Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: The Last Party Member - 4
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Kaild seemed to sense something was off.
He untied his hands from behind his back and shouted toward the communication orb.
“Serein! Are you listening!”
-......
“You endured and endured, until you finally rebelled against your parents’ pressure. Then the count couple flew into a rage. ‘You are undoubtedly Serein Magnus. The Heavenly God Himself guarantees it!’ they said.”
Serein Magnus?
“Yeah, even your name was taken straight from your dead sister’s. I know that full well. Maide here seems clueless, though.”
-......
“The count couple decided you were insane and abused you. After nearly three years of torture-like mistreatment, you fled your family and sought refuge in a temple.”
Kaild’s tone quickened bit by bit.
“Your parents, having lost two daughters, went completely mad. They believed it was the Heavenly God’s punishment and turned their aimless madness on the territory’s people.”
-......
“To prove their faith, they abused the locals. They forced everyone to abandon their livelihoods and pray to the Heavenly God all day long. The territory gradually fell into poverty and starvation.”
And that’s when Alcahad finally stepped in to investigate.
The emperor saw his chance and gobbled up the land under the pretext that the lord had lost his mind.
Kaild cried out in extreme urgency.
He must have thought I’d try to stop him.
“Serein! As you can see, I know your past inside and out. That’s why I understand your feelings better than anyone!”
“......”
“Your parents showed you off to the priests multiple times a day. The priests sided with your lord parents and declared you mad as well.”
Maybe I should jump in too.
I glanced at the communication orb I’d activated earlier.
The one connected to Jenia, who was with Serein.
“So you hate priests, right? That’s why you want to abolish the priesthood.”
-......
“You pity yourself for hating them yet having no choice but to rely on the temple because of your innate holy power. But do you think Maide understands your pain? Do you think he empathizes?”
-......
“Not a chance! I know what he proposed to you. It’s utterly ridiculous. The proposal itself is an insult to you.”
That’s when I spoke into my communication orb.
“Jenia.”
-Yes, Maide.
“Serein’s right there with you, isn’t she?”
Silence.
Kaild’s mouth, mid-rant, froze.
“Kaild’s giving Serein quite the speech over there. What’s her reaction?”
-Um......
Kaild’s eyes shook.
He realized something had gone wrong.
Soon, Jenia’s voice came through.
No, precisely, it was Serein’s.
-Oh, shut up! I’m prepping the ritual, and you keep distracting me.
Thud.
Something dropped.
It was the communication orb falling from Kaild’s hand.
I chuckled and said,
“Serein. Got anything you want to say to Kaild? I’ll pass it along.”
-Tell him to stop guessing wrong every time. No, tell him why the hell would I hate priests? They’re such valuable assets.
“Exactly. They’re the ones who’ll make you money.”
Kaild asked in a trembling voice.
“Money?”
“Yeah. Money.”
“Then... the proposal you made to Serein really hit the mark?”
“Your intel is no joke. Knowing even that makes you a real pain.”
I scratched my head.
Then grinned.
“Well, it’s all pointless if she doesn’t bite.”
“......”
“Do you really think Serein’s the type to brood over some tragic past?”
“......”
“It’s a long shot, but if the priesthood really gets abolished, all those imperial priests will be out of a job.”
I continued leisurely.
“Abolishing the priesthood means no more potions from them. Holy knights might be versatile with rituals, but potion-making is priest-exclusive. And potions’ uses are as invaluable now as ever.”
“......”
“Serein’s a holy power prodigy, a huge name among priests. The unemployed ones will rally around her.”
Kaild swallowed hard.
“Serein plans to unite the continent’s priests and start a business. Monopolizing high-quality potions to amass a fortune. That’s her endgame.”
Kaild staggered.
From the communication orb, Serein spoke.
-No. Why are you spilling that?
“Eh. Wanted to see Kaild’s face.”
-I’m looking at Jenia’s bug-eyed stare right now?
“She brought it on herself.”
-Anyway, prep’s done. Ready to activate anytime. Just hold out for five minutes.
“Got it.”
I pocketed the orb.
Then turned to Kaild.
“Hurry up and break the seal. They said the grand purification ritual can’t be used if there’s no ‘violation of natural order.’”
“......”
“Using purification for nothing gets you scolded by the Heavenly God.”
“M-Maide. How the hell did you know all that? You’ve barely even met Serein.”
No.
We’ve known each other longer than you think.
I replied lightly.
“Know why Serein hates you?”
“That’s......”
“It’s the expenses.”
“Expenses?”
“Who footed the bill for your party’s quest travel funds?”
Risel, who’d spent 1,500 years as a spirit, obviously had no money.
Offense covered some, but he’d rejoined our party now.
In the end, Serein had handled the funding.
Kaild probably never even considered it.
He placed no value on ‘money.’
It’s useless for becoming a hero, he figured.
That’s why his funds before regression were surprisingly low.
Quest rewards were weapons or elixirs that couldn’t be cashed in immediately.
I said,
“I won’t abolish the priesthood. Told Serein to do whatever she wants about it.”
“......”
“But if she starts a potion business, I promised a huge investment. What I’ve saved so far plus the demon king slayer reward will be massive.”
“......”
“Oh, and I said I’d cover all travel expenses till the journey’s end.”
Which I’d been doing anyway.
Truth be told, this last bit might’ve been the clincher for Serein.
Kaild’s face was rigid as a corpse.
I said,
“Why the long face? Smile. C’mon, smile.”
“......”
“With a mug like that, mourners at your funeral will be embarrassed.”
That’s when it happened.
“Heh.”
“Told you to smile, and you actually do.”
