Chapter 120 – Heresy (4)

Tap. Tap. Tap.

[If you’re the First Challenger—]

“Perhaps we can continue this another time? I have another engagement. You can keep the communication crystal, Rubia. Sirin has plenty to spare. It was lovely catching up. Noah, until next time.”

[Ah…yes. Thank you for your help, Hermilla.]

“Th-thank you so much…!”

“We’re grateful for your assistance. Rest well, and…be safe.”

Click.

Hermilla smiled warmly, then deactivated the crystal and leaned back in her chair.

“Whew…”

“You two seem to have gotten quite close,” a voice remarked.

“You think so, Yuria?”

“Indeed. It wasn’t…quite like this…before. The…kissing… You’ve become rather bold.” Yuria averted her gaze, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she sat across from Hermilla.

“Look who’s talking. Waiting for Hephaestus to come of age, aren’t we? A cradle robber, if I ever saw one. And I thought you were supposed to be her guardian.”

“…Ahem.”

“Hee hee. Life is full of surprises, isn’t it? This…wasn’t in any of the foreseen futures.”

“So, as expected…”

“Indeed. We took Hephaestus in for her blessing, remember? For the Elixir. And…”

Hermilla trailed off, opening a worn book on the table.

“…Hephaestus was supposed to be…dead…by now.”

Yuria’s face paled.

“Luchi is dead, but Hephaestus lives. Heinzel lost his arms, but you still have your legs, Yuria.”

Hermilla closed the book with a soft thud.

“The balance has shifted. And the Elixir…is complete.”

She tapped the table thoughtfully.

“I don’t know what repercussions this will have…but we can’t afford to dwell on it.”

“What was added to the Revelations?”

“The Red Moon. The One Who Leads the Lost Past. The Best and the Worst. Choice. That’s…all I could decipher. It’s…cryptic.”

“Damn those cryptic bastards. Why can’t they just write things plainly? Always trying to sound so important…” A large, burly man sitting nearby grumbled, scratching his head.

“Indeed. So, Alex, are we ready?”

“More or less.”

“Good. Yuria, have the others arrived in Ursphere?”

“Yes. I received confirmation from Juur.”

“Excellent. Then let’s prepare. Can you hold onto this for me, Yuria?”

Yuria stored the book Hermilla offered in her subspace and stood.

“How many are there?”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

“Ninety-three.”

“Hey, Weed. What’s ninety-three divided by three?” Alex grinned, hefting a massive hammer onto his shoulder.

“…Thirty-one. And if you call me Weed one more time, I’ll make sure weeds sprout from your mouth.”

“Sure, Flower.”

“I look forward to seeing those lovely blossoms sprout from your filthy mouth tonight.”

Thump.

Hermilla stopped tapping, stood up, and opened her eyes.

“They’ve arrived. Let’s finish up here and depart.”

“Where to?”

Her eyes, shining with a brilliant, multi-hued light, focused on a single point on the map.

“Cartia.”

Where Noah and Rubia were waiting.

The door opened.

Ninety-three test subjects.

Incomplete Masters.

Poured into the room.

The communication crystal went dark. Rubia sighed, the sound echoing in the quiet room.

“The First Challenger…”

What was a Challenger?

And why did everyone else seem to know except me?

“Rubia…what’s a Challenger…?”

“Ah, right. You wouldn’t know. Well…to explain that, I need to explain Erden.”

“Erden…”

“On the surface, it’s a holy order. Led by me.”

“Yes.”

“But in reality…it’s…a group of very bad…people.”

“Bad people…”

“Yes. That’s all you need to know for now. The details are…too much.” Rubia kneaded my thigh absently.

“But…I’m an adult…”

“This isn’t about being an adult. Anyway, just…be careful around Erden. Very careful.”

“Okay.”

“Next…the End. And the Sun God, Lilith.”

“The End…!” I knew about that. The final boss.

“Yes. The End. You’ve heard of it, I assume. The one who brings fire and darkness when the world’s balance is broken…the one who returns everything to the beginning…”

I hadn’t heard it phrased quite so dramatically.

“And…only a Priestess can stop it.”

The hand on my thigh, the hand on my stomach…both went cold.

“From what I understand…it’s…a seal. A seal on the End. And the Priestess…is the key.”

A tremor in her voice. Her heartbeat quickened.

“I’ve…considered…that if the End were to appear…and I were to sacrifice myself…perhaps the Sun God, Lilith, would…inhabit my body… Heh.”

A self-deprecating laugh. A hollow sigh.

I pulled away, wrapping my arms around her neck.

“It’s…okay.”

“Yes. You promised to protect me, didn’t you?”

“Mm-hmm. So…don’t worry.”

I kissed her softly.

