Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: New Weapon - 5
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I came to my senses and first turned to look at Minerva.
She was the one who had witnessed the Pope and me embracing and exchanging tongues right in front of her for nearly ten minutes combined. Who knew what she might be thinking after seeing that.
"Do you have any words for me, child?"
But Minerva's expression was surprisingly calm—more composed than I could have imagined. It was so far from what I'd expected that I was the one taken aback.
"......It's nothing."
I kept my response brief.
Minerva, the eyewitness herself, was standing there so nonchalantly. There was no way I could ask her how she could remain so unfazed after watching the Pope and me deep-kiss.
'Well, it's not like Minerva has any reason to be shocked.'
For one thing, Minerva and I weren't anything to each other, and it wasn't like we'd suddenly started making out. It had been a proper blessing from the Pope.
Considering all the common sense warped by the mod up until now, from Minerva's perspective, it probably just looked like the Pope had given a particularly intense blessing.
Even though Aura had been baffled when she heard about Stella's method of identifying heretics.
"Sorry to keep you waiting! Here is the light-infused holy water you requested!"
A booming voice echoed through the hall. Minerva's eyes naturally turned forward. I followed her gaze.
'What the—why is it so huge?'
I was stunned by the sheer volume of "one flask." The amount I had in mind versus what the holy knights were carrying in was worlds apart.
I'd imagined something like an ordinary water bottle, or at most a 1.5-liter PET bottle. But what they shoved in front of us was entirely different.
In the holy knights' hands was a glass bottle so large I could fit inside it with room to spare.
I turned to Minerva with utter bewilderment. But her face remained perfectly calm, indicating that this massive glass bottle was indeed the "one flask" she'd had in mind.
While I stood there speechless at the unimaginable scale, the holy knights approached us with extremely cautious footsteps and set the bottle down on the floor with equally careful movements.
They backed away five steps from the bottle, as if terrified of accidentally bumping it, then immediately knelt and bowed their heads.
"We've brought it! Esteemed guest!"
"......Yes. Good work."
"Yes, sir! Thank you! Is there anything else you require?"
"No more is needed. We'll handle the rest, so you may withdraw."
"Understood!"
The holy knights rose, bowed to me once more at a perfect ninety degrees, then tiptoed out of the building.
It was impressive how they managed to walk on tiptoes despite wearing such heavy plate armor.
"You look quite shocked, child."
Minerva drew closer to my side. I opened my mouth in a tone of disbelief.
"Is this the 'one flask' you mentioned, Minerva?"
"That's right. I assumed you knew what it meant, child. Was I wrong?"
"I thought it'd be much smaller than this."
I closely examined the glass cylinder filled with light-infused holy water. Inside the crystal-clear tube, a liquid so pure and transparent it almost seemed like the container was empty filled it to the brim.
I absentmindedly fiddled with the brooch pinned to my left chest. The Pope herself had said that with this brooch alone, I could carry not just one flask but a hundred without issue.
It really drove home just how valuable this brooch was.
"Even I've never seen this much before, so it's understandable. Holy water like this could make you the richest person in the Empire."
It was the same in the game.
Until the 11th cycle, when enemy stat growth hit its limit, light-infused holy water was one of the few items whose price skyrocketed with each new cycle.
After the 11th cycle, its price was absurdly expensive—practically screaming "billions." It was mostly a quest-exclusive item anyway, so you rarely bought it.
"Now, it's time for me to fulfill the reason I came here."
Minerva snapped her fingers lightly. The top of the cylinder slid open smoothly. In her hand was now a small potion bottle.
The air-clear, transparent liquid inside the cylinder began floating up gently and flowing into the potion bottle. Minerva moved her fingers with utmost care.
It made sense, given the properties of light-infused holy water.
'It's ridiculously vulnerable to shock.'
The most iconic—and fatal—trait of light-infused holy water.
It was insanely weak to impacts.
The moment the liquid received even a moderate shock, it would turn black and lose all its holy properties. And that "moderate" threshold was ridiculously low.
That was why Ceres's material-gathering quest had such a notorious reputation for being a pain. Due to its extreme fragility, the slightest character fumble would ruin it.
