How to Become the One in Charge (6)
As the sinister aura the necromancer had been stoking dispersed, the moon and stars spread across the sky once more revealed themselves.
The incompetent Chief God said everything was over, so I should be able to rest for a while. Leaning my body against my shield, I let out a long sigh.
Was it because I'd spent my strength purifying the forest at the very end? My body felt tired.
Made sense, considering how much effort I'd put into that purification. Not that it interfered with my movement at all, of course.
It'd be a little embarrassing to complain about dying at this level. Back when I trained with the Aln family, I'd pushed my body under far worse conditions than this. I could probably manage one more fight like today's, at least.
Even with the elemental advantage factored in, I've gotten pretty strong, haven't I? At the start, I figured survival alone would be a struggle—and yet here I am, having actually succeeded in cleansing the forest.
I should ask one of the professors for a sparring match later. Assuming no favorable matchup, I want to find out exactly how far I can go.
After that long sigh, I stretched, then opened the message the incompetent Chief God had sent.
One trial cleared, and now a fitting reward. So this quest must be structured to hand out rewards at intervals, with a final payout at the end.
Hmm. How many trials until the quest is complete? If I play my cards right, I might be able to fleece the incompetent Chief God for a fortune.
Plenty of experiments to run. Whether rewards scale with trial difficulty. Whether the number of payouts is fixed. How "trials" are even defined.
Ahh. My brain is completely running on rotten-water circuits!
First, let's check the rewards I've been granted. From those alone, I can infer plenty.
You have cleansed the forest slain by a necromancer in the distant past!
A reward is being granted!
The skill “No Grudge Left” evolves into “For All Grudges Shall Set”!
This was exactly as I'd seen it in the game.
This skill's upgrade was a reward granted because I'd completed Adri's quest first.
The skill, originally specialized against necromancy, had evolved into a passive that practically ended anti-necromancy combat altogether—not that I particularly cared about that part.
What had my attention was something else entirely.
Curse defense specialization.
A skill that nullifies virtually every curse and weakens even high-tier ones—word was, if you could get your hands on it, you absolutely should.
Excellent. No more worrying about curses ever again. Unless it's an Evil God-tier curse, the odds of anything going wrong are...
Oh, right. The opponent I eventually have to face IS an Evil God. Correction: barring extraordinary circumstances, no need to worry.
Either way, it's a good skill, isn't it? Grinning, I shifted my gaze to the next reward.
You have overcome, alone, what everyone else turned away from!
A great achievement!
The people will seek the one who restored this forest!
Is this one related to reputation gains?
Kind of abstract, isn't it? Can't you just tell me "Reputation +37" like the game did?
I can't feel it. I can't feel it.
And hey, incompetent Chief God. Can you even call this a reward? This is just the natural result of something I accomplished myself.
No matter how grandly you dress it up, you didn't actually do anything, did you? Why do you always...
No. Calm down. Do I not remember what happened every time I ran my mouth until now?
This is a time to sit quietly and shut up. Read the room.
Okay! On to the next reward!
I simply cannot wait to see what magnificent reward our wonderful Chief God has prepared!
You have resolved, in the knights' stead, what the holy orders of the past could not.
Divinity proficiency increases.
Your reputation within the Church rises.
A mark is engraved upon your crucifix. Show it to anyone holding the rank of Bishop or above, and they will know of your deed.
...Huh.
Eh?
EHHH?!
What?! A mark gets ENGRAVED?!
The moment I read those words, I frantically pulled the crucifix from around my neck to inspect it.
On the back of the crucifix, a small emblem had been carved.
Is this it? It feels holy, but I can't tell what it means.
<...A Stigma?!
Just as I was tilting my head at it, Grandfather's voice suddenly rose in my head.
'Grandpa. Do you know what this is?'
<Of course I do! How could I fail to recognize a mark left by God? Hahaha. God has been watching over you, child. To think He would vouch for you like this!>
'You can read it?'
That's our Grandpa for you! Of course the holy knight who once saved the world could decode it on the spot!
While you're at it, could you explain what it says? I'd like to confirm it's the real deal.
Our Chief God has a mischievous streak, you know. He might've planted some kind of prank in there!
<This is not something one reads, child. It is something one feels.>
For a moment, my mind went blank at his matter-of-fact answer.
'What is that supposed to mean?'
<You will come to understand in due time. For you are loved by God.>
'...In any case, that mark IS proof that I purified this forest, right?'
<Aye. It is.>
This was something I had never once seen in all my time playing the game.
There'd never been any need to leave behind proof of an accomplishment, after all. Back when this was a game, any achievement I pulled off would naturally spread as rumors on its own.
I'd finish a job, walk back into town, and immediately hear lines like, "So-and-so! You actually cleared that? You're the best!"
But not here. No matter what I do, the people of this world will never recognize it.
Just now, I pulled off the feat of resealing an Evil God that had revived in Menesteil.
In the game, that would have instantly earned me a place among the heroes. Reality, however, is different.
Nobody knows what happened there, so the people don't even know that the city of Menesteil vanished, or that a great calamity struck the Magic Empire.
And naturally, the way people look at me hasn't changed one bit.
The same goes for what happened in this forest.
