Chapter 302
Chapter 302
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Coaxing (3)
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"If such a great being exists, surely they could wield both the holy sword and demon sword to remake the world itself?"
The Wardens quoted the Sphere's words, intending to mock the fanatic.
They sought to vent their frustration at the Sphere of Desire's absurd nonsense onto her.
The fanatic's reaction was intense.
"Exactly! You are prepared to serve that one! Or have you already heard sermons from another priest!?"
Akirin’s eyes gleamed at the startling possibility the Wardens had shown.
These people might be ready to accept and serve that one!
"No, wait—"
They had openly sneered to deflate her spirit, yet she was thrilled instead!?
The Wardens recoiled in disgust.
She seemed far from innocent despite her pure appearance—a true madwoman.
However.
The Wardens were not ones to yield to a single fanatic.
Even the church's high priests had broken into a sweat facing them, seasoned upper nobles.
"Right, and after remaking the world with holy sword and demon sword in hand, they'll grant boons to the faithful alongside dragons!"
"That's incredible!"
"Who could witness such majesty up close and not worship!?"
"Oh... If only I could share in that wondrous experience and gain true faith...!!!"
The Wardens quoted the Sphere once more.
They expressed awe with exaggerated tones and gestures.
Of course, it was all to mock the fanatic.
No matter how blinded by fanaticism, such blatant ridicule would force her to save face!
"..."
As expected.
The fanatic's expression stiffened.
The Wardens pressed High Priestess Akirin without a shred of guilt.
She had seemed naive and easy to manipulate, but turned out to be a raving lunatic.
They unhesitatingly dumped all their negative emotions from the ordeal onto her.
"I-is that... true...?"
Soon, the fanatic asked in a trembling voice.
The Wardens, weary of her, prepared a final blow, hoping she'd finally break—
"You're absolutely sure you haven't heard sermons from another priest!?"
Their stern faces stemmed from surprise.
The trembling voice came from eager excitement.
Akirin gazed at the Wardens, practically snorting with fervor.
Crude as it sounded, it was the look of a veteran eyeing a lustful novice.
"I can't believe it... Your faith and the form of your idol... It's as if you exist solely to accept that great one!"
"W-wait—"
High Priestess Akirin drew closer to the Wardens, her face brimming with emotion.
The Wardens got chills.
It felt like no priestess, but a monster in disguise licking its lips at them.
At this point, they even felt fear.
How much madness hid beneath that innocent face?
"Please, keep telling me. The faith and idol you desire. The miracles you wish to witness."
"Damn it, enough!!! Wielding holy and demon swords to remake the world, parading dragons while hearing out the faithful—what's next!? Restoring the demon sword's true form and swinging it around!?"
"...!"
Akirin covered her mouth with both hands.
The Wardens desperately hoped.
Please, run off crying.
"Ahh..."
A sigh of感動 leaked through her slender fingers.
"Fate. How wondrous... Perhaps our meeting was fated from my encounter with that one..."
Akirin extended her hand to the Wardens.
"Will you follow me? You might witness the ideal you dream of."
"Damn it all! Get out of here now!"
"Ah, I see. It's not yet time."
The fanatic nodded in understanding.
"Then, I shall eagerly await that moment. What reactions you'll have upon first encountering that one."
The fanatic smiled excitedly.
To the Wardens, it looked like the grin of a scheming madwoman.
But it was different.
It was the purest smile, thrilled at the thought of sharing joy and happiness.
Like the face of someone watching another reach the climax of a beloved book nearby?
"I hope to be there in that fateful moment."
With that, High Priestess Akirin left the place in childlike excitement.
"My god..."
The Wardens sensed only deranged madness in her pure demeanor.
"Now I understand..."
The encounter with High Priestess Akirin.
That intense meeting left the Wardens not just with madness.
"This—"
After parting with Akirin.
The Wardens immediately picked up the fallen Sphere of Desire from the floor and fed it their hair.
The Sphere of Desire perfectly matched the shape and scale of their desires.
Its implication was clear.
"The Sphere of Desire wasn't the problem."
The carefully selected targets for coaxing the expedition.
The issue lay with them, not the Sphere.
"Then..."
"Yes. They truly consider those twisted desires 'modest.'"
"In other words... They genuinely believe those absurd events will happen..."
The Wardens cautiously recalled their twisted desires.
"He truly believes he can witness the clash of demon sword and holy sword remaking the world with his own eyes."
"He truly believes he can tell his story to a dragon."
"She—"
The Wardens' words paused briefly.
The final desire was shockingly twisted even among them.
"She truly believes they will restore the demon sword's true form and the Hero will wield it."
"...Gerson said the Hero casually possesses the demon sword—"
"Lady Melida? What are you getting at?"
The Wardens eyed their superior cautiously.
"Perhaps—some of the expedition are under the demon sword's control. That would explain their delusions."
Popandal's scabbard.
Ares Knights.
Granite Iron Guild.
How did such outstanding figures become dream-chasing lunatics?
No one knew.
But if the demon sword's influence was at play, it all made sense.
Warden Melida's words gained persuasive power linked to the situation.
"The demon sword might be scheming for revival through the expedition."
Melida concluded.
The Wardens sighed.
