A Sweet Gift (2)
A narrow side path just wide enough for a single person to pass.
Through the dim forest, the priests diligently pulled their handcarts. Each time a wheel caught on a stone, the wooden stakes inside rattled and clattered.
Kabosi's team's assigned zone was the heart of the forest.
Corruption did not simply drift through the air at random—it moved along currents. Where those currents overlapped or became blocked, the concentration of corruption naturally grew denser. And there were places where this phenomenon was especially severe.
Places that sent a chill down your spine just by walking through them. Locations people would commonly call "bad ground"—those were the targets of their cleanup.
…The concentration really is thick here.
The deeper they went into the forest, the heavier the air became. With every breath, something sticky seemed to cling to them. At this level, even ordinary people would sense the ominous atmosphere.
"We'll stop here and begin the work. Sealing team, remove the stakes and thread. Purification team, please get ready."
At Kabosi's words they halted, and wooden stakes could be seen driven into the ground here and there.
The wooden stakes planted during last autumn's cleanup had rotted as if years had passed. The thread connecting them looked ready to snap at any moment, thin as spider silk.
"Ah, Teacher Andrew—please assist with the purification work."
"Would it be all right if my assistant rested? She must be a bit tired from coming this far."
"Of course! Here, we even have a chair."
No one would get angry over a child sitting out. Amid the bustle of preparation, Andy handed Cream a folding chair.
"Stay somewhere the 'range' won't reach. Rest easy and look at the herbs if you like."
"…Teacher."
"Yes."
"Um, well…"
Clutching the chair, Cream clenched her fists. Opening and closing her hands—she clearly had something to say.
"Assistant?"
"…"
"Are you hoping for praise, by any chance? If that's the case—"
"Th-There's no way that's it!"
She then fled as if she might take flight—a young lady whose thoughts were impossible to read. She'd been like this since earlier; perhaps he should have a serious talk with her later.
After sending her off and returning to the work site, the priests were busily pulling out the old stakes. Around them, the purification team wandered about with their staffs in hand.
From the transparent orbs mounted at the tops of their staffs, a soft light glowed from each. Amid a forest so dense the sky was nearly blocked out, they looked almost like a swarm of fireflies.
"Sorry for the delay. Are we beginning the purification now?"
"Yes, we're already doing it."
"…Pardon?"
When he asked Kabosi, who was wandering about like the other priests, the answer that came back was slightly absurd.
"The purification work is well underway… Ah—Teacher, have you never been affiliated with a cathedral?"
"Never once."
"That's surprising… I had assumed you were a high-ranking priest somewhere…"
"Others seem to have made the same assumption."
"Haha. In any case, to explain—when performing purification work on this scale, we make active use of our staffs. To conserve our stamina. Even a small amount of divine power poured in causes the orb to emit light, allowing for efficient purification."
Andy looked around again. Priests roaming the forest with their staffs. From the outside, they looked exactly like some peculiar religious group wandering about with lanterns.
The corruption that the orbs' light touched was dissolving away—but it was different from what he'd imagined.
"This is… purely out of curiosity, but may I ask a question?"
"By all means."
"Wouldn't it be far more efficient to release divine power strongly and blanket the entire area at once?"
Wasn't purification supposed to be a blinding flash of light—flash!—poured out all at once? At least, that was how Andy had always done it. Rather than going around sweeping with a broom one by one, wouldn't running a large-scale vacuum cleaner be better?
When he asked with genuine sincerity, Kabosi laughed heartily.
"Then you wouldn't make it home."
"Pardon?"
"The efficiency drops far too much. After releasing power just once, everyone needs a long rest. Of course I know you can use an extremely powerful light, Teacher, but even including that, the number of times would be far too few."
"…"
"Rather than using up all your strength at once, using a little over a long period is more efficient for zone purification work."
"…In that case."
"Yes?"
"If one could release it multiple times, would that be acceptable? It wouldn't disrupt the area's flow or cause problems with the place itself, would it?"
"It wouldn't cause problems with the place… but it would cause problems with the user's body. Large-scale releases like that can't be done multiple times in a short period. The blood vessels wouldn't hold up."
Having heard the explanation, Andy drew a tree branch from his coat. Using bare hands was more efficient, but holding something made him look more mystical to others' eyes, so he favored it. Since there was no problem with the work itself, it should be fine.
"Please close your eyes for a moment."
"Pardon?"
Flash—!
Before Kabosi could even express his confusion, light blooming from the tip of Andy's branch blanketed the surroundings.
A white, warm light. A resonant tone like a bird's cry—pii—. The corruption floating in the air was washed away without a trace.
As the light faded—fssss—the priests immediately turned to look. Every one of them had wide rabbit eyes, surprised but also carrying a note of concern. They all seemed worried Andy might say I've used up all my power, so I'm going to rest~ and leave, and the atmosphere was rather poor.
