Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Duel
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Divine power is different from other abilities—it's a power that everyone carries within their body.
To put it another way, it's one of the 'components' that makes up the body itself.
Unlike other abilities that simply become unusable for a while once depleted, divine power comes with severe backlash if you draw it all out.
What kind of phenomenon occurs? Well.
The saintess right in front of me is demonstrating it from one to ten.
“U... urk...”
Long-term organ damage, muscle tears, cells in the body necrotizing and regenerating in an instant—it's repeating over and over.
For an ordinary person, this level of divine power drain would mean instant death, no questions asked. She's only holding out because she's the Holy Empire's saintess.
Lucien spat out a thick clump of blood from her mouth. It dripped steadily inside the sacred barrier drawn on the floor.
“...”
And the moment I grasped the 'meaning' of that barrier, a hollow laugh escaped my lips.
'...She's supplying divine power to this entire vast plain by herself?'
The barrier encompassing this whole wide area, and the blessings on the necklaces given to every student—all of it supplied by her alone.
She's shouldering a insane burden that would require hundreds of ordinary priests.
“...Hold on, I'll save you right away!”
It's a sight even a reasonable person would recognize as something seriously wrong.
For someone who sees saving people as their duty, staying out of it would be the odd choice.
Eliya drew her sword and focused her breathing.
Breaking the floor would destroy the barrier. That's what she's aiming for.
“My, my. We can't have that, student.”
With those words, a heavy strike flew toward Eliya's sword.
There was a sharp ting, and her sword flew up, embedding itself in the ceiling.
“...!”
Eliya's eyes widened as she confirmed that her palm was torn from the sword's recoil.
To pull off a scene like this, there has to be a significant 'skill gap' between them.
Even if she couldn't have anticipated the enemy's presence, the one who got hit is a hero candidate who's no slouch compared to regular knights.
In other words.
The person currently clad head to toe in the Holy Empire's 'battle priest' gear is on a level where it's hard to find talent to match, even searching by nation.
A high-ranking battle priest. A combatant worthy of being called a human weapon.
“...”
I quickly scanned the name tag on his chest.
Klein Garrison.
'...He's the guy I'm supposed to meet here originally.'
A minor villain who appears briefly in chapter 2. And his strength is disproportionate to his role—way too strong for that. From the start, in this section, fighting and capturing him isn't even an option.
You can tell from how Eliya was neutralized in one hit—he's not someone a student can face.
I also noted his gaze sweeping over Yuria once before fixing on Eliya.
That's as expected.
The Holy Empire clearly hasn't grasped Yuria's 'identity' yet. She's the scapegoat who stole and fled with their national treasure.
That's the lead-in to chapter 2's highlight, so this part matches the original exactly.
“This is a 'service' the saintess is performing of her own volition. Surely you wouldn't interfere with such a noble intent.”
“...She chose to end up like that? That doesn't make any sense!”
Even after being neutralized in one blow, Eliya glared daggers at Klein without a hint of fear and shot back.
She's right, of course, but in the Holy Empire I know, there are plenty of lunatics who'd brush off words like that without batting an eye.
Just look at what's unfolding next.
“Hmm. An intriguing perspective. Shall we hear it directly from the saintess, then?”
With a sleazy smile, Klein turned his head toward Lucien.
“Tell us, Saintess. Did someone force you?”
“...”
Lucien gritted her teeth.
She's enduring pain like her body is being dismantled alive. Demanding an answer from her like that is grotesque in itself.
“...N-no.”
But.
The response that came out was unmistakably those words.
Lucien answered in a horribly cracked voice.
Blood was still trickling from the corner of her mouth, but she continued forming the sentence.
“This is... something... I... am... doing... of my... own will.”
“...”
As Eliya gaped in disbelief, Klein pressed on, still wearing his smile.
“There you have it. She's saying it herself.”
But the words that followed carried a heavy pressure.
“Or are you saying you'll go against the saintess's own wishes? That would oppose the will of the entire Holy Empire. Surely a hero candidate knows better?”
“...You... scum...!”
Eliya ground her teeth audibly. That's the reaction from realizing what he meant.
Indeed, the saintess publicly represents the will of the entire church.
If she declares she's doing something 'herself' and someone stops her, it could spark an international incident.
Even in a blatant case of coercion like this, that logic holds sway.
'...Untouchable scum.'
Might makes right. As one of the three hegemonic powers, the Holy Empire has both the force and the audacity to pull diplomatic thuggery like this. No one knows what insanity they'll commit as an excuse. They could start a war on the spot.
You can tell from how Atalante, who would normally grit her teeth against this, let it slide. The imperial family or someone pressured them to just go along—don't grab the noose yourself.
The fact that the saintess is the Holy Empire's most valuable 'consumable' is an open secret among the leaders of hegemonic nations.
“...”
Because of that, in the original story, the saintess was indeed subjected to harsh treatment here under the Holy Empire's coercion.
But this is a bit off.
This level of brutality is beyond anything I saw in the original—pure madness.
“Well, if you're willing to have a little talk. I could ask the saintess to make a 'request' on your behalf.”
