Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Piercing the Sacred Veins
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In this world, there is divine power, and simply by being born in a nation that worships gods, every citizen possesses divinity.
But divine power isn't something you can just use because you have it. It must be honed and refined to wield it freely and increase its strength.
However, there are occasional cases like Emily, born with a blockage.
Normally, divine power circulates around the body's surface, and it must be drawn inward along the paths within the body.
In any case, it needs to be pulled inside, but Emily's paths are blocked.
"So, I just need to clear them."
Grit.
Emily ground her teeth, forcing a calm facade while awkwardly draping nonchalance over her body.
"I'm fine! I won't hold you back! I'm confident I can fight better than Brans."
"Comparing yourself to Brans is already proof that you're holding me back."
It was something that would have made Brans shed tears like a chick if he'd heard it, but fortunately, only Kallias and Emily were there.
"You're planning to abandon me? Just wait here until the war ends?"
"You're talking nonsense. I never picked you up in the first place. How can I abandon something I didn't pick up? Absurd."
"You're just a wastrel—don't use fancy words."
"Then I'll speak like a wastrel."
I stepped forward to Emily and extended a hand glowing with divine power.
"W-What?"
"I'm going to clear your sacred veins."
"Huh...? Sacred veins? Suddenly?"
"Like you said, in your current state, you'd just grab my ankle. So I'm trying to make you somewhat useful."
"...That's impossible. The family head told me the same. Long ago, the church used to pour holy water over the body to clear them...."
But now, there's no holy water.
So it's impossible.
That's what she'd heard.
However.
"I can do it."
Only I, in this world, can.
But it's not as simple as saying it.
Forcing it open artificially can turn someone into a cripple.
And if the cleared sacred veins don't heal properly, the divine power leaks out, mixes with the blood, accumulates, and kills you.
So the first requirement is someone who can finely manipulate divine power. The second is someone trustworthy.
Sacred veins are, to a knight, as vital as the dantian—second only to the head and heart in terms of protection.
"And finally."
Whether preparations are in place to fully heal the cleared sacred veins.
In short.
Whether holy water exists.
And Kallias was the only one in Karphe who met all those conditions.
Holy water was precious, but he could just make more.
Valterus's Tears could be mass-produced under specific conditions, and Kallias knew them all.
"He won't suffer more than three near-fatal wounds on this battlefield to need that much holy water."
It would be a lie to say it didn't hurt to use it, but this was an investment.
As an adult and as a pilgrim wielding a sword, he had a duty to let a young, fragile seed bloom on a solid foundation.
A frail girl who knew her weakness more poignantly than anyone, desperately hiding her fear of abandonment behind a feigned composure that didn't suit her.
So that Emily could properly bloom.
"Give me your wrist."
"You really expect me to trust you?"
"If you want to live like that forever, don't."
Emily hesitated for a moment before extending her wrist to him.
"I'm a Jerban. What I fear isn't death."
"I didn't ask."
"Then ask!"
"Fine, what do you fear?"
"Being useless. That's what scares me more. So, Kallias."
So make me.
"Make me useful."
"Then I'll tell you one thing too. Become a useful sword for me as well."
Emily's small head nodded.
Soon, Kallias's divine power seeped into the girl's body.
"Gasp!"
As the pure divine power infiltrated her, the girl broke out in cold sweat.
Pure divine power paving a path through sacred veins she'd never used before brought unfamiliar pain mixed with awkwardness.
But at some point.
Emily grew accustomed to the pain.
No, she felt ecstasy for the first time as divine power flowed through her body.
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
As much sweat poured from Emily, Kallias was sweating profusely too.
Her condition was worse than expected.
"It's not just one blockage."
Like someone had deliberately sealed them, multiple sacred veins were obstructed.
Clearing just one wouldn't suffice.
"This is insane."
He'd started lightly, but as he progressed, unease writhed like a coiled snake awakening from hibernation.
The thought that she might die here—not on the battlefield—dominated his mind.
Then, Emily's sacred vein cleared.
"Urk!"
Whether from excruciating pain, Emily vomited blood immediately.
The satisfaction of divine power flowing through her sacred veins vanished, her face paling as if she were on the verge of death.
"Not yet."
It was too early for holy water.
"Endure it."
Of the hundreds of possible meridians, seven were blocked. Only after clearing all could he administer the holy water.
Kallias's shoulders, hand pressed to Emily's back, grew heavy.
But he had to continue.
Stopping now would kill her before she could bloom.
Boom! Something exploded inside her body, shaking violently.
"Keuk!"
Drip. Falling blood droplets and thick blood scent stung his ears and nose.
But not yet. Still far from done.
He cleared the next sacred vein.
Boom! Boom! Booom!
Her small body swayed as if unable to withstand it.
Even a full-grown adult would weep and beg to stop at this pain.
"Ugh, hup...!"
Yet Emily endured.
How could he weaken when this young girl tried so hard?
He focused on clearing all her sacred veins.
Time of silent endurance flowed tensely, but it wasn't in vain.
Soon, having successfully cleared all, Kallias pulled out the holy water.
"Drink."
Slurp.
"Damn."
He thought she'd endured well, but Emily lost consciousness.
She was already out.
