Chapter 10. Stubbornness and Arrogance (12)
Still, it was a relief that there were three whole days.
The number of people living in the Dwarf Kingdom was in the hundreds of thousands. If the situation had been "a few hours from now," it would have been a serious problem, but with several days to work with, evacuating them was at least possible.
The Dwarf Kingdom's territory was limited. It had none of the vast plains common in other countries, and no forests where someone could wander in and vanish.
Since it was a cave, there were places where a person could barely squeeze through a gap and never come back out, but no one would go into a place like that to hide in the first place.
Above all— the Dwarf Kingdom was a kingdom, and of course it had nobles.
And in a typical kingdom, nobles lived by managing their domains, and the people within those domains were practically the noble's property. Considering dwarven temperament, saying the wrong thing could get a pickaxe buried in your skull, so it wasn't quite that extreme, but it seemed to be about the level of a company you couldn't quit.
Expanding a domain always required manpower, and so, to keep track of that manpower as thoroughly as possible, most nobles apparently kept rosters of every single person in their domains. It couldn't be called completely airtight, but it was far better than having no such list at all.
"They may be called domains, but in the end they can't be geographically far apart. Besides, by the standard of magic, no noble can match the royal family."
To me, who had been thinking that in a kingdom with separate nobles, the nobles were obeying the king a little too well, the princess said that.
Even if a rebellion broke out, the possibility of it being easily suppressed always existed. And the war wasn't even over yet. The nobles who steadily expanded their domains, though not as much as the royal family, were also aware of the current situation to some degree.
So, they too seemed to regard "my" existence as quite important.
"I told you, didn't I? If there is anyone who can properly finish this matter, it would be you, Sister."
"......."
"And since she's a person full of religious fervor, she doesn't ask for any separate compensation. Nobles love free things, you see."
That, how should I put it.
Even so, saying it like that was a little burdensome.
What must the people of this country think of me?
I met the king in person as well. We didn't have any particular conversation; after hearing my story, he simply nodded as if tired.
His fingertips had turned slightly black.
Since there were always many people around, "healing" him wasn't possible, so I decided to withdraw for now.
We also positioned our own people. We gathered the Knights Order to protect the people, and in this room only the protagonist's party, me, Ria, and the princess remained.
Whether all that frantic activity over three days had been for nothing or not, we had at least managed to arrange a formation to protect the people.
After all, what they were after was only a single princess.
"......."
Everyone inside the royal palace, in the princess's room, wore slightly tense expressions.
If there was anyone who wasn't tense, it would be Glaria.
"Hey, Anna."
"Yes."
Glaria spoke to me quietly, so I answered quietly too.
"That princess, wasn't she rumored to have the greatest mana in this country? It seemed that way when we saw her last time too."
"......."
"But right now......."
"She had something she needed to do."
I said with a shrug.
Right. Something she needed to do.
At least that person was someone who could give something up for the sake of what she wanted to do.
No, perhaps, it might simply have been that her shoulders were too heavy.
*
The attack came suddenly.
Even to me, who already knew what was going to happen, it was so abrupt that I felt I understood why they hadn't been able to respond in the original.
Black liquid— that is, that viscous mana itself— was flowing along the walls. It seeped slowly through the gaps between the tiles used to finish the ceiling, like water soaking in.
Drip. Drip.
Mana of that level could be easily purified even with my Holy Power. No, in the first place, I had already cleaned this whole area spotless with Holy Power once, so that mana was already losing strength just by making it this far.
But that didn't mean it was an opponent to give up on. As if realizing it couldn't break straight through this ceiling, the mana soon stopped.
"......Si-yoon."
At my words, Si-yoon nodded and drew his sword.
The sword he held was an ordinary sword of the kind Hunters used. But there was one clear difference from other swords.
The blade was shining.
Wasn't he the protagonist who had awakened his power? Perhaps that being up above was watching even Si-yoon.
Following Si-yoon, the others also drew their weapons and turned toward the door.
"......."
How would they employ the Mana Orb?
Even so, bringing this whole place down was impossible. If they could have done that, they clearly would have done it earlier.
In that case, creating something with that Mana Orb and sending it through the entrance was the second option.
