Ch.292Revolutionary Princess NPC. (7)

How strong have I become now? Gorga said that I have the potential to become much stronger than anyone in our group. Even stronger than my beloved husband.

[Get lost, I don’t have time to waste on the likes of you.]

But I always think of myself as a fake. Though the person has changed now, once before the Chancellor. In front of a true powerhouse, I was so weak that I needed protection from Ira, a girl who barely reached my waist.

[Your mana quantity has increased. So, you want to learn magic too? I’m sorry, but just ask the elementary division professors about that. You can probably learn basic magic right away. But… I don’t want to repeat myself, though your mana has increased. It doesn’t seem like your magical talent has blossomed.]

When I place others beneath me, I receive half of their abilities. As long as I don’t want anything from them. It’s literally a cheat [Skill] that makes only me stronger without any restrictions on either side. However.

[Wait, you’re saying you won’t teach me despite this level of mana because I lack talent? I…!]

[In your case, it’s not about mana. To begin with, where and how did you ‘steal’ that mana? Your mana is all jumbled up. Such mana is something I wouldn’t use even if given to me. And controlling it isn’t just ordinarily difficult. There’s a 100% chance of an accident that would make that chick’s previous rampage look like a joke.]

What I steal doesn’t become perfectly mine. I realized that after hearing what the Chancellor said.

[Huff! Huff! Th-That’s amazing!! How did you manage to copy wind riding to that extent?!]

[…Impossible.]

[That’s right! It really is impossible! Ragni is smart, and even had talent in swordsmanship…]

[No, no. That’s not what I mean.]

[Skill: Heaven-Bestowed Talent.]

[Heaven-Bestowed Talent Effect: Mimics actions and stats seen once. Talent bestowed by the world is not something that can be reached through effort alone.]

Another skill of mine that Jack told me about. [Heaven-Bestowed Talent.] I thought I could aim higher with this ability and [One Who Stands Above], which increases my specs. But.

[…Just now, I used the exact same swordsmanship as you, right?]

[Huh? Y-Yes, you did. It was definitely the First Form Wind Restraint.]

[But, even so. My sword was completely ‘overwhelmed’! This is…!!]

[Oh? H-Hey! That’s only natural! I’ve lived my whole life swinging a sword! I only properly learned it a year ago, but still, for me to lose…]

Yes, in the end, I’m just imitating others. I had to accept the fact that abilities I didn’t earn through my own time and effort would never truly become mine.

*

-Bang bang! Bang!!!

“Protect the citizens!! We have far greater numbers!! Seven people to each priest, suppress them completely!!!”

“”””Yes!!!””””

“Imperial Army! Evacuate with the citizens!! Your priority is the safety of the people and yourselves!!!”

“B-But!!”

“I don’t have time to argue!! Go now!!!”

I might not be able to protect them. No.

“Ahahah!! What is this! You called it a gun, right?! What an insane weapon?!! Did it just pierce through my body?!!”

That person is just like the overwhelming powerhouses I’ve faced before, the ones who have ‘utterly defeated me.’ So, as a ‘fake,’ I cannot protect them. I’ve felt this since I saw the bodies falling from the sky.

“I’ll handle that one alone!! Mac, Dolph!! I’m counting on you to deal with the surrounding priests!!!”

“As you command!!”

“We shall obey!!!”

“Ahahahaha!!! I like you?! Pretty face, good with weapons!! And you’re great at commanding people too!! I’m jealous?! I’ll definitely make you cry!!!”

“Ha!! Wipe the bloody tears flowing from those gaping holes in your body before you talk!!!”

I shoot at the female priest who keeps moving despite having holes in her head, eyes, and chest, while also firing suppressive shots at the priests beginning to glow around us. Alone, I need to ‘hold off’ this woman and turn the tide of battle in our favor!!

-Bang!! Bang bang!! Screech!!!

“Oh my, you can use a sword too?”

“You’re asking if I can use a sword after I blocked with a gun? Are you sick or something?”

-Bang!!

The woman charges straight through the bullets, swinging her stone staff which I block with my gun barrel, then immediately pierce her solar plexus with the gun in my other hand. But…

“Kaha!! This is great?!! How many times are you going to kill me?!! You’re really amazing!!! Is this what the Empire’s princess is like?!!”

“You crazy monster…!!”

“Puhah!!! Yes, that’s how I must appear to those who weren’t chosen! But!!!”

-Screech!!

“Ugh?!!”

-Clang!!!

As the force behind her staff grows stronger, I quickly holster one gun and draw the sword from my thigh, striking her back to push her away.

‘Damn it, why at the very end!! The ‘heroic tale’ should have ended cleanly here with my victory, exposing the Church’s evil deeds…!!’

