Chapter 271
Chapter 271
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 271
Chapter Title: The Paladin Doesn't Believe in God (1)
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Gallahal was by no means a strong hero.
Not only was he weaker than Kyle, but even compared to Destel—who had summoned the previous greatest hero, dubbed "Berzer the Severer" through the castle's (??) power—Gallahal fell short.
"It's hard to tell when he's burning through his lifespan, but..."
The Gallahal I remembered possessed strength just a notch below the superhumans. That said, it wasn't entirely unfair to him in this case.
"The reason you're rated below superhuman level is partly because of the company you keep."
"Is that so?"
"Your benchmarks were Kelhalrm, Draka, Uncle Kuntel... that whole league."
The Madman, Kelhalrm.
The Sword Ghost, Draka.
The last successor of the Sword Gorge, Kuntel.
Those were the superhumans Gallahal was measured against. Naturally, there weren't many who could match those three. They were figures who had lived as superhumans for decades at the least, over a century at most.
"Uncle Kuntel, who endured against the Sword of Death, goes without saying..."
Kelhalrm had once landed a wizard's strike on Skeval, the natural predator of wizards, using wizardly methods.
"And Draka..."
About a decade ago, in the prime of his physical prowess, Draka had fought Uncle Kuntel to a draw in a head-on clash. Sure, in his later years, when he'd wrecked his body through overexertion, he lacked that same edge...
Regardless, setting aside personality, their skills placed them firmly in the top tier of superhumans.
"Our generation's superhumans are exceptionally strong. Uncle Kuntel was nearly the strongest in history."
If you went back to antiquity, there was one figure who stood as the ultimate superhuman and hero... but excluding that one, Uncle Kuntel was a swordsman worthy of the title "greatest."
Looking across eras excluding antiquity, no other age boasted superhumans of such caliber.
"If you fought new superhumans who've just broken through or have been at it for less than a decade... you'd win, right?"
"High praise."
"It's not an overestimation. Becoming a superhuman just breaks your growth limit... boosts your physical abilities a bit. What comes after is what matters."
I let out a short breath.
What I was about to say was the main point.
"So, even if you use the Holy Grail to turn someone into a superhuman, it's not going to fully replace you. Keep that in mind."
Neither in terms of raw power nor symbolic weight could anyone easily step into Gallahal's shoes. That might change once Chloe became the hero.
"...I see."
Gallahal gave a wry smile.
"The more I hear, the more I want to stay on the battlefield. Should I ask the Knight Commander to delay my retirement? Even just a year..."
"Forget it."
I shook my head.
"Uncle Heinkel sticks to his decisions once made. And I think it's best if you retire too."
I narrowed my eyes and shot him a glare.
"If you stay, you'll just burn through your lifespan anyway."
"Can't deny that."
"Anyway..."
I sighed.
Gallahal seemed reluctant to let go. He was particularly worried about the void he'd leave behind.
"If things don't work out, I'll step up myself, so don't take it too seriously."
"...Pardon?"
"Once the kids get on track, I plan to return to the front lines. I'm stuck in Aphria right now because they still need my guidance."
About a year or two from now.
Once the children started seeing real combat, I'd head to the battlefield too.
"But Raniel, your remaining time..."
"Don't worry. I've got a bit more than you. Anyway, enough gloom."
I clapped my hands sharply.
"So, anything else you're curious about?"
"Curious about... you say?"
"Like what I've been up to since retiring... or stories about the disciples I'm raising at Aphria. Anything goes."
Gallahal stroked his chin at my words.
"Well, there is one thing."
I nodded for him to go ahead.
Gallahal hesitated, gauging my reaction. He looked unsure if he should ask.
"Truth be told."
"Yeah."
"I should've asked first, but the mood held me back."
"Okay?"
"You really mean I can ask anything?"
"I said ask."
Why all the preamble?
"Well..."
"Yeah? What is it?"
As my patience wore thin, Gallahal pointed at me.
"What the hell happened to your body?"
Ah.
'Damn it...'
I'd wondered why he hadn't asked.
I slowly raised my hand to rub my eyes.
"There's... a lot to this story."
I said it like a sigh.
"Really, a ton of circumstances..."
I wanted to brush it off in one sentence, but Gallahal's subtle expression suggested that wouldn't fly. I ended up spilling the whole tale in detail.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
"I see. So that's how it happened."
Gallahal nodded after hearing the explanation.
Raniel kept her head down, face flushed. Explaining her gender and body change to someone else was embarrassing, even for the thick-skinned.
'Why's he listening so seriously?'
