Chapter 749

Chapter 749


What a Curious Being. (1)

The green gemstone in Ilaniel’s hand was very small. It was even smaller than an average person’s thumbnail.

If one didn’t know any better, they would have believed it to be nothing more than a cheap trinket.

Now that it no longer emitted light, it looked even more so. In fact, it would not have been an exaggeration to call it just a piece of rock.

Julien’s Mercenary Corps blinked in confusion. They couldn’t believe that such a thing was a Sacred Stone.

Seeing their reaction, Ilaniel smiled.

"Why is that? Are you disappointed?"

"……."

"It is not right to judge anything by its appearance alone. You must strive to see its true essence within."

"Yes……."

Like students responding to their teacher, the mercenaries all nodded their heads.

However, a hint of disappointment still remained on their faces. The Sacred Stone did not exude the grandeur or mystique they had expected.

If it had continued to emit light, perhaps they might have felt differently. But it didn’t. Nor did it seem to radiate any particular aura.

These battle-hardened individuals began to think that the tales they had heard about the Sacred Stones had surely been exaggerated.

‘No wonder gathering them several times had no effect.’

‘That light probably just came from the World Tree.’

‘Now that I’m holding it, it just feels like an ordinary stone.’

Ilaniel only smiled quietly at their reactions.

She knew that such understanding was not easily attained by those who lived such intense lives.

Turning to Deneb, Ilaniel spoke.

"It would be difficult to carry it around like this. Let me make it easier for you to keep."

She removed the necklace she had been wearing around her neck.

Though it was a very plain and simple necklace, it had a delicate setting at its center designed to hold a small gem.

Ilaniel carefully brought the Sacred Stone to that setting.

Click.

With a small sound, the Sacred Stone fit perfectly into place.

Ilaniel placed the necklace around Deneb’s neck and spoke.

"This is a necklace made to hold a Blessing Stone. It is a precious item passed down through generations only to the Great Chieftain. For now, I will entrust it to you."

"Th-thank you."

Deneb lowered her head, unsure what to do. She couldn’t understand why such a precious item was being given to her.

She immediately intended to pass it on to Lionel. After all, it was an item that needed to go to the Pope.

Lionel seemed to think the same, as he stepped forward and expressed his gratitude.

"We are truly grateful for the Great Chieftain’s generosity. The Holy Empire will not forget your kindness, and His Holiness the Pope will surely repay this favor……."

Ilaniel interrupted Lionel with a cold expression.

"Human."

"Yes?"

"The Blessing Stone is not something to be given to the Pope."

"W-what do you mean by that……."

"The Blessing Stone is given by me, the Elves' representative and the Guardian of the World Tree, to that child named Deneb."

"G-Great Chieftain! But……."

"Therefore, I will not allow the Pope to take it. Until the war is over, the owner of the Blessing Stone will be Deneb. Do you understand?"

"……."

"If anyone tries to take it by force, the Holy Empire will have to fight us Elves as well. The Blessing Stone holds the authority to command our Elves, after all."

"……."

At Ilaniel’s icy words, Lionel could not say a thing. The other mercenaries were no different.

Deneb stood there flustered, not knowing what to do.

She had simply come here after accepting a request, but now it felt as if she had stolen a precious item.

Gritting his teeth, Lionel bowed his head. After a moment, he asked again.

"Then, if this lowly priestess were to offer the Sacred Stone to His Holiness the Pope of her own will, what would you do?"

"That would be the child’s choice. I will not stop her from that. However, should it come to that, I will personally go to the Pope to retrieve it myself."

"……Understood."

Lionel bowed his head. In the end, it was just wordplay. Who could truly disobey the Pope’s command?

It was obvious that Deneb would willingly offer it to the Pope.

Ilaniel smiled as she looked at the bowed Lionel. There was no way she wasn’t aware of that situation.

The Pope would certainly do whatever it took to claim the Blessing Stone. And Deneb had the kind of heart that would willingly offer it.

That was what everyone would think. The Elf Elders probably expected the same.

But Ilaniel thought differently.

'The Pope will not be able to take the Blessing Stone so easily.'

Her gaze shifted to Ghislain.

'That Black Mage would never allow it.'

Though she had only observed briefly, Ilaniel had already grasped what kind of person Ghislain was.

That child is not the sort to show loyalty to the Pope. He gave off the distinct sense of being no ordinary troublemaker.

Rather, even if it meant fighting against the Pope, he would place the Blessing Stone in Deneb’s hands.

Thinking this, Ilaniel looked at Ghislain.

'……Hm?'

Ghislain was staring blankly at the necklace hanging around Deneb’s neck.

Tilting her head, Ilaniel asked.

"Why is that? Did you sense something from the Blessing Stone?"

"Ah… no. It just seemed strange, that’s all."

Ghislain answered evasively. Right now, he was feeling both joy and wonder.

