My head was pounding. Unlike before, Tempest’s existence and the space he belonged to were not projected.
[Can’t you forcefully open the door to the spirit realm? It seems that the magic can only open the door to this dimension. Well, there’s no way that young dragon could open the door to the outer dimension ignoring the laws of the spirit realm at that level.]
“It’s useless magic if Raizakia is in the outer dimension.”
[Hamel. Don’t you already know the answer to that? If Raizakia really exists somewhere in the outer dimension, there is no way that Raizakia’s curse will remain on Senya Merdein and the elves.]
That’s right. Eugene felt a little regret and put Winid down.
I took out the moonlight sword.
[…] … Isn’t it dangerous?]
Even Tempest knew the power of the Moonlight Sword. An unknown sword found in the underground ruins of Helmud. Tempest is also a wind spirit king that has existed since time immemorial, but nothing related to the moonlight sword exists in any myths or legends on the continent.
[Hamel. You know, but that… … It is destruction in the form of a sword. Unexpected recoil may come.]
“The thing most closely connected with vermouth is the moonlight sword.”
Without hesitation, Eugene drew the moonlight sword from its scabbard.
ㅡHwaaaak… … ! The pale, soft moonlight created the sword body. The moment Mer saw the moonlight sword, she burrowed into the futon.
“The brain acrobatics, the dragon spear, and the holy sword. All have origins before Vermouth, and had other owners besides Vermouth. However, the moonlight sword’s origins other than vermouth are unknown. I’m holding it right now, but Vermouth has used the Moonlight Sword much longer, a lot, and well than I have.”
[…] … Even so… … .]
“Don’t expect too much. To the extent that that thoroughbred bastard pretended to be dead and even held his funeral, he must have erased all traces of himself. But what if there is a possibility? Even if we fail to find vermouth, we might be able to find out the location of the fragments.”
Yujin said so and brought Akasha closer to the moonlight sword. The moonlight emitted by the moonlight sword pushed back Akasha’s magic. Eugene immediately began to tune in between them.
3 years ago. When he first obtained a fragment of the Moon Lightsaber, he performed mana manipulation on the fragment. And he got the hilt from a desert tomb. It was not possible to control the spirit when it was a fragment, but it became possible to control it after the hilt was added.
It wasn’t easy. While holding the moonlight sword, cast magic and exhale sword steel. The process of making all of that possible was really hard to death. That’s how Eugene tamed the moonlight sword.
Keying… … !
The dragon magic that happened in Akasha was passed on to the moonlight sword.
‘… … This… … .’
in my head.
Something.
‘… … I am… … .’
appear. It spreads. it gets so wet
‘… … What are you looking at?’
Darkness without a single light. That… … is it the sky?
‘… … That… … .’
I don’t know. I don’t understand what you see. Too dark… … . I can’t see anything. No, I can’t see… … .
‘Vermouth?’
okay.
A sound I heard somewhere. … … When was it?
okay.
The sound of chains dragging.
The darkness oscillates. In the middle of it, two red lights appear.
“Don’t look.”
A quiet whisper.
‘The Demon King of Confinement.’
Eugene remembered the owner of that voice.
The darkness turns red. Eugene knew what that red color was.
… .
… … .
… … … .
[…] … Hamel!]
“Eugene!”
Eugene came to his senses at the sound that rang in his head and dug into his ears.
eyes are still bright red
“To rot.”
Eugene wiped away the bloody tears and spat out curse words.
Ariartel
My head is dizzy and my stomach is nauseous. The two voices that came at the same time made my already dizzy head throb.
“Eugene-sama, Eugene-sama!”
Mer held her shoulders and made a fuss. how much time has passed Yujin raised her head, rubbing the tears of blood flowing down her cheeks. A clock hanging on the wall. A little more than 10 minutes had passed since he started resonating with the Moonlight Sword.
It had been 10 minutes. I think it was only for a moment that I looked into the darkness projected in my head… … .
“How long are you going to shake it?”
“Is that okay?”
“are you okay. Uh, I think it’s fine.”
I replied and got out of bed. In an instant, my legs gave out and I almost collapsed. Seeing this, Mer burst into tears again. She followed her Eugene down, and she used her dragons to somehow support Eugene, who was much taller than herself.
[…] … That’s why I warned you… … !]
“Have I been beaten once or twice for ignoring the warnings of others and doing my own thing?”
[Hamel… … !]
“Okay, I got it. It’s my fault. I had to check it somehow, but I guess I should have been a little more careful.”
First, we looked at Akasha. I was worried that the dragon word magic might have been damaged due to what happened just now, but fortunately there was nothing wrong with Akasha.
The moonlight sword was the same. The sword that was not like a sword was still emitting pale moonlight. Yes, what that sword emits is light.
However, what was projected in Eugene’s head was darkness without a single light. A night when the sun has gone down, shadows, ink… … More than anything Eugene recalled, the darkness she had just seen was thick and ominous.
and.
The sound of clanking chains. A red binocular opened in the middle of darkness. I met him only once in my previous life, but a presence I will never forget.
The Demon King of Confinement.
——————
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‘… … Why is he?’
– don’t look
The words the demon king of confinement whispered just now linger in my head. Is he related to the moonlight sword? No, the demon king of confinement was not projected by Akasha’s magic, but directly interfered. What not to see… … that darkness? why?
‘… … also… … It means that the demon king of confinement is related to Vermouth’s seclusion.’
It was not something to be surprised or angry about now. Senya said that Vermouth also had circumstances that could not be helped. The son of a bitch had his chest pierced, and he was about to die. Still, he was his one-time colleague and friend, and supported Vermouth.
In the first place, the ‘promise’ proves that there is something between Vermouth and the demon king in captivity. 300 years ago, the demon king of confinement was able to kill everyone who reached in front of him. No, even before that, it was possible for the ‘demon lords’ to trample the entire continent.
Isn’t it? The reason the war was established 300 years ago is because the demon king in captivity and other demon kings did not come out of Helmud. Even though they might use monsters, demons, and black magicians, they didn’t march outside Helmud on their own.
If the Demon Kings had stepped forward at that time. If each of us didn’t divide camps and cooperated with other demon lords… … It would have been impossible to kill one demon lord, let alone three.
