Chapter 199
Chapter 199
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: The Final Trial (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
●
Sullivan the Prime Minister gazed down at Feynol with grave eyes.
“You... are you really okay?”
“...Yes.”
Feynol forced a smile onto her face as she spoke.
Ever since being forcibly “revived” by the Red Devil, she had spent half her life faking emotions, so this was an incredibly natural act for her.
Of course, even with that acting skill, she couldn’t suppress the “phenomenon” she was currently experiencing.
Flickers of red flame that she couldn’t hold back erupted intermittently around her body.
As someone with genius talent in handling mana, she quickly extinguished the spilling flames, but Feynol knew exactly what this phenomenon was.
“...”
Demonic energy.
The fragments of the devil she carried as its vessel were leaking out of her body in tendrils.
Her control was gradually slipping.
“...So suddenly?”
Feynol panted, suppressing the churning energy in her heart as that thought crossed her mind.
As she built affinity with Dawood Campbell, her “control” over the devil’s power had been steadily expanding. She had even harbored hope that, if things continued this way, she might one day master the devil’s energy and enter eternal rest.
But from some point onward,
The fragments were straining to burst out of her body. As if reacting to something and going berserk.
“Why...?”
She couldn’t guess a single reason.
The one-month time limit she had set for him hadn’t expired yet, and her feelings toward him hadn’t faded either.
“...I just need to hold out until the hero selection trials end.”
Feynol said with a strained smile.
“That man said he’d handle it somehow once that’s over.”
Those were the words she had received right before the final trial began.
Hold on as long as you can, even if it gets tough.
Then, he would come to save her.
“...Feynol.”
Hearing that, the Prime Minister spoke with a serious expression.
“Take this first.”
Feynol’s eyes widened at the item he held out.
“A spirit pill...?”
It was in the form of medicine she’d heard was used in the East.
Herbs rolled into round beads.
A shape not commonly seen on the continent.
“...Sure.”
Anyway, since it was something the Prime Minister was offering, it couldn’t be meant to harm her.
With that thought, Feynol swallowed it down.
“...Huh?”
The moment she did, the pain tormenting her entire body vanished in an instant.
It was absurd. A medicine that could suppress demonic energy existed in this world?
“...How does something like this even exist?”
“I got it from that word sorceress. She said you’d probably need it around now. She added that it’s so precious she can’t make more than two, so handle it carefully.”
But.
The moment she heard where it came from, Feynol’s face soured.
“Prime Minister.”
Feynol cautiously opened her mouth.
“...I’m truly grateful that you took me in.”
“What’s this all of a sudden?”
“You knew what I carry inside me, yet you accepted me under the Inquisition’s wing. I’m always thankful for that.”
She stared straight into Sullivan’s eyes.
“But I feel like I have to say this.”
Feynol continued with a serious expression.
“No matter how I think about it, associating with that foreseer doesn’t seem like a good idea.”
That foreseer was a woman like a mass of black death.
Whenever Feynol looked at her, nothing else came to mind.
“The leader of the devil worshippers, so of course.”
“...”
In fact, that wasn’t all.
More than Sullivan, from whom she often sensed knowledge of the “future,” that woman seemed to possess vast knowledge about this “world.”
To the point where, in Feynol’s perception in that field, she rivaled Dawood Campbell, the pinnacle.
“But it’s true that this is helping you right now.”
Sullivan said as he placed several more of those spirit pills in front of her—the same ones she had just taken.
“If Dawood has a plan, then I trust him too. He’s a man who’s never failed.”
Sullivan sighed and continued.
“But it’s also true that you seem to need help right now. If this goes on, something big might really happen.”
“...”
Feynol looked down at the spirit pills before her with uneasy eyes.
The fact that it was tied to that woman made her uneasy.
But.
“...I hope the final trial ends soon.”
Right now,
She had no other choice.
Feynol sighed and reached for a spirit pill.
●
“...Hey, Kalliban.”
[Yeah?]
Once again, a nonchalant reply came back.
“I know you’re scheming something.”
[Yep.]
“...”
He wasn’t even pretending to hide it anymore.
At this point, it was practically giving her a headache.
“...What the hell are you planning?”
She glared at the window in front of her with that thought.
[System Message]
[ The vessel of the ‘Red Devil’ is nearby! ]
[ The vessel of the ‘Purple Devil’ is nearby! ]
[ The vessel of the ‘White Devil’ is nearby! ]
[ The vessel of the ‘Blue Devil’ is nearby! ]
She understood the first line.
The person in question, Feynol, was right nearby.
“...”
But what about the others?
Since the Seal of Otherworldly didn’t react, it didn’t seem like demonic energy was directly emanating. At least there was no immediate worry of rampage.
That didn’t mean it was safe, though.
“Are you seriously insane?”
Gathering this many devil vessels in one place was already a disaster-level event.
These weren’t people with low rampage risk— if even one went berserk, the situation would be ruined, and yet cramming them all together like this...!
[They won’t rampage.]
“...Pardon?”
[Most reasons vessels rampage are because of you, right?]
“...”
[They lose their reason due to emotional turmoil from you going back and forth.]
That was true...
But what did that have to do with anything?
[So this time, even gathered all at once, they won’t rampage. I made it that way.]
“...Why are you so confident?”
[Just trust me once.]
“...”
