The Divine Trial (3)
The Divine Trial (3)
I subtly avoided Fabian's gaze.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"It's mixed. And quite blatantly at that. If you go around reeking like that, won't everyone else know too?"
"...If it's other people."
"People like me. Hmm... Dwayne? Arpina would notice too..."
Fabian folded his fingers one by one. Both hands ended up folded.
"...It's more than I can count on my hands, you know?"
"Oh, damn it!"
This is why sharp-eyed bastards are a problem!
I slid my body into the bath. I watched Fabian's reaction as the water bubbled. The handsome man who met my eyes let out a puff of laughter. He splashed water at me.
"I thought you must have some hidden trump card, since you came in so openly. Don't tell me you really have nothing?"
"......"
I do have something.
Running wild with Surtr.
My body's condition is almost fully recovered too. But could I take down Fabian with the Demon Sword Surtr?
When I can't even draw out 10% of Levateinn's output?
...No way.
Yeah. Absolutely no way.
I'd been mistaken from the start. I had put too much blind faith in one of the phrases inscribed in the Twisted Sacred Power: "It is not detected by standard Sacred Power detectors."
Even I make mistakes sometimes. Yes, indeed.
But that one mistake might actually get me killed.
"...What are you going to do with me?"
"Well. What should I do."
Fabian spoke leisurely.
"First, I'd like to know what you're mixed with."
"......"
Answer carefully, Zahard.
Don't make things worse.
"...When I fought the Snow Demon, I got drenched in an enormous amount of blood."
"That was a demon?"
"Excuse me?"
"No. Just talking to myself. Anyway, you're saying it mixed with that?"
"Other than that, not really..."
Surely he can't see the traces of Naga?
"Give me your hand?"
I meekly held out my hand. He examined my Sacred Mark this way and that.
"It'll sting."
Fire ignited on Fabian's hand.
"Ugh."
The flame seared my Sacred Mark. It hurt for a moment, but soon it was nothing. Fabian crossed his arms as the flame vanished and the Sacred Mark gleamed.
"Can't identify it... but Ra's Sacred Mark still activates properly... even mixed, the god's power remains... if it were demonic encroachment, Ra would surely have departed, and since that didn't happen..."
Fabian shrugged.
"Well, no problem, then."
"...Really?!"
"Yeah. Well. Want to try invoking a Holy Art?"
I summoned the Sacred Flame.
"The fact that the Holy Art works properly means your Sacred Power flows well. I wondered if your body had been corrupted by a demon, but that doesn't seem to be the case... your faith still seems intact... there shouldn't be any major problem. Probably?"
"Phew."
"But even so, there will be plenty of people who suspect you. Dimona didn't notice?"
"She didn't seem to care?"
"Is that so? Well, even if Dimona is doing well, she still has a ways to go before reaching this level."
Fabian leaned in.
"So as of now, I'm the only one who knows about this?"
"...That's right?"
"Want me to hide it?"
"...Really?"
"Of course. I'm an Apostle. The most successful of Ra's sons, they say."
Fabian grinned. He raised his hand and placed it on my Sacred Mark.
Another stinging sensation passed. When he pulled his hand away, nothing seemed to have changed outwardly.
I clenched and unclenched my hand. It didn't feel like anything had changed. What is it?
"Is it done?"
"Yeah. As long as you don't draw up too much Sacred Power, you won't be found out. It's a simple trick, so don't rely on it too much."
"...Why are you helping me?"
"Because you look interesting?"
Fabian stood up.
"The Church these days is too quiet. It just wants to hole up quietly at home like a little rat. That's too boring, isn't it?"
"......"
"In the old days, we didn't care about the Empire's opinion. Rather, the Empire cared about ours. We were the Empire, and the Empire was us."
Sacred Flame rose from Fabian's body. The quietly burning flame evaporated all the moisture in an instant, then vanished with a swish.
"But now it's different. We've fallen to the bottom."
"...What do you want?"
"Everything."
He murmured.
"I want everything."
Silence settled over us.
Fabian looked back at me. The heavy silence vanished in an instant.
He grinned goofily. He tapped my forehead as I sat in the bath.
"Whistleblower Zahard, apprentice priest. I like the change you've stirred up. Because it's a good thing for this rotten Church to be shaken."
"My shoulders suddenly feel heavy."
"Even if they get heavy, endure it. That's a gift I gave you for that purpose. I'll look forward to you showing me many things. See you at the Divine Trial, righteous apprentice priest."
He winked. He opened the door and left.
"F-Fabian?! Why are you coming out of the bath... Kyaaa! Naked?!"
"I washed, so of course I'm naked."
I leaned back in the bath. He was exactly the Fabian I knew.
Arrogant and overbearing. Someone who acts however he wants, without caring what others think.
But at the same time, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was twisted.
I mustn't let my guard down. Whatever happens, I'll use him if I can, but I'll never be the one used!
First...
I'll make good use of the gift. Apostle of Ra.
. . .
"...You met Apostle Fabian?"
Dimona inspected my body thoroughly.
"Did you get hit anywhere? Are you hurt?"
"Would an Apostle beat up a priest?"
"He's the type who'd do that and more. He's unpredictable. I thought you'd have gotten hit at least once, since you have no manners... but you look better than I expected."
