Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Idea (2)
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“…As expected, Lord Astal is incredible.”
This was the brief impression Victoria left while observing the spell Astal had devised to defeat Dullahan: Idea.
What kind of thoughts does this man usually have to conceive such a magnificent and beautiful spell?
Astal Kaisaros had always been like this.
A mage who never lost hope even in the demon realm teeming with monsters and demons, delivering victory to his comrades.
“That… might actually have a chance. To anyone looking, Astal must have bet everything on this one attempt.”
Even the Hero Kyle added a comment as he watched the countless magic circles tangled like threadballs forming a single sphere.
Only a madman like Astal would discard the prejudice that magic circles must maintain their original form and conceive the idea of unraveling them like thread to reconstruct them three-dimensionally.
“Surely, Sir Kyle, you don’t doubt Lord Astal? I’m disappointed. Is the trust between men merely that shallow?”
Victoria pouted her lips discontentedly, looking at Kyle. Because, normally, he would have cheered for Astal with the loudest voice, but now she could see him trembling slightly.
“I can’t help it. I’m the Hero, so I can hear the lingering resentment of those sacrificed by Dullahan’s holy sword.”
“…What? Is that true?”
“Yes. That bastard… even killed his own child.”
Kyle, even uttering curses he never used in life, was telling his comrades the information he had uncovered so far.
He revealed the horrific truth: that Dullahan had killed his own child, born between him and the Saint, along with his comrades, to signal his surrender to the Demon King.
“…An irredeemable piece of trash. It makes me sick that such a creature was the First Hero.”
The first to express anger upon hearing Hero Kyle’s story was, unexpectedly, the Divine Archer Taryon.
As if suppressing the urge to immediately draw his bowstring against Dullahan, thick veins bulged on the back of his hand.
Because Taryon’s wish was to return to his homeland with his lover Anima after defeating the Demon King, have children, and live happily.
“Why on earth did the gods choose such a bastard as a Hero! Someone like Kyle would have been perfectly sufficient!”
“I can’t believe it. How could he commit such a horrific act… Why…?”
Anima and Victoria also showed varied reactions to Kyle’s story. Some were furious, others dizzy with fear.
They didn’t want to believe it. It was a story utterly incomprehensible. Was this the very reason Heavenly God Lumina had forbidden the Saint from contact with men?
To resolve her doubts, Victoria immediately closed her eyes and tightened her interlocked hands, which she had been holding since earlier to pray for Astal’s victory.
Mother, did you set limits on physical relations between Lord Astal and me because you knew this truth from the beginning?
Then, barely calming her trembling heart, Victoria began to pray to Heavenly God Lumina, whom she believed in.
The being who had shown ambiguous actions, as if both blocking and supporting her relationship with Astal.
Yes. Because otherwise, the tragedy might repeat. I never wanted to see such a horrific sight twice.
Only then did Heavenly God Lumina reveal the truth to Victoria, speaking in a calm voice about the past.
Then you could have told me! No matter what, I am like a daughter to you!
For the first time, Victoria felt betrayed by the Heavenly God.
If such a dark reason lay hidden, wasn’t it unnecessary to impose the condition that the Saint would become an ordinary commoner if she had relations with a man?
Victoria, I didn’t tell you precisely because I cherish you that much. There was also a reason to protect you from the trash in the Holy Kingdom.
However, Heavenly God Lumina continued with a sorrowful voice. If she hadn’t set conditions like this, there would have been no minimum safety measure to protect the Saints of past generations.
It was a judgment made because, in the past, the Pope and Paladins of the Holy Kingdom Aurelium had looked at them with lecherous eyes or persistently tried to make physical contact.
And originally, the First Hero, Sieghardt, was a good man, comparable to Astal. A hero who always threw himself to save people and shouted hope like no other.
Thump.
Upon hearing that story, Victoria felt something snap inside her heart.
“That’s a lie. A rumor. Slander. How could such trash resemble Lord Astal…!”
Unable to contain her frustration, the words she was thinking spilled out. In what possible way could that bastard be similar to the man she loved?
Dullahan had killed Astal’s parents in a cruel manner and showed a mocking side, deliberately defying the Demon King’s orders just to fight him.
Moreover, not content with killing even the First Saint, his beloved lover as a Hero, he even committed the horrific act of killing their own child.
“The man I love… would never hurt or injure me…!”
They are absolutely not the same.
In what way are they similar?
Victoria poured out her pent-up resentment and sorrow. If she hadn’t been born a Saint, she wouldn’t have met Astal, but at least she wouldn’t have been frustrated by being unable to properly convey her feelings.
