Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Digestion (4)
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Galen sent the laborers home and finished tidying up the house.
In the meantime, Lilia returned from the church with Daimus in tow.
"Welcome."
"You found a decent place in just one day. Well, with money, what can't you do?"
Daimus nodded in satisfaction after passing through the gate and taking a lap around the estate.
"It's on the outskirts of the city, nicely spaced from the neighboring houses—quiet and perfect. I heard the previous owner was a warrior?"
"That's what the broker said. Seems like he had a very practical personality. No effort put into anything like a garden."
"The front yard is practically nonexistent, but the back is much larger. They must've punched the door through on purpose here. Looks like they used the backyard as a training ground."
"That's our plan too. No need to fancy it up."
"If you're going to use it rough, better to keep it as is."
"Let me show you around inside!"
Thrilled by the praise for her eye, Lilia eagerly took the lead as tour guide.
True to its spacious yard, the mansion was large enough to easily accommodate a dozen people or so.
But since they had no need to use the whole thing, they'd only set up a few rooms, so there wasn't much to show.
Just one room for a living room and reception area, the dining room and kitchen, bathroom and toilet, and bedrooms—that was it.
Even so, they'd only placed the bare essentials in furniture, making it look simple, but everything was expensive and high-quality.
The next owners wouldn't be taking it with them, so whoever moved in later would strike gold.
"Just enough space for two people. No plans to hire separate servants, then?"
"Yes. Hiring them briefly and firing them soon after feels off."
In truth, the bigger reason was not wanting to expose their training sessions to outsiders.
No matter how much you told them not to look, the very need to watch them grated. Better not to hire at all.
"Housework can be done alone anyway. Nothing fancy, and magic cuts the time in half."
"...Magic?"
"My magic is water-based, isn't it? Most chores involve water."
Cleaning, laundry, dishes.
Freely manipulating water drastically reduced the effort for most household tasks.
If she had no knack for it, maybe not—but she'd done solo living to death in her past life, and even in this one, she'd picked up plenty of servant know-how.
"A mage using magic for housework... You're probably the only one."
"Well, most don't do chores themselves. I'm just a lowly mercenary."
"You snagged a solid share of the ruins' loot, yet no qualms about this. Hard to tell if you're down-to-earth or not."
Daimus let out a hollow chuckle before jerking his chin toward the outside.
"Anyway, that's enough sightseeing. Shall we head out?"
"Yes!"
Lilia scampered after Daimus.
After a few steps, he stopped and turned back with a puzzled look.
"Aren't you coming?"
"Pardon? Can I join?"
"Why not?"
"I'm an outsider. You're here to instruct Lilia..."
"A priest's miracles aren't a mage's secrets. No harm in watching. Come on."
Daimus spoke firmly to Galen, who hesitated slightly.
"Besides, you'll blab about it with Bishop Lilia later anyway, right?"
"M-My lips are sealed!"
"So even if Lord Galen asks, you'll keep quiet to the end?"
"...If Your Grace commands it."
"Enough, enough. If it were that sensitive, I'd have shut it down first. As I said, nothing to hide. No need to worry."
With reassurances like that, Galen gratefully joined them.
The three headed to the backyard.
In the center of the wide open space, Daimus spoke to a slightly tense Lilia in a warm voice.
"Bishop Lilia."
"Yes!"
"Bishop Myra took you in and taught you from childhood until you left Avaca, right?"
"Yes!"
"Even before ordination, you were already hunting fiends as a lay cleric."
"Th-That's right."
Lilia replied in a slightly shrunken voice.
"A mere lay cleric— not even a deacon yet— acting independently is something that should ordinarily be censured."
"S-Sorry..."
"I'm not blaming you. Bishop Myra didn't act on her own. I approved it after Bishop Roald's report. No point stifling talent. Though I never imagined it'd grow this much."
Daimus smiled faintly.