There are visible changes, so people will wander about searching for whoever worked the miracle—but they won't think it was me.
Even if I stood up and shouted that I solved it, it would change nothing. Not a soul would believe me.
Why?
My reputation's terrible. I'm young. I'm infamous for blasphemy. Add it all up, and honestly, anyone who DID believe me would be the fool.
But with this Stigma in hand, the story changes. It is a mark left by the great, divine, and fair Chief God. Who could possibly deny it?
Yes! Chief God! THIS is what I wanted!
Kyaa. With just this one thing, my reputation will shoot straight up.
I'll receive official thanks from the Church, and who knows—maybe a bard will even write a song about it someday.
<Child. You mean to take this to the Church?>
I was grinning to myself over these thoughts when Grandfather spoke up.
'Is there a problem with that?'
<Think, child. Is there anything good about drawing the attention of the Church as it stands today?>
...Ah. I'd been beaming over the thought of a reputation boost and momentarily forgot.
What the Church of today actually looks like.
The Church of the Main God doesn't want those who truly follow God's will—it wants puppets who obey its words.
So what happens if I march up to such a place and shout, "I am beloved by God!"?
The ending writes itself. With the Mesugaki Skill forcing my rebellious streak to the surface, Lucy will swiftly become Lu/cy—split right down the middle. And I'm still not strong enough to defy the Church.
Haahh. For the first time in nearly a year, I get a chance to raise my reputation for the better. The Chief God finally puts out something decent, and I can't even show it off?! Now I have to hide my light under a bushel against my will?!
It's not fair! IT'S NOT FAIR, I SAY!
I vented my indignation inwardly, but reality didn't budge an inch.
Damned Church. Someone ought to blow it sky-high already.
◈ A high-value grimoire left behind by the deceased necromancer Evina, detailing her family's secret arts.
The settlement that had begun with a reward straight out of the game ended with a reward straight out of the game.
The Necromancer's Diary. A memento left behind by Adri's mother.
It's useless to me. This is an item related to necromancy, after all.
Best to hand it over to Adri without fuss.
"Astonishing. I have no choice but to concede."
The moment I closed the settlement window, I turned toward the voice from behind me.
Luka. Had that guy really been lurking around this area watching me the whole time?
He'd probably only shown himself now because he'd judged it the right moment to talk.
<Seems you carry something with you. I could not detect it.>
'Figures.'
This guy's whole foundation is the all-rounder rogue build. Of course he'd be stocked with items for erasing his tracks.
That's exactly why he's trickier than any mid-tier boss. There's no cheesing him—you have to take him down head-on, no tricks allowed.
Even as I was mentally reviewing my in-game strategy guide, Luka carried on with what he had to say.
"Cleansing the forest in barely half a day! My, words fail me. Do you receive divine revelation directly, my lady? Even the knightly orders of the Church of the Main God could never accomplish such a feat!"
Luka was maintaining a deference so excessive it bordered on absurd.
What is this? This isn't his character at all.
Whether he actually had confidence or not, he was supposed to push back first and play the insufferable jerk.
Another variable? What variable cropped up THIS time?
"Lady Aln, your dignified bearing carried such conviction within it. From the standpoint of this ignorant man, I have nothing to offer but an apology."
My bewilderment peaked the instant Luka bowed his head and uttered the word sorry.
What the hell is this lunatic doing? What exactly is he scheming? Is this some ploy to lull me into dropping my guard?
"And there is one more apology I owe you. Today's events touch on many sensitive matters, you see. Should things go awry, my very life would be in danger."
Luka channeled mana into his bracelet. One of the magic tools he'd acquired in the past—an item inscribed with magic that interferes with the human mind.
So he's trying to erase my memory.
Ha. And here I was wondering what it could be.
I saw that one coming a mile away. No problem whatsoever.
Blue light bloomed from the bracelet, and at the same moment I felt something being carved into my mind.
This feels really unpleasant. My consciousness flickering in and out—it's just like when the Mesugaki Skill's penalties come calling.
I could feel my awareness slowly dimming.
My eyelids grew heavy.
The gaps between my thoughts stretched longer and longer.
Even Grandfather's voice was fading...
CRAAACK! With the sound of something shattering, my consciousness surged back to the surface.
The instant I opened my eyes again, what I saw before me was Luka—so flustered he couldn't even raise his slipped glasses back up his nose.
Huh?
I just RESISTED that?!
Damn it. I'm screwed.
The smart move would've been to let the memory wipe happen quietly and move on. Magic can just be dispelled later, after all.
Resisting only complicates everything.
Because this guy Luka is absolutely going to try to shut me up for good.
Watching Luka close the distance toward me, I tightened my grip on my mace.
Can I actually beat this guy?
Ha. What a stupid question.
Can I? What do you think?
I have to.
Because that's the only way I survive.
Alright then, Luka. What's your first move?
Are you going to pepper me with spells and whittle me down, like in the game?
Or will you swing your dagger from the very start with killing in mind?
Try whatever you like.
I'll clear you, no matter what.
Channeling divinity through my body, I etched Luka's every movement into my eyes.
He stopped mid-stride.
And dropped to his knees on the ground.
Huh?
"Spare my life, I beg you! Lady Aln!"
HUH?!