Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Proof (3)
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A pristine white space devoid of any foreign matter—into it fell a water droplet. Plop, and then once more, plop.
The moment I opened my eyes, I realized I had entered the mental realm.
A technique I could never achieve with my own power alone. A realm no ordinary priest, no matter how adept at controlling Divine Power, could easily step into... and yet here I was, simply by focusing for a few minutes.
[Whew.]
I steadied my breathing with a low exhale and rose to my feet. In the real world, my body was still lying on the bed, but my true self was now severed from it.
Any actions I took in this world wouldn't affect reality.
With that intuitive certainty, all hesitation vanished. I stimulated the meridians throughout my body, igniting a massive surge of Divine Power.
Whoosh!!
Like flames roaring wildly, a red glow began to envelop my entire body.
The energy was far rougher than before—noticeably so. Yet it wasn't unstable... if anything, the flow was steady.
It felt like a stone tower I'd haphazardly piled up, one that seemed ready to crumble at the slightest touch, had suddenly solidified in an instant.
I scanned my inner mental realm once more, then winked one eye shut and open.
[Grrrrr.]
[Mm.]
In the next moment, a massive demonic beast appeared before me. It was a manifestation of a creature from my memories, conjured by my power.
A high-risk colossal beast large enough to crush even the fiercest predator just by stomping its foot, oozing an eerie demonic aura.
If I had to compare it to a familiar animal, an elephant maybe? At the very least, it looked like it could squash a human like me with a single swipe of its foreleg.
Roooar...!
[...?!]
I casually extended my foot, and flames erupted along my meridians. A blood-red energy wrapped around my body, and I kicked off the ground.
Boom!! With a sound like an explosion of gunpowder, my body shot forward to the beast's throat.
It reacted belatedly, rearing up on its hind legs with both forelegs raised high—but my expression didn't change as I pulled my arm back.
Flames flickered wildly over my fist, drawn back far behind my shoulder, as if ready to explode at any moment.
The sacred fire formed from my Divine Power bared its fangs toward the beast—
Craaaack—!!
And in the next instant, a single lightning-fast punch blew its head apart.
Splat! Splatter! Filthy fluids and chunks of flesh sprayed over me, but it was just the body of the mental realm, after all.
I blinked once, and my body returned to its pristine state.
[...Hmm.]
I gazed down at the beast's corpse with a thoughtful, serious expression.
This was the colossal demonic beast that, back when I'd encountered it during an expedition, had forced me into a grueling four-hour battle just to subdue it.
And now, I had shattered it with a single punch. Without anyone's help—solely with my own Divine Power.
'Of course, I was even younger back then.'
Even accounting for the age difference and the gap in our realms, I could state it unequivocally.
I was at least twice as strong now as I had been just a few days ago.
[...]
I silently clenched and unclenched my fist, then closed my eyes again. But this time, it wasn't to manifest something new.
After counting about ten seconds inwardly...
When I lifted my eyelids once more, I was no longer in that white mental realm.
I had simply opened my eyes on the bed in my quarters. Bright sunlight dazzled my vision.
"Hoo."
I exhaled lightly, blowing away the haze in my head. It was best to shake off the disconnect between the real world and the mental realm quickly.
With my body feeling oddly sluggish, I lay there thinking.
The face that came to mind belonged to a woman I didn't particularly like. The girl with a small beauty mark under her right eye—Lete Heresia.
...It seemed our Divine Power constitutions were exceptionally compatible.
'I never imagined the difference would be this stark.'
It had driven me to the brink of madness, that overwhelming surge of ecstasy dominating my mind. I'd expected good synergy, of course, but not to this degree.
Even now, I couldn't fully control the waves of Divine Power churning inside me.
It would gradually adapt to my body over time, but for remnants of the fusion to linger days later was unprecedented.
This meant that no matter how much Lete or I disliked each other, we had no choice but to mingle our bodies.
'Hate it or not, I have to. No way I'd give up growth like this.'
Lete was a woman obsessed with her own advancement, just like me. Even if she hated the idea, she'd come seeking me out in the end.
And she'd grumble all the while, blushing as she stripped. Not lost in a trance like before, but fully conscious... joining with me just like that...
"...Sigh."
I couldn't carry the fantasy through to the end.
It felt pathetic, somehow. What good was dwelling on our illicit play or those heated moments now?
Once we'd made the promise, she and I would share a bed sooner or later, no matter what.