"What do you take me for?"
Dimona glared at me.
"Now that we're at eye level, you seem to be getting less and less polite."
"If we're at eye level, is there any need for formality?"
"That's true, but somehow I don't like it."
"What does it matter?"
I chuckled.
"We're friends."
"...Friends?"
"Aren't we?"
Dimona looked at me with cold, narrowed eyes.
"You're just a kid, what..."
"I only look like this on the outside. I'm actually quite old, you know?"
"You're sixteen."
"Only physically."
"Mentally, I'm a grandmother."
"I figured as much."
"Why are you so annoying?!"
Dimona shoved my back.
"Go in and rest. I have official duties to handle, so I'll be a bit busy."
"Play with me a little more."
"I said I'm busy."
"If I go with you, Divine Judge, I could probably see the outside too... I'm really curious about the Church headquarters."
There are things I need to quietly scope out. Like the location of hidden Sacred Relics.
I clasped my hands together. My eyes sparkled.
"May I ask a favor, holy and great Divine Judge Dimona?"
"Hmmm..."
Dimona beamed.
"No."
Bang!
I was locked in the room. What a cold-hearted woman.
An isolated room without a single window. On top of that, it was at the end of the hallway, so I'd have to pass several rooms to escape.
It was called a room, but it was no different from a prison. Still, at least there's a bed. I climbed onto the chair.
"...Hah."
Comfortable. After washing, eating, and making it back to my room, it felt like paradise. The trial would begin three days from now.
I just have to wait here until then. Dimona handles the small stuff, and all the evidence has already been secured.
There probably won't be any unexpected developments.
It's rare free time. I could enjoy it if I wanted, but I had something to do.
"Hey."
【......】
"I know you can hear everything, you know?"
【......】
"So you're not going to answer?"
I tapped the earring. Spear of Light Brionac. A weapon transformed into an earring via Shape Transformation.
Normally, it would simply be a Sacred Relic. But this one had been aged inside Vagueness's stomach for a very long time.
Losing its value as a Sacred Relic would be natural. But despite that, Brionac had been trapped inside the monster's stomach without losing its light.
How?
The reason is simple. Because its former owner had continued to protect it.
No. "Protect" isn't the right word.
"Made it into a new body" would be more accurate.
"Saintess Beatrice."
The earring flinched.
"I know you're in there."
The earring trembled. The trembling was faint. But I heard it clearly.
【...Hup.】
A short, sharp intake of breath. A voice that could never naturally occur in this solitary room rang out.
"It's just us now, so why don't you talk?"
【......】
"If you keep up the silence, there's only one thing I can do."
【......】
Saintess Beatrice. One of the strongest Saintesses who fought against Vagueness despite the Church's dissuasion.
I had encountered her several times in the game. The divine spear Brionac appears on its own even if the protagonist doesn't try to claim it.
Because one of the Sun God's priests who revered her subjugates Vagueness.
Well, that's not what matters. What matters is that I know her, and I know what she hates most.
I conjured the Sacred Flame with a snap. It wasn't difficult. A light flick of the finger was enough.
A bright flame. A red Holy Art flickered at my fingertips.
"You know, don't you? What kind of power is inside my body."
【......】
"So watch closely."
I raised my Sacred Power. Shadows began to cling to the tip of the Sacred Flame.
I whispered.
"How Ra's flame, which you love so much... gets corrupted."
Slither, slither.
The shadow clinging to the tip of the flame began to crawl upward little by little. The earring, which had been still as death, writhed violently.
【...How dare...!】
The earring spat blood. The voice rang out thunderously.
【...How dare you, a believer of Ra, try to defile Ra's flame with darkness!!】
"See? You could talk all along, so why didn't you?"
【I have nothing to say to a turncoat!】
"A turncoat, huh. That hurts my feelings."
I stretched the shadow Sacred Power further. Half of the sacred flame was consumed by darkness.
【No! Stop it! Th-this is blasphemy! Can't you stop that vile act right now?!】
"Was I wrong?"
【I said stop! How can you still call yourself a priest of Ra after this...!】
"Ah."
I whispered.
"Not enough?"
The shadow seized and swallowed the flame in an instant. The earring foamed.
【Aaaaah!! Put out that filthy fire right now! Just looking at it makes my whole body crawl!】
"If that's how it is."
I extinguished the fire. The earring gasped for breath.
【I have nothing to discuss with you!】
"Oh, really?"
Look at her getting all bold again now that the flame is gone. But so what.
The night was long, and there was plenty of time.
Beatrice, who despised blasphemy above all else. The paragon of Saintesses, and someone also called a fanatic crazed for Ra.
She was a woman who revered the flame more than anyone. She was so obsessed with Ra's flame that some even called her an arsonist.
I grinned. I conjured flames on all ten fingers.
"Well then... I have nothing to say either."
【Y-you wouldn't.】
"Heh heh. Let's see."
I slowly grew the shadow Sacred Power.
"After how many will Saintess Beatrice feel like talking with me?"
【Aaaaaaaaaah!!】
The flames darkened with shadow and went out again and again. Beatrice's screams were quite pleasant to hear.
A young girl's scream...
I can't resist!