Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Great Being Who Performs Miracles (2)
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"What do you think, Charlotte? With that power, is what I just told you possible?"
She wasn't expecting much—
But she figured she'd ask anyway.
Charlotte's expression as she spoke seemed to convey just that.
A skeptical hope, perhaps.
Malea could clearly sense that attitude from her.
It meant that within Charlotte, the 'revived bird' had been overshadowed by that 'advancement' as a far stronger memory.
She had been certain the seed she'd planted long ago had borne fine fruit—
But instead, it was withering perilously.
'Did Charlotte get interested in magic because of that...! Damn it! If so, it'll be hard for His power to fully take root—'
Malea had to strain to keep her boiling rage from showing on her usual poised expression.
The vessel that had been perfect beyond measure for containing the great being's power was now being defiled like this.
And all because she'd fallen for the lies of some pathetic con artist!
'Advancement? As if a mere mortal could possibly do that!'
That's how Malea interpreted Charlotte's story.
The family had tricked the young lady into taking an interest in magic.
They'd fabricated some nonsense power called advancement to capture her attention.
It was a nightmare scenario from Malea's perspective.
The one silver lining—
'It's still salvageable!'
With Charlotte reaching adulthood, the vessel was fully formed—
And preparations to make her the great being's vessel were complete.
If she focused on Charlotte now and recaptured her heart, she could turn things around.
Having set that course, Malea organized her thoughts internally before speaking.
"Right? As expected, impossible—"
"No, Charlotte."
"Huh?"
She stopped the young lady from jumping to her own conclusions and nodding along.
"You're being deceived right now."
"...What do you mean?"
"Think about it. That advancement power. Could a human really wield something like that? They're making up lies to get you interested in magic and swordsmanship."
Malea calmly admonished Charlotte.
There was no need to get more heated than that.
Stepping back for an objective view, it was plain as day which side was right.
"That new family tutor is fooling you with empty words. You think so too, don't you?"
Malea knew how deep Charlotte's distrust of ordinary powers ran.
And how much she fixated on her—the one who had 'revived' the symbolic 'baby bird' of that distrust.
Above all.
She trusted in Charlotte's intellect.
Surely, deep down, she already harbored doubts about whether advancement even existed—
"I don't think so?"
"..."
Malea's composure cracked at the firm reply, devoid of even a hint of doubt.
'How thoroughly did they brainwash her?'
Was the silver tongue of someone peddling such absurd advancement as real that potent?
Charlotte seemed completely taken in by it.
Malea suppressed her frustration and spoke.
"Charlotte. Don't do this. This isn't like you."
"Not like me?"
"Accepting such an unnatural story without proof. You're far wiser than that, aren't you?"
"..."
Charlotte mulled over Malea's words for a moment before responding.
"But there is proof?"
"He told you that?"
"Less told... and more, he showed me?"
"Showed you? He's quite prepared, isn't he? Knew you wouldn't believe and prepared 'proof' so meticulously. What did he show you as proof?"
Malea was unwittingly treating Charlotte with exasperation.
And Charlotte was doing the same.
"Not proof talk— he literally just showed it to me, I said."
"..."
The story and context were crystal clear.
Even so, it took Malea a while to grasp Charlotte's words.
They strayed so far from common sense.
"He showed you that advancement right in front of your eyes?"
"Yeah."
"You're sure?"
"The guys who were my magic and swordsmanship teachers were there too. They had the same reaction as you right now."
They had the same reaction as you.
Malea's expression twitched faintly at those words.
It felt like she was being toyed with by some tutor she'd never even seen.
Somewhat emotionally, Malea said.
"He must've used some trick. Charlotte. You know what I mean, right? It's just magic? Just swordsmanship? Could a power that couldn't even save a tiny baby bird do something like that?"
She struck the most sensitive spot in Charlotte's heart.
Appealing to her memories and emotions that way.
"..."
However—
Charlotte's response, having thought of nothing but advancement lately, was utterly dry.
The girl who had been wounded and locked herself in a small world was gone.
Now out in the world again, her eyes were starting to see things she hadn't before.
"But, Malea. I've got a question. Mind if I ask?"
"...!"
Malea could easily guess the question to come.
Charlotte was about to probe the identity of the 'great power'.
'Not now...!'
This wasn't the form of attention Malea wanted.
She thought something was needed to cover Charlotte's eyes and ears again.
Something like the baby bird's death and revival.
'Advancement...'
Malea recalled the principles of that power Charlotte had described.
Resonate to rampage mana.
Use blue breathing to strengthen the body and minimize rampage backlash.
Maintain that state to induce realm elevation.
