Chapter 269: What I can give (1)

Chapter 269: What I can
give (1)

Cleassia
looked at her right arm floating in the air.

The
moment she confirmed her right arm had been severed.

The
moment her rapier broke and she realized she had no chance of winning
this contest of strength.

Having
made a cold judgment, Cleassia directed her power not at her opponent
but at herself.

Suicide.

An
act that would completely eliminate the possibility of becoming a
hostage, and as a bonus, erase all the information in her head.

It
was an act that required such determination and was evidence that
Cleassia, as a demon worshipper, possessed important information that
should not be handed over to the temple.

Cleassia
manipulated her magi with the determination to completely crush her
own heart.

But.

“……”

Swish—

The
magi that was about to completely burst her heart suddenly stiffened
and stopped.

No
matter how grand one’s dreams or how loyal to an organization, and
despite being trash who has committed numerous evil deeds, a human is
still human.

All
humans experience hesitation at crucial moments of decision.

Especially
when that decision leads to one’s own death, even the strongest
resolve will inevitably waver for a moment.

That
small hesitation became a gap, preventing Cleassia from dying.

“Where
do you think you’re going to find peace in death?”

-Kiiiiing!

The
manifested blessing of radiance poured over Cleassia, whose heart was
half-crushed.

That
holy power soon became a miracle of healing, eliminating one by one
the injuries that would have led to Cleassia’s death.

Balkan
looked down at Cleassia with her pale complexion and spoke.

The
reason for her pale complexion was likely due to excessive bleeding
from the blood gushing from her severed arm, but that wasn’t the only
reason.

“You
have so much to tell us while you’re still alive.”

Killing
all of Priest Jellicy’s connections, deceiving a priest for over
two years, gradually brainwashing them, and planning whatever scheme
against the Earth Mother Goddess Order.

Having
caused such a commotion, Cleassia had the obligation to confess all
her reasons in detail.

“You…!
What have I done to you to deserve this! In these chaotic times when
we should be joining forces—urgh—”

“Let’s
not say things that might cause strange misunderstandings.”

With
a heavy axe blade striking Cleassia briefly on the nape of her neck,
she lost consciousness as her head hit the ground.

He
was already busy enough with the labyrinth conquest and didn’t want
to be suspected and questioned about strange accusations of being in
league with the demon worshipers.

[Aren’t
you going to finish eating that one?]

The
gluttony demon Bunny asked, swallowing her saliva as she looked at
the defenseless Cleassia.

[Later.
I’ll ask when everything is finished.]

Balkan
shook his head at that hunger-filled question, postponing it for
later.

After
Serif enters the labyrinth and talks with Cleassia, if permission to
“dispose” of her is granted, then she could be used as
growth material for Bunny.

“Ah!
Indeed! Indeed…!!!”

While
thinking about this, he noticed people with their hands clasped in
prayer.

Among
them, his gaze was drawn to one who was expressing particularly
intense emotions, even shedding tears and vigorously nodding his
head.

Priest
Hope quickly approached and gently grasped Balkan’s hand.

“Balkan,
were you a saint all along?”

-Thwack!

He
instinctively slapped away the hand holding his.

“Eh.”

“Sorry.
I’m not comfortable with men holding hands.”

It
was psychologically difficult to accept a man he only occasionally
saw, who outwardly seemed normal, twisting his body like a female and
holding his hand.

“Ah,
no. I was being inconsiderate.”

“Yes.
Anyway, I’m not a saint or anything like that.”

He
denied it, shaking his head, but Hope didn’t seem inclined to listen.

His
gaze had already reached something close to worship.

“And
why is everyone bowing their heads and praying? Don’t you see this
woman?”

“Ah!
S-sorry!”

When
he asked the paladins who were absentmindedly praying while stepping
on Cleassia’s head, they apologized with honorifics and seized
Cleassia, realizing their mistake.

“Priests
with remaining strength, prepare anti-magi miracles!”

Several
priests, including Hope, gathered to form holy power into shackles,
which seemed like a quite useful technique for subduing those with
magi.

‘Could
I copy that?’

Thinking
to himself, he tried to manipulate holy power, but his remaining
trace of holy power dispersed with a terrible headache.

Just
yesterday it was the Elder Lich, and today a servant of the Envy
worshipper.

His
body and mind had reached their limits after depleting both mana and
holy power in succession.

He
probably needed to rest thoroughly for the next two days to recover.

He
felt he could intuitively succeed in one attempt…it was a pity.

As
Balkan held his dizzy head and caught his breath, someone approached
and illuminated his face.

“…Balkan.
No, Sir Balkan.”

Until
now, she had been excessively casual, almost treating him like a
subordinate, but now her voice was imbued with deep respect.

It
seemed her character, which valued returning favors, had influenced
this.

“Is
your injured hand alright?”

“Of
course! Thank you for your concern. I… I owe you a great debt.”

The
face of the lion beastkin, who bowed deeply in gratitude, was crossed
by complex emotions like betrayal, anger, and bitterness.

Well,
if someone you had completely trusted and supported for the past two
years turned out to be a servant of a demon worshipper, wouldn’t
anyone feel depressed?

Especially
for her, a priestess who despises demon worshippers, the sense of
betrayal would be even greater.

“Giltear…no,
the traitor Closier is someone whom one of the high priests of the
order was pursuing. As much as I’d like to reward you immediately…
there are still some complicated procedures left. I need to inform
that person as well.”

