Ch.2020. Sacred Blood

Aisella’s infinite love, the King’s loyalty, and even the appearance of the Holy Sword.

Not everything was according to my plan.

What mattered was that everyone except me truly believed it.

‘Then let’s just make it real.’

Therefore, I decided to enjoy it wholeheartedly.

「Incarnation of the Black Sun:….」

‘Why? Jealous?’

If you’re jealous, you should have done better.

This is why maintaining your image is so important.

When you establish yourself as an absolute authority in this world, especially with a benevolent image…

You can take credit for all the good things, can’t you?

‘That’s nice.’

It felt like something sweet spreading throughout my mouth.

Not bad at all.

「The King of Regalium, ‘Edmund Karsein’ deeply trusts you.」

「Seal released! You can now freely roam within the royal palace.」

‘Oh.’

It seems I can now freely move around inside the royal palace.

Those users who failed to get their hands on the national treasury would understand how significant this is.

A situation where I could reach the national treasury without any restrictions if I wanted to.

Moreover, I’m not even a proxy believer, but the actual deity present at the scene.

‘Hmm.’

But at this point, I don’t feel like raiding the tutorial treasury, nor do I want to kick away the trust I’ve built.

‘I’ll just enjoy it.’

The value is simply being able to explore the palace freely with my own body.

‘Not bad at all.’

At least it was much better than being guided around in that stiff atmosphere before.

So I decided to just enjoy this moment.

I changed into the palace’s distinctive traditional silk clothes.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I realized how beautiful this newly constructed body was.

A premium clothes hanger looks good in anything—everything just drapes perfectly.

“Does it suit me well?”

When I asked Vera who was beside me, there was no answer.

“Huh?”

When I turned around, our eyes met as she was staring at me like she was about to drool.

“Oh, ah, yes! It suits you perfectly…! *gulp*”

Did she just swallow her saliva?

Anyway.

“Let’s go, shall we?”

“…Yes.”

Since I’ve got a free pass to the palace, I can’t help but explore.

So we began exploring various places like we were at a theme park.

The Hero’s matter would be handled by the palace, so I just needed to hear the results later.

‘Since the guards took him.’

The fact that the guards took him means that he’s now officially under the kingdom’s management.

Even if they’re related to the constellation and its people, there would be various difficulties in taking him away openly.

So, the top priority now was…

To just watch the situation unfold.

‘Still.’

I feel the need to withdraw Vera and her knights, just in case.

‘It’s a shame.’

The more enjoyable the time spent together, the more regrettable the parting.

Still, it was somewhat comforting to know that I could always check on them through the system window.

“Wow, look over there.”

I continued exploring the palace with Vera.

The magnificent central watchtower built to prepare for possible emergencies.

The knights’ training grounds, or the beautiful garden for nobles.

These were truly rare sights that couldn’t be seen in the modern world, and I was once again reminded that I was living and breathing in this world.

And the last place we arrived at was…

“Is this it?”

None other than the kingdom’s annex where Belladis’s paladins were waiting.

As soon as we entered, I made eye contact with one of them.

A well-built man wearing the church’s holy garments.

「You have found your believer.」

The system message that conveniently identified his status.

As we got closer, he looked as if he’d seen a ghost.

My church’s paladin quickly knelt down to show respect.

“O-Oh, Father God. Please look upon this humble servant.”

I immediately examined his complexion without dragging it out.

His skin condition looked good, suggesting he was sleeping well, and there were no dark circles under his eyes.

Nor did he look weak from not eating.

Clearly, the kingdom was giving our people special treatment.

“Is life here… suitable for you?”

“Yes, my Lord…! They’re treating us very well and providing maximum convenience!”

“That’s good to hear.”

“P-Please. Lower your speech…!”

“Hmm… should I?”

Unable to resist the muscular man’s apologetic attitude, I somehow ended up lowering my speech.

‘Wow, this is awkward.’

This is the first time I’ve had a direct conversation like this after being possessed in this world and using ‘Divine Manifestation’.

The gap between my previous life and now is no joke.

I can be natural with Vera or Lisia thanks to internal familiarity, but not with these muscular paladins.

‘Right. I need to maintain my constellation persona.’

I tried to hypnotize myself to shed any traces of my human past.

“I’m always grateful for your hard work for me.”

At the same time, I placed my hand on his bowed head and gave him a light blessing.

“….”

I ignored Vera’s envious gaze from the side.

‘You’ve received plenty already…’

“My Lord…!”

The paladin was moved by my blessing.

「Believer, ‘Raphael’ shows deep faith in you.」

「You gain faith points.」

‘Okay.’

I succeeded in extracting maximum efficiency with minimal effort.

Anyway, I’m glad our paladins are doing well.

“My Lord, don’t you need to check further inside?”

As I was about to turn away from the entrance of the annex where the paladins were resting, Vera asked me.

“This is enough.”

But I know.

That the greatest enemy during rest is the appearance of a superior.

Remembering the devil of sun-drying, I decided to give them true rest.

‘They’ll have to move again soon anyway.’

This is someone else’s home.

And my paladin order naturally needs to head to our headquarters.

Because they are my forces.

If foreign troops are openly stationed, it can create discomfort even between close allies.

‘And there’s also the Hero issue.’

I’m trying to prevent contact between their forces and ours as much as possible.

“….”

Well then.

“Is something wrong…?”

As I carefully turned around, I met the gaze of a beautiful face looking at me.

Though it was regrettable and just thinking about it was draining…

‘I have to do what needs to be done.’

I needed to withdraw Belladis’s forces that had come all this way from the church’s territory.

It seemed the time had come to say some regretful words.

“M-My Lord.”

Belladis’s movements froze upon hearing my words.

Her eyes filled with sadness, and her hands wandered aimlessly in the air.

