Chapter 209: Apostle (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 209: Apostle (4)
‘Sharing a miracle.’
There were two main reasons why Alon had singled out Silli as the recipient.
First, she was the younger sister whom Deus loved dearly.
Now that the Apostle of Sloth had been dealt with, the immediate threat was gone. However, should such a danger arise again, she needed the strength to resist on her own. Deus cherished her so much that it was certain he would fall into darkness and be consumed by Sin if anything happened to her.
The second reason was quite simple.
Silli seemed surprisingly capable of handling Alon’s power.
Following this incident, the way Silli looked at Alon had completely changed. She no longer saw him as the culprit who had made her brother, Deus, act strangely(?); he had become the very object of her awe and worship. Even without trying to sense it, her emotions were transmitted to him quite blatantly.
‘Besides, her magical talent is said to be outstanding. If she uses it alongside magic later on, I might even be able to gain Faith from it.’
Regardless, the aspect of Faith was merely a secondary factor. Ultimately, the most important reason was to ease Deus’s worries.
‘It’s not like there’s anyone else I can share this power with right now anyway.’
Had he heard the explanation from Kalanon while he was still in the Luxible Grand Duchy, he might have passed the power to Sirkal or Jenira, but it was too late to return to the duchy now. By the time he returned from the North, enough Faith would surely have gathered to grant a miracle to one or two more people.
Thus, Alon made the offer to Silli without much hesitation.
A moment later.
“D-Does that mean… I’m becoming your Apostle, Marquis!?”
Silli asked in a voice thick with emotion, her eyes sparkling as if she couldn't tell whether this was a dream or reality. Alon was secretly taken aback by her intense reaction, but he nodded nonetheless.
“Well, strictly speaking, I suppose that’s how it would be.”
“Is—is someone like me even allowed to do that?”
She began to disparage herself, her hands starting to tremble. Despite her words, her eyes shone even brighter. Alon cleared his throat, looking a bit embarrassed.
‘I mean, you don’t have to take it that seriously…’
For Alon, the starting point was simply wanting to give Deus’s Achilles' heel even a shred of power to protect herself.
“…There is no need to humble yourself so much.”
“B-But still, how could I ever be the Marquis’s Apostle—”
“If you don’t particularly want to do it, you can just say so…”
“That’s absolutely not it!!!”
The sudden force of her outburst was startling.
“I-Is that so?”
Alon stammered despite himself. Silli clenched her fists tight, as if she had made a monumental resolution.
“I’ll work really, really hard!”
She shouted so loudly her whole body shook. Though flustered by her unexpected intensity, Alon closed his eyes, thinking that a positive response was better than a negative one.
Having grown quite accustomed to the process, it took only a few seconds for him to sense the divinities. Among them, he chose Kalanon’s divinity, which was much smaller than before.
At that moment.
Zap!
With a flash of light, small sparks of static electricity began to dance around Alon. Unlike the overwhelming aura from the previous time, these were tiny, flickering sparks. Yet, even this small display caused the knights to let out soft gasps of "Ooh!"
Shhh—
Feeling a strange sense of embarrassment, Alon moved his hand quickly to transfer the divinity to Silli. Soon, the energy of the blue current was sucked into her body and vanished.
‘Did it work?’
Closing his eyes again, Alon looked at the faint remains of Kalanon’s divinity. It was clearly smaller than before, and a thin blue line now connected it to a tiny star.
The moment he saw it, Alon knew instinctively. That tiny star represented the person who had received the power.
“C-Can I use your power now, Marquis?”
“Yes.”
Silli’s voice reached him as he opened his eyes. When Alon nodded, she let out a cry of wonder, her gaze soon filling with firm determination.
“As your Apostle, I will do my absolute best to spread your majesty to the world…!”
“…I’ll leave it to you, then.”
In truth, Alon didn't expect such things from her, but there was no need to rain on the parade of someone so determined. Alon nodded once more toward Silli, who was still standing with her fists clenched.
* * *
A short while later, as Alon sat in Deus’s mansion letting out a light sigh, Evan approached him.
“Marquis.”
“What is it, Evan?”
“I’m a bit hurt.”
Evan suddenly voiced his disappointment. Alon looked at him, puzzled.
“Suddenly…?”
“What do you mean, suddenly? You just gave your power to Silli.”
“…Ah, that?”
“Yes, that. I mean, it’s your choice who you pick, but I’m right here too. Your guard… wait.”
Am I… actually a guard? Evan muttered, his sense of identity momentarily wavering.
[Hmph.]
Basiliora, who had been quiet until now, chimed in.
[If I were him, I wouldn’t share my divinity with someone like you either.]
“Is the snake-head starting again? You’ve been picking fights a lot lately, haven’t you?”
[Picking fights? You must not even know what the words mean anymore. Is speaking reasonably considered picking a fight these days?]
At Basiliora’s words, Alon realized something anew.
“…Now that I think about it, you were a god too.”
[Ha? Isn’t that obvious? I am Receiver Basiliora!]
“Don’t make me laugh. You’re just a lowly little snake.”
Evan didn't miss the chance to mock him, letting out a derisive laugh. Basiliora let out a strange, angry screech, but Evan ignored him and looked back at Alon.
“Hmm. Thinking about it, I guess it wouldn't have been easy for me to receive it.”
“It’s not because you’re weak.”
“Then is there a reason?”
The reason Evan couldn't receive it was clear.
