The Corrupted Relic
The sun had set. There was no way to tell whether it was day or night inside the Labyrinth, but we could at least calculate how much time had passed, so we kept track of day and night. Just as Melody had predicted, we decided to spend the night in the warehouse. No monsters appeared, and though dust had accumulated, the space was ample and the ground was flat—perfect for pitching a tent.
“I can’t sleep.”
Inside the tent, I stared blankly at the ceiling, blinking my wide-awake eyes and letting time slip by. Evening prayers were long over, yet unlike usual, sleep refused to come. It was probably because of what awaited us at dawn. A Holy Relic. Just the thought of seeing one with my own eyes was astonishing, but the possibility that it might have been horribly corrupted by heretics made my head spin.
When was the last time I saw a Holy Relic up close?
When I was a child, new arrivals at the temple had to undergo a baptism ceremony. I think that was the first time I saw one. When they sprinkled the relic’s water over my head, I felt a faint trace of divine power. I guessed that the relic had probably served to connect aspiring priests with the Sun God.
What if we really find it?
Finding a lost relic from three hundred years ago would be wonderful in itself. But what if it turned out to be corrupted? The mere thought of the nightmare that would follow made me dizzy. I had confidently declared I would purify it, but…
Can I actually do it?
I bolted upright and returned to the prayer room, clasping my hands together.
What if the relic is right ahead of us and the Sun God is urging me to find it?
It would explain why the map fragments had fit together so perfectly and why I had instinctively realized where we were. If something impossible for me had become possible, it could only be because that was what He desired.
If that’s the case, please grant me the knowledge to purify a corrupted Holy Relic.
It would be best if as few people as possible knew about the corruption. That meant, just as Melody had said, I had to succeed in purifying it the moment we retrieved the relic.
If I fail, the whole team will find out.
That was something I wanted to avoid even if it meant swallowing my pride. It was already humiliating enough that heretics had been hoarding such an enormous treasure.
“Maybe I should step outside for a bit?”
Tsk— No, that’s a bad idea.
Melody moving around and me moving around were two very different things. She could erase her presence and slip through places unnoticed, but I stood out no matter what I did. Simply walking around usually earned me several “Where are you going, Father?” questions. If someone as conspicuous as me went wandering, I might accidentally expose Melody’s trail. Staying put right now was the best way to help her.
After finishing my prayers, I lay back down on the bed and closed my eyes.
“Time to sleep.”
This time I would truly fall asleep. She had specifically told me that staying awake unnecessarily would only make the others suspicious, so I should sleep as much as possible. That was why we had agreed on this.
And honestly…
I hope something comes to me in a dream.
“Father.”
“!!”
The presence right beside me made my eyes snap open.
“Sister?”
I had been expecting her, so I wasn’t startled. What shocked me was the sight that greeted me the moment I opened my eyes.
“What… how did this happen….”
Before asking for an explanation, treatment came first. I jumped up, intending to heal her immediately.
“Please… I beg you.”
“Where are you hurt… ugh!”
When Melody removed the black robe she had been wearing, a horrifying sight that had been hidden came into view.
“Don’t tell me… this terrible thing is the Holy Relic?”
“…Yes. It is.”
Her left arm had been seized by something. The reason the ominous energy hadn’t been noticeable to others was likely because she had been suppressing it with her own divine power.
“This aura….”
“Yes. As you can see, it is evil. It seems those people succeeded in corrupting the relic.”
“But why is it on your left arm…?”
Had their greed overcome even their disinterest in material wealth? Everyone had at least one area where they felt desire, so it was possible. Still, I found it hard to believe that Melody would be the one to show such weakness.
“I am ashamed. I was completely deceived.”
Had there been some circumstance I didn’t know about?
“From what I know of you, Sister, I don’t believe you would act recklessly out of personal greed. Did they set some kind of trap?”
“…To retrieve the relic, it had to be worn. Or at least, that’s what I was led to believe. I only realized the truth after putting it on. It was a trap.”
She explained that the dormant corrupted power had erupted and tried to devour her body. Knowing that it hadn’t been greed but a trap put my mind at ease. At least her character hadn’t suddenly changed. Her near-desireless nature had remained the same even in front of a Holy Relic.
