Impressive, Truly Impressive (2)
Holy power is an unfair force.
No one truly knows how one acquires it, or how to train to become stronger with it.
Most priests simply "awaken" holy power one day, becoming priests naturally.
Some awaken it through deep faith, but on the other hand, there have been cases where even those with no faith at all were imbued with holy power.
Thus, holy power, while called a "blessing of the goddesses," was also regarded as a mysterious, unknowable force.
The temples wrapped it in doctrine, emphasizing "true faith," but that too was only speculation.
It was common for someone to live a life of sincere devotion and yet never see any increase in holy power, while those with great power were usually just naturally gifted.
There were rare cases where people gradually grew their holy power through a life of faith and good deeds, but they were truly few and far between.
However, one thing was certain.
Once acquired, holy power never disappeared.
Even priests who were excommunicated, even heretics, never lost their holy power.
That's why what happened to Lionel—his holy power vanishing completely—was unprecedented.
That was why even Iraniel was shocked. Even in all her long years, she had never heard of such a thing.
"Are you saying your holy power is truly gone?"
Lionel, eyes brimming with tears, nodded.
"Yes... my holy power is gone. No matter how much I pray, no matter how hard I try to summon it, I feel nothing."
Lionel felt like he was going mad. He couldn't believe the holy power he had wielded so naturally, like breathing, was now gone.
But he had a vague idea.
'It, it must be because of that low-ranking priestess!'
When Deneb had unleashed that overwhelming holy power, Lionel had been entranced by its radiance.
And at that moment, he had felt his holy power vanish. No—more precisely, it felt like it was being pulled into Deneb's body.
Since then, Lionel's holy power had been completely empty. He could no longer feel it.
"Ugh-heo-heoooh... Grand Chieftain! Have I been abandoned by the goddesses? What did I do wrong?! I only fought to help the elves and healed you!"
To Lionel's wail, Iraniel let out a quiet sigh.
"Haa..."
The man before her seemed stubborn, but he didn't seem evil at heart. After all, he had risked his life to fight darkness for the elves.
Such a person had no reason to be abandoned by the goddesses.
No—being abandoned by the goddesses wouldn't even make sense as a concept. If that were possible, many priests who had committed heinous acts would have lost their power already.
Even Iraniel, with all her years of experience, had no explanation for this.
"For now... take some rest and let us look into it slowly. It might have something to do with that collapsed priest."
"Kkhhhhhh..."
Lionel wept. The idea that he had been abandoned by the goddesses was unbearably sad. Not knowing why made it even worse.
Just then, as Iraniel watched him with pity, a group of soldiers came running over, out of breath.
"A-are you all right?"
They had been sent by the mayor of the trade city, alerted by the Yulian mercenaries. Only about 500 soldiers had arrived.
No matter how urgent the situation, the mayor could not mobilize the city's entire army. His authority was limited to maintaining public order.
Still, unwilling to ignore the crisis, the mayor had quickly informed the local lord and sent a reconnaissance force to confirm the facts.
The numbers were too small to help in any real battle, but Iraniel didn't blame them. She understood well the complexities and limitations of human command structures.
Iraniel spoke to the commander of the soldiers.
"We are grateful for your help. But the battle is over, so there is no need to worry further."
"O-oh, that's a relief. We were worried we were too late..."
"It's fine. Your intent is enough. But please, contact the kingdom as soon as possible. The Salvation Church has begun to move."
At those words, the commander gulped.
He had heard that orcs and dark mages had attacked. But the Salvation Church too?
If what she said was true, then this wasn't just a simple raid. It was the beginning of a malevolent threat to the entire continent.
And there was no way the noble Grand Chieftain would lie.
The commander immediately saluted and said,
"I will relay your words with utmost urgency."
The city's troops then returned. Judging by their quickened steps and anxious expressions, the soldiers had overheard the conversation.
Not long after, the battlefield cleanup was mostly done.
There was no capacity to deal with the countless orc corpses, so they focused on rescuing the wounded.
With time, those bodies would become fertilizer for the forest.
But Deneb remained unconscious for days afterward.
The elves stayed by her side, quietly waiting for her to awaken.
Time passed—fifteen days, in fact.
And finally, Deneb opened her eyes.
The elf guarding her side ran to spread the news. People quickly gathered around her.
The first to arrive was Ghislain, who smiled upon seeing her.
"Hey there, Saintess. You're finally up. How are you feeling?"
Yulian, Kyle, and the other mercenaries also spoke to her cheerfully.
"Deneb, you doing okay now?"
