Chapter 748

Chapter 748

Impressive, Truly Impressive. (2)

Divine Power was an unfair force.

No one knew exactly how to obtain it or how to train to grow stronger.

Most priests ‘awakened’ to Divine Power one day and naturally became priests.

Though some gained Divine Power through deep faith, there were also cases where it dwelled in those with no faith at all.

For this reason, Divine Power was called a ‘blessing of the gods’, yet was also regarded as a mysterious force with no clear origin.

The temples dressed it up in doctrine, emphasizing ‘true faith’, but that was merely conjecture as well.

It was common for people to live devout lives their entire lives without increasing their Divine Power at all, while those with strong powers were almost always simply gifted.

There were rare cases of people gradually building their Divine Power through religious practice and good deeds, but those were truly few.

Yet one thing was certain.

Once obtained, Divine Power never vanished.

Even excommunicated priests or those who turned heretical never lost their Divine Power.

That was why the complete disappearance of Divine Power, as in Lionel’s case, was unprecedented.

That was also why Ilaniel had been so surprised. Even with all her long years of life, she had never heard of such a thing.

“Are you saying that your Divine Power is truly gone?”

Lionel, on the verge of tears, nodded.

“Yes… my Divine Power is gone. No matter how much I pray or try to summon it, I cannot feel it.”

Lionel felt like he was going insane. He could not believe that the Divine Power he had wielded as naturally as breathing was now gone.

But he had a faint suspicion.

‘It, it must be because of that low-ranking priestess!’

When Deneb had unleashed that tremendous Divine Power, Lionel had gazed at the light in a state of rapture.

At that moment, he had felt his Divine Power disappearing. No, to be precise, it had felt as though it was being sucked into Deneb’s body.

Since then, Lionel’s Divine Power had been completely empty. He could no longer feel it.

“Uwaaaah… Great Chieftain! Have I been abandoned by the gods? What have I done wrong! I only fought to help the Elves and healed the Great Chieftain!”

At Lionel’s anguished cry, Ilaniel let out a faint sigh.

“Hah…”

The man before her seemed stubborn, but not evil. Had he not risked his life to fight against the darkness for the Elves?

Such a man would have no reason to be abandoned by the goddesses.

No, the very concept that one could lose Divine Power by being abandoned by the gods did not make sense to begin with. If that were possible, many priests who had committed great evils would have lost their powers first.

Even Ilaniel, with all her long life, could not explain this phenomenon.

"Well... for now, get some rest and let’s take our time to figure this out. It might be related to the priestess who collapsed just now."

"Ugh... huhuhu…"

Lionel wept. The thought that he had been abandoned by the goddesses filled him with sorrow. The fact that he didn’t know why made it all the more painful.

As Ilaniel was looking at Lionel with pity, a group of soldiers came running in, out of breath.

"A-are you all right?"

They were troops sent by the city’s mayor after receiving word from Julien’s mercenary corps. The number was barely five hundred.

No matter how urgent the situation, the mayor couldn’t mobilize the city’s entire army. His authority extended only to managing the city’s public order.

Even so, unable to simply stand by, the mayor had hurriedly informed the lord and assembled a reconnaissance unit to confirm the situation.

Though the number was too small to be of any real help in battle, Ilaniel did not criticize them. She understood well the complexity and limitations of human command structures.

Ilaniel spoke to the commander of the unit.

"I thank you for your assistance. But the battle is over, so there is no need to worry further."

"O-oh. That is a relief. We feared we had arrived too late…"

"It is fine. Your intentions alone are more than enough. However, you must contact the kingdom as quickly as possible. The Salvation Church has begun to move."

Hearing those words, the commander swallowed hard.

He had known that orcs and Black Mages had attacked. But to hear that the Salvation Church was involved as well—

If that was true, this was no mere raid, but an ominous sign that threatened the entire continent.

And there was no way the noble Elf Great Chieftain would lie about such a matter.

The commander immediately saluted and spoke.

"I shall relay your words without delay, Great Chieftain."

The city’s troops withdrew. Judging from the hurried steps of the soldiers and their anxious expressions, they had overheard the conversation between the commander and Ilaniel.

Not long after, the cleanup of the battlefield was mostly finished.

There was no capacity to deal with the countless orc corpses at that moment, so the priority was caring for the wounded.

In time, the corpses would serve as fertilizer for the forest.

However, Deneb remained unconscious for several more days.

The Elves stayed by her side, quietly waiting for her to awaken.

So, time passed, and it was only after a full fifteen days that—

At last, Deneb opened her eyes.

The Elf watching over her immediately ran to spread the news. People hurriedly gathered around Deneb.

The first to arrive was Ghislain, who smiled upon seeing her.

"Hey there, Saintess of Battle. You’ve finally woken up. How do you feel?"

Julien, Kyle, and the other mercenaries all warmly greeted Deneb.

"Deneb, are you feeling better now?"

