Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: The Saint of Purification (2)
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“Huu….”
I blew a light breath over my palm. As I activated [Breath of the Forest], I could feel the goddess of forests and earth, Lynshaka, lending me her power. My breath transformed into a gentle breeze that swept through the forest, carrying the seeds from my palm and scattering them around.
“It’s getting closer. Everyone, get ready!”
The paladin wielding a Morningstar shouted. The ritual was about to begin. The priests continued their chant-like prayers, and with each one, the pillar of purification emitted an even brighter light.
That light was drawing in every undead on the cursed land. Even I, participating in the ritual for the first time, could sense we didn’t have much time left. The cries of the approaching monsters and the rumbling ground made it obvious.
I dropped to one knee, pressed my palm to the earth, and activated [Blessing of the Forest].
Normally, nothing could grow on this cursed land.
But with [Blessing of the Forest], that changed.
[Blessing of the Forest] and [Curse of the Forest], skills you could only learn at level 22 or higher.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that acquiring these skills allowed me to participate in the purification ritual.
Among them, [Blessing of the Forest] was the skill that grew plants infused with nature’s purifying power—purification plants, essentially.
The plants grown through [Blessing of the Forest] possessed their own purifying energy, allowing them to thrive even on cursed land. They were perfect for dealing with undead.
-Shuuu….
I felt the stares questioning what I was doing in this urgent situation, but in my eyes, I could clearly see the mana extending from my hand toward each seed.
And then.
-Pong!
-Poof!
The seeds, having tasted my mana, began sprouting at a mad pace. I had deliberately chosen vine plants, so their growth was even faster. The particularly thick and tough vines started wrapping around the pillar of purification, while the thorny ones I had scattered farther out grew like traps around the ritual area.
Anyone breaking through those thorny thickets would lose at least a limb or two. Zombies especially.
Thanks to the skill, the plants grew several times thicker and tougher than normal. Some were as thick as an adult’s arm—what more was there to say?
“W-What is this…!”
The paladins gasped in shock at the sight of the growing vines. Of course they were flustered. They’d never seen anything like this before. I waved at them with a relaxed smile.
“Don’t worry. These are ones I grew myself.”
“What? How dare you act on your own like this…!”
Just as the paladin started to bellow, a zombie charged through the densely grown thorny thicket.
Well, it tried to.
-Kieeeek!!!!
The zombie that barreled through the thorny wall had lost half its limbs and was far from intact. Not that zombies were ever intact to begin with. Anyway, with its arms, legs, and half its face torn off by the thorns, it couldn’t even walk properly and collapsed to the ground.
-Puk!
I stabbed my dagger into the fallen zombie’s skull to finish it off, then turned to the paladin who had been about to yell.
“As you can see, this is what they’re for.”
“……!”
“Mind if I grow them on my own?”
The paladin’s face turned red then pale, but he couldn’t say a word. From around us, I heard small sounds of admiration (mostly from the newbie-looking paladins).
“Impressive.”
“At this rate, we might all make it back safely from this purification ritual….”
I addressed the paladins.
“Just so you know, the thorny thickets aren’t perfect. Some might get trapped inside or die there, but….”
-Tuduk.
-Kiii!!
-Tuk! Peok!
-Krraaa!!!
-Tuduk! Ttak!
Before long, I could hear the undead horde breaking through the thickets.
“Some will definitely make it through unharmed.”
Sure enough, right on cue, one poked its head out from the thorns.
I drew the dagger from my waist and said,
“Those ones? Have at them, sirs. Smash their heads yourselves.”
-Puk!
I drove the dagger into its hideous, hairless scalp. The zombie writhed for a moment before going limp. The paladins fell as silent as zombies themselves. I could hear occasional gulps as they swallowed dryly.
“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”
At my words, the paladins exchanged glances.
Honestly, this was a sweet gig. They just had to bash the heads of undead that had already lost limbs—like a whack-a-mole game. Zombies didn’t even dodge, so it was easier than that.
Sweet deal.
“Uoooooo!!!!!!”
The paladins seemed to agree, letting out a mighty roar that shook the sky, followed by the sound of zombie skulls shattering under their Morningstars.
-Pak!
-Ppak!
-Wooduk!
Even the undead that barely made it through the thickets had their heads pulverized by the paladins’ ferocious Morningstars.
-Ppaak!
-Kiii….
Nice. Real nice to hear.
I danced lightly to the music of crunching zombie skulls and snapping skeleton bones, firing arrows into the occasional stragglers emerging from the thickets.
Even if the thorny thickets were overwhelmed and destroyed by the horde, the pillar of purification was securely wrapped in plants blessed by the forest, so no worries there.
-Wooong…!
…Or so I thought.
Suddenly, the ground rumbled like an earthquake.
Just as I started to panic at the unexpected situation…
The book in my pocket vibrated faintly. I hurriedly opened it.
