Public Opinion Manipulation
Maria’s face stiffened the moment she saw the purple glow flickering in Cardnios’s golden eyes.
“I was honestly a little curious… about the blessing of protection.”
A pitch-black fist dripping with demonic energy slammed straight into [Blind Guardian].
“Ugh?!”
With a deafening boom, Maria was blasted backward. As if trading places, Kyros stepped forward, raising the mirror-like shield artifact [Spring of Mercy] and thrusting out [Silent Arbiter].
Cardnios tried to swat the spear away with a hand wrapped in demonic energy, just as he had blocked Samson’s flail.
“Hup!”
A short burst of breath. The spear curved, slipping past Cardnios’s arm. His eyes widened.
Thud! [Silent Arbiter] coiled around his arm and drove straight into his shoulder.
Kyros didn’t stop there. He poured his holy power directly into the wound.
Ssssss. Black smoke billowed from Cardnios’s shoulder like water poured onto boiling oil. As he watched the sight with cold eyes, every trace of expression vanished from Cardnios’s face.
“Haha. So you’re not a complete idiot after all?”
A dozen or so demonic energy orbs materialized behind Cardnios’s head, each sprouting menacing spikes. He muttered the words too quietly for anyone else to hear.
“Sorry. I’ve got a bit of a bad personality.”
The unsettling smile that curved his lips made Kyros feel a chill. He yanked the spear free and crouched low, raising [Spring of Mercy] in front of him.
A barrier of holy power formed around his body like droplets of water. On top of that, the Hero’s special privilege [Light of Anti-Demon], which grew stronger against demonic energy, activated. A violet halo rose behind Kyros’s head.
Thududududu!
The demonic orbs hammered relentlessly against the barrier.
The training ground shook from the impacts, but the barrier only trembled slightly. It held firm, blocking every orb without issue.
Perhaps his pride was stung by the complete lack of damage?
Cardnios created a massive axe out of demonic energy, similar to the one he had used before. The moment a colossal Taishan mountain began to rise behind his back—
“Wait just a moment!!”
The holy knights, drenched in cold sweat, rushed forward in unison to stop the now-enormous Cardnios.
Sensing that this was about to turn into a fight to the death, they wedged themselves between the two combatants. Several knights grabbed Cardnios’s axe-wielding arm tightly and shook their heads violently.
“Sir Cardnios! We understand you’re angry, but this is going too far!”
The knights who approached the Hero wore pale faces filled with utter disbelief. They let out heavy sighs.
“Hero? Using a holy relic in a spar is one thing, but once you’ve scored a point you’re supposed to withdraw. Injecting holy power like that—isn’t that an attempt to kill?”
“If Sir Cardnios weren’t so far above us in realm, he might have actually died. If you had done that to an ordinary human or beastkin, they would have suffered and wasted away.”
A holy knight whose helmet was crushed into the shape of a palm pounded on his own head with a fist, as if he had a headache—or perhaps he really did—and shook his head repeatedly.
Another knight stared sorrowfully at his shield, now warped into the shape of a shoe. Remembering the axe strikes from the plaza, he shuddered and scolded the Hero for crossing the line first.
“Wasn’t Sir Cardnios clearly holding back during this spar? To attack with the intent to harm in a match like that… I’m disappointed.”
Even Samson, who usually laughed heartily, couldn’t hide his disappointment. He dragged a hand down his face.
Watching it all from behind, Maria’s complexion grew even worse.
***
I glanced at the Hero, who was being quietly scolded by the holy knights.
As expected, an idiot is still an idiot. He should have at least read the room and the timing.
I’ll admit, I was a little surprised when the spear curved like that. If it had gone for my neck or head, things might have gotten dangerous.
The holy power still hissed and smoked black from my shoulder. It stung, sure, but it wasn’t nearly as painful as I’d expected. So instead of driving it out, I deliberately let it continue destroying my body.