“Oh my. A reassuring kiss? I thought we were saving those for…the bedroom.”

“W-well…that’s…”

Rubia chuckled, pulling me close, my face buried in her chest.

“Anyway…that’s the gist of it. Next…the Masters.”

“Mmmph…!”

I wanted to say “Masters!” but my face was muffled.

“Not those…imitations…we’ve encountered. The real Masters. Like Kalt.”

Rubia gently pushed me away, her breathing more even now.

She’d understood me, even with my muffled exclamation. How…?

“Well…there are ten Masters in the world, correct?”

“Yes.”

“All but Sirin…are aligned with Erden.”

“…Oh.”

“Nine… Kalt is dead. The Second Master lost their power sealing Tylant. And the First…is missing. So…six remain.”

“That’s…a lot…”

Kalt was supposed to be the weakest, just annoyingly tricky.

If the others were stronger…

“But Sirin says none of them are a match for her. Individually, anyway. She said if they attacked together, it might be a problem, but one-on-one…she can handle them. She said since she can’t fight the Beast of the End herself…this is the least she can do… Wait…”

Rubia’s eyes widened. She covered her mouth with her hand.

“Don’t tell me…she’s already…”

“Uh…”

Sirin had said she would take care of it…make it easier for me…

Creak.

“She’s gone.”

Serr’s voice echoed from the doorway.

Tap. Tap. Her footsteps approached.

“She’s been tracking the Masters for a while now. Seems she had this planned all along. That arrogant little monkey.” Serr clicked her tongue, setting two cups on the table before sitting down. “Here. Strawberry milk for Noah. Coffee for Rubia.”

“Th-thank you…”

“…Thank you. Do you know…where she went?”

“No. Which is infuriating. But don’t worry. She’ll handle a Master or two, easily. Though, I didn’t expect her to act so quickly. That brazen brat.”

“Please…watch your language…”

I slid off Rubia’s lap, grabbed my greatsword, and took a long sip of the strawberry milk.

“Ahh…”

Perfect temperature.

Slurp.

“So, Noah, you like strawberry milk?”

“Gulp… Yes…”

Serr studied me, a finger tracing her lips thoughtfully.

“You said you’re an adult now, yes?”

“Yes…?”

“Then no matter how much you drink, they won’t get any bigger.”

“Pfft!”

Rubia choked back a laugh, her shoulders shaking.

“What…what do you mean?”

“Breasts.”

“…Oh.”

Serr lifted her coffee cup with exaggerated elegance, then, lifting her own ample bosom slightly, said, “Your small breasts are quite charming, Noah. They suit you. Even if you could make them bigger…you shouldn’t.”

“What…?”

Serr’s bluntness stunned me.

“That’s all I’m saying. Be content with what you have. Bigger isn’t always better. Isn’t that right, Rubia?”

“Mm… snort …yes. Constant shoulder aches. Food spills. Can’t see over tables. Finding clothes that fit…a nightmare.”

…She sounded genuinely aggrieved. Did she really find it so inconvenient?

“Uh…really?”

“Absolutely. You can’t see your own feet. Clothes make you look heavier. And for someone like you, Noah, wielding a greatsword…it would be incredibly impractical.”

“Hmm… I guess it would be…”

“So, Noah, don’t chase after something so…useless…and unattainable. Be content with what you have.”

“Unattainable…? Hmm…”

It all made sense. Logically.

But…it still felt…insulting.

“Why that face? Do you still yearn for…more? Even though it’s completely impractical? Sirin always says, ‘My body is the strongest in the world!’”

Serr’s gentle tone shifted abruptly, mimicking Sirin’s booming voice perfectly. The contrast with her serene expression was…unsettling.

“My, that was a perfect imitation.”

“Thank you. I used a bit of wind magic to modulate my voice. Seems it was successful. I am a genius, after all.”

Serr set down her cup, looking from Rubia to me.

“I thought a bit of levity might…ease the tension. Feeling better now?”

“Yes. Heh… Serr, you always know how to lighten the mood with your…unique sense of humor.”

“It wasn’t humor. It was practical advice.”

“…Let’s move on, shall we?”

I pouted, taking another sip of strawberry milk. Rubia nodded.

“Cartia, are you there? I’d like to speak with you.”

[…Yeah, I’m here.]

Cartia, who’d been absent for a while, shimmered into view.

Serr looked from Cartia to my greatsword, then spoke, her voice cautious.

“Cartia…and Carpeng. What is your…relationship?”

“Huh…? Cartia and Carpeng…? What…?”

[Tch. Nosy little—]

Cartia perched on the table, glaring at Serr.

“Are you two…lovers?”

“Gasp…!”

“Oh my…”

[…What a load of—]