To them, the enemy they most needed to deal with was me. They would have to gather their strength and pour out far more mana at once than I could purify.
Since this was a space containing both me and the princess, it was worth drooling over that much. Just by taking down everyone in this room, that faction could win.
The path all the way here was wide open. So that they could reach this place naturally.
......In other words, I had made a bait room out of only the most important people.
Was that a good idea?
The thought kept coming to me. No matter how much it was to save as many people as possible, was it really right to keep my friends in such a dangerous place, at my side?
"......."
Light.
The light that had remained at my side without leaving since the moment I prayed while preparing for battle earlier settled softly on my face.
......I don't particularly want to admit it— but that being up above clearly cherished me. Seeing how it encouraged what I was doing this much.
It didn't say what I was doing was right, but it let me believe in myself.
Did it think that the concept of "right" was not something one chose for oneself?
I don't really know, but—
Thud.
"It's coming."
Ria muttered.
Something was striking the door of the princess's room.
"Everyone, you remember what I told you."
"Yeah, that even if our vision goes dark, we hold out beside the person with light."
Ria said.
Whoosh.
The candle that had been lit in the room went out. That candle wasn't the only light source, but in a place where not a single ray of sunlight entered from the beginning, the significance of one light source was great.
There were light sources burning with mana, and each of us here also carried a light source. And the light of Holy Power visible from me, Ria, and Lee Si-yoon too.
Everyone seemed a little bothered by it getting slightly darker.
"Princess, toward me."
"......I'll be in your care."
At my words, the princess moved slightly closer to me.
I knelt on the floor.
And then,
BANG!
The door shuddered violently once more, then burst open inward.
Si-yoon shot forward.
The sight of him swinging a sword of light in the gradually darkening space was, literally, like a hero. The sight of Han Yu-ri and Glaria burning away other mana with blue magic was also exactly the kind of scene befitting a fantasy.
And the knight standing in front of me, blocking the way, too.
Ria didn't look back at me. But both of us knew that we could trust each other without needing to see each other's faces.
I clasped my hands together.
And closed my eyes.
Alright. Time to do what needs to be done.
*
In the original, I had read up to the point that there were people targeting the Saint. And how the Saint had found those people as well.
Holy Power, at a glance, is like light.
But that's only how it feels because it's seen through human eyes.
In reality, it isn't. We only think of it as light when we see power pouring out without proper control.
So, what I had to do was.
Simply concentrate, and hope that the other would guide me.
—This way......
Whether to call it a voice, or a thought heard inside my head.
But one thing was certain: that voice was the same as the voice that had helped me last time. I could tell instinctively.
Slowly, I walked, following that presence.
All I could see ahead was darkness. Darkness so deep that even my light couldn't fully illuminate it.
Yes, before I knew it, I was walking. My body was made of white light, and with each step I took on the stone floor, the darkness covering the floor receded a little.
No sound could be heard.
"Right. There's no way that would happen."
To my thought, the other answered.
"......."
I stopped walking.
Beyond that darkness, something was lurking. It was looking at me.
"They'll all die."
It said.
"Everything that was beyond the reach of that power of yours— all of it will die."
"You speak as if you were death itself."
I answered calmly.
To be honest, I was a little scared. Ria was always at my side. She probably still was now. Whether I had lost consciousness, or was in a state of selflessness in another sense.
This body wasn't my real body. It was only an avatar made of Holy Power. Not that it had no substance, but since it was Holy Power, I could return if I cut off my consciousness.
I wanted to go back, but I couldn't.
Because if I didn't face it, that thing would kill us all. Even if I survived, I would be the only one left.
"Ahh, death."
As if moved by my words, it said.
"That would be good too. Yes, becoming an existence beyond death. That is also our goal. If we achieve our purpose, we might become death itself. Or perhaps become a true eternal existence for which even that is meaningless."
"......."
Hm, I don't think I need to hear any more.
"That power of yours."
It said.
From beyond the darkness, yellow eyes looked at me. Beast-like eyes.
From far higher than me, it was looking down at me.
"Do you think that power is the power of God?"
"Who knows. That's a somewhat complicated subject."