‘… … The demon king of confinement… … Are you holding vermouth?’
It wasn’t the first thought.
I thought about vermouth many times. About why he had several wives and had children, almost killed Senya, made peace with the demon king, and why he reincarnated Hamel.
The vermouth that Eugene remembers—- he wasn’t the one who revealed all his true feelings like the other guys. I felt him when I first met him at the port, but he was a guy I couldn’t figure out what the hell he was thinking.
-In Helmud… … What are you going to do?
-Kill the Demon King.
when we first met
– First, kill the demon king of slaughter. After that, he kills the demon king of misery, and then kills the demon king of madness. And kill the demon king of confinement, and kill the demon king of destruction.
Saying so, Vermouth stretched out his hand. Eugene and Hamel. I never once thought that that statement was a lie. It wasn’t just Hamel. No Senya, no Anise, no Moron. Everyone believed in Vermouth’s determination and had the same determination.
Their births, genders, backgrounds, and abilities were different. All of them were twisted in one corner. Rather than standing under someone and following them, they were the ones who should take care of themselves or stand in a position to lead others.
The reason the five people were able to come together 300 years ago was because Vermouth was at the center. Because Vermouth had said that, everyone had been wandering around Helmud for decades without a doubt. He killed the slaughter, the horror, the frenzy.
‘… … The reason you made a promise was that it had no choice but to be.’
Eugene looked at his own face in the mirror. The bloody tears had stopped, but there were still blood stains on his cheeks.
-I didn’t want to let you go first, Hamel.
-Are you satisfied with your death? If you did, you’re a bastard. Who wants to be content and die? Me, anise, moron, and vermouth. no one I didn’t want your death. We didn’t want to accept your death, and we didn’t want to send you dead first.
-Don’t resent Vermouth.
with Senya.
– Hamel.
-Why should Vermouth abandon his comrades?
-He didn’t want your death.
-I didn’t want Senya’s death, Anise’s death, or Moron’s death. So when everyone was down, Vermouth took the moonlight sword.
-The demon king of confinement was able to kill everyone except for Vermouth at that moment… … . However, it was not because the demon king of confinement made a pact with Vermouth.
-The promise wasn’t just for the world. It was to save the companions who were there, and it was also to recover your soul, which should have been annihilated.
with Tempest.
-thanks.
-Because no one dies, and come with me… … thanks.
He recalled Vermouth, who pulled out the holy sword from the demon king’s corpse and turned his back on the radiance like dawn.
“… … rather.”
Eugene sighed and wiped the stain on his cheek.
“Vermouth really couldn’t help it, so we made a promise. After arranging my reincarnation, it would be nice if he was captured by the demon king of confinement.”
[…] … .]
“know. How funny is that idea. It makes no sense. Is the demon king sick? Why don’t you kill vermouth? Why are you letting me live when I was reincarnated to kill myself?”
[…] … Because it is a promise.]
“Promise for what? I don’t know. I really don’t know. Why did the demon king of confinement, not Vermouth, intervene just now and prevent him from seeing it… … I don’t know.”
What would have happened if I had continued to look into that darkness?
Eugene looked down at the moonlight sword still in his hand. pale moonlight. A beautiful yet ominous light. Ruin in the form of a sword.
… … The darkness that Akasha projected from the moonlight sword… … What was it? Was there a vermouth beyond that darkness? I said don’t look… … .
‘… … like.’
Because the demon king of confinement intervened, Eugene could not continue to look into the darkness. If he hadn’t interfered, how long would he have looked into the darkness?
Did you end up watching it?
“… … It sucks.”
At the bottom of the desert, when you run into Amelia Merwin.
At that time, Eugene could not defeat Amelia. Even if she used the moonlight sword against Ignition, she wasn’t sure that she could escape Amelia’s clutches in the depths of the basement.
Even then, the demon king of confinement interfered. It descended, forcing Amelia Merwin to step down.
‘There is nothing beyond it.’
‘Nothing happened here.’
Eugene chewed his lips and returned to bed. As she lay down and closed her eyes, she felt Mer, who was sitting in the corner, creeping up to her.
A towel soaked in warm water was placed on her cheek. Mer wiped the small blood stains from her cheek with her careful hand, and also wiped the hardened bloodstains from the corners of her eyes.
Then a warm wind began to dry the water. It was the Tempest. The two of them didn’t talk anymore, and quietly stayed by Eugene’s side.
“thanks.”
“… … Shall we sleep together? I’ll hold your hand too.”
“You can’t sleep anyway.”
“But I can stay by your side until you wake up after Eugene falls asleep.”
“Isn’t it just that you’re afraid to be alone in the cloak?”
“Please. I’m not afraid of anything. … … hmm… … Nothing. Senya-sama, Eugene-sama, Anicilla-sama… … It scares me that other people who are good to me will be wrong.”
Mer muttered in a low voice and pulled the blanket over Eugene’s body. She and she herself writhed under the covers as if it were natural for them, and she crouched close to Eugene’s body.
“therefore. Don’t be angry, Eugene-nim, and don’t be sad either. Do risky things in moderation, and don’t get sick. You should be healthy until Senya-sama comes back.”
“… … I am fine.”
“lie. You shed bloody tears. Emotions were also conveyed to me a little.”
Suffering, earnestness, loneliness… … anger. Mer did not know what kind of emotion all those emotions mixed together.
But I couldn’t let it go.
[…] … I can sing a lullaby.]
“Go away, Tempest.”
Hearing the lullaby he sang in that gruesome voice was sure to give him terrible nightmares.
* * *
“Hamel.”
when was it
My memory is not accurate.
It has to be.
Even before entering Helmud, there were frequent battles, but after entering Helmud, every day was really a battle. Red raids did not cover time, and the methods varied each time.
The days in that terrible hell made the party grow rapidly. However, that did not make the battle simpler. As they became stronger, the enemy became more numerous and stronger.
What was able to endure those days of endless battles?
This was because 3 out of 5 people could use healing magic. But there was a magical difference.
Vermouth’s healing magic was powerful for myself, but it was impossible to heal others. In the first place, healing magic could only be used by priests with faith, and the healing magic used by Vermouth was like a warrior’s protection.
