Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Treasure (2)
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Demian walked down the street alongside Radiance.
Holy knights who recognized her hurriedly bowed their heads. She responded to each one with a bright smile.
At first glance, she was indeed the revered Great Saint of the Church.
Even so, Demian did not lower his guard.
Radiance was someone you could never afford to let your guard down around. Throughout their walk, he kept his senses sharp, trying to discern her intentions.
But.
'Why isn't she saying anything?'
Radiance just walked in silence. She was even humming a tune.
It was while Demian was giving her an incredulous look.
"You received a Spirit-grade holy sword, didn't you?"
Radiance suddenly spoke up.
"That's right."
"Congratulations. Not many people receive a Spirit-grade holy sword. The other holy knights must be green with envy."
Radiance turned to look at Demian. A smile still lingered on her lips.
"But you need to handle it carefully at first. A newly forged Spirit-grade holy sword is incredibly fragile before it grows."
He had already heard an explanation from Molta.
-Dawn is my greatest masterpiece. Once it grows, it'll surpass top-grade holy swords and reach special grade. It might even become stronger than that.
Holy swords were divided into five grades.
At the pinnacle were special-grade holy swords, so rare that even in the church's long history, only a handful had ever been forged.
They were ultimate weapons, created only in dire emergencies by mobilizing the church's full resources.
-But that's all in the future. Dawn has just been forged. It hasn't seen a single battle. It's better than a low-grade holy sword, but it won't match a mid-grade one.
That was why Molta had said to be cautious until Dawn fully grew.
"And it's best to come back to headquarters for reforging each time it grows. Just like a snake sheds its skin to grow."
"You seem to know a lot about Spirit-grade holy swords."
"Of course. I received one myself. In my case, it was a hammer instead of a sword."
Radiance stopped walking. Demian came to a halt beside her.
"Oh my, we're already here. I was enjoying our chat so much I lost track of time."
Radiance pointed straight ahead.
"That's the entrance to the secret vault."
A massive statue sat on a stone chair where she pointed.
Beneath the statue was a stone door. That must be the entrance to the secret vault.
Demian examined the statue. It depicted a fierce-looking man holding a scripture in one hand and a mace in the other.
Suddenly, Demian noticed a ring on the hand holding the mace.
'That's...'
It was identical to the ring left behind when the mummy disintegrated.
The shape, and even the emblem engraved in the center, were exactly the same.
"Who is that statue of?"
"Oh, great question."
At Demian's question, a flush rose to Radiance's cheeks.
"That is the man who first awakened holy power in humanity and founded the Holy Church..."
She continued in an ecstatic tone.
"His Holiness, the First Holy Emperor Bartoleo."
* * *
Bartoleo.
It was a name Demian had heard often since childhood.
Founder of the Holy Church, the first scribe of its doctrines, the great judge.
Given the Holy Church's influence across the continent, it wasn't an exaggeration to say no one was unaware of Bartoleo.
'Was that mummy Bartoleo?'
The mummy Demian had faced was, in life, at least a master-class powerhouse.
Bartoleo had also been a master-class powerhouse in life. Tales still circulated of him shattering a dragon's skull with a single mace blow.
'But why was someone like Bartoleo lying there in such a pathetic state?'
Demian racked his memory. When learning about Bartoleo, he had heard about his end as well.
'In the battle against the black mages, he suffered a fatal wound and, as he lay dying, was enveloped in light and vanished.'
Until now, Demian hadn't thought deeply about Bartoleo's death.
But after facing the mummy, his thoughts had changed.
Vanishing in light meant no body was left behind, didn't it?
'If that mummy was the First Holy Emperor... why was it embedded in a fragment of Erebos?'
Erebos was a mysterious demonic sword with no known origins.
Investigating the First Holy Emperor might reveal something about Erebos.
Then, suddenly, Demian pointed at the ring on the statue and asked.
"That must be an important ring, to be depicted in such detail?"
"Ah, that ring. Of course it's important. It's the symbol of the Salvation Corps."
Salvation Corps.
The name of the group Bartoleo had belonged to in his youth.
A thousand years ago, in Bartoleo's time, the entire continent was plunged into chaos.
Monsters far more dangerous than today's roamed everywhere, demons from hell strode freely, and disasters struck without warning.
Humans back then were nomads fleeing dangers, too desperate for survival to even dream of founding nations.
That was when the Salvation Corps appeared.
The Salvation Corps was a group of superhumans who banded together to change humanity's fate.
