◈ Chapter 536. Each One’s Burden (2)
The sense that something was off.
“It began when I returned from the Abandoned Land.”
The Abandoned Land, China.
Until now, Talim and the paladins of the Goddess Church had been attacking the rifts that appeared in China. The reason was simple. They had judged it to be something that did not go against the doctrines of the Goddess Church.
However.
“It was a mistake.”
He had overlooked it.
That the internal circumstances of Muon, the Holy Land, had changed from the past. Because a true saintess had returned, one who possessed divine power surpassing his own as the commander of the paladins, one who could hear the voice of the goddess.
Kiko’s gaze trembled.
“Are you saying the Saintess, Lady Freyja, had a change of heart……?”
Talim shook his head.
“I wonder. Whether it can be called a change of heart.”
Nasrou looked utterly dumbfounded.
“Is it not a clear change of heart? Think back to the reason the Goddess Church has been able to endure until now. Though you may be self-sufficient now, if Chief Lee had not supported Muon in its early days……”
“That is not wrong.”
Talim nodded.
“Saintess Freyja also clearly acknowledged that point. Even so, her conviction simply did not waver.”
“Her conviction did not waver? Don’t tell me, from the very beginning……?”
“It must be because she has firm faith.”
The saintess’s faith.
Talim revealed the truth of the Goddess Church.
“What Senior Mage Nasrou suspects is correct. The Saintess, Freyja, received a revelation from the goddess to save the Arcana Continent from the ‘Endlessly Deep Darkness.’”
“……!!”
Kiko’s pupils shook.
Endlessly Deep Darkness.
That was one of Chief Lee’s many epithets.
Now, it was so absurd that a hollow laugh almost escaped.
“Are you aware, Commander Talim Eber? That you have set foot in the Magic Tower, an ivory tower of truth gathered by those who do not believe in the existence of gods, and are insulting our Chief Mage?”
At Nasrou’s words, Talim humbly nodded and answered.
“I am aware. However.”
“However? What else is there?”
“That is why I came to the Magic Tower to request help.”
“……?”
For a moment, Nasrou, who had been worked up, paused. ‘A request for help……? Ah, that was right!’ Only belatedly did he recall the reason Talim had come to the Magic Tower of his own accord.
From the very beginning, Talim had made his purpose clear.
Nasrou asked, wondering if it could be true.
“Then…… is it what I am thinking?”
“It probably is.”
“Good grief. Live long enough, and you truly see everything.”
Even after sorting it out again, he could not stop his hollow laughter.
“Internal strife within the Goddess Church.”
That was right.
The Goddess Church had split in two. Into the faction following Saintess Freyja and the faction following Paladin Commander Talim. The evidence was certain. Yet Nasrou was a suspicious man.
“That is precisely why I find it even harder to believe, Commander Talim.”
“I will answer honestly so that your doubts may be dispelled.”
“That is good to hear. Then I will ask frankly. Why are you rebelling against the words of the goddess? If you are a paladin serving the goddess, I would think you should obey the goddess’s will unconditionally.”
Talim smiled faintly.
“Rebellion. There was a time when I thought the same.” Until I met Chief Lee.
—“I do not believe in gods.”
—“Because there is no definite proof that they exist.”
—“However, there is also no definite proof that gods do not exist.”
To Talim, that cold voice had sounded like this.
—Uphold your own faith, not another’s.
Talim continued with a firm expression.
“Because my goddess did not say such a thing.”
Thud.
Talim placed a hand on the breast of his plate armor. Of course, the voice of the goddess, which only the saintess was said to be able to hear, did not reach him.
But Talim did not waver.
“Even if the saintess’s goddess said so.”
Because the goddess I serve would never have said that the devotion of myself and my paladins, who helped those most alienated in this world, was wrong. If she were to say that sacrifice was wrong.
Then she would no longer be the goddess I serve.
“My pride did not waver in the slightest.”
“Mm.”
“And that unwavering pride is telling me.”
Talim Eber.
In order to prove his faith.
His pride.
For the sake of those who would be “the most alienated in this world,” after China.
He had come to the Magic Tower.
