Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: Skimming the Sweetness
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Before Tersada learned of Krash and his daughter's plan.
Krash had set out on the path to the Holy Grail.
That path lay in the central building of Freeman Square, the most crowded spot teeming with people.
The fountain adorned with statues of the gods stood in the heart of Freeman's central district.
This fountain was a famous landmark where the gods were said to wash their hands, and a tourist spot where no one was allowed within its radius.
The central building that encircled this fountain like an embrace was an architectural masterpiece crafted by a renowned architect.
Krash and his group arrived there, weaving through the throngs of people packed tightly as befitting the central district.
It was all because of the Festival of the Gods drawing massive crowds.
"If they knew the Saintess was in this crowd, it'd cause a riot."
As Krash muttered to himself, the hand he was holding tightened fiercely.
Krash, who knew exactly what that meant, tapped her hand lightly, saying it hurt.
The grip on his hand loosened.
The one holding Krash's hand was none other than Astria.
With the crowds so thick on the way to the Holy Grail, they were holding hands to stay together.
「Don't get lost for no reason. Hold hands just the two of you—too many people together draws eyes.」
The reason they were holding hands just the two of them was thanks to Aslan's advice.
Aslan had said he and Diona would follow behind, so the pair should go ahead first.
「H-Hand?」
As Astria panicked noticeably, Krash casually extended his hand to her without a second thought.
It was Krash, who had spent much time with Astria in past regressions.
They had even fled for their lives together at times.
Such situations felt familiar, so he reached out instinctively.
'Ah.'
Then Krash belatedly realized this hadn't happened in the current regression.
As he looked at Astria, her face had stiffened completely.
That expression looked no different from past or present.
But now Krash knew it was her way of hiding embarrassment.
Whether in the past or this regression, she had consistently harbored feelings for him.
That fact made him feel guilty, while also stirring various thoughts.
If he had noticed back then, it might have been different.
But the current Krash had someone he wanted to make his wife.
Astria was undoubtedly aware of that.
Yet Krash knew people's hearts didn't change in an instant.
'I've been too thoughtless.'
As he regretted extending his hand without thinking and mumbled to himself,
Swish—
Astria slowly raised her own hand.
She squeezed her eyes shut, bowed her head deeply, and just extended her hand.
It wasn't like offering a handshake—what was this?
Krash, finding it a bit absurd, simply took her outstretched hand.
「Eut.」
Astria stiffened, her face flushing bright red from the mere contact, clearly embarrassed.
Seeing her like that reminded Krash of past events.
Like the time Astria had boldly asked him out on a date.
The date he couldn't attend because of Mary's incident.
Back then, Astria hadn't been hurt by him missing the date.
She was disappointed that he ignored her plea to stop overworking himself and did it again.
'Lately, he comes back in even worse shape.'
Why was that?
The Astria from back then and now reacted differently to seeing Krash push himself.
The past Astria's eyes had been filled only with pity and regret.
But the current Astria's eyes first shone with the resolve to support him.
'Is it because the path I'm on has changed?'
The people he's walked with show new sides depending on the direction he heads.
That fact worried Krash a little, but it wasn't unwelcome.
It was because he thought this small change might one day spread across the world, eventually transforming it.
'Am I heading in the right direction now?'
He didn't know.
But one thing he could be certain of.
'I'll burn the opportunities given to me so thoroughly there are no regrets left.'
Life's chances don't come twice.
Having already missed one, Krash had no intention of letting another slip away.
Strength entered the hand clasped with Astria's.
And she was one of the opportunities Krash was determined to protect.
He wouldn't allow a world where he lost Astria again.
「I'll hold on tight.」
This time, Krash vowed not to let go.
It wasn't something to say to the current Astria, but it was sincere.
"......Yeah."
Hearing that, Astria smiled softly.
Krash smiled back, knowing it was the smile she showed when truly happy.
And so, Krash and Astria set off together toward the Holy Grail.
Astria, walking beside him, had pulled her robe hood low over her face.
With a festival mask mimicking a god on top, no one realized she was among them.
'Hide a tree in the forest, they say.'
People blend into crowds without notice.
"Astria, sausages over there. Want one?"
"You, joking around at a time like this?"
Now somewhat used to holding hands, Astria grumbled curtly, and Krash let out a light chuckle.
"It's a festival. You deserve to enjoy one too."
She had always managed them as the festival organizer.
So she'd never experienced one herself.
Perhaps realizing his intent late, Astria slowly lifted her head.
Above, decorations commemorating the gods' festival hung everywhere.
Beside them, a child beamed with joy, eating skewers with mom and dad.
A couple tried on headbands from a vendor, playfully swapping them.
Street sellers hawked their tasty dishes enthusiastically.
A musician showed off colorful tunes on their instrument.
Astria had always watched such scenes from afar.
This was the first time seeing it up close like today.
The festivals in her eyes had always been like tiny dots moving.
Tiny lights flickering through the streets.
It was a sight worth seeing, but lacked vibrancy.
People always bowed reverently as the Saintess passed.
She'd never properly seen their faces.
Astria's gaze turned forward.
There was Krash's back, leading her by the hand.
He strode confidently ahead without pause, teasing as always.
It was the first time.
Following someone's back so trustingly while taking in the festival.
She had always lived as the Saintess in a gilded cage.
The clasped hand felt inexplicably hot.
She'd grabbed it blindly amid the crowd, but now aware, embarrassment crept in.
"Astria."
Just then, Krash called her name.
"You look like a country bumpkin at a festival."
Krash teased jokingly, and even through the mask, Astria's face reddened as she swung their joined hands wildly.
Was she angry or embarrassed? Hard to tell.
"We're here."
At that moment, Krash stopped.
They had entered a narrow alley between buildings.
Krash glanced back to see Aslan and Diona slipping into the alley just in time.
He nodded at them.
Mirei would be at Tersada's side, performing as herself via her 'Mirror' skill.
That side would buy them plenty of time.
Aslan raised and lowered his index finger.
Sound vanished around the four in an instant.
It was the Silence spell.
Krash immediately stepped to the door as Aslan cast it.
A holy barrier sealed the door.
Krash drew Thunderclap.
At that moment, a blade of black flame erupted from his Thunderclap.
Without hesitation, Krash swung, cleaving door and barrier alike.
The severed door toppled inward silently thanks to Silence.
Krash strode inside without a sound.
The interior, styled like a tavern, bore traces of battle everywhere.
Signs of the opposition raiding the Holy Grail's location.
"Are we late?"
Astria asked cautiously, and Krash shifted his gaze.
The traces led unbroken to a warehouse for alcohol storage.
A path downward lay at its base.
"No, right on time."
Krash's Sixth Sense clearly pointed underground.
Numerous presences moved there simultaneously.
"Astria, know what the world's most fun thing is?"
Krash grinned wickedly beside Aslan and Diona preparing to breach below.
"Skimming the sweetness while they fight among themselves."
Aslan, seeing that smile, glanced worriedly at Astria.
The man she liked showing such a face—might shatter her image of him.
But Astria gazed at Krash with an almost melted expression.
Aslan set aside his worry.
The Saintess had always been into smiles like that.
Numerous wounds scarred his body from head to toe.
Clothing pitch-black, unfit for a temple servant.
Benox, leader of the Heresy Inquisitors and a member of the opposition faction.
He had come to the Holy Grail's altar today under orders to eliminate the heretics perpetuating the abomination of the Saintess.
Upon entering the altar with a key extracted from interrogating a Grail-worshipping devotee,
he faced traps filling the interior and the royal holy knights of the sacred royal family.
The sacred royals had sniffed it out too, apparently.
They had stationed forces at the Grail just in case.
"For the eternal glory of Freeman!"
Benox clashed with the royal holy knights alongside his heresy inquisitors.
The royal holy knights were formidable in their own right.
But the royal order wasn't the strongest in Freeman.
They were like flowers in a greenhouse.
Most dirty work fell to heresy inquisitors or regular holy knights.
Thus, despite superior aura output, their formation shook before the inquisitors' mad charges.
The opposition had come prepared to force the Grail's path.
In the inquisitors' no-holds-barred frenzy, the royal knights fell back, exchanging blows underground.
'This is taking too long.'
Benox scowled, forcing new flesh to regrow over the gash on his arm.
They were traitors until success.
The longer it dragged, the riskier for the opposition.
"Everyone, prepare."
Benox made his decision.
As he spoke, one inquisitor stepped before those raising shields and holy barriers.
The royals eyed the move suspiciously.
"For the eternal glory of Freeman!"
With his shout, white flames erupted from his body.
"Madman!"
Too late—the royals realized.
The inquisitor charged straight at them.
A flash exploded from his body.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
The massive blast shook even the surface, devastating the royal formation.
Holy power forcibly condensed within, detonated using the body as catalyst—holy suicide.
What the inquisitor had just done.
Inquisitors swarmed the crumbled formation instantly.
They rampaged wildly, casting holy recovery on themselves amid the chaos.
The royals were pushed into defense.
"Doing this underground! Want us all buried alive?!"
A royal knight shouted just then.
The suicide had nearly collapsed the ceiling, killing them all.
As the knight berated them, Benox replied flatly.
"That too is the gods' will. At least the Grail will be destroyed for sure."
His face was stoic, but madness gleamed in his eyes.
"......You fucking lunatics."
Realizing anew the inquisitors' insanity, the knight stared blankly.
But only briefly.
Benox's axe cleaved his neck.
Kwajik!
Benox kicked the severed head aside and advanced inward.
There, priests desperately reinforced the door's holy barrier.
"Here it is."
Red holy power rose from his axe.
As yellow sparks flew, he hurled it.
Kwajik!
The axe shredded priests and barrier alike.
Reducing the door to rags in seconds, he stepped forward.
Planning to seize the Grail and escape to the surface.
That was when.
As he sensed the approach and tried to dodge,
A pitch-black blade face arrived first at his face.
A 20-year veteran inquisitor and leader.
Benox's eye widened at the blade far faster than his senses.
Too late.
By the time he glimpsed dark blue hair beyond the blade, it had already crushed his face.
Kwaaaaaang!
Face shattered, Benox tumbled, smashing the underground wall.
As he clenched his teeth desperately to regain consciousness, a foot stomped his back.
Delivering such a blow and following for the kill confirmation.
A true powerhouse.
One battle-hardened through countless fights.
"Sleep."
Before Benox could ask who, the reply came.
Another impact to the back of his head cleanly knocked him out.
Only the magic communicator he belatedly gripped rolled silently on the floor.