"Guhhh…"
"Nooo…"
As if the sky itself had fallen. Fortunately, Andy had no intention of going to rest. He simply walked outside the range of the light he had released and raised his branch again.
"Please close your eyes for a moment."
Flash—!
Human lightbulb Andy. He had done this before at the cursed house as well. Just like then, his head ached as if it would split. Cold sweat ran down and his expression twisted. It felt like driving one of those stakes planted in the ground into his skull.
But finishing quickly would be better. Thinking of the young lady waiting alone over there, he flashed away. He did what he could do at any time. He moved without pause. He did not stop. This was what Andy could do right now.
"Please close your eyes."
Flash—!
"Please close your eyes."
Flash—!
The cathedral placed great importance on merit. And for good reason—otherwise the priests would go mad. Divine arts users were limited in number, and corruption would never disappear, so they tried to care for the chronically exhausted priests as much as possible.
They discouraged hogging all the credit alone, but they also discouraged neglecting those who had earned merit. Service and devotion weren't done hoping for recognition—but still, being recognized felt good. It gave you the energy to keep moving.
Priests weren't all saints, after all. They were all just people, and the desire to be rewarded existed. Because they acknowledged that, a tower of lunchboxes was currently stacked beside Andy.
Purification work that should have taken several hours had been finished in mere minutes. And by the power of a single person, no less. Every priest who passed by looked envious, but none voiced any objection.
Clergy were all big eaters. Converting the life force flowing through their veins into divine power meant that after a proper purification session, their energy was thoroughly drained. So in joint missions like this, it was customary to stack food in a tower for the person who had done the most work—and Andy had rightfully claimed that seat. Beyond simply giving a lot of food, it also meant showing off that much merit to others. Preservation magic was properly applied so the food wouldn't spoil.
"Assistant, assistant. Come over here. This lunchbox tower is bigger than you."
"Teacher. The hard work has made your eyes dim. How could that possibly be bigger than me?"
"We need to compare, so come stand here."
"I decline."
With people around, the two of them were role-playing as Andrew and Remi. Having spoken coldly, Cream sat far away from Andy and ate alone. She set the folding chair in the grass, slightly lowered her mask, and chewed quietly.
"—And so, our Priest Viola drove a stake in upside down! A round of applause for the one who personally demonstrated how not to do the job!"
"Waaah."
"Thank you. Thank you."
"Truly exemplary."
"I'm sorry!! Please don't clap!! Please stop clapping!!!"
Applause could be heard from another direction—a place truly overflowing with gratitude and love. After first praising Andy, the priests continued seeking out things to praise, encouraging their colleagues as much as possible.
What a good place this is.
For Andy, with his positive nature, it was a place that suited him well. Of course, the world-hating, people-hating young lady was off at a distance, shuddering.
"Is the meal to your liking?"
As he was taking it all in, someone spoke to him. The male priest he had greeted earlier, Antonio, brought a chair and sat beside Andy.
"It's delicious enough that I'd want to eat it every day."
"In that case, would you register with us?"
"Haha… I'm afraid I must decline. I've resolved myself to a pilgrimage."
"I was joking."
With his gentle face, he smiled brightly and looked at Andy.
"I saw your performance earlier, Teacher. It truly exceeded my expectations."
"Thank you. It's not worthy of praise."
"No—my expectations could be called 'presumptuous,' even. It was magnificent. Truly."
"…"
Andy had occasionally wondered about this. Every time he used purification, the people around him would always be astonished, and he'd wondered why. Reactions that seemed excessive. He'd brushed it off thinking people of this world were simply friendly toward clergy—but today, he thought he understood the reason.
A body that could perform multiple large-scale divine power releases that would leave others collapsed after a single use. That was something worthy of people's admiration.
…Still, I'm lacking, that's for sure.
A beginner among beginners. He knew nothing properly about the tools they used or consecration rituals—nothing at all. As he rubbed his tingling head and maintained a moderate silence, Antonio placed a hand on his own chest.
"Truthfully, I once suspected you, Teacher."
"That's understandable enough."
"When I heard that Mrs. Welina's commission had been marked 'purification complete.' And when Priest Kabosi said he was going to punish a fraud, I too was furious and hoped justice would be done, but…"
"…"
"When I saw him return with tears of emotion, I immediately changed my mind. And today, seeing your power, I became even more certain."
"…Certain of what?"
Seeing him speak so earnestly, Andy asked. Though they had only met today, from what he'd heard several times, Antonio seemed quite interested in Andy. The conviction-filled gaze unique to clergy. The unbreakable will of one armed with firm faith.
"I believe this world needs a savior."
"…"
"The world is far too corrupt. Evil is so rampant that I sometimes think there's nothing more we can change. At times, to the point of despair."
"…"
"And then you appeared, Teacher—"
"—Exactly!!"