"Seriously, you were amazing out there."
"Osval the man! Will follow 'Saintess' big sis to the end!"
As everyone showered her with praise, Deneb, flustered, waved her hands in denial.
"S-Saintess? What are you talking about? I'm not someone like that."
Lionel, who had been sulking in the corner, suddenly jumped up.
"She hasn't even been officially recognized by the Church! Who dares call her a Saintess! Punishment will befall you all!"
The mercenaries just scoffed. Ghislain grinned and said,
"You. Don't. Have. Holy. Power."
"....."
"Then be quiet."
"......"
Lionel had nothing to say and slumped back into the corner. He felt so wronged he was on the verge of tears again.
At that moment, Iraniel and the elf elders arrived.
The elders still looked at Ghislain with wariness.
He had helped them, yes, but he was a dark mage—they couldn't shake their suspicion.
But Iraniel paid him no mind. Smiling gently, she spoke to Deneb.
"You're awake. Thanks to you, we were able to achieve victory."
"N-no, I didn't do much..."
"No need to be modest. Everyone here witnessed the miracle you performed."
Everyone echoed Iraniel's words. But Deneb just blushed and couldn't say anything.
As the wave of praise died down, Lionel suddenly rushed over to Deneb and asked urgently,
"M-my holy power—what happened to it?"
"Excuse me? What do you mean?"
"You took my holy power!"
"How could I possibly take that?"
Deneb stared wide-eyed. She had no idea what Lionel was talking about.
Lionel insisted again and again that she had stolen his holy power, but Deneb only looked more and more confused.
"Ughhh... I'm finished..."
In the end, Lionel drooped his shoulders and slumped back to his corner. No matter how he thought about it, there seemed no way to get his holy power back.
Watching him, Ghislain quietly chuckled.
'So that's why he didn't use holy power in the dream.'
Ghislain had always wondered about Lionel's holy power. In the dream, Lionel had fought without ever using it.
Moreover, in the royal family of the Lutania Kingdom, there was a mana cultivation technique passed down through generations. If Lionel had continued using holy power, he would never have inherited that.
'Let him stay humbled for now... then I'll help him later.'
Lionel surely knew the mana cultivation method. He was from a noble family and had once been a knight.
He had simply stopped using it after gaining holy power, but if he resumed training in the mana technique, he would quickly regain his strength.
Now that Deneb had awakened, there was no reason to delay the conversation any longer. Iraniel looked to Ghislain and asked,
"Dark mage, are you the representative of your group?"
"The one officially in charge is our friend here, Yulian, but for external matters, I'm acting as our spokesperson."
"And why is that?"
"Our leader is a bit shy."
As Iraniel looked over, Yulian nodded furiously. He still didn't have the confidence to handle important negotiations.
Iraniel nodded in understanding. Truthfully, she didn't much care who the representative was.
"Very well. First, on behalf of all elves, I thank you. If not for your help, we would've fallen for the Salvation Church's schemes."
"We're just glad we could be of help."
"You were more than just helpful. Elves are not a people who forget favors. We'd like to repay you."
"There are a few things we do need..."
Ghislain trailed off, smiling slightly. Iraniel also smiled and nodded.
"I don't know how to speak in riddles like humans do. You came for our Blessing Stone, didn't you?"
"That's right."
"Can I know the reason?"
"The Pope requested it, but personally, I also had another thought."
"And what is that?"
Ghislain glanced toward Deneb before continuing.
"As you've seen, that friend of mine holds great potential. I was mostly curious whether the sacred stone might have some kind of positive effect on her."
"Hm..."
Iraniel agreed with that sentiment. Deneb, the priestess, clearly possessed immeasurable potential.
Iraniel closed her eyes and sank into thought for a moment.
'It's said the Blessing Stone determines the rise and fall of entire races.'
Of course, Iraniel didn't truly believe that superstition. She simply saw it as a symbol of how dearly each race treasured the relic.
Elves didn't know how to actually use the Blessing Stone. They had merely safeguarded it with reverence for ages.
'What is the Pope thinking?'
There had been numerous attempts to make use of the Holy Stones—efforts to harness the goddesses' power said to reside within them.
But not a single one had succeeded. No one had ever drawn out the true power of the Blessing Stone.
'There's a legend that those recognized by the Source—the leaders of each race—can wield its power. It's said the Dragon Lord knows how...'
But that too was merely legend. None of the Dragon Lords, even through several wars, had ever revealed the method.
If such a method truly existed, they would never have kept it secret. So to the elves, the Blessing Stone remained a treasured but inert artifact.