"Anyway, you learned and used the first five miracles under her, but from the sixth onward, you reached them purely through self-study, didn't you?"
"Pretty much. I did get a bit of advice from Bishop Myra on the Miracle of Radiance before setting off on pilgrimage."
"What'd she say?"
"Something about an unyielding heart being key..."
Lilia said cautiously. Daimus nodded.
"Not wrong, but not intuitive either. Did it click for you?"
"Doesn't it mean a weapon forged by holy power shines brighter the firmer your faith?"
"True in effect, but not the core. Bishop Lilia, shall we try manifesting Radiance now?"
"Ah, yes!"
Light rippled from Lilia's hand, and a sword of radiance grew forth.
Daimus stared at it intently, then extended his own hand.
"Watch closely."
Light rippled from Daimus's hand too, forming an identical sword of radiance.
To Galen's eyes, they looked the same in color and shape—pure blades of light.
But Lilia, with an unusually serious expression, had a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze.
Daimus caught it and asked,
"Notice any difference?"
"Hmm..."
Lilia fumbled for words before managing,
"Your Grace's seems... effortless. Mine looks strained?"
"Ha! You grasped it from one glance."
Daimus burst into a hearty laugh, half-amazed, half-delighted.
"One more hint: Our ten miracles pair up front-to-back."
"Yes."
"First with sixth, second with seventh, and so on."
"So the Miracle of Stigmata relates to the Miracle of Radiance?"
"Exactly."
"Between the two..."
Lilia sank into deep thought. Daimus fell silent, not interrupting.
Galen stayed quiet too, though his mind buzzed with questions.
'What're they talking about?'
The first miracle, Stigmata, was for lay clerics not even deacons. In warrior or mage terms, barely scraping past Scrap rank—pathetic.
Just the faintest holy power building inside, faintly glowing in the eyes. Nothing else.
The sixth, Radiance, formed swords or spears of light for combat.
Galen couldn't see what they had in common besides light—which appeared in every miracle anyway.
"...Ah."
After a long pause, a faint groan escaped Lilia.
Her eyes refocused as she bowed her head slightly.
Flash!
A sword of radiance bloomed from her hand again.
Unlike Galen, who sensed no change, the clerics clearly felt it.
"Like this?"
"Better than before."
Daimus looked pleased. Lilia beamed at Galen.
"He says it's good!"
"Wh-What exactly is good? Explain..."
"Well, you see..."
"It's fine to tell him. Verbalizing insights can help solidify them sometimes."
Lilia glanced at Daimus, then grinned at his nod.
"Stigmata shines on its own without me thinking about it!"
"Doesn't it react to emotions?"
"Yeah!"
Galen had seen her eyes sparkle countless times when excited or amazed.
Not figuratively— the Stigmata's light actually flickered or blazed in her pupils.
"But Radiance should've been the same!"
"Huh?"
"It's not forcing holy power into light. It's using light that naturally emerges. Right, Your Grace?"
"Spot on."
Daimus nodded with a smile.
"Though not as simple as you make it sound, Bishop Lilia. Many lay clerics fail to stabilize Stigmata and never get ordained. Even bishops struggle to summon Radiance naturally, wasting holy power by forcing it out."
"But Lilia nailed it. In one go."
"She just grasped the feel; she'll need tons of practice. Even catching on instantly is a bit ridiculous..."
"Well, I've felt my share of absurdity too."
"You can't say that, Brother Galen!"
Lilia puffed her cheeks.
"You always call me a genius, but you're always ahead!"
"I mean..."
He couldn't credit the status window, so Galen managed only an awkward smile.
Daimus perked up at the words, though.
"Hm, Lord Galen."
"Yes."
"Since it came up—sensitive question, so feel free to pass..."
Daimus paused before asking carefully,
"Your skills seem to grow as fast as Bishop Lilia's. Hard to tell from reports alone, but you at the Cradle of Demons and at the ruins... big difference."
"...Can't deny it."
"Hmm."
