Chapter 125
Chapter 125
In the Holy Kingdom, there were several places called sanctuaries.
The Sacred Lake was one of them. Though it was not very large, every single drop of water that formed the lake was imbued with a dense concentration of holy power.
According to the original work’s description, it was said that deep within this lake lay the buried remains of someone who had once been called a Holy Son.
It was a slightly unsettling story to me, but there was no place more suitable than this one to recharge the power of Excalibur.
“Hey.”
“…‘Hey’ isn’t very nice, you know. I properly have a name. It’s Sylvia.”
And now, I was standing at the edge of the Sacred Lake together with Saintess Sylvia.
“Got it, Crybaby Saintess.”
“…….”
At those words, Sylvia shot me a glare. Having burst into tears in front of Alice and the others yesterday, she seemed quite embarrassed about it.
Alice had already heard a rough explanation of the Saintess’s personality from me.
But she apparently never imagined that being pushed just this much would make her cry on the spot, and she looked at me with a flustered expression. Then she even wrapped Sylvia in her arms and gently patted her back.
Thanks to that, the atmosphere eased and the situation was settled for the time being, but since I had originally planned to tease her a bit more, I felt slightly regretful.
Wasn’t Paladin Aion the only one who got hurt for nothing?
He was a rising star of the Holy Kingdom, after all. People like that were meant to grow by rolling through thorny paths.
Of course, this time the thorns must have stung a little more.
Anyway, because of those events, the Holy Palace had been in quite an uproar yesterday.
Ostia—no, Leios, the Third Imperial Prince—was a Hero.
And just one day after entering the palace, he had beaten Paladin Aion into a pulp and, all alone, stood against the Holy Kingdom’s Holy Knights.
The Holy King tried his utmost to conceal those facts. That was why everyone present had been made to sign a mana contract. Even Imperial Princes Carius and Darius were no exception.
It was said that the contract would remain in effect until the Holy Kingdom or the Empire officially announced that I was a Hero.
Fortunately, the commotion involving the Saintess was a clash within the Holy Kingdom itself, so by order of the Holy King, the mouths of the Holy Knights could be sealed.
Of course, it would eventually be revealed through hidden informants, but at least while I was in the Holy Kingdom, it would likely remain quiet.
‘When I return to the Empire, I’ll have to meet the Emperor right away and get our stories straight.’
What kind of expression would he make when he heard that his son was a Hero destined to save the continent?
Naturally, I would have to explain the circumstances, but changing the order a little shouldn’t be a problem.
“…What are you thinking about so deeply?”
“Ah, my apologies. The scenery was so beautiful that I lost myself for a moment.”
As I gazed at the lake emitting a pure white light, it felt as though my complicated thoughts were being neatly整理—no, being neatly cleared away. Just as I was briefly lost in contemplation, her voice from beside me finally pulled my mind back to reality.
“May I ask you just one thing?”
Sylvia asked me carefully. When I nodded for her to go on, she opened her mouth, her eyes filled with curiosity.
“What exactly is your true identity?”
“My identity?”
“Yes. I heard that you are an Imperial Prince, and the two representatives who came with you are as well. But……”
“You mean I’m different from my brothers somehow?”
“Yes. No matter how much of a Holy Knight someone is—born with the Goddess’s blessing and outstanding talent—there has never been anyone who reached such a realm at your age. And Paladin Aion is among the very strongest even in the Holy Kingdom, yet…….”
“My bloodline is exceptionally noble, you see. Let’s just say I received many blessings from my ancestors.”
“…If we’re talking like that, I’m not exactly lacking either.”
“This side is of the direct imperial line, and you’re comparing that to merely royal blood?”
When I pressed the difference in status, Sylvia seemed to have nothing to say. There was a brief pause in the conversation, and then she changed the subject.
“Watching you fight yesterday made something come to mind.”
“That?”
“The Martyr’s Path.”
“…Ah, right. There was something like that.”
The Martyr’s Path.
It wasn’t very important, so I had briefly forgotten about it.
Despite its grand name, the Martyr’s Path was in reality a ritual where one sparred in turn against fifty Holy Knights.
If one achieved victory in all fifty matches, the winner was granted the right to make a single demand of the Holy Kingdom.