Senya did not know how to use divine magic, but she knew how to use healing magic unique to elves. It is a magic that she has been able to learn thanks to growing up in an elf village since she was a baby. As Senya herself was a mage of unrivaled skill, her healing magic was as powerful as her high cleric.
However, it did not compare to Anise. maiden of light. faithful anise.
“Are you okay?”
Anise Slewood.
The healing magic she used could not even be called magic. It was literally a miracle. Attach her severed limbs intact. It’s not just flesh, it connects all of the bones, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. No aftereffects or rehabilitation is required. The moment the ‘miracle’ unfolds, the severed limbs move normally.
Even if all the bones in your body are shattered, your intestines burst, and your heart ruptures. If you don’t stop breathing right away, the miracle of anise will get rid of the wound right away. The only thing that terrible miracle could not bring about was Hamel, who had already died and whose soul was dying due to Lich Belial’s curse.
“It is not okay.”
which battlefield was it?
After killing Slaughter? Or was it misery, was it madness? The battlefield of Kamash and the giants? Bombing of Laizakia? Vampire Suicide Special… … The demon army led by the sword of confinement?
I don’t know. 300 years ago we fought too much. I can count on my hand the number of enemies who finished the fight intact. Injuries were always treated after a battle. No, he healed his wounds even during battle. Death was common on the battlefields of that era, and wounds were natural.
There were many people who struggled like that. People who lost something to monsters, monsters, and demons. Many people were blinded by hatred and vengeance rather than a fancy belief in saving the world.
Such people wander the battlefield on the subject of weakness. To cool my hatred and get my revenge. On the battlefield, you realize that you are dedicated to it. I know deep down that I can’t possibly achieve it, so I’d rather fight and die.
Anise.
The saintess did not stand by and watch their deaths. Anise had a part that was not like a saint, but when she had to, she was more sincere and like a saint than anyone else.
When you reach the Demon Castle of Confinement.
All five were alive. No one was crippled. There have been several crises. It left indelible scars all over the body. It was just ‘barely’. They went through the battlefield every day for decades, but the five remained unchanged from the beginning.
It was thanks to the miracle of anise.
“… … You overdo it.”
Hamel muttered as he looked at Anis. Battlefield. bloody smell… … The smell of rotting bodies wafted from afar.
“… … i mean I know your stubbornness is terrible. You know that even if you dry it, you won’t eat it.”
“I don’t want to hear that from you.”
“why? Is it because I’m also a stubborn bastard who won’t listen? what is it But, Anise, unlike you, I make a distinction.”
Anise did not respond.
click.
Instead, there was the sound of buttons unbuttoning on a priestly robe. Hamel sighed deeply and moved closer to Anis.
“… … These are the guys who want to die. Rather than saving them, letting them die would be their salvation. But why… … Are you going to lose money by saving it?”
“Does a priest need a reason to save people?”
Anise did not look back.
“It doesn’t matter to me that they don’t want it. I can save them, so I saved them. What I can ask for but do not seek is what I turn away from.”
Click, click. The button kept coming undone.
“I can’t. I won’t. Why are you taking a loss? No, Hamel. I am not at a loss. I am… … . I will go to heaven by saving that many people and building good deeds like that.”
The priest’s clothes flowed down.
“Of course, I have already accumulated enough good deeds to go to heaven. God will be watching all my good deeds, so he will send as much light as I have accumulated.”
Upon death, good deeds in life become light, and evil deeds become darkness. If the light is bright enough to illuminate all the darkness, you can go to heaven.
In that heaven, darkness does not exist. The sinful karma of the world takes place in darkness without light. In the heaven where the god of light rules, there is no sin karma because there is no darkness, and no one suffers because there is no sin karma.
That is the faith of Euras.
“… … God does not shed the blood of a lamb instead. He is the Brilliant Light that will light up all darkness, but He does not illuminate the darkness that now engulfs the world.”
Long blonde hair covers her bare back. Anis raised her hands and lifted her hair.
“… … I am a saint of light. If God is not doing it, I, His saint, must do it. We must shed Holy Blood on behalf of God, and illuminate the darkness with light on behalf of God. Hamel. I am… … I don’t think everyone who has died in these terrible times can go to heaven.”
Anise’s back.
covered in blood, etc. I got used to it after seeing it several times. If you use too much divine power and cause too many miracles one after another. Anise’s back was always drenched in blood.
Each time, Anis called Hamel. That may not have been the intention in the first place. lang syne. After the battle, when Vermouth, Senya, and Morron left to finish off the remnants of the surroundings.
Hamel, who was badly injured, and Anis, who was exhausted, remained. Instead of asking the already exhausted Anis to use her healing magic, Hamel tried to give her first aid alone.
Meanwhile, Anise collapsed.
“… … I will be the brightest light next to the god I serve.”
Hamel held the wet towel given to him by Anis. Then he carefully wiped the blood off Anise’s back.
“I will use my light to illuminate even the darkness of those who cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Not all people who died in this age will be able to enter heaven, but we will guide as many people as possible to enter heaven.”
Wiping off the blood reveals the wound.
No, that’s not a wound. Law text engraved all over the back. Whenever Anise works a great miracle, that method digs deep into the skin and makes it bleed.
that’s how it gets bigger When I first looked at Anise’s back, the text of the law was engraved only near the wing bones. However, as she performs her miracles, her discourse grows longer and larger. Right now, the text was down to Anise’s waist.
“… … It’s amazing that you, who use all sorts of miracles, can’t heal my back.”
“That is a stigma. That itself is a proof of a miracle, isn’t it ridiculous to treat it with a miracle?”
Anis sat down to make it easier for Hamel to wipe the blood. Then he took out the holy water from his waistband and brought it to her mouth.
Usually, Hamel sought the holy water of Anise, but in this case he did not ask for the holy water. This is because Anise now knows the reason why she drinks holy water non-stop every battle.
“… … Tell me if it hurts.”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
Anise was good at hiding her expression. He hides his true feelings, says something completely different and always has a smile on his face. He still did. Anis laughed as she drank the holy water in the same voice as always.
wipe all the blood Apply ointment to deep tattoos. It is a wound that cannot be healed by miracles. Applying an ointment does not mean that the wound will heal. However, less bleeding occurs when ointment is applied.
“… … I’m glad it’s you.”
Anis muttered as she put down the holy water.
