Things to Discard
by Afuhfuihgs
I was taken aback by the Saintess’ sudden declaration that she would destroy the Ring of Covenant. It was thanks to the Ring of Covenant that I had even managed to solve the magic power issue.
The synergy between Berserker and Indomitable Courage was also a great help in battle, and even Combat Continuation was a real lifesaver that had saved my life multiple times. If I didn’t have the Ring of Covenant, my combat power would plummet drastically.
Perhaps it would be better to use the Ring of Covenant to its fullest extent during the remaining two months of my lifespan, maximizing my power to give the remaining people a chance to turn the tables. When I cautiously explained this, the Saintess looked at me with a pathetic expression and sighed.
“You knew from the beginning that the Ring of Covenant is a double-edged sword… and you still can’t give it up even in this dangerous situation where it’s pointing at your own heart?”
I flinched at the Saintess’ sharp voice. As if planning to deliver a follow-up blow, the Saintess continued.
“The ruin that the Ring of Covenant brings to you is a power similar in nature to fate. It means that the probability of plausibility intervening to prevent you from reaching the ending you desire increases. For your true ruin.”
I realized my mistake at the Saintess’ words. If it’s true ruin, I’m convinced that the story will flow in a direction different from what I want. Ruin was the biggest variable I, who reads the future flow, had to avoid.
The Saintess met my gaze and said.
“Many other Rosses in other worlds have become stronger in various ways. Even if you have more flaws compared to the Rosses in other worlds, you don’t just have disadvantages. You have the fraudulent ‘Authority’ of the setting book, which is the big data accumulated by the Rosses of the previous worlds. You, the author who created this world, don’t think that the only way to become stronger is the Ring of Covenant, do you?”
I couldn’t refute anything in the Saintess’ gaze, which seemed to be asking if I was serious. The Saintess was right. The Ring of Covenant was just one of the many options I could choose at the time to become stronger.
Looking back, I thought of the Ring of Covenant as a consumable item, a passing stage for growth. It’s not something to be so attached to that I’m afraid of losing it like this.
It seems that the easy gains I’ve obtained using the Ring of Covenant have made me think that the Ring of Covenant is a necessary item. Perhaps that’s the ‘bondage’ the Saintess was talking about.
Whether it’s out of kindness or because she’s born with the qualities of a busybody, the Saintess continued to explain why I should give up the Ring of Covenant.
“It’s not the end just because you stop for a moment. Rather, it can be a preparation for a higher leap, or a short break to run faster.”
Roel’s words to me came to mind at the Saintess’ words. That I become stronger every time I lose something. Even if I lose all of my advantages by giving up the Ring of Covenant, this could be an opportunity to become even stronger than I am now.
I paused for a beat, pretending to carefully consider the matter so as not to give the impression that I was easily persuaded, and then asked.
“If I destroy the Ring of Covenant, will my reduced lifespan return?”
“No, destroying the Ring of Covenant alone is not enough to completely avoid the ruin that has come to you.”
“Not enough?”
At my question, the Saintess narrowed her eyes and glanced at me slightly.
“Of course not. You have another cursed item that has the power to plunge its user into ruin.”
I realized what the Saintess was talking about. She’s talking about the Spear of Ruin that I put in the space warehouse. Estelle had also warned me that it was a cursed item that leads its owner to ruin.
Do I have to give up even the Spear of Ruin? If I lose even the most powerful weapon I have, I’ll really have very few things left. Even my decision to cleanly give up the Ring of Covenant began to waver.
As if noticing my worries, the Saintess opened her mouth.
“You can’t defeat Chaos with the power of Ruin. The Spear of Ruin is a more useless item to you than the Ring of Covenant. There’s no need to be so disappointed.”
Even if you persuade me like that, it’s not easy for the person involved to believe it.
“…How can you be so sure?”
When I asked weakly, the Saintess sighed as if to show off.
“The Archbishop has already completely obtained the power of Ruin.”
“The Archbishop has the power of Ruin…?”
This was information that didn’t even appear in the novel. It seems that she found out that the Archbishop can use the power of Ruin from the records left in the Akashic Records.
“Since the Archbishop, who has fully accepted Chaos, cannot fail to understand Ruin, which has a similar nature to Chaos.”
At the Saintess’ explanation, a flash of inspiration came to my mind. I think I know why the Archbishop can use the power of Ruin. Plausibility must have been at work.
The Spear of Ruin was a weapon with tremendous value in the world, even with its unique abilities alone. The Spear of Ruin can be considered the only weapon in this world that possesses the power of Ruin, which destroys magic and barriers.
