Chapter 109 Heretic (3)
Heretics (3)
"Well said."
That characteristic arrogant smile Abel always wore. Yet his face carried a warmth somewhere within it. Like a lioness watching her cub succeed in its first hunt.
It was a smile that somehow seemed proud.
He reached out toward empty space as if grasping something unseen. Thump. The sound of a heartbeat echoed in all directions.
As the rhythmic pulsations repeated, the corners of Abel's eyes curved.
"Then all that remains is shattering this pitiful illusion."
A massive flow of mana gathered around him. Rough, violent, yet carrying an undeniable gravity—that power began to shake the world.
In the blink of an eye, enormous fissures split through the void.
Like shattering glass, the illusion fragmented into pieces in an instant, leaving me unable to close my mouth.
I knew Abel was strong, but I never imagined he could even destroy an illusion like this.
"Time to wake up."
With those final words, consciousness returned.
When I opened my eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling greeted me. A ceiling so obsessively coated in white crayon it seemed almost hostile.
[Contractor, are you alright?]
Turning my head slightly, I saw Silpi.
Wearing Abel's face, he gazed at me with a worried expression.
Even if he didn't show it, I wondered if Abel, too, was suppressing such concern for me.
The fact that thoughts of him surfaced even now suggested my condition was beyond severe.
Nodding, I forced myself up with difficulty.
I couldn't bring myself to say I was fine even as a white lie, but it wasn't that unbearable.
My head throbbed as if splitting open, but compared to the pain of dying, this was nothing.
"By the way, where's Abel?"
[..That's the first thing you ask after waking up?]
Silpi crossed his arms, looking exasperated. The gesture suited him, given he wore Abel's appearance.
As if reading my thoughts, he exhaled a deep sigh. Closing his eyes briefly as if lost in thought, he soon spoke again.
[I'm not sure either. My memories are hazy after he shattered the illusion.]
So Silpi was in a similar situation. For now, it'd be better to ask what had happened.
Understanding the circumstances took priority over everything else.
"How many days have passed?"
[About three days now. Need more sleep?]
"No. I'm not tired."
The Holy Power that had once overflowed uncontrollably from my body had now been neatly contained.
Seeing Silpi floating beside me unharmed, it seemed our objective had been achieved.
My senses as a Spiritualist had also returned, sharp once more.
So recklessly smashing through it still counted as passing the trial, huh?
Truly, the Goddess was as inscrutable as ever.
"Are you okay, Silpi?"
[Yeah. The Holy Power that was blocking our connection is under control now.]
Silpi nodded at my question and pointed toward my chest.
A warm energy swirled there, accompanied by the rhythmic thumping of a heartbeat in my ears.
Unlike before, when it had overflowed uncontrollably, it was now remarkably stable. Testing it, I pressed my palm against my aching head.
With a soft hum, the headache gradually began to fade.
"So this... is Holy Power."
The pain vanished completely within seconds. Not even high-tier Healing Magic could produce effects this quickly.
No wonder the Priests of the Numen Holy Kingdom wielded such influence.
Compared to expensive healing potions or mana-intensive Healing Magic, this Holy Power was far more efficient.
'...Come to think of it, my name.'
As my thoughts settled, another realization surfaced. Had recklessly diving into the Oblivion Whale's maw been the issue?
I never imagined I'd forget even my past life's name.
Had Abel not reached out to shatter the illusion then, I might have been trapped there forever.
[Contractor...]
Silpi, who shared some of my thoughts, twitched his lips as if to say something before closing them again.
Quietly stepping closer, he patted my shoulder in consolation.
The clumsy gesture drew a faint chuckle from me.
"I'm fine."
The words came out like a reflex.
True, forgetting my own name was a shock, but it wasn't unbearably painful.
I'd steeled myself for this the moment I entered the Oblivion Whale to save Yurph.
'...Bittersweet.'
It didn't feel good. Like a part of my existence had quietly vanished.
Creak.
The sound of the door opening revealed a familiar face—black hair, black eyes, now an ordinary-sized girl. Yurph.
"...Id Unnie?"
"Good morning."
Yurph's eyes looked slightly red. Had she cried worrying about me? Before the question could fully form, she rushed toward me.
