Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Devil's Cradle (3)
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The Abaca Church was large enough to have a separate building for guests, but in truth, hardly anyone ever visited it.
People who had business at the church usually went to the clinic or came for procedures like weddings or funerals, so there was no need for them to head to the parlor. Only if they were there to meet a specific priest would they be guided there separately.
In simple terms, there was no one around who might notice and rush over at the slightest disturbance.
'Not the slightest. It won't even leak out of this building. Unless someone peeks through the window.'
Carne's fire-starting and explosive magic was impossible to hide by nature, but Galen wasn't giving him even a moment to cast it 'flashily'.
Carne had to squeeze out the bare minimum flames nonstop to block the incoming water spirit bullets. If he tried to make the flames any bigger, his defense would crumble instantly.
As a result, no matter the internal struggle, it just looked like Galen tossing water and Carne catching it with fire, over and over. Like a game of catch?
Aside from the remnants of the water spirit bullets soaking the parlor floor, nothing was breaking. If anything, Carne's mental state was crumbling bit by bit.
'Almost there.'
Galen muttered inwardly, gauging the progress rate and the depleting mana of Spirit Creation.
It was even faster than with Redna. Compared to back then, when the fire spirit and Water Flow Manipulation had clashed heavily, these water spirit bullets and flames were smaller in scale—but they were colliding far more frequently.
It was like how spamming quick hits drained stamina more than waiting for a big, heavy opening.
Galen actually hoped Carne's mana wouldn't run out first. He looked so exhausted that Galen considered ordering the spirit to go easy on him.
'Hard to compare exactly since they're different fire lineages, but this guy's a bit better than Redna, I think.'
Fortunately, before Carne collapsed, Galen completed the status window.
🔥 Vanity Inferno:Lv.1
✨ Progress to next level:1%
The world he perceived shifted again. The already distorted senses twisted further, feeling alien once more.
A third type of mana had nested inside his body, already home to two kinds.
Galen nearly tested the new spell instinctively but quickly reined in his will.
Why broadcast to the world that he could steal others' magic? Unless he planned to kill Carne right there to silence him.
"One— Urk!"
But right then, Carne faltered, unable to finish his words.
No matter what faith Carne held, chanting the spell name and activating the magic were separate mechanisms. A stutter wouldn't interrupt the spell.
Normally. But Carne was so exhausted he couldn't even voice his habitual chant properly, and it showed—the flames weren't at full power.
Pssh!
The water spirit bullet pierced the feeble fire shield.
A fist-sized water blob hurtled toward Carne's face, horror and shock flashing across his expression in that instant.
Splash!
Galen snatched the water spirit bullet at the last second.
If it had been cast with Water Flow Manipulation from the start, perfect control would have been easy. But catching a spirit-fired spell late meant a slight delay.
To be precise, he could have controlled it perfectly even delayed, but he saw no need to bother.
"Puhek!"
Drenched head-on by the water blast, Carne staggered. Water streamed from his soaked face and hair, soaking his collar.
Still, Galen had kept it from shattering his nose and front teeth at minimum. Getting just wet was lucky. Galen smiled softly.
"You alright? Wasn't intentional. Sorry about that."
"You... you damn..."
How that smile looked was obvious. Not quite a drowned rat, but pitiful enough—Carne trembled with rage.
He wanted to sear that smirk with fire, but he had no strength left. The water blast had slipped through because his mana was nearly gone.
"Huh?"
Just then, a familiar voice came from outside the door—to both Galen and Carne. The door opened promptly.
"Brother Galen? Why is it flooded in here..."
Lilia's voice trailed off at the parlor's sight.
The floor was a sopping mess, water leaking into the hall. The air thick with heat from the fire show. Carne, thoroughly soaked.
Lilia wasn't the sharpest on social cues, but she wasn't dumb—quite the opposite. Having worked with both, she pieced it together easily.
"...You two. Were you fighting?"
"Lady Lilia! That bastard!"
Exposed in his wretched state to Lilia of all people—Carne found sudden energy. He pointed at Galen and shouted.
"He attacked me!"
"What? Brother Galen?"
Lilia tilted her head.
"He wouldn't do that."
"Look at me!"
"In this weather, you'll catch a cold. You okay?"
"...No, that's not what I—"
"Brother Galen, is what Brother Carne says true?"
Lilia turned to Galen. He shrugged.
"Not at all. We were having a healthy chat between mages."
"A chat?"
"About chanting spell names when casting. He's the pioneer, right? So I asked for advice."
"Oh, so Brother Galen will chant names from now on too?!"
"Just advice, only advice. Doesn't suit me."
"Aww."