“I don’t want to show this to Vermouth-nim. Moron is… … If I knew my back was like this and I was bleeding, I would kill my strengths and fight passively. And Senya will hold onto me by force so that I don’t do anything wrong.”
“I am?”
“You are trying to understand me.”
I heard a chuckle and laughter.
“Understanding my stubbornness, I tell them not to do it, but they do not forcibly stop me. You always fight the same, knowing that the more you fight the ignorant, the more I bleed.”
“Because that would be better for you.”
Wipe the blood, apply ointment. Then bandages are applied.
“No matter what I say, you won’t listen. But if I go passive, the battle will be long. Even if it’s dangerous, if you finish it quickly, the overall damage will be reduced.”
“And you are good at treating wounds. I change the bandage well so that it is not uncomfortable, and I do not feel lust when I see my naked back.”
“Who would think of such a bloody, scarred back?”
“It’s good to treat your colleagues like colleagues, but why not think differently sometimes?”
“… … What do you think?”
“I thought I would be covered in blood and sick because of you.”
“You just said it. Fighting actively rather than fighting passively… … .”
“Isn’t one moron enough to fight like that? Hamel, if you and Moron were a little less injured, the blood I shed would have been cut in half.”
“… … hmm… … .”
Hamel couldn’t answer and fixed the bandage.
“… … I will try.”
Eugene.
Recalling that distant conversation, I drew Anise with eight wings spread.
“… … There are few wings.”
The capital of the Holy Empire, Euresia.
I saw the statue of Anise with a pair of wings spread.
Euresia
Euras, a sacred empire with a long history. After passing through the warp gate in the south of the capital, Euresia, you will find the ‘Square of the Sun’, praised as the most beautiful and sacred place in Euras.
There are statues of saints who have been revered in Yuras throughout the ages.
April 13 is one of the feast days of Jurass.
‘… … Anise’s birthday.’
In Euras, after the progenitor, the incarnation of light, the faithful Anis is counted as the most famous saint. It is because I feel much closer to the saintess who is said to have defeated three demon lords with a hero 300 years ago than to the founder of Euras long ago.
Perhaps that is why, on April 13 every year, followers of light come from all over the continent. It was like that this year too. There are still a few days left until the birthday of Anis, but the Warp Gate and Sun Plaza are already full of followers of light.
Eugene mingled with the crowd and looked up at the statue of Anis.
Square of the sun, its center.
The statue of Anise is floating in the sky with a pair of wings spread. It was a luxurious statue made of various magical minerals, gold, and jewels. The various colors shine even more as they receive sunlight, and in the dark night when the sun goes down, they emit their own light to light up the plaza.
In this square, floating in the sky like that, the only thing made with that much effort and cost is the statue of Anise. That statue floats in the sky like that every day, and believers should look up to it, but only on the birthday of April 13th, it only comes down to the ground, so believers can get closer.
Eugene looked up at the statue of Anis for quite some time.
I had never been to the Holy Empire in my previous life. In his previous life, when he became a companion, Vermouth was already the owner of the holy sword, and Saint Anise was by his side.
There was no reason to go.
‘… … I haven’t heard much about it either.’
Anis, from Jurass, said very little about the place where he was born and raised. When someone spoke about his hometown, Anise watched from a distance, but never once intervened directly in the conversation.
Even Moron, a witless, idiot, knew that Anise did not love her hometown. Eugene also knew that Anis’ feelings towards the Holy Empire were close to hatred.
I just don’t know why.
Characteristics of Anise. Beautiful wings spread wide. Wings made of stained glass. Hundreds and thousands of different colors form wings. Then, the sunbeams from the high sky break and pour down from the inside of the wings.
“… … It’s beautiful.”
Standing beside Eugene, Mer looked up at Anis with blank eyes.
It was as he said. Among the many statues in this plaza, this statue is uniquely beautiful. Seeing them floating in the sky and pouring out light like that, it seems that the faith that was not there is also dwelling there. That icon is a splendid and beautiful propaganda tool of Euras.
“… … Is it as you wished?”
“yes?”
At Eugene’s murmur, Mer tilted her head and asked again. Eugene didn’t respond and recalled the conversation with Anise again.
Anise hoped to become a great light by accumulating good deeds over and over again. He hoped to become a single sun and lead those who died during that era to heaven.
I don’t know if Anis died and really became that kind of light.
But he became an angel. I got my reward for not taking care of my body, working miracles, and raising people who wanted to die over and over again. And on the ground, it remained as a beautiful icon, making countless unbelievers convert to the Protestant Church of Light.
‘… … I don’t think you’ll like that character very much.’
It’s hard to know now what Anise was thinking. Yujin smiled bitterly and turned her body around.
I did not come to this country to celebrate the birthday of Anis and to participate in the festivals of Eurasia.
‘I don’t know if it’s due date.’
If that’s the case, there’s enough willingness to take care of it. Even if it’s a memory of a previous life, I think I can drink alcohol, offer alcohol, or even shed a little tears depending on the contents of the memories I recall.
A tomb at the bottom of the desert. I saw the memory of that time through the holy sword. Senya, Anis, and Moron all shed tears over Hamel’s death. Vermouth was the only one who did not shed tears at the grave.
‘… … Since you cried for me, I can cry for you too.’
birthday? what about that It’s not that colleagues have never celebrated birthdays, but isn’t it funny to celebrate birthdays now, 300 years later?
Yujin thought so and moved to leave the plaza.
I couldn’t walk very long. It was because someone’s eyes met from the back a little bit away. Blue eyes drew thin curves under the deeply worn robe.
Eugene let out a deep sigh and moved closer to the man wearing the robe. She turned away as if she had no intention of conversing here. She was in a hurry and she didn’t follow. Eugene leisurely followed her lady.
“Were you intoxicated by the beauty of the icon?”
After leaving the plaza, the crowd had noticeably decreased. After she got there, the woman slowed her pace and came right next to Eugene.
“It was a bit too shiny. Isn’t that too extravagant?”
“Sincere Anis-nim wanted to light up the darkness for eternity in the future. That statue embodies Anis-nim’s wish as it is.”
Christina Rogeris.
She answered without lifting her tucked-in robe. The reason was understandable. Anise’s birthday is just around the corner. Believers gathered near this plaza are the people who came to celebrate the feast and worship.