It honestly doesn’t make sense for the Archbishop to not use such a great thing and pass it on to his subordinate, Konfucion. It’s a twist on a cliché similar to a hero lending the Holy Sword to a thief in the same party.
So, if plausibility, which creates plausible stories, is at work, it eliminates the twisted cliché by making the Archbishop able to use the power of Ruin, creating a reason why the Spear of Ruin is unnecessary for the Archbishop.
I’m not stupid enough to throw away an opportunity to save my life because I miss a useful tool. The power of Ruin didn’t work on Konfucion, who uses the power of Chaos. If I can’t resist the Archbishop even by cultivating the power of Ruin, it’s the right choice to give up the Spear of Ruin quickly.
Having finished organizing my thoughts, I immediately took out the Spear of Ruin from the space warehouse and handed it to the Saintess. I didn’t doubt for a moment that the Saintess was deceiving me. It’s not like there’s a special setting that she doesn’t lie.
It’s just that the Saintess was the one who believed that I, Ross of Hope, who had read up to this moment, would keep my promise to her. On the other hand, I was also convinced that the Saintess, who belongs to God’s side to save the world, would have no reason to deceive me, the last hope.
I felt strange seeing the Saintess holding the Ring of Covenant in one hand and the Spear of Ruin in the other. Should I say that she looks more suitable than me? I smiled bitterly without realizing it.
“I’ll get rid of it before your regret grows any bigger.”
The Saintess said that and skillfully drew out the power of Ruin. Then, she placed the Spear of Ruin’s blade, which had turned red, on the Ring of Covenant, which was on her other palm.
At that moment, a tremendous amount of dark red smoke gushed out from the Ring of Covenant and enveloped the Saintess. I was flustered and tried to approach the Saintess, but the Saintess, who was hidden by the dark red smoke, stopped me with a voice that seemed unaffected.
“It’s okay, just watch.”
A bright light emanated from the Saintess’ body and pierced through the dark red smoke. The smoke, pushed back by the light, suddenly transformed into the form of chains. Those chains were connected to me.
When I looked down, I saw chains tightly wrapping around my body. Is this the bondage the Saintess was talking about? In an instant, my body began to be pulled towards the ring without warning.
Even if I put strength in my legs, I was helpless and could only be dragged along. It was as if it was trying to suck my body into the ring, it was a terrifying momentum. Just before touching the dark red smoke that enveloped the Saintess, a pure white light eliminated the dark red smoke and enveloped my body.
Along with a cozy and warm energy, a strong light poured out from the front, and I closed my eyes without realizing it. I felt the chains that were wrapping around my body lose their strength and flow down. At the same time, I felt a cool sensation from the top of my head.
It feels like the things that had been filling my head have disappeared, creating a wider space. At the same time, all the memories of Ellie that had been sleeping at the bottom of my memory came to mind.
A throbbing came to my heart. It’s not because of the emotions in the memories of Ellie, but because the mysterious puzzle that had been empty has finally found its place. Thanks to this, I can see the outline of a huge picture that I couldn’t see before.
I found the continuing flow. Methods that only Ellie can do came to mind.
When the strong light that had been hurting my eyes disappeared and I regained my sight, I belatedly realized that the Saintess was hugging me tightly.
“W-What is it?”
“…It was dangerous, so I couldn’t help it.”
I scratched the back of my head at the Saintess’ reaction, which responded after a long time as if she was even contemplating her answer.
“It seems to be over for now. It was easier than I thought.”
When I first obtained the Ring of Covenant, it was a dangerous item that imposed the restriction of death if I couldn’t find a way to eliminate the Thorn Stone Disease within the time limit. Even when she said she would destroy it, I didn’t expect it to be destroyed so easily.
“The Ring of Covenant was also created with the power of God. If it’s the same kind of power, it can be easily destroyed. Well, I also used a little bit of the power of Ruin.”
It seems that it was easy because she was the Saintess who can use the power of God. If I had simply tried to destroy the Ring of Covenant using the power of Ruin, the dark red smoke might have dragged me into the ring.
I nodded and lowered my gaze slightly, looking straight into the eyes of the Saintess, who was still hugging me tightly, and said with a hollow laugh.
“…Are you going to keep hugging me?”
“Ah, it’s nothing, I forgot about it.”
The Saintess, who shrugged as if it was nothing, released the hug and spread her palm, showing me the Ring of Covenant, which had been completely destroyed and only its shape remained.
“The ruin that came to you has lost its power and disappeared due to the Saintess’ intervention. That much plausibility should be enough.”
If it’s that much plausibility, I can definitely nod my head. There are few characters in the novel as special as the Saintess.
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