“Lady Victoria…”
“That’s right. No matter what, I don’t think that’s the case.”
Seeing Victoria even shedding tears, the comrades around her empathized with her words.
“Watch your mouth, lady. If Astal saw you making Victoria cry… He’d probably punch you, Heavenly God or whatever.”
Even the Hero Kyle placed his hand on the hilt of his holy sword, showing hostility toward the Heavenly God who had insulted his friend.
The man named Astal Kaisaros, whom they had seen over a year, was sometimes emotional and impulsive, and had a tendency to recklessly throw himself into saving people.
But his comrades knew well that he was kinder and more naive than anyone, a hero.
Daughter, the Demon King Ergothum is not as easy an existence as you think. Do you say that even knowing no human from any generation of Hero parties has survived?
“But it will surely be different with Lord Astal here. He is not only the man I love but also the continent’s strongest mage.”
Surely, the First Hero party also held that hope when they departed. Saying ‘We can kill the Demon King, we can make this world peaceful.’
Heavenly God Lumina sighed deeply, recalling that time. Even the gods had no doubt about the Demon King Ergothum’s defeat, which is why they gave the First Hero Sieghardt runes and even weapons from myths.
Heroes who sang hope to the world, cutting down mighty monsters and demons, rescuing captured people.
However,
But Sieghardt lost his mind and went mad the moment he saw Demon King Ergothum. It wasn’t a mental attack, nor magic or curses.
…….
Simply, instinctively, the fact that ‘he couldn’t win’ devoured his reason. And after that… Well, as you know, he committed those acts.
Even that hope was useless before Demon King Ergothum. The being, closer to a nameless god than the head of evil, was enough to make anyone who saw him lose their will to fight.
Victoria, I have seen the same things repeat countless times while sending off all the Saints of past generations. Sometimes I imposed stricter taboos, other times I gave them freedom, but the results were similar. This is the best.
“But… couldn’t we be different?”
Even heroes with the strongest spirits, mages of the highest realms, tried to take their own lives or horrifically kill their lovers or comrades before Demon King Ergothum?
Heavenly God Lumina still couldn’t fully trust Astal.
Therefore, her contingency plan was to make Victoria an ordinary woman and have her withdraw from the frontlines if she were to bear a child.
Victoria, you truly love this man named Astal.
“Yes. I love him so much that I think I couldn’t live without him now.”
Then, I’ll permit you to have a slightly deeper relationship. But, just in case, I hope you’ll try to have a child after killing the Demon King.
As she listened to the Heavenly God’s words, a good idea occurred to Victoria.
If the problem was becoming an ordinary woman upon losing her virginity, wouldn’t it be fine if that posed no problem at all?
If Astal truly succeeded in creating a spell capable of killing Demon King Ergothum—
…Then I can ignore such troublesome conditions.
Having reached that conclusion, Victoria looked at Astal and clenched her fists tightly, as if having resolved something.
It was the moment her future goal and the bait for it were clearly set.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Currently, due to the side effects of drawing out the Coresword, blood was flowing from my eyes, nose, and mouth, and pain surged in, enough to crush my heart.
The sensation in my fingertips was fading, my vision was darkening, and it was becoming difficult to even maintain consciousness.
The Dullahan before me attacked using various weapons to block my new spell, Idea.
“Hahaha! You’re insane, thinking you can kill me with just a spell that’s big and powerful?”
Watching the wretched transformation of the battle as blood and flesh splattered and even my clothes turned to rags, Dullahan laughed loudly.
“Sorry, but this is Poseiken Hollow, where no one can die recklessly. Moreover, I’m a Death Knight! An immortal being who cannot perish as long as I have a Life Vessel….”
“…You think I’d care about that shit? Idiot.”
I spat curses and scoffed at Dullahan, who was predicting his own victory. It was disgusting that such a fool was still acting tough.
In truth, as Dullahan said, the Idea I created was still incomplete. To achieve the maximum output I initially envisioned, I needed to be able to contain all my comrades’ power within the magic circle.
But for now, two seems to be the limit….
Since there was only room for one other power besides Victoria’s divine power.
Looking at the structure of the magic circle visible in my vision, I guessed its limits. If more power entered, it wouldn’t hold and would explode.
“Victoria, Kyle. If you’re watching, can you help? It’s a bit cowardly… but this seems like the best way to kill this piece of trash.”
Gasping for rough breaths, I sent a magical telepathic message to my comrades.
Wouldn’t it be most fitting to defeat the First Hero, who surrendered and fell to the Demon King, with the power of the Hero of this generation?