From asking for a sacred relic—one of the Holy Kingdom’s treasures—to requesting their direct support. At a glance, it was practically a blank check, but if one suffered even a single loss, the position reversed, making it a double-edged sword.
“It was said that one of the Hero’s companions did it several hundred years ago.”
“Yes, I’ve read that record too. …That isn’t a story well known to the public, though. You know it quite well?”
“I’m fairly well-read. This may surprise you, but I’m the Academy Top Student.”
“…That just makes me even more curious about who you really are.”
To that, I replied with a grin.
“Knowing too much can get you hurt.”
Then I summoned Excalibur.
As things stood, I already held a favorable position within the Holy Kingdom. Even without doing something as complicated as the Martyr’s Path, I could obtain what I wanted easily—and in fact, I already had.
Woooong.
Light gathered in my palm as Excalibur was summoned. To awaken River, I poured my will into it and spoke to her in my mind.
‘River.’
[Yes, Master. I was watching.]
‘So I just throw you into the lake like this?’
[Rather than placing me in it, please throw me into the very center of the lake. That’s where the concentration of holy power is the densest.]
‘I see.’
Sylvia, who was standing right beside me, let out an exclamation of admiration at Excalibur’s form. Her desire to touch it was written all over her face, but I shook my head and spoke.
“There’ll be plenty of time to admire it later. Ah, but it seems this one doesn’t like you very much.”
“So it really is true that Excalibur is an ego sword with a personality! …But why does it dislike me?”
“It gets quite a lot of love from me. Do you think it would like someone who gets in the way of its owner?”
“…….”
At my words, Sylvia’s face drooped. Letting out a small laugh at her reaction, I lifted Excalibur and threw it straight into the middle of the lake.
“Aah!”
A grand splash erupted as Excalibur descended straight toward the bottomless abyss of the lake. Seeing that, Sylvia hurriedly grabbed my sleeve with an anxious expression.
“W-Why did you throw it? This lake is incredibly deep! No matter who you are, going all the way down there is—!”
“It’s fine. Excalibur and I are bound by our souls. If I want it, it’ll return to my hand.”
“…Is that so.”
Once I explained the situation, Sylvia finally nodded with a relieved expression.
Paaaat—!
Soon, auspicious light began to pour forth from the spot where Excalibur had entered.
At that, Sylvia took off her shoes, sat on a rock touching the edge of the lake, and dipped her feet into the water.
“You shouldn’t just restore Excalibur—go into the water yourself as well. If you immerse your body in the Sacred Lake, your physical abilities improve.”
“Of course. That was my intention.”
It was an effect I already knew about. So I stepped forward without hesitation.
Ideally, I would have liked to strip off my clothes and swim around, but Sylvia was watching.
If she accused me of harassing her to the Holy King, that would be more trouble than it was worth, so I intended to go in fully clothed.
I could just dry them לחל—no, with magic afterward.
I would have stepped forward if not for the status window that appeared before my eyes just one step away.
[SYSTEM: ‘Warning’]
[SYSTEM: Upon contact with the Sacred Lake, the link with the demonic sword Tyrfing may be lost.]
“…Tsk.”
This was something that hadn’t existed in the original work. Naturally so—Leios had never come anywhere near the Sacred Lake, so there was no way to anticipate this.
Strengthening my body by immersing myself in the lake was fine, but losing my link with Tyrfing was unacceptable. If the link were severed while her consciousness was unstable, there was no telling what might happen.
‘My body has already reached the pinnacle after attaining the realm of Sword Master. Let’s not get greedy.’
“Aren’t you going in?”
Sylvia tilted her head as she looked at me standing just one step away from the lake. I shrugged and replied.
“Thinking about it, there’s no need to force a change when I already have a perfected body.”
“…Well, if that’s how you feel.”
It was an excuse I had given after some serious thought, but she responded with an incredulous, indifferent expression. Then, with an attitude of not particularly caring either way, she lightly moved her foot and spoke.
“That figures. The exchange event with the Vatican Academy starts the day after tomorrow. Why, did you want to go there?”
“…Not really.”
She said that, but she looked like she secretly hoped otherwise. I had already decided to go out with my companions tomorrow, and I figured she’d like it if she tagged along as well.
“Oh, the light stopped.”