At that moment, a loud voice cut him off. It was Viola, Antonio's junior, who had returned after receiving her thorough round of praise. She dragged a chair over and plopped down—why were people multiplying one by one?
"Lately with the corruption and the monsters and everything, I don't know why the world is so chaotic!!"
"Viola. You're being loud."
"And that monster appearance in the park recently—I heard that was someone's doing, and they still haven't caught the culprit!!"
"Viola. Lower your voice."
"Haa… It's the end times, the end times!! Of course, times like these are when we clergy need to pull ourselves together! Work even harder for the world! Fulfill our assigned duties—"
Clang—!
"Aaagh!!"
"I told you to speak more quietly. Are you trying to burst the Teacher's eardrums?"
"Ow, Senior, are you trying to burst my head? My skull is cracked!"
"You have no filter in front of the Teacher. Go drive some stakes."
"No!! I want to talk with the Teacher too!!!"
And then she waved her arms about—looking more like a student than a priest. A young student. Andy's white-haired young lady was more well-behaved by comparison.
…Hm?
Come to think of it, where was she? Suddenly wondering, he looked around—and Cream, who had been eating her lunchbox over there, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a distinctive milky scent drifted nearby, and when he glanced behind him, Cream had somehow stuck herself right behind Andy and was munching on her lunchbox.
Confirming she was there, Andy sighed in relief and opened his mouth.
"…I believe Priest Viola is right. No matter how difficult things become, if each person simply fulfills their duties in their given place, that is enough. Looking back, the world has always been difficult, and yet people have always lived through it, haven't they?"
"Teacher…!!"
He truly believed that. It wasn't wrong at all. Andy always tried to do what he could. What he could do as a guide, what he could do as a teacher, what he could do as a divine arts user. If he faithfully carried out those things, wouldn't he eventually reach a perfect ending?
"Teacher!! Is that the secret to your mystical power!!?"
"Pardon?"
As he was thinking, Viola gestured at Andy's cloak—more precisely, at the tree branch sticking out of it.
"That branch! The one you were holding earlier!!"
"Ah, this is just a tree branch."
"What!? Just a branch? Not some noble consecrated branch or anything?"
"No. I picked up something my disciple was playing with."
"And yet you unleash divine power like that!! Teacher, where are you really from!?"
"The capital, Pronas."
"Not the Holy Land? I was in the capital before coming here! But I've never heard of an unregistered divine arts user of Teacher Andrew's caliber!!"
"I was only there during my childhood, and once I was a bit older I immediately set out on pilgrimage."
"I heard people from the Holy Land live on dew alone—is that true!? That they don't even walk on the ground and just fly around—"
"—Please stop saying such frivolous things."
"Ack!"
Bonked on the head by her senior once more, Viola vigorously rubbed the lump.
"But seriously, it's amazing, Teacher!! Using that much power without even an orb!! Aren't you tired?"
"My head hurts a bit, but I'm fine."
"How can someone like this exist…!? …Ah, right!!"
"Yes?"
"If it's just a stick, shall we make one for you!?"
At that moment—tug—Andy felt someone pulling on his clothes from behind.
"That sounds good. Teacher, what do you think?"
"…By stick, do you mean the staff portion?"
"Yes. We'll prepare one that's already undergone the consecration ritual. Or shall we speak to Priest Kabosi? If things go well, we might even be able to give you a complete one with an orb attached."
Tuuug— With Antonio saying so as well, the force pulling on his clothes grew stronger.
"Senior, what's gotten into you!? You never make requests like that! The Teacher must have really won you over!"
"It's a shame for someone with this much power not to have a proper tool."
"That's true!! Someone who's helped us this much deserves a good staff!!!"
Clench— The hand gripping his clothes trembled. The Horizon Sect priests were enthusiastically united in their proposal. Having heard their offer, Andy pondered for a moment before carefully opening his mouth.
"Everyone, thank you so much for your consideration. However—"
But Andy couldn't continue. The priests looking at him raised their gazes higher. Higher than the face of Andy sitting in his chair. On the ground, a human-shaped shadow.
Wondering what was going on, he turned around—and there stood his one and only disciple, rifling through the bag at her waist. With her hood and mask on, her face wasn't visible. She said not a single word, so he couldn't tell what she was thinking.
She simply took something from her bag, set it on Andy's knee with a soft thud, and then walked off. Slowly at first, then quickly. As if wanting to escape this place, she vanished into the depths of the forest.
"That child… is the Teacher's assistant, right?"
"Did she hate all the noise!?"
As the two priests expressed concern at the sight, Andy picked up the object placed on his knee. A long, slender box that might hold a conductor's baton. Decorated with a sky-blue ribbon.
When he carefully opened it, inside was a wooden staff. Its color and luster suggested it had been oiled many times, and a red gem was set into the base—a truly finely carved staff.