“Puhehe!!! See that. You can use a sword too. So you’re also a monster princess?”

“It’s been a while since I heard that name. But with a monster like you in front of me, I feel like just a normal, pretty, cute, and smart woman in comparison.”

“Puhahaha!! What nonsense!!! You’re definitely more vicious than me?! You and I are the sa…?!!”

-Bang bang!! Bang bang bang!!!

There’s no reason or time to respond to every word she says. I fire two shots at the priest’s face and use the rest to help those around me. I truly don’t know how long I can hold out against this woman.

“Ah, ah! It hurts. It fucking hurts. Hey, could you stop shooting my head? I’m trying to talk. My mou…?!!”

“I’d stop shooting if you’d just die already. I don’t know you, but you’re talking like you know everything. I don’t want to shoot your disrespectful mouth that can’t even introduce itself properly, and I don’t want to hear it either.”

While it’s true that I’m tired of hearing her constant babbling, if what this woman wants is conversation (or mockery) directed at me, then pretending to be angry and continuing the dialogue is the easiest way to control the current battle situation. Having reached that conclusion, I deliberately shoot her mouth and then fire at the surrounding priests again.

“Khah!!! Ah! That’s right! I know who you are, but you don’t know who I am, do you?”

“What’s this? Acting like a battle maniac one moment, and now you’re going to politely introduce yourself?”

-Click.

The woman, still not dying and beginning to heal with a golden light, nodded with a normal, seemingly kind smile unlike the crazed expression she had shown earlier.

“Of course. It’s better to know who’s going to kill you, who’s going to take away your only value, before you die, isn’t it?”

“…What?”

My only value? Not understanding what she’s talking about, I tilt my head slightly in confusion, and the priest, with a fully healed face, opens her mouth with a ‘benevolent smile.’

“My name is Fiana. Fiana Crystal. Battle Saint of the Great Holy Church and the first Saint to be directly chosen by the Pope to become a High Priest. And…”

-Flap!!

“What?!”

I’m not surprised by her suddenly lifting her skirt for me to see. I’m not the type to be shocked by seeing the underwear of an undying woman. The problem is…!!

“Y-You’re a man?!”

“Hehe. No. I clearly said ‘Saint,’ didn’t I? I am a woman.”

“N-No!! You have something hanging down there!!”

No matter how I look at it, that’s a man’s thing!! The fact that the first one I’m seeing belongs to someone other than Jack is more disgusting than the thought that not wearing underwear is perverted!! No matter how I hear it or see it, the fact that someone with a woman’s voice and body has that attached is so absurd that I forgot to shoot and just shouted. Finding my reaction amusing, the so-called Saint laughed femininely again and continued.

“Hehe. Yes. I do have it. I have male genitalia. That’s why I was uniquely chosen.”

“W-What? Ah, my head hurts!! What are you talking about?! You’re a Saint because you’re a woman with a penis?!”

“Ah. No? That’s not it, but rather the reason I was chosen as a High Priest despite being a ‘manufactured Saint.'”

“Haaah?!!”

I can’t help but wonder if I should quickly shoot her or continue listening to her crazy talk. Wait, could this be important information about the Church? Maybe I should hold off on shooting her mouth and crotch? But it’s so disgusting that I want to shoot anyway!!!

“I am a being who possesses both female and male, all opposing elements in one body. That’s why I became a Saint, was chosen by the Pope, and became a High Priest. And.”

-Woooong!!!

“Ugh?!!!”

The High Priest, still maintaining her kind smile, begins to emit a different light from before. No, darkness is overflowing from her body. W-What is this? Could it be demonic energy? No, how could a human possess a demon’s magic? Could she be a demon worshipper?!!

“No. I am not a demon worshipper. If I were, I wouldn’t be able to use the holy power granted by God.”

“I-Impossible.”

The Saint, seeming to have guessed my question just from my expression, began to emit the bright light that had healed her earlier over the black overflowing light. The sight of her seemingly handling both demonic energy and holy power simultaneously makes me feel like everything I’ve known is crumbling. Surely, holy power was supposed to drive away demonic energy, wasn’t it?!

“Originally, what you know is correct. But I am a ‘perfect’ singular existence above all else. I was born and given life, abilities, to become what I am now.”

“Gulp, don’t tell me. N-No, it can’t be?”

The conclusion that instantly formed in my mind—hoping sincerely that it wasn’t true—I awkwardly smiled, and the Saint, finding it amusing, answered with her lips stretched into a grin.

“Hehe. The Seven Deadly Sins’ Envy (Invidia). I, the ‘new human’ chosen by the Lord and the Pope, have allowed it to dwell within me and am using it.”

Because I too am a monster with [Skills] just like you.

The Saint flushed her face toward me, like a narcissist enjoying their reflection in a mirror.