“To protect the ‘Endlessly Deep Darkness’ from the Goddess Church.”
“……!!”
Nasrou and Kiko.
The two seniors exchanged looks.
Then they nodded and said,
“What comes next is not something we can dare discuss in my humble office. Paladin Commander Talim, please follow closely behind Senior Mage Kiko and me.”
Wooooong.
Soon, a portal rose within the office.
Where did the portal lead?
As Talim wondered, Kiko whispered to him.
“After all, to reach the top floor, one normally has to climb the Magic Tower’s stairs without rest……! Unlike before, there are many eyes in the Magic Tower now. Please understand.”
The top floor, all of a sudden.
Why?
As Talim mulled it over, Nasrou explained.
“You may be pleased, Paladin Commander Talim. No fewer than two Senior Mages have judged your claim to be reasonable. By our authority as seniors, we will guide you to our Tower Master.”
With a shrug of his shoulders....
Marcelo looked at the red flower.
In order to preserve the state it was in, just in case some clue remained.
Now that he had manifested preservation magic.
The flower gave off no scent at all.
“A flower whose name and flower meaning no one knows……”
Neither the books in the Emerald Hall, nor Skilled Mage Cle Odia, whom he had believed would possess abundant knowledge of plants because she studied elixir herbs, had been able to uncover the identity of the red flower. ‘But if it were seen through an adventurer’s eyes.’ Perhaps.
They might be able to reveal the identity of this red flower at once.
However, Marcelo did not hurry.
The scene he had seen from the Tower Master’s seat in the Crystal Hall. ‘The mere fact of my lord’s terminal condition……’ The adventurers who had sincerely followed him.
They had suffered a tremendous shock.
Not even a few days had passed since then. Merely to learn the identity of the red flower. If he were to tell trustworthy adventurers that his lord’s whereabouts had become uncertain, he could not dare imagine the shock they would receive.
Marcelo looked at his trembling fingers.
“Even I still find it difficult to accept.”
Clench.
However, Marcelo would not give up. He clenched his fist tightly. There was giving and receiving in all things. Yes, now was the time to repay the grace he had received from his lord.
“I knew it long ago, my lord.”
That you saved me from the Simoard family.
From the curse of a terminal life.
Thus, Marcelo had no intention of giving up. ‘I will go to the Yusra Kingdom.’ The ancient kingdom, Yusra.
If it was that land imbued with the knowledge of the ancient Arcana Continent.
Perhaps there might be someone who knew of this flower.
Moreover, the Explorers’ League was in the Yusra Kingdom. ‘They say explorers possess information that has not been disclosed to the world.’ Just as Marcelo was about to head to the Yusra Kingdom.
Rustle.
Words appeared on the parchment.
Marcelo’s eyes sank as he confirmed them.
“……The Goddess Church, Paladin Commander Talim Eber.”*[Hidden Quest: Festival of the Hell Village]
The living have stepped into hell, and so a festival has opened for the vengeful spirits. From the small village to the royal palace of hell. All shall take part in a grand reception, so, you who yet draw breath. May you never submit to hell.
—Survive the Festival of the Hell Village. (In Progress)●Become it and take part in the game of tag. (In Progress)
A hidden quest. ‘Well, hell is a place thoroughly hidden away.’ It was not strange for one to appear.
So what startled me in the quest window was a different sentence.
From the small village to the royal palace of hell……? ‘How many more of these do I have to get through?’ Cackle, cackle.
A chilling sound of laughter.
An eerily exaggerated dance.
A splendid festival.
The killing intent hidden behind it.
I looked at the vengeful spirits rushing toward me.
If there was one thing different from the vengeful spirits I had faced before entering the gate.
It was that at least these ones had human forms.
Of course. ‘They have no faces.’ To explain it simply, they resembled egg ghosts.
Aside from the mouths that constantly spewed laughter.
There was nothing on their faces that could be called features. ‘That is not what matters.’ But in truth, their appearance did not matter at all.
As I said, they danced and hid their killing intent beneath the festival atmosphere.
As they approached.
Was it thanks to that?
“What are those things doing?”
“Are they asking us to dance with them, haha?”
