The One Who Gazed Into the Abyss (8)
The heat of the duel had been so intense that the professors, after a brief meeting, decided to postpone the remaining matches until the next day. Everyone was still caught up in the lingering excitement or afterglow of that final bout, and even after the announcement, few could bring themselves to leave their seats in the stands.
Alex whistled softly, genuinely impressed by their fight. The power of spirits truly was remarkable. Cain, who should have been overwhelmingly outmatched, had stood toe-to-toe with Panzy Vlad. He analyzed their battle in meticulous detail. After all, Cain and those close to him might eventually become targets he would need to eliminate.
Panzy Vlad possessed skill far beyond what anyone could reasonably expect from a first-year. Even Alex, who had lived his life blissfully ignorant of the world's complexities, could see how exceptional she was. To true experts, her talent must have seemed even more astounding. Especially that final sword technique that seemed to cleave the very air itself; it had left the entire audience speechless, watching in stunned silence. To think she'd been hiding such a trump card. Isn't that just cool as hell?
"Hmm. Postponing the matches until tomorrow actually works out perfectly for me."
While everyone remained lost in the thrill of the duels, Alex quietly rose from his seat and slipped out of the arena. He still had plenty of 'fun' things left to do. No one noticed him leaving. And really, why would they bother paying attention to him?
"Haaah! Cain! Get up and take Panzy down already!!!"
Eve Abraham leaned so far forward from the front row of the stands that she looked ready to leap out, waving her arms wildly as she shouted. The moment that dust cloud scattered with a single strike and the sword energy surged forward had been nothing short of artistic. And Cain closing his eyes and swinging his blade to block that supposedly unstoppable strike? Pure art. It felt like watching an entire theatrical performance.
Eve had been raging like a hooligan who refused to accept her team's defeat, but the instant she saw Cain being carried away, she finally registered the stares around her. She shrank back sheepishly and headed toward the infirmary. This was her chance to score some points. She'd heal him in one go and make him realize, 'You only have me.'
Let's do this. I can do it. Eve Abraham!
She pumped both fists, silently cheering herself on. Even though the E-class supervisor had grabbed her by the scruff of her neck earlier and given her an ultimatum: 'If you keep showing this kind of delinquent behavior, I'll report it to the Holy Kingdom.'
Eve wasn't afraid of that in the slightest.
"What could the Holy Kingdom even do if they report it? Seriously."
Though the memory of the recent assassination attempt made her pause, lips pressed tight as she frowned. Why on earth would anyone try to assassinate Arpa's Saintess? Still, seeing how her blood had purified those assassins made it hard to believe it was Arpa's will. If Arpa hadn't wanted her to be the Saintess, her holy power would have vanished the moment the assassins approached.
Even so, the lingering unease was unavoidable. She couldn't even decide whether she should report this. There were undoubtedly factions within the Holy Kingdom who were unhappy that she was being revered as a Saintess. No matter who she told—even someone she trusted completely—the information would almost certainly leak to those opposing her.
"This is exactly why I hate complicated things."
She didn't want to deal with this issue at all while she was still at the academy.
First, focus on the problems right in front of you.
Eve took a deep breath in front of the infirmary door, then opened it.
The infirmary was in complete chaos, filled with injured students and nurses rushing back and forth.
Pushing through the constant flow of people, Eve spotted Cain lying unconscious at the very end of the room.
Seeing him sleeping peacefully despite the countless large and small cuts covering his body, an indescribable emotion surged up from deep within her heart.
"Saintess? Um... have you come to check on Cain's condition?"
A nurse appeared behind Eve and briefly explained his state. External wounds could be treated somehow, but for some reason his internal injuries were extremely severe. They had been searching for nearby priests to use healing magic when Eve showed up at just the right moment.
If the kid was hurt this badly, shouldn't they have treated him first?
Eve swallowed her rising anger and asked everyone to leave so she could concentrate. She placed both hands on his irregularly breathing body and closed her eyes.
A pure white light began to shimmer across her entire form as her holy power manifested. It flowed into Cain's body, repairing his damaged organs. The immense holy power granted to one chosen by god bestowed a miracle upon a life that had been flickering on the brink of extinction.
Cain's breathing gradually became steady. By the time even the visible wounds had vanished, Eve finally withdrew her hands.
"Haa..."
His condition had been worse than she'd expected. While she hadn't run out of holy power, the strain on her own body was unavoidable. Wiping away the beads of sweat on her forehead, Eve turned her head at the sound of movement behind her.
