Phew. My mind is back. It took a bit longer this time. It was trickier because it was a case of deliberately turning a blind eye despite knowing the truth. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't protected them all this time.
No. This too is a seed I sowed. The reason people must accumulate virtue has been proven by my life today. Now, shall I slowly get up...
"...Who is it?"
At the bone-chillingly cold voice, I stopped trying to get up. While I lay there in that same spot, Tir slowly approached my side.
"Going beyond trying to harm me, you're trying to destroy everything I love? Trying to separate me from the world in that manner again? Who dares."
The reflection of myself in Tir's eyes was miserable. Torn clothes on my back, and beneath them, hastily healed wounds were visible. Bloodstains were scattered all around. The Progenitor's solemn fury seemed to shake this entire land, so breaking the atmosphere and standing up here felt too burdensome. She came because she was worried, but showing a healthy appearance would be a bit awkward...
Uh, wait a minute.
Am I actually healthy? I think I'm a bit hurt?
Tir's appearance was like that of the night. Like a dark and silent night, her arrival dyed the cloud waterfall black and calmed the chaotic battle situation. The three Elders, who had been committing a massacre all by themselves, stopped simultaneously and stared at her like sunflowers.
Just before the thrilled Elders could approach, the Regressor warned in a sharp voice.
"Tirkanjaka! Be careful. Yeonggwi stabbed Huez!"
...?
What does that mean? Suddenly here?
Well, it's not that I can't understand thinking that. The closest existence to me holding a sword right now is Hilde, after all. But the way she's jumping to conclusions is too random. Why misunderstand in that way?
If you point it out too firmly, everyone naturally starts doubting, 'Is that so?' Seeing Tir approaching with long strides, Hilde, who was terrified, spoke up to clear her false charge.
"No, no, that can't be! For me to stab Father? The one who stabbed him was the Thunder Hall Master!"
"What? Why would Elkid stab Huez?"
"Didn't I tell you earlier? She is a Holy Sword Bearer."
Right at that moment, Valdamir released the Thunder Hall Master. Since the Regressor's words that Tirkanjaka was coming were true, he released her for now to avoid any reckless actions. Of course, this was only possible because he had the confidence that he could catch her again at any time even if he let her go.
Thanks to that, the Regressor got the chance to see the Thunder Hall Master again. The Thunder Hall Master, fluttering her wings of lightning and gathering herself. Her appearance was far too similar to that of an angel.
Anyone can become a Holy Sword Bearer as long as they have devout faith. Those who possess peculiar abilities like the Thunder Hall Master but have nowhere to lean on tend to fall into faith more easily. It might have been a natural flow for the Thunder Hall Master to have been favorable to the Regressor from the start. Even without realizing it, the Regressor seems to be related to the Saintess.
"That's not a reason to stab Huez. Even if Elkid is a Holy Sword Bearer, why would she stab him?"
However, the Regressor still doesn't know the last piece. Because she saw the future firsthand, she overlooked it, and it was a piece of information I intentionally hid so it wouldn't be revealed.
"Because Father is the King of Humans. The Holy Court and the Saintesses despise him as a remnant of barbarism."
"...What?"
Ah, I'm caught.
Actually, it was good that I hid it until now. I even avoided thinking about it when I was with the Regressor on purpose.
Although the Regressor is forcibly separating the two and thinking about them, the King of Sin is definitely the King of Humans. And the Regressor tries to stop the King of Sin. In other words, the Regressor's goal is me.
If the fact that I am the King of Humans were to be revealed, I would gain a tenacious, powerful pursuer who would even leap through time to find me called the Regressor. Unfortunately, that's not a very good thing for me. So I was especially careful not to be caught by the Regressor, but...
It's probably impossible to hide it now that it's come to this. Ugh, one more reason I shouldn't get up. Let's just stay lying down for now. I desperately ignored the Regressor's gaze and pretended to be unconscious.
"What. Why.... No! Even if that's the case, why did you betray me?!"
"Just think a little and it's obvious. There. I'll explain it so even an idiot like Shei can understand."
Tir knelt beside me. Hilde approached the Regressor as if taking turns and folded her fingers. Like dealing with a child who could only understand if done so.
"What 'I' wanted was similar to you. There's no need to reveal all our inner thoughts and cooperate. With the unknown parts hidden in the dark, you do what you have to do, and 'I' take the Military State's profit. Since you owe a debt too, it would have been fine to form that level of cooperative relationship. However."
Clearly, the one who betrayed was Hilde. She drove a wedge between the Regressor and Tir, and realizing that Claudia had some relation to the Holy Sword Order, she called the vampires. To Hilde, who had abandoned the Holy Court once, the vampires would have looked a bit more attractive as comrades. She attacked the Regressor for the sake of her own and her country's profit.
But is the betrayal entirely Hilde's?
"You couldn't be 'my' strength. Because there was no Military State in your heart. Then, I should use you moderately and throw you away. If I can scheme for cooperation with the Mist Principality by sacrificing you, an enemy of the Military State, it's a profitable deal where I sell a leech attached to me for money, right?"
Hilde belonged to the Military State from the beginning, and still does. The reason she followed even to Yulguk was to obtain information and mediate to be of help to the Military State. For Hilde, who can act out anything, the things she barely affixed emotion to were the Military State and Saint Yuel. She dismisses everything else as that sort of trash.
"Just for such a reason...?"
"What do you mean such a reason? Shei. We can't trust each other. Not just 'me', but everyone here. Faith is... something so hollow that it can be flipped at any time depending on one's mood. Whether the opponent is a Saintess or a prophecy, can you believe it exactly as it is? They are the ones who use faith better than anyone else in the world, you know?"