It sounded like something green novices fresh to sword and magic theory would joke about.
Malea still couldn't believe it.
A mere mortal.
One single body accomplishing that?
No matter how she thought about it, it wasn't possible for one person.
Unless it held the power of multiple beings within.
Yes.
Like herself.
No.
Like Him.
Malea recalled the authority of the great being she bore.
The Vessel Bearer.
That ancient god's power.
"...Charlotte. Will you look at this?"
"...!"
Charlotte's eyes, watching Malea, filled with awe.
"Be assured... Only the great power we pursue... can make this advancement a reality... Be assured. He's using tricks."
The ancient god's follower sought to blind the young lady's eyes and ears once more.
The Vessel Bearer.
That name and existence hailed from such distant antiquity that even history had no record.
Malea did not reveal the being as it was.
Not as an ancient, malevolent, mighty entity—
But as the great being who performed miracles.
Thus she deceived people, calling the source of her power that way.
She tricked them into mistaking the ancient god's authority for miracles.
The Vessel Bearer's authority was perfectly suited for it.
Vessel.
It was another word for a human soul.
The Vessel Bearer's authority allowed control over souls that weren't one's own.
It could house multiple souls in one body—
Or implant soul fragments into others and reclaim them at will.
That was how the 'Gray Hand' led by Malea performed its miracles.
Just a few days ago.
Upon arriving in Bondalles, Malea scattered soul fragments among the powerless commoners.
To some, a cripple's soul.
To some, a blind man's soul.
To some, a mute's soul.
Thus, countless afflicted were born in Bondalles.
Afflicted only the 'Gray Hand' could heal.
Malea ordered her followers to heal them.
To build fame—
And claim even more 'vessels'.
Doren, the Gray Hand's second-in-command after Malea, carried out her will unknowing of the truth.
Believing it to be enacting the great being's will.
Believing it his role as proxy to perform miracles.
"H-How...!"
That was why Doren panicked.
A man had appeared out of nowhere and performed the miracle in their stead.
The cripple they thought only the great being could raise again.
He grabbed the man's hand and stood.
The soul fragment of the cripple implanted in the middle-aged man had vanished under some force.
"W-What did you do...!"
Unaware of the truth, Doren glared wide-eyed and interrogated the man.
The other Gray Hand siblings around him murmured.
It was the moment their faith, instilled by their leader Malea, began to waver.
The man—
Rishir—answered Doren's question.
"I tried it on a whim, hoping my power might help— and it worked out well. Lucky."
"I-Impossible!"
"Pardon?"
"His condition could only be healed by the Gray Hand, servants of the great being!"
"Gray Hand? Ah! I'm from the Gray Tower myself, haha!"
"..."
His nonchalant reply left Doren and all the Gray Hand speechless.
"Hm?"
Then.
Rishir closely examined them all.
Doren first.
He wore an eyepatch over one eye.
Another had one arm dangling long—
Another leaned on a cane for support.
'What, a whole assortment of patients?'
As Rishir sensed something off about them, Doren spoke.
"This eye! Both sides were blind originally! But! Apostle Malea of the Gray Hand healed me!"
"Just one side?"
"It's my own failing!!! She said! A true life led us to the Gray Hand, and if we continue down that path— She will fully embrace us!"
Doren closed his eyes, moving his hands in prayer.
The siblings behind followed.
"..."
Rishir looked at Doren and said.
"Mind if I intrude for a moment?"
"Futile!!! No one but Her can heal this eye!!! Only She can bring light back to my darkened world!!!"
"...Seems it worked. What do you think?"
"Did you hear me!? This eye can't see— ...Huh? I can see?"
Doren muttered, lifting the eyepatch.
"Sensation in my arm...!?"
"My legs!!! I can stand on both now!!!"
"Mm-mm-mm— How is this... What!? I'm speaking!?"
"I-I can hear!!! Sounds!!!"
Those touched by Rishir's hand cried out one after another.
"My god..."
"What am I seeing right now...?"
"A god has performed a miracle...!"
The crowd watching up close surrendered to awe.
Some even knelt toward Rishir.
"No..."
Rishir, who had unwittingly performed miracles, was bewildered.
'Looks like that Malea person pulled some stunt, and I just normalized it, that's all?'
Merely thwarting a black mage—
Or someone wielding unclean power.
He tried to correct the misunderstanding.
"It's not a miracle! It's just my power— well, magic!"
The crowd buzzed at Rishir's words.
"Magic can do that?"
"Then why's there still sick people in the world!?"
Damn it all.
Rishir muttered inwardly.
"Are you... perhaps, another apostle of the Gray Hand...?"