Part of it was to make the injury look as severe as possible, but the real reason was [Taishan Giant Strength Axe]…
No, since [Canine Brawl] and [Mountain Lord’s Charge] could now be trained with the same principle, let’s just call it internal energy training.
I wanted to slowly move the holy power that had pierced my shoulder down to my dantian and analyze it.
The Hero’s holy power felt distinctly different from that of the other holy knights. Just understanding the difference would be a valuable study.
“Sir Cardnios, are you alright?”
Samson asked with a stiff, worried expression.
He’s a man in his thirties, so it’s not exactly a heartwarming sight, but damn, he really does look like a golden retriever.
Well, I still have to play my part.
It only stung and wasn’t a real problem, but I frowned and shook my head.
“Mm… I’d like to say I’m fine, but it’s not healing very well.”
“I’m sorry. I wish I could help, but holy power cannot heal an incubus made of demonic energy. There’s nothing I can do.”
“No, it’s alright. It’s not your fault, Sir Samson.”
As I spoke, I subtly shifted my gaze toward the fool.
Samson’s eyes followed mine to the Hero. He pressed a hand to his forehead as if his head hurt.
“Sigh… I am truly sorry. The Hero’s holy power carries anti-demon properties, so aftereffects may linger for some time. I will speak with the High Priest and request appropriate compensation.”
“If you insist, I’ll gratefully accept.”
Anti-demon properties? It feels a little different from that.
The holy knights’ power is just diluted, but they definitely have 100 resistance to demonic energy. I tested it earlier by taking a few hits on purpose.
But the Hero… that guy is on another level.
The difference between the Hero’s holy power and a holy knight’s is like pure concentrate versus watered-down juice. If this is all he can do, it would mean the Hero is a total dud. But that can’t be right.
The Goddess poured her heart and soul into creating her secret weapon.
Come to think of it, the Saintess once said that the Destroyer God Cassius’s demonic energy had the properties of fire and ash.
So did they make it stronger against fire than demonic energy?
Why? What’s the point?
Is it because granting complete resistance to demonic energy costs too much?
Or does Victoria have some strange rule attached to it, just like with me?
“Umm…”
While I was analyzing the Hero’s holy power and lost in thought, the Saintess approached hesitantly.
Now that I think about it, her weapon was a lantern-shaped mace too, wasn’t it?
So Victoria really does have an affinity for fire.
Both Cassius and Victoria possess the power of fire.
If I study this a bit more, maybe I could use fire energy myself?
“U-um… I-I’m sorry.”
The Saintess must have misinterpreted my frown—caused by the sudden surge of scholarly curiosity—as anger. She quickly bowed her head.
It was a mistake on my part, but the result worked in my favor, so I kept my brow furrowed and continued acting upset.
“…Why are you apologizing, Saintess?”
My voice was lower and colder than when I spoke to Samson, and my eyes narrowed. The Saintess’s body trembled faintly.
She fumbled for words, mouth opening and closing as if trying to make an excuse.
But I had no intention of listening.
Right now, as long as I didn’t cross the line, I could legally torment her. And since I had the moral high ground, she couldn’t run away like last time.
Before she could even begin her defense, I pressed down hard on her shoulder with my uninjured hand.
“Ever since the last incident, you’ve been looking at me like I’m some kind of monster. Were you planning to use this opportunity to kill me in coordination with the Hero?”
“N-no, that’s not—!”
“I see. I acted with good intentions to help the citizens and the holy knights, yet in your eyes, Saintess, I was nothing more than a dangerous monster radiating demonic energy.”
“T-that’s not… I didn’t mean…”
Ah, this is fun.
I want to torment her more. Is there anything else I can use?
Should I cast [Charm]? No, too many eyes watching. If I get caught, it’ll be a disaster.
Then how about messing with her reputation?
Yeah. Let’s do it.
“Sigh… I spoke too harshly.”
“…”
When I reluctantly offered an apology, the Saintess pressed her lips tightly together.
