Chapter 262
Chapter 262
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Holy Magic
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The saintess and the fairy were sharing an unexpected role reversal.
Those people.
The ordinary folk who had watched their hero party and cried out for miracles.
Had they felt the same way?
When they looked at the hero party brushing it off indifferently, saying it wasn't some miracle, had they felt this same sensation?
"Ah, yes. I don't quite understand the principle, but the demons seemed particularly vulnerable to my aura."
Rishir summarized the series of events that way.
The situation where he had coiled a snake as massive as the pillar holding up the sky into a ball like tangled thread and pocketed it.
The situation where, after rummaging around in place for a moment, he had sealed the upper-rank demon!
No.
Was it even right to call that a sealing in the first place?
"So, that demon from now on... it's going to stay like that forever?"
The saintess and fairy's fingers pointed at the same spot simultaneously.
Atop Rishir's palm.
There, the tiny snake—the demon—that had gone through "something" and been neutralized.
"Well... Truth be told, I'm quite worried about that part myself. I can't guarantee how long this state will last."
Rishir revealed anxiety on his face.
But for some reason.
The fairy and saintess couldn't empathize with his unease at all.
-Pyaaaah! Piiiaaak!
Even as Rishir spoke, the adorable little baby snake was too busy rubbing its face against his thumb.
Its tongue flicked out repeatedly, accompanied by delighted cries leaking out nonstop.
It looked utterly blissful.
Could that baby snake truly be called the "coiling shadow"?
Could it be the demon that, even after negation was replaced by divinity, still harbored malice and sought to sow chaos?
Definitely not, at present.
But what about the future?
The possibilities of the future were infinite, yet it was impossible to imagine that demon regaining its original form.
At this point, the saintess and fairy were convinced.
The coiling shadow.
Or purified darkness.
This time, it had truly met its end.
Along with the attributes of the inscrutable and immortality that had protected it—
"Is this... right...? Is this even allowed...?"
Tara clutched her head, voicing her confusion.
As a saintess, the days of battling all manner of demons flashed before her like a montage.
Demons.
How much hardship had she endured to oppose those inscrutable beings?
How many sacrifices had been made to drive out those immortal existences?
Opposing demons.
That feat occupied a significant portion of the pride housed within the hero.
Yet look at that man.
Look at that snake.
"What have I even been doing all this time..."
"Tara!!!"
The saintess, who should have regained her energy and vitality along with her aura, collapsed weakly onto the spot.
The fairy, who had been bickering with the saintess, embraced her with a wail.
"Tch..."
Rishir felt an unwarranted pang of guilt.
It was something he had grown accustomed to by now.
-Pyaaaak!!!
It was summer.
Fortunately, Rishir didn't have to apologize for "sealing the demon, sorry about that."
Tara had suddenly perked up.
"Uhuhu... Uahahaahaha!!! Kyahahaahaha!!!"
Quite excessively.
-Ack!!! Master!!! That wench has gone from saintess to total nutcase!!! You should stay on guard!!!
"Ugh, Dungaleon—watch your mouth around the saintess...!"
Rishir said that, but he unwittingly stepped back himself.
"T-Tara...? W-What's wrong—is she cursed or something too!?"
Her appearance was enough to make even her comrades freak out.
"Ha, haha!!! Hahahahaha!!!!!"
She clutched her stomach, expelling every breath as laughter.
The saintess's laughter continued for quite a while.
"Haa—"
By the end, as she caught her breath and wiped her eyes, she looked almost as if she had burst into tears.
Her face looked utterly relieved.
Confirming that the saintess's state seemed less insane(?) than expected, Rishir cautiously approached her.
-Master!!! Just in case, purify that nutcase with your holy power...!
"Aigoo, Dungaleon, please just—"
Rishir barely suppressed the urge to heed Dungaleon's advice and spoke.
"Lady Tara, are you alright...?"
"...Ah."
"Pardon?"
"How could I be alright!!! It feels like my entire worldview has been negated!!!"
"Gasp...!"
The saintess vented her frustration.
With a very cheerful smile on her face, no less.
"Seriously... what the hell is this! Then what about all the people who worked and sacrificed to seal demons up until now!!!"
"Uh, well... sorry...?"
Rishir fidgeted and apologized.
Seeing that, the saintess belatedly came to her senses.
"Ah. No. Don't apologize—... It was just a moment of excitement; I absolutely wasn't trying to blame you."
"Really? It almost seemed like you were about to awaken a new curse authority, Lady Saintess."
The fairy snickered from the side, and the saintess grimaced with a 'ugh.'