Basic walking, running, rolling, swinging weapons, taking hits, using weapon special abilities, enchanting, casting spells, chanting divine spells, using consumables—everything miscellaneous under the sun.
All of it counted as "shock" and corrupted the holy water.
In short, while transporting it, players couldn't run, roll, swing weapons, take hits from enemies, or cast magic or divine spells.
Even using statues for fast travel or resting affected it, so you couldn't quick-jump near Ceres's hut.
You could fast-travel other materials all you wanted, so it was clearly intentional on the developers' part.
'They meant for you to walk the whole way.'
Thus, players had to transport it solely by "walking" to Ceres's location, with every other action sealed off.
Even normal movement counted as shock, so it wasn't just any walk—you had to hold Alt for the slow creep.
The only place to get it was the Holy Kingdom, and Ceres's house was at the ass-end of the Empire's edge. Basically, traversing the entire map at a snail's pace.
Get hit by an enemy mid-way? Done. Dodge by rolling? Done. Snipe from afar? Done the instant you chant.
Even a straight shot with no interruptions was a massive distance, and with enemies forcing detours and impassable terrain, it doubled in practice.
'At first, everyone thought it was an impossible quest.'
No matter how you tried delivering the materials, the holy water always spoiled, leading some to assume it was bugged and unclimbable.
When the true clear method finally hit the community forums, countless players were horrified by the insane transport conditions.
'Traversing the full map slowly on foot, without a single enemy hit, no statues? It's just insane.'
That was a big part of why it cost a fortune. How do you even sell something that spoils if a human just walks briskly with it?
"Child?"
Lost in those filthy old memories—not even worthy of being called "nostalgia"—I snapped back at Minerva's voice.
"What's wrong, Minerva?"
"Done thinking? Your face looked so grave I had to call out. Sorry if I interrupted."
"No, Minerva. Just idle thoughts."
"For idle thoughts, you looked awfully angry."
"......"
There was nothing for it. Anyone would scowl thinking about that. Minerva smiled faintly at me, then moved her fingers.
"Here you go."
A potion bottle settled lightly onto my palm. Small enough for three or four at once, but its price would be astronomical.
"You're sending the rest to the Magic Tower?"
"Indeed."
Minerva gave her staff a slight wave. Far more intricate magic circles than usual floated up around us. Each one shimmered with blue light that enveloped the cylinder.
The light wrapped the holy water flask three times over and blazed brightly. Moments later, the cylinder vanished without a trace.
"Now the rest is in other children's hands. Come, let's head back."
The teleportation magic circle used for the holy water enveloped us both. It felt far gentler and cozier than my usual instant warps.
I clutched the potion bottle with both hands, eyes squeezed shut like a statue, until the light faded enough for me to open them.
"......"
Ceres stood right in front of me, her face etched with surprise.
"How are you back already? I figured it'd take days at least...... Did the Holy Kingdom folks wrap it up this fast?"
"Things just worked out that way. Here's the holy water as promised."
I held out the potion bottle. Ceres's eyes went wide as she rushed over and took it reverently, like a sacred relic.
"Finally...... finally......"
Ceres looked on the verge of tears, her eyes brimming so full one poke would set them spilling.
"Save the感動 for after success. We have our own promise to keep, right?"
"R-Right! Gotta get started! It won't take long, so make yourselves at home! I'll be right back!"
Ceres dashed off trembling head to toe with the potion bottle, then zipped back to snatch the remaining materials from the desk.
Soon, a pungent odor began wafting in.
"Done!"
How much time had passed? Ceres rushed toward us, face flushed with excitement, holding a small potion bottle—the same one used for the holy water.
Seeing that snapped me out of my crystal scroll story. Minerva, who had been listening raptly, looked like the world had ended.
Ceres skidded to a halt right in front of us and bowed deeply.
"Thank you. Truly. This is all thanks to you. This debt...... I'll repay it, I swear on my honor."
I nodded silently. Minerva was staring at me, not Ceres. No point explaining when she'd see the real thing soon enough.
"So...... I drink?"
With the world's happiest expression, Ceres uncorked the potion bottle, gazed at it tearfully, then downed it in one gulp.