They exterminated every monster deemed a threat to humanity without mercy and banished all demons back to hell.
Thus, they reshaped the continent into a place where humans could live in peace.
Among the Salvation Corps' most famous members, besides Bartoleo, was the first emperor of the empire.
"Now that your curiosity is satisfied, shall we go in?"
Radiance led the way. Demian followed her into the secret vault.
The inside of the statue was empty.
Instead, a small chamber protruded, big enough for three or four people.
"We'll use that to go down."
Radiance pointed at the small chamber.
"It's an elevator made by the dwarves. A marvelous device that moves up and down. It only works when infused with holy power."
As Radiance chattered on, the vault door closed again.
Now, only Demian, Radiance, and the elevator remained in the vast space.
"Oh my."
Radiance said with a smile.
"We're finally alone together?"
* * *
Right then, Radiance's demeanor shifted.
The texture of the air against his skin changed. It felt like someone was rubbing his skin with sandpaper.
Demian could sense it.
Faint hostility emanated from Radiance. Even that alone brought immense pressure.
"You have no idea how curious I've been."
Radiance stared at Demian as she continued.
"What does the man who killed my disciple look like? What kind of personality does the one who ruined our faction's plans have? I've been thinking about you constantly."
The plan she referred to was for her faction, "Dazzling Pain," to seize control of the Holy Church.
From "Dazzling Pain's" perspective, the current church had grown far too weak.
In the past, the church had been a fanatical organization that burned entire villages to root out black mages.
"Dazzling Pain" aimed to restore the church to that state.
A goal befitting a faction composed entirely of zealots.
"Did you know? Because of your interference, our faction suffered massive losses."
"For someone who took such a hit, you seem awfully carefree."
"We worked hard to pin it on Sanus's personal deviation."
Sanus had been Radiance's disciple.
During the raid on the Necromancy Dungeon, Sanus had tried to kill all the holy knights from other factions in the name of the greater good.
Her betrayal had been thwarted by Demian, and she was executed on the spot.
To think they had covered up such a major incident as one person's rogue action.
It was no surprise given "Dazzling Pain's" influence, but it was still astonishing.
"Is it okay to tell me all this?"
"You already know everything, don't you? That's why I'm being so open."
Radiance replied with a beaming smile.
"Still, our faction's reputation took a huge hit. Even I and the faction's priests have been ordered to stay put for a while."
So there had been some blowback after all.
If even one of the Five Great Saints, akin to a king, was confined, it said a lot.
"So I've had so much I wanted to say to you... but there were always too many eyes around, so I held back."
"Are you planning revenge?"
At Demian's question, Radiance burst into loud laughter.
"I can see why you'd think that. Sanus was my disciple, after all. Oh, not just a disciple. She was like a daughter I raised from childhood."
A flicker of sorrow appeared in Radiance's eyes.
"But Sanus died upholding our faction's doctrines. She died following God's will, so it's actually a joyous occasion. I'm sure she didn't resent you. Right?"
Radiance was correct. Even in her dying moments, Sanus hadn't resented Demian.
"So I have no intention of revenge. Sanus's death is something to celebrate, not mourn."
As she said this, Radiance's eyes were chillingly clear.
It meant there wasn't a shred of falsehood in her words.
"Besides, if I touched you here at headquarters... Elder Azure Flame and His Holiness wouldn't let me get away with it?"
She spoke lightly, but unlike her attitude, Radiance's aura remained unchanged.
Still eerie, still exuding chilling killing intent.
"But remember this. We tolerate your recklessness just this once. If you interfere with our faction's plans again..."
The smile vanished from Radiance's face.
"Then we won't let you off."
Radiance's killing intent thickened. The air felt like it had turned to needles.
Every breath felt like inhaling a cluster of needles down his trachea.
"Thank you for the advice."
Amid it all, Demian smiled. Not forced, but a natural smile.
In his previous life, Demian had fought countless masters. He was intimately familiar with their killing intent.
This level couldn't affect him in the slightest.
"...You."
Even Radiance couldn't help but be shocked by Demian's composure.
"Let me offer some advice in return. This won't restrain my actions."
Demian spoke to Radiance with utter sincerity.
"So if you want my head, you'd better act fast. If you delay even a little, I'll rise to a position you can't touch."
Demian and Radiance glared at each other for a long moment.
"Pfft."
Radiance let out a chuckle and withdrew her killing intent. The world grew quiet once more.