The statues of Anise are erected not only in the Plaza of the Sun, but also all over Juras. There is no way that the followers who came all the way here to celebrate the holiday would not know what Anise looked like, so if they even saw Christina, who resembled Anise so much, in person—-it would not be strange for the old and feeble followers to faint as they were.
“How many months? Is there any good-bye?”
Cristina lifted her head at the words she smiled at. She stared blankly at her Eugene, then nodded her head slightly.
“It’s been a while, Eugene. I feel really fortunate to be able to meet him in such an unharmed state.”
“Looking unharmed? what else does that mean Even if it’s something I’m not okay with… … .”
“I heard about the story of the Black Lion Castle.”
Christina came a little closer. She looked up at Eugene, who was taller than herself, and her eyes softened.
“There was something big. I’m not an expert on ‘such’ matters, so I didn’t go to the Black Lion Castle, but I heard in detail what happened there through Inquisitors Atarax and Hemoria.”
“… … what else do i say I don’t know what they said… … hmm… … It was a big deal, but I was safely unharmed… … .”
“Even though you took a few days off, your body hasn’t fully recovered.”
“uh… … .”
“There’s no way that the black lion castle lacked healing potions. If you had requested it, I, the saintess of hers, would have personally visited and tended to Eugene-sama’s wounds. But she didn’t even ask for that.”
“… … Don’t you know that healing potions aren’t all-powerful? Even Elixir isn’t all-powerful. And it wasn’t even hurt enough to require a priest… … .”
“He was bedridden for several days.”
“What is that… … .”
“Did you use that? The name… … It must have been an ignition, right? A suicide device that destroys my body and my heart and cuts off my lifespan.”
“I think the suicidal idea is too severe.”
“no. What’s worse is Eugene, who abuses my body with such ignorant techniques.”
Cristina continued, staring at Eugene with thinly opened eyes.
“I would have warned you about that technology in Samar. It’s a technique that requires you to lie down for several days after using it once. Even while lying down like that, it’s hard to control my body, so I have to get someone’s help.”
His voice was lithe, yet sharp and piercing.
I don’t want to think too much of what happened in Nahama. It was good to use ignition to kill Varang, but it turned out to be too ugly for the first recoil I encountered after reincarnation. I couldn’t even walk on my own feet, so I was carried on Christina’s back, and for the next three days, I ate the rice Christina scooped and drank the water that flowed… … .
Something… … It’s not like I was personally despised for anything. I was respected enough that I thought it was too much… … Something… … For some reason, it feels like my dignity as a person has been cut… … .
“It’s okay if I’m by your side. If it were me, I would be able to respond quickly to Eugene’s injury, and I’m used to taking care of my exhausted body. But it was too reckless to use such a technique in my absence.”
“what is it… … . She was forced to write… … I don’t really want to write either… … .”
“I also heard that you fought Princess Raksha in Kiel. Do you know what I was thinking when I heard that story?”
“How do I know that?”
“I lamented why I wasn’t there with you. If I, a saint, had been there with her, she might have helped Eugene and punished the evil Dark Elf leader.”
“Don’t talk about the past… … .”
Christina’s steps stopped abruptly. She wanted something, so Eugene stopped her steps and turned to Christina. Her hand, which had been stretched out for the first time, grabbed both of Yujin’s hands.
“Eugene.”
Cristina took Eugene’s hand and held it together. She saw the ring on the ring finger of Eugene’s left hand, but she didn’t express anything about it.
“… … Please realize that you are a special being. Eugene is a warrior who has been recognized by the holy sword. As a saint, I am ready to die for Eugene. If Eugene is injured, I will do everything in my power to create a miracle.”
“… … .”
“If you are a warrior, you must do your duty. In today’s world, the only mission a hero needs to accomplish is to subdue the two remaining demon lords. So please… … .”
“What’s up?”
Eugene glanced at Christina’s hand. There is no trembling. It’s not even sweaty. Even the pulse that comes through subtly is calm. However, Eugene felt a strange sense of incongruity.
The smile Christina is wearing right now. It’s not unfamiliar. It’s a smile I’ve ever seen. Yeah, when she first met Cristina. Before entering Vermouth’s Tomb. When she spoke of her physical resemblance to Anise, and of her birth parents.
At that time, Christina smiled like that. Although she looks calm, her inner self is not. A smile she had cultivated with great care over a long period of time, a smile she had been able to create unconsciously, a pretentious yet completely invisible smile. At first glance, that smile seems benevolent, befitting the name of a saint.
If it was the first time you met Christina and you had a shallow relationship with her, you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable with that smile. However, Eugene stayed with Christina for several months in Samar. He entered an elf’s territory that no one else had ever entered, and there was a time when he met Barang and almost died.
only a few months. However, if you add up to your past lives, that’s not the case. Christina resembles Anise too much. She is not quite the same if you separate her features one by one, but the atmosphere is so similar that it is not an exaggeration to say that they are twins.
so you can read Right before they parted ways at Lionheart’s mansion, Christina hadn’t smiled like that. When we first met, her smile was artificial and pretentious, but as she went through miserable things in Samar, her true intentions slowly began to emerge.
“… … What are you talking about?”
The answer was late. Cristina blinked her eyes a couple of times, then tilted her head and changed her expression. The smile faded, and a look of puzzlement tinged on her face.
“Your expression is strange.”
“Are you saying my face is weird?”
“It looks like you’re laughing very hard.”
“It’s not like that… … only. If Yujin-sama really felt that way, it might have been that she laughed so hard without realizing it. It’s been months since I’ve been reunited with Eugene-nim like this, so my expression feels a little awkward.”
Cristina said that and put her hand down. Then, she suddenly moved her gaze, and she looked at Mer, who was blinking her eyes at Eugene’s side.
“… … How. This little girl is a familiar that the wise Senya-sama created herself.”
“It’s called Mer Merdein.”
now you’re looking at this Mer had met many, many different people, but in Christina she felt for the first time since she existed, something she could not describe.
“Nice to meet you, Familiar Girl. ah… … Is it rude to say this?”
“hmm… … No, I’m fine. Although it has been over 200 years since I was created, it is true that I am a cute and adorable girl who looks exactly like Senya-sama.”
