Huh?
Clack.
The man stepped back precisely eleven paces.
A cold sweat ran down my back in that instant.
But outwardly, I smirked and asked,
“Why are you backing off? You scared?”
“They say I shouldn’t get any closer.”
“What are you talking about? Who said that?”
“Who knows.”
A flash of realization struck like lightning.
Trail let out a groan, as if confirming my suspicion.
[Urgh… Must be Idria. Told him through that whole ‘Path to Becoming a Hero’ thing.]
‘She figured it out just by watching my technique once? That the limit was ten steps?’
[It’d be stranger if that Demon King didn’t figure it out.]
Then Kaeld spoke.
“If you co any closer, I’ll imdiately release the seal on the Gem of Destruction.”
At that, Neril whispered to .
“You’ve got a range limit on that skill, don’t you?”
“Yeah. Sharp as ever.”
“Anyone could tell, the way you’re trying to inch forward like that. Anyway, hold on.”
She quickly ford hand seals.
Binding magic.
One of Neril’s specialty spells, the sa she once used to restrain a berserk martial king.
Invisible chains wrapped tightly around Kaeld.
But…
Clink. Crack.
Kaeld simply flexed his muscles, and they shattered effortlessly.
It was like tearing through old string. Everyone except visibly flinched in shock.
“What?!”
“Magic didn’t work?!”
“T-That’s impossible. That spell restrained the rampaging Gem of Desolation!”
Offense narrowed his eyes at Kaeld.
“So magic really doesn’t work on you. I had a hunch.”
Xenia wiped sweat from her brow and added,
“Last ti, when we got a day’s leave in the capital, my father said sothing…”
“…”
“He said Kaeld eavesdropped perfectly on a conversation held in a magically soundproofed room. At the ti, I thought it was just a fluke, but…”
Adwin spoke next.
“Now that I think about it, wasn’t it the sa when we first t in the Tetra territory?”
“Hm?”
“I cast a spell to conceal my soul, but Kaeld still found without issue. I figured it was just because he was pretending to be the Hero, but…”
“…Could it be that no magic or spell works on him at all?”
At those words, I replayed everything about Kaeld before my regression in my mind.
From the first ti we t, through every quest we undertook.
Every ti we fought monsters or endured various trials—
Kaeld had never once been injured.
He’d never bled.
Neril shook her head as if rejecting the idea.
“But when I used Append View on him, it worked fine. And the wound he got from Mide was healed by Serein’s healing spell.”
“Maybe only what benefits him works,” Offense replied.
Neril bit her lip.
Then, trying to sound casual, she said,
“Hmph. Still. He got beaten up like a ragdoll by Mide when it rained, rember?”
“Ngh. I don’t rember it being that one-sided.”
“I wasn’t talking to you. And stop smiling like that.”
“I’ve been wondering too. Why was I the one who bled when fighting that guy? Why was it his sword that pierced my stomach?”
“…”
“It was quite the novel experience… for soone who’s never been ‘wounded’ before.”
Clap.
He clapped once and continued.
“I’ll give you two days.”
“…”
“Use that ti wisely and choose whether you’ll co under , or just stand by and watch your holand disappear.”
“Or we might just co after you and cut off your head.”
“Ready to toss away that fancy ‘Sword master of No Killing’ title? Fine by .”
He smiled lightly.
“That holy knight’s purification spell will take so ti to activate. And if that’s the case, dealing with you all while you’re slowed by the Gem of Destruction won’t be a problem.”
“…”
“And Mide, your new technique isn’t all that scary if I just stay ten steps away.”
Of course.
I ground my teeth.
“I’ll be waiting midway up the Baharma Mountains for the next two days. I’ll be watching with great interest to see what you decide.”
He turned his back on us completely and walked away, utterly at ease.
Grit.
Neril clenched her teeth and began forming hand seals again, but I stopped her.
“Forget it. Don’t waste your strength.”
“That last one failed because I wasn’t in good condition, okay? Don’t get the wrong idea.”
“I’m not. Just cancel the spell. Let’s talk about what to do instead.”
Offense let out a groan.
“I can’t believe that guy, claiming to be the Hero, would pull this kind of stunt.”
“…”
“Should I share a few assassination techniques? Maybe poison would work.”
Even he didn’t sound confident.
None of us answered. He shrugged as if conceding.
I spoke.
“In the end, I’m probably the only one who can kill him. I’m the only one who’s made him bleed.”
“Mide… but… even assuming you can harm him under the power of Destruction, are you okay with this land disappearing?”
I couldn’t answer right away.
That was when it happened.
A voice, one that shouldn’t have been here, rang out.
“Or we could just activate the grand purification a little earlier.”
We looked around.
Adwin said,
“Huh? That voice…”
I stared in the direction the voice ca from and opened my mouth.
“It’s good to see you again. Companion of the Emperor.”
“No need to be so formal now. We’ve seen all there is to see of each other.”
“Haha.”
“And I’m thinking of giving up the title ‘Companion of the Emperor.’ That na only brings joy to the current Emperor.”
Step.
Lisel Vint.
Also called Magna Neros.
She stepped into view.
“The only emperor I acknowledge is Lord Grade.”
“Have you been well?”
“Ah, yes. I have.”
Lisel clasped her hands together and bowed her head politely.
Even in this situation, her consistently courteous deanor made chuckle as I opened my mouth.
“You don’t have to be so formal, Lisel.”
“Hmm. Anyway, I’ve been watching the situation for a while now.”
“Hah. Spirit magic really is sothing else. Neither Kaeld nor any of us noticed you were right beside us.”