“The power I share is only effective for those who truly believe in me as a god. In other words, you can’t wield it without Faith.”
“Ah.”
“Can you worship me?”
At Alon’s question, Evan pondered for a moment before scratching his head.
“That… would be a bit difficult.”
“Right?”
“Yes. I trust you absolutely, Marquis, but if you ask if that’s ‘Faith offered to a god,’ the answer is no. If I had to put it into words… it’s more like a very close partnership?”
“That’s why I didn't give it to you. You wouldn't have been able to use it anyway.”
“I see.”
“Did you think I wouldn't have considered you first?”
Evan’s face was suddenly washed with emotion.
“There’s truly no one like you, Marquis.”
“Indeed.”
A warm atmosphere filled the room.
“Then, while we’re at it, could you maybe raise my salary…?”
“…Didn't I just raise it recently?”
“Ah, well, you see… money has been a bit tight lately.”
[Hmph. It’s not that it’s tight; it’s that you’re throwing it all away on women.]
As expected, Basiliora didn't miss the opening.
“What kind of nonsense is that! I’m preparing for my future plans!”
[Future plans, my foot! That’s what people call throwing money into the gutter! Kahaha!]
After another round of bickering, Evan cleared his throat and asked.
“So, Marquis, what kind of people do you plan to give your power to in the future?”
“Hmm?”
“Your power, I mean. You can keep giving it out, can’t you?”
Alon thought for a moment.
“I plan to give it to those who are faithful to me.”
That was his answer.
* * *
At that moment.
“…….”
Draim, who had been guarding Alon from a distance to avoid being caught by Deus, stood with his mouth agape at what had just transpired.
He wasn't the only one. Every member of the Black Leaf had seen it clearly.
The Primordial Elf was sharing the power of Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver, with a human.
In truth, the Elves had encountered many shocking things over the past month. Learning that the one they called the Primordial Elf was known elsewhere as Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver; seeing him manifest in the forms of other gods besides the Elven power he possessed—all of this had happened recently.
Yet, not a single Elf harbored even a shred of doubt or hesitation. They had witnessed with their own eyes that Marquis Palatio was the Primordial Elf. Furthermore, since they already knew the Primordial Elf was also called by the name Grand Master, they simply accepted these as other names for their god and worshipped him even more fervently.
But today, the Elves discovered something even more shocking than the fact that the Primordial Elf went by other names.
It was what Marquis Palatio—no, the Primordial Elf—had said.
‘I plan to give it to those who are faithful.’
Those present remembered the power of the great Marquis Palatio, the Primordial Elf who had single-handedly revived the withered roots.
And yet, that power could be bestowed? Simply by being faithful to the Primordial Elf?
Draim slowly turned his head to look beside him.
“…….”
“…….”
He locked eyes with his subordinates. Every single one of them had eyes burning with a strange sense of competition and longing.
Of course, the Elves of the Black Leaf were not ones to move for mere self-interest. Draim knew this well. The Black Leaf was the Queen’s sword, obeying her commands alone.
And yet, despite that.
“…Captain, it’s time for the shift change, so I’ll be heading in first.”
“I’ll be heading in as well.”
A silent war of nerves began to spark among the Elves.
* * *
That night.
Silli, who had received Kalanon’s power from Alon, stared blankly at her hand.
Zap!
A tiny spark of lightning flickered beneath her palm. It was something that would vanish far too easily if she were to simply clench her fist. Yet, it was undeniably lightning.
In truth, Silli could cast much more powerful lightning magic. Though she hadn't reached a very high level as a mage yet, she could still manifest magic stronger than this. In other words, the ability before her eyes wasn't actually that impressive in terms of raw power.
And yet.
“…….”
The reason she stared blankly at the weak spark on the verge of vanishing was because it wasn't made of magic.
It was made of Holy Power.
Flicker—
The lightning went out. Quiet darkness settled in Silli’s room, with only the blue moon shining down from outside the window. Silli’s eyes were the only things glowing in the dark.
However, there was no disappointment in her gaze. Rather, she clenched her hand with a look of immense joy.
Even when she had received the power earlier that day, she had been happy, but she had also been secretly worried. She worried whether she could truly use that great power.
But she had done it. Even if it was just a tiny spark. Even if it was incomparably small and pathetic compared to what that great being had shown. She had definitely created lightning with Holy Power.
She was so happy. It finally felt real that she had received the power of the one who had saved her life. Silli couldn't help but smile.
Then, she made a vow.
‘I must never, ever disappoint him.’
Silli knew exactly what she had to do. She was an Apostle of a god, and an Apostle must do what is beneficial to their god.
And there was only one thing she needed to do for him.
‘To make him known to the world.’
Silli smiled deeply under the moonlight. A plan began to form in her clever mind—a plan to announce his greatness to the world.
While Alon, who still hadn't fully recovered, let out a groan and sank into his bed for a deep sleep, a strange plan was beginning to take root, entirely contrary to his intentions.
* * *
At that same time.
Inside the massive royal castle beneath the World Tree in Greinif, the land of the Elves.
“You can stop having your Elves guard my friend now. They’re too weak to do it properly anyway, aren't they? It would be better for us Lizardmen to take over the guard duty.”
A cold storm was brewing at the sudden provocation from Hazard, the Living God of the Lizardmen, who had come to visit the Queen.
“…Ha. What on earth are you babbling about now?”