“D-Did I do something wrong…?”

‘No, what did you suddenly do wrong?’

With this sudden confession time, I hastily opened my mouth to stop her.

“N-No. That’s not it. It’s just that we need to withdraw our troops now.”

With our church’s forces stationed here like this, it was bound to attract global attention.

Attention brings misunderstandings, and those misunderstandings tend to be exaggerated over time.

“Ah…”

Belladis finally understood the true meaning of my words, and her eyes began to regain their spirit.

Until then, she was on the verge of trembling and falling into self-hatred.

“You don’t think that physical distance means emotional distance, do you?”

“B-But—”

I needed to remind her.

Even after using ‘Divine Manifestation’, and even before that…

I’ve always cared for and cherished my church.

That hasn’t changed from when I was playing the game to now.

‘It’s more like a change in perspective.’

Of course, it’s more vivid and fun during Divine Manifestation.

But I couldn’t neglect other important matters for my own enjoyment.

For example, my church’s reputation.

“I don’t want to be apart from Vera either, but there’s something you must do for me.”

“F-For my Lord.”

I held her shoulders and met her gaze.

As I looked at her with sincerity, conveying that I wasn’t pushing her away because I disliked her, Vera’s face began to turn as red as a radish.

Her already pale skin made the change appear even more dramatic.

「Would you like to use ‘Blessing’ on this believer?」

I mentally pressed the confirm button.

And gave my beloved believer a temporary blessing buff.

“Aah…”

With the vitality welling up from within, Belladis’s expression began to fill with ecstasy.

“Can you do it for me?”

“I love you, love…”

“Hey, what’s wrong with her?”

“Hah.”

When I urgently shook her shoulders, Belladis was startled as if sobering up from alcohol.

“I swear on my life, I’ll return everyone to the Sanctuary without a single loss.”

“Don’t stake your life on it.”

Even if we’re apart, I’ll keep checking through the system window, so don’t feel too burdened.

The distance from here to the church headquarters might be considerable, but with Belladis by their side, I could trust them.

‘And once they return.’

I should be able to easily reactivate the deactivated objects.

‘Is it a level reset there too?’

I want to normalize the normalized church in a different sense as soon as possible.

It could be dangerous if other forces try to check us.

“Ah, and.”

“….?”

“Vera. Don’t you want a gift?”

Vera finally realized the existence of the wish token I had been holding onto.

“G-Gift.”

For a moment, her eyes became dazed, as if many thoughts were passing through her mind.

“It doesn’t have to be now—”

“N-Now!”

“Huh?”

“I want to receive it before I part from you, my Lord…”

With her hands neatly folded, Belladis spoke with great difficulty.

‘What kind of gift does she want?’

I can provide most things here.

Just because the church objects are deactivated doesn’t mean my inventory is affected.

A new weapon? Or perhaps an elixir that can permanently increase abilities?

“…Blood.”

“Blood?”

“I want your blood, my constellation.”

Belladis’s gaze was filled with solemnity.

-Blood.

According to the setting, a constellation’s blood was a very precious item.

Since beings like constellations don’t have physical bodies to begin with, extracting blood was impossible.

Belladis is a believer, but she’s also a vampire.

And I remember promising her, when I first took her in, that she wouldn’t have to deny her existence anymore.

An eternal longing for blood, and intense self-hatred.

But now, Belladis has overcome her self-hatred and is bravely trying to move to the next stage.

“…You.”

I hugged Vera tightly, overwhelmed with emotion.

“Huh?”

“Blood! Yes! How much should I give you? Just a whole bottle full…”

“M-My Lord.”

Vera, though flustered by my sudden embrace, clearly stated her request.

“I want blood that you’ve just shed.”

“Hmm? Really?”

“…Yes.”

Whether freshly drawn or stored…

As far as I know, there’s no difference, but I decided to respect that vampires have their own circumstances.

After finishing our walk, currently…

-Gulp…

The vampire believer swallowing nervously.

After returning to the room, we immediately prepared to draw my blood.

If the guest wants it, why not give it?

“Are you ready?”

At my question, Belladis nodded heavily as if she had made some kind of resolution.

“With the grace you’ve bestowed upon me, I could walk into hell itself.”

‘Walk into there?’

I’ve been there once for a quest, but it wasn’t a particularly good experience.

I decided to take it as a compliment.

“Then…”

I took out a suitable knife from my inventory and without hesitation, pierced my finger.

Since a body composed through Divine Manifestation isn’t easily wounded by weapons, I decided to draw the blood myself.

“Next time, directly…”

Just before taking out the dagger.

I thought I heard her mumble something, but I let it pass.

Soon, a crimson liquid with a slight viscosity began to flow from the wound on my finger.

“Ah…”

Vera, seeing this, let out a yearning breath and unconsciously moved her head closer.

Her kneeling lower body twitched, and her breathing gradually became rougher.

It was because of her Lord’s special juice, which she loved more than anything in the world.

“It’s okay.”

With my permission, Belladis’s eyes showed a fierce battle between reason and instinct.

-Drip. Drip.

Knowing that precious blood would just flow away like this, I stroked Vera’s head with the hand that had put down the dagger.

“If you don’t hurry, it will heal?”

-Haap…!

At my urging, my finger was finally enveloped in a moist and warm sensation.

『Sacred Blood』

I tactfully used our special memory skill, enhancing the atmosphere.

“….!!”

She was ecstatic, yearning, longing, sobbing, and then desiring me again like an enraged person.

As I was about to stop the transfusion, her instinctive desire made her purse her lips as if it was hers.

When I withdrew my hand, one of the white fingers had distinct red marks on it.

「Believer, ‘Lisia’ is being approached by a hostile target.」

「Warning! A holy war is in progress.」