Even Elsidore and Kinverzo, who should have been more sensitive to killing intent than anyone, seemed unable to sense anything unusual. At this moment, the only one looking at me was Lorenzk.
“Commander-in-Chief, are you all right?”
Is it because he knows about hell that he can guess? ‘Well, I appreciate you asking, but……’ I could not immediately answer that I was fine.
That was because, ever since I had become it.
Messages had been updating without end.[Sin weighs down your body.][Sin weighs down your body.][Sin weighs down your body.]……
Truly, you are incredible, Claudi family……! ‘This is not an experience one comes across often.’ Even the effect of [Blessing of the First World Tree] could not offset every status abnormality. That meant the weight of the original sin accumulated by the Claudi family was that tremendous.
The one fortunate thing was.
“You have no need to worry.”
I was the only one who was it, so there was no concern that I would cause trouble for the others. The reason Elsidore and Kinverzo could not sense the killing intent was probably because of that as well. ‘The Hell Village is targeting only me, only Claudi.’ The system message, which did not lie, was saying the same. I checked the quest window once more. I confirmed the three choices given to me.●Become it and take part in the game of tag. (In Progress)
1. Kill all participants. (Select)
2. Die. (Select)
3. Survive and cut off the tail. (Select)
First, let us put one aside.
It goes without saying.
I, Lee Hoyeol, had no intention of meeting an untimely death in hell.
Then naturally, the choices narrowed down to two. ‘……Honestly.’ What I wanted to choose was simply the option that was even a little easier. But had not our Lord Granfell declared it even before flinging open the gate?
“If you have mouths, you should be able to speak.”
As the head of the Claudi family.
He would face the original sin of the Claudi family without avoiding it……! If so, killing those vengeful spirits who might know about the family’s original sin was out of the question.
“However, all things have their procedures.”
I resigned myself and continued.
“I will listen after this festival ends.”
That was right.
What Granfell and I chose was “cutting off the tail.” It went without saying, but I would have to investigate from now on what that tail was. Shring. I raised Guicheol and warned them.
Not the vengeful spirits, but my allies.
“Keep your distance from me.”
“Why is that?”
“This is not something you should be caught up in.”
Yes, being dragged into the Claudi family’s time of atonement.
For that, I—
Lee Hoyeol, who might have no small share in the Claudi family—
was more than enough on my own.
Click.
With those words, I advanced toward the Hell Village. ‘My body is heavy.’ My physical condition was not intact. ‘……No, it is close to the worst.’ To put it simply, a human of the Claudi family suffered debuffs in hell so severe that even the absurd buff called [Blessing of the First World Tree] could not offset them.
However, I had mana. I manifested mana and supplemented the movements made heavy by sin. As expected, perhaps because I had exploited it so much, I had become proficient. There was no inconvenience in maintaining the manifestation.
The problem was.……
Slash.
That this place was hell.
It was an unfamiliar swordsmanship.
It was a swordsmanship I had never seen even once, unfamiliar.
And yet its sharpness was so clear that I could feel it had reached the pinnacle.……
Drip.
It was a swift sword that would have grazed me even if I had been in perfect condition.
If so, it was no surprise that my side had been cut.
However, I did not panic.
Well, in hell, if there was one thing in abundance, it would be time.
This was only the first gate.
That there was someone with such swordsmanship in a backwater village of hell.
That my side had been cut by such a person.
And also.『Granfell’s talent was not limited to one thing.
A brilliant mind was a given.
His innate magical talent was such that he could imitate most magic simply by seeing it. Beyond that, he even possessed physical potential that did not fall behind it.
There was a valid reason Granfell had been chosen as the family heir at the mere age of seven.』Granfell’s talent for seeing through another’s swordsmanship, one that had reached the extreme, after observing it only once. And his tenacity in structuring such swordsmanship and tracing it backward in reverse.
Yes. ‘I said it with a mouth that makes whatever it utters come true.’ That I would overcome the limits of reversal magic.
Which could not reverse life.
Therefore.
“So you mean to express yourself through action rather than words.”
Now, a wound like this.
“I shall understand it generously.”
Means I can 『Reverse』 it as much as I please.