Ch.6565. New Role

# After I finished talking with Airi… no, Deneb Westia.

The noblewoman raised questions with a bewildered tone.

Though she rambled somewhat, her words ultimately conveyed the same meaning.

-What the hell kind of situation is this?

From her perspective, it made sense that none of this was comprehensible.

But explaining everything kindly would obviously become too lengthy.

“Since there are many complicated matters involved, it would be difficult to explain everything right now.”

So I postponed the explanation for now.

“…Alright.”

Fortunately, the noblewoman nodded in understanding.

She seemed to have a somewhat resentful expression, but there were more important matters at hand.

“We’re safe for now thanks to the barrier, but we don’t know what might happen next.”

Deneb looked at us with a serious expression.

“Shiro’s condition is not good at all. Until just now, she showed tremendous power due to the blessing’s effect, but…”

Deneb’s head gradually lowered toward the floor.

“Actually, that was borrowing future Shiro’s strength. Though there won’t be any wounds, her condition will have worsened compared to before. I’m sorry for doing that without consulting you.”

She bowed her head and apologized to Shiro.

“It’s okay. Without that blessing just now, we all would have been helpless.”

After saying this, Shiro sat on the floor and began to catch her breath.

“…Just a moment, I’ll sit here. My tension has released and I suddenly feel weak.”

She stared expressionlessly into space for a moment, then looked at my face and said,

“This might be an unreasonable request.”

She briefly lowered her gaze, then looked at me again with renewed courage.

“…Please.”

She spoke with an apologetic tone.

“Yes, Shiro. I’ll definitely succeed.”

She probably thought the pursuers were after her.

‘You don’t need to feel that way.’

Shiro, being a kind person, a considerate person, would be blaming herself.

So I approached Shiro and met her at eye level.

“…Adel?”

“Shiro.”

I placed my right hand on Shiro’s cheek.

Her skin felt cold to the touch.

Moreover, though she tried to hide it, her hands kept trembling.

“…”

I looked into Shiro’s eyes.

I was afraid of how painful my words would be for her to hear.

“While I fight that guy, could you protect the noblewoman and Deneb?”

Though she had no physical wounds, it was clear she couldn’t continue fighting.

I didn’t want to say it.

This was an incident that could have been prevented.

A battle we could have prepared for better.

But now.

I had to sacrifice Shiro because of my carelessness and powerlessness.

“Yes. I’ll try.”

The purple light reflecting in Shiro’s eyes stirred the guilt in my heart.

“…Yes, thank you.”

I passed by her and approached Deneb.

“Deneb. Can you use the blessing you just used on Shiro one more time?”

“I’m sorry, Adel. After using that blessing, I can’t use any strengthening-type blessings on others for a while…”

Deneb bowed her head as she spoke.

“All I can do is deploy some barriers. I can’t use physical enhancement blessings either.”

“I see.”

It would have been better if her enhancement blessing was available, but unfortunately that was impossible now.

“For now, please don’t use barriers on me if possible. It might create an opening for the opponent.”

“…Yes, understood.”

Deneb nodded.

“Then, noblewoman. Could you possibly bestow a blessing on me?”

Despite appearances, she had inherited the blood of a high noble family.

She could easily grant physical enhancement blessings that ordinary priests found difficult to use.

“Yes. Alright.”

The noblewoman closed her eyes and prepared the blessing.

‘There’s still some time before the barrier disappears.’

There should be enough time until the noblewoman’s blessing was complete.

“…”

I was nervous.

I feared the battle that would come when the barrier surrounding us disappeared, and the terrible consequences that would await if we were defeated.

‘…Don’t think about it.’

I exhaled and looked around.

Here was a priest to whom I owed my life.

A somewhat unusual young lady from a noble family,

And a person to whom I had pledged my future.

‘Can I do this?’

No.

I knew my own incompetence too well to confidently say I could do it.

So does that mean I can’t?

‘…No.’

Absolutely not.

It wasn’t about being able to do it.

Because I wanted to do it, I had to do it.

“I will definitely succeed.”

I muttered quietly toward them.

“Yes, Adel.”

Deneb trusted me.

“You can do it.”

The noblewoman encouraged me.

And,

“…Yes. Adel.”

Shiro showed a faint smile and simply affirmed me.

‘I must do it.’

Those who had been merely brief acquaintances had gradually filled my life.

I wanted to protect them.

I had to protect them,

And therefore I would succeed.

-Saaah.

A bright light enveloped my body.

The fatigue from the previous battle was erased, and vitality returned to my body.

“The blessing is complete.”

The noblewoman said, clenching her fist.

For some reason, she wore a powerless expression.

Was she afraid of the current situation?

“Thank you, noblewoman.”

I expressed my gratitude while strengthening my resolve,

“Adel, the barrier will disappear soon.”