In an instant, Ria embraced me. The warmth of her body strangely made me feel like some of my fatigue had dissipated.
It was as if I could finally feel the reality of having escaped the illusion.
Ria, perhaps still uneasy, clung tightly to me without loosening her grip, as if determined not to let go.
Well, considering I had been unconscious for three days, it was only natural for her to worry.
Amused by her reaction, I hugged her back and patted her shoulder reassuringly.
"Id unnie, I'm so glad you're safe..."
"It's thanks to you, Ria. Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to escape."
"R-really? Hehe."
Ria smiled awkwardly, as if slightly embarrassed.
She lifted her head to look up at me while still nestled in my arms. I wasn't sure what to say—somehow, it felt like I had gained a little sister, and the thought made me inexplicably happy.
Until now, I had always been the younger sister clinging to my unnie.
Screech screech!
A sharp bird cry rang out from somewhere, and golden energy began gathering in one place.
Thicker and more vivid than before, the energy coalesced and took shape on my shoulder—a canary.
None other than the one Ria had lent me: Lia.
Had she consumed more Holy Power in the meantime? She looked noticeably more robust now.
Her golden feathers had grown fuller, and her eyes were fiercer than ever.
Not to mention, she had grown from the size of a parrot to about the size of a fist. Had she undergone some kind of growth during the trial?
I wasn't sure, but it was a good thing either way.
Ria's eyes widened as she spotted Lia, and she immediately brightened with joy.
"Lia! You're safe too!"
Screech!
Nodding vigorously, Lia hopped onto Ria's shoulder. Excited, she kept wagging her tail feathers.
Seeing her act all dignified like that felt a little awkward.
"But when did you get so cool-looking?"
Screech?
Lia tilted her head repeatedly before turning to gaze at the mirror on the nearby vanity. Startled, she fluttered into the air and then flew right up to the mirror.
After curiously pecking at her reflection, she returned to my shoulder.
"I think Lia must have taken a liking to you, Id unnie."
"Oh? Wasn't she always lively?"
"Yes. But Lia rarely perches on anyone's shoulder."
When I cautiously extended my finger, Lia hopped onto it again. Somehow, it seemed I had managed to win the favor of this tiny canary.
Hmm. Though it might just be because she finds it convenient to stay close to a steady food supply.
"Id unnie."
While I was lost in thought, Ria called out to me. Unlike before, her expression had grown oddly solemn.
"Yeah?"
"You succeeded in passing the trial."
"Passing? Hmm..."
For a moment, I wondered if that really counted as passing. After all, it was only because Abel had lent me his strength to shatter the illusion.
From the moment I had forgotten the name of my past life, I had been doomed to fail that trial. It was like stepping into a game I could never win.
The despair I had felt upon realizing that...
Even now, the memory sent a chill down my spine.
If not for Abel, I would have spent the rest of my life as a cripple, trapped in an illusion no different from a lie.
"I'm not sure. I don't know if this counts as passing..."
At my words, Ria paused, then crossed her arms. After a brief moment of contemplation, she continued in a fluent tone.
"They say those who fail the Sanctuary's trial never wake up."
"Huh?"
"They remain trapped in the illusion, their minds so clouded by delusions that they become cripples even in reality."
I had heard that before. Ria, Ka-il, even the Pope had all warned me, trying to dissuade me.
She met my gaze and spoke firmly.
"The fact that you've awakened like this, Id unnie, means the Goddess has acknowledged that you passed the trial."
"Are you saying...?"
"Yes. You've now rightfully joined the ranks of the Saints."
"...Huh? Saints?"
I'd never heard of that before.
At my puzzled expression, Ria also tilted her head for a moment before suddenly going, "Ah!" as if something had occurred to her. She chuckled softly and began explaining.
"Those who pass the Sanctuary's trial are called Saints."
Her eyes shone with something like pride as she continued.
"In over a thousand years, fewer than ten people have ever passed the trial, they say."
A number so small they were practically legends. Those who had overcome the trial and earned the Goddess's direct recognition—the chosen ones.
That was what it meant to be a Saint.
"Id unnie, you've effectively become a living legend."
And the first Saint from the Empire, at that.
Ria's voice was tinged with excitement as she added that last part.