Her eyes fluttered, black blood from her mouth soaking the ground.
Her state was worse than anticipated.
No wonder she hadn't groaned since the fifth vein—he realized she'd passed out then.
Kallias immediately fed her the holy water.
He shoved his fingers in her mouth, pouring it and pressing her tongue.
Force it down, or she'd die.
But had he let his guard down too much?
"Her breathing..."
Emily's breath stopped.
Cursing, Kallias blew air into her mouth.
"Cough!"
Hack! Hack!
Emily spat up a clump of black blood, her color slowly returning.
Relieved, Kallias gripped her wrist and infused his divine power.
Not just his own—he began guiding hers too.
Along the sacred veins' paths, circulating from outside, gathering the power bit by bit, directing it toward the center.
To the dantian.
"Look at that."
With just one guide, she seized control of the divine power. It surged like a fish in water.
"Don't get carried away."
Her newly cleared sacred veins weren't fully smoothed yet.
Rushing would injure them instead.
Internal wounds were harder to heal than external ones.
Holy water made it easy now, but he didn't need to instill bad habits from the start.
Kallias guided Emily's divine power for an hour, then two, ensuring the veins wouldn't re-block.
When the dripping sweat cooled and chill settled over his body.
A faint glow emanated.
From Emily's body.
Subtle divine light flowed.
"Done."
The man withdrew his hands from the girl's body, sharpening his gaze.
Dark circles under his eyes, skin rough as if four days sleepless, but no regrets.
"Radiant."
The girl before him shattered her world with dazzling light.
Brilliant silver radiance.
Like a flower blooming, Emily blossomed.
* * *
Boom-!
A massive bulk crashed down.
Blood-red fur tangled on its body, sword slashes evident between the thick fur and hide.
"All flash, no substance."
"Still, we took it down. Praise me."
"Pointless. Chain strikes aren't for overwhelming foes. They're to hide one real blow among dozens of feints."
"Nag, nag. We got it, didn't we!"
"On the battlefield, are you going to die after catching just one? If so, go ahead."
"...Tch."
Before Emily lay a massive bear with a horn on its forehead.
It was the demonic beast, original owner of the cave she and Kallias had entered.
Perfect for Emily to loosen up after her sacred veins were cleared.
"A bit excited, but not bad."
First time wielding divine power—how could she not be?
Even so, her talent was real.
The girl was already gathering divine power in her dantian on her own.
But it wasn't harmful.
"It's not a sword that needs teaching to shine."
Knights learn swordsmanship in many ways.
Innate or acquired.
Most are acquired: enter as a knight's squire, learn, train, walk the path.
That's the norm.
But not Emily.
Her talent shone too brightly upon blooming.
Emily was an innate knight.
A talent not to be taught.
In simple terms, a child who excels on her own if left alone.
"Just correct the bad habits before they form, and she'll soar."
Unlike him.
"Unlucky bastard."
"What? What'd you say?"
"Demonic beasts aren't edible anyway. Skin it as a souvenir."
"This?"
"Good eye. A unicorn's horn makes a fine artifact. Harvest it—it'll be useful."
Kallias flipped the unicorn's bulk with one hand and began skinning it.
Not his first time—skin peeled off flawlessly in a blink.
No ordinary strength or skill could manage that.
"You do the horn."
"Okay!"
Emily took the dagger Kallias handed her—Jornik—and easily harvested the unicorn horn.
"Have Brans tan it. He's got useless knack for that."
"Okay! Heading out now?"
"Yeah."
Dawn broke.
Northern mornings came late.
More delay than expected.
"Let's go."
"Okay! Kallias!"
The black-haired man and girl cast lengthening shadows under the northern dawn.
* * *
A moment later.
Returning to the temporary tent, Kallias was immediately summoned by Bernard.
Bernard puffed smoke from his pipe.
"What is it? This early."
"That's the problem—it's morning. What'd you do taking Emily off like that!"
"...You think I did something to that kid?"
"Tell me straight!!"
Did he eat a steam whistle?
His roar thundered.
Kallias plugged his ears with his fingers before the old man got louder, spilling last night's events.
"What... You cleared her sacred veins?!"
"Yes. I did a good deed, so drop the pedo glare."
"Impossible! How could you clear Emily's sacred veins! Anything else, maybe..."
......Did he think I'd cleared something else besides sacred veins?
"As long as it's not that."
"Fuck, what do you take me for."
Cursing, Bernard looked inwardly sorry and set down his pipe.
Then dashed off.
To check Emily's condition, no doubt.
He wasn't blamelessly wronged, but a wastrel's credit was what it was.
Arms crossed, waiting briefly, Bernard approached beaming.
"Kallias. You've never shown favor to just anyone. I don't know how, but I must ask this: what's your reason for clearing Emily's sacred veins."
"Whim."
"I've examined Emily's blocked veins closely myself. Even a paladin at master's rank would say it's up to the gods' will. Not easy, was it?"
That it was.
She nearly died midway.
He was drained too.
"You seem to know already."
"What're you talking about."
"I know your personality—you wouldn't suffer that for blood kin either. You must've realized she's your own."
If not that.
"Emily told you."
That she's.
"Your daughter."