Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Seven Pillars: Celestia (4)
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Even before starting the experiment, there was one thing I'd been thinking about: I didn't put much stock in the elves' so-called "spirit affinity."
Just as there are many ways for people to get close to one another, I figured there must be plenty of ways for humans and spirits to bond.
Persistent persuasion and coaxing, or perhaps observation—
I wondered if such methods could awaken the talent of a spirit user in someone who wasn't an elf.
That was the mindset I approached the experiment with.
"Wow... Lord Johan, what are these guys?"
"......Supreme spirits."
"Spirits? Those mystical beings the elves handle!"
But even for me, with all that, did overwhelming "spirit affinity" really exist?
I ended up concluding the experiment far sooner than I'd anticipated.
Right now, two birds were flitting around in front of Peria.
A crow scattering heat haze and a white sparrow emitting light—they were the results.
- Caw, caw—!
- Chirp chirp chirp chirp.
As these opposing cries spilled from the spirits' mouths.
Several thoughts swirled in my head as I watched them.
My efforts to categorize samples had been for naught; the spirits obeyed commands immediately.
They even carried out tricky ones like "dance" without hesitation.
The racket from last night when those two spirits screeched nonstop still lingered in my ears.
'This one's a bust for experiments.'
In the end, I gave up and released the two spirits into Celestia.
The idea was to have them assist with library duties while they stayed.
Did the appearance of these new library members please her?
Peria approached the birds flying overhead, trying her best to catch them.
"Mr. Crow! Come here, please!"
- Caw—!
Of course, her efforts were in vain; the crow spirit didn't spare her a glance.
Flutter, flutter—
Far from landing near Peria, it started gaining altitude instead.
'To use elven terms... she definitely lacks affinity.'
Peria apparently lacked whatever charm appealed to spirits.
The crow wasn't even giving her the time of day.
- Chirp chirp... chirp chirp chirp......
Unlike the crow spirit's attitude, the sparrow spirit—clearly drawn to my spirit-friendly self—reacted the complete opposite.
Peck peck peck—
It delicately tilted the teapot with its beak and quietly poured tea into an empty cup.
"Mr. Crow! Just come here for a second!"
- Caaaaw—!
Peria's voice calling for the crow echoed loudly through the library.
The sparrow spirit maintained a perfect angle as it poured.
It was trembling a bit, as if the task was tough, but that was hardly worth my concern.
'I should test spirit affinity on the library members too. But Luana Craton's a total exclusion from testing.'
Scratch, scratch—
Based on my analysis of the spirits, I pondered ways to use them outside the library.
Simple and instinctive traits.
Supportive roles.
Combat style excluding grimoires.
I brainstormed utilization around those key peculiarities.
Scribble, swipe—
The pen in my hand crossed the blank page.
As I sat there deep in thought—
"Isn't the lead archmage exempt from northern troubles anyway?"
"No, that's not the point! Trouble's already happened—how could it be no issue?"
Two voices crossed between the bookshelves, resounding through the library.
Craton and Priella.
Two Secret Society members appeared, chatting away.
Thud, thud—
Their footsteps echoed.
Whoosh—
The crow spirit flying overhead suddenly banked and descended.
- Caw—!
"Uh......?"
Flutter, flutter!
Swoop—
The crow spirit that had been circling the library landed right on Priella's head.
It spread its wings wide, crying out as if claiming its throne.
- Caaaaaaw—!
I watched the one the crow spirit had chosen to perch on.
Priella Atria.
The Eight Sword Guild mercenary stared blankly upward at the crow on her head, her face expressionless.
"How do you get this thing off?"
- Caw, caaaw—!
Just then, one of my shortlisted candidates was receiving the spirit's favor.
Crow and mercenary.
In that strangely fitting scene, I came to a conclusion as I watched them.
'Looks like I've found a match.'
No need for adaptation experiments.
Someone who seemed friendly with a supreme spirit was right in front of me.
* * * * * *
—Holy City, Partia.
In the White Palace, the heart of the White Order, a meeting was underway centered on the Saintess.
The clergy had urgently convened for one reason.
The passing of Cardinal Juda, who had led the Partan Diocese, had been confirmed not long ago.
The brutal bloodshed in the Great Forest.
