135 – symbol-13

“Wake up.”

At Eleanor’s voice, Celia forced her staggering body to stand up.

“Did you hear everything?”

“…yes.”

Nerwen and Farseer woke up and were breathing.

Although he was down, he did not lose consciousness. It was just that I couldn’t move my body.

It was Erinis’ small consideration. Not for them, but for him.

It was because of the slightest malice to feel the pain slowly as he died.

“Ennelel seems to be in there.”

The red sphere absorbed all the demonic energy around it. I couldn’t look inside, but I could guess what was going on inside.

Feeling defeated, Eleanor bit her lip. Even if Celia was caught by her carelessness, Eleanor, Farseer, and Nerwen fought intact.

However, their attacks did not reach at all. The magic that Farseer had managed to wring out somehow faded in an instant, and the bow string that Nerwen pulled with all his might broke off before the arrow had even flown.

At least Eleanor’s sword touched Erinis’ sword, but the goddess of vengeance defeated Eleanor in a matter of seconds.

“What are you guys… thinking?”

There is no odds. There was nothing they could do on their own.

“Let’s sort out the situation. This will probably prevent outside intervention permanently.”

Farseer sighed heavily and tapped the ground with his staff.

“Most of the demons in this cave have disappeared.”

“How was that possible?”

“Although it has rotted away since it lost its owner for so long, the hopes, emotions, and energy that came in here were originally dedicated to God. As long as the owner declared that it would be taken away, the power left here will flow to the legitimate owner.”

Most of the pressure from the demon piercing the skin and the turbid, harsh air disappeared.

All of those magical powers were being used together to create that huge bloody orb.

“How long does it last?”

“I don’t know. If there is an impact from outside or inside, it will diminish. If there is no intervention, consider it permanent. Even if there is intervention, it will at least outlast his lifespan.”

options arose. The option here is to ignore him and go back.

Everyone here has a place to return to. Except for Nerwen, he occupies an important position in his group.

To the extent that taking part in such a far, long journey could be considered a kind of irresponsible act.

Even if they give up here and now, nobody blames them. Enerel, the only one who can be blamed, is imprisoned there.

“Can you come out yourself?”

“Probably… it seems difficult. I’m not sure, but the divine spell contained in this sphere is slowly changing. Rather than impacting from the outside, it’s in the direction of blocking the impact from within.”

“Can you see that too?”

“Divine spells never hide. It’s obvious, but it’s unstoppable and irresistible.”

Farseer took out a few small magic ingredients from his pocket.

“I’ll investigate, but it won’t change. Most of my materials are left in Ceres’s backpack or wagon. But, what are you planning to do? You guys.”

“I’ll save you.”

Eleanor’s eyes did not waver.

“I can’t figure out what’s inside, but if that bloody orb is strengthening in a way that prevents escape, Enerel probably doesn’t want to be in there.”

“Perhaps.”

“For the sake of the empire, I have no choice but to save him…”

“Why?”

“The Empire needs a lineage of warriors. His Majesty the Emperor wanted me to continue with him and give birth to a lineage of heroes, but with that possibility gone, the only way left is to save him…”

Farseer waved his hand.

“No. No matter how much I think about that, it’s strange. The emperor’s lineage is, after all, the bloodline of the previous generation’s warriors. There’s no need to use such a method to maintain protection.”

Eleanor had her doubts.

“It can’t be.”

“Of course, I can’t be confident that I know the technique better than the emperor… but at least the empire probably doesn’t need him.

“I can’t…”

Cracks began to appear in the beliefs she had believed in until now. However, there was no time to calmly grasp the truth of the words.

“He’s already sacrificed himself for the Empire. No matter what situation he’s in, it doesn’t change my opinion. His dedication must be rewarded.”

Eleanor, who had shaken off her lingering feelings, continued her words sternly.

“No matter how long it takes, we must get Enerel back. By all means.”

Assuming Farseer’s words were true, there were countless benefits to her if she turned around now.

The aristocratic snobs who try to make him the emperor’s successor will lose hope, and when she returns, she will be able to consolidate her power again.

The authority of the empire will be strengthened, and the stress that threatens the health of the emperor will be reduced a little.

But I couldn’t. I made a plausible reason to save Enerel, but I didn’t know that this action would harm the empire. If it was her usual, it was a choice that would not even attract attention.

Eleanor first had the idea of saving Enerel in her heart, and then forcibly created a reason for it.

“Nerwen, how are you?”

An elven archer was mending a bowstring that had been cut off by pulling her hair.

“I didn’t know this, but it seems that elves don’t know how to set goals in life.”

“what?”

“Sadly enough, I have only Enerel left. Even if he does not accept me, I will serve him for the rest of my life.”

The conflict between Enerel and the elves of the World Tree was sealed, but that did not mean that Nerwen could not return.

Although they acknowledged Enerel’s sacrifice, they did not acknowledge Nerwen’s deviation. Her aimless wanderings were predestined.

“I know your situation. I won’t resent him if I give up on him. But, I will fight again.”

Despite seeing the overwhelming power of the Goddess of Vengeance, Nerwen’s momentum was not broken.

“That’s right! I can’t give up like this! I, together…”

The words that promised to be happy did not come out of her mouth.

Even the saintess was halfway giving up. At times, I even regretted it.

I thought that if I went on a comfortable trip away from the threat of the devil, one day I would have an opportunity. A chance to atone for the wrongs she had done in the past.

However, his anger ran deep. It didn’t burn like a flame, but every time I saw the face and actions of the warrior party members, I showed rejection.

It may be impossible for the rest of your life. However, there are still opportunities left.

“I’ll try something. There must be a way!”

Celia stood up and clenched her fists. Farseer put a hand on her shoulder.

“No. You stay here, Celia.”

“Why? I want to help Enerel, as do I and everyone else!”

“It’s dangerous. I don’t know how the rules regarding apostasy will apply.”

At Farseer’s words, Nerwen froze.

“Apostasy… apostasy? Why, this is for the Goddess of Vengeance…”

“It was a fact that no one knew, but we found out. The fact that the goddess of vengeance and the goddess of the church you serve are one.”

Most priests, when they formally join the Order, swear to serve God and follow her will.

Divine power does not disappear simply by doing evil things. However, if he had a clear intention and denied the god he served, it would be treated as a violation of the oath and the divine power could disappear.

“that!”

“I think the possibility is small, but I don’t know. Can you accept it even if you become an ordinary person who can’t use divine power?”

Upon being told that she could not use the power of a god, Celia froze for a moment.

She had been conversing with the goddess since a long time ago, from the time when her memories remained.

“That’s…”

To Celia, the goddess was her friend, her parent, and her god.

“So…”

And Celia let her down once. The sad and painful words written in the diary clearly showed what she had done.

“I guess I’ll have to…”

The fact that Celia was using divine power right now was not proof that the gods were with her. Her voice had already been cut off in that old diary.

If so, there was no reason for her to obsess over such trifles now.

“Even if the light of the goddess no longer flows from these hands… the goddess will be watching. My goddess, who is sleeping inside Erinis, will see what I have done.”

“…is it.”

“It’s okay even if I don’t regain my divine power again. From the beginning, I wasn’t enough to wear the title of saintess. From the beginning… maybe it should have been like this.”

After making up her mind, Celia clenched her teeth tightly.

“I don’t know what the goddess of vengeance will say inside… Thanks, Farseer. Thanks to you, I think I’ve got a clue.”

The silver hair of the saintess shone brightly with divine power. Her divine power permeated into the red sphere.

“I’ll try.”