I pretended to stagger, deliberately falling toward Maria.
I pressed close enough that my breath brushed her ear, as if collapsing on top of her. Acting as though my smoke-emitting arm had no strength, I let it tremble while subtly brushing against the Saintess’s thigh.
“…Hic!!”
Thud!
Startled, the Saintess shoved me away.
A small chuckle escaped me.
So simple.
I let myself fall backward, completely relaxing my body. Voices of confusion erupted from all around, and several holy knights rushed over in a panic.
Feeling their glares sharpen as they tried to help me up, I clicked my tongue.
Too bad. I wanted to observe how this would play out a little longer.
***
“Hero. Saintess. Do you have anything to say for yourselves?”
High Priest Billiorio swept a hand across his ever-widening forehead as he looked down at the two wretched fools.
Billiorio was not fond of the Hero and Saintess.
If they had been chosen by the benevolent Goddess and given a sacred mission, they should have devoted their entire lives to it without hesitation. Instead, they spent their time on romance and neglected their training.
Because of their clumsy response in Botis, black mages had been able to carry out terrorism all the way to Caulose.
And now they had even tried to kill a collaborator out of jealousy.
He even found himself thinking the blasphemous thought that the filthy incubus Cardnios—who was at least responsible and strong—would have made a far better Hero.
“Hero. Saintess. Why do you think the Goddess chose the two of you?”
“…”
“To protect the world from the evil gods.”
“Correct, Saintess. Then what is this disgraceful behavior?!”
Bang! Billiorio slammed his fist on the office desk and roared.
Maria flinched at the sudden loud noise and hung her head low.
“His Eminence, Cardinal Eisenheim, was greatly disappointed when he heard of this incident. An attempted murder driven by personal jealousy? What a tragic state of affairs.”
“T-that’s not…”
“Are you making excuses now?! Then explain why you did this, Saintess! Hero, do you have anything to say for yourself?”
The High Priest’s finger pointed at them, sparks flying from his eyes. Kyros let out a deep sigh and lowered his head.
“I’m sorry. It’s because I am lacking.”
“Indeed you are! How could people who have received such a blessed position act in such a—! Haa… This is the message His Eminence, Cardinal Eisenheim, has sent for you both.”
Having exhausted himself from shouting, Billiorio’s voice returned to calm. He rubbed his face as if washing it.
“The Hero will spend time in reflection within the cathedral’s penitence chamber. The Saintess will offer a sincere apology to the victim, Sir Cardnios, and obtain his forgiveness. If he does not forgive you, the Hero will remain in the penitence chamber for the next two months.”
The moment the Cardinal’s verdict left Billiorio’s mouth, both of their faces turned deathly pale.
While Kyros was unable to move, Maria would be forced to maintain constant contact with Cardnios. That was the worst possible outcome.
Seeing their reaction, Billiorio’s eyes grew fierce once more as his anger flared again.
“Do you truly not understand that this punishment has already been reduced thanks to the oracle ordering you to enroll in the academy? How can the Hero and Saintess be so negligent, swayed by mere romantic feelings between man and woman?!”
“T-that’s not what—”
“Enough!! I am truly, truly disappointed. Please, do not disappoint me any further.”
After venting his rage, Billiorio collapsed weakly into his chair and let out a long breath.
“What are you waiting for?! Get out of my sight at once!”
He glared at Maria, who kept her head bowed, and at Kyros, who had his eyes tightly shut. Then he slammed the desk, issuing a clear order of dismissal.
Billiorio watched the two hurry out with a displeased gaze. Then he pressed his forehead against the holy emblem hanging from his neck and offered a prayer.
“Ah… Benevolent Mother Victoria. Please guide these foolish Hero and Saintess so that they may grow from this crisis and become stronger.”
*Caulose High Priest. Billiorio de Valaje*
High Priest Billiorio de Valaje expresses deep disappointment in the Hero and Saintess.
He prays for their growth through reflection and repentance.