I smiled slightly. For some reason, hearing that relaxed my tension again. Because it was a story I had already heard many times. And because of that, I felt I knew what story would come next.
"Is the light comforting? Is that why you follow that power? Power has no right or wrong—"
"Haha."
I laughed.
"You really are saying something predictable."
"......."
"Power has no right or wrong, and what we thought was wrong might actually be right— that's the kind of thing you're trying to say, isn't it? You might even be trying to call it a massacre or something after seeing me sweep away Magical Creatures with Holy Power."
The other was looking down at me. I felt no particular emotion in those eyes.
"I'm simply moving according to what I wish for."
Right.
I have no religion. No god I believe in.
So I am not bound by the words of any organization, or the words of any god.
Even if I deny my own convictions to save a dying person, no one can say anything. Because my convictions are something only I believe in the first place. Whether I say there is no god and then say there is, or say there is and then say there isn't, it's all just my own heart.
But— even within that, I have my stubbornness.
My stubbornness is one thing.
In the distant future, even if all my spineless acts are pointed out, the one thing I can say.
That was the words, "I was of help to someone."
The wrongs I committed were merely that I didn't follow others' coercion.
My wrongs were merely that I didn't believe in God— and that I apostatized, again and again and again.
My thoughts are entirely my own thoughts. Whether I change them or not, that's simply my freedom. What's so bad about that?
I only ever lived for other people.
When I stood before the judgment seat, that was all I would have to say.
"Let me make one thing clear."
I raised my hand toward those eyes.
"I don't believe in God."
Yes, now that I'm here, I really do feel like I understand.
The reason someone like me was kept in this position.
"I only try to save the people I like. And while I'm at it, the people around me, and if there's time, everyone else too."
"......If that's the case, then your purpose today is mistaken."
It said, retreating as the darkness was erased by my light.
"Do you think this place is reality? What we can do is—"
"Then didn't you know? I heard how high the ceiling of the Dwarf royal palace is. I've seen it myself, too."
I said with a smile, looking at those eyes.
"Were you too conceited? You've made your body far too large. Large enough that you could never rise up in the Dwarf royal palace. If it were only your eyes, it might have been close, but if you have a head too, you must have slammed the back of it hard and had brain matter leaking out, no?"
And don't underestimate me.
In the first place, I had read the original, and I knew how mana could act.
Controlling a person with mana is possible. If you can seize control of every breath of air that person breathes.
To be a little more precise— you can plunge a person into a mental world. Just as I had once communicated directly with that being up above.
"......If that's the case, then isn't your choice also mistaken?"
"Are you flustered?"
I laughed.
"First, let me answer that question."
I said.
"There's no way it's mistaken. The voice that brought me here is the voice I usually follow. How exactly do you think I got in here?"
Well, it might take a toll on my body.
But I could hear sounds around me.
Not everyone, it seemed— but the sound of groaning under this power. I couldn't tell whether any of the voices were ones I knew.
Could it be that there were already others who had entered the same mental space?
If so, then there was only one thing for me to do here too.
I knelt on the floor.
And clasped my hands together.
"What—"
"I'm a cleric, aren't I?"
I said.
"I don't believe in God, but at least I know that there is some being up above."
A being that holds humans dear.
And so, it must have sent someone like me— someone who couldn't believe in it at all, who doubted and insulted it day after day— here.
Because it could calculate the future, it must have decided that my being here was the finest move and placed me here.
Now, I felt I understood a little.
"So, at the very least, that one will lend me power."
Light fell from the sky.
Just as I thought, there was no ceiling.
The black storm clouds scattered in all directions, and starlight densely embedded in the sky became visible.
Starlight isn't as bright as the sun. In a space created by another, perhaps there were limits even to sending that power.
But even so.
There was light.
That was enough for me.
"......What!?"
Our Father in heaven.
I don't know how to pray. I have no intention of learning, either.
But even so, I do know how to ask someone for something.
Please, help me.
This is a place where there is a problem that cannot be solved unless it is by you.
If you tell me to serve God, then from today I am your believer.
As long as that is sufficient as payment.
—There's no need for that.
Hearing the answer that came back, I smiled.