Saint Marygold (9)
18.
Screams erupted from the crowd.
"To think the black-armored knight was Beth Wayne!"
"My money... my money...!"
Lancel's master, Beth Wayne, was unequivocally a madman. A lunatic born solely for battle.
—That bastard's got a killer swing!
Watching Beth Wayne, soaked in blood and roaring with laughter amid the enemy lines, even allies felt intimidated.
A knight born only for combat. The empire's greatest swordsman, Beth Wayne. Lancel's longtime master.
"Lancel Dante. Let me apologize in advance. I can't control my strength very well. I've got this chronic condition where my body itches if I don't fight savagely."
Earthshaking Aura
The ground trembled around Beth Wayne.
"Conveniently, I've got permission to kill you. Looks like you've really gotten under someone's skin."
"Does the person in question's permission not matter?"
"As if."
He approached, dragging his bastard sword across the ground with one hand.
"Stopping me and surviving is your choice too."
-Ground Shatters!
Beth Wayne's foot slammed down.
Power concentrated into his forefoot from thighs swollen like they might burst.
The hard dirt cracked, kicking up the gravel beneath.
"Grraaah!"
A suppressed shout leaked from his leaping mouth.
Beth Wayne's frenzied eyes rushed right before Lancel's nose.
"Take this, Lancel Dante!"
"...!"
His reflexes alone reacted to the blade tearing through the air.
Lancel parried the bastard sword with his angled blade.
Sparks Fly!
Sparks exploded, blinding his vision. His grip tore, blood spraying.
The shock traveled from arm to shoulder, spine, to knees. His raw power wasn't human. A monster.
The reason Lancel chose him as master wasn't grand. He was strong. Probably the strongest swordsman on the continent.
Blade Twists!
As Lancel deflected the impact, his blade twisted at a cunning angle.
The tip perfectly aimed at Beth Wayne's shoulder.
"Offense and defense as one—impressive!"
Any normal opponent would dodge back.
But Beth Wayne did the opposite.
He deliberately let the blade graze his shoulder.
Even a blunted tourney weapon left a mark, but he showed no hesitation.
"Heh heh, stings just right."
Gripping his hilt, Beth Wayne swung upward in a diagonal slash that Lancel couldn't dodge.
-Deep Wound!
The bastard sword sprayed blood as it passed. A long gash from chest to shoulder.
"Now you're just like me."
"... "
Lancel stared at his wound in disbelief. It matched Beth Wayne's almost exactly.
'Still the same madman, Master.'
Yeah. Rather than dodging, Beth Wayne chose mutual hits.
When Lancel once asked how he survived battlefields doing this like breathing, his answer was legendary.
—They told me to die, but no one could kill me. That's it.
A knight devoid of fear. That was Beth Wayne.
"As expected of my disciple—you've got the skill to shatter your master's pride, Lancel Dante. Damn! I like you now! I'll go all out and give you an honorable death."
"... "
Beth Wayne grinned at Lancel's impassive face.
"I like it. Really like it. Especially that you don't fear death."
He sensed a kindred spirit.
Lancel wanted to deny it. If he had only one life, he'd fear death too.
"Here I come, Lancel Dante!"
Blades clashed endlessly, roars echoing.
Each clash added a wound to their bodies. A war of attrition.
"Amazing. Such skill at your young age. Makes me curious who taught you."
'You did.'
Shockwave!
The vibrating blade sent shock through his body. Damage accumulating.
'At this rate, max three minutes.'
Even with experience, his twenty-year-old body had limits.
Mana, muscles, stamina—all novice knight level, unripe.
Compared to Beth Wayne's decades of war-hardened life, he was a minnow.
"What's wrong? You're slowing! Is that all?!"
Proof: Beth Wayne wasn't slowing—he was warming up, flying fiercer.
"Don't kill my buzz! Make it fun! Come on! Please!"
Blood-drenched surroundings gleamed through sand dust.
Knees Buckle!
Parrying a merciless swing, Lancel staggered back, knees weakening, muscles twitching.
The limit.
"That's it then. Don't be sad, Lancel Dante! Knights dying in the arena are honored by imperial law—their names live on!"
Lancel smacked his lips.
'Wonder if dying now's okay.'
Probably. With Marygold's momentum, 200 churches would happen. Maybe.
If not... restart from scratch.
"If I die, send some bounty to my family?"
"Fun guy. Deal. I'll push for it."
"You're a good man."
"...Really a shame to kill. If not for my lord's orders, I'd spare you and make you even more fun."
Lancel met the sighing, approaching Beth Wayne with half-lidded eyes.
That was when it started.
An unknown power slowly welled up inside him.
* * *
Amid the crowd's gasps.
"Aaaah! Eek!"