Deneb said as she approached me.

And.

“Is there any way I can help?”

We had a brief conversation.

***

Time passed.

-Srrrrk.

The blue light surrounding us disappeared completely with a sound.

I immediately entered a combat stance and surveyed the surroundings.

Since there was no black smoke visible, it seemed there was no major movement for now.

‘Or maybe the guy ran away.’

I spoke without relaxing my tension.

“Shiro, could you use wind magic for a moment-“

-Saaah.

The wind blew.

“…”

Something was approaching.

I couldn’t possibly react in time.

But it felt somehow familiar.

The direction of the wind, its speed, and the sensation.

Everything matched.

I hardened my shield.

Simultaneously, I moved my arm,

“!”

Black eyes stared at me.

The dagger he was holding collided with my shield,

-Kwaaang!

Creating a tremendous sound and causing a massive recoil.

The indescribable impact pushed both our bodies back, and in that moment, one thought dominated my mind.

‘I blocked it.’

And.

‘This is the last chance.’

Even I, who took 80 percent less damage than him due to “Instantaneous Hardening,” was pushed back, so it must have been even more devastating for him.

There would be no other opportunity than now, while he was suspended in the air.

-Kuung!

I stomped the ground hard.

My target was the back of his knee.

‘Just like when I first met Shiro.’

With weight behind it, and above all, with speed.

Incapacitate the enemy who is momentarily immobilized.

Just before he fell to the ground.

‘I swing.’

At that moment, he quickly planted his right arm on the ground.

Simultaneously, a dagger flew toward my face.

I ducked forward and swung my sword, but felt nothing on the blade.

“…?”

There was nothing.

‘There were definitely no footprints for teleportation.’

I had already checked the surroundings.

I wondered if he had designated a position far away in advance, but,

“Adel!”

Shiro called out to me with an urgent voice.

‘Could it be?’

I tried to move my body quickly.

However.

-Pook!

It was already too late.

I lowered my head.

Blood streamed from dozens of holes in my torso.

-Pubububuk!

The sound came belatedly.

In that split second I had missed, my body had been pierced.

‘Ah.’

It’s over.

So futilely.

‘No, not yet…’

I swung my shield, which still had the hardening effect.

-Puuuk!

But the guy’s dagger had already pierced my neck.

“Persistent one, aren’t you.”

As I lost balance and fell to the floor, I saw the figure of the man in the black robe.

“…”

Since I hadn’t lost consciousness, I must have been lucky enough that he missed the blood vessels.

Still, I felt uneasy.

“Die.”

Because.

‘I can’t mess with this bastard.’

-Guuung!

The ground shook,

And light covered the entire world.

***

Before the barrier disappeared, Deneb had a conversation with Adel.

“How can we defeat the enemy?”

Her question wasn’t simply asking how to kill the guy.

She was asking what additional conditions needed to be met and what actions needed to be taken to win.

“…We can’t give him a chance to escape far away. There’s a possibility he’s already fled, but I think that’s probably not the case.”

“Why?”

“If we lose him, the situation becomes too disadvantageous for us.”

The guy didn’t need to capture the Lesser Griffin.

He didn’t need to fight the monsters that would pour out from day 2 onward; he could just hide and leave after a week passed.

But Adel’s party was in a different situation.

With no way to avoid the numerous monsters, they had to defeat the Lesser Griffin and leave this place.

“For us to win, the basic condition is that he hasn’t fled yet. Though we’re at a disadvantage even after this.”

The conditions Adel mentioned afterward were mainly two:

1. Trap him in a space where he can’t escape. Especially better if it’s a confined space.

2. Continuously reveal his position.

3. Since he has the initiative, our bodies will need to keep healing.

These were nearly impossible conditions, but.

“If that’s what you need, it’s possible.”

Deneb could do it.

“…What?”

“There’s a way.”

She looked at Adel with a confident expression.

***

After the barrier disappeared, Deneb closed her eyes and prayed while gathering holy power.

She was preparing an ability that could only be used once in a lifetime after becoming a high priest.

It was an ability rarely used because it would permanently deplete one’s holy power and could even cost one’s life if something went wrong.

But now was different.

‘First constellation of the sky. Illuminate our lives with your wisdom.’

Her first prayer symbolized wisdom.

The second prayer asked for mercy.

The next was for courage,

For righteousness, for temperance, for patience, for justice, for diligence, for faith, for love.

And finally, the twelfth.

‘Twelfth constellation of the sky. Our wishes-‘

Wishes.

She prayed for wishes.

All those numerous prayers gathered to create a brilliant light, and soon prepared to perform a single miracle.

‘God, thank you.’

Here, the power of the constellations in the sky gathered.

Here, the power of the god who created humans dwelled.

Right here, now.

“I declare the Sanctuary.”

God was present.