While Hilde confronted the Regressor, Tir, who rested my head on her lap, slowly swept my face with her pure white fingers. Her face was full of worry and sadness.
Sigh, I guess it can't be helped. It's uncertain whether I can sort out this situation, but lying down any longer will only make things worse. Where should I slowly get up and do some work...
"...Phew."
Anyone watching would think a person died. I'm just sleeping for a bit, so don't make such a fuss.
I tried to speak like that, but no voice came out. I still had my eyes closed, and Tir was looking down at me. I saw it through Tir's very gaze.
Huh? My voice didn't come out?
Damn it. Is it because my body was pierced and left unattended for a while? I'm conscious, but my body won't move. Don't tell me, I wasn't just simply stabbed when I was stabbed by the sword?
The fact that I have consciousness in this situation is even more amazing. Unless I'm performing the wondrous feat of thinking while fainted, this is probably... the power of the Demon God I just found. The power of the Demon God is maintaining my consciousness independently of my body.
I'm not really sure if this is a good thing, though.
"...Lungken. Kabila. Valdamir. It's an order."
Tir said in a low voice. Even to that small voice that would fade without going a few steps, the Elders reacted violently.
"Haaaaah!!"
"Yes, Sister! Just say the word!"
"Give the command. We shall obey."
The three Elders struck their chests hard, clasped their hands tightly together, and bowed deeply, respectively. With the utmost respect each held in their hearts, the Elders awaited the Progenitor's command. It wasn't long. Tir commanded coldly and ruthlessly.
"They are the Heavenly God's trash. Clean them up. Leave not a single drop of blood."
"We obey--!"
"Of course! I, I'll kill them all!"
"...By your command."
The Elders did not hesitate for a single moment. They moved immediately to follow the Progenitor's command. If there had been even a little bit of emotion enjoying it until now, from now on, it was a duty and a mission. By any means necessary, they will destroy this land that bears the trace of the Heavenly God.
The Regressor foresaw that and shouted.
"Tirkanjaka!! Stop!"
'With Tirkanjaka's darkness, the Elders can commit slaughter without any restrictions even in the daytime. Claudia will be destroyed! Above all, the most dangerous one right now is...!'
The Regressor's tense gaze naturally turned toward Valdamir.
Blood Duke Valdamir. He had been merely observing the situation until now, but with the Progenitor's command given, he would become a more powerful and efficient killing machine than any other Elder and kill everyone. The reckless Lungken and the cruel Kabila were terrifying enough, but... Valdamir was on a different level from them.
Why did humans become the dominant species on earth. Subduing powerful beasts, overcoming pestilence and disaster to prosper. Valdamir was an existence that proved that. The Progenitor's first sword, who perfectly understood powerful strength and handled it precisely to accomplish his purpose.
A sword is neither heavy nor evil. It is merely sharp. Valdamir is just sharp, and therefore dangerous.
She must stop him. It's difficult, but in this space right now, only the Regressor could stop Valdamir. The Regressor turned her body toward Valdamir, who was slowly lowering his greatsword.
'I might die, but... there's no other way! No one here can stop Valdamir...!'
"Shei. 'I' am speaking to you. Please focus on 'me'?"
A sword made of light thrust deeply in an instant. There was no warning, but the Cheonbangyeong reacted first. The moment the Regressor leaned back to avoid it and tried to reflexively counterattack, Hilde dug deep inside. Pressing her wrist against the Regressor's wrist, she slashed the Regressor with the Holy Sword held in her reverse grip. The Holy Sword became rays of light and sliced across her arms and abdomen dozens of times. Light flashed and sparks flew.
Cheonak and the Holy Sword collided. The synergy between the weightless Cheonak and the Regressor's Cheonbangyeong was remarkably excellent, succeeding in blocking all of Hilde's attacks launched at point-blank range. Catching her breath for a moment, the Regressor swung Cheonak with all her might. Whether she lived or died, she had to finish this quickly and go stop Valdamir.
The invisible sword was swung with a momentum that seemed capable of even cleaving Mount Tai. Hilde tried to parry it with her dagger, but against strong force, the shorter the weapon, the more disadvantageous it is. There is a reason why martial artists prefer long-handled weapons even when they have the weapon of aura.
At that moment, the Holy Sword's appearance changed. Hilde's Holy Sword, which was merely a dagger, lengthened from the hilt to the blade. In the brief moment faith flashed, the Holy Sword transformed from a dagger to a longsword and softly parried Cheonak.
"The Holy Sword... changed?!"
The blade of light spun and deflected the impact. It was too refined to say it was hastily put together. The Regressor was horrified by the phenomenon she was seeing for the first time across all her regressions.
The Holy Sword is a sword forged by refining the faith within one's heart. Only those with deep and firm faith in the Heavenly God can draw it, and thus they are called the Holy Sword Order. The shining Holy Swords they hold in their hearts contain divine power and cleave evil.
Because of that, the Holy Sword can always be drawn, and as long as one's faith does not crumble, it does not break. It should definitely be so.
"I told you. 'Faith' is... something that can change this easily."
Hilde's Holy Sword was a longsword, a dagger, a scythe, and a spear. Every time she acted, the power granted by faith also changed its shape. Faith is not eternal. It is an extremely subjective concept, so even the power bestowed directly by the Heavenly God cannot distinguish acting at its peak. Then, can the 'faith' guaranteed by the Heavenly God be called fake just because its form changed? Perhaps every role Hilde acts out is real.
Or else, human 'faith' might have been an illusion from the very beginning.
The two Holy Swords moved unpredictably and pressured the Regressor. The Yukjangseong Yeonggwi paid the Regressor right back for her plan to buy time.