The light pouring out of the lake faded away. That was proof that Excalibur had recovered enough holy power.
When I lightly pulled my hand, the surface of the lake began to churn, and Excalibur, which had sunk deep below, shot upward and returned to my palm.
“The radiance looks even clearer than before.”
“Yeah.”
Not just the radiance—the sensation flowing through my hand was on a completely different level from before.
[Master, most of the power that was lost has been restored.]
River’s voice echoed in my head, clearer than ever, unlike her usual drowsy tone. On top of that, she even hummed cheerfully, as if in a good mood.
“Then are you finished with your business?”
“Yeah.”
At my words, Sylvia shook the water from her feet and put her shoes back on. Watching her do so, something I had forgotten suddenly came to mind.
“Blessing of Invisibility.”
“Yes?”
“No, it’s just that I forgot something. Just a moment…….”
I immediately took the Blessing of Invisibility out of my subspace pouch.
“That is…….”
Seeing the transparent, fluttering undergarment I took out and realizing it was no ordinary item, Sylvia’s eyes narrowed. Holding it, I hesitated briefly, then slowly placed the Blessing of Invisibility on the surface of the lake.
“…….”
But no matter how long I waited, nothing happened. At the very least, I had expected a status window to appear like when I tried to immerse myself.
However, after a short delay, the lake began to churn violently.
Uuuuuuuung.
The surface of the lake slowly writhed. Soon, the flow changed with the Blessing of Invisibility at its center, and the auspicious light dwelling in the lake was absorbed into the transparent undergarment.
At the same time, the status window I had been waiting for finally appeared before my eyes.
[SYSTEM: ‘Blessing of Invisibility’ is being activated.]
Only after absorbing every last bit of holy power shimmering in the Sacred Lake did the Blessing of Invisibility seem satisfied, floating back up to the surface.
Carefully lifting it so that no water touched my skin, the restored Blessing of Invisibility status window appeared before my eyes.
[Blessing of Invisibility]
Armor made from the scales of a Transparent Dragon.
Negates one instance of instant-death damage inflicted on the wearer.
Cooldown: 1/1
“…Woohoo.”
The Blessing of Invisibility, which granted an extra life, had returned to its original state. This was an unexpected gain. Any kind of insurance was welcome.
“Th-That thing… what exactly is it?”
Keeping a cautious distance from me, Sylvia asked in a trembling voice. It was only natural—she must have felt uneasy about something that had absorbed all the holy power of the Sacred Lake.
Grinning, I repeated the same words once more.
“Knowing too much can get you hurt.”
After finishing my business, I returned to the Holy Palace together with Sylvia, my steps light.
Not only had I restored Excalibur at the Sacred Lake, but I had also activated the Blessing of Invisibility. That alone made this journey to the Holy Kingdom more than worthwhile.
“……?”
However, upon arriving at the Holy Palace, I could sense that the atmosphere inside was extremely unsettled. Sylvia, too, wore a face that suggested she had no idea what was going on.
Had something bad happened?
With a sinking feeling, I returned to my quarters, but my companions were nowhere to be seen.
Just as I was about to ask a servant wandering the palace about the situation and move on, I barely managed to spot a familiar girl.
“Ah, Alice. Where did everyone go—?”
“Ostia…….”
With tear stains clearly visible, she clung to me the moment she saw me. My heart dropped at the sight.
“Petra, Petra unni, she…….”
She immediately took my hand and led me toward the Holy Palace infirmary.
In one corner, familiar faces were gathered around someone lying on a bed. A clergyman in priestly robes, who seemed to have just finished an examination, spoke to us with a reassuring expression.
“She was temporarily weakened after being struck by a weakening curse. The curse has been lifted, so if she drinks holy water and rests for about a day, she’ll be fine.”
“Hoo…….”
At those words, everyone let out a sigh of relief. As I approached the bed to ask what had happened, I saw Petra lying there with her eyes closed, her complexion pale.
The others chattered on about how fortunate it was that nothing serious had happened, but unfortunately, I couldn’t share in their relief.
Because—
[Curse – Laplace’s Reversal]
Target: Petra von Leipzig
If the curse is not lifted within 48 hours, the target’s life will be inverted, leading to death.
The curse strangling her neck had not been lifted yet.