The Order's leadership, having verified Juda's death amid it all, was now fiercely debating the aftermath.
"This isn't something we should be bickering over among ourselves! It's practically a declaration of war on the Order!"
"Wouldn't have happened if the diocese head hadn't launched that baseless purge to begin with!"
"Enough, all of you! Pinning blame in this situation just means picking fights!"
As Saintess Arianne hugged her knees silently, observing the proceedings.
The clergy bellowed at each other across the table.
The Partan Diocese—
It was a place rife with massive interests even within the White Order.
Most high clergy had deep ties to Cardinal Juda.
'The woman's changed not a bit, after all.'
Cardinal Martiers eyed the scene with utter disdain.
No matter how many times he saw it, the sight never grew familiar.
—Saintess Arianne.
The Order's supreme leader was, as ever, letting the meeting run wild.
"......"
He'd thought she'd step up properly after the revelation, but Martiers's hopes weren't coming true.
Her brief phase of issuing commands per the Guide's revelation had ended.
Today, too, she'd just watch silently, yawning till it wrapped up.
"So, who do you propose for the next archbishop of Partan?"
Even then, the meeting room saw greedy topics bubbling up one by one.
Talk of filling Cardinal Juda's vacancy had emerged.
"Is that the priority now? The Order's holy knights died clashing with elven and Brotherhood heretics in the Great Forest!"
"Well, tracing causes, that knight Sirius..."
"In the end, the culprit Isaac died too! Isn't now the time to address the diocese vacuum?"
"You're just thinking of shoving another unqualified hack in there! I never liked Juda as Partan appointee from the start!"
"Hey, watch it—who do you think this is?!"
Was it the tempting prey before them?
The clergy spewed their greed openly, unmasked.
Hoo—
A sigh escaped Cardinal Martiers.
His head throbbed.
In his mind flickered memories of a certain northern heretic.
"......Sirius."
—Blasphemer Sirius.
Desecrator of the righteous dead.
Rejector of the Guide's embrace.
The familiar name slipped from his lips, and the table's clamor abruptly died.
Coincidental, perhaps.
But Cardinal Martiers seized the moment, addressing the assembled clergy.
"We must beware the Blasphemer Sirius."
"......"
A single line from Cardinal Martiers.
It was his unvarnished truth.
Sweep—
His sharp gaze swept the White Palace clergy.
"Decide Partan's next archbishop among yourselves. I have no interest."
"......"
"The Holy War approaches. We lack clear leads on who's tied to dangerous prophecies."
"......Cardinal Martiers."
"But when decisive battle comes... who's a threat to us is clear."
Thud—
Cardinal Martiers slammed the table.
Saintess Arianne watched him with intrigued eyes.
"Sirius is far too dangerous. He may rival the Seven Pillars in might."
"The Seven Pillars? That's exaggeration, surely..."
"We didn't witness the Great Forest battle ourselves."
High clergy fired doubts at Martiers.
Most questioned Sirius's feats.
Yet Martiers pressed on without pause.
"The Brotherhood's Grand Master is dead. Elves guarding the Great Forest fell, Partan's holy knights routed, and Leobrant Brotherhood's in succession strife."
"The Blasphemer... the black-armored knight denying rest to martyrs."
"The biggest winner in this mess is obvious."
Sweep—
Cardinal Martiers's fierce gaze roved every cleric.
His point boiled down to one.
"Designate Blasphemer Sirius the Order's archfoe. Immediately—"
Martiers Bartiers.
He warned of the blasphemy soon to come.
* * * * * *
Secret Society member, Austin Reinert.
He'd spent the last three weeks in utter boredom.
Understandably—Sirius wrecked, he was stuck in Celestia.
If Sirius were fine, he'd have taken leave to watch Mary from the skies, but instead, he was library-bound, reading nonstop.
Austin knew zilch about magic.
Pecked by that damn crow while solo-reading in the memberless library was torture.
No clue why it targeted him so.
Silver lining: Sirius No. 2's development went smoothly.
Soon, Austin joined Lua's test flight for No. 2.
- "Austin, does moving feel like before?"
Zzzt, zzzt—
Faint noise amid the skies.
There, Austin flew in magitech armor.