“Are you struggling to hold on even now?”
The corrupted relic had taken the form of a gauntlet on her left arm. In its pure state, it would have radiated sacred energy, but now it was completely fallen, emitting a sinister and grotesque aura. Moreover, the veins in her left arm were swollen as if they would burst at any moment, invaded by some black substance. Watching that darkness spread through her veins in real time sent chills down my spine.
What happens if that spreads through her entire body?
I realized I had to treat her immediately and reached for her arm.
“Please don’t come too close. The corruption might spread to you.”
“I have to treat you. There’s no other way.”
“I will endure it. Also… I withdraw my request to purify it completely.”
“In this state, why would you suddenly say that?”
It was obvious she was saying it because she was worried about me.
“This is not something you can handle alone, Father.”
“You won’t be able to endure it.”
“That is why I came here. Please just help me hold on.”
Should I be grateful that she was worried about my body, or should I be angry that she thought my ability was lacking?
“Until we return, I will endure. Once we get out, we must head straight to the Holy Empire. I will arrange for another suitable person to take over your protection.”
“Are you really worrying about my protection in this condition?”
If I couldn’t purify it now, what would happen? I had already grown close to her while living together. Asking someone else to do it again? Just remembering the effort it had taken to befriend this Heretic Inquisitor still made my head spin. I couldn’t go through that again.
“Wait a moment.”
“Father.”
“Shouldn’t I at least try? Only then can I give up. I can’t give up like this.”
Not being able to do something and choosing not to do it were completely different things.
“If you use all your strength, how do you plan to proceed with tomorrow’s exploration?”
“Once I treat you and get some sleep, my power should recover somewhat. There won’t be any seriously injured people for a while, so I won’t have much to do anyway. You saw how fine I was today.”
Wasn’t this exactly why we had wanted to conquer this castle in the first place? There was no reason to leave this place just to hunt monsters. We could rest here for a few days.
Whether my persuasion worked or not, Melody finally extended her arm toward me.
“If it seems impossible, I intend to cut off the arm. So…!”
“Why would you cut off your arm!! Leave it alone!! I’m going to heal it.”
Please stop saying such horrifying things so casually! I understood that being raised as a Heretic Inquisitor had made her bold and decisive in many ways. But even so, talking about cutting off her own arm was going too far, wasn’t it?
“Between the Holy Relic and my arm, the former is obviously more important, Father.”
“I know the relic is important! But that doesn’t mean your arm isn’t precious! I absolutely refuse to see your arm severed, so dismiss that idea entirely. Never say anything so terrible in front of me again.”
I spoke with the most serious expression I could muster, because I was certain that if I left her alone, she would really cut it off without hesitation.
“…Understood. In that case, please do not overexert yourself. It would be troublesome if you collapsed because of me.”
Since I was the team’s only healer, it was true that my collapse would leave them with no options. Even so, I couldn’t leave her like this. Besides, I had my own pride.
“You know that growth is much faster inside the Labyrinth than outside, right?”
“Yes. I am aware.”
“For that reason, I’ve been growing at a ridiculous pace with every battle—even I can tell it doesn’t make sense.”
When I first entered the Labyrinth, I couldn’t even apply buffs properly to the team. But now it was different. Of course, the reduced number of people made it easier to cover everyone, but I was confident I had become far more skilled and stronger than before.
The prayer I offered just before lying down unfortunately hadn’t produced any results. I still didn’t understand why He had helped with the map fragments but offered no answer on such an important matter. Still, I tried to think positively.
It must mean there was no need for interference.
Since I already knew what to do, He probably had nothing more to say. And I had begun to feel that relying on Him too much wasn’t good.
If everything could be solved through prayer, why would anyone make an effort? Even He would probably find such whining pathetic.
The childish Divine Punishment that had once afflicted me had left no trace. At the time I couldn’t understand why He had given it to me, but now I thought I knew.
“Who knows? I might be able to erase this.”
“!!”
I had to pull myself together. If I bragged this much and then failed, I would be too embarrassed to face Melody ever again. At the very least, I needed to hear that I had fought well.
Even if I fail, it has to end with ‘I fought well and lost.’
This was a matter of my honor. I drew up my divine power without reservation, sweeping away every unpleasant thought.