'That necklace… it’s my necklace, isn’t it?'

It was the very necklace of the Saintess that he had taken from Berhem. Everything had started after obtaining that necklace.

It was through the Divine Power within the necklace that he had seen the past in his dreams and eventually came to this past directly.

Back then, the Sacred Stone had not been attached to the necklace. It seemed that the Sacred Stone had vanished, and only the necklace had been passed down.

'So that’s how this necklace came to be. Later, Deneb’s Divine Power must have imbued it and turned it into a relic.'

In any case, it was likely that the other relics had also been passed down in a similar way.

He wasn’t exactly sure what remained, but he had a feeling he would obtain them through circumstances much like this.

Ilaniel looked at Ghislain for a moment, then asked again.

"Was your name Astion?"

"Yes, it is."

"Though you have learned Black Magic, I sense no evil aura from you. On the contrary, your aura is purer than anyone’s. That tells me how exceptional your mental fortitude must be. Truly remarkable and extraordinary."

"I do have a strong mind."

As Ghislain spoke playfully and praised himself, an Elf Elder quietly interjected.

"Realistically, those who dabble in Black Magic cannot maintain such pure energy. They do it out of greed to become stronger more quickly. No one would pursue Black Magic unless they bore great resentment toward the world or harbored extreme selfishness that disregarded life."

The Elf Elder hesitated for a moment, then cautiously continued.

"Please don’t take this the wrong way, but… is there something wrong with your mind? Or perhaps you have some kind of twisted inclination…?"

"……."

"I mean… honestly, it doesn’t make sense. A righteous Black Mage with a pure aura? Usually, strange people become obsessed in strange ways, do they not?"

"……."

A brief silence followed. Then, Julien’s Mercenary Corps all burst into laughter, clutching their stomachs.

"Puhaha! As expected, a keen observation, Elder!"

"He definitely has a problem in the head!"

"His nickname is Madman!"

Everyone began to chatter noisily. After all, chances to officially tease Ghislain like this were rare.

"……."

As Ghislain silently raised his staff, everyone fell quiet. Though the Elves still looked at him with curiosity.

Clicking his tongue, Ghislain answered a little more truthfully.

"I filled my aura using magical tools. I also received a bit of help from the Temple of Seraana. After all, the origin of Black Magic was Divine Power meant for the dead, wasn’t it?"

At those words, all the Elves nodded. That much was common knowledge.

Still, Ilaniel remained curious about why Ghislain had chosen to learn Black Magic.

"With your abilities, you didn’t need to learn Black Magic. Was there a reason?"

"I’m the type to learn whatever I can to become stronger. In the end, the use of a tool depends on the will of the one wielding it. The tool itself holds no good or evil."

"That is true. However, binding the souls of the dead goes against the natural order. You must know that, don’t you?"

Ilaniel was concerned about that part. Anyone who learned Black Magic could fall into its temptation at any time.

And if that person happened to be a companion of Deneb, who now possessed the Blessing Stone, it was all the more concerning.

Then Ghislain grinned and raised his hand.

"It’ll be faster if I show you."

Paah!

Black smoke rose, and a Death Knight appeared. The Elves immediately tensed, their expressions hardening.

The Death Knight that appeared was Gasco. He glanced around briefly, then spoke in a gruff voice.

"……What is it?"

"Ah, it seems that the people here are worried."

Ghislain gestured toward Gasco and spoke.

"You don’t have to worry too much. We’re companions."

"Companions?"

"Yes, we’ve agreed to work together until the Salvation Church is destroyed. None of them are bound by my will. They follow me of their own choice."

Ilaniel was slightly surprised upon seeing the Death Knight.

"You gave them free will."

"It makes them fight better that way."

When Ghislain answered nonchalantly, Ilaniel nodded.

No Black Mage ever gave free will to a Death Knight. Without forceful control, one simply couldn’t handle a Death Knight.

"I did not doubt your sincerity, but I must admit I was a bit concerned. However, after seeing this, it seems I needn’t worry."

The mere fact that the Death Knights followed someone of their own volition was enough to put her concerns to rest and make them worthy of trust.

Unlike Ilaniel, however, the other Elves still couldn’t completely hide their suspicion and unease.

Ghislain shrugged toward Gasco and said,

"You heard that, right? Looks like our sincerity finally got through."

"……Don’t summon me for such trivial matters. I’m busy recovering."

Gasco responded gruffly again and disappeared.

With that concern now settled, Ilaniel asked about another matter.

"You said there were a few things you needed. Besides the Blessing Stone, is there anything else you want?"

Ghislain was the type to make sure he got what he wanted when the opportunity arose. Smiling brightly, he nodded.

"Yes, there is something I really wanted to ask for if I ever met you, Great Chieftain."

"Very well, tell me. As a token of gratitude to my benefactor, I will help in any way I can within reason."

"I would like to learn Spirit Arts."

"……What?"