Assault-type magitech armor, Sirius No. 2.
Lua Polaris's second masterpiece soared above clouds, armor more ornate.
- "No major issues."
- "Glad to hear."
Perhaps extra care for the second piece.
Austin felt lighter controls, freely roaming vast skies.
Whummm—
Heavy roar from thrusters.
Paired with gliding metal wings, they moved more refined than before.
- "Responses are way better too. Finer motions seem possible."
- "Truth is, Tug and I slaved over that. Don't break it easy this time."
Austin shared impressions; Lua's complaints soon crackled through comms.
Her tale of magitech toil.
- "No worries. Won't wreck it."
- "Absolutely?"
- "Yes, absolutely not—"
Austin boldly vowed to Lua.
To him, this armor outclassed the last by miles.
He was confident in stable handling.
Unless the doctor got blackout drunk again, no quick breakage—
As Austin swore to Lua.
- "Wreck it in a month, and I'm no man but beast—"
Crack—
A bird suddenly streaked past Austin's rear.
Startled by the impact, he looked skyward.
Clunk, whoosh—
Wing fragments trailed behind fast.
Collision with the bird shattered the wing.
- "......"
- "......"
Blank stares at the missing half-wing.
Heavy silence fell over the comm channel.
Click—
Post-switch-off.
Lua's final words transmitted to Austin mid-test-flight.
- "Not a man......"
Comms with Lua Polaris ended there.
Alone, Austin's gaze stilled.
Whoooosh—
Cold wind whipped his cheeks.
He instinctively wrestled the one-winged Sirius for control.
'How'd it come to this.'
From man to beast in seconds.
He'd just wanted to reassure a comrade, yet things always twisted weirdly.
Sweep—
Austin's forlorn gaze scanned below.
The craft accelerated groundward.
Tiny ground details loomed closer to Sirius.
- "......"
Guiding intuitive landing below.
Clang, clang—!
For some reason, sword-clashing fighters appeared.
Ambushed bandits mid-caravan?
Two groups battled fiercely.
"Don't retreat! Can't yield the cargo!"
"Press 'em! Don't let 'em go!"
Fierce shouts rang out.
Lives on the line, cargo carts between them.
Seeing the fight, Austin knew he'd timed it perfectly.
Wings busted was bad luck, arrival good.
Needing his aid, right on cue.
'I'll clean up since I'm strong.'
Ex-knight or apostate Sirius now, helping the suffering was Austin's old hobby.
As his frame plunged earthward.
Whoosh, grind—
Instinct-guided descent to the scene.
Dust clouds swept the melee post-landing.
Whirr—
Sirius's purple eyes glowed, head rising as it blew dust away.
- "......"
Half-winged jet-black armor.
Heat-haze rising from fierce eyes.
The fully metal-clad knight rose from shadows.
Voices erupted from onlookers.
"What the hell is that......?"
"Knight? Their hired guard?"
"Ridiculous! No way!"
Bandits and merchants alike.
All halted combat, staring tensely at Sirius.
One fighter twigged his identity amid the fray.
"W-Wait... flying black armor... heard of it somewhere......!"
"What... ah—!"
"No way, that's him......!"
Sirius rumors had spread wide already?
As Austin smugly lifted his head.
Aaaagh—!
An unbelievable cry hit his ears.
"Black armor... Sirius! One of the Seven Pillars, Blasphemer Sirius—!"
"Th-The Seven Pillars...?!"
"Blasphemer means that monster defying heaven, denying the dead rest......!"
"The White Order's archenemy—! Heinous demon appears!"
Even Austin hearing his title anew as it spread.
—Seven Pillars, Blasphemer Sirius.
Spouting the baffling moniker, they screamed and fled.
Even the merchants ditched cargo and bolted against bandits.
"Forget the carts! Ditch everything! We'll die!"
"N-No... don't wanna die here......!"
"Guide! Grant one more day......!"
Tatatata—
The fierce crowd scattered instantly.
Screams, shouts, pleas echoed everywhere.
Left alone, Austin quietly raised his head.
Whirr—
Before the abandoned carts stood the black-armored knight, wings braced.
- "......"
Blasphemer Sirius—
The ultimate fiendish cart-thief unwittingly scored a haul, solo on-site.