After pondering, Daimus spoke.
"You spar with her daily, right?"
"Yes."
"If you're game, I'd like to cross hands once."
"...Spar with me?"
"If you're alright with it."
"I'm in."
Galen answered immediately.
Sparring gave minimal EXP via the status window, but combat experience against a superior? Invaluable.
He'd held back from asking first out of courtesy, but if they offered... pure profit.
With the sudden spar set, the two took position at a distance.
"Can you show here the power you displayed at the ruins?"
"If Your Grace wishes."
A spirit uncoiled from Galen's wrist. The water blob rolled forward, swelling in size.
A water giant emerged.
Looking up at the half-body giant—with its thick torso and even thicker arms—Daimus asked,
"Smaller than described?"
"No need to make it huge. You're no sluggish earth golem, Your Grace."
"Fair. You know your business. I'll yield first strike."
"Here I go."
No need to hold back against a stronger foe.
At Galen's command, the giant swung its right arm vigorously.
Its movements, fueled solely by Spirit Creation mana, now mixed Water Flow Manipulation mana from the start.
Boom!
Not as massive as in the cavern, but far larger than any human.
Like a thick beam slamming down. The giant's fist crushed the ground with swift speed.
Daimus was gone. He'd already sidestepped.
Whoosh!
The giant's left arm swept horizontally across the yard.
Flash! Flash-flash!
In that instant, Daimus drew a spear of radiance. Almost simultaneously, pale platinum flames enveloped the archbishop.
He leaped upward, dodging the massive water whip, then spun midair, sweeping his spear downward.
Bang!
The giant's left arm, struck hard by the spear shaft, didn't just sever—it exploded. The ground grew slick.
But the giant regenerated effortlessly, as spirits do. Daimus clicked his tongue.
"Cutting water with a blade, indeed."
"This is my max speed."
Galen clicked his too.
Even maxing Spirit Creation and Water Flow Manipulation simultaneously, it couldn't match Daimus's pace.
Spirit alone wouldn't cut it. Time for more interference.
Splash!
Water scattered on the ground responded to Galen's will.
Twisting like ropes, water streams targeted Daimus's ankles.
"Oh? This too?"
As Daimus casually swung his spear to shatter the streams, the giant's fist plunged again through the gap.
Bang!
Daimus dodged once more; the spirit's fist shattered harmlessly on the ground.
The dispersing water reformed as new projectiles, shooting at Daimus.
Boom! Boom-boom! Splash! Boom!
The not-insubstantial backyard turned into a muddy pool up to the ankles.
Galen unleashed Water Flow Manipulation and Spirit Creation at full throttle, bombarding Daimus.
The giant swung relentlessly with both arms; in the gaps between heavy blows, waves surged to bind feet and strike blind spots.
Minus Phantom Flame Burst, this was peak water mage output.
'...This is Gem rank?'
The thought crossed Galen's mind.
Daimus's enveloping Blessing miracle wasn't blazing as fiercely as Lilia's against the iron golem.
Clearly holding back for Galen.
Indeed, he evaded or blocked every attack without a single solid hit, showing no strain.
But regardless...
Galen didn't feel anything uniquely "Gem" or "archbishop-level."
Bit rude, but... like fighting Lilia with boosted overall power?
"That'll do. Bishop Lilia."
Then, as if reading Galen's mind, Daimus spoke. Lilia, who'd watched intently, replied quickly.
"Yes, yes!"
"Might be a bit much for you, but worth seeing once."
With that cryptic remark, Daimus twirled his spear of radiance.
The giant's fist bore down on him head-on.
Until now, he'd parried small attacks but always dodged the giant's strikes.
This time, he didn't evade.
The spear tip met the fist precisely.
That instant.
Slash!
Clean as scissors through silk.
The thick water pillar split perfectly in two, parting harmlessly around the archbishop.
"What?"
Galen's eyes widened.
His magic... was dispersing.