Amid it all, Doren cautiously approached.
Rishir figured this Gray Hand was behind the whole mess.
He looked at Doren firmly and declared.
"I'm not."
"...!"
Doren's eyes widened at Rishir's demeanor.
"I-Indeed...! Now I see!!!"
"Thanks for understa—"
"Gray Hand...! We behold the great being!!!"
"Damn it all."
The Gray Hand siblings knelt toward Rishir.
Momentum swept more to kneel toward him.
In the midst of it.
Heynya said to Rishir with a dumbfounded face.
"You were a god?"
"Get a grip, Heynya."
At that moment.
Doren prostrated at Rishir's feet.
"Gray Hand...!!! Please, come with us!? Your apostle Malea must be longing to meet you!!!"
"Rishir...?"
Too flustered, Charlotte uttered her teacher's real name.
He'd suddenly arrived at the mansion leading people dressed like Malea.
"Charlotte?"
Too flustered, Rishir uttered the young lady's real name.
He'd followed the Gray Hand siblings to where his 'apostle' (?) was, and there was Charlotte.
No. Not quite.
His 'apostle' (?) Malea was there, more accurately.
This was Charlotte's mansion, after all.
'Was she scheming against Lady Charlotte too?'
The gray-eyed woman standing by Charlotte.
Rishir looked at her, and their gazes met.
"Doren."
Malea said in that state.
"What happened here?"
"Him!"
"Pardon?"
"He is the Gray Hand we've longed for!"
What insane situation was this?
"...Wait."
Then, Malea's expression twisted.
She noticed something off about the Gray Hand siblings' states.
'The soul fragments... vanished?'
Thump!
Malea felt instinct's cry.
She had to act now.
"No!"
Malea shouted.
"He is not the being we serve!!! He's the enemy we must oppose! Get away from him now!!!"
"M-Malea...!?"
Doren and the siblings panicked but obeyed Malea's command first.
No matter what the Gray Hand (?) had shown, their long time with Malea kept them bound to her presence.
Malea's emotions shook them.
Now wary, distancing from Rishir, they turned hostile toward him before long.
"Lady!?"
Butler Catherine, arriving at the scene.
The mansion folk surrounded them from afar.
"W-Wait! What the— Charlotte! What's going on!?"
Heynya clung urgently to Rishir and said.
Malea blocked Charlotte's front.
"Rishir... So you're the one. Trying to deceive our Charlotte?"
"Deceive...?"
Advancement.
Malea suddenly brought up the word.
"Why not demonstrate that advancement power before me too?"
"..."
Suddenly?
What was her game?
Rishir stared at Malea, trying to read her intent.
"...!"
That instant.
Rishir's eyes widened.
"Hoo... Hoo..."
Changes overtook Malea's body.
Rampaging mana.
Breathing suppressing it.
She was mimicking advancement right now.
An ancient god.
The result of the Vessel Bearer's authority manifesting.
Malea was now one body, but not one person.
Three master swordsmen's souls.
Two exceptional mages' souls.
Plus Malea herself.
They combined their power to enact and control advancement.
"Ugh...!"
Malea gritted her teeth.
She felt one swordsman's vessel shatter under strain.
Then another— a mage's soul too.
Malea knew each was an outstanding 'vessel' by His standards.
So she was exasperated.
Performed this power alone?
She was certain.
He'd used tricks without Charlotte knowing.
She planned to expose it here.
To erase his presence from Charlotte's heart.
To claim that empty space.
To claim her vessel.
"Come on, then. And tell me what comes next. With this inefficient, showy power, what exactly can you do?"
"..."
Rishir answered with action, not words.
To proceed to advancement's next stage, he drew his sword.
Malea sneered and mimicked him.
Adding another new swordsman's vessel.
It was unprecedented.
Abusing her authority to this degree.
Cough.
Blood trickled from Malea's nose.
She paid it no mind.
Her opponent had it worse.
Extreme focus.
Fatigue visibly deepened on Rishir's face moment by moment.
Malea compared their states, smiling leisurely.
Unlike her, with margin left, he seemed at his limit already.
Charlotte's heart must have tilted by now—
But Malea didn't stop.
Pressing him further to expose the hidden trick.
"And?"
Mana gathered around Rishir.
Malea added a mage's vessel.
What followed was easy to predict.
The options narrowed.
Preparing simple swordsmanship and magic simultaneously, but superior to his, Malea said.
"And?"
Sword aura bloomed from Rishir's blade tip.
Then a profound, unique-energy sandstorm raged.
No trick.
For some reason, Rishir's eyes, watching Malea, sparkled.