Especially to an old comrade with a dead-serious personality who didn't get jokes. During the story, he'd peppered her with questions—all tough to answer.
And the questions didn't stop even after she finished.
No end in sight.
"Must've been tough. Is it hard adjusting to the body? I imagine there are struggles I can't fathom. For example..."
His examples were annoyingly realistic.
Finally snapping, Raniel lunged and clamped her hand over Gallahal's mouth.
"Stop. No more questions...!"
His earnestness forced her to respond in kind... but it wasn't fun. These were worries she'd never had as a man.
She appreciated the concern, but this was too much.
"I get you're worried, but quit asking. Why are you fretting over stuff I haven't even thought about...?"
"A friend shows up like this out of nowhere—how could I not worry?"
"Fiiiine... just stop."
"If you say so..."
With that, the topic wrapped up, and Gallahal and Raniel headed to where the Knight Commander was staying.
"I already told Uncle Heinkel ahead of time. Said I brought the Holy Grail and plan to try it on a candidate."
"Candidate?"
"Yeah. He picked ones from those who've hit the wall... the ones still mentally sound, at least."
Not many qualified.
From what Raniel heard, fewer than three. Most who faced the wall went mad or broke their bodies.
"Honestly, I'm not expecting a superhuman out of this."
The Holy Grail (??).
A miraculous holy relic, but Raniel knew it wasn't some easy tool. You couldn't just shove someone who'd hit the wall into it and poof—a superhuman pops out.
'Even Kalt had to endure that ordeal.'
Kalt had survived three calamities and even inflicted meaningful damage on one. He was the closest to superhuman.
He'd already faced the wall; he just needed one more step. Even without the Grail, he could've ascended.
Yet even Kalt needed nearly four tries to pass the Grail's trial.
"This Grail trial isn't easy."
"Like the hero's trial?"
"Similar in essence. But from what I've heard, it sounds tougher."
"I see..."
Gallahal nodded slowly.
"Candidates are gathering at Cateron Castle, right?"
"Yep. Only three... so maybe someone we know shows up."
"High chance."
Facing the wall meant they'd reached a certain level—likely battlefield veterans we'd recognize.
With that casual thought, Raniel headed to Cateron Castle where the candidates were assembled...
"I've been waiting."
...and ran into someone completely unexpected.
"Knew you'd come. Who else would? If that virgin wizard showed up, it'd be hilarious too...!"
Whorish pink hair.
Dull green eyes like moss-covered river stones. As the First Great Sage said: a vulgar soul with no roots.
The Saintess, Sara.
Raniel's face soured instantly at the smugly grinning saintess before her. Cold sweat trickled down Gallahal's back as he stood beside her.
"La, Lania. Calm do—"
Gallahal hurriedly reached for Raniel's shoulder—but she moved faster, lunging forward.
"To-today of all days, stay out of— Kyaaaaack!"
Raniel grabbed Sara's hair and yanked.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 3.
"I came here for business, you know?! Think I wanted to come? True to a virgin wizard's disciple, you lash out first, ask questions never...!"
Sara grumbled, combing her disheveled pink locks. Raniel watched with bulging eyes, veins throbbing on her forehead.
"Then why are you here?"
"Heard you're using the Grail this time. So the Delorhim Church sent me to supervise. It's a holy relic! An ancient one at that!"
Sara tapped her chest.
Her ornate robe bore the Delorhim Church's emblem.
"The Delorhim Church has the right and duty to manage and oversee holy relics. And for an ancient one, someone of my stature has to supervise personally."
"Who the hell are you?"
"You asking 'cause you don't know?"
Sara snorted at Raniel's question.
"Blessed by Delorhim, sworn to love only Delorhim—the Saintess of the Delorhim Church."
For someone like that, whispering sweet nothings to Kyle every night? You whorish bitch.
Swallowing the curses rising in her throat, Raniel shot a glare at the Knight Commander, demanding an explanation. He wiped cold sweat in the tense air and handed her some documents.
"It's not just supervision. One of today's candidates is from the Delorhim Church."
Raniel scowled deeply.
"...The Delorhim Church has a candidate?"
Those cowards who shirked every key battle, crying out to their god in danger... one of them had faced the wall?
Incredible.
Snatching the papers, Raniel scanned them hurriedly. Three candidates listed; the Knight Commander's was featured first.
Immortal (Death), Kariot.
Raniel tilted her head at the name.
"What."
She pointed at the page with Kariot's name.
"This guy... isn't he the paladin branded a heretic by the Delorhim Church?"
The Immortal Kariot.
Originally, "Immortal" wasn't his moniker.
As Raniel recalled, the middle-aged knight had been called "Blasphemer."
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