"Our goal was just to solidify influence inside Bendaless via the expedition, wasn't it? Yet—"
"My god, how did we get tangled in this!?"
"I can't even gauge where to start or what to do."
"Lady Melida. Wasn't this stirring up trouble? What are we supposed to do here?"
Those seasoned nobles clung to the single upper noble like dependents.
And Upper Noble Melida did not betray their expectations.
"Nothing has changed. We still have a path to intervene in Bendaless through the expedition."
"...How is that possible?"
Tap.
Melida tapped the desk with her fingertip.
"Save the Hero."
Tap.
"Thereby save the expedition—"
Tap.
"And thereby save Bendaless. If we do that, we'll achieve our goal."
"Save the Hero—from the demon sword, you mean?"
"We combine our strength."
One Warden glanced at his waiting escort nearby.
"..."
The escort's face soured instantly.
Me fight the demon sword-wielding Hero now?
"Of course. We Wardens won't bear the risk alone. Warring with the demon sword for Bendaless? No greater perversion of priorities. If we fight it solely on our own, we'd need total war."
"Then what exactly are you proposing!?"
"I repeat, 'we' combine our strength."
She spread her hands.
"Who else is in this camp besides us?"
"...Bendaless City Council—"
"And?"
"And? Who else!?"
"The expedition."
Melida rose and headed to the tent flap.
Flutter!
She lifted the flap, pointing at the expedition filling the camp.
"Even a demon sword can't control that entire horde. Expose the Hero's condition before them, and we've fulfilled our duty."
"Expose the Hero's condition—"
The Wardens exchanged glances.
Rulers of their regions, they had united wills—and resources—for this affair.
They placed one item on the desk.
The Rewind Crystal.
An ancient relic that rewinds and displays the target's memories.
"To think we'd actually use this thing..."
"In this manner, no less..."
The Wardens shared sly smiles.
They envisioned reaping merits by saving the endangered Hero.
'So this is the atmosphere.'
Rishir felt various impressions amid the ongoing banquet.
Regrettably, joy at reunion was absent.
The main reason: its shoddy composition.
'Bendaless City Council, so I thought at least Rona and Fienne— not even Fienne.'
Of course.
Disappointing, but not upsetting.
"Rona? Rona???"
"Hm? Oh—sorry, lost in thought."
"Lady Rona. If sitting beside the Hero is uncomfortable, we can join him instead?"
"Your kind consideration leaves me at a loss. I'll accept the sentiment."
With Rona seated beside him yet distracted by the opposite Wardens, it was inevitable.
The realm of politics, not power.
As powers near Bendaless, able to influence it politically and economically.
That was the Wardens.
Rishir spent time sensing Bendaless's tense atmosphere directly and indirectly through them.
A soft sigh escaped the Hero.
Thinking this mood would persist after entering Bendaless suffocated him.
When Wardens addressed the expedition, the Council checked them.
When the Council addressed the expedition, Wardens checked them.
As the banquet dragged, the atmosphere flowed and stalled repeatedly.
"Shall we call it here?"
Thus, the banquet seemed to end without achievements, leaving only fatigue.
-What are you doing here!?
-Step back! The gathering is still ongoing!
-Lower your voice! The Wardens have their reasons for being here—
-Who are you ordering around!?
Commotion erupted outside then.
"What's happening?"
Led by Rishir, those seated rose and headed out.
A Warden group confronted the Bendaless City Council group that had burst in.
"Hero."
At the center, Upper Noble Melida stepped forward unhesitatingly upon Rishir's appearance.
"This is a gift prepared for you by us Wardens."
A flawlessly cut crystal cluster.
Rishir accepted it without hesitation.
"Huh?"
That instant.
The crystal in Rishir's hand erupted in brilliant light.
It traced vivid marks across the darkening night sky.
The Rewind Crystal activated instantly, projecting the Hero's memories into form.
"A treasure that reveals the user's memories to others. Please, share your great feats with us this way—so we may feel your honor and glory closer—"
Thus.
The Hero's most intense recent memory unfolded in the night sky.
"What!? What's going on!?"
"Ah, that's...!!!"
Drawn by the uproar, the entire camp gathered and watched.
The Wardens exchanged satisfied glances.
Soon.
Melida murmured resolutely.
"Whoa..."
The Hero's Holy-Demon Sword Show—currently on hiatus—took the night sky as its screen for an encore screening.
The camp buzzed.
People from everywhere gathered with drinks, gazing at the night sky.
'What kind of screening event is this?'
Only Rishir stared straight ahead.
'...Something like that?'
Under the night sky, the entire camp united as one.
The power of culture(?).
Fienne was deep in thought.
She wanted to proudly take credit before that man returning to the city after so long, but a massive obstacle blocked it.
Lately.
Fienne had spent days drowned in mounting fatigue and worry.
Today.
It was a bracing morning.
Fienne had received shocking news from Rona's letter.
"The Wardens promised to fully withdraw from Bendaless? Suddenly?"
Slide.
"Furthermore, they promised full support for Bendaless? How?"
Fienne's eyes halted following the letter's words.
"Rishir put on an incredible show—"
Fienne rubbed her eyes.
"Rishir put on an incredible... show?"
She set the letter down and crossed her arms.
Her imagination was tested.
"A show???"