As Iraniel hesitated, the elders spoke cautiously.
"The Holy Stone is a sacred relic."
"We are thankful to the humans for their aid, but we cannot lend out the Blessing Stone."
"Even if the Pope takes it, nothing will change. It's already been proven that gathering them in one place is useless."
"If anything, the humans will just start another war over who gets to keep it."
The holy stone carried immense symbolic weight. Simply possessing it could serve as justification for claiming divine favor.
Long ago, many humans had sought the stone for that very reason. The elders feared a repeat of such chaos.
After some silence, Iraniel finally spoke.
"Come with me. There are still questions I have, but first, I shall offer you a reward."
"Grand Chieftain!"
"That's enough. I've decided to place hope in these ones."
"Haa..."
The elders looked on with expressions of disbelief.
Deneb's brief display of holy power had been impressive, yes, but holy power alone could not win a war.
Besides, even if they gave the stone to these people, the Pope would surely take it away. Still, Iraniel had made her decision—they had no choice but to follow.
Iraniel led Ghislain's party to the heart of the forest.
Among countless trees, one stood out in particular.
In size alone, it wasn't that much bigger than the other ancient trees. But the aura it gave off was anything but ordinary.
Its great trunk stood tall like a tower of wisdom spanning the ages. The grain of the wood looked smooth, almost glowing with a gentle light.
Its leaves were a deep green, but under sunlight, a pale golden shimmer danced across them like rippling waves.
When the breeze passed, the trembling of the leaves rang out like a distant bell, enveloping the entire forest in its song. Even the air around it felt different—purer, quieter.
It was no ordinary plant. There was something within it that purified the hearts of those who beheld it.
As if it had been rooted here since the very creation of the land, the World Tree stood naturally in its place.
Looking upon it, Iraniel spoke quietly.
"This tree is the World Tree, which we have protected for countless years. It may not look very large, but what matters is... its roots."
As she said, this tree was the core of harmony connecting all elves—a sanctuary of life.
The mercenaries, seeing the World Tree, found themselves dumbfounded, jaws agape.
"W-wow... so this is the World Tree we've heard about?"
"It's not just some big tree after all."
"Shouldn't we be bowing or something?"
Ghislain, too, looked up at the World Tree and held his breath.
He could sense it was unlike any ordinary tree.
It was closer to a silent spirit that had guarded this land since ancient times.
'...So this is the World Tree.'
He murmured unconsciously and reached out his hand. He didn't touch it, but felt its presence watching him gently.
Resonance, or perhaps communion. The life, memory, and endless flow of time within the World Tree briefly brushed against his awareness.
'I see now.'
Ghislain finally understood. Why the elves had been able to track him so easily.
'The forest itself was part of the World Tree.'
The trees he had seen, the winds he had passed through, even the scent of the earth—all were touched by the World Tree's breath.
The elves, attuned to the tree, had read that breath and followed him.
Ghislain steadied his breathing and took a step back. This tree was the elves themselves, the heart of the forest, and the fulcrum of the land's balance.
His lips slowly curled upward. Awe and excitement filled his face.
'Impressive. Truly impressive.'
Indeed, there was still so much in this world he didn't know.
Perhaps this was the elves' way of repaying him.
Just looking at the World Tree, Ghislain felt the boundaries of his consciousness expanding.
His vision sharpened, his mind grew serene, and his senses seemed more synchronized with the world.
'I see the broader flow now.'
The hidden underside of the world he had missed—the invisible harmony and balance.
Now, Ghislain once again absorbed it all into his awareness.
He slowly inhaled.
Within the clear, transparent air lingered the ancient scent of the world, reverberating deep in his soul.
Iraniel, who had patiently waited as Ghislain gained his insight, noticed something unique in her eyes. Only she had sensed the subtle change that had occurred in him.
"Amazing. To glimpse the essence of the world again in such a short time."
"I was fortunate. It seems the World Tree looked kindly upon me."
"Then that too must be its way of offering thanks."
Iraniel smiled. There was no need to offer further guidance. The man before her understood his shortcomings and wielded his unbalanced power with care.
Though... she still didn't understand why he had delved into something like dark magic.
Iraniel extended a hand toward the World Tree. At that moment, a brilliant green light radiated from her palm.
"Let me give you what you came for first."
Paaaah!
That light resonated with the World Tree.
The massive trunk began to tremble faintly, and the center slowly started to open.
From within, a jewel glowing with a gentle green light gradually revealed itself.
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