It’s amazing that I can say that with my own mouth. Thinking so, Eugene looked down at Mer’s crown.
In fact, Eugene also said something about Hamel in his previous life that his face was not bad and that he had the charm of an untamed wild horse. it’s a different law
“Huh, that’s really true. I’ve seen Senya’s portraits and statues before. Mer-sama is really made to look exactly like Senya-sama.”
Christina stared into Mer’s eyes with a thin smile. Mer did not avoid that gaze. She was still feeling something unknown in Cristina, and a little confused about what it was.
“… … I was told to come, but I came.”
It was Eugene who broke that brief silence.
“Why did you ask me to come? I had a reason to meet you too. I didn’t know you would ask me to come first.”
“What is Eugene’s reason?”
“It wasn’t the Pope and the cardinals who instigated me to kill you and me.”
Eugene said as if it was not a big deal. However, the surrounding boundaries were not neglected. In this religious country, there are so many rotten fanatics walking around with a normal face. God is natural, and it is not strange to be stabbed in the eye for slandering the pope and cardinals on the street.
“… … ah.”
Christina nodded slightly.
“Indeed, I see. I had my suspicions from the beginning, but I thought it couldn’t be… … Was it like that too?”
Can you trust the pope and the cardinals?
I had asked Christina that in the past. I could clearly recall the answer at that time.
no.
You two don’t want to kill me over this.
“I wanted Eugene-sama to fully trust me through this.”
“I said I trusted you.”
“yes. I heard the answer then. But I needed more concrete proof. So, I returned to the Holy Empire and uncovered the suspicions of the Pope and Cardinal Rogeris. … … It didn’t do much, though.”
Cristina chuckled and started walking again.
“In a situation where even letters are monitored. They even used ciphertext, and consigned letters using few friends. I hope Eugene knows how much effort I put into earning Eugene-nim’s trust.”
“Because I believe in you.”
“I know. What I’m saying is that Eugene-nim is a little more burdened about me, and a little more… … .”
Cristina paused for a moment. In that moment, Eugene saw the slight change in her Christina’s expression.
The fake smile disappears,
The smile I had seen from Anis was young.
“… … A little more… … Cook Cook… … Eugene-sama may sound funny to you, but yes. I hope you will trust me more and value me more.”
“… … precious?”
“Please don’t misunderstand me. As a saint, I will accompany Eugene on his journey. However, I don’t think there is yet a bond like a colleague between me and Eugene.”
That expression fades.
“So you have to build bonds step by step.”
“… … You have a very weak personality. so. What business did you ask me to come all the way to Yuras?”
“A few days later. On the day of Anise’s birthday, I will be certified as a saint.”
“… … proof? Wasn’t it already recognized that you were not a candidate for a saint, but a formal saint?”
“Few are aware of that fact. Even in Jurass, only the three cardinals and the Pope know that I have become a saint.”
A Heretic Questioner belonging to the Maleficarum. Atarax and Hemoria also called Christina a ‘candidate of saints’.
“Of course, it is a joy and an honor to officially become a saint, to be certified and announced. It is the same with receiving blessings and baptism. But on Lady Anise’s feast day, in the plaza of the sun, and even in front of the statue of Lady Anis… … It’s like being weighed down by a burden. If we do that, it will be regarded as the second coming of the faithful Anis-sama.”
“… … .”
“But I have no veto power. It is not a matter of refusal due to the burden of that individual.”
“Are you saying you need me for that proof?”
Eugene asked while lifting his cloak.
“Or do you still need a holy sword?”
“… … It won’t be revealed that Eugene is a hero.”
Christina replied.
“Because the existence of a hero is much heavier than that of a saintess. Proof against me will take place in the deepest, most secret places of the Vatican. Eugene is there… … Please watch me prove that I am a saint.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Eugene lowered the hem of his cloak and opened his mouth.
“It’s kind of bad to be conscious of that just because you’re announced as a saint.”
“… … What are you talking about?”
“Apart from your worrying about me, don’t be overly conscious of the fact that the saintess has to devote herself to the hero.”
Christina opened her eyes wide, unable to answer. Eugene saw the smile fade from her face and her expression disappear.
“Especially saying that you could die instead.”
It’s funny to say such a thing after being so engrossed in a previous life.
“I f*cking hate that word.”
Because I was lost like that, I thought I was more qualified to say this than anyone else in the world.
Euresia
It was as if the skin on my heart had been peeled off.
There might not be a shell in the heart that was beating in her chest right now, but Christina felt that way. It was as if the inner side of her body that she did not want to show to anyone was revealed, and the surface of emotions that she could not accurately grasp even herself had been skimmed.
So, his expression wavered. It was very brief, but Christina felt that momentary shaking as very long.
‘What kind of expression was that?’
I don’t know. A smiling face… … It seems it wasn’t. Cristina raised her hand and caressed her cheek. She could feel the smile she always had, the smile she had made for granted.
‘… … It was different from now, I don’t know.’
The pope is elected from among the priests who have the strongest faith than anyone else in this huge holy empire.
After the predecessor Pope went into Zen. The soul appears in the dreams of all bishops before reaching heaven. In this way, the pope looks into the souls and faith of the bishops, and inscribes stigmata on the bodies of bishops who have sufficient faith to entrust successors.
The bishops who have the stigmata enter the ‘audience room’ deep in the Vatican and are chosen by the light. Bishops who are elected become pope, and bishops who are not elected become cardinals.
The current pope of Euras, Euryus, was also chosen by the light in the throne room 30 years ago. The pope thus elected is regarded as the Vicar of Light in Euras.
Saints are different from popes and cardinals. If they are chosen for their piety among the bishops, the saints are descended. In this generation, only one candidate was Christina, but in the previous generation, there were three or four candidates.
‘Lighting’ requires several conditions. A girl raised in a monastery, orphaned or abandoned. Some of the girls with such backgrounds are suddenly radiated, and as children, they are able to perform miracles that are incredibly powerful.
The light descended like that gradually diminishes as you grow, which means that you are disqualified as a candidate. Among such candidates, the one whose light shines more brilliantly rather than diminishing is officially recognized as a saint. In this way, the saintess becomes an apostle of light.
Warrior.