"As expected... he's really something... *cough cough*..."
Panzy Vlad had somehow managed to sit up and was looking at her. Eve's brow twitched for a moment before her expression twisted completely.
"Panzy. Just what... was that even a proper duel?"
"It was a truly spectacular fight where both sides gave it their all."
"Even so, this was..."
"That's what a warrior's battle is like, Eve Abraham. A fighting spirit that priests could never understand."
"Are you insulting priests right now?"
"..."
Their eyes met, sparks flying between them with an audible *crackle*.
Shub le Ruelle. What knowledge shall we use today to sate your hunger?
"I won't listen to you."
But haven't you already absorbed so much knowledge?
"That was..."
Whether it's the instinct of the demon race or your arrogant thirst for knowledge, I cannot say. But you have already taken in far too much knowledge to turn back now.
The sealing ritual was a success.
But there are things a sealing ritual alone cannot solve.
"S-stop it. Please... I..."
Because of a promise? Because of your promise with that person called Cain? Or because of the arrogance that made you believe you could handle it?
It's already too late, child.
Shub le Ruelle. The one who carries the grudges of countless demon souls upon her back and is crushed beneath the weight of responsibility. That place you call the Otherworld. So much knowledge lies dormant there.
"Ugh..."
The demonic creatures that have ravaged your kind countless times—aren't you curious where they truly came from? Those monsters you despise so bitterly. Do you really believe they only exist in our world? No. Were those creatures even born in the Otherworld to begin with?
I whisper.
You reach out. You crave what you need.
That is why I exist.
You seek knowledge.
I seek blood. Life. Power.
God.
I. We. Hate god.
Shub le Ruelle.
"I need to... prepare another sealing ritual..."
When that person called Cain said he would entrust me to you. That was when you should have listened carefully.
Arrogance. You simply dressed it up with the pretty word 'thirst for knowledge.'
No!
I!
No!
You cannot absorb the knowledge of our world without paying the price.
I...
"I..."
Take hold of me.
I do not wish it.
I parasitize.
I dominate.
"Dominate... "
I am the knight. The hero. Hagen. I will grant you the power to save the world.
"The power... to save the world..."
Soon, one who will save the world will appear and set us free.
I dominate.
The world. You. Shub le Ruelle.
"Hero... Hagen..."
Dainsleif whispered to Shub in a sweet voice. It began to bind her using soul magic developed in the Otherworld. Having already been exposed to and corrupted by its mana, it only took a few words to ensnare her completely.
She was growing increasingly haggard and drained, but Dainsleif didn't care. As long as it could make use of Shub le Ruelle's genius mana sensitivity, the demonic sword would be able to achieve its goal.
"The moment... I take you." The moment you take me. You will master all knowledge. The demonic creatures will all kneel before you, bowing their heads. The power of knowledge you desire is truly magnificent. That is why you can place everyone beneath your feet. Just imagine it. You, saving everyone and being revered as a hero. The savior of the demon race. The destroyer who swept away everything with the power of the Otherworld. The door opens. The army marches. You become the key. Am I Shub? Hagen? Or simply Dainsleif, trapped within the sword? I become a hero. One who saves everyone. Leading the army. One who sweeps away everything. The hero of destruction. Souls connect.
The moment the souls connect, we burn each other's mana and life force to manifest power. Only then is a true hero born.
"Tomorrow... there's the duel..."
A duel?
Don't worry.
You have now become one who surpasses even first-rate swordsmen, not just in magic.
"R-really...? A demonic sword... is pretty amazing..." Snap out of it, Shub. You're being enchanted right now. Knowledge. Knowledge is waving at me. They want it. They're screaming for the demon race to be saved. Shub. Let's become one. Shub. We promised to obtain knowledge and defeat the enemies of the Otherworld! That's right. We... obtain knowledge... Shub. What is knowledge? Knowledge? Knowledge. What is knowledge?
The thing called knowledge is nothing but arrogance.
Dainsleif mocked her. It had completely seized both the soul link and her mind. Yet Shub was still somehow managing to maintain control. The flood of knowledge that had poured into her the moment she grabbed the sword had overwhelmed her mind, causing her to collapse on the spot.
Shub continued to mutter endlessly. As if they were words she had been thinking about and holding inside for a very long time. As if they were words she had forgotten long ago and was only now managing to spit out.
"Cain... I... believe... in you..."