"...Fine! I threw a little tantrum! That demon! Seeing it now makes all my past struggles, when I was desperately trying to seal one, feel suddenly ridiculous!!! And honestly, feeling embarrassed about my past days when I strutted around claiming miracles despite nothing really changing, so I lashed out a bit!!! Got a problem!? This much should be allowed, right!? You got a problem or what!!!"
Huff!
Huff!
After unleashing another tirade like that, the saintess glared at Rishir while panting, then burst out laughing with a 'pfft.'
"On top of that, sometimes doing it even restores your energy and raises your level?"
"...S-Sorry?"
"Why are you apologizing?"
"It just felt like I should..."
"...Good call. You could stand to feel a little sorry toward other people."
The saintess's laughter continued.
However, this laughter carried a distinctly calmer tone than before.
"Haa..."
And that sigh as she composed herself.
Rishir and Shuyen belatedly realized.
Saintess Tara Dolin.
How healthily she was expressing her emotions right now.
A saintess who had met her end through endless sacrifice.
All she had gained in that process was the self-consolation that she had done the right thing only she could do and achieved noble feats.
However.
Through Rishir's demon purification ritual, even that self-consolation had been negated.
In its place, she was given a small doubt.
"Maybe my life had no meaning after all?"
Considering the saintess's feelings, Rishir felt a dizzying sensation.
What if he were in her position?
How would he feel?
How would he act?
He probably wouldn't have irrationally blamed her for showing up so late, right?
So Rishir tried to comfort the saintess.
Sorry.
Sorry for not appearing before her sooner to help.
"Thank you..."
"Pardon?"
But her voice came first.
Rishir reflexively asked back.
"Thank you for what..."
She grabbed his hand and continued carefully.
"I'm grateful for everything about you. Because of your existence, the will, efforts—and sacrifices—of the heroes who stood against the darkness will be rewarded."
"..."
Rishir was at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing silently.
He had momentarily forgotten amid her brief friendliness, but he recalled once more.
How grand her will as a hero was.
The saintess hadn't opposed demons for her own honor or prestige.
The darkness that seemed eternal and absolute would one day lift.
By the brightest light existing in this world.
The saintess had never once acted for herself.
Her goal was singular.
To perform miracles.
And thereby prove the existence of the divine.
And thereby spread word far and wide of a hope that no darkness could obscure.
In other words, salvation for all.
Thus, the saintess could feel infinite gratitude toward Rishir's existence, even if she momentarily resented it.
"As long as you exist, all the sacrifices and faith will never be in vain."
Rishir thought.
It's a meaning too grand for me to comprehend.
But one thing was clear.
Tara Dolin.
The reason she was called a saintess.
-Pyaaaah!!!
The baby snake saw the saintess it was happy with and let out a pleased sound.
The demon she had known was no longer there.
It was the moment the saintess, who had hoped for everyone's salvation, was saved.
Rishir recalled what the fairy Shuyen had said before.
Saintess Tara Dolin.
That contrary to appearances, she was actually very meticulous.
Now, Rishir fully understood what she meant.
"Focus!!! You're spacing out again, aren't you!?"
"Yes! I wasn't just focusing—I was hyper-focusing!!!"
"Quiet! No backtalk!!!"
"Yes!"
"I said no backtalk!"
"!!!"
"Oh? Staring at me now!?"
"No! I answered 'yes' with my eyes! Since you said no backtalk—"
"I said no backtalk!"
"Urk... This is the first saintess... I can't find a way to win her over..."
Before.
Having bared her true feelings and expressed gratitude, she seemed extremely embarrassed about it, so whenever Rishir was in front of her, she couldn't leave him alone.
Tara's repeated blanket-kicking in bed!
Rishir had to take the blanket's place.
Separately.
The saintess's holy magic instruction, now free of all delusions, progressed very smoothly.
"I kinda want to show this to the temple priests."
That was the fairy's reaction as she observed the lesson.
As the saintess's comrade, Shuyen had seen and heard her fair share about holy magic, so she couldn't help but be astonished by the lesson's progress.
Rishir's newly acquired divine level from the series of events.
Combined with his innate sensory embodiment ability.
Rishir's holy magic achievements progressed at an utterly unreasonable speed.
"The healing power you learned yesterday. This is its application. Operate divinity like this, and you can restore physical damage."
"..."
"Divinity is the manifestation of will. Believe firmly. That you can heal that wound."
"...Gasp! D-Did it work...!?"
"...Good. Now, on to the next."
"Already!?"
"What, did you master basic healing perfectly already? Gonna cling to basic healing?"