ㅡA long time ago. A time when the devil did not exist, and the boundaries between demons, monsters, and monsters were not even distinguished. The god of light who came down from the sky made a sword out of his own blood and flesh and revealed the darkness. That sword is the holy sword Altair. The first child of the god of light, and the most brilliant torch the god left for this world.
After the god left the earth and ascended to heaven and became light. No one in the Holy Empire could pull out the Altair and reveal the light. Only the great Vermouth from 300 years ago and his descendant, Eugene Lionheart, pulled out the Altair and lit up the light.
That’s why warriors are special. The hero is neither an agent of light nor an apostle.
light incarnation.
… … What is strange about a saintess devoting herself to a warrior? That’s what you should do, of course. Christina had no doubt about that. A situation arises when it is necessary, and at that time, if she is a saint, Christina. She is willing to give her life for the hero and for Eugene.
Ever since the day she became a candidate for sainthood, she had been taught that she had to do that. She engraved in her heart how noble and glorious a saint’s responsibility is. The face she had from birth, and the one that was taken by the cardinal, and the light. In order to become a saint who is suitable for all of these things, and can step forward as the second coming of the faithful Anis 300 years ago.
The curve of the corners of the mouth, the position of the corners of the mouth, the pitch of the voice, the handling of the gaze and the eye smile. I made a face like that and hid my insides. It didn’t have to be revealed, and it shouldn’t have been revealed.
Being a saint doesn’t mean you don’t have to devote yourself to a hero, does that mean you still don’t want to admit that you’re a hero?
‘… … Then me?’
There have always been saints in Euras. But what is special about Christina is that she has come to live in the same age as the faithful Anis of 300 years ago.
Cristina hoped that she would be able to fulfill her mission with the hero like that Anise. She thought that she was born with a look similar to Anise-sama, and that she was born again as a hero in Ryan’s heart, and that everything was a connected fate.
but. If Eugene refuses to be a warrior and refuses to fulfill his mission.
Is there any meaning in the life I lived to be recognized as a saint?
‘… … ring.’
Things I don’t want to care about, things I shouldn’t care about, keep getting stepped on in my eyes and floating around in my head. Cristina remembered Eugene’s hand that she had held before. ring finger of the left hand. She had a gold ring that hadn’t been worn when she was in Samar.
Christina knew very well what the ring on her left ring finger meant. The ring was an object that would never have a relationship with the saintess, the companion of light who should remain pure for the rest of her life.
‘… … about 3 months… … did it flow Meanwhile… … After all, nobles often get engaged even before they become adults.’
In addition, Eugene is evaluated as the best equipment since the founder of Lionheart, which has a high prestige. Cristina sees serious flaws in her character, her mouth being bitten by a rag, she’s a filthy subject and her appearance has to be acknowledged.
skill? Is there any reason to go over it? If I had to find more flaws, it would be the fact that I am an adopted son, not from the original family, and that I gave up the right to succeed to the head of the family… … Considering what Eugene has, there must be many aristocratic families who would marry her without caring about her flaws.
only 20 years old An age where the word young is more appropriate than the word still young. Even if he can’t become the head of the prestigious Lionheart, that young Eugene Lionheart can become anything. Arot’s mage lord? Commander of the Court Magic Division? He could become the head of the Imperial Knights of Kiel, or he could commit himself to another country.
‘… … Opponent… … Who is it? A great aristocrat who would be on the same level as Lionheart… … Maybe even royalty.’
It’s none of Christina’s business. Though she thought so, her heart seldom followed.
… … however… … Wasn’t it too modest for an engagement ring? If it was an engagement between a great noble family, it would be common to wear an expensive ring to show off to other noble families along with commemoration.
I wanted to take another look to confirm, but Cristina suppressed the urge. It is an unnecessary impulse. No need to. She didn’t want to feel any confusion, and she was wary of meeting Yujin’s eyes.
So I hurriedly walked. Eugene followed her without asking why her pace had accelerated. Then she suddenly looked back and saw Mer, who was eagerly following her with frequent steps.
“Eugene-sama is finally seeing me.”
Mer opened her narrow eyes and fired. When she opened her cloak with her embarrassed expression on her face, Mer jumped into her cloak as if she had been waiting.
‘It’s my first time riding a train. Have you ever ridden, Eugene?’
‘I’ll try it for the first time too. There were no trains 300 years ago.’
There are also trains in Kiel. It is common for nobles to use warp gates for long-distance travel, but ordinary people who cannot afford the high cost use trains for long-distance travel.
Because trains have hextech added to most of the machinery, they have not yet completely replaced horses and carriages. However, since it can run as long as the rails are laid, and it is overwhelmingly easier to manage than warp gates and has less risk of accidents, the introduction of magic trains and the addition of routes was increasing.
As the demand increases, various developments are being added. According to Melchis, recently the alchemists of the White Horse Tower are developing a magic car that runs on the road in place of horses and carriages.
‘It’s so blatant that it’s funny.’
Mer, who was lying comfortably inside the cloak, giggled.
The Holy Empire, Euras, has a wide land mass like an empire, and the penetration rate of warp gates is very low.
Divine magic derived from faith and magic using mana have completely different systems. The high-minded high priests of Euras disapproved of mages who performed miracle-like magic without a hint of faith, and that had long discriminated against mages in Euras.
Of course, that was in the distant past. After the war with the demon king, the world changed enough that black magicians were accepted into the Magic Society. In fact, rather than that reason, it must have been that he could no longer ignore the fact that magic was more convenient in many ways than divine magic.
‘Not all believers can use divine magic. It’s the same with magic, but unlike divine magic, magic can benefit non-mages as well. As long as you have money.’
Even people who cannot fly can use Arot’s aerial carriage if they have money. If you have money, you can use a warp gate to get there in no time, even if you have money to travel long distances that would require a few days of travel by horse, carriage, or train. Even in the cold snowy winter, if you install a magic boiler and pay the full price, you can use hot water to the fullest.
It is also a benefit of magic that Yu-jin does not carry a heavy scion and a pair of coats of arms, unlike in her previous life. A magic ID linked to blood. A magic card linked to a bank account without the need to carry cash. All of them are life magics spread and established by Arot, the kingdom of magic.