[I can’t plan knowing everything in advance like you, but I’ve been handling the Empire’s top swordsmen for over ten years. If I say it’s fine, there’s a reason.]
When he put it like that, nitpicking further would just be silly.
Besides, if things went wrong with this many, everyone here would get swept up.
Including Eliya, who was standing there tense right before receiving the holy sword.
“...I’ll trust you once.”
If she just handed the holy sword to Eliya, they could handle most of this unfolding situation.
“...The one I was most wary of...”
The problem was if the foreseer interfered before Eliya was acknowledged by the holy sword.
[ Gift Related Character Alert ]
▼ Feynol Lifec
[ Trust Stage 3 ]
[ Until related event occurs: D-1 ]
“...”
No matter how she looked at it, something was off.
Why tomorrow?
It should’ve triggered by today normally.
“...Well, not a bad thing.”
Whatever the case, as long as Eliya got the holy sword, this chapter could be considered over.
Holy sword + Eliya was, as repeatedly stated, a combination powerful enough to rival even the Gray Devil later on.
Its might was guaranteed from the first encounter.
[You seem pretty certain?]
“Of course.”
The holy sword belonged to the current generation’s hero. No one else could claim it.
As far as I knew, in the Sera worldview, no one but Eliya could even approach the hero title.
Even including me, who possessed this world.
[So that’s the holy sword?]
“Yes.”
I answered as I eyed the “rock” that Archbishop Luminol was bringing over with a tense face.
[...A rock?]
“The holy sword kills anyone unqualified just by touching it. Or at least inflicts comparable grievous injury.”
I shrugged at Kalliban’s words.
“So they transport it embedded in the rock like this.”
[...And that’s why all those people are on standby?]
Looking where Kalliban pointed,
There was a priestly unit capable of saving anyone who didn’t outright die, including the Luminol bishop who brought the holy sword.
They watched tensely as the people carried the rock. From their perspective, they’d seen plenty punished for mishandling the holy sword.
[...What an absurd treasure.]
The moment he saw the holy sword embedded in the rock, Kalliban muttered that.
Judging purely by its appearance, it was hard to agree.
It looked like something that could blend into a warehouse junk pile without standing out.
Of course, that exterior was all a ruse.
“...That thing’s the strongest attack item in this worldview.”
I thought as I gazed at the worn sword without a single ornament.
It was made of the same material as the star iron I’d given Yuria before.
However, its purity was on another level.
Still,
Even to an outsider, the sword’s “presence” felt extraordinary.
As if it flowed aloof and severed from the world alone.
And for anyone observing it—
Any expert who had reached the realm of visually perceiving any kind of “supernatural power” would groan the moment they saw it.
The sword had the effect of dispersing all kinds of “supernatural powers.”
Divine power. Spell power. Mana. Curses. Every supernatural power existing in every dimension. Without exception, all of them.
Severing “all energies” meant it could inflict valid damage even on the devils at the top of the entire dimension’s hierarchy.
Since it could disperse even the “demonic energy” they wielded and strike their very essence.
“Well, let’s watch for now.”
I said as I observed Rana, who was given the first chance to “grasp” the holy sword before Eliya.
Excluding me and the Eliya pair, she had the best score. Worthy of being called up.
Of course, the moment she grabbed the holy sword,
Her body “exploded.”
Like a bomb detonating inside her, her body swelled and burst in an instant. I could see Archbishop Luminol’s face go pale as she watched.
[...Wow.]
Kalliban let out a hollow laugh upon seeing it.
Even for him, seeing a person “pulverized” just from grabbing the item must’ve been shocking.
[A non-owner grabs it and it does that? The holy sword?]
“It’s said to be stained with the blood of all devils, so demonic sword traits aren’t surprising.”
[Easy for you to say...]
As he spoke, the exploded Rana abruptly stood up. As always, unconcerned even after dying once.
“Mm... Guess it’s not me after all.”
Kalliban sighed deeply watching her say that.
[...You sure she’ll be fine? There’s no guarantee Eliya won’t end up like that—]
“Even if by some chance it goes wrong, the medical team behind will keep it from being fatal. I’ll stake my life on protecting her too.”
[If you say so, I’ll watch...]
As we talked, Eliya slowly approached and climbed onto the rock.
I could feel her tense eyes scanning the holy sword.
“...Alright.”
Soon, she reached for the holy sword’s hilt.
Rana had grabbed it outright since she wouldn’t die anyway, but Eliya caressed it very carefully.
Gently, as if introducing herself.
Slowly.
Her fingers touched the holy sword’s hilt.
“...”
Clearly,
There was no sign of her body exploding like Rana’s.
But nothing happened.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
“...What?”
Even after someone muttered that, for a long while.
“...”
And then.
My blood ran cold seeing it.
Cold sweat dripped. My vision blurred, breath quickened.
No.
No.
No.
Don’t mess with me.
This couldn’t be happening.
[...What’s going on here?]
“...She was rejected.”
[What?]
“The holy sword judged her not its owner.”
I answered like a groan.
Just surviving unlike Rana meant she had “qualification” enough. Enough to be a hero.
But even so.
But.
Even so.
The holy sword had now declared Eliya was not its owner.
The absence of the bright light that should’ve burst forth was proof.
“...”
This was.
The holy sword.
Declaring that Eliya was not this world’s “protagonist.”
●