Chapter 14

Returning to Cedric's VVIP room, Callius sat on the bed and cautiously observed the jewellery box.

When he opened it slightly, a refreshing and warm energy oozed out.

The sacred stone of a Saint.

It was in his own hands.

"An escort job..."

The person who willingly handed over the sacred stone to him was that high-ranking nobleman of Carpe.

Artemion von Ormian, Count.

A quite abrupt and secret offer.

But the reward was too great.

"Sir just needs to escort an item on the move."

"Where to?"

"Oliorro."

"... Is that place not occupied by the rebels?"

"Yes, that's right."

Count Artemion answered confidently.

It's like there was no need to hide it.

He had the confidence that Callius would not resist his proposal no matter how difficult it was.

Callius knew his intentions, but didn't show it.

"Is that all?"

"Yes. It's simple."

It probably won't be that simple.

It's obvious when you're willing to offer something like this.

It's a life-or-death risk.

In fact, from the moment he held the sacred stone, the noble's colour had changed to red.

After contemplating, Callius clenched the sacred stone in his hand.

Saaasaaa.

A sacred stone filled with the divine power of a Saint.

A part of it began to seep into Callius' body. He could feel the intense power hidden within that gentle flow of energy.

His body glowed silver with divine light, illuminating the entire bedroom.

"The power is indeed great."

As the light faded, Callius' gray eyes slowly opened.

The divine power that he possessed now was inferior to an ant's urine in comparison.

There was such a gap in their quality.

However, the divine power that entered his body promptly returned back to the sacred stone.

It was as if there was a sentient will residing in the divine power itself, and it felt like it was rejecting Callius' body.

As if this was not the place for it to be, so it returned to its original place without leaving a trace behind.

"Amazing."

Callius was excited.

How could a stone of this small size possess this level of power?

When only a sliver of the sacred stone's divine power entered his body -

He felt omnipotent.

He felt drunk with arrogance and pride, as if he could do anything.

It was so impossible to suppress the excitement that even a strange feeling of lethargy rose when it passed.

Callius immediately put the sacred stone back in the box and sat up straight.

Having tasted the divine power of a Saint, there was a slight improvement in his own divine power.

'It's like a thread.'

The divine power within the sacred stone was like a thick thread that was well woven and twisted.

On the outside, it looked like a thin silk thread, but on the inside, it was more like a tightly woven and twisted rope.

Looking into it a little more -

It felt like a bunch of threads woven like a honeycomb, gathered together to form a strand.

It was as if the divine power had been divided and compressed into molecules and then entangled together.

Callius decided to follow along. Even if it's not perfect, maybe you can try and have some small success.

When an hour has passed -

"Damn it."

Callius spat out a curse.

It was still too high a wall for the current him.

He couldn't even follow along.

At his level he could only move the divine power in lumps.

When he tried to create a detailed texture like the divine power contained in the sacred stone, it was an utter failure.

Well, that's right.

If a beginner could do it, then Saints wouldn't have been called Saints.

But that didn't mean there was no harvest.

The direction of the spiritual force was obvious.

I saw the way. Now it is a problem that can be solved by enough time and effort.

"If I can do it, it will be helpful for Six Flowers Technique training too."

Thanks to this, I feel as if I've found a new path towards the Six Flowers Technique.

So even after failure, there is no need to be disappointed.

The strands have been caught, so if I keep going like this, I can soon reach the first level of Six Peak Flowers Bloom in Late Season.

Callius put the jewellery box containing the sacred stone into the stigma.

"It's dangerous, but there's nothing I can do about it. I have no choice but to do it."

Escort to Oliorro.

If you think it's becoming dangerous, just leave.

Besides himself, other strong people will be gathered to form the escort force.

The noble's probably trying to startle and scare his enemies using the name of Jervain.

That's probably all Count Artemion wants from Callius.

Jervain's name is that heavy.

"It's a shame that he didn't tell me what or who was the object of the escort, but..."

I guess I know.

Count Artemion himself is a character that came out of my head.

The target he intends to be escorted to Oliorro -

"It must be that beast."

That person in my mind.

Callius scratched his scalp and shook his head.

Anyway, the answer about the escort was to be given three days later.

Artemion, who believed in Jervain's reputation and handed over the sacred stone beforehand, thought Callius would definitely accept it.