Even in divine magic, there are miracles for convenience. However, unlike magic that lasts using mana in the air or mana batteries made from alchemy, such miracles are far less durable. In addition, divine magic uses the ambiguous power of ‘religion’ rather than mana, and even the level and power are determined according to the level of faith.
‘Yuras is one of the richest countries on the continent. He probably accumulated more wealth in the treasury than Kiel?’
‘I guess so. Apart from taxes, the people of this country even pay tithes and offerings to the church they attend. The tithe goes through the church to the Vatican… … In addition, I take the money collected by foreign cathedrals.’
‘The penetration rate of warp gate is lower than that of Kiyel on the subject of such a lot of money. Right now, Kiyel is Eugene’s hometown, and warp gates are installed in Bolaño, which smells like cow dung.’
Installed, but doesn’t work well. It was a warp gate used only by nobles and wealthy people who went down to the countryside for recuperation. Commoners living in such rural areas use trains, carriages, and horses more.
‘This country is taming its subjects. Indulge in the comfort of magic, don’t let it go far, and make you have no choice but to go to the local church when you’re free. On the subject of creating such an environment for the subjects, perhaps the high-ranking priests will use a hidden warp gate?’
‘Is there such a plot in the novels you’re reading these days?’
‘How did you know? The name “Yuras” doesn’t always come out, but there is a religious country that will remind anyone who reads it. The high-ranking clergymen in the novel revel in the depths of the city’s underworld.’
Mer shook Eugene’s finger while talking in an excited voice.
‘I’m sure the high-ranking priests of Euras will do the same. How can a person live stoically when he has a lot of money and power? While pretending to be ascetic on the outside, they must enjoy everything they enjoy and live comfortably.’
‘… … hmm… … You’d better not tell Cristina about that.’
‘Because I’ve noticed that much too? By the way, Eugene-sama, isn’t it very strange?’
‘what?’
‘The reason I resemble Senya is because Senya made me into her familiar as she was when she was a child. But Anis-sama isn’t a wizard, is she?’
‘Christina is not a familiar. She’s probably a distant descendant of Anise.’
It will not be a mere descendant. Eugene thought of Anis, who stood up on Christina’s back with eight wings spread. The light that comes to the candidates for sainthood… … Perhaps the anise was connected to it and dwelled in the body of the descendants.
‘… … hmm… … is that so?’
Mer tilted her head and murmured. She was still feeling something indescribable that she said to Christina.
“… … How long does it take by train to Trecia parish?”
“Unless there is an accident along the way, it will arrive by mid-night.”
Trecia Parish. This is the home of Cardinal Rogeris. It would have been natural for a parish of a high-ranking priest at the level of a cardinal to have a warp gate, but warp gates were not installed in parishes of other cardinals.
It’s not just the cardinals. Among the old sacred sites and historical sites in Euras, places where warp gates were installed were rather rare.
“It is because the meaning of pilgrimage becomes lighter when you come and go comfortably through the warp gate.”
When asked about his complaints, Cristina answered in a soft voice.
“A pilgrimage is a law that requires a certain amount of hardship. People don’t want to do things that are difficult and troublesome even when their bodies are tired. Overcoming such hardships, wandering and visiting for a long time. Overcoming desire with faith like that can be called a true pilgrimage.”
“Is it like a pilgrimage that you insisted on wearing priestly clothes in that steamy, muddy jungle?”
“Ah, now you know!”
“You didn’t seem to overcome your desires, did you? When your clothes get dirty, you wash them right away. I also ate a lot.”
“… … Meals have nothing to do with pilgrimage. What does it have to do with desire to always keep your priestly clothes clean?”
Christina continued without looking back at Eugene.
“I know that warp gates are convenient. But chasing the comfort of the body is how the mind becomes lazy. In particular, in a diocese ruled by cardinals, such as the diocese of Treccia, even the faithful of other parishes regularly visit and pray.”
“okay?”
“Yes, it is. Once a month. Cardinals come directly to the cathedral to preside over the service. On such a day, the train station is full of believers from other parishes who want to attend the service, and if it is too late, you can’t even get a ticket. Do you know what I mean?”
“no… … I don’t know.”
“You cannot participate in worship without moving faster than others. Some ardent believers even refuse to take the train and walk on foot. It is faith that makes such self-mortification.”
Eugene had never had faith in his previous life. So he couldn’t understand the meaning of deliberately toiling his body to make a pilgrimage and offer prayers.
“Eugene-sama trains in sweat and feels pain in the process, right?”
“… … yes.”
“Just as the shed blood and sweat made Eugene’s strength, the pilgrimage of hardships makes the believer’s faith stronger.”
“hmm… … okay… … .”
I felt a sense of incongruity in my expression. However, there was no sense of incongruity in the current conversation. It’s still an arbitrary logic, but Eugene thought it was nice to see it.
“Eugene. Have you ever been on a train?”
“no.”
“Once you ride it, you will love it. Unlike warp gates or wagons that move in a few steps, trains are comfortable and tasteful.”
Christina’s steps stopped. She slowly raised her hand and pointed at the stopped train.
“That is the pilgrimage train of Eurass. Sunnyside Anise Train.”
“… … what?”
“It’s the Sunnyside Anise Train.”
Eugene raised his trembling eyes and looked at the front of the train. Like the bow of a ship, the head of the lead train was adorned with a praying angel with eyes closed.
… … Upon closer inspection, the ornament was a miniature version of the anise seen in the Plaza of the Sun.
“… … Why is Anis-sama included in the name?”
“It’s not just Annis-sama. The pilgrimage trains that go around the parish bear the names of other saints.”
Wouldn’t that be a kind of blasphemy? Eugene thought seriously. I didn’t have any offspring… … If you give birth to an offspring, and that offspring builds a train and names it the Sunnyside Hamel Train.
It seemed as if he would jump out of the grave and grab his descendants by the collar.
“… … under!”
Mer, who was sticking her head out of her cloak, laughed. She has a crooked mouth. It’s not because the Sunnyside Anise Train was funny. In fact, if it wasn’t for that name, Eugene would have felt the same way as Mer.
On the subject of not installing a warp gate so as not to get drunk on the comfort of magic and not to tarnish the meaning of the pilgrimage. That train was the crystallization of magic engineering with all kinds of magic added.