"Anyway, we did some light practice during. Like we did in the backyard with you, Lady Lilia?"
"Oh, water ball tossing?"
"Water spirit bullets."
"Anyway. You did that with Brother Carne?"
"Only used two fingers from start to finish."
"Two fingers? That's just warming up! And you're a Silver-rank mage, Carne!"
"Exactly why it's practice."
"Aha."
Chatting merrily back and forth with Galen, Lilia only remembered Carne afterward and glanced his way.
"That's what happened, right?"
"Lies! He shot water blobs at me hundreds of times! Attacked unilaterally and now makes excuses!"
"Hmm, but from what I know, Brother Galen is way stronger than Brother Carne?"
Lilia punched Carne's solar plexus with her innocent tone. With the weapon of truth.
"If you traded spells, of course Brother Galen would dominate!"
"N-No, Lady Lilia."
"Or was asking for advice the lie? Brother Galen just attacked out of nowhere?"
"I did ask for advice. Then he said something about infusing emotion into spells and tried to set me on fire."
"Blocked it before it even started—how's that 'trying'!"
"Oh, so you did try?"
Lilia cocked her head. Carne, who'd snapped at Galen's words and accidentally admitted first strike, was speechless.
In that brief moment, he desperately racked his brain and smoothly changed the subject.
"A-Anyway, no damage done! But he used that as excuse to attack me hundreds of times..."
"Where are you hurt?"
"...Pardon?"
"Aside from getting wet—did the magic actually injure you anywhere?"
"W-Well, not really..."
Carne trailed off. Lying about injuries to a priestess who could use miracle healing? She'd see right through.
Lilia beamed.
"Then you're fine, right?"
"Fine how?"
"You just said it: tried to set fire but no damage, so okay."
"I... did."
"So getting wet with no damage is okay too?"
"......"
From the start, he couldn't vent blindly at Lilia—his anger wandered lost.
The brief chat had been all about Galen, already souring his mood. Seeing them chat like old pals in front of him boiled his blood.
One slip, and Lilia out-logicked him. Her usual airheadedness sharpened—defending Galen, of all things.
"...Th-This..."
Blood pressure spiking, Carne choked. His mind, already at limit from overdrive thinking, gave out.
Trying to speak through tremors, his eyes rolled back. Not figuratively—pure white.
"Ah!"
Lilia, who'd vanished from Galen's side unnoticed, appeared by the falling Carne and caught him.
"Brother! Brother!"
Limp Carne didn't respond. Lilia hoisted him effortlessly onto the armchair.
Light glowed from her hands. Gentle touch from temples to carotid to heart. Treating patients, Lilia was deadly serious.
Meanwhile, Galen collected every drop of water from floor and hall. The parlor looked pristine, save minor disarray.
After intently observing Carne, Lilia sighed in relief and withdrew her hands.
"No issues. Overdid the mental strain and passed out! Thought maybe a hidden injury."
"Told you, no attack."
"You never know! Brother Galen might've gotten mad."
"Me?"
"He attacked first... or not? Anyway, Brother Carne cast first. You could've gotten angry."
"The one fuming was Carne."
"No injuries?"
"As you see. Not a scorch mark."
"Really?"
Lilia approached Galen and grabbed his hand abruptly. Light flickered from hers again.
Holy light enveloped Galen but bounced off undissipated. No injury, no healing miracle.
Releasing, Lilia nodded vigorously, relieved.
"It's true!"
"I'd have said if it hurt. Why hide it?"
Galen shrugged. He wasn't one to tough it out coolly.
"Anyway, done with your errand?"
"Ah, yes!"
As Galen shifted from the now-irrelevant Carne, Lilia's eyes sparkled.
"You're going to the Devil's Cradle too, Brother Galen?"
"Yeah. So it seems."
Devil's Cradle.
The place harboring what Myra called a fake devil or devil's trace.
Left alone, it'd birth a real devil—hence the name. Better smash it in the cradle.
"Take good care of me again!"
"You too. But you're awfully chipper for a non-demon-subjugation job, Lady Lilia?"
"Devils are worse than demons! Like how one strong demon beats ten weak ones in meaning, one devil beats ten strong demons!"
"Fair point."
'Wish it worked that way for EXP too.' Galen's honest thought.
"First time for me too, but Bishop Myra's experienced, so it'll be fine! And the Burtain Family..."
Lilia's chatter quieted abruptly.
Mouth agape, blinking, she slowly turned. Glanced at unconscious Carne, then Galen.
"What's up?"
"Uh, well."
Uncharacteristically hesitant, Lilia said,
"Come to think: this request... the Burtain Family's joining too, right?"
"...Yes?"