“I knew nothing. Not about Offense, not Risel. And now even Serein.”
“Yeah. Seems that way.”
“You toyed with me again, right over my head. Made me feel pathetic.”
His eyes blazed.
“I can’t be pathetic anymore. I won’t suffer like this again.”
“What’re you on about?”
“Let’s end this. Maide Mohan!”
And the next instant.
Wooooong.
Baharma Mountain rumbled.
Not a metaphor—the mountain itself was rumbling.
He’d broken the seal.
Neril was in the thick of ‘clearing’ the territory folk with Risel.
No time for explanations or permissions.
Swish. Leap.
Neril unleashed magic from Erenica’s tome.
“Toren Brian!”
Formless mana became invisible hands, scooping up the locals.
“Gaaah!”
“W-What? Who’s there!”
“Gods, save us!”
“Huh? Th-The mountain over there?”
Just like the last man shouted, a resonant woooong echoed from the mountain.
The seal was broken.
‘Tch. Mana’s running low.’
Neril muttered, clutching the Withering Jewel.
The jewel glowed, converting vast life force to mana. She felt better.
Flick.
Neril swung her hand, and the mana hands hurled hundreds across the territory.
“Sorom. Novol. Dreara!”
They looked set to splatter, but Risel’s call summoned wind spirits to catch them.
Confirming the locals landed safely, Neril said,
“We make a good team.”
“Ah, y-yes. An honor... no, thank you.”
“You can drop the formalities, y’know? Technically, I should be the one bowing.”
“This feels fine for me.”
“Hmm. Anyway, we gotta do this dozens more times like now. Hurry. Offense’ll handle any we miss.”
Risel nodded, awed that such a massive operation took just a wave or two.
‘In terms of raw power, our party wins hands down. From the start.’
Far off, Adwin soothed the souls of the fallen.
Risel moved to summon spirits again, then noticed Neril staring blankly at Baharma Mountain.
“Worried?”
“Yeah.”
“......”
“No, no. Maide’ll pull through. He always has.”
She shook her head and refocused.
“One more time. Three hundred this round. The authority’s already at the territory gate.”
“Got it.”
Magic and spirits linked once more.
Kaild raised his sword.
I smirked.
“How’re you gonna attack me? Come within ten paces, and you’re in trouble, right? Your fancy ‘intel’ told you that.”
Instead of answering, he unleashed swiftblade.
The same one from our Agril rooftop clash.
Even without the blade touching, its razor winds felled foes beyond range.
“Haat!”
I kicked off with a shout.
But my body, absurdly heavy under the authority, didn’t react in time. I took five full hits across my body.
Urk.
-Bam!
My body flew twenty meters back, slamming into a massive tree.
Crack. The thick trunk splintered.
But I was unscathed.
Pat pat.
I dusted off and stood.
Kaild gasped in shock.
“H-How are you fine?”
“You think I came bare? Neril and Jenia layered me with magic and ritual shields.”
“......”
“Erenica’s secret arts and barrier rituals. Even you can’t pierce this double layer. Guess your magic/ritual nullification doesn’t work on offense?”
Kaild bit his lip.
“Urk.”
“This is my total win. Jenia and Serein are probably starting the purification prayer. Five minutes till the weight lifts—then I’ll smash your skull.”
Kaild trembled.
He stumbled back.
“This can’t be happening. No way!”
“......”
“I can kill you. I must! Just like when I killed Bion Kunze!”
My ears perked at that.
But no time for chit-chat.
Kaild swung his sword with a ferocious aura I’d never seen, pre- or post-regression.
Dozens of times the prior swiftblade—its winds hurtled at me.
‘Quick Dash!’
I poured everything into the skill.
But under authority, Quick Dash was slower than my off-day pace.
“Urgh!”
Twelve winds slammed my body.
Crackle.
The overlaid barrier ritual shattered visibly.
I skidded wildly across the ground.
“Heh. Barrier’s down. But it ain’t over.”
“......”
“Next, that mystery magic.”
Crunch.
Kaild’s arm swelled to human height.
[Hey. Attack him too.]
‘With these sluggish legs, pierce swiftblade to attack? Just tell me to off myself.’
[That bad?]
‘Kaild’s dead serious. That’s dangerous.’
As his arm muscles peaked.
“Die!”
His sword became a colossal fan.
Faster, denser, more powerful than my ‘Massive Slash.’
Instead of dodging each, I stabbed my sword into the ground.
Hid behind it and gritted my teeth.
Pitter-patter. Bam!
Crack.
Even Neril’s magic barrier crumbled. Finally, his pure swiftblade hit my sword.
Clang!
My expensive premium blade shattered.
“Urk.”
I hurriedly switched to the fake hero’s sword.
But in that instant, swiftblade winds battered me eight times.
[You okay!]
‘No.’
Vital spots spared, but my side and calf were torn to the bone.
How much longer?
How much time passed?
Till the jewel reseals, how...
‘Huh?’
Suddenly, my body lightened.
Like my whole body was feathers, ready to float away.
Vitality surged through me.
And right then, Kaild’s swiftblade ended.
“Damn! Not yet. Not over!”
“No. It is.”
Leap!
‘Quick Dash!’
The gap between me and Kaild closed in a flash.
Normally, he’d match my speed and retreat.
But panic-slowed Kaild faltered—and that made all the difference.
Thirty paces.
Twenty.
Fifteen.
Ten!
‘Trail!’
[Got it!]
[Used Eye of Omniscience.]
[Current Eye of Omniscience level is 3. Viewable secret rank: B-rank.]
[Selected condition: ‘Secret between Arald Mohan and Dian Mohan.’]
[Secret rank: D-rank. View?]