"I want to have spirit friends too."

"……."

The Elves once again stared at Ghislain with dumbfounded expressions.

It seemed he thought he could have anything just because he wanted it.

And a Black Mage with spirits? There could hardly be a more ill-matched combination.

But Ghislain remained entirely undaunted and declared confidently,

"There’s no harm in learning it, right?"

Ghislain had always been that way. He never hesitated to learn or make use of anything.

Ilaniel did not bother to hide her interest.

"Spirit Arts are not something one learns. It is about naturally communicating with spirits and becoming friends with them."

"I know that as well."

"If you’ve never felt the presence of a spirit, it is impossible to learn Spirit Arts."

In truth, very few people could handle spirits. Unless one lived in harmony with nature, like the Elves, it was nearly impossible to learn Spirit Arts.

There were very few who were naturally born with an affinity for spirits, and most humans grew up in polluted environments and thus lost that sensitivity as they lived.

Of course, Ghislain was well aware of that. That was why he intended to use a different method.

"With the skills of the Great Chieftain and the Elders, you could at least introduce me to the spirits, couldn’t you?"

"……."

"Please, make the introduction."

There were those who possessed an affinity yet, for unavoidable reasons, had never formed a bond with spirits. For such individuals, the Elves had a special ritual that summoned and guided spirits.

That ritual was called the Spirit Ritual. And it was exactly what Ghislain was now requesting.

"……That much, of course, I can do. However, even so, if the spirits reject you, you will not be able to learn."

"I understand. I’ll handle becoming friends with them myself, so please just connect me to them."

"……."

Ilaniel thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Very well. It is not a difficult request. After all, the decision lies with the spirits."

She then looked around at the other mercenaries and spoke.

"If any of you wish to try, I will perform the ritual for all of you. Perhaps there may be someone the spirits take a liking to."

At those words, the mercenaries’ faces lit up with excitement. If they were lucky, they might be able to learn Spirit Arts.

The mercenaries stood at appropriate distances from one another, their faces eager with anticipation.

Ilaniel slowly closed her eyes and raised her hands.

Then, a beautiful voice flowed from her lips as if she were singing.

—In your forms, in your will, following the memories etched in nature, come forth to this place. I wish to be connected with you. I will not harm you, and I will listen to your tranquility.

Paah!

Strange patterns appeared beneath everyone’s feet, glowing with light.

Curving lines resembling tree roots emerged, and a gentle light like moonlight flowed through them.

A soft, bell-like resonance filled the space. It felt as though the world was overlapping with the Spirit Realm.

Saaa...

Countless lights bloomed in the air.

Lights of various colors began to drift like tiny butterflies.

The number of lights steadily increased until there were hundreds of them, swirling around the people.

Ilaniel’s powerful will had opened a portion of the Spirit Realm and summoned numerous spirits.

Like curious children, they began to circle around the mercenaries one by one, observing them.

Some had many spirits gather around them, while others had fewer, but in any case, lights approached nearly every mercenary.

A fair number of lights also drifted toward Ghislain.

Smiling, he quietly closed his eyes.

'Spirit Arts are an incredibly unfair power on the battlefield.'

The caster could strengthen themselves or send the spirits separately into battle.

In fact, in the future, Ereneth had used spirits to perform multiple roles at once.

Ilaniel spoke softly.

"You must be sincere. You must truly wish to become friends. If there is even a hint of falsehood, you will not be able to commune with the spirits. Communion is akin to becoming one."

"Understood."

Ghislain steadied his breathing and sent his intent toward the spirits drifting nearby.

—I want to be friends with you. Let’s run together across the battlefield.

Ghislain imagined it.

His most ideal vision of battle, the perfect image of the battlefield.

Hundreds of Death Knights sweeping through the battlefield, powerful magic tearing apart the sky and the earth.

Then, spirits summoned from all directions unleashing natural disasters that engulfed the world.

In the midst of it all, Ghislain charged alone into the enemy’s great army, crushing everything.

With complete sincerity, without a shred of falsehood, Ghislain conveyed this vision to the spirits.

It was a truly magnificent scene. At this level, he could even slay a Dragon alone.

It was the very image of the god of destruction descending upon the world.

'Perfect.'

Ghislain smiled. Surely, no spirit could reject him after seeing such a grand and impressive vision.

Because he had not mixed in a single lie, his sincerity was clearly conveyed to the spirits. It was a flawless communion.

And upon seeing and feeling Ghislain’s sincerity, the spirits…

Paaah!

Scattered in all directions and began to flee.

"……???"

Ghislain stood there blankly, blinking.

He muttered in a dazed tone.

"……But I was sincere?"

Ilaniel covered her face and sighed. She had heard the whispers of the fleeing spirits.

She spoke softly.

"Spirits… do not wish to be friends with someone who wants to become a god of destruction."

"……."

Ghislain felt a little wronged.

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