Well, it made sense, Lisel was the Spirit King, and she could even turn her own body into spirit form.
Twisting a strand of her platinum hair around her finger, Lisel replied,
“I’m not particularly skilled in combat or strategy, after all. I need to have so kind of trump card like this.”
“I see. But what did you an by what you said earlier?”
“Before that, there’s sothing I’d like to say first. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I ever told you properly.”
She straightened her expression seriously.
I had to try not to smile, because I already had a pretty good idea what she was going to say next.
“U-um. I may be lacking in a lot of ways, and I might not be of much help…”
“…”
“No, I’m probably not going to be of any help at all… but I am pretty good at cooking, you know?”
“…”
“If you’ll let join the party, I’ll take full responsibility for the cooking. I’ll even do the dishes.”
It was such a characteristically Lisel way to apply for a party slot.
Neril whispered beside ,
“Why is she being so overly humble?”
“She’s lived about 1,300 years longer than you.”
“Yeah? So what?”
“…No, never mind. I an, it’s a long-abolished system, but her forr status was a slave, so that sort of attitude cos out sotis.”
“You talk like you’ve known her for ages.”
I just shrugged.
Xenia spoke up.
“I’m all for it!” Content originally cos from Nove1Fire
“You’re just happy because she said she can cook.”
“No, I’m not! Anyway, Lisel, about what Mide asked you before…”
Lisel flinched.
“I was actually just about to bring that up.”
She took a deep breath and continued.
“I tried, but she turned down.”
“Ah.”
“So please call Serein here too.”
“Pardon?”
“Sorry if that sounds presumptuous. But I’m not asking this just to feel better. Xenia, you were thinking of using the Grand Purification spell, right? Well, Serein can do that too.”
I nearly clapped on instinct.
I already knew, even without Lisel saying so, that Serein could use the purification spell. After all, we had cleared a quest with it in Adwin’s territory before I regressed.
Offense narrowed his eyes and muttered,
“That faithless Serein?”
Everyone except widened their eyes in shock.
Right.
Serein doesn’t believe in the celestial god.
Not believing doesn’t an denying their existence—just that she doesn’t rely on them.
That’s why she’s called the God’s Monster.
If she’d been overflowing with faith, she wouldn’t have tried to abolish the clergy in the first place.
Trail snorted in disbelief.
[But she had insane divine power, didn’t she? Didn’t she even surpass Xenia?]
‘Exactly. It’s absurd and ironic. Who knows what standard the gods use to grant divine power.’
[….]
‘Anyway, “God’s Monster” was a title we gave her. To the world, before regression, she was known as the most devout priest on the continent.’
If people had found out the party priest had a complicated relationship with the gods, Kaeld’s reputation would’ve taken a massive hit.
Then Xenia said,
“I can’t believe she lacks faith. What was that monstrous divine power, then?”
“I wondered the sa thing. But that’s what she said, out of her own mouth.”
“…”
“Besides, most divine spells are more close to paladin’s domain than a cleric’s, right? Just having divine power doesn’t an you can use it freely.”
But Lisel shook her head.
“Serein is unique in many ways. You can’t judge her by normal standards.”
“Well, that goes for all of us here, I suppose. No one in this group is normal.”
Couldn’t agree more.
Of course, I excluded myself.
I said,
“Let’s trust Lisel. If Serein helps Xenia with the Grand Purification spell…”
“Yes. I’m sure it’ll shorten the casting ti.”
“By how much?”
“W-Well… I’d have to ask her directly to know that.”
“Then let’s ask her. Where is she?”
Instead of answering, Lisel raised her index finger.
“Please focus on my finger.”
Our eyes followed her finger.
Fwoosh.
Sothing began to faintly materialize.
It looked like a child, shrunken down to about one-twentieth the size. Transparent, bluish, round all over—
“A spirit!”
“Yes, that’s right. You guessed it imdiately, even though it’s probably your first ti seeing one.”
“But I heard spirits don’t like showing themselves to people.”
“I persuaded it. If it doesn’t appear to you all, there’s no way to guide you to Serein.”
Lisel continued explaining.
“Serein wanted sothing from Kaeld. That’s why she refused to join us. But I left her with a wind spirit.”
“…”
“That spirit will guide you to where Serein is. Please go bring her here.”
“You’re not coming?”
“I… get the feeling she resents a little. If I go, I think it’ll only make things worse.”
Her expression turned a bit bitter.
I nodded and turned to Offense.
“Offense, can you bring her?”
“It’s not hard, but… ? I’m sure Serein resents plenty too.”
“Why?”
“Well, I did betray her. Wouldn’t it be faster to use Xenia’s Agril instead?”
“Agril’s too big. Kaeld might notice. And…”
I grinned.
“Did I say anything about coaxing her gently?”
“Hm?”
“Knock her out, drag her here, whatever works. I’ll handle convincing her.”
Lisel flinched and blurted out,
“Mide! That’s way too violent.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t want to be hated by a future teammate either. Not by her, not by you.”
“…”
“Once Offense brings her here, I’ll convince her through pure conversation. You have my word.”
Lisel stared at for a mont, then nodded.
Neril asked,
“Are you really confident you can talk her into it? She might look innocent, but she didn’t seem like soone easy to deal with.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already won over soone even tougher.”
“Oh yeah? Who?”
I stared at Neril.
She tilted her head, puzzled.
…Well, if she doesn’t get it, that’s fine.
Read advance chapter on Patreon. Click here.
User Comments
0 comments from readers