“...What?”
When Eliya asked coldly, Klein grinned and replied.
“The 'demon incident' from recently. His Holiness the Pope is deeply interested.”
His gaze as he said it flew straight at me and stuck.
“I believe you know exactly what I mean.”
“...”
Hearing that, the puzzle pieces in my head snapped together instantly.
Demons are a crucial element in the Pope's 'grand undertaking.' Even in the game, descriptions of his interest in demons keep appearing.
He's undoubtedly fixated on the Gray Devil descent incident Elnor caused during the purifier boss fight recently.
And surely.
My involvement in it has leaked to them, for better or worse, to some extent.
'He's provoking me.'
A chill runs down the back of my neck. I mutter curses inwardly.
This is deliberate intimidation. Cooperate, or we'll torment the saintess even more. Listen when we talk nicely.
Thanks to these bastards, the main quest and its progression I remember have deviated massively.
'A rampaging vessel and combat...'
The main quest says to stop the rampaging Yuria.
That's just telling her to commit suicide.
Unlike with the Riverback Marquis, who at least had some basis, subduing a vessel here that could manifest a demon fragment is absolutely impossible.
'...In that case.'
In other words.
There's only one way.
I'll go far more aggressively myself.
Avoid the fight with the 'vessel.'
And hit these scum with a payback.
“...”
I smirk and walk toward the saintess, step by step. She's still vomiting blood inside the barrier, squeezing out divine power.
“Ah, any closer and I'll subdue you. We can't let you interfere with the saintess's—”
Klein's leisurely voice flowed out.
“Try it.”
I reply flatly.
At the same moment.
“...”
Yuria's dazed eyes widen.
“...Pardon?”
“Try it. Do whatever the hell you want, I don't care.”
“...”
“I'm saving this person. Stop me if you can.”
Klein's expression hardened for the first time.
“...This will escalate into an international incident. Are you sure you can handle that?”
I ignore his mutterings and approach the saintess.
I'd been waiting, and with about three steps left.
[ Crisis situation detected. ]
[ Judged as a situation where major injury is possible. ]
[ Applying 'Skill: Desperate Situation' at A-rank. ]
The window pops up, and I activate the skill.
[ Activating 'Skill: Swordsman's Focus'! ]
[ Reaction speed and precision increase! ]
The world slows again. Stacked with Desperate Situation, Klein's attack—despite our vast spec gap—becomes crystal clear to me.
So, I draw my sword from my waist and meet it.
-!
A sleazy smile was back on Klein's face.
Even imperial knights of the same rank hesitate to clash directly with high-ranking battle priests.
Sword techniques or physical robustness aside, battle priests can slather their weapons with all sorts of buffs.
You can't cope with mere exchanges.
He's probably sneering at a student daring to block it.
But.
I have a skill that nullifies any damage if I time it right.
At the precise moment, I 'parry' the attack.
[ Perfect parry! ]
[ 'Trait: Counterflow' activates! ]
[ Reflects a portion of the opponent's attack damage! ]
Every 'offensive blessing' coating that sword strike poured back onto Klein in reverse.
-!
His body rocketed backward at terrifying speed, crashing into a wall amid a cloud of dust.
“...”
Of course, no major damage. Desperate Situation at A-rank shows that much, and it wasn't a full-force attack to begin with. A high-ranking battle priest isn't some pushover who'd fall to a reflected light hit.
But.
The look on his face is one of utter bewilderment, unable to grasp what just happened.
A high-ranking battle priest. One of the nation's elite combatants.
Taking a hit from a mere academy student.
That fact alone must be delivering a colossal shock.
“You've been talking nonsense for a while now, you know.”
I support Lucien, who's still coughing, and help her up. Once we're outside the barrier on the floor, her coughing finally stops. No more blood either.
And just like that, the white energy around Yuria begins to subside as she approaches Lucien with tear-filled eyes.
Good. This side's safe for now.
I set Lucien down, pull a parchment from my pocket, and approach Klein, still dazed and embedded in the wall.
“International incident, you say. So what.”
“...?”
I flash a grin at the stunned Klein.
It's an understandable reaction.
This isn't something a mere student can brush off lightly. It could upend the entire continent.
But.
So what?
I flick the parchment right into Klein's face.
“What is th—!”
His expression sours completely, and I smile even wider.
“No gauntlet, so I'm substituting with this.”
“...”
His sour expression turns blank again.
He knows exactly what throwing a gauntlet in the face means.
That's right.
A duel challenge.
Inwardly, I apologize a bit to Gideon.
Sorry, Your Grace, you'll have some trouble later.
I'm about to make this big.
“It's a letter of indemnity. Everything I do from now on is covered by the Imperial Family and the Tristan Ducal House.”
If they keep flexing international clout, I just summon equivalent power.
Yeah, Holy Empire?
We've got Tristan the Grand Duke and the Imperial Family. What're you gonna do?
And while I'm at it, with that authority spent.
From now on.
I'm cleaning up the trash.
“You. Let's throw down.”
Starting with this guy.
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