Anyway, there was a lot to prepare during that time.

'First to make Holy Water.'

I bought all the related equipment.

If it's a simple crafting table, you can even make it in any corner of this spacious room.

I have no intention of making proper Holy Water, so this is enough. I have Bruns and Dexter to install the equipment, so if I start it now, it will be finished in three days.

[Tears of Valtherus] x 8

[Tsáchilaguinea Fang] x 20

[Karmic Dew Poison] x 15

[Orte's Poison Sac] x 20

The quantity was adequate.

Even if you don't make Holy Water, you can use it as poison.

Anyway, if you mix and match them in a certain combination, you will be able to make Holy Water. It's not a difficult process if you check it halfway through the Tricolour Eye.

I'm not trying to make near-perfect Holy Water, and Valtherus' Tears will absorb most of the poison.

The rest is just a matter of injecting divine power. Simple.

'Is it Dexter next?'

I think Bruns can just carry my things around, but Dexter isn't suitable for that.

One porter is enough.

Bruns, it doesn't matter when he dies, but Dexter is different, since there is only one of him.

He is essential.

He's a guy who mustn't die easily.

"I'll leave it to Cedric."

If you make a suitable living room and workshop, that would be enough to make Dexter stay and not run away.

One of the characteristics of the dwarves is that they tend to be reluctant to take on debts of sincere intention, so if given such kindness, they will try their best to pay it back.

If you build trust like that... ....

'Maybe you can find out where the other dwarves are.'

You have to do that.

Only then will you be able to survive.

"Hmm... and next."

After he had organized the next most urgent tasks in his head, he read the note left by the bedside.

"I'm now an apostate... I don't have any particular memory of committing apostasy though."

Already on the way back to the room, I met Cedric and heard the story.

Cedric gave a meaningful laugh at the word apostasy, but there was nothing for Callius to say.

'But I don't know why you're looking for relics from me.'

Steel Justice Heretic Inquisitor Ryburn.

He called me an apostate and is said to be pursuing me in search of relics.

An apostate who stole the Church's relics.

"Maybe he misunderstood the Tears of Valtherus I took for a sacred object?"

Ah, please. You can't just make that kind of mistake.

"Perhaps it's a ploy to frame me for someone else's sins."

Wouldn't it be better to shoot all the arrows at an innocent scapegoat to cover up a big event?

Moreover, Callius was reputed as the prodigal son of the Order.

The Count's Scapegrace.

A perfect level of notoriety to push in some extra blame for any kind of sin.

This might also be part of that.

"Because it's a character that has terrible luck. Even if you stand still and do nothing, death will arrive."

But what's the issue with that?

It was me who created Callius with such a fate.

So I just have to accept it.

And overcome it.

'Master of Poison Akasha.'

Steel Justice Heretic Inquisitor Ryburn.

A pretty tough opponent.

The best choice is to not meet.

Next is running away.

The worst choice is to fight.

If I had to fight... .... Callius looked at Arsando.

"I may have to find a new sword."

Tok tok.

"Master! The workshop installation is complete!"

"Okay. Let's go quickly."

No matter what you do, the Holy Water comes first.

The more insurance, the better.

Count Artemion's hotel.

In the hotel's restaurant, he was cutting a large piece of meat with a knife and fork.

The lamb tenderloin served with sauce tickled like waves on the tongue.

As if he had a greased throat, he swallowed it lightly.

"It tastes great."

"Are things going okay, Count?"

"What do you mean, Baron Manon?"

"The bastard of Jervain."

"Huh, you idiot. Watch your mouth. Cursing Jervain is the same as insulting the Kingdom itself."

"Ha, but... don't you know."

"I handed over the sacred stone to Sir Callius because I knew."

Because I needed his name.

He himself is not needed at all.

The great honour that has been built up by his bloodline over the centuries.

I just needed that.

"I just needed the name of the family which shared the glory of the Kingdom's founding. Since I could use the name of Jervain without any connections, a small sacred stone was rather cheap."

"However, ..."

"Don't worry. That Jervain will accept my offer seeing the sacred stone in his hand. But in the not-too-distant future, he will pay the price for being seduced by his greed."

No matter how much they say he has been abandoned by Jervain.

He is still their eldest trueborn son.

"Even Count Jervain can't just pretend that he doesn't know."

No matter how much you say a child has been abandoned -

The blood in your veins will not lie.