Baron Ivil Shen screamed nonstop.
Seeing the two slowly bloodied in the arena, he couldn't sit still.
Marygold clasped her hands anxiously.
"H-how's it going? Is the Saint okay?"
"What do we do, Miss Mary? Lancel's losing!"
"What?"
"He'll lose like this. Or..."
Baron Ivil Shen's voice trembled.
"He might die here."
"... "
Marygold froze, mouth agape. Die?
"Why'd missing Beth Wayne show up... Even Lancel can't handle that monster... That psycho kills in practice..."
Fear and despair laced his words. Marygold instinctively knew it wasn't baseless.
Lancel Dante dies?
For a moment, the world sounds faded. Silence filled her dark world.
Dies. Lancel Dante. Dies before her.
"Haa... haa..."
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Breath quickened.
Heart pounded relentlessly.
Lancel Dante's death. In those words, though never experienced, a massive trauma surged.
'He dies, the Saint, dies. Lancel.'
Thump.
—Lancel.
Thump.
—Master.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Memory fragments swirled in her mind.
—My... secret... Marygold... we'll meet again...
—I'll... find you... and...
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Memories stopped there. Her head boiled, lightning flashing. Fragments scattered like sand.
Why Lancel was in her memories, she didn't know. Scattered, unrelated pieces. He was always in the same place, different forms.
But one thing she knew.
Marygold didn't want to lose him.
'Don't die.'
She clasped hands pale-drained.
Light slowly emanated from Marygold's body.
"M-Miss Mary?"
* * *
"Mm."
Accumulated fatigue receded from his body. Shaking limbs regained strength.
"This is killer."
Lancel felt euphoric liberation, like ascending to heaven.
The world bathed in light.
"...You...?"
Only then did Lancel see Beth Wayne's shocked face staring at him.
Marygold has awakened holy power.
Mastered Beginner White Magic.
※ White Magic Beginner - Blessing - Wing of Angel activated.
All abilities of the target increased 1.5x for 5 minutes.
Seeing the message, Lancel realized his state.
Gigantic wing-shaped light sprouted from his back, reaching the sky.
For seconds the effect lasted, no one breathed.
'You're amazing, Marygold.'
Before fully restored Lancel stood only slack-jawed Beth Wayne.
"Another boiling hot one besides me?"
He must've looked like massive heat poured from Lancel.
"I run hot."
Lancel raised his sword, growling.
"Come on. I can fight more. Not long—about five minutes."
"Five minutes... then it's over if I wait?"
"You gonna?"
"No way!"
They clashed again.
Shockwave Chain!
Unbelievable roar from blade clash. Unbelievable shockwaves swept dust outward.
Seeing bluish light on Lancel's sword, Beth Wayne's face twitched.
"You, that..."
"All thanks to the Saint."
Lancel advanced. Radiant glow bloomed, illuminating his path.
Beth Wayne felt pressure. Like a colossal being approached.
Step by step, air compressed, crushing him.
A feeling he'd never known.
"...Should've gone to church more."
"Welcome, brother."
Blades collided.
Sword Flies!
Beth Wayne's hilt flew from his hand, embedding far away.
"... "
Coming to, Lancel's blade tip at his throat.
One moment's emotional waver led to defeat. Beth Wayne looked incredulous.
Weaponless, the fight was decided.
"Winner... La, Lancel... Dan... te..."
※ White Magic, Wing of Angel effect ends.
Lancel felt the thread holding his mind snap, collapsing.
That day, Lancel's name exploded across the empire.
New empire's greatest swordsman. The Saint's great knight. One blessed by god.
-Lancel Dante of the Saint Church!
All spectators who witnessed the miracle couldn't contain their excitement.
19.
After that day.
Lancel lay bedridden, eyes on the system alert overlaying his vision.
—Marygold's church dismantled: 1
—Marygold's church dismantled: 2
—Marygold's church dismantled: 3
…
—Marygold's church dismantled: 16
※ Karma rises by the number of dismantled churches.
Churches vanishing.
Instead of reaching 200, down to 130 overnight.
'Faster than expected.'
The pilgrimage group's poison had flared.
But fine. He'd anticipated this.
As the fourth prince said.
The pilgrimage church was essential to empire and royals; the new Saint church didn't fit as replacement.
Lancel thought of the one behind it all, smacking his lips bitterly.
'Your Highness. Chose hegemony again?'
He knew why she backed the pilgrimage group, fetched Beth Wayne to block his win.
But that was that, this was this.
Lancel planned to open Marygold's eyes. Remove the veil before her to advance. No room for old ties.
"Deliver these to their respective spots."
"What's this?"
"This?"
The thief guild master eyed curiously; Lancel pondered.
"Hm."
What to call it.
Finally, one word.
"Wills."