothed to Crown Prince Freud of the Halpha Empire.

“…Huh?”

Reading the characters written on the window that had floated up before me, I inadvertently rubbed my eyes.

The Halpha Empire.

Wasn’t that the place I had just visited a short while ago?

When I was there, I had clearly found Crown Prince Freud.

Was there not anything particularly strange then…?

“Hero…?”

“Ah…it’s nothing…”

I couldn’t recall the conversation I had with Princess Anyes that night.

But one thing for sure, I didn’t sleep a wink all night.

The following morning, I brushed off what I had seen last night and went to have breakfast, only to be greeted by the holy maiden, Ciella.

“Good morning, Hero. May Goddess Erdiya’s blessings be upon you today as well.”

“Oh, good morning, Ciella.”

While responding to Ciella’s greeting, who was again praying in the morning, the profile skill reacted.

…Although I was a bit hesitant because of last night’s happenings, I looked at Ciella and used the profile skill with a hope of something different.

Name: Ciella Prost

Age: 17

Class: Holy Maiden

The High Priestess who serves the Goddess Erdiya.

An exceptional White Mage with an unrivaled talent in healing magic, a fact well-rumored.

Likely betrothed to Crown Prince Freud of the Halpha Empire.

‘…Damn it.’

I should not have checked it.

I muttered curses to myself.

After giving Ciella a casual greeting, I made my excuse to secure the necessary supplies and left the inn.

I felt nauseous, as if I would throw up if I ate breakfast.

Seeing that I really did need various things, she nodded with a laugh.

Meeting the Mage Alesa on the way, the profile skill reacted again, but I didn’t use it.

…there was a high chance that the profile would end the same way, and I thought it would be difficult to bear the mental strain if I checked it again.

I pondered over it.

Perhaps the skill erroneously marked everyone?

As I thought this and looked around the village, I sought out those who reacted to my Profile Skill.

“Mr. Norbert.”

“You are the Hero, aren’t you? Did you come to buy something?”

“Yes, I will take a brief look around.”

“hahahaha, take your time.”

Norbert was the middle-aged merchant I had saved from monsters before coming to this village.

As my Profile Skill responded to him as well, I decided to use the skill on him.

Name: Norbert

Age: 42

Class: Merchant

A traveling merchant, primarily doing business in the Finton Republic. His family includes a wife and two daughters. He is thinking about what to give as a present for his wife’s upcoming anniversary.

I briefly read his profile and immediately decided to test it out.

“Mr. Norbert, do you happen to have a family?”

“hahahaha, my wife and daughters are waiting for me in my hometown.”

“Daughters? So there’s more than one?”

“Two. You wouldn’t believe how cute and sweet they are.”

With his hearty laugh and radiant smile, I got to the point.

“hahahaha, it seems like you and your wife are on good terms.”

“hahahaha…..Well, I guess you could say that.”

“Do you always remember to celebrate things like anniversaries?”

“I do, every year. As a matter of fact, our anniversary is coming up soon…I am having trouble deciding on a present.”

…It was just like the profile.

…After making a few purchases and saying goodbye to Norbert, I left.

The verification process continued after that.

I have come to understand a few things about the Profile Skill.

First, the condition to use the Profile Skill was that you use the person’s full name in conversation. Just knowing the name isn’t enough.

You must hear their name directly from them and say your own name in return. That was the condition.

I could see the profiles of a few merchants in this village or a tavern maid who I had such exchanges with.

And from talking with them, the information in their profiles was pretty accurate.

…It was true beyond doubt.

It was beyond denial that the skill was somehow wrong.

“Hero? Are you troubled by something?”

“No…Well, no, Anies.”

Did it show on my face? Princess Anies was looking at me with a worried gaze.

She held my hand gently with both of hers.

“If something is troubling you, please share it with me. I am here to advise you.”

“Ah… right. Thank you.”

“It’s for my beloved hero.”

Princess Anies smiles brightly as she says this.

Her expression of love has a calming effect, but now, her hand feels cold as it wraps around mine, creating discomfort in my heart.