"What is Callius doing?"

"He hasn't been out of the room for three days. Perhaps he's been trying to avoid the Inquisitor's eyes."

Apostate.

He's been branded that way, so it's understandable.

Cedric wondered how Callius, bearing the surname of Jervain, became an apostate, but there was only one possible answer.

He stole the Church's relics.

For what reason?

And why did he reveal to himself the location of the holy relic of the Twin Gods?

How did he even know of the Twin Gods?

If you think about it, you will find the answer.

'Yeah, rather than swords, he must have been fascinated by the tough art of circles and angles.[1]'

Callius had discovered that he had no talent for the sword at a young age.

The pressure of the family, the envy of the public -

Must have suffocated him. Then he came across a story about the Twin Gods by chance.

Even though he became a Pilgrim and went on a pilgrimage, he must have found the story of the Twin Gods.

So, he came to know the location of the holy relics.

Callius, probably -

'Wants to become a Saint of the Twin Gods like me.'

Otherwise, he wouldn't have said in vain that he wanted to be a brother with him.

Then, all his actions made sense.

But it is still too early to give faith, to become brothers.

There are still many areas of doubt.

"Are things going well at the entrance?"

"Yeah, I gave the Casino's guests a large sum of money just as you asked. They won't say anything because Cedric-sama's name is guaranteeing it."

"It's a brother's business. So we need to handle it with certainty."

"All right."

Chuckle.

After the henchman left.

"Brother..."

The word 'brother' came out without me knowing, and somehow it sticks to my lips.

Since I was raised as an only child, I thought that the word 'brother' would feel awkward and absurd.

It doesn't even make sense if you think about it.

"An uninhabited island in the South. Barbareum."

It's the first time I've ever heard of the island.

But Callius said so confidently. A hidden island.

He said that there would be the Gaiters, the sacred relic of the Oracle, and there would be a Saint who worships the Twin Gods.

"I'm going to have to be absent for a year or so."

Since it's a long way, I think I'll need the time. Because it is an island hidden at the farthest edge of the South.

I still can't be sure, but it'll all be clear after seeing it with my own eyes.

"There's no time to mess around. We'll go right after making the minimum preparations."

As long as you find the holy relic, you can engrave the word "brother" in your heart.

"Kahahahaha! Let's get ready!"

"Hooo."

The whole body was drenched in sweat.

After performing the divine power infusion for three days in that temporary manufacturing workshop room -

I was exhausted and at my limit.

I had to inject the divine power little by little while maintaining its strength.

When spiritual energy is exhausted, go to sleep, and when you wake up, start again. For three days.

"It wasn't pointless."

It was significant.

Thanks to that, I now had six bottles of Holy Water full of divinity in front of my eyes.

It was Holy Water with one Tear of Valtherus in each. Although the quality of the divine power was low, and the impurities could not be completely removed, Holy Water was still Holy Water.

I failed a couple of times, but it was still good enough for my first try.

So patting myself in the back, I called Bruns, who had been waiting outside.

"Yes!"

"Show me your chest."

"Uhh, wha?! Sh-, showing my chest... W, what are you talking about here?"

The words were a little weird. Bruns' eyes were full of confusion.

"I meant show me the wound."

"Ah... yes!"

As he did it right away, the sword wound he had been subjected to during the Lutens case the other day was still there.

Because it was a small wound, it was healing, but when I pressed it with my finger, blood oozed out.

"Ugh."

"Shut up, Bruns."

I opened the stopper of a bottle of Holy Water, applied a little on my hand, and slathered it on Bruns' wound.

Then it worked immediately.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"

Bruns' screams resounded in the room.

"Oh, it hurts! It hurts like I'm dying! I'm dying! No, I'm fucking dying!! Don't touch me!!"

Bruns squealed as if he was going crazy from the sting and rolled all over the floor.

Soon after, he had foam around his mouth and his eyes were rolling back. He looked really sick.

'Is it a side effect?'

However, since smoke was coming out of the wound, the effect must have been good.

I'll just come back and check on him after a few hours.

Leaving behind the motionless Bruns who had fainted, I went out with a satisfied smile.

Editor's Notes:

[1] 권과 각의 (lit. circle and angle) - martial arts that depend on mobility and positioning can sometimes be described this way. Modern boxing is one example.