“It’s
fine to receive the reward later. Lady Serif will also be coming to
the labyrinth.”

“…You
knew?”

“I
was asked by Lady Serif to capture that traitor.”

“Oh…!
Indeed, your handling of holy power seemed remarkably skillful…”

“Pardon?”

“Hmm!”

Balkan
tilted his head, but Jellicy nodded with a face of understanding.

‘So
Sir Balkan was a secret weapon raised by Lady Serif…!’

Nothing
else could explain that miraculous purity and control ability of holy
power.

While
the utilization of holy power can be improved through training, its
quality is innate. It cannot be overcome through effort.

In
other words, it meant that Serif was secretly raising a male with a
level of holy power similar to herself, who is called a saint.

Jellicy
recalled Serif, whom she had seen during the annual “true
ceremony” expedition in the labyrinth at the beginning of each
new year, although they had never been in the same party.

The
pure white cat beastkin with a smile that seemed loving to everyone
yet subtly drew lines…

After
that thought, the man before her looked completely different.

‘Right.
He’s a man.’

And
not just any man.

Even
for a woman who has made a marriage contract with another man, he was
a man with such an attractive body that her heart would naturally
race upon facing his large pectoral muscles.

A
man with such a fierce body that would make the paladins and priests
of the Earth Mother Goddess Order, who value purity, rub their thighs
just by looking at him, as well as an outstanding warrior.

Jellicy
was reminded of her dead lover when she looked at Balkan. The one
with whom she had had a relationship, breaking the temple’s
regulations.

The
two had a love that could not be connected.

In
a relationship between a priestess and a paladin who follow the Earth
Mother Goddess’s doctrines, they cannot be together.

‘But
if it’s a relationship between a saint and a saint appointed by the
Earth Mother Goddess…’

It
was different.

Beings
with titles like saint were in positions that were on a different
level from ordinary believers.

If
it was that combination, perhaps…

‘N-no
way!’

Jellicy
covered her mouth as she suddenly thought of an incredible
possibility.

‘The
saint…raising a saint to be her…plaything?’

-Shudder.

The
lion beastkin’s mane trembled slightly.

Fear
of confirming the other side of the saint she had thought pure, and
conversely, empathy for one who had committed forbidden love welled
up.

‘…Forbidden
love is my specialty.’

Jellicy
instinctively realized something akin to a mission.

Jellicy
prided herself on having rich dating experience among the believers,
most of whom were females who had never even held hands with a man
and whose hymens remained intact.

‘Perhaps
this is the only way I can repay my debt?’

Connecting
the saint and the saint.

Jellicy
thought that was the minimum repayment to the one who had uncovered
the traitor and saved her.

“Um…Lady
Jellicy?”

“Hmm?
Why, why do you ask, Sir Balkan?”

“No,
your expression just became somewhat…lecherous…”

“Ahem!
Harrumph. It’s nothing.”

Just
as she had tried to connect Balkan with Cleassia before her betrayal,
Jellicy was an evil match-making pest, but before that, she was a
believer who could consider others’ fatigue.

“I’ve
gotten you involved in a big incident when I only meant to have a
simple conversation. There’s a waiting room for high-ranking
officials at the temple, would you like to stay there for a while?”

“I
appreciate the offer, but I have other things to do.”

“I
see. I’ll come find you formally once the cleanup is mostly done.
I’ll prepare the reward as quickly as possible.”

Balkan
nodded at those words.

The
priests who had gone to call for support were bringing in paladins
who had been stationed elsewhere and explaining the situation in
detail.

‘I
can leave the annoying cleanup to them.’

There
would be unsettling news from within the temple for a while, but
there was no need for him to worry about such trivial matters.

After
a brief handshake with Jellicy and some small talk with Beer and
Hope, he left the temple immediately.

He
had fulfilled his promise to Serif by capturing the traitor and
putting her in the temple’s underground prison, and he would receive
the reward later, so the remaining task was…

“Ah.”

Balkan
pulled out a letter from his pocket.

The
letter that Serif had entrusted him to deliver to Idelbert, which had
a strangely fishy scent.

It
was oddly similar to the scent of semen, but it made him shake his
head, dismissing it as his imagination. Holding the letter, he looked
north, toward the outskirts where Idelbert’s mansion was located.

Once
he delivered this letter, his schedule at the labyrinth would be
complete.

~The
outskirts of Eden–Idelbert’s residence~

That
magnificent mansion, once quiet yet splendid, was now half-collapsed.

Balkan
blankly stared at the huge ice arrow stuck in the front gate of the
mansion.

That
chilly, cold magical power was the magic of someone he knew all too
well.

What
suddenly came to mind was Diana’s face filled with determination.

—I
should go see Idelbert.

The
image of her using rough curses, enough to make one start in
surprise, after hearing about Idelbert having intercourse with
someone flashed through his mind.

“…Ah…”

So,
it ended up like this.

Balkan
closed his eyes tightly and prayed for someone’s peace with his hands
clasped.

“Rest
in peace in heaven, Master…”

“Don’t
send your innocent master away, you foolish disciple.”

Raising
his head at the immediate response, he saw the ice arrow gradually
cracking.

A
woman with a trained appearance, covered in dust, moving her black
cat tail while clearing away the debris pressing down on her body.

Idelbert
naturally smelled Balkan who was staring at her blankly…and
frowned.

“Disciple.”

“Yes,
Master.”

“Did
you have onahole intercourse with my younger sister?”