"You were truly amazing, you know."

"I, Osval the Man, will follow ‘the Saintess’ to the end!"

As everyone showered her with praise, flustered Deneb waved her hands.

"S-Saintess? What are you talking about? I’m not someone like that."

Lionel, who had been sulking in the corner, bristled.

"She has not even been recognized by the Church, and you call her a Saintess! Who gave you the right to call her that! Severe punishment will come of this!"

At Lionel’s words, the mercenaries all scoffed. Ghislain smirked and spoke.

"You. Your Divine Power. It’s gone, isn’t it?"

"…"

"Then be quiet."

"…"

Lionel had nothing more to say and slumped back into the corner. He felt so wronged that he was about to burst into tears again.

Soon, Ilaniel and the Elf Elders arrived as well.

The Elf Elders still looked at Ghislain with wary eyes.

Though he had helped them, knowing he was a Black Mage made them unable to fully trust him.

However, Ilaniel paid Ghislain no mind at all. She smiled kindly and spoke to Deneb.

"You have awakened. Thanks to you, we were able to claim victory."

"N-no. I didn’t do much…"

"There is no need to be humble. Everyone here witnessed the miracle you performed."

Everyone nodded in agreement with Ilaniel’s words.

But Deneb only blushed and couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

Just as the flood of praise was coming to an end, Lionel urgently approached Deneb and asked.

"M-my Divine Power, what happened to it?"

"Pardon? What do you mean?"

"You stole my Divine Power!"

"How could I possibly do that?"

Deneb widened her eyes in surprise. She couldn’t understand what Lionel was saying.

Lionel insisted again and again that she had taken his Divine Power, but Deneb only looked at him in utter confusion.

"Ugh… I’m finished…"

In the end, Lionel drooped his shoulders and slumped back into the corner again. No matter how he thought about it, there seemed to be no way to regain his Divine Power.

Watching this, Ghislain chuckled quietly to himself.

‘So that’s why he wasn’t using Divine Power in the dream.’

The thing that had puzzled Ghislain was Lionel’s Divine Power. In the dream, Lionel had fought without using it.

Moreover, the Ladran royal family of the Kingdom of Ritania possessed a Mana Refinement Technique that had been passed down through generations. If Lionel had continued using Divine Power, he would not have preserved the Mana Refinement Technique.

‘Once his pride is knocked down a bit, I’ll have to help him.’

Lionel surely knew the Mana Refinement Technique. He was from a noble family and had been a knight.

He had simply stopped using it after gaining Divine Power, but if he trained in the Mana Refinement Technique again, he would soon grow stronger.

Now that Deneb was awake, there was no reason to delay the conversation any further. Ilaniel looked at Ghislain and asked.

"Black Mage, are you the representative of your group?"

"The representative is actually this friend here, Julien, but for external matters, I am handling things for now."

"And why is that?"

"Our leader is rather shy."

As Ilaniel looked over, Julien vigorously nodded. He still lacked the confidence to step forward and handle such important negotiations.

Ilaniel nodded in understanding. In truth, it did not matter to her who the representative was.

"Very well. First, I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of all the Elves. Had it not been for your help, we would have fallen prey to the schemes of the Salvation Church."

"We’re truly glad to have been of help."

"You were of great help indeed. The Elves are not people who forget favors. We wish to repay you."

"There are a few things we do need…"

Ghislain trailed off with a slight smile. Ilaniel also smiled and nodded.

"I do not know how to speak in circles like humans do. You came seeking our Blessing Stone, did you not?"

"That’s correct."

"May I ask why?"

"The Pope requested it from us, but I also had my own reasons for coming."

"And what might those be?"

Ghislain glanced at Deneb as he continued.

"As you saw, that friend of mine holds great potential. I was more curious to see if the Sacred Stone might have a positive effect on her."

"Hmm…"

Ilaniel agreed with that sentiment. Indeed, the priestess named Deneb possessed an unfathomable potential.

Ilaniel closed her eyes and fell into thought for a moment.

‘The Blessing Stone is said to determine the rise and fall of a race.’

Of course, Ilaniel did not believe that legend to be true. To her, it simply meant that it was a treasure each race had cherished and preserved.

The Elves did not know how to use the Blessing Stone. They had simply regarded it as precious and safeguarded it for generations.

‘What is the Pope thinking?’

There had been numerous attempts to utilize the Blessing Stone. The goal was to harness the power of the goddess contained within.

But not a single attempt had ever succeeded. No one had been able to properly draw out the power of the Blessing Stone.

‘There is a legend that only the representatives of each race who have earned the recognition of the Source can wield the power of the Blessing Stone. It was said that the Dragon Lord knew the method…’

But that too was merely a legend. The Dragon Lords of the past had never revealed such a method, even after many wars.

If there truly had been a method, they would not have been silent about it. Thus, the Blessing Stone had remained a carefully preserved treasure and nothing more.