[The Goddess of Luck Riadel bestows a minor blessing upon you!]
[Achievement Unlocked: Discovery of Mithril Ore]
Achievement unlocked?
Discovery of Mithril ore?
“……!”
In that instant, the words “Steel Mine” flashed in my mind.
Now known as the cursed land and regarded only as a land of death, this place was once the prosperous great nation of Aurora.
Between Aurora and the dwarf nation of Ergin lay the Silver Mountains, and within that range was the Steel Mine.
The Steel Mine contained that famous “mithril.”
It was known that mithril could only be obtained from Ergin now, but to be precise, mithril wasn’t a mineral exclusive to Ergin.
Once, Ergin and Aurora had jointly managed the Steel Mine.
What I had discovered was the mithril in Aurora territory, long forgotten until now.
‘No wonder it felt like we’d gone deep. This must be the tail end of the Silver Mountains. I should memorize these coordinates for now.’
I forcibly calmed my excitement.
[The Purification Tree absorbs the mana from the mithril ore.]
At the same time, the light pouring from the pillar of purification grew even stronger.
Mithril was a pure mineral born alongside the creation of this world.
So it wasn’t strange that its power resonated with the branch of the World Tree.
I wasn’t a priest or paladin, but I could feel the divine power emanating from the pillar was unimaginably potent.
[The purification domain expands.]
[Life returns to the cursed land.]
[Quest: Purification Ritual—Great Success!]
-Kugugugu….
With the rumbling earth, blue divine power stretched from the pillar toward the cursed land. The blackened, rotten soil that had only spewed poison cracked and turned, reclaiming its original form. Thanks to the purification plants I’d grown with [Blessing of the Forest], sprouts endlessly pushed up from the ground, and springs even formed in places.
“My god….”
“To think this could happen….”
“Druids really are the children of Goddess Lynshaka?”
The priests and paladins stared at the scene with dazed expressions.
It must have been a first for them too.
Even after completing a purification ritual on the cursed land, life didn’t return this immediately.
And this wasn’t some small village-sized plot—it was land the size of a city being purified.
The light from the pillar of purification spread farther and farther without any sign of fading.
‘This is more than just luck.’
Practically a grand blessing, wasn’t it?
I quickly clasped my hands and offered a prayer of thanks to the Goddess of Luck Riadel.
Gods had narrow minds, so you had to respond right away.
Thanks to endlessly reading [Greek and Roman Mythology] as a kid, I knew this stuff well.
‘I should make an offering at Riadel’s temple when I get back.’
-Pii!
As I finished the prayer, a small bird flew in as if on cue and perched on my shoulder.
Life had literally returned.
The people, who had been entranced by their surroundings, now looked at me with faces filled with awe.
[Achievement Unlocked: The Respected One]
[Additional Effect: Gain Minor Favor from Neutral Individuals]
…Talk about unexpected achievements.
“The child of Lynshaka has purified the cursed land!”
“The Goddess of Forests and Earth is with us!!”
“Noble one! Tell us your name!”
…Asking for my name now?
But not wanting to dampen the excited paladins’ spirits, I told them.
“Theodor.”
“Theodor!”
“Theodor!”
“Theodor!”
The paladins chanted my name in booming voices.
Arrogant was the word for them, or at least they had that prickly image, but seeing them excitedly shout my name…
‘…Kinda creepy.’
I gave an awkward smile and calmed the shouting paladins. Watching a bunch of burly, dark-skinned men chant my name wasn’t as fun as I’d thought.
I got it, though.
They must be thrilled.
The purification ritual, which often resulted in deaths and had low success rates, even had the nickname “ritual of death.”
“If only you’d been there for the last ritual…!”
“Enough of that. Let us thank the gods that this noble druid is with us now.”
“Goddess Lynshaka of Forests and Earth, we thank you for sending your child to us.”
“With you alone, the next ritual will be no problem!”
“Please stay with us, noble druid!”
“How about becoming a paladin?”
This flawless success with no casualties must mean a lot to them.
So it was natural for these arrogant paladins to exalt my name, hug me despite not knowing my origins, and cheer in joy.
‘…Maybe I should hang out with them a bit.’
To obtain [That Thing], I needed to perform a few more purification rituals anyway, so getting along with the paladins wasn’t a bad idea.
“I’ll help as much as I can.”
“Waaaaah!!!!”
My casual words somehow skyrocketed their morale.
I was just moving for my own goals, but their fanaticism was a bit embarrassing.
Oh well. Good was good.
“Let’s tell the High Priest and hold a banquet!”
“If he’s blessed by Lynshaka, the High Priest will welcome him with open arms!”
Unlike nobles who held banquets on whims, temples only did so on very special occasions. And they were said to be even more special than noble banquets. To hold one for me?
-Kkoruk.
“…Let’s head back right now.”
Food first, think later?