"Your basic healing is already perfect, so it's fine to move on."
"Shut up, Shuyen!!! This doesn't concern you! Get out!"
"Ah, so now—learning mid-level healing... how to restore damaged energy!"
"No, we're going to advanced healing."
"Pardon?"
"What you just did was mid-level healing."
"..."
"What's with that face? That's the face I want to make."
Having grown accustomed to the unreasonableness, Tara could actively adjust the lesson content to match Rishir.
The seamless embodiment of divinity progressed without a hitch.
And so, a fortnight and two days had passed since Rishir first received holy instruction from the first saintess.
"...What kind of person am I in your sheath?"
The battle with the rotten swamp Astrolog.
During that, the holy sword Zalak of Yakjin, who had lost consciousness, regained its senses.
Tara, watching their reunion, nodded and said.
"Looks good now. Shall we head back?"
"Pardon?"
Rishir felt it was sudden—
But quickly changed his mind.
'Ah. Come to think of it, everyone might be worried.'
Recalling the circumstances of coming here and the companions left behind.
'It's been a fortnight and... about a week?'
Rishir suddenly felt anew his respect for his mentor.
'This impatience and guilt... Not an easy thing...!'
Having sorted his thoughts, Rishir said to Tara.
"Yes. Understood. As you say, Lady Tara, it seems best if I head back now."
He extended his hand toward her.
"Lady Tara. Thank you for everything so far. This instruction. This grace. And this bond. I will never forget. We will meet again, right?"
Rishir's voice was soaked in considerable emotion.
Tara gazed at him silently, as if about to say something.
"..."
But soon, she made an awkward expression and cleared her throat with a hem-hem.
"Go."
"..."
A brief moment passed.
Rishir and Shuyen looked at Tara and burst into chuckles.
She clicked her tongue and turned her head away.
Afterward.
Rishir's preparations for return proceeded smoothly.
"Oh, Rishir."
The real world—
The first sight that greeted Rishir upon returning to his room in the Ilratdein house where he had been staying.
Latsil.
She had been lounging peacefully on Rishir's bed, slowly sat up, rubbed her eyes, and said.
"You're back?"
Something's off from what I expected?
As if reading Rishir's thoughts, Latsil said.
"Everyone was worried the first few days—but eventually, we reached that conclusion."
"What... conclusion?"
"Since it's Rishir, no need to worry, right?"
"Ah..."
Rishir wasn't sure whether to feel proud of their complete trust or miffed.
Whatever.
Meanwhile, Latsil got up from the bed and said.
"Alright then! Now that Rishir's here, I should get ready!"
"...Ready for what, exactly?"
"The expedition!"
"Pardon?"
"The Azure Star sensed the World Tree's presence! In some human city outside the Great Forest!"
"...!"
"That's why the city's in an uproar right now! Could the World Tree really have grown somewhere other than Ilratdein!? If so, why!? Why!? This expedition is to uncover that."
Rishir's eyes widened.
His pupils shook violently.
The World Tree grown in a human city?
No way?
It couldn't be?
He forcibly calmed his anxiety and said to Latsil.
"Miss Latsil."
"Yes! What do you want to know? Ask away. Ah! Actually, shouldn't I be the one asking questions!? What happened while you were there!? No, what even happened!? What on earth happened that only you ended up there—"
Ughhh.
It was quite a while before he got a chance to ask his question.
"Um... if the World Tree really is discovered in a human city... what would happen then?"
"Hmm... who knows?"
Right?
Now that I think about it, it's intriguing?
What would happen?
Hmm. Hmm! Hmm!!!
Finally, after the noisy deliberation ended.
At Latsil's playful remark, Rishir felt his heart drop.
"Great Migration?"
The saintess's village.
Tara and Shuyen remained there, watching the dimensional gate Rishir had entered slowly close.
The aftertaste of farewell.
And—
The fairy, immersed in various sentiments, shook them off with a playful tone as if to dispel them all.
"Saintess. How was Rishir?"
"How do you mean?"
"In your eyes as a saintess, how was his aptitude as a priest? He doesn't seem like one, but he kinda fits, right?"
"No idea."
"Huh?"
Shuyen looked at Tara like she was odd.
After guiding holy magic lessons to her heart's content until now?
Then. Tara pointed somewhere.
A bird on a tree.
The bird Tara had created with the same power used to create the village to help Rishir embody divinity.
Originally born wounded, it was a kind of illusion that should have vanished once its purpose was fulfilled.
Tara said with a serious expression.
"Why hasn't it disappeared?"