"I'll take your advice to heart. Now, shall we head to the vault?"
Radiance placed her hand on the elevator, and the doors slid open to both sides.
* * *
The elevator carrying the two descended underground.
"His Holiness permitted you down to the first basement level."
Naturally, the more valuable the items, the deeper they were stored.
"Don't take it badly. Even accessing the first level is extremely difficult under normal circumstances."
The elevator stopped at the first basement level.
"You can take only one item. No point hiding it—the miracles permeating the entire vault will detect it immediately."
The elevator doors opened. Radiance waved her hand.
"Have fun~."
Demian stepped out of the elevator.
His first thought was warehouse.
High ceilings with towering shelves reaching up to them, lined up in rows, laden with countless items.
Byproducts from rare monsters, various potions, magic tools, and holy relics abounded.
'No weapons or armor.'
Come to think of it, most armaments were stored in the workshops.
Anything valuable enough for the vault would be in the deeper levels.
'Should I take an elixir?'
There were plenty of elixirs in the vault. But it was a shame they were only on par with the Dead Serpent's inner core he'd received from the Apple Kingdom's king.
'Elixirs are good, but something more valuable... Huh?'
Suddenly, Demian spotted a sealed box.
It was sealed with wax, but the lid was glass, allowing a view inside.
Five bracelets inside the box.
-Made by the Five Great Saints.
-Protective miracle-infused bracelets.
-Expends embedded holy power to defend against external attacks.
-Holy power cannot be recharged.
Demian approached the box as if drawn by some force.
Items imbued with magic were called magic tools. Similarly, those with miracles were called holy relics.
Holy relics made by the Five Great Saints were bound to contain tremendous miracles.
The only drawback was that the holy power couldn't be recharged. They were essentially consumables, sold as a set of five.
Demian picked up the box.
In truth, he didn't particularly need such holy relics. He had plenty of ways to block enemy attacks.
The sole reason he chose them was one.
Family.
He planned to give them to his parents, his older sister, Abel, and Abel's wife Olivia.
Wearing these bracelets would protect against external impacts. Beyond blocking attacks in battle, they could guard against unexpected accidents.
'I should go distribute them one by one.'
Demian returned to the elevator in high spirits for once.
"You're back already? What did you pick... Oh my, a holy relic I made."
Demian's elation crashed back to rock bottom at Radiance's words.
"...You made these?"
"Yes, back in my youth, to protect the faction's holy knights."
Radiance gazed at the bracelets nostalgically.
"Not to brag, but these can block high-class attacks. Though it consumes all the holy power."
Radiance added with a smile.
"If you use up all the holy power, come find me. I'll make you new ones."
There would never be a need to come back after using them up.
Thinking that, Demian boarded the elevator.
* * *
Demian and Radiance rode the elevator back up to the first floor.
"They're finally coming up."
Outside, Azure Flame waited for them.
"Oh, Elder. How long have you been waiting?"
"Don't play innocent. You falsified reports to make me move, then approached Sir Demian in the meantime?"
At those words, Demian glared at Radiance.
So that's how she'd ended up coming instead of Azure Flame.
"I wanted to go on a date with Sir Demian, so I took the liberty."
Even under Azure Flame's sharp killing intent, Radiance remained utterly relaxed.
"You'd better brace yourself for this."
"Yes, I will."
"Come with me at once. His Holiness has summoned us both."
"Oh my," Radiance covered her mouth with her hand.
"Is something the matter?"
At Radiance's question, Azure Flame replied gravely.
"The church branches in the Mandarine Kingdom were attacked by black mages."
Radiance's eyes sharpened.
"Reports say it's a duo. A Dark Knight and a black mage."
Dark Knight.
A knight who wielded black magic instead of mana.
'A duo? Dark Knight?'
The moment he heard those words, Demian recalled a memory from the past.
Around this time, there was a pair who targeted and raided church branches.
The Hanger couple.
In the distant future, they had run errands for Dorgo, handling all sorts of dirty work.
The husband was a high-class powerhouse, and the wife a top-tier black mage.
They were formidable foes, giving the human resistance army much trouble.
But that wasn't why Demian remembered the Hanger couple.
-Lord Dorgo! We investigated! We scoured the Apple Kingdom and found the name Demian Haksen!
-They have family! A small house called Viscount Haksen!
-Both parents are alive, and there's an older sister and a younger brother!
The ones who, on Dorgo's orders, dug up everything about his family and reported it were none other than the Hanger couple.