As Ilaniel appeared to be pondering, the Elders spoke cautiously.

"The Blessing Stone is an important relic."

"Though we are grateful for the help of the humans, we cannot lend out the Blessing Stone."

"Even if the Pope takes it, nothing will change. It has already been proven that gathering them in one place is pointless."

"On the contrary, humans will only start another war among themselves to claim the Blessing Stone."

The Sacred Stones were relics with great symbolic meaning. Simply possessing one was enough to claim that one had been chosen by the gods.

In the past as well, many humans had sought the Sacred Stones for that reason. The Elders were concerned about the chaos that would arise once more.

After a moment of contemplation, Ilaniel spoke.

"Follow me. I still have a few more questions, but first, I will give you your reward."

"Great Chieftain!"

"Enough. I intend to place some hope in these children."

"Haa…"

At Ilaniel’s decision, the Elders wore expressions of incomprehension.

Though the brief display of Divine Power from Deneb had been impressive, one could not win a war with Divine Power alone.

Moreover, even if they gave it to these people, it was obvious the Pope would just seize it in the end. But since Ilaniel had made her decision, they had no choice but to comply.

Ilaniel led Ghislain’s group toward the heart of the forest.

Among the countless trees stood one that was particularly striking.

In sheer size, it was only slightly larger than the other ancient trees. But the aura it emitted was anything but ordinary.

Its massive trunk stretched straight and tall, like a tower of wisdom that had withstood the ages. The grain of its wood seemed soft, as if imbued with a subtle glow.

Its leaves were a deep green, yet shimmered with a faint golden hue that rippled like waves whenever they caught the sunlight.

When the breeze passed through, the gentle rustling of its leaves echoed like a soft chime, embracing the entire forest. Even the air around it felt clearer and more serene than elsewhere.

This was no mere plant. Something within it seemed to cleanse the hearts of those who beheld it.

As if it had been rooted there since the dawn of this land, the World Tree stood with natural majesty.

Looking at the World Tree, Ilaniel spoke softly.

"This tree is the World Tree that we have protected for countless generations. Its visible size may not seem great, but what truly matters... is its roots."

As she said, this tree was the core of harmony that connected all Elves and served as a sanctuary of life.

The mercenaries, upon seeing the World Tree, found themselves staring in awe with their mouths agape.

"W-wow... is this the World Tree we’ve only heard about?"

"So, the World Tree isn’t just a big tree after all."

"Should we be bowing or something?"

Ghislain, too, looked up at the World Tree and held his breath.

The World Tree exuded a presence unlike any ordinary tree.

It felt closer to an ancient, silent spirit that had guarded this land for ages.

'...So, this is the World Tree.'

Unconsciously, he muttered to himself and reached out a hand. Though he did not touch the World Tree, he felt a strange sensation, as if the tree’s presence was quietly gazing back at him.

Was it resonance, or perhaps communion? The life and memories contained within the World Tree, the flow of countless ages, seeped momentarily beyond his consciousness.

‘I see.’

Only then did Ghislain understand why the Elves had been able to track him so easily.

‘This entire forest is a part of the World Tree.’

Every visible tree, every passing breeze, even the scent of the earth each was touched by the breath of the World Tree.

The Elves, in communion with the World Tree, had read that breath and pursued him.

Ghislain steadied his breath and took a step back. This tree was the Elves themselves, the heart of the forest, and the focal point that balanced the land.

The corners of his mouth slowly lifted. His face was filled with reverence and excitement.

‘Impressive, truly impressive.’

As expected, there were still many things in this world he did not know.

Perhaps this was a reward for helping the Elves?

Just by gazing upon the World Tree, Ghislain felt his consciousness expanding.

His vision became clearer, his mind calmer, and his senses seemed to synchronize more deeply with the world.

‘I can see a greater flow.’

The hidden facets of the world he had been missing, the unseen harmony and balance—

Now, Ghislain once more embraced all of it within his consciousness.

He slowly inhaled.

The fragrance of an ancient world, hidden within the clear and pure air, resonated deep within him.

As Ghislain gained this new understanding, Ilaniel, who had patiently waited, noticed a glimmer of change in his eyes.

She alone had perceived the subtle transformation Ghislain had just experienced.

"How remarkable. To glimpse the essence of the world once more in such a brief moment."

"I was fortunate. It seems the World Tree has looked kindly upon me."

"That too must be the World Tree’s way of offering its reward."

Ilaniel smiled. There was no need to offer further advice. This was someone who knew his own limitations and wielded his unbalanced powers with care.

Of course, she still did not understand why he had turned to something like Black Magic.

Ilaniel reached out a hand toward the World Tree. At that moment, a brilliant green light radiated from her hand.

"First, I shall grant you what you seek."

Paaaah!

That light resonated with the World Tree.

A subtle vibration coursed through the massive trunk, and the center slowly began to open.

Soon, from within, a jewel imbued with a gentle green light gradually emerged.

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