Yes, even without getting all worked up needlessly like this.
"...".
I'd confirmed I could access the mental realm now. There was no reason to keep lying here.
Grit—
I bit my lip silently. Truth be told, there was one thing I hadn't told Lete.
It wasn't something worth bringing up first... and even if someone pressed me, it was shameful enough to make me bite my tongue and die.
Covering my flushed eyes with the back of my hand, I felt my right hand twitch involuntarily.
There were many changes after sleeping with Lete.
My Divine Power had grown purer. My realm had advanced. The way people in the congregation looked at me had shifted, and even my clouded mind had cleared.
But amid all those changes, only one thing truly bothered me.
"...Damn, this is frustrating."
Muttering through gritted teeth, I reached down toward my lower body. If I didn't do something about this boiling desire, I felt like I'd explode.
Once you'd tasted it, ignoring the memory was nearly impossible. Isn't there a saying about a thief who learns late not knowing when dawn breaks?
That was me right now.
Breathing raggedly, I swallowed dryly and slowly raised my upper body.
And just as I was about to indulge in a certain act to quell this lust...
"...".
"...".
My body froze solid. Like I'd been hit by petrification magic, from my fingertips to my facial muscles, everything locked up.
A chill ran down my spine as I turned my head. Creeeak, my gaze swiveled like a rusty machine toward the side of the bed.
"Sh, shit."
My mouth spat out curses on reflex. Reality had hit me like a truck.
This was my bedroom—no sign of bugs, let alone another presence.
Definitely. My senses hadn't picked up a thing.
"I told you to watch your language..."
There, seated, was a mature woman. Her water-blue hair cascaded to her waist, hands demurely folded on her lap.
Her eyes, icier than usual, glared at my disheveled form.
"Didn't I tell you, Evan? Words are a mirror reflecting a person's true nature."
"...".
"The more carelessly you speak, the more it chips away at your character and reputation—"
Thwack! Her words cut off. On pure impulse, I'd hurled a pillow at her face.
I regretted it the instant it left my hand, but no real remorse followed. Grimacing, I bellowed at her—my benefactor, Israfeel Hael.
"Why the hell are you barging into someone else's room, you mannerless woman?!"
"...Call me 'Sis,' little brother."
She murmured in a voice even chillier, catching the pillow.
Sis, my ass. I shuddered and scooted back.
"I told you not to sneak into my bedroom behind my back. Been drinking again? No, what the hell is this in broad daylight... What...".
"...".
"...".
I trailed off, lips pressing shut. Her gaze was too ominous to keep yelling.
'What's with her?'
Israfeel Hael. One of the Sun Church's top divine spellcasters, countable on one hand. The one who'd pulled me from the gutters as a child beggar.
A prodigy who'd reached cardinal-level status in her mid-twenties.
I swallowed hard. Though I bantered freely with her, I'd always respected her deep down—this was tense.
It had been nearly five years since I'd seen Israfeel this subdued. No, six?
"...Something happen? Why are you like this?"
Wiping the irritation from my face, I asked with genuine concern.
Last I'd heard, she was away on a long-term mission.
She'd just returned to headquarters today? That explained visiting me, but not this inexplicable mood.
"Say something so I can respond..."
Frustrated by the wait, I started to speak again—
When she abruptly stood from the chair beside the bed. Silently, she half-straddled my lap, climbing onto the bed.
I flinched and looked up at her. With my back against the headboard, I had no choice but to stare up.
"Is... Israfeel...?"
Her blue hair cascaded down, brushing my cheek with a soft rustle.
"It's nothing major."
She finally spoke, her tone laced with cynicism. Her faint golden eyes gazed down at me steadily.
"I was just coming to see my little brother's face after so long... and on the way, I heard something unbelievable from His Excellency Leopoldt."
Lady Heresia, huh. I see. The name she muttered like an afterthought was all too familiar to me.
As I blinked in bewilderment, she let out a casual chuckle.
"Never mind my story for now. Should I apologize for interrupting, Evan? You can keep going with what you were about to do, assuming I wasn't here."
"...What?"
And then she said something utterly baffling. Israfeel casually reached toward my crotch with her right hand.
I flinched at the dangerous gesture, but she paid it no mind—
Grip!
"...!"
And seized my member roughly.
"If you're embarrassed doing it alone, want some help?"
"Wha, what..."
"Want Sis to drain it for you